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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
In July 2011, this book and 'Slaughterhouse-Five' were banned from school libraries in Missouri. However, they were brought back into the library but with heavy restrictions in September. Their reasons, I hear you cry?
'Books that fail to meet the age-appropriate threshold for language, violence, sexuality and drugs, alcohol and tobacco -- including the two in question -- would be available at school but housed in a secured section of the library. But, they could only be checked out by a parent or guardian.'
It was also said that this book does against the values and beliefs of the Bible- so needs to be banned? I find it ridiculous personally, however, I understand the reasons, after reading, why it could be censored. These issues are dealt with in the novel, but so do about 20 other YA books I could mention, and none of them are less or more graphic than TWENTY BOY SUMMER.
So where did I require my copy of this book? Well, ironically, my college library...
Synopsis: When Anna and her best friend, Frankie are getting ready for the best summer ever on holiday with Frankie's parents at Zanzibar Bay in California, they make a challenge. Twenty days in a beach town is the perfect opportunity to meet one boy a day, then, Anna has a pretty good chance to have her first summer romance. Although Anna light-heartedly agrees, there is something she hasn't told Frankie. She's already had her first romance the summer before with Frankie's older brother, Matt - who tragically died a month later. As the girls set off on their trip and the challenge starts, Anna has to find a way to tell Frankie before she finds out herself.
Review: I don't quite know what to say about this novel. There were moments I loved, moments I didn't but by the end of this book, I connected with it and started to get into Anna and Frankie's lives, relationship and feelings.
The crazy idea of a guy every day for twenty days on a holiday sounds ludicrous I guess. That was my first reaction when I saw the blurb. Okay, I agree it is very...teenage girl-esque, this is a typical teenage fiction book for girls about guys, love and summer. However, although upon the surface there is this, how do I put this...frivolous plot, there is a deep underlying context where Anna has to deal with both her and Frankie's grief while watching her best friend go off with a load of guys while she's still hung over with Matt. I guess the situation our protagonists are in is hardly something you see often in real life, but like all fiction, this book looks at 'What If?' All teenage girls play games or have challenges like the one in TWENTY BOY SUMMER, I should know, I am a teenager. But when you pronounce the challenge, such as this one, no-one really expects someone to go along with it but has the type of secret Anna has combined with it. It's something that really makes me think about when I ask people about things, or talk about things.
For example, I know a few of my friends have crossed the teenage line where they may have had or done things associated with sex, I know that. But when you start talking about this kind of thing, there are people who may equally have done this but do not wish to talk about it. These are the people I think about now when I say things, where they've been in that situation before.
The writing is something that Ockler has to be merited on. She writes well with the occasional time where I had to re-read a sentence to understand - something I hate. She is very lyrical and I loved the constant references to the sea which makes this a real summer beach read book. Some reviews I have read talked about Sarah Ockler's wit and laugh out moments and yes, there were a few times which I found entertaining but personally, I did not find it THAT funny at all. The antics and outings Anna and Frankie had were entertaining and there was no moment, however, that I found boring.
The characters are fantastic. And this book really reminded me of SAVING JUNE by Hannah Harrington with the protagonist, love interest, someone dead, the frivolous best friend, California - it really did remind me of that book. I felt, like some other bloggers, that Frankie's past character was lost a little with the past memories of Matt and Anna. Anna talks a lot about how Frankie has changed but as a reader, I didn't quite understand that she had as I never saw a clear image of the old Frankie. Matt became that perfect boy character, the one most readers come away wanting to know personally. For me, Anna was an interesting voice that I enjoyed reading about. She wasn't too 'out there' but wasn't too reserved with herself and her feelings.
One problem that I found was with Anna's love for Matt and Sam. I liked Sam as a character and I understand the attraction Ockler makes Anna and the reader have for him. But. Anna says she has liked Matt for about six years before something finally happens and for me it showed that this relationship was built on being best friends from childhood, then, liking him. However, it seemed like the minute Anna set eyes on Sam, she was in love with him straight away which seemed the complete opposite to her attraction to Matt. I know this was done purposefully, but to me, it seemed a little weird.
