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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Second time reading the novel.
Heartbreak, love, friendship, growing up--- comparable to Sarah Dessen. I love all of the references to my hometown of Buffalo/WNY.
“He loved to read. He loved words, the way they string together into sentences and stories. He wanted to study them, to know and create them, to share them with the world.”
Heartbreak, love, friendship, growing up--- comparable to Sarah Dessen. I love all of the references to my hometown of Buffalo/WNY.
“He loved to read. He loved words, the way they string together into sentences and stories. He wanted to study them, to know and create them, to share them with the world.”
I enjoyed this book, and I thought it was a good read. There were a few problems for me though. I didn't quite believe the relationship between Anna and Matt. To me, if a guy can't tell his own sister about your relationship, then he isn't worth the time. But that could just be me. I also found Frankie very annoying in the beginning of the book because she seemed so self involved. She didn't pay much attention to the fact that Matt's death probably affected Anna too. By the end of the book I had warmed up to Frankie and liked her much more.
The book was much better once Anna and Frankie actually got to the beach. Sam was definitely one of the redeeming qualities of this book. I loved him and thought he was sweet, caring, and a good balance for the qualities that I didn't like in the other characters.
In the end, there were a lot of things about this book that frustrated me, but I was still able to enjoy it. I recommend picking it up if you have a chance. Twenty Boy Summer is still worth the read.
The book was much better once Anna and Frankie actually got to the beach. Sam was definitely one of the redeeming qualities of this book. I loved him and thought he was sweet, caring, and a good balance for the qualities that I didn't like in the other characters.
In the end, there were a lot of things about this book that frustrated me, but I was still able to enjoy it. I recommend picking it up if you have a chance. Twenty Boy Summer is still worth the read.
Some of my favorite books that have changed my life as a reader.
This book started out sad, so then there was awesome stuff after that. I didn't have high expectations, but it was okay. It talked about death and stuff and the people left behind... So read this book if you want to. This review is going nowhere. I'm just going to stop.
There were parts of this book that were sweet and meaningful, and the rest of it felt juvenile. Yes, I realize this is a YA novel, but there is a ton out there that don't necessarily feel that way. One thing I enjoy about current YA are the roles of family and other adults in the protagonist's life and that's absent here. Anna suffers so much by not talking about what's going on in her life, which was hard to watch. What I loved about the book was Anna giving herself permission to love again, and finding her own identity seprarte from her best friends. There so much YA out there that's stronger, I can't say I recommend this one.
This YA novel's poignant narrator, with her strong voice and her immediacy, brings this story to life. The writing is able to push its readers right back into the throes of adolescence, with all their emotive heft in tact. It rings true, which is a hard feat to achieve.
I would give this between 3 and 4 stars, tending towards 4 stars. Anna was in love with her best friend's brother Matt and then one day she found out that he felt the same. Then he died before they ever told her best friend and a year later, she's still grieving and still keeping the secret when she and her best friend go to California for a few weeks, looking for a summer escape. It's well-written and moving, especially the lovely ending. There are some flaws, such as the perfect love interest (one of my pet peeves), but this is definitely superior chick lit.
Looking at the cover and title of this book, you may think it is a light hearted Summer romance book. And while there is some beach romance in this story, the theme more deals with grief, and lost love.
Frankie and her older brother Matt are Anna's best friends. They are neighbors and do everything together. Anna and Matt begin to fall for each other over time and keep their relationship a secret. Tragedy strikes when Matt suddenly dies shortly before he is to leave for college.
Anna has made a promise to Matt not to tell Frankie about their relationship. She is put in a difficult position where she is supporting Frankie and her family through their grief, while she has to deal with her own tragic loss by herself.
Frankie's family goes on a trip to Zanzibar every summer, and a year after Matt's death, they take Anna along on their trip. Frankie's been acting out since Matt died, trying to get her parents attention. She comes up with a plan to have a contest with Anna on who can meet the most boys over their 20 day summer trip. Each member of the family struggles to cope with the loss of Matt while visiting the vacation place that holds so many memories for them.
This is a beautifully written story of friendship and the grieving process and how different people cope with their losses and begin to move on.
This is Sarah Ockler's debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her.
Frankie and her older brother Matt are Anna's best friends. They are neighbors and do everything together. Anna and Matt begin to fall for each other over time and keep their relationship a secret. Tragedy strikes when Matt suddenly dies shortly before he is to leave for college.
Anna has made a promise to Matt not to tell Frankie about their relationship. She is put in a difficult position where she is supporting Frankie and her family through their grief, while she has to deal with her own tragic loss by herself.
Frankie's family goes on a trip to Zanzibar every summer, and a year after Matt's death, they take Anna along on their trip. Frankie's been acting out since Matt died, trying to get her parents attention. She comes up with a plan to have a contest with Anna on who can meet the most boys over their 20 day summer trip. Each member of the family struggles to cope with the loss of Matt while visiting the vacation place that holds so many memories for them.
This is a beautifully written story of friendship and the grieving process and how different people cope with their losses and begin to move on.
This is Sarah Ockler's debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her.
This book was so good. It was sad in some parts and in others you could see how alive they were.