Scan barcode
ranjanireviewsreads's review against another edition
Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC. All the opinions in this review are my own.
This book is a hot mess! Like, I have had bad experiences with Wattpad books and I was hoping this would not be one of them (because gay summer romance? the best thing ever!) but it is UP THERE.
The characters were so two-dimensional they made paper look alive. Seriously, my textbook on Indian Polity had more personality that anyone in this book. Aside from the characters, the writing was really inconsistent; it was hard to keep track of what was happening and when. And this sucky writing also meant half the time, I had no idea who was speaking.
I did like that the sexuality of the MC was established very early on, but honestly, I'm tired of trying to read bad books again and again. And especially when I know Wattpad books are always a hit or a miss.
This book is a hot mess! Like, I have had bad experiences with Wattpad books and I was hoping this would not be one of them (because gay summer romance? the best thing ever!) but it is UP THERE.
The characters were so two-dimensional they made paper look alive. Seriously, my textbook on Indian Polity had more personality that anyone in this book. Aside from the characters, the writing was really inconsistent; it was hard to keep track of what was happening and when. And this sucky writing also meant half the time, I had no idea who was speaking.
I did like that the sexuality of the MC was established very early on, but honestly, I'm tired of trying to read bad books again and again. And especially when I know Wattpad books are always a hit or a miss.
rotellareads's review against another edition
3.0
There was a lot about this book that I enjoyed, but also a bit that just didn't sit well with me. I was fascinated by the main character's story, especially her crippling mental health issues and how she worked to overcome them. I found Emma Lane to be complex and complicated but likeable. She had so much going on in her life, the fractured relationship with her mother, her sexuality and her mental health. She had so many layers and we got to see many of them peeled back throughout the story. I loved her bluntness and ability to stand up for herself despite the consequences. She was such a strong-willed heroine and I truly enjoyed that.
The level of bullying that took place in this story made my heart hurt. And the fact that it went unpunished made me so angry. None of the characters seemed to want to stand up to the "mean girl", except Emma. But even she did it all on her own and never really used the the adults at her disposal to help the situation. The amount of manipulation, taunting, boundary crossing that Lauren the protagonist was able to get away with just made me furious. No matter what excuses she made for her behavior, it was clear that she was truly an cold-hearted person who only cared about herself. Her behavior was downright vile.
For a YA romance story, it definitely didn't contain any heat or steam. A little kissing and necking and that was all. This book played it way too safe, given the ages of the characters. I also found it extremely far fetched with just how many characters in this small-town story identified as LBGTQ+. It felt like the author was trying a little too hard to create unique characters to set this book apart from other YA books. The dialogue and storyline teetered too much between a mature YA and a middle grade book. I had a hard time relating to the story because of this vacillation. At times I felt like I was reading about a bunch of 6th graders and other times I did acknowledge the older teenager struggles and situations.
Overall, I liked the author's writing style and found the story intriguing. For a debut novel by a very young author, I thought this was a solid book. I loved the friendships that were founded at the summer camp especially between Gwen and Emma. I appreciated the strength to face her fears that Emma discovered while being around Vivian. I would have loved to get an epilogue about E & V, just to see how things played out for them once Summer was over. I was fully invested in their unique relationship.
The level of bullying that took place in this story made my heart hurt. And the fact that it went unpunished made me so angry. None of the characters seemed to want to stand up to the "mean girl", except Emma. But even she did it all on her own and never really used the the adults at her disposal to help the situation. The amount of manipulation, taunting, boundary crossing that Lauren the protagonist was able to get away with just made me furious. No matter what excuses she made for her behavior, it was clear that she was truly an cold-hearted person who only cared about herself. Her behavior was downright vile.
For a YA romance story, it definitely didn't contain any heat or steam. A little kissing and necking and that was all. This book played it way too safe, given the ages of the characters. I also found it extremely far fetched with just how many characters in this small-town story identified as LBGTQ+. It felt like the author was trying a little too hard to create unique characters to set this book apart from other YA books. The dialogue and storyline teetered too much between a mature YA and a middle grade book. I had a hard time relating to the story because of this vacillation. At times I felt like I was reading about a bunch of 6th graders and other times I did acknowledge the older teenager struggles and situations.
Overall, I liked the author's writing style and found the story intriguing. For a debut novel by a very young author, I thought this was a solid book. I loved the friendships that were founded at the summer camp especially between Gwen and Emma. I appreciated the strength to face her fears that Emma discovered while being around Vivian. I would have loved to get an epilogue about E & V, just to see how things played out for them once Summer was over. I was fully invested in their unique relationship.
lostmymindinbooks's review against another edition
1.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is, quite frankly, the only reason I didn't dnf it. I didn't want to ruin my score on there.
