The Summer I Turned Pretty

I didn't read as much when I was younger but I've been trying to get back into it and this was the perfect book to do so. It's such an easy read, once you start it you cannot put it down, it's a story about friendship, childhood crushes, family, coming of age and trying new things but mostly love! I read it while i was on vacation and honestly i was living my summer through Belly, the main character, since we can't do many thing because of the pandemic and probably made me have so much more appreciation for it than i would have had any other time on my life. The book goes back in time a few times but i doesn't distract you from what's going on in the present, honestly i could see the flashbacks scenes in the movie i had made up in my mind, i absolutely loved it!!!

I can almost smell the ocean & suntan oil

I picked up this trilogy straight after reading the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' duology, hoping for more Jenny Han goodness. I'm not sure if I liked it or if it was just okay... I think only because I wanted more to happen in this book.On the one hand, Susannah's journey is truly touching (and I can relate to it personally) and really drags out the feels.Belly herself is such a little girl - in the sense that she is young, and totally naive. A little girl crush on the Conrad boys... is that enough of a hook for a novel? It didn't quite grab me. However, it was a relief to see Belly struggle and forced to grow up a bit. The time to start putting away childish things... and by the end I liked Belly a little better.Cam was annoying, Jeramiah, slightly less. ... MoreI picked up this trilogy straight after reading the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' duology, hoping for more Jenny Han goodness. I'm not sure if I liked it or if it was just okay... I think only because I wanted more to happen in this book.On the one hand, Susannah's journey is truly touching (and I can relate to it personally) and really drags out the feels.Belly herself is such a little girl - in the sense that she is young, and totally naive. A little girl crush on the Conrad boys... is that enough of a hook for a novel? It didn't quite grab me. However, it was a relief to see Belly struggle and forced to grow up a bit. The time to start putting away childish things... and by the end I liked Belly a little better.Cam was annoying, Jeramiah, slightly less. There was that big brother thing going on that boys do - the teasing, the fighting, the ignoring. So true to character and left me feeling annoyed and insulted. I wanted awareness to come early in the novel - it felt like the story took too long to build to something between these characters.Plenty of passive aggressive behaviour, teen angst, and presumptions to keep me satisfied. Spot on for the YA market.You get a real sense of summer holidays, the beach, the relaxing warm breeze, sun baking, swimming in the pool, carefree days. I could practically feel the sun on my skin.The narrative was a little scattered - mainly because Belly gets a little scattered; but that aside, Han's writing style is effortless, just like the setting of the Summer House. A beautifully engaging story of love, life and growing up.

Jenny Han does it again!

This book had me cracking up at the jokes and convos between Belly and the boys. I went from laughing to crying, and rolling my eyes at the characters and events that occurred in this book. Also, my inner 16-year-old was gushing over a certain brooding but handsome Fisher brother (iykyk). The dialogue was fun and witty, and the book was an easy read overall. Jenny Han also made sure to include those heartwarming moments during Belly’s journey of friendship, family, and love - All the summer vibes wrapped up in a good book!

Liked it But Won't Be Reading the Sequels

This book is not that great, if I read it at any other time I would have absolutely hated it!. I read it during the summer while lying in bed, or by the pool, and that was perfect for the book! It was just a fast, contemporary, kind of cute read. I did enjoy it at the time but I brushed a lot of things off, and chose to ignore others. Despite it's flaws, I still enjoyed the book, surprisingly.Belly is the main character, she is really annoying, selfish, and pretty pathetic all throughout the book. She has some serious issues she needs to work through, and a lot of growing up to do. I didn't enjoy her relationships with any of the other characters, besides maybe Susannah.Jenny Han, is a wonderful, skilled, writer, but she just didn't hit the mark with this book. ... MoreThis book is not that great, if I read it at any other time I would have absolutely hated it!. I read it during the summer while lying in bed, or by the pool, and that was perfect for the book! It was just a fast, contemporary, kind of cute read. I did enjoy it at the time but I brushed a lot of things off, and chose to ignore others. Despite it's flaws, I still enjoyed the book, surprisingly.Belly is the main character, she is really annoying, selfish, and pretty pathetic all throughout the book. She has some serious issues she needs to work through, and a lot of growing up to do. I didn't enjoy her relationships with any of the other characters, besides maybe Susannah.Jenny Han, is a wonderful, skilled, writer, but she just didn't hit the mark with this book. I am really looking forward to reading some of her other books, i'm sure they're great!While I don't regret reading this book, be assured that I will not be reading any of the sequels.

Slightly different to the show, a bit more insight.

If you've come to find the book after watching the show, you'll find more insight and back story, less Steven.. A little less love triangle and a little more over protectiveness from a certain love interest. They also don't have anything about the Deb side of things in the book and the order of some events are different. All in all its very similar but not the same as the show. Still a fairly good book if it's your type of thing, well written with slightly less annoying characters than other young adult novels.

incredibly disappointed

genuinely don’t know how this book has such good reviews. i had such high expectations for it and was so disappointed. the main character was annoying and childish and it took forever for it to even get slightly interesting. the ending was rushed and didn’t make sense. waste of time and money.