The romance and overall plot in TWENTY BOY SUMMER is well done. It brings the essence of a conventional teenage novel but adds a psychological look at the effects of Anna's type of grief for someone who she loved but no-one else knew she did. It is interesting and enjoyable to read, despite the few flaws. Anna and Matt as characters I think make this book, especially with the way it was written by Ockler. This book reminded me of so many novels I have enjoyed like THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE or SAVING JUNE.
This is a book I would recommend for people who enjoy this type of fiction. I would have liked to see more of Frankie's past rather than Matt and Anna's, but overall, this is a book I think I'll remember and smile at.
Verdict: If you don't enjoy those typical teenage girl reads...avoid!
'Books that fail to meet the age-appropriate threshold for language, violence, sexuality and drugs, alcohol and tobacco -- including the two in question -- would be available at school but housed in a secured section of the library. But, they could only be checked out by a parent or guardian.'
It was also said that this book does against the values and beliefs of the Bible- so needs to be banned? I find it ridiculous personally, however, I understand the reasons, after reading, why it could be censored. These issues are dealt with in the novel, but so do about 20 other YA books I could mention, and none of them are less or more graphic than TWENTY BOY SUMMER.
So where did I require my copy of this book? Well, ironically, my college library...
Synopsis: When Anna and her best friend, Frankie are getting ready for the best summer ever on holiday with Frankie's parents at Zanzibar Bay in California, they make a challenge. Twenty days in a beach town is the perfect opportunity to meet one boy a day, then, Anna has a pretty good chance to have her first summer romance. Although Anna light-heartedly agrees, there is something she hasn't told Frankie. She's already had her first romance the summer before with Frankie's older brother, Matt - who tragically died a month later. As the girls set off on their trip and the challenge starts, Anna has to find a way to tell Frankie before she finds out herself.
Review: I don't quite know what to say about this novel. There were moments I loved, moments I didn't but by the end of this book, I connected with it and started to get into Anna and Frankie's lives, relationship and feelings.
The crazy idea of a guy every day for twenty days on a holiday sounds ludicrous I guess. That was my first reaction when I saw the blurb. Okay, I agree it is very...teenage girl-esque, this is a typical teenage fiction book for girls about guys, love and summer. However, although upon the surface there is this, how do I put this...frivolous plot, there is a deep underlying context where Anna has to deal with both her and Frankie's grief while watching her best friend go off with a load of guys while she's still hung over with Matt. I guess the situation our protagonists are in is hardly something you see often in real life, but like all fiction, this book looks at 'What If?' All teenage girls play games or have challenges like the one in TWENTY BOY SUMMER, I should know, I am a teenager. But when you pronounce the challenge, such as this one, no-one really expects someone to go along with it but has the type of secret Anna has combined with it. It's something that really makes me think about when I ask people about things, or talk about things.
For example, I know a few of my friends have crossed the teenage line where they may have had or done things associated with sex, I know that. But when you start talking about this kind of thing, there are people who may equally have done this but do not wish to talk about it. These are the people I think about now when I say things, where they've been in that situation before.
The writing is something that Ockler has to be merited on. She writes well with the occasional time where I had to re-read a sentence to understand - something I hate. She is very lyrical and I loved the constant references to the sea which makes this a real summer beach read book. Some reviews I have read talked about Sarah Ockler's wit and laugh out moments and yes, there were a few times which I found entertaining but personally, I did not find it THAT funny at all. The antics and outings Anna and Frankie had were entertaining and there was no moment, however, that I found boring.
The characters are fantastic. And this book really reminded me of SAVING JUNE by Hannah Harrington with the protagonist, love interest, someone dead, the frivolous best friend, California - it really did remind me of that book. I felt, like some other bloggers, that Frankie's past character was lost a little with the past memories of Matt and Anna. Anna talks a lot about how Frankie has changed but as a reader, I didn't quite understand that she had as I never saw a clear image of the old Frankie. Matt became that perfect boy character, the one most readers come away wanting to know personally. For me, Anna was an interesting voice that I enjoyed reading about. She wasn't too 'out there' but wasn't too reserved with herself and her feelings.
