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nytephoenyx's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hurricane Summer is a book filled deeply with pain.
It is the opposite of a Disney movie. It is cruel and Tilla is naïve and kind and out or her element, which everyone in the story uses against her. It is a heartbreaking book with a very specific story and I appreciate so much that it exists. Hurricane Summer is the type of book we need when we talk about representation in books because this is a Caribbean story, a Black story, and one I’ve never seen before… which means those with lived experiences like Tilla’s haven’t seen either. And it is so important they are represented and know they are no alone.
Bromfield’s writing is gut-wrenching, doubly so considering it’s a debut. It’s evident that she’s spilled her heart on to the page, written this story in her own blood. Tilla’s story is fictional, but at the same time, it feels incredibly personal. Hurricane Summer doesn’t hold back – it will cut your heart out and make you angry and leave you feeling helpless.
I loved it, in that I appreciated it so much but I hurt every time I sat down to read.
The language is beautiful. The integrated Patois may be an obstacle for some readers. I personally didn’t find it challenging and you get more used to it as you read. Bromfield includes a glossary at the beginning of the book so readers are ready for the language. Author often clean up regional dialects and foreign languages in books, but the inclusion of Patois added depth and realism to the story. I liked that Bromfield didn’t anglicize it. I know some readers will struggle, but this book isn’t really for those readers. It isn’t for me.
The story moved forward quickly, piling one heartbreak after another until the hurricane arrived, literally and metaphorically. This is one of those books with characters that come to life, even though many of them will upset readers as much as they upset Tilla. Other than how broken I feel now that I’ve finished it… I loved it. Hurricane Summer reminded me of my privilege as it highlighted Tilla’s. It made me uncomfortable. It was really good.
I wholeheartedly recommend Hurricane Summer, but I know some readers won’t like the style, will struggle with the Patois, or will find Tilla frustrating. That’s okay – this book may not be for you. But I really encourage readers to give it a try because it is powerful and devastating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, and Car accident
kerrygetsliterary's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Child death
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Child abuse, and Death of parent
anovelbeauty's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Book TW: rape, sexual assault, infidelity, victim blaming, sexism, IPV, physical abuse, colorism, prejudice, hypocrisy
Note: I read an eARC of this book from Netgalley in order to provide an honest review
Alright, I had a bit of a rough time with this book. It was just pretty triggering for me and I had to skip over quite a few sections having to do with infidelity, which this book has a lot of. Even though the main character struggles with the morals of what’s going on and that’s a big portion of the plot, it’s just not something I can really handle reading very well. Pretty much all of the things mentioned in the trigger warnings are pretty explicit and tough to read. It is absolutely not a light book.
Now, I did think the book was well written. The way the author describes things and puts you straight into Tilla’s emotional states was really well done. The way she describes Jamaica is lovely and poetic, but doesn’t feel overly romanticized either. I loved the friendship between Tilla and Andre. Tilla is an interesting protagonist and even when she makes horrendous decisions or finally has had enough with all the terrible stuff she goes through in the story and bursts, it makes sense. Most of the characters in the book are unlikeable, so if that’s not your thing, this probably isn’t going to work for you (except Andre and Mia, they are the only sweet characters in the book). Also, if hypocrisy and unjustness just sets your blood absolutely boiling… yep, that’s present too!
I though the aftermath portion of the book seemed a little rushed in comparison with the rest of the book and somehow, I expected a bigger disaster turn with how much the the physical hurricane had been built up throughout the story. The book did such a good job of buildup that the actual event and aftermath just felt a bit, well not a let down exactly, but just not what I felt it was building up to. The big actual plot twist also came very late in the story, so I felt like there wasn’t quite enough time to sit with the enormity of it, it felt like it needed just another 50 pages or so to really help it settle. It wasn’t a bad ending, it just didn’t quite feel like it matched the same pacing and quality of the rest of the book.
I did have trouble at first picking up on the dialect writing (Patois), there was a glossary at the beginning of the book, but since I was reading an ebook, I couldn’t really flip back and forth very easily if I didn’t understand a phrase. So if you’re unfamiliar with Patois like me, I would highly suggest a physical copy of the book so you can more easily check the glossary until you’re comfortable with the language. I definitely settled into understanding the dialect in the latter half of the book, it was just a bit of a learning curve towards the beginning.
Overall, I think its a good book and I’m sure it’s the perfect book for someone, but not really for me and that’s totally okay. Not every book is going to work perfectl
Note: I read an eARC of this book from Netgalley in order to provide an honest review
Alright, I had a bit of a rough time with this book. It was just pretty triggering for me and I had to skip over quite a few sections having to do with infidelity, which this book has a lot of. Even though the main character struggles with the morals of what’s going on and that’s a big portion of the plot, it’s just not something I can really handle reading very well. Pretty much all of the things mentioned in the trigger warnings are pretty explicit and tough to read. It is absolutely not a light book.
