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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
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
The story is told in two different timelines through Rachel's POV. The past where she is 17/18 and is feeling what independence feels like for the first time being away from home, school and everything else. She meets an older man who she falls in love with and she thinks hung the moon. The current timeline she is in her early 30s, married, but wishing she could go back to that one summer. The summer where she thought life was basically perfect. But sometimes we see the past better than it was.
This book was a debut....what?? I'll be honest, the first little bit of the book I was struggling with it. I wanted to shake the girls, especially Rachel, then I had to remind myself that they are young. At 18 years old you think you have everything figured out and when a cute boy comes along you become blind to everything else. It honestly made me think about a few things I did at 18 that I wish I never did. And I thought about one summer I think of more than I should, and questioned myself if it was really as prefect as I thought it was? Thankfully, it was nowhere like the summer they had. Once I got hooked in the book, I was hooked. I needed to know how the story ended. I don't want to give anything away but it made me think of a famous case that happened not too long ago here in the states. If you read the book you'll know who/what I'm talking about.
I listened to the book as I read. The narrator did a fantastic job!
All in all I thought this was a great debut. I am looking forward to what the author comes up with next. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillian Audio and St. Martin's Press for the copies of this book in exchange for my review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As the synopsis indicates this book is dark. That said, I found it very compelling and thought the dual timeline was well-used as a strategy to show how the main character was abused and assaulted and the emotional fortitude and resilience required for her to finally come to terms with it in the present. I enjoyed the book and could not put it down once I started. Would recommend if you like a dark psychological book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting
Painfully slow (to me), it never compelled me to keep reading and I struggled my way through it over a couple of months. The writing isn’t bad, it just never grabbed me. I wasn’t the right reader for this one.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overly melodramatic and pointless
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
We get to experience The Girls of Summer in alternating past and present perspectives. Rachel in the past is young, so it’s understandable that she would be selfish and naive. Rachel in present time is atrocious. This made it difficult for me to connect with her character and ultimately the story as a whole. I didn’t find much redeeming about her until maybe the end when she seemed to finally consider other people’s feelings.
I also felt the pace was incredibly slow. This story is heavily character driven and some parts seemed to drag on while Rachel was trying to figure stuff out. Unfortunately, because of the pace and my dislike for Rachel by the time we discover what is even propelling this story forward I had already lost interest (around 50%).
I think this book has very important messages and was well written, but I didn’t enjoy the story for entirely personal reasons. I found it lacking and almost boring. That is mostly because I prefer more action and faster paced books.
If you like character driven novels that discuss difficult topics, you will likely find this enjoyable and as always- I suggest giving it a chance and deciding for yourself.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for my advanced reader copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion
Moderate: Suicide
emotional
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I knew very little about this book going in, except that I loved this beautiful cover and I had to read it. Though I expected a lighter read based on the cover alone, I still found myself immersed in Rachel's story and in for a darker ride than I anticipated. I've also seen this book grouped with thriller and suspense reads and though I found it compelling and intense, in my humble reading opinion this is a well written drama with a strong psychological component but definitely NOT a thriller.
As a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, Rachel spent one unforgettable summer on a Greek island. Unsatisfied with her life in the present, her mind keeps wandering back to the memories of that summer and her first love. Will reconnecting with him help her reconnect with the person she thinks she used to be?
I really enjoyed the setting, the vibe and the writing style. Though this book deals with some heavy topics, this still ended up being a quick and enjoyable read! If you've enjoyed My Dark Vanessa and The Ingenue, you will certainly enjoy The Girls of Summer! This book is not about surprising twists and turns but still contains some dark tension building. I will definitely be keeping an eye out on Katie Bishop's next one!
Grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
As a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, Rachel spent one unforgettable summer on a Greek island. Unsatisfied with her life in the present, her mind keeps wandering back to the memories of that summer and her first love. Will reconnecting with him help her reconnect with the person she thinks she used to be?
I really enjoyed the setting, the vibe and the writing style. Though this book deals with some heavy topics, this still ended up being a quick and enjoyable read! If you've enjoyed My Dark Vanessa and The Ingenue, you will certainly enjoy The Girls of Summer! This book is not about surprising twists and turns but still contains some dark tension building. I will definitely be keeping an eye out on Katie Bishop's next one!
Grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!