A Review for The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You & We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

Posted by Donna

Release Date: January 10th, 2010

Finished Date: April 25th, 2012

Publishers: Puffin

Source: For Review - 2012 TBR Reading Challenge

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 276
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Some summers are just destined to be pretty. 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 wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

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I had wanted to try this series for a while because all I’ve heard is how good it is and when I got it for review, of course I dived in straight away and it really doesn’t disappoint. It’s one of them perfect beach reads that all girls should read but you will automatically love it.

The Summer I Turned Pretty really was a fun read and I also wish I had been sitting on a beach reading this book because it would have made it that much more real. It’s full of laughs, quirky moments, happy moments and yes sad moments but what I loved about it was how connected to the book and characters I really got.

Belly was a great narrator and she was really easy to like. You could really feel her struggles and I loved who she turned into the kind of girl the boys took notice off. Belly has always been in love with Conrad but with him being a little bit older than her, he’s never really given her more than just friendship. She can feel things changing but Conrad is such a complex character – he’s moody, he’s sullen and he’s quiet and he’s never been that way before. He’s hiding something and it really make you as a reader want to unravel him as a character. And Jeramiah was a great friend, one who can make you laugh and make you feel better. I really loved the relationships between the three because there is so much tension, your dying for something to happen between them. My only problem is they don’t really interact all that much during the book other than in the flash backs. You mainly hear Belly talking about the boys and when they do interact, I was left slightly annoyed. I wanted to get to know these characters more but together….not watching from the side lines. So I’m hoping for a little more in the next book.

Now the ending – where the hell did that come from? Talk about emotional. The last 50 pages everything just seemed to happen and it did feel a little rushed but it was still good nonetheless. And as I’m writing this review, I’m reaching for the next book. =)

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 1st, 2011

Finished Date: April 26th, 2012

Publishers: Puffin

Source: For Review - 2012 TBR Reading Challenge

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 288
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

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.

After finishing The Summer I Turned Pretty, I immediately picked up book two in the series It’s Not Summer Without You and I have to say I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go with how things ended but what I got from It’s Not Summer Without You was so an emotional rollercoaster – one that you really need to kept a hold of your emotions because otherwise they will be flying all over the place. I cried, I laughed and I love that a young adult novel can make me feel so emotional. 

All the characters are struggling with losing someone they loved very much and each character has their own way to deal with it. Some drink, some block everything out and some struggle. Conrad seems to be taking it the hardest and Jeremiah and Belly are determined to try and help him. I really love each of these characters but I found myself getting frustrated with them during this book. They do rash and silly things and run away from their problems and it just makes the situation worse. Conrad is as closed off as ever leading to Belly feeling like Jeremiah is her rock. So to see Jeremiah and Belly become that much closer, really wasn’t a surprise to me. However, I thought Belly was just hiding behind her feeling too and Jeremiah was an escape to get Conrad off of her mind. 

This story becomes so much more complex because again Jenny Han leaves me speechless with an ending like that. And I adored the little chapters from Jeremiah's point of view. It helped me understand his situation that much more. So, I’m so glad I had book three ready and waiting for me because I need to know what happens and I’m praying that Belly picks the right brother. 

Posted by Donna

Release Date: May 3rd, 2012

Finished Date: April 27th, 2012

Publishers: Puffin

Source: For Review

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 304
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

One girl.
Two brothers.
The biggest decision of her life . . .

Just when she thought she had all the answers . . . Isabel has only ever loved two boys, Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher.

One broke her heart; the other made her happier than she ever thought she'd be. But each brother is keeping a secret, and this summer Isabel must choose between the Fisher boys, once and for all. Which brother will it be?

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Wow, what to say with We’ll Always Have Summer. I have to admit I had my doubts. Doubts that Belly wouldn’t end up with the guy I was rooting for because this is just one series you just cannot predict and when I started reading this book, I honestly had to do a double take. Not in a million years did I expect the pure-awesomeness that came from this book and while I was initially shocked with the route that Jenny Han took this book, it just fits so well into the story. It made it all the more real and it very intense.  

Two years have passed and Belly is now happily dating Jeremiah. I know shocking! But she’s happy and that’s all anyone ever wanted for her but can she really forget her first love Conrad? No! So when things finally come to a head, they are truly explosive. What I loved about this book more than the others was getting to know Conrad more. In the previous book’s he’s been so closed off and moody but this time around, we really get to see him and why he struggled so much-. He’s trying to do his best by Jeremiah because it was his mother’s wishes but doing best by his brother leaves him unhappy. You can really see his inner struggles. He’s watched Belly from afar for so many years, missing out on her happy time and he really will do anything for her. The chapters from his point of view made this book for me and I loved it! I only wish I had more time with him nearer the end. 
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Belly struggles more than anything and yes, it’s about which Fisher brother to pick but I think deep down she has always known which one her heart belongs to. She’s grown so much over the past few years. She’s now in college and working part time and even though I still think she makes rash decisions, I also still admire her. I’m glad she finally goes after who she wanted and I’m glad she’s finally with the right person. 
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All in all, this series is about finding that one love and it may not have been a smooth ride but it was sure worth it in the end. Highly recommended for contemporary romance fans – ideal summer read! 
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A huge thank you Puffin for giving me the opportunity to review this series.