Review: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

for a Second Chance Summer playlist go here

“You are the child of my heart, and I know you’ll make me proud. You already have, every day, just by being yourself.”

Taylor’s family might not be the closest-knit – everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled – but for the most part, they get along fine. Then they get news that changes everything: Her father has pancreatic cancer, and it’s stage four – meaning that there is basically nothing to be done. Her parents decide that the family will spend his last months together at their old summerhouse in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former summer best friend is suddenly around, as is her first boyfriend. . . and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses, the Edwards become more of a family, and closer than they’ve ever been before. But all of them very aware that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance – with family, with friends, and with love.

I heart this book so bad. Seriously. I want to hug it. I want to hug Morgan Matson for writing it and I want to hug all the characters in this wonderful story. The book is Second Chance Summer by the aforementioned Ms. Matson, her sophomore novel after her lovely lovely Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, a fun book with so much heart about a road trip and finding yourself during the journey. Second Chance Summer is fun in a lot of ways also, what’s not fun about spending the summer in the Poconos? Even the name of the places sounds fun, Poconos - Poke a nose...*boop!* Anyway, the story follows the summer of the Edwards family who hadn’t spent an entire summer together in 5 years, when they were last at their summer home together. Taylor is the middle child in a family of three kids, her older brother, Warren is college-bound in the fall, her younger sister, Gelsey is a 12 year old ballerina in training and then there’s 17 year old Taylor who likes to run away when things get hard. And talk about having a hard summer, she returns to the Poconos after an incident five years ago that traumatized her and left a trail of dust behind her summer romance and her best friend, who had not heard from Taylor all this time. But at the forefront of the story is the reason the Edwards family is spending the summer together, this is Taylor’s dad’s last summer. Having just been recently diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, the doctors gave Rob Edwards only a few months to live.

So we follow Taylor and her family to their vacation home where they not only learn to deal with their emotional journey with Rob as he slowly deteriorates from the wrath of this disease but Taylor has to deal with the fallout of events that took place five years ago that left the two people closest to her none too happy to see her return.

It’s a summer read, for sure, but is it a kissing book? Well, there IS kissing in it, I’ll tell you that much. And what’s a summer read without a bit of romance thrown in? Although the romance isn’t the point of this book, it sure is a nice distraction from the emotional toll this story takes you on. Taylor is a conflicted young lady who, at the beginning of the novel, has NO IDEA how to deal with anything remotely difficult. You get the sense she runs away from a lot of her problems and even though you kind of figure out she will learn how to deal by the end of the book, you understand that the destination is not the important thing here, it’s the journey. Some of my favorite scenes are with Taylor and her dad, Rob. The times they had breakfast at the diner, the moments where he delivers a particularly groan-worthy pun, those are the moments that really sets this book apart from other YA novels that attempt to tell a heartfelt, funny, yet tragic tale. Morgan Matson nails it in Second Chance Summer. Filled with characters that are well crafted and human, we see a part of ourselves in each one. Our dorkiness in Warren as he prepares for a date, our girly giddiness in finding a new best friend as Gelsey has in Nora, our rebellious nature in Lucy and our kindness and sincerity in Henry.

I will admit, I cried a lot while reading this book. I know that’s really not a surprise seeing as I am just coming off a 6 month hiatus from having a baby (i.e. I’m already an emotional live wire), but more than that, is the way Morgan tells us the story. It’s not really a new story she tells, it’s the WAY she chose to tell us. From Taylor’s point of view and amidst all her other issues she transforms herself from a girl who is unsure about everything to someone who is confident in her future all while losing a beloved parent. Yes, it’s important to know that Taylor made mistakes along the way, some big ones at that, but we also learned the importance of forgiveness and redemption. Taylor’s final moments with her dad were some of the most touching scenes I have ever read and there was hardly any dialog involved. The knowing looks and the small touches were enough to convey more than any words exchanged between two characters could possibly accomplish.