I really, really wanted to love thos book - a gay summer romance set at camp.
Sadly, almost all of the characters were eighter unlikable, flat, or both. Especially the storys antagonist lacked character depht and was just an easy way to create drama.
The main character suffers from depression and anxiety and has several phobias. Whilst not being in her mental health state, nothing really felt believable and more often than not her behaviour was simply annoying and, once again, felt like it was used as an easy way to create drama/"plot".
The only part I actually did enjoy wad the authors/narrators voice throughout the story and how mostly there was a show not tell way of setting the scene and giving images of the characters.
However, that alone isn't enough to make this book something I'd recommend.
Trigger warnings
-homophobic parent
-bullying
-friend betrayal
This is, quite frankly, the only reason I didn't dnf it. I didn't want to ruin my score on there.
I really, really wanted to love thos book - a gay summer romance set at camp.
Sadly, almost all of the characters were eighter unlikable, flat, or both. Especially the storys antagonist lacked character depht and was just an easy way to create drama.
The main character suffers from depression and anxiety and has several phobias. Whilst not being in her mental health state, nothing really felt believable and more often than not her behaviour was simply annoying and, once again, felt like it was used as an easy way to create drama/"plot".
The only part I actually did enjoy wad the authors/narrators voice throughout the story and how mostly there was a show not tell way of setting the scene and giving images of the characters.
However, that alone isn't enough to make this book something I'd recommend.
Trigger warnings
-homophobic parent
-bullying
-friend betrayal
fa1ryts's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
thebooksareeverywhere's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book intrigued me, a pretty cover, a summer romance, the great outdoors. What’s not to love? Well, unfortunately a lot more than I expected. This book wasn’t necessarily bad. It just wasn’t very good either.
Emma was problematic from the off. She flitted from being scared, depressed and anxious to being cocky, arrogant and just….kind of unlikable. I would just begin to relate to her and like her when she would do or say something that would brush me the wrong way. In fact, most, if not all of the characters, were completely not fleshed out and underdeveloped. I had soft spots for some of them, mostly Vivian, the rest of the Black family and Emma’s dad. But Emma herself seemed to be so unsure of herself, or as if the author had been unsure of how to write her.
The location was great and I loved the idea of a camp romance. I could really picture the scene and it reminded me of my few days at camp years ago! The plot was okay, predictable but mainly enjoyable to read. Once I passed the 50% mark I found it easy to pick up and more compelling. The parents of Emma were both well written for their own ways, and I actually found myself enjoying the relationship between Vivian and Emma.
Although I can see the problems with the romance, and it did make me a little angry that they were often overlooked by other characters such as Vivian’s family, I actually did like the scenes between them.
Overall, this book was…weak. It had enjoyable factors, but too much bad outweighed a possibility for it to be good. There was so much potential for it to be good, but so much was lost.
★★★
2.5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
This book intrigued me, a pretty cover, a summer romance, the great outdoors. What’s not to love? Well, unfortunately a lot more than I expected. This book wasn’t necessarily bad. It just wasn’t very good either.
Emma was problematic from the off. She flitted from being scared, depressed and anxious to being cocky, arrogant and just….kind of unlikable. I would just begin to relate to her and like her when she would do or say something that would brush me the wrong way. In fact, most, if not all of the characters, were completely not fleshed out and underdeveloped. I had soft spots for some of them, mostly Vivian, the rest of the Black family and Emma’s dad. But Emma herself seemed to be so unsure of herself, or as if the author had been unsure of how to write her.
The location was great and I loved the idea of a camp romance. I could really picture the scene and it reminded me of my few days at camp years ago! The plot was okay, predictable but mainly enjoyable to read. Once I passed the 50% mark I found it easy to pick up and more compelling. The parents of Emma were both well written for their own ways, and I actually found myself enjoying the relationship between Vivian and Emma.
Although I can see the problems with the romance, and it did make me a little angry that they were often overlooked by other characters such as Vivian’s family, I actually did like the scenes between them.
Overall, this book was…weak. It had enjoyable factors, but too much bad outweighed a possibility for it to be good. There was so much potential for it to be good, but so much was lost.
★★★
2.5 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
flowsthead's review against another edition
2.0
I really like the main relationship here, how they get closer, the antagonistic but flirty vibe. I think it works really well. The rest of it is really twee and corny and I don't really buy into most of the rest of characters, especially Gwen and Walter. But the main relationship is fun enough. The other major flaw is it's just kind of written poorly. Would and have reread just for the flirting.
midnightoccurrence's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
maycho's review against another edition
2.0
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Night Owls and Summer Skies centers around a young lesbian summer camp romance, between depressed, rebellious and traumatized Emma Lane and mysterious, icy Vivian Black; camper and camp counselor. Seemed like a cute, fun, almost zesty premise for a summer romance, but I was disappointed when the story didn't fully deliver on its premise.
