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finesilkflower 's review for:
It's Not Summer Without You
by Jenny Han
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If "The Summer I Turned Pretty" is the perfect summer book, this is a perfect bummer book. (Has anyone else made that witty pun?) Much of the book is devoted to the characters' grief in the immediate aftermath of the death of a beloved family member. While it's realistic that the characters would be devastated by this, it's an awfully heavy topic for a summer beach read, without the redeeming qualities of being profound and life-affirming that you would want or expect in a book about death. Rather, family member death is used mainly as an excuse for teens to be angsty. The light romance elements that defined the first book not only take a backseat, but also feel unsatisfying and unappealing to me.
I think this wants to be a series with two viable main love interests so that readers can align as either #TeamConrad or #TeamJeremiah, but it just doesn't work because the author has stacked the deck for the guy she's interested in and the other guy never has a chance. This should be the book that makes a clear case for #TeamJeremiah, but it does a worse job than the first book did. While the first book showcased Jeremiah's emotional intelligence and sense of fun - qualities that were never going to win against a complicated bad-boy but which were at least enjoyable - this book simply casts him as a toxically conflict-avoidant doormat. Also, the fact that he continues to pine after Belly despite being clearly rebuffed in the first book gives him a "nice guy" sex pest feel that totally destroys what appeal he had built. Meanwhile, the book invests a lot more in Conrad, but only by having people talk about how great he is - all his actions continue to be repellent.
Belly is also not developed in this book, as her main role is to stand around and watch boys do things.
I think this wants to be a series with two viable main love interests so that readers can align as either #TeamConrad or #TeamJeremiah, but it just doesn't work because the author has stacked the deck for the guy she's interested in and the other guy never has a chance. This should be the book that makes a clear case for #TeamJeremiah, but it does a worse job than the first book did. While the first book showcased Jeremiah's emotional intelligence and sense of fun - qualities that were never going to win against a complicated bad-boy but which were at least enjoyable - this book simply casts him as a toxically conflict-avoidant doormat. Also, the fact that he continues to pine after Belly despite being clearly rebuffed in the first book gives him a "nice guy" sex pest feel that totally destroys what appeal he had built. Meanwhile, the book invests a lot more in Conrad, but only by having people talk about how great he is - all his actions continue to be repellent.
Belly is also not developed in this book, as her main role is to stand around and watch boys do things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Vomit