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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This took me over two weeks to read. It was a struggle. I think the root of my issue was that I couldn't connect to the protagonist. The plot itself was very well done.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The Girls of Summer sounds like a lighthearted novel about teenage girls in the months of summer vacation… and that it is not. Bishop takes the reader on a dark journey through Rachel’s past, with past and present narratives combining to create a sense of confusion and mystery surrounding what and who draws Rachel to this Greek island. A love story isn’t as pure and innocent as she remembers. There are portions of the book where the pacing is slower than others, but the story keeps you interested, nonetheless. Trigger warnings should be adhered, there are dark and difficult topics discussed throughout. This is a compelling debut novel, I can’t wait to see what else Bishop publishes!
Thank you Netgalley for this great debut ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The Girls of Summer sounds like a lighthearted novel about teenage girls in the months of summer vacation… and that it is not. Bishop takes the reader on a dark journey through Rachel’s past, with past and present narratives combining to create a sense of confusion and mystery surrounding what and who draws Rachel to this Greek island. A love story isn’t as pure and innocent as she remembers. There are portions of the book where the pacing is slower than others, but the story keeps you interested, nonetheless. Trigger warnings should be adhered, there are dark and difficult topics discussed throughout. This is a compelling debut novel, I can’t wait to see what else Bishop publishes!
Thank you Netgalley for this great debut ARC in exchange for my honest review.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’ll be honest this started out as kind of a fun sounding novel for me. Mysterious, scandalous, and maybe a little bit steamy. But then it got dark. Really dark. And I think that the author handled it all really well. What seemed like a simple story about a woman having an affair with an older man actually had deep layers to it. Layers of trauma, manipulation, consent, abuse, and just absolute tragedy. I thought the transitions between past and present were done pretty well. There were a couple of instances when I got a bit lost and had to redirect myself, but overall it was smooth. The way all of the pieces came together as the truth came to light was a great reveal. I started out not really caring for the protagonist but only because she just seemed like a shallow and selfish woman who was having an affair. As more of her past was revealed, I grew to love her and care for her. This book took several turns I did not expect and overall I thought it was a solid read.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault