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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I cried non stop for the first half of the book and felt so bad during the second half. This book shows the trials and tribulations of a friendship that is tested beyond it's limits.
This book is definitely as superficial as the title suggests. It made me think a lot about friendship & how to move forward from loss. A quick & worthwhile read!
MY OPINION: ****
So let's just dive right in and get straight to the point and talk about this book.
So I went to this list on Listopia called "YA Romance reads you have to read" or something like that and this was pretty high on the list. So I checked it out at my local library, took two days to read it, and had a blast. Some parts of it WERE iffy that caused me to bump my rating down but I did like this book.
Anna is our protagonist and we see her perspective on life throughout this book. She has really deep quotes and her thoughts are abstract but also intuitive and smart and I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. Anna was loyal; I would say that loyalty was her most prominent character trait. Her best friend/crush/basically-boyfriend died in a car accident because of a rare heart misfunction, which I thought was unique and creative and also added a hint of sadness and "what ifs" to the book that I could relate to. "What if they hadn't gone to Custard's?" "What if he had gone to the hospital for a random checkup and found the problem?" "What if he had already told Frankie beforehand?" These what-ifs added a sense of longing for Matt that I really liked. Anyways, back to the loyalty. Anna is loyal because Matt promised that he would tell Frankie himself about their secret relationship but after he died, he didn't tell her and she was determined to keep her promise, even though it meant hiding something from her other best friend.
Matt was sweet, from what I could decipher from the flashbacks. I would have liked it if there more of those so I could have gotten to know his character better but maybe the point was, we have to move on from those who are lost to us at some point and meet new people and gradually start to forget. Maybe not forget everything about the person, but starting to lose the little things that you try desperately to grab on to, to keep someone alive. However, I did like Matt a lot and he was definitely a favorite character, if he even counted.
Frankie. Her character sometimes annoyed me, sometimes angered me, sometimes perplexed me. Her way of dealing with grief was so different and unique that it made me irritated. She basically became a boy-crazy, flirty, inappropriate girl who threw herself at guys. Of course, everyone deals with grief and moving on differently, but her style was kind of disrespectful, in my point of view. She really was trying to force herself to move on.
Sam was such a sweet character. Why can't people like this be real? Sam took things slowly, waiting for Anna to be ready, and I really liked how patient, kind, honest, and trusting he was. Jake, on the other hand... let's not talk about Jake.
The writing in this book was really flowery at some points and really blunt at others. I did mark some quotes that I really loved:
"Her mind would shut off and go away. Or she'd get so angry she'd shake. Other times, early on, she'd just run away and weep. Weeping is different from crying. It takes your whole body to weep, and when it's over, you feel like you don't have any bones left to hold you up." -Page 28 (I really loved her explanation of weeping because I always try to explain to people that weeping IS different than crying)
"He wanted to study them, to know and create them, to share them with the world. Often, Frankie and I would sit on his bed while he read passages from his favorite books, pacing frantically as he turned the pages for the best parts of a story. He read with intensity and was passionately in love with every character, every turn of plot or twist of language." -Page 167 (This basically describes me to the dot and I loved how it was written)
"I don't want to be the dead boy's best-friend-turned-something-else.
Or the really supportive neighbor friend.
Or the lifelong keeper of broken-hearted secrets.
I just want to be floating, suspended here in my California time capsule with neither yesterday's dusk nor tomorrow's dawn anywhere on the horizon.
Erased."-Page 209 (This passage was really beautiful and honest)
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Some parts of it did go a little fast, and I didn't like a couple of things. But I would recommend this book to YA readers!
Main Character: Anna
Sidekick(s): Frankie, Matt, Sam, etc
Villain(s): Death, time, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.
So let's just dive right in and get straight to the point and talk about this book.
So I went to this list on Listopia called "YA Romance reads you have to read" or something like that and this was pretty high on the list. So I checked it out at my local library, took two days to read it, and had a blast. Some parts of it WERE iffy that caused me to bump my rating down but I did like this book.
Anna is our protagonist and we see her perspective on life throughout this book. She has really deep quotes and her thoughts are abstract but also intuitive and smart and I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. Anna was loyal; I would say that loyalty was her most prominent character trait. Her best friend/crush/basically-boyfriend died in a car accident because of a rare heart misfunction, which I thought was unique and creative and also added a hint of sadness and "what ifs" to the book that I could relate to. "What if they hadn't gone to Custard's?" "What if he had gone to the hospital for a random checkup and found the problem?" "What if he had already told Frankie beforehand?" These what-ifs added a sense of longing for Matt that I really liked. Anyways, back to the loyalty. Anna is loyal because Matt promised that he would tell Frankie himself about their secret relationship but after he died, he didn't tell her and she was determined to keep her promise, even though it meant hiding something from her other best friend.
