It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han Review

Title: It's Not Summer Without You
Author: Jenny Han
Pages:277
Release Date: May 5th 2011 (UK)
Source: For Review


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.


Just a heads up, if you haven't read The Summer I Turned Pretty then there are spoilers.


If you read my review of The Summer I Turned Pretty you will know that it was very emotional for me. Well this book is that x1000. In the last book we learn that Susannah has cancer again and the book starts with addressing her death. The grief was at the very start and had me bawling throughout the whole novel. 


Belly, distraught with grief, takes Susannah's death hard. She finds it difficult to deal with the fact that everything has changed. She can no longer spend summers at the beach house as she did before. It was painful to see her have to go through that after seeing how close she was to Susannah. I really felt for her throughout the novel and I just wanted her to be happy. She made some choices that I definitely didn't agree with but I could understand them.


Conrad just pulled at my heartstrings in this book. He was a complete jerk throughout the book and I just wanted to shake him and make him realise that his life was not over. Some of the things he did (or nearly did) were so sweet and sincere that I just wanted him all for myself. I was very sad to see Conrad and Belly having to deal with the long distance and the effect that had on them.


Jeremiah is just lovely still. It was nice to see his and Belly's friendship and they go to look for Conrad. I would love him as a best friend. He is protective and kind and caring and yes, a very sweet boy. But maybe he is a little too nice for me..


The plot took me a whole new direction to what I was expecting. There were still plenty of flashbacks (which in this series I love). It really padded out the story and made everything make a lot more sense. I also love how this book was still set in summer with just the flashback, despite the flashbacks being so key. It emphasised how much had changed since the summer before.


The ending did not fully satisfy me, but that is okay. There were hints that the next book was going to provide the deciding factor. To be fair there can never be a bad ending of this series, that's what makes it that much better. 


Overall, it was incredibly emotional, I finished in one night. I just couldn't put it down. A sappy romance novel it is not. It is full of such emotion that can't help but draw you in and keep you fascinated and you watch their summer. 


P.S if you have read the book then you will know what I am talking about. I so want that necklace. Being a total maths geek I am so in love!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han: Review

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han 
Pages:276
Release Date: June 3rd 2010 (UK)
Source: For Review


Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.


I loved this book so much. The title, though relevant, seems the impression the book is about vanity, boys and being pretty. It is about so much more than that though. It is a perfect beachy romance read but underneath there are issues dealing with divorce and friendship and relationships and it can be very hard hitting at times. 


What I loved most about this book was the characters. They were by no means perfect. There were plenty of times where I wanted to bash their head into a wall. But these make great characters. Flawed characters are realistic and make it much easier to relate to them. Belly was a sweet, caring girl who just wanted the attention of her two friends Conrad and Jeremiah. She can be irrational, overly emotional and very immature sometimes. Conrad can have such sincere moments and be a complete jerk the next. I can't fault Jeremiah too much for he is just too sweet. I need to just mention how much I love Susannah right now. She is so incredible. 


The plot was great. It was engaging and fun but at the right moments had a interjection of seriousness to break it up a little. Things got more serious towards the end as the plot built up.  I was a blubbering mess at the end for sure. It was paced wonderfully and kept me engaged the whole time. 


I liked the ending. It was a nice way to leave off. enough ambiguity for the next book but enough of a resolution to leave me happy. It also feeds nicely into the second book.


This book was a whirlwind of romance, heartache, grief and so many other emotions. I was an emotional wreck by the end of it and I did not mind at all! The characters were incredible, the romances were fun and just the overall relationship between the people were touching. If you haven't read the series, start now in time for summer!