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A review by pestering
The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters
absolutely horrible writing. I hated this one so bad. constant namedropping of brands in order to be relatable to teenagers felt so cheap. I was especially put off by the constant CONSTANT mentions of netflix and "netflix movies" (when the author could've just... talked about movies generally and it would've worked? netflix originals are known for often being worse than your average movie.) I tried to start counting the netflix namedrops but had to stop as there were so many.
Ella was an unbearable character I genuinely think that meeting her in person would ruin my day. I was always gonna hate Cooper because I dont like the internet but yeah I dont think I could be in a room with him.
there never seemed to be any explanation given for Wes's beef with Leo...? there was a little exposition given towards the end, bits about their childhood together, but for the most part it was just Wes saying "I hate my stupid brother" and then meeting up with Leo and Leo seeming like a very normal nice guy. I especially hated when Leo asked Wes to help his fiancée to pick a wedding dress and Wes goes, "it's because I'm GAY, isn't it?!" and there's this whole tangent about people assuming gay guys are into fashion. it's so embarrassing to read because I'm like god I swear most gay guys wouldn't get offended by being asked this. I promise. I just hated Wes.
I need to note that there was a sentence that was something like "Wes changed out of his photoshoot clothes like a yolk slipping out of an eggshell," and it struck me as such an oddly beautiful sentence that would feel very at home in a poem or somewhere that isn't this book. it did not fit here at all but maybe this author's talents lie in coming up with more things like that and fashioning some poems out of them.
then again I'm 26 and jaded. I probably would've liked this when I was maybe 13 and if I'd never read a book with gay characters before. but there is so much better than this out there. there is REALLY good teen fiction out here and this is not it. I can't get over all the brands. it's so painful to read.
Ella was an unbearable character I genuinely think that meeting her in person would ruin my day. I was always gonna hate Cooper because I dont like the internet but yeah I dont think I could be in a room with him.
there never seemed to be any explanation given for Wes's beef with Leo...? there was a little exposition given towards the end, bits about their childhood together, but for the most part it was just Wes saying "I hate my stupid brother" and then meeting up with Leo and Leo seeming like a very normal nice guy. I especially hated when Leo asked Wes to help his fiancée to pick a wedding dress and Wes goes, "it's because I'm GAY, isn't it?!" and there's this whole tangent about people assuming gay guys are into fashion. it's so embarrassing to read because I'm like god I swear most gay guys wouldn't get offended by being asked this. I promise. I just hated Wes.
I need to note that there was a sentence that was something like "Wes changed out of his photoshoot clothes like a yolk slipping out of an eggshell," and it struck me as such an oddly beautiful sentence that would feel very at home in a poem or somewhere that isn't this book. it did not fit here at all but maybe this author's talents lie in coming up with more things like that and fashioning some poems out of them.
then again I'm 26 and jaded. I probably would've liked this when I was maybe 13 and if I'd never read a book with gay characters before. but there is so much better than this out there. there is REALLY good teen fiction out here and this is not it. I can't get over all the brands. it's so painful to read.