Matt was sweet, from what I could decipher from the flashbacks. I would have liked it if there more of those so I could have gotten to know his character better but maybe the point was, we have to move on from those who are lost to us at some point and meet new people and gradually start to forget. Maybe not forget everything about the person, but starting to lose the little things that you try desperately to grab on to, to keep someone alive. However, I did like Matt a lot and he was definitely a favorite character, if he even counted.
Frankie. Her character sometimes annoyed me, sometimes angered me, sometimes perplexed me. Her way of dealing with grief was so different and unique that it made me irritated. She basically became a boy-crazy, flirty, inappropriate girl who threw herself at guys. Of course, everyone deals with grief and moving on differently, but her style was kind of disrespectful, in my point of view. She really was trying to force herself to move on.
Sam was such a sweet character. Why can't people like this be real? Sam took things slowly, waiting for Anna to be ready, and I really liked how patient, kind, honest, and trusting he was. Jake, on the other hand... let's not talk about Jake.
The writing in this book was really flowery at some points and really blunt at others. I did mark some quotes that I really loved:
"Her mind would shut off and go away. Or she'd get so angry she'd shake. Other times, early on, she'd just run away and weep. Weeping is different from crying. It takes your whole body to weep, and when it's over, you feel like you don't have any bones left to hold you up." -Page 28 (I really loved her explanation of weeping because I always try to explain to people that weeping IS different than crying)
"He wanted to study them, to know and create them, to share them with the world. Often, Frankie and I would sit on his bed while he read passages from his favorite books, pacing frantically as he turned the pages for the best parts of a story. He read with intensity and was passionately in love with every character, every turn of plot or twist of language." -Page 167 (This basically describes me to the dot and I loved how it was written)
"I don't want to be the dead boy's best-friend-turned-something-else.
Or the really supportive neighbor friend.
Or the lifelong keeper of broken-hearted secrets.
I just want to be floating, suspended here in my California time capsule with neither yesterday's dusk nor tomorrow's dawn anywhere on the horizon.
Erased."-Page 209 (This passage was really beautiful and honest)
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Some parts of it did go a little fast, and I didn't like a couple of things. But I would recommend this book to YA readers!
Main Character: Anna
Sidekick(s): Frankie, Matt, Sam, etc
Villain(s): Death, time, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This book was all very real to life.
For someone who lives in ‘it’s-always-summer-in-my-country’, I’m gladly picking this book up because I miss the beach.🏝😂 Though after reading this book, I want to say, do not get fooled by the title because it isn’t a fun summer book. Well, there are fun parts but overall, it’s a sad and heartbreaking story. 💔
I love the impact it gives me, which actually is tearing my heart slowly. I admit I almost cry—or maybe I did cry. Like I am the one experiencing it.
Even though it is all sad and breaking my heart, I love how there are humors at certain parts. They are so necessary and so helpful to cover the sad parts. If this book isn’t at all about moving on in life after a dead of a best friend/family/lover, I believe it’ll be a fun, witty and funny book with the humorous characters. ✨☀️ Because I can see how funny and sarcastic Anna and Frankie could be.
It’s just that, with what happened after the incident, life will never be the same. How could it be after she just lost her best friend who is also her first love? 💔 And ‘you never get over your first love’ (someone said that to me). That thing makes Anna feel horrible to have feelings for someone again because it will also mean the memories of her and Matt will be erased. 😔
I am also sad that every characters in this book are holding back their feelings after the incident and pretending everything is normal even though they’re hurting inside. And pressuring themselves of not talking about what had happened. But if they do, they’ll shatter. That’s it. It’s just… so burdening. It aches. 😔💔
“Those butterflies have nowhere to go but darkness, beating and tangling their tiny wings until they break.”
I rarely talk about the pacing and for me, the story flows perfectly and so is the plotting. In addition, I love how Sarah plays with the words; describing everything in beautiful ways that I’m actually amazed at every paragraphs. 💫🍃 To be honest, a good beautiful writing have a big impact for me to make it a favorite book apart from the characters. And so for that beautiful writing and not to mention falling my teardrops, I am giving this book a five star! 🌟🤩
“Every story is part of a whole, entire life, you know? Happy and sad and tragic and whatever, but an entire life. And books let you know them”
I love the impact it gives me, which actually is tearing my heart slowly. I admit I almost cry—or maybe I did cry. Like I am the one experiencing it.
Even though it is all sad and breaking my heart, I love how there are humors at certain parts. They are so necessary and so helpful to cover the sad parts. If this book isn’t at all about moving on in life after a dead of a best friend/family/lover, I believe it’ll be a fun, witty and funny book with the humorous characters. ✨☀️ Because I can see how funny and sarcastic Anna and Frankie could be.
