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A review by camilla_dinardo
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It was a sad, heartbreaking, emotional story, but at times I was smiling at the fantastic characters and laughing at the humorous moments Ockler creates. The plot was very heart wrenching, and you truly felt every single emotion that the characters experienced along the way. It was beautifully crafted with amazing writing, and imagery that leaves you second guessing your surroundings; the descriptions were so vivid, that you heard the ocean's waves, and almost pictured the sand underneath your toes. I loved the characters, and I grew to admire them more and more as I flipped each page. The romance was heartbreaking and captivating at the same time. The two main characters deal with loss so everything the attempt, do, or say reminds them of the loved one they lost in one way or another. I was deeply hurt for them, and I couldn't help but mourn along side of them.
Sarah Ockler does a flawless job of bringing into two girl's heartache, bringing you deeper, to the point where you feel like you were in the character's shoes. She even manages to lighten the read with humor, laughs, and beautiful memories that leave you smiling with tears in your eyes.
Anna's fifteenth birthday changed her life in more than one way. After the cake fight between her and her long time, best friend, Matt, things change in between them. They go from a sibling like friendship, to a romance that leaves them inseparable. Things change fast, and they spend nights outside secretly meeting, and grasping any chance they can to spend time with each other. They keep their budding romance a secret from their families, and Matt's sister, Frankie. Matt wants to protect his sister, and he wants to wait for the right moment to tell her. They agree that Anna will keep the secret, until Matt tells Frankie on the trip to California. He wants her to have time to get used to it, and accept the fact that he loves Anna, and not just as a friend.
A drive back from an ice cream run turns very, very wrong. It changes all of their lives forever. Matt was behind the wheel when the car crashed. Ambulances arrived, and they told Frankie and Anna how lucky they were to survive. Matt, wasn't so lucky, he died, and Frankie is left crushed and destroyed from her brother's death. Though, little does she know that Anna loved him more than she thinks. Anna still holds on to the secret, and takes life day by day. Tears, memories, and heartbreaks is what they deal with for a long time. They become closer than ever, as they mourn the loss of a boy they both deeply loved, for different reasons.
Frankie is a different girl. She used to be shy, and now she's the complete opposite. She takes hours to get ready, she's outgoing, and you wouldn't recognize her if you knew her before her brother's death. This time, Anna is tagging along on the Perino's trip to California. They'll be heading to Zanzibar bay. Anna looks forward to see everything Matt used to describe to her about the oceans, the sand, the sea glass, and many other things. Frankie has a plan up her sleeve, and decides that they should find a boy a day, and have a total of twenty flings. Anna agrees to the twenty boy summer because it makes Frankie happy, and she would do anything to keep the smile on Frankie's face.
This summer brings heartache, laughs, new memories, and the chance to reminisce old ones. Anna can't picture herself going after any after boy, because she doesn't want Matt to fade away. Though, she keeps a diary and writes secret letters to him. Frankie meets boys, and Anna also meets a boy that leaves her feeling guilty. She'd want nothing more than to tell Frankie about Matt, but they made a promise, and she feels that she shouldn't break it, even though he's gone.
Anna still tries to grasp to the lingering memories of Matt, and spends every day with Frankie as they capture various moments with their video camera. After the trip continues, it looks like the clips will make a film with many tears, laughs, memories, friendships and love.
Sarah Ockler does a flawless job of bringing into two girl's heartache, bringing you deeper, to the point where you feel like you were in the character's shoes. She even manages to lighten the read with humor, laughs, and beautiful memories that leave you smiling with tears in your eyes.
Anna's fifteenth birthday changed her life in more than one way. After the cake fight between her and her long time, best friend, Matt, things change in between them. They go from a sibling like friendship, to a romance that leaves them inseparable. Things change fast, and they spend nights outside secretly meeting, and grasping any chance they can to spend time with each other. They keep their budding romance a secret from their families, and Matt's sister, Frankie. Matt wants to protect his sister, and he wants to wait for the right moment to tell her. They agree that Anna will keep the secret, until Matt tells Frankie on the trip to California. He wants her to have time to get used to it, and accept the fact that he loves Anna, and not just as a friend.
A drive back from an ice cream run turns very, very wrong. It changes all of their lives forever. Matt was behind the wheel when the car crashed. Ambulances arrived, and they told Frankie and Anna how lucky they were to survive. Matt, wasn't so lucky, he died, and Frankie is left crushed and destroyed from her brother's death. Though, little does she know that Anna loved him more than she thinks. Anna still holds on to the secret, and takes life day by day. Tears, memories, and heartbreaks is what they deal with for a long time. They become closer than ever, as they mourn the loss of a boy they both deeply loved, for different reasons.
Frankie is a different girl. She used to be shy, and now she's the complete opposite. She takes hours to get ready, she's outgoing, and you wouldn't recognize her if you knew her before her brother's death. This time, Anna is tagging along on the Perino's trip to California. They'll be heading to Zanzibar bay. Anna looks forward to see everything Matt used to describe to her about the oceans, the sand, the sea glass, and many other things. Frankie has a plan up her sleeve, and decides that they should find a boy a day, and have a total of twenty flings. Anna agrees to the twenty boy summer because it makes Frankie happy, and she would do anything to keep the smile on Frankie's face.
This summer brings heartache, laughs, new memories, and the chance to reminisce old ones. Anna can't picture herself going after any after boy, because she doesn't want Matt to fade away. Though, she keeps a diary and writes secret letters to him. Frankie meets boys, and Anna also meets a boy that leaves her feeling guilty. She'd want nothing more than to tell Frankie about Matt, but they made a promise, and she feels that she shouldn't break it, even though he's gone.
Anna still tries to grasp to the lingering memories of Matt, and spends every day with Frankie as they capture various moments with their video camera. After the trip continues, it looks like the clips will make a film with many tears, laughs, memories, friendships and love.