It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Book review #47
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
Rating: Five stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Last year, all of Belly's dreams came true and the thought of missing a summer in Cousins Beach was inconceivable. But like the rise and fall of the ocean tide, things can change--just like that. Suddenly the time she's always looked forward to most is something she dreads. And when Jeremiah calls to say Conrad has disappeared, Belly must decide how she will spend this summer: chasing after the boy she loves, or finally letting him go. 

I'm officially in love with this series.  To say this book was amazing is an understatement. I think I even liked it better than the first book (The Summer I Turned Pretty) which I fell in love with. It's Not Summer Without You is simply delicious. I clawed my way through it, setting it down at times, to savor every last moment. I was really sad when it came to the end. It has everything I look for in a book- a realistic lovable main character, a summer/beach setting, and not one, but two amazing boys. The added emotional roller coaster was just icing on the cake.

Belly was the same old Belly, but yet totally different. It's summer time again, which usually means spending times in Cousins with Susan and the boys, but not this time. Susannah is getting sicker by the second and she doesn't have much time left. Everyone is taking it really hard. The amazing summers Belly dreamed of all year long have come to an end. To top it off her relationship/fling with Conrad is on the rocks. When Jeremiah calls Belly claiming Conrad is missing, Belly decides it's time to make it right again...

The characters are amazing. They are practically family to me- I felt extremely attached to them. Each of them sparked so many emotions from me- I smiled, laughed, screamed, and definitely cried. Belly is definitely my favorite. She's the same age as me, and at a similar stage in life, so can I really relate to her. I understood her confusion and heart ache. She's so lucky to have Jeremiah and Conrad. Jeremiah is such a sweetie, I would love to have him around! And Conrad is so smart and complex. I understand how it would be difficult to choose between them. Susannah. Don't even get me started on her. I probably missed her as much as Belly and the boys, she's just a wonderful person.

Cousins is where I want to live. In my eyes it's almost perfect. It's Not Summer Without You is the type of book where the descriptions are so good that you can practically feel what's going on around you. I could imagine everything exactly in my head-the smell of the beach in the morning, the cozy beach house, even the feelings of love drifting in the air.

There wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. I can't wait for the next book to come out, I really can't. It's Not Summer Without You is one of those perfect summer reads that are actually deep and wonderful. If you haven't started this series, I highly suggest you do (:

Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

Book review #46
Sea Change by Aimee Friedman
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)
16-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science...and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship...and reality.

Is Leo hiding something? Or is he something that she never could have imagined? .

Sea Change is a refreshing change from the typical summer read. I was immediately drawn in from the introduction of the smart mysterious main character. Sea Change is one of those books you get so lost in that you block everything else out and just escape. It was really fun spending a couple of weeks at the magnificent Selkie Island...a place a lot different than most of us are used to.

16 year old Miranda planned on spending her summer interning at the glorious Museum of Natural History in New York. But everything changes when her grandmother passes away. Before she knows it, she finds herself living at the enormous mansion her grandmother left behind on Selkie Island. Miranda is exposed to a whole other world. She's captured by the southern hospitality, mystical roots, and array of people she meets. Miranda is left discovering the many secrets the island holds...

Miranda was a lovely main character. She was smart, intriguing, and very easy to relate to. She learned more about herself as the book went along and I really loved that. She was just different and that was expressed by her struggle to fit in with everyone else. Her romance with Leo was so sweet. Their connection was memorable. Leo is one of those guys that makes your heart melt. Although it was obvious he had his secrets ( which made me like him even more). T.J., the other guy battling for Miranda's attention, was not my favorite. He was a great example of someone close to perfect, but not appealing at all.

Sea Change was a beautiful coming of age story. The enchanting setting, amazing romance, and mystery really set this book apart. The suspense really kept you on edge. It was wonderful solving the mysterious of the past and learning more about Miranda's family history. Although others my not love the ending, I enjoyed the fact that it was left so open, leaving an endless amount of possibilities. 