Now, I did think the book was well written. The way the author describes things and puts you straight into Tilla’s emotional states was really well done. The way she describes Jamaica is lovely and poetic, but doesn’t feel overly romanticized either. I loved the friendship between Tilla and Andre. Tilla is an interesting protagonist and even when she makes horrendous decisions or finally has had enough with all the terrible stuff she goes through in the story and bursts, it makes sense. Most of the characters in the book are unlikeable, so if that’s not your thing, this probably isn’t going to work for you (except Andre and Mia, they are the only sweet characters in the book). Also, if hypocrisy and unjustness just sets your blood absolutely boiling… yep, that’s present too!
I though the aftermath portion of the book seemed a little rushed in comparison with the rest of the book and somehow, I expected a bigger disaster turn with how much the the physical hurricane had been built up throughout the story. The book did such a good job of buildup that the actual event and aftermath just felt a bit, well not a let down exactly, but just not what I felt it was building up to. The big actual plot twist also came very late in the story, so I felt like there wasn’t quite enough time to sit with the enormity of it, it felt like it needed just another 50 pages or so to really help it settle. It wasn’t a bad ending, it just didn’t quite feel like it matched the same pacing and quality of the rest of the book.
I did have trouble at first picking up on the dialect writing (Patois), there was a glossary at the beginning of the book, but since I was reading an ebook, I couldn’t really flip back and forth very easily if I didn’t understand a phrase. So if you’re unfamiliar with Patois like me, I would highly suggest a physical copy of the book so you can more easily check the glossary until you’re comfortable with the language. I definitely settled into understanding the dialect in the latter half of the book, it was just a bit of a learning curve towards the beginning.
Overall, I think its a good book and I’m sure it’s the perfect book for someone, but not really for me and that’s totally okay. Not every book is going to work perfectl
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
biblio_jordyn's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I truly enjoyed this book that covers so many topics: colorism, classism, foreignness, young love, the complexity of family, abandonment and so much more.
How did I feel reading?
This book was heavy and heartbreaking and angering at the same time it was enlightening and uplifting and, by the end, joyous and bittersweet.
I thought the author did an excellent job creating characters that were fully developed and creating relationships between them that make us feel a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved the main character Tilla, I would fight for Tilla, I wanted to fight for her SO MANY TIMES.
This is an #ownvoices book, and one thing I really loved is that this book? This is book is not watered down. The author truly immerses us in Jamaica from the setting and the description of cultural rules to the language of Patois (yes, there is a word bank to help you along). It feels authentic and real and it makes you learn a lot. Would love to hear the POV people who are Jamaican!
This is a YA coming of age story that will stick with me for a long time and if you read it? It’ll stick with you too, but please remember to check the trigger warnings!
How did I feel reading?
This book was heavy and heartbreaking and angering at the same time it was enlightening and uplifting and, by the end, joyous and bittersweet.
I thought the author did an excellent job creating characters that were fully developed and creating relationships between them that make us feel a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved the main character Tilla, I would fight for Tilla, I wanted to fight for her SO MANY TIMES.
This is an #ownvoices book, and one thing I really loved is that this book? This is book is not watered down. The author truly immerses us in Jamaica from the setting and the description of cultural rules to the language of Patois (yes, there is a word bank to help you along). It feels authentic and real and it makes you learn a lot. Would love to hear the POV people who are Jamaican!
This is a YA coming of age story that will stick with me for a long time and if you read it? It’ll stick with you too, but please remember to check the trigger warnings!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, and Rape
abookwanderer's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hurricane Summer is the first book I’ve read in a long time that has left me with such mixed feelings. For this reason, I’m finding it very difficult to give it a star rating. There were things I absolutely loved about this novel and then there were things that bothered me no matter how I tried to rationalize them. I’m hoping I can explain my thoughts, without giving any spoilers. And settle on a rating by the end of my review.
Hurricane Summer is an #OwnVoices young adult novel that touches on many things: classism, racism, sexism, abuse, sexual assault, rape, abortion (mentioned), infidelity, grief, and death. It’s hard to read at times, and I recommend keeping tissues nearby and taking breaks.
