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Review: The Summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han
Published by Razorbill
Series: Summer#1
Source: Review Copy


This book encompasses all that is needed in a perfect summer read. It was a delightfully light read and thoroughly enjoyable. Having never read any Jenny Han before I wasn't really sure what I was letting myself in for when I first picked this up to read but I was pleasantly surprised and was a welcome relief from the vast amounts of paranormal romance and dystopian novels I have been reading lately (which don't get me wrong I love but it was a nice change).

I liked that Belly, the main character of the book, was such a teenager. The author captured quite well the struggle of a 15 year old in a world where she is trying to be grown up and deal with all the new emotions going on in her head balanced alongside the need to still act like a little kid at times. I loved that sometimes trying to hold it all together got too much for her and she threw a bit of a tantrum and a sulk but then spent time after than feeling that she'd let herself down. For me the best thing about Belly was that she wasn't perfect and was still trying to find her own little niche in the world she was growing up into.

I loved the setting of the book. This idyllic and huge beach house with a pool by the sea. It added to the story and the summeryness of it all.

The boys in this book did drive me a little crazy. I don't quite agree with Belly on the whole Conrad vs Jeremiah debate (I'm probably too much of a softie) and found Cam to be a bit too smarmy for my liking.

I also liked the relationship Belly had with both her mother and her mother's best friend and the comparison between the the two. As someone who could never quite do the girly chit chat with her own mother (especially when we lived under the same roof) I found the comparison to be quite poignant.

I really enjoyed that the book occasionally had chapters which were scenes from summers Belly had previously spent at the beach house. I love it when books do this as a way to fill you in with the backstory of the characters involved.

All in all a fab little book which, while not mind blowing, captures the spirit of growing up and summery holidays brilliantly well and is an awesomely engrossing page turner.


Thank you Razorbill for the review copy

Comments

prophecygirl said…
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series. I can't explain how much. It's amazing and heartbreaking and so so addictive.

Jenny Han rocks!!
This is the first one in the series yes. Brilliant review I am going to have to re-shuffle again I think