A review by tamtasticbooks
Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield

challenging emotional reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Tilla is a teenager who just wants her father to love her as much as she has always loved him. This summer, she and her little sister go to Jamaica to stay with him and his extended family to get to know them better. Immediately her dad leaves to go to work in town for the week, leaving Tilla to navigate this unknown land and family and their harshness alone. She strikes up friendships and more-but there is disaster hidden in each choice. Not to mention the fact that it's hurricane season.

I wanted the world for Tilla and the author crafted a beautiful, heartbreaking story with complex characters. Both the places and the people felt real and alive. The story moved along quickly and was engaging the whole time. I didn't want to put it down. There is so much sadness in the story, but also a good amount of hope. It balances out fairly well at the end. I felt really emotionally attached to characters, which I love. This book also deals with complex issues-learning a new culture, learning family secrets, racism, and abuse among other things. It doesn't skim over the hard parts, but treats them seriously and realistically, which made the story even more emotional and beautiful.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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