But I promised you fun, remember? It’s a summer read after all! While reading this book, I simultaneously devoured 4 bags of Skittles (I only separated the colors in one bag, though) and probably drank my weight in Diet Cokes. It was great fun to see Amy Curry have a small cameo (along with a certain hunky University of Colorado student) and to see my beloved In-N-Out Burger represented. (Note to Morgan: ALWAYS try to work  IN-N-OUT BURGER into your books- I LOVE THIS) There are also some fun happenings with a cute dog and Warren trying to get a date is hilariously good fun! And there’s kissing and each kissing scene is super swoony and sweet, so there’s your fun in the middle of the death and dying. You’re welcome.

So throw this one in with your summer reading list and be prepared to be emotional. In a really good way.

Morgan Matson has written and published just one other book, the amazingly funny and heartbreakingly good road trip novel, Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour.  If you never listen to any of my advice on books again, you will do good for yourself by reading EVERYTHING Morgan Matson writes. Of this, I am sure of, even after only two novels.

Until the next amazing book I read,
Happy Reading!

@gojeannie

Review: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. 

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Japanese Tea Garden San Francisco

Before I can start this review and before you even consider reading Lola, you must ask yourself this question: Have I read Anna and the French Kiss yet? If the answer is no, RUN, don’t walk to your nearest book retailer and get thee a copy of this book by Stephanie Perkins. If there is a prerequisite to reading Lola, it’s got to be Anna. Oh sure, you can live on the edge and skip right over to Lola without having read Anna. You’d probably still swoon from the cute deliciousness that is this super cute sophomore novel by Perkins, wait... did I just use the word “cute” twice in the same sentence? Warranted, so it stays. Where was I? Oh, yes, you should read Anna first. Then you’ll understand why Anna and her boy, St. Clair are always making googley eyes at each other.  Also, you can’t really talk about Lola without talking about Anna because, after all, they are companion novels.

But lets get back to talking about Lola.

This is a boy-meets-girl story, there really isn’t any mystery about what the book is about from the title. The boy next door? His name is Cricket. No, not as in *crickets* as in, his name is Cricket. Cricket also has a sister named Calliope. There’s much debate on how to say her name but this story isn’t about Calliope and her burgeoning figure skating career (I kid not), but it’s about how Lola and Cricket figure it out. Let’s also complicate matters by throwing in a musician boyfriend who seems like a decent guy to Lola and who endures Sunday brunch every week with her and her two dads (really, I’m not making any of this up). Then throw in one more character into the mix, the lovely city of San Francisco and you’ve got yourself a story just itching to be told!

I must say a few words about San Francisco. I live about 45 minutes from the City by the Bay and I have to tell you, I’ve never loved the City. My husband loves the City and was raised there and has begged me in the seven years of our marriage to consider moving there. Hell to the no is typically my answer. I’m not a fan of the City, I have to admit. But... and this is a big but... I loved the way Stephanie Perkins used SF as a wild eclectic character in her book. Much like she did in Anna with the city of Paris, Perkins brings San Francisco alive with her detailed descriptions of real places and landmarks. And not just the well-known tourist traps, oh no, she goes for the obscure places the locals tend to frequent and that, for some reason, makes this novel sing with emotional and and vitality. Even if you don’t personally know the City like I do, you will grow at least curious about it.

Castro District, notice the rainbow flags

Beyond the City though, is a sweet story of a girl with a unique personality who loves a boy that lives next door but his past behavior has driven a wedge between them. What eventually unfolds is a story so sweet it rivals Anna and St. Clair’s story from Anna. Speaking of Anna, they both show up in this story as Lola’s co-worker’s and let me tell you what a nice surprise it was to see them there.

The story isn’t perfect though (gasp!), I did find the supporting characters plentiful and one-dimensional, I really would have liked to see the relationships fleshed out a bit more, especially between Lola and her estranged mother. Cricket’s sister also has a fascinating role in this story but her paltry personality left her unlikeable, even at the end when she redeems herself. But I understand that would have changed the focus of the story from Lola and her boy next door to Lola and her mother/fathers/neighbor’s sister/baker/dog-walker... you get it. But aside from this the story is wonderfully crafted and transports you to another place. A place where the one you love is right under your nose but getting there feels like half a world away. Stephanie Perkins has the ability to balance story exposition with finely tuned details that creates a world where the reader is transported to another place. The best part about how she does this is her obvious exhaustive research. I applaud her for this story because now T and I can do the “Lola Tour” when she comes to visit me!

