Saturday, July 9, 2011

{Review} It's not summer without you by Jenny Han


Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.
Title: It's not summer without you {Summer, book 2}
Author: Jenny Han
Publication: 24th April 2010
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
288 pages

This review may be spoilery for the first book. This book is the second novel of a trilogy.

My review

If you loved the first book of this trilogy you will love this one. For me it was even better. After reading The Summer I Turned Pretty, and as I had the three books at home, I was not able to wait. I had to start this one immediately. Not only did I want to read it, but I also needed it, I really couldn't wait - at all. I didn't even try to write my review of The Summer I Turned Pretty because I just wanted to read.

The first pages are really moving and if you're sensitive and emotional perhaps you should start thinking to have a box of tissues next to you. I was really touched and, even if I didn't cry, I found it heartbreaking.

At the beginning, Belly is still a bit childish and she's sometimes even nasty, but she has a lot to cope with and she is grieving and heartbroken. It's hard to judge as we don't know how we would react in the same situation. In It's not summer without you she is also growing up and evolving. Life isn't easy with her but she tries to be as strong as possible and to do her best.

In this second installment, we sometimes have Jeremiah's point of view. Indeed, some chapters are told by the young boy. I found it really interesting as they enable us to understand him better. It was a really nice addition to the story.

The writing is totally smooth and compelling. There is not a lot of action but Jenny Han kept me hooked all along. The emotions and feelings are very well-written and some moments are really heartbreaking for the reader, and obviously for the characters. It's not an action-packed novel but I nonetheless turned the pages frenetically in order to know what would happen next.

To sum up, I was utterly not disappointed in this sequel, it's brilliant and even better than the first one. I have to warn you, after reading the last line you are so going to want the sequel, We'll always have summer. Personally, I really couldn't wait, that's why I started it as soon as I had finished this one.

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2 comments:

  1. I have the first in the series on my shelf .. really need to read it this summer! =)

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  2. Thank you so much BooksforCompany for your comment :D

    I was a bit disappointed in the first one. I mean it was a bit slow at the beginning, I nearly dropped it but then I dived in the story and couldn't stop.

    I hope you will enjoy it :D Happy reading!

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Thanks for stopping by and leaving your mark :D I'm so sorry I really don't have time to answer to everyone right now but I read them all :D