A review by xabbeylongx
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

SPOILERS AHEAD
Book Review: 
I’ll be honest, I had really really high hopes for the book, but I was left feeling unsatisfied. To me, there was absolutely no chemistry between her and Conrad. Neither his words nor his actions were appealing, they were so hurtful to Belly, and she deserved much better. I think if the flashbacks with him had been more emotional, or even the glimpses of Conrad Belly gets in the present when she’s sure Conrad must feel the same way, then it might have made it a bit more of gut-wrenching story. As it is, he just seemed like a bully, and everyone seemed to be okay with him treating her like that. 
In fact, I have a bone to pick with everyone in this book, apart from Susannah, and, at a push, Laurel. Conrad, Jeremiah and Steven have always been leaving Belly out, making her feel alone, sad, insecure and uninvited. Then, as soon as she finds someone who’s nice to her, they try to ruin it. They’ve spent their whole life making her feel less than special. Susannah - as mentioned in the book - definitely did spoil them, because no way should Belly have been treated like she should. Possibly ageist, possibly sexist, I just found it downright uncomfortable reading the flashback scenes, just because there was pure malice in every reaction towards Belly. 
However, Belly ins’t an angel. Although Taylor is insufferable - even more so in the book than the TV series - just don’t be friends with her if you feel that way about her? And also, there were times when she sounded really spoilt herself. All in all, I didn’t really like any of the characters as much as I wanted to. Even Cam, there was something about him, and I just couldn’t bond with his character. 
The plot itself felt very repetitive at times, sometimes even boring. It just felt like it was a circle of I hate him, but he’s nice to me so now I like him again, I’m going to string Cam along even though I don’t really have any feelings for him, and then I’m going to do it again. 
I think the biggest thing wrong with this book was the lack of emotional attachments. I’m only being picky with the plot because I felt I didn’t have a strong connection with the characters, which, for me, is the most important part of a story. I kept hanging on, waiting for the moment where I really bond with one of them, but it never came. I’m a big Bonrad shipper, but honestly, there was nothing in this book which screamed to me that they should have been together, and that was definitely what was missing from a this book - it is a romance, after all.  
 
Book Summary: 
We follow Belly through this book, as she and her family, Steven (her older brother) and Laurel (her mother) are travelling down to their friend’s summer house to stay with them. Laurel and Susannah (her mother’s best friend) have been friends since forever, and so their kids were, undoubtedly, going to become friends too. Conrad (the older son) and Jeremiah (the younger son) have been friends with Belly and Steven since they were little. They have spent many summers going to their summer house, and staying until it was time to go back to school. The dads aren’t really invited - Belly’s dad has amicably divorced with her mother (her instigation) and is dating people suitably younger, whilst Conrad and Jeremiah’s dad is always busy with work, so they never see him. 
This summer, Belly has ‘grown up’, and become ‘more pretty’. People notice her more. Boys notice her more. But she has never been interested in anyone other than Conrad, who she has harboured a crush on for years now. Susannah, who treats her like the daughter she never had, tells her that she knows Belly is destined for one of her boys. Belly hopes that this is true! 
Things are weird when they get down there. Conrad doesn’t seem like himself. He’s reserved, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone. There’s some sort of weird air hanging around, and although everything is different, everything is the same. Conrad, Jeremiah and Steven are hanging out, and she’s trying to get involved, as she’s sixteen now. 
When she goes to a party, she meets Cam, whom recognises her from a school event, and they start talking. They start to talk, and they both like each other, but Jeremiah and Conrad keep messing things up. She talks to him, and goes on dates with him, but her emotions are conflicted. She wants to save Conrad, but he doesn’t want to be saved. She’s trying to move on, but he is nice to her and then she likes him again. And then, Jeremiah admits his feelings for her, out of the blue. And then they find out that Susannah is sick, and the boys knew all along, so all the fights were due to that. Belly feels deceived. 
This summer is all about making it count, because they all know it might be the last one like it. 
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