Overall Sea Change was a unique summer read that really is magical. I'm so happy I got a chance to read this one. It's perfect for a day at the beach or even a cozy day at home. I'll definitely be looking out for Friedman's other books. I definitely recommend this one, so make sure to pick up a copy! Oh and isn't the cover just stunning? (:

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Book review #27
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

Whew I'm pretty exhausted from the wacky adventure I just took along with Ginny traveling through  London, Denmark, Greece, Paris, Rome, and even Amsterdam. 13 Little Blue Envelopes isn't the shortest book, but it was a surprisingly quick read. It flowed so easily, I found myself reading it one sitting. It was definitely different and unique. I can definitely say travel mixed in with humor and romance resulted in one awesome book.

Ginny's crazy Aunt Peg is gone due to cancer and the only thing left of her are thirteen blue envelopes.  The journey begins with the first letter  instructing Ginny to go to New York to pick up the rest of the envelopes. After retrieving the rest of the letters, she's off to London with everything she has stuffed inside a big backpack. Ginny begins the craziest adventure she's ever experienced. The only guide she has are the letters, which she may not open until her current task is completed. With twists and turns on the way, new scenery and interesting people Ginny almost becomes a whole other person.

There were so many awesome things about the book, but I would have to say the traveling and adventure was my favorite. Ginny traveled to so many different places, and got herself into the funniest situations. Ginny goes through almost everything- from sleeping on a park bench to staying with a random creepy family in Amsterdam. I learned a lot  about places I knew nothing about which was just an added plus.

 I loved all the characters Ginny met along her journey.All the characters were so different and unique. Ginny also meets the adorable Keith, who helps her along the way. The only information given about Aunt Peg were mainly in the letters, but that was enough for me to fall in love with her. She was such a cool interesting person. I also loved Ginny's personal transformation. Ginny is an ordinary likable person, who goes an a crazy journey that helps her discover who she really is.

Who wouldn't want to read about a real life scavenger hunt? An adventurous, romantic, light, and very fun read, are just a few words to perfectly sum up 13 Little Blue Envelopes. I know I definitely finished this book with a smile on my face. I had so much fun traveling with Ginny! I think everyone should check this one out :)

Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson

Book Review #21
Girl At Sea by Maureen Johnson
Rating: Four stars (refer to rating system on the right) 

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Sometimes you have to get lost. 

The Girl: Clio, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan. 

The Mission: Survive her father's annoying antics. Oh, also find some underwater treasure that could be the missing link to a long-lost civilization. 

The Crew: Dad's absentminded best friend Martin, his scary girlfriend Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa . . . and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant research assistant. 

What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway? 

As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more mysterious than the sea—her own heart. 

I'm almost exhausted from the crazy choppy journey I took along with Clio filled with mystery, adventure, humor, and of course romance. It took me some time to finally get into Girl At Sea, but once I did I sure wasn't disappointed. Aside from the usual teenage drama, there is an actual mystery throughout the book.The boat and crew actually have a mission, that you don't find out about just yet. Every few chapters, there are random peeks of the history of the mission. The need and desire to discover what this mission actually is will keep you on edge. Girl At Sea is a one of kind book that definitely left me wanting more.

Clio's parents are divorced, and she lives with her mother. Girl At Sea starts with Clio being forced to spend her vacation with her dad sailing on a yacht in Italy. She has a dream summer vacation all planned out. She got a job at the art store with her handsome co-worker Ollie, who is mentioned a bit too much throughout the book. Clio definitely not looking forward to spending time with her dad stuck on some boat especially since her dad is known to be unpredictable and frankly irresponsible.To her surprise she won't be spending her summer with just her father, but a crew made up of four other people. Julia- her dad's new girlfriend , Elsa- her daughter, Martin-her dad's best friend, and Aidan-Julie's assistant (who is kind of cute) become shipmates for the summer and maybe even more. 

I loved all the characters in this book. They were all very well developed and definitely realistic. I loved the crew who set aboard the Sea Butterfly. At first, no one really got along. Clio obviously didn't like Julia, the girlfriend she had never meant. She didn't really no what to think of Elsa either. Then there's Aidan who comes across as arrogant and annoying. The only person she didn't have a problem with was Martin, who was an almost better "father" to her than her dad was. In the end, Clio never expects to make a lifetime best friend and maybe possibly a boyfriend? Aside from the crew members, Clio was a very likable main character. I liked that she actually had talent and didn't let the little fact that she's seventeen and never been kissed overtake her life. One could easily relate to her motivates, desires, and weaknesses. 