One problem that I found was with Anna's love for Matt and Sam. I liked Sam as a character and I understand the attraction Ockler makes Anna and the reader have for him. But. Anna says she has liked Matt for about six years before something finally happens and for me it showed that this relationship was built on being best friends from childhood, then, liking him. However, it seemed like the minute Anna set eyes on Sam, she was in love with him straight away which seemed the complete opposite to her attraction to Matt. I know this was done purposefully, but to me, it seemed a little weird.
The romance and overall plot in TWENTY BOY SUMMER is well done. It brings the essence of a conventional teenage novel but adds a psychological look at the effects of Anna's type of grief for someone who she loved but no-one else knew she did. It is interesting and enjoyable to read, despite the few flaws. Anna and Matt as characters I think make this book, especially with the way it was written by Ockler. This book reminded me of so many novels I have enjoyed like THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE or SAVING JUNE.
This is a book I would recommend for people who enjoy this type of fiction. I would have liked to see more of Frankie's past rather than Matt and Anna's, but overall, this is a book I think I'll remember and smile at.
Verdict: If you don't enjoy those typical teenage girl reads...avoid!
Tingling with bittersweet memories of her first love, Anna embarks with her best friend to meet twenty boys over the summer. But as Anna meets cute swimmer boys and bold surfer dudes, she just can't forget him. He, Matt, was Anna's first love, and also her best friend Frankie's older brother. From her recent birthday, Anna and Matt confessed and began their romance - but without telling Frankie. Suddenly, as quickly as the love began, Matt dies in a tragic car crash. Nobody wants to talk about him, but Anna still pines for him; she promises to never forget his name, his kiss everything. But as Anna seeks new love with Frankie halfheartedly, she grapples with telling the secret romance to Frankie, and feelings for a new guy in her life.
Twenty Boy Summer is so sad sometimes, I just have to look away. In the beginning, I really sympathize with Anna's heart - she's so broken up, so devastated over Matt and that she didn't tell Frankie. But at the same time she pretends to be the strong one while Frankie completely changes into a looks-obsessed teenager. Anna plays a double role, a face to herself that reflects her despair, as well as a face to the world, sad about her best friend's brother's death, yet willing to carry on. With such a facade amidst family meltdowns, Anna strikes me as a dutifully strong character.
She promised Matt not to tell Frankie about the relationship, and instead Matt would tell himself - alas he never had the chance. Such, creates the personal turmoil basis for Anna in the whole book. Anna struggles with letting go of the past and moving on - in some ways she's the weakest after Matt's death; she can't let go of him.
But new loves, new people and events cause Anna to consider her loss of reality. This book is about Anna's struggle to move on and overcome tragedy, even when it seems she's the only one that knows the truth. The only thing that kinda hindered this impact, was the way that Anna moved on. I thought that the Twenty Boy summer people and romance later on, seemed rather superfluous. I couldn't see the chemistry really and instead it seemed more like a solace or reflex to lean on a pillow for Anna when falling for a new guy.
Yet ultimately Twenty Boy Summer is actually an amazingly done debut novel. Ockler is masterful at portraying Anna's guilt, her pain, her struggles. Perhaps it's only at writing about facing challenges that Ockler's debut status hurts her novel. Yet the writing is absolutely heartfelt and touching. Ockler's anecdotes about Anna and Matt's relationship evoke the tenderness and pure love between them - too little and too late. The evanescence of first romance is where Ockler shines and where Twenty Boy Summer also shines.
Twenty Boy Summer is so sad sometimes, I just have to look away. In the beginning, I really sympathize with Anna's heart - she's so broken up, so devastated over Matt and that she didn't tell Frankie. But at the same time she pretends to be the strong one while Frankie completely changes into a looks-obsessed teenager. Anna plays a double role, a face to herself that reflects her despair, as well as a face to the world, sad about her best friend's brother's death, yet willing to carry on. With such a facade amidst family meltdowns, Anna strikes me as a dutifully strong character.