Let’s talk about what I loved first, because that’s always more fun. My favorite thing about Hurricane Summer is the setting. It takes place in beautiful Jamaica—and not the touristy Jamaica we’re all more familiar with—but mostly in the countryside, where the poorer people reside among the farmland, the deep forests, the rivers, and the waterfalls. The reader is transported to what’s probably a new and unfamiliar place. Even the language is different. The Patois dialogue took some getting used to—I forgot to use the handy word bank at the beginning of the book since I was reading an ebook—but once I quit trying to translate each word and settled into the story, it wasn’t an issue. In fact, it enhanced the book for me, forcing me to be even more immersed in the world.
Secondly, the fact that this novel is an #OwnVoices made the story even more powerful. I could feel the author’s connection to her main character, Tilla. I felt like Bromfield was using Tilla to speak her own truth, and it was heartbreakingly honest.
And it’s worth it to read this novel for those reasons alone. It’s why I have no regrets for picking it up, and I’m fairly confident it will be a novel that sticks with me for a long time.
Now on to what bothered me…
Bromfield has written many beautiful passages, I highlighted many lines, but it often became too melodramatic, and I couldn’t help thinking that maybe less would have been more. BUT, I also kept reminding myself that the book is considered young adult, and more purple prose is acceptable in the YA genre.
The many side characters are hard to keep straight in the beginning. While a few of them are standouts, well-rounded and real (particularly Tilla’s father and her cousin Andre), there are several side characters that I wish had been given more attention, primarily Tilla’s mother and her sister Mia. The book also has multiple antagonists—more than what’s typical for YA, and it becomes almost overwhelming. I felt like I was left with little time to process between each traumatic experience Tilla endured. Maybe the author was trying to do too much instead of just focusing on a few issues, leaving the reader with little breathing room.
Without spoiling anything, I’m not sure how I felt about the ending, as well. It felt rushed, but I was ready for the novel to be wrapped up after such an emotional ride. Maybe if the middle part of the novel had been shortened a bit and the ending extended, it would have given me more time to sit with the characters and process what I’d just read?
I hope my review doesn’t dissuade readers from picking it up. It’s a novel to be discussed, and I’m eager to hear your thoughts. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been so conflicted about a book, and to me that’s not necessarily a negative thing. Reading Hurricane Summer is enlightening and inspirational. It deals with important and urgent issues that deserve the utmost respect. And I feel like this is only the beginning for Bromfield. She’s written a novel from the depths of her heart and soul, and I’ll be eager to see what she does next. So where does that leave my rating?? I’m gonna average out the positives and negatives and settle on 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
Hurricane Summer is an #OwnVoices young adult novel that touches on many things: classism, racism, sexism, abuse, sexual assault, rape, abortion (mentioned), infidelity, grief, and death. It’s hard to read at times, and I recommend keeping tissues nearby and taking breaks.
Let’s talk about what I loved first, because that’s always more fun. My favorite thing about Hurricane Summer is the setting. It takes place in beautiful Jamaica—and not the touristy Jamaica we’re all more familiar with—but mostly in the countryside, where the poorer people reside among the farmland, the deep forests, the rivers, and the waterfalls. The reader is transported to what’s probably a new and unfamiliar place. Even the language is different. The Patois dialogue took some getting used to—I forgot to use the handy word bank at the beginning of the book since I was reading an ebook—but once I quit trying to translate each word and settled into the story, it wasn’t an issue. In fact, it enhanced the book for me, forcing me to be even more immersed in the world.
Secondly, the fact that this novel is an #OwnVoices made the story even more powerful. I could feel the author’s connection to her main character, Tilla. I felt like Bromfield was using Tilla to speak her own truth, and it was heartbreakingly honest.
And it’s worth it to read this novel for those reasons alone. It’s why I have no regrets for picking it up, and I’m fairly confident it will be a novel that sticks with me for a long time.
Now on to what bothered me…
Bromfield has written many beautiful passages, I highlighted many lines, but it often became too melodramatic, and I couldn’t help thinking that maybe less would have been more. BUT, I also kept reminding myself that the book is considered young adult, and more purple prose is acceptable in the YA genre.
The many side characters are hard to keep straight in the beginning. While a few of them are standouts, well-rounded and real (particularly Tilla’s father and her cousin Andre), there are several side characters that I wish had been given more attention, primarily Tilla’s mother and her sister Mia. The book also has multiple antagonists—more than what’s typical for YA, and it becomes almost overwhelming. I felt like I was left with little time to process between each traumatic experience Tilla endured. Maybe the author was trying to do too much instead of just focusing on a few issues, leaving the reader with little breathing room.
Without spoiling anything, I’m not sure how I felt about the ending, as well. It felt rushed, but I was ready for the novel to be wrapped up after such an emotional ride. Maybe if the middle part of the novel had been shortened a bit and the ending extended, it would have given me more time to sit with the characters and process what I’d just read?
