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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
This was surprisingly good! ‘All Summer Long’ is about Bina, a 13 year old girl heading into her first summer without her best friend, Austin. She befriends his older sister briefly and plays a lot on her electric guitar.
I think this handled growing up so well! I love that Bina had found her “thing” and embraced it. I liked that she stood up for herself to Charlie and they made up at the end. I liked that Bina and Austin remained friends even when he got a girlfriend. It was a fantastic middle school summer story.
I think this handled growing up so well! I love that Bina had found her “thing” and embraced it. I liked that she stood up for herself to Charlie and they made up at the end. I liked that Bina and Austin remained friends even when he got a girlfriend. It was a fantastic middle school summer story.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this to see if I should shelve it in Junior or Young Adult since the main character is just barely 13. I decided to go Young Adult because of the friend's older sister, but I won't hesitate to give it to an older Junior reader.
I loved how the author made music come alive in the comics... that's difficult to do, but well-executed here. I would love to see this story through Austin's eyes, too - and I think it would be great for boys to read that perspective as well.
I loved how the author made music come alive in the comics... that's difficult to do, but well-executed here. I would love to see this story through Austin's eyes, too - and I think it would be great for boys to read that perspective as well.
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
It's not a criticism to say that many of the "events" in this graphic novel were inane because that's what a lot of middle school is, especially middle school summers. I remember being bored by my own boredom! Realistic and heartfelt, clean art, true.
larson does a good job of creating a sweet, angsty story that captures the joys of adolescent summer vacation well. i really enjoyed the monochromatic aesthetic of the art style, as the warm orange hues really solidified the mood of the piece. bina is a very relatable protagonist with a strong personality, but i just wish that her relationship dynamic with her family was a bit more fleshed out. it sometimes felt like dialogue read too severe, almost like lines in a movie, and could’ve afforded to be organic. i would have rated this five stars if the dialogue between characters read a bit more natural. nonetheless, a fun read with heart!
I've got a soft spot for music-related books for teens, but this once does a nice job of focusing on doing things you love for the sake of it and not an end goal of job/career. Realistic portrayal of the complexities in teenage friendships.
Reviewed from a NetGalley ARC.
Reviewed from a NetGalley ARC.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a cute book but I was not a fan of the artistry. or the color scheme. I liked the plot, it was something every teen can relate to! I am excited to see her other graphic novels but so far not such a great introduction to her books.
RTC
After browsing my local comic bookshop, this one caught my eye as I had heard of Hope Larson before and the cover caught my attention.
I do think that the artwork was really great and I do like the story overall. I think that again the graphic novel was probably targeted to a lower audience than me and it did dampen my enjoyment. I also thought that the story was going to go in a different direction.
For the most part, I liked the focus on friendship and the relationships in the book but I don't think I am going to continue for now. But who knows!
After browsing my local comic bookshop, this one caught my eye as I had heard of Hope Larson before and the cover caught my attention.
I do think that the artwork was really great and I do like the story overall. I think that again the graphic novel was probably targeted to a lower audience than me and it did dampen my enjoyment. I also thought that the story was going to go in a different direction.
For the most part, I liked the focus on friendship and the relationships in the book but I don't think I am going to continue for now. But who knows!