The setting of Girl At Sea is what made it so different. Most of the books takes place on a big beautiful yacht that is sailing across the Mediterranean Sea. You would be surprised at how much action and drama can take place on a yacht. Some of the scenes were so powerful and vibrant that I can still picture them in my mind right now. I loved all the wacky things that happened along the ride. Without giving anything away, I have to say there were painful jellyfish involved, diving, and even attacks involved.  

There were a few tiny things that I didn't love so much about this book. First off, the beginning of the book was sort of slow. I feel like all of the major events happened near the end of the book. I wish the mystery of why they were actually on the yacht was revealed sooner. Then there was Ollie, who was constantly mentioned- Clio was kind of obsessed with him when she barely even knew him. Thank goodness Clio eventually realized that it was crazy to obsesses about someone who she wasn't even in a relationship with. The last thing, that I just wasn't used was the fact that the book was in third person. By the end, I did get used to it, but it took some time.  

Despite the minor negative sides of the book, it was definitely worth the read. I loved the ending, it was full of twists and turns. Overall, it was really nice to escape the winter blues to take a trip along with Clio and her crazy shipmates. If your looking for a book filled with just about everything, pick this one up. I'll be looking out for more of Maureen Johnson's books.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Book Review #18
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Rating: Five stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

I've only heard great things about this book, but I never expected it to become one of my favorite books. Twenty Boy Summer basically took all the things I love and wrapped it up in this one book: a summer read, amazing characters, romance, the true meaning of friendship, loss, and learning how to let go. A perfect quote to describe Twenty Boy Summer would be "Breaks your heart and puts it back together again (Jo Knowles)." I have to admit, I teared up twice, sad tears in the beginning and happy tears at the end. I don't think I can really describe how I feel about this book, heart-warming, amazing, isn't even the beginning.

Anna, Frankie, and older brother Matt, have been best friends and neighbors since as long as Anna can remember. Anna tells almost everything to Frankie, except the little fact that she is in love with her older brother and best friend Matt. On Anna's fifteen birthday Matt returns the feelings with a magical kiss. The two share a secret relationship, stealing away every free moment alone. Matt agrees to tell Frankie the truth when they went on vacation, making Anna promise to keep this secret. During a tragic accident, Matt dies leaving a hole in Anna’s heart, as well as a huge secret to keep. For a year now Anna has been keeping their secret.  As the months pass, Anna hides her true feelings and is always there to help Frankie. Anna is invited to go along with the Frankie and her family to California for the summer. Frankie comes up with the twenty boy summer thinking Anna kind find her first love, Anna can't do anything but go along.

Anna and Frankie were great main characters, they were realistic 16 year old lifetime best friends. Ockler created a friendship with ups and downs but always strong during the struggling hardships and arguments. I could really relate to the almost sister friendship Anna and Frankie shared. I felt all of the emotions Anna went through, from crying, laughing, and even feeling that giddiness and excitement she gets when she meets someone that makes her think she can actually let go. From Anna's experiences you learn so many useful life lessons, such as finding out that new memories can't erase the old ones.  

Although Matt was not alive for most of the book, he is still a huge part of the story. I clung onto each part of  every memory and bits of information describing Matt. Matt seemed like a really great person. At times I found myself wishing he would just come back. Ockler created the perfect way of showing the constant struggle to pretend to be OK, wishing to remember the past but still letting go what needs to be done. You receive enough information about Matt that leads you to really understand  the pain and grief the characters go through.

The setting of the book, made it just that much better. The girls spend their summer vacation in California for the "Absolutely Best Summer Ever" or ABSE for short. The summer isn't picture perfect, it reminded me of my actual experiences I had when I went to the beach. The descriptions and writing really makes you appreciate the beauty of the ocean and beach. Unlike other books, the descriptions literally make you feel. I could almost hear the sound of the ocean, the breeze in the wind, and the warmth on my feet as I walked around the sand.