Some of the things I had issues with:
1. The Central Characters
Emma Lane isn't a particularly likable protagonist. Other than her gayness and what seems to be her brazen wit, there wasn't anything that is riveting about her. I found her character to be two-dimensional, though I do think that the later chapters (anywhere between the 75%-85% mark) were more forgiving. I didn't know what she was fighting for and I didn't know why I should be rooting for her.
This extends to the Black family, too. Vivian's character was immediately locked down as mysterious and incredibly hot (like, really hot, apparently) and, there wasn't anything else to like about her. Again, her central purpose in the story seems to be giving Emma a pass for everything she does wrong. There is a redeeming moment for her towards the end of the book, but by that point, I'd already forgotten that she was important.
Lauren, the antagonist of the novel, was a missed opportunity. While I felt that there was thought but into her motivations and actions, I felt that the way she was integrated in the story rendered her basically two-dimensional.
2. The Central Romance
The central romance between Emma and Vivian pivots from the love-to-hate trope (which I am wont to love) but it did not punch its full weight. My biggest issue was with the dialogue writing. It's clear that banter is supposed to underline Emma and Vivian's interactions, but Sullivan's dialogues are snappy, underdeveloped and difficult to follow. They seemed to be bullet-pointed and planned, which made it incredibly inorganic and rigid.
Add on to that, every single character seems to speak in the same way, which distressed me greatly.
3. The Serious Themes
I felt that the themes of mental illnesses as well as homophobia were great themes to this seemingly lighthearted story. The themes felt organic, like they belonged in the story largely because of the way the story is set up. What I was disappointed with was that they were left largely secondary to the romance. Granted, this is a romance novel, but I felt that there was a missed opportunity to fully explore Mrs Hank's homophobia, or even Emma's PTSD and depression. It would have been interesting to see all these elements play into Emma and Vivian's romance.
Overall, I thought that the premise was promising but the weak plotting and dialogue writing stripped it off its potential. Would recommend for much younger readers looking for a quick read.
Night Owls and Summer Skies centers around a young lesbian summer camp romance, between depressed, rebellious and traumatized Emma Lane and mysterious, icy Vivian Black; camper and camp counselor. Seemed like a cute, fun, almost zesty premise for a summer romance, but I was disappointed when the story didn't fully deliver on its premise.
Some of the things I had issues with:
1. The Central Characters
Emma Lane isn't a particularly likable protagonist. Other than her gayness and what seems to be her brazen wit, there wasn't anything that is riveting about her. I found her character to be two-dimensional, though I do think that the later chapters (anywhere between the 75%-85% mark) were more forgiving. I didn't know what she was fighting for and I didn't know why I should be rooting for her.
This extends to the Black family, too. Vivian's character was immediately locked down as mysterious and incredibly hot (like, really hot, apparently) and, there wasn't anything else to like about her. Again, her central purpose in the story seems to be giving Emma a pass for everything she does wrong. There is a redeeming moment for her towards the end of the book, but by that point, I'd already forgotten that she was important.
Lauren, the antagonist of the novel, was a missed opportunity. While I felt that there was thought but into her motivations and actions, I felt that the way she was integrated in the story rendered her basically two-dimensional.
2. The Central Romance
The central romance between Emma and Vivian pivots from the love-to-hate trope (which I am wont to love) but it did not punch its full weight. My biggest issue was with the dialogue writing. It's clear that banter is supposed to underline Emma and Vivian's interactions, but Sullivan's dialogues are snappy, underdeveloped and difficult to follow. They seemed to be bullet-pointed and planned, which made it incredibly inorganic and rigid.
Add on to that, every single character seems to speak in the same way, which distressed me greatly.
3. The Serious Themes
I felt that the themes of mental illnesses as well as homophobia were great themes to this seemingly lighthearted story. The themes felt organic, like they belonged in the story largely because of the way the story is set up. What I was disappointed with was that they were left largely secondary to the romance. Granted, this is a romance novel, but I felt that there was a missed opportunity to fully explore Mrs Hank's homophobia, or even Emma's PTSD and depression. It would have been interesting to see all these elements play into Emma and Vivian's romance.
Overall, I thought that the premise was promising but the weak plotting and dialogue writing stripped it off its potential. Would recommend for much younger readers looking for a quick read.
sophieak15's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
a_pocalypse's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5