She promised Matt not to tell Frankie about the relationship, and instead Matt would tell himself - alas he never had the chance. Such, creates the personal turmoil basis for Anna in the whole book. Anna struggles with letting go of the past and moving on - in some ways she's the weakest after Matt's death; she can't let go of him.
But new loves, new people and events cause Anna to consider her loss of reality. This book is about Anna's struggle to move on and overcome tragedy, even when it seems she's the only one that knows the truth. The only thing that kinda hindered this impact, was the way that Anna moved on. I thought that the Twenty Boy summer people and romance later on, seemed rather superfluous. I couldn't see the chemistry really and instead it seemed more like a solace or reflex to lean on a pillow for Anna when falling for a new guy.
Yet ultimately Twenty Boy Summer is actually an amazingly done debut novel. Ockler is masterful at portraying Anna's guilt, her pain, her struggles. Perhaps it's only at writing about facing challenges that Ockler's debut status hurts her novel. Yet the writing is absolutely heartfelt and touching. Ockler's anecdotes about Anna and Matt's relationship evoke the tenderness and pure love between them - too little and too late. The evanescence of first romance is where Ockler shines and where Twenty Boy Summer also shines.
Anna has been best friends with Frankie and her older brother Matt for as long as she can remember. They go and do everything together until one awful day when the unthinkable happens. There is an accident and Matt dies, while Anna and Frankie live. As the girls and their families mourn and try to move on with their lives, Frankie has an idea. When they go on vacation, they make every effort to have a summer fling - to have fun and leave their sadness at home for a few weeks.
Anna reluctantly agrees. In their search for a summer fling they become different people. They lie and sneak around not only from other people but from themselves. Both have secrets they struggle to keep hidden.
While this was a touching story with some lively characters, much of it seemed disjointed or overly stereotyped. An enjoyable read, but could have been better.
3/5
Anna reluctantly agrees. In their search for a summer fling they become different people. They lie and sneak around not only from other people but from themselves. Both have secrets they struggle to keep hidden.
While this was a touching story with some lively characters, much of it seemed disjointed or overly stereotyped. An enjoyable read, but could have been better.
3/5
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is just sad. I thought I had reviewed this beautiful book already. I love this book. How did I not save a review?
It's been awhile since I've read this book and so I'm just going to say I loved it and recommend it to everybody.
It's been awhile since I've read this book and so I'm just going to say I loved it and recommend it to everybody.
this book is just...so...predictable. and like...just...what even.
okay so i guess maybe if you're younger than me you might like it if you're into this kind of books. i wanted to read it because i thought it would be a fun summer read.
the best thing about this book is the setting..which is a beach. and there is one cute bonfire on the beach scene which i'm a sucker for. but the rest of the book is pretty...mediocre.
so Anna, Frankie and Matt are BFF until something happens...like someone dies.
and then obv everything changes.
the title refers to the plan of meeting 20 boys in the hopes of getting rid of Anna's Albatross (her virginity)... the characters are 16 YEARS OLD AND THEY'RE PLANNING SUCH THINGS?! like????
also one of them bought an $80 (£50) swimsuit like i just..idek...why waste money?!
so what happens?
well...
someone dies
everyone cries
they go on holiday
they meet boys
they have fun
frankie uncovers anna's secret
anna uncovers frankie's secret
they don't talk/fight
then they make up and everything is fine
honestly my fave part about this book was the beach...the descriptions of the ocean and the water and the sand...it's very picturesque and as someone who loves the beach and the ocean it was really nice. i wish i was on a beach right now.
anyways..if you like books about friendship, grief, boys and love i guess then give this a try. i mean it's defo not for everyone.