I hope my review doesn’t dissuade readers from picking it up. It’s a novel to be discussed, and I’m eager to hear your thoughts. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been so conflicted about a book, and to me that’s not necessarily a negative thing. Reading Hurricane Summer is enlightening and inspirational. It deals with important and urgent issues that deserve the utmost respect. And I feel like this is only the beginning for Bromfield. She’s written a novel from the depths of her heart and soul, and I’ll be eager to see what she does next. So where does that leave my rating?? I’m gonna average out the positives and negatives and settle on 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexism
Minor: Abortion and Infidelity
decklededgess's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
trigger warnings: rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, slut shaming, physical abuse, negligent parent, natural disaster, near death experience, blood, death of loved one, cancer mention, abortion mention, teenage pregnancy mention, bullying, infidelity and extramarital affair, misogyny, colourism, grief, suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety
WTF WHY WAS THIS SO SAD. It was SO GOOD BUT LIKE NO GOOD THINGS HAPPEN. Trauma upon trauma. The main point, I guess, was to learn to self heal and weather your storms and fight your demons by yourself because those who disappoint you will never take responsibility and help your healing but SHIT. Tilla has to suffer SO MUCH in such a short period of time.
It's such a good book but DUDE.
WTF WHY WAS THIS SO SAD. It was SO GOOD BUT LIKE NO GOOD THINGS HAPPEN. Trauma upon trauma. The main point, I guess, was to learn to self heal and weather your storms and fight your demons by yourself because those who disappoint you will never take responsibility and help your healing but SHIT. Tilla has to suffer SO MUCH in such a short period of time.
It's such a good book but DUDE.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Abortion, Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, Incest, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
craftshley's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Tilla is going to Jamaica, her family’s homeland, for the first time. She has no idea what to expect but she does know her father yearns for that land. That he hates living anywhere else and that he loves Jamaica more than he loves her and her sister, for all that he always goes running back to the place. She’s hoping that going to Jamaica will bring them closer and that he’ll love her like he used to.
She is oh so wrong.
Her father has to go back to town after only a couple days so Tilla is left to stay in the country, with people she doesn’t know. As time passes, it becomes clear that she’s so different from everyone. In Canada, her mom can barely afford to buy her and her sister, Mia, clothes from Walmart. Yet here, in Jamaica, the fact that she has maybe ten pairs of shoes makes her seem rich.
She soon discovers that the hatred of foreign runs deep and that all her relatives are against her. Every time she gets her hopes up about fitting in, something happens to beat her down. Agan and again.
This book. Wow. The depth of feeling in this book. The beautiful descriptions of the land, alongside the hateful things Tilla experiences, is such a juxtaposition. It makes all her experiences all the worse for there being such beauty in the world. It’s the way of things, of course.
I felt so betrayed by what happened, though I could tell from the beginning that going to Jamaica wasn’t going to be all sunshine and rainbows. I was absolutely outraged on Tilla’s behalf, for everything she went through and how everyone talked about her. I hate how this book made me feel but that’s probably a mark of just how good it is. It was so immersive into the culture of Jamaica, I assume anyway. I’ve never been there nor do I know anyone from there.
The issues of how women are perceived and how men can do whatever they want and not face consequences, are at the forefront of this novel. Alongside the horrible sexism is colorism. The way the family talks about Andre and how they treat him as less than makes me so angry. He’s the best of them all and I will be taking no criticism on this front. He was the only one who took TIlla seriously and who believed her side of the story (other than her own sister). Even Tilla’s father falls for what her cousin, Diana, says about Tilla. Calling her a slut, and a whore. It made me so outraged.
I don’t like how quickly Tilla fell for not one, but two guys. How quickly she gives herself over to a man after being betrayed by the key man in her life over and over again. I would have rather she had been more cautious. But, again, this makes her more human. I also wish there had been more time dedicated to Tilla and her father. They barely get to see each other, as he abandons her to the country and her family there. Perhaps it’s just a marker of the fact that he will never be on her side, that she will never be enough for him, not over his life in Jamaica. Her many issues with her father are buried under everything else that happens to Tilla in Jamaica, though everything is connected.
This book is dark and deep. It was not a fun read, not like that. It was enjoyable for the sake of reading, but I will never read it again. It has certainly left a lasting impression, however, and I’m sure it will resonate with many readers, especially those who are looking for a deep emotional connection. Just be aware that there are several trigger warnings associated with this book, not least of which is a scene of sexual assault. Gaslighting, infidelity, slut shaming, language, racism, colorism, and more.
It will take me a long time to recover from Hurricane Summer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Racism
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity
More...