There are so many more great things I loved about this book, but it would seriously take me forever. There are so many memorable quotes-even passages- that I won't forget. At times they were even lyrical such as,"I just swallow hard. Nod and smile. One foot in front of the other. I'm fine, thanks for not asking" (Ockler 273) and "I really don't even know you and yet in my life you are forever entangled to my history inextricably bound" (Ockler 266).Whew, that was one of the longest reviews I have ever written, which just shows how strongly I feel about this book. There aren't any complaints I can think about this one, just a warning that there are some more mature concepts in the book for younger readers to look out for. Just thinking about Twenty Boy Summer makes me smile. If you haven't read this one yet, I strongly recommend that you do. Don't let the title fool you, this book is definitely not just a beach read.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Book Review #8
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary:
 Belly, her mother, and her older brother Steven spend every summer at the beach house with her mother's best friend Susannah and her two teenage boys (Jemimah and Conrad). Jeremiah and Conrad have been everything to Belly, they have been her brotherly figures, her crushes, and everything in between. Belly, being the only girl, was used to being left out, but during her 16th summer everything changes. Belly isn't treated like one of the boys anymore, she's pretty, and everyone is noticing. Belly isn't used to all the changes and gets confused. Belly battles growing up, love, and family issues all at the same time. 

The Summer I Turned Pretty is one of my favorite kinds of books, a literal beach/summer read.Jenny Han did a great job describing summer and childhood friendships making it a wonderful novel. I really liked this book, there were a couple of things I really enjoyed such as: the flashbacks of previous summers, realistic characters who have real problems,the let down of summer romances, hard core issues that make it something more than just a summer read, and the coming of age storyline (I could could on and on...). I absolutely can't wait for the sequel to come out (Its Not Summer Without You). I would recommend this book to everyone, especially for Sarah Dessen fans.

Keeping the Moon

Book Review #3
Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
Rating: Four stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

Summary:
Fifteen year old Colie has a lived a complicated life so far- from being fat and made fun of, having a bad reputation with boys, and having a mother famous for helping people lose weight. It's summer and Colie is forced to spend it with her aunt Mira in the small town of Colby, where she becomes a different people. She gets a job as a waitress, where she meets a pair of best friends, who teach her life lessons and how to believe in yourself. 

I have to say even the Keeping the Moon wasn't Sarah Dessen's best, it was a really good read. My favorite part about the book was the characters. The characters weren't generic, they were something different. There is her overweight aunt Mira who wears crazy clothes and gets teased by the whole town, but continues to hold her head up high claiming she knows she's not perfect ,but she knows she works in her own way. Then there is Morgan and Isabel, a pair of best friends, who have their share of dysfunction, but are always there for each other. Lastly, there is Norman, who is an artist who lives in the basement of Mira's house. Norman is someone the old Colie would never go after, but that might be different for the new Colie. Near the end, Colie figures out who she really is and how to believe in herself for a change. In the end, it's a book worth the read. I would recommend the book to people who like books that are realistic and relatable.

The Last Song

Book Review #1
The Last Song by Nickolas Sparks
Rating: Three stars (refer to the rating system on the right)

I recently saw a trailer for the movie in the theaters and thought that it would be a good read. I just finished reading the book and I have to say I'm very pleased. The beginning was a little slow, but it gets a lot better. The book is centered around 17 year old Ronnie who unwillingly spends her summer with her dad in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Ronnie having her parents divorced three years earlier is still angry at her father. I'm not going to lie at first I thought Ronnie's characte...more Summary:
The book is centered around 17 year old Ronnie who unwillingly spends her summer with her dad in Wilmington, North Carolina. Ronnie having her parents divorced three years earlier is still angry at her father. Ronnie starts of the summer in Wilmington, barely speaking to her father and spending her days as far away from him as possible. Things change for Ronnie, she meets some new people who might not be the best for her, and meets someone she might just be in love with.

I recently saw a trailer for the movie in the theaters and thought that it would be a good read. I just finished reading the book and I have to say I'm very pleased. The beginning was a little slow, but it gets a lot better. I'm not going to lie at first I thought Ronnie's character was sort of annoying- I got a little frustrated at how she treated her dad, but that changed not to far into the book. I loved how Ronnie almost became a whole other person, for the better. I liked how the book alternated views between the characters, but I found some of Steven's (the dads) part boring at first. I was surprised at the ending of the book (not the very ending), I wasn't really expecting it. I have to admit I teared up and got very emotional. The last thing I absolutely loved was the epilogue of the book, I love happy endings! Overall, I enjoyed the book and I can't wait for the movie to come out! I would recommend the book to teenage girls or even adults who like a good romance/ somewhat light novel.