Happy Reading
=)
p.s *SPOILER ALERT* Anna loses her albatross...
okay so i guess maybe if you're younger than me you might like it if you're into this kind of books. i wanted to read it because i thought it would be a fun summer read.
the best thing about this book is the setting..which is a beach. and there is one cute bonfire on the beach scene which i'm a sucker for. but the rest of the book is pretty...mediocre.
so Anna, Frankie and Matt are BFF until something happens...like someone dies.
and then obv everything changes.
the title refers to the plan of meeting 20 boys in the hopes of getting rid of Anna's Albatross (her virginity)... the characters are 16 YEARS OLD AND THEY'RE PLANNING SUCH THINGS?! like????
also one of them bought an $80 (£50) swimsuit like i just..idek...why waste money?!
so what happens?
well...
someone dies
everyone cries
they go on holiday
they meet boys
they have fun
frankie uncovers anna's secret
anna uncovers frankie's secret
they don't talk/fight
then they make up and everything is fine
honestly my fave part about this book was the beach...the descriptions of the ocean and the water and the sand...it's very picturesque and as someone who loves the beach and the ocean it was really nice. i wish i was on a beach right now.
anyways..if you like books about friendship, grief, boys and love i guess then give this a try. i mean it's defo not for everyone.
Happy Reading
=)
p.s *SPOILER ALERT* Anna loses her albatross...
I love this book. It was one of the first novels I read and I cried 3 chapters in. It's a great story of love, loss, and friendship.
not at all what i expected. very moving touching story about growing up and moving on
This was a book about two teenage girls re-discovering who they are after a devastating loss. Not only do they discover themselves, but a new place as well as their friendship.
Anna and Frankie suffer a loss and spend a year trying to move on, something that doesn't come to them until they head out on Frankie's family trip to California.
Once here, as much as Frankie has been suffering and trying to move forward, it's really Anna that discovers herself and moves forward. She learns how to move on from Matt while discovering boys, rule breaking and the occasional lie. Of course her choices are full of mistakes that you see coming, but you can't help but sit right along with her while she figures them out for herself.
Frankie was the most annoying person ever. She is self conscious, make up and clothing obsessed and raging about boys, which of course what teenage girl isn't? But I pitied Frankie. She was hiding behind the makeup and clothes and did nothing but lie. She never dealt with her feelings of the loss of her brother and it was evident that she was on a self destructing path. I hated the way she treated Frankie, if i could have, I would have reached into the book to slap her. She was clearly just causing drama and breaking rules to seek attention from her parents, which never came. Her parents are probably the most laid back and uncaring people in the world. I understand they are suffering to, but you'd think they would have kept a better eye on their living child.
This book was more of a development story for Anna than anyone else, and by the end I do feel like Anna discovered herself and came to terms with matts death. Meeting Sam and experiencing firsts with him allowed Anna to realize that she is still the same person, life goes on and there is room in her heart for both Matt and Sam.
Anna and Frankie suffer a loss and spend a year trying to move on, something that doesn't come to them until they head out on Frankie's family trip to California.
Once here, as much as Frankie has been suffering and trying to move forward, it's really Anna that discovers herself and moves forward. She learns how to move on from Matt while discovering boys, rule breaking and the occasional lie. Of course her choices are full of mistakes that you see coming, but you can't help but sit right along with her while she figures them out for herself.
Frankie was the most annoying person ever. She is self conscious, make up and clothing obsessed and raging about boys, which of course what teenage girl isn't? But I pitied Frankie. She was hiding behind the makeup and clothes and did nothing but lie. She never dealt with her feelings of the loss of her brother and it was evident that she was on a self destructing path. I hated the way she treated Frankie, if i could have, I would have reached into the book to slap her. She was clearly just causing drama and breaking rules to seek attention from her parents, which never came. Her parents are probably the most laid back and uncaring people in the world. I understand they are suffering to, but you'd think they would have kept a better eye on their living child.
This book was more of a development story for Anna than anyone else, and by the end I do feel like Anna discovered herself and came to terms with matts death. Meeting Sam and experiencing firsts with him allowed Anna to realize that she is still the same person, life goes on and there is room in her heart for both Matt and Sam.