It’s just that, with what happened after the incident, life will never be the same. How could it be after she just lost her best friend who is also her first love? 💔 And ‘you never get over your first love’ (someone said that to me). That thing makes Anna feel horrible to have feelings for someone again because it will also mean the memories of her and Matt will be erased. 😔
I am also sad that every characters in this book are holding back their feelings after the incident and pretending everything is normal even though they’re hurting inside. And pressuring themselves of not talking about what had happened. But if they do, they’ll shatter. That’s it. It’s just… so burdening. It aches. 😔💔
“Those butterflies have nowhere to go but darkness, beating and tangling their tiny wings until they break.”
I rarely talk about the pacing and for me, the story flows perfectly and so is the plotting. In addition, I love how Sarah plays with the words; describing everything in beautiful ways that I’m actually amazed at every paragraphs. 💫🍃 To be honest, a good beautiful writing have a big impact for me to make it a favorite book apart from the characters. And so for that beautiful writing and not to mention falling my teardrops, I am giving this book a five star! 🌟🤩
“Every story is part of a whole, entire life, you know? Happy and sad and tragic and whatever, but an entire life. And books let you know them”
"Weeping is not the same thing as crying, It takes your whole body to weep, and when it`s over, you feel like you don`t have any bones left to hold you up."
Twenty Boy Summer was the perfect vacation read. It had all the makings of a summer fling story, with just the right amount of tragedy to cause you shed a tear for the "what might have been" and have hope for the "what might still be." I wanted to be Anna, traveling to California for the first time, experiencing the ocean and all the life that summer can bring when you are 16. I cried for her that she had to be the "strong one." Who can be that at 16? And I rejoiced with her as she finally found a way to let go. I did not want this story to end!
Twenty Boy Summer was the perfect vacation read. It had all the makings of a summer fling story, with just the right amount of tragedy to cause you shed a tear for the "what might have been" and have hope for the "what might still be." I wanted to be Anna, traveling to California for the first time, experiencing the ocean and all the life that summer can bring when you are 16. I cried for her that she had to be the "strong one." Who can be that at 16? And I rejoiced with her as she finally found a way to let go. I did not want this story to end!
I heard about Twenty Boy Summer during last year's banned books week. It was around the first month I started blogging and I read the articles about all the drama that surrounded it. The Missouri School District banned Twenty Boy Summer due to its "sexual promiscuity" even though only one of the board members had actually read the book. This just shows how ignorant people really are when it comes to books, especially young adult literature.
I thought Twenty Boy Summer was the perfect balance between fun summer beach read and punch me in the stomach with grief, although I cried throughout most of the book. The beginning with Matt and Anna was just too adorable and knowing that it wasn't going to last just made it that much more sad. I really didn't like Frankie and towards the end she tested my patience. She was extremely self-absorbed but I think that was just part of her way of grieving over Matt. I didn't want Anna to go after any of those guys that Frankie urged her to flirt with because Matt seemed like the perfect guy for her.
Twenty Boy Summer was a quick but emotional read. It delved into the reality of grief and first love. So glad that I picked this one up even though it caused me to bawl my eyes out.
I thought Twenty Boy Summer was the perfect balance between fun summer beach read and punch me in the stomach with grief, although I cried throughout most of the book. The beginning with Matt and Anna was just too adorable and knowing that it wasn't going to last just made it that much more sad. I really didn't like Frankie and towards the end she tested my patience. She was extremely self-absorbed but I think that was just part of her way of grieving over Matt. I didn't want Anna to go after any of those guys that Frankie urged her to flirt with because Matt seemed like the perfect guy for her.
Twenty Boy Summer was a quick but emotional read. It delved into the reality of grief and first love. So glad that I picked this one up even though it caused me to bawl my eyes out.
One of the best romance novels ever :) Definitely would re-read this again! Here's my review on this amazing novel: http://theyabooknook.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-boy-summer-by-sarah-ockler.html
An unexpected treat. I would have loved this as a teenager; as an adult I found myself feeling quite wistful.
Anna has always been part of a triangle-her best friend Frankie, and her brother Matt. On her birthday, Matt kisses her. For weeks they keep their new-found relationship a secret, as Matt wants to tell his sister himself. Then the three are in a crash and Matt dies.
This could have been thoroughly depressing, but we see Anna and Frankie head off on a summer vacation determined to have fun. Each of them is keeping secrets, and it's only a matter of time before they spill out.
For Anna the holiday is about the relationship she develops with surfer Sam, but it was more about her learning to accept what had happened and coming to terms with how to move on.
Anna has always been part of a triangle-her best friend Frankie, and her brother Matt. On her birthday, Matt kisses her. For weeks they keep their new-found relationship a secret, as Matt wants to tell his sister himself. Then the three are in a crash and Matt dies.
This could have been thoroughly depressing, but we see Anna and Frankie head off on a summer vacation determined to have fun. Each of them is keeping secrets, and it's only a matter of time before they spill out.
For Anna the holiday is about the relationship she develops with surfer Sam, but it was more about her learning to accept what had happened and coming to terms with how to move on.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-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:
Yes