Stephanie Perkins is the talented writer behind Lola and Anna and the upcoming Isla and the Happpily Ever After coming out next year.

Just a note that this will be my last book review for SYTYCW for a while. I am putting myself on hiatus to have another baby and look forward to coming back in a few months to tell you all about all the great books I’ve read staying up nursing my baby!

Until we meet again, Happy Reading!
@gojeannie

Hardcover Kindle

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Sixteen-year-old Maya and seventeen-year-old Lochan have never had the chance to be 'normal'. Having pulled together for years to take care of their younger siblings while their wayward, drunken mother leaves them to fend alone, they have had to become much more than simply brother and sister. And now, they have fallen in love. But this is a love that can never be allowed, a love that will have devastating consequences... How can something so wrong feel so right?

I have to be honest and say that when I first read the summary to this story I really had no desire to read it at all. If it weren’t for the fact that it came highly recommended by Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss), I don’t think I would have given this book a second thought. Boy what I would have missed out on! Terrific writing by Tabitha Suzuma, who conveys the right emotions throughout the two main characters’ struggles without going over the top.  I think quite difficult to do with a subject matter so taboo that you tend to throw caution to the wind and just write the shit out of it. But Suzuma displays a concerted control in telling this story, the pacing is perfect and the slow unraveling doesn’t prolong the story unnecessarily.

The story centers on the tag team points of view from Maya and Lochan Whitely, the eldest siblings of five who are grossly neglected by their mostly absentee mother. Their mother’s despicable behavior has created an unusual family dynamic where Lochan (age 17) and Maya (age 16) have unwittingly assumed the roles of mother and father in the household. They attend school during the day but at night when they come home they are responsible for their three younger siblings like any other parent would be for young children, they cook and clean, help with homework, bath and put them to bed at night. And as with any other traditional family there’s always the tough parenting necessary to deal with the problem child, in this case, 13-year old Kit.

Kit is a fine example of a rebellious, troubled youth who spits in the face of authority. He is your classic kid gone bad. You love to hate him and you cringe when he opens his mouth. His scenes in the book are heartbreaking you wonder what you feel more, pity or hate. The two younger siblings, Willa (age 5) and Tiffin (age 7) add the vulnerability you, as the reader, feel for the family. Too young to know any better, you eventually try to keep your own emotions in check when they clamour around their mostly drunken and absent mother when she surfaces for a few days.

The story delves deeper into the lives of Lochan and Maya by having them each tell their individual stories of their struggle to resist the feelings that grow between them.  The heartbreak you feel for Lochan when he reveals his social anxiety disorder that prevents his brilliant mind from expressing it is truly well written. Lochan’s POV’s were definitely more powerful than Maya’s but in Maya you see hope. In Maya, you can actually glimpse a future for them that is beyond hiding and making ends meet. In Lochan you get a treaded sense of reality but in Maya you see the light in the darkness of their devastation.

Suzuma challenges herself to write a story that captivates our minds and tugs at our heartstrings all in the same breath. I believe she succeeds in this endeavor. Forbidden is not a scandalous read, you won’t be embarrassed by telling your friends about it (even if they get squicked at first) because at its heart is a truly devastating love story, one so tragic that even though you hope for a happy ending you know deep down inside it’s just going to break your heart.

Personally, I am not one to enjoy incest stories of any kind. There aren’t many out there and I’ll say that the only one I can think of is, of course, V.C. Andrews Flowers in the Attic series. But I read that in High School and I can honestly say that I was more in it for the shock value and the scandalousness than anything else (if I can remember it accurately, it wasn’t exactly great literature). Forbidden is most certainly NOT Flowers in the Attic, not by a long shot. Although I do believe the psychological and emotional abuse the characters faced are similar (neglect, mostly) the way they came out of it were different. Maya and Lochan prioritized their lives the way any parent would, they put their kids first. As a parent, I had to respect that.  Overall, Forbidden was actually not what I expected in that I did not expect to really love this story. The best breakthrough I had was that I completely understood where the author was coming from and had I been raised in the same way these kids were I doubt I wouldn’t have done the same. That shouldn’t shock anyone who has read this brilliant book.

Tabitha Suzuma is the author of several acclaimed young adult books delving into the subject of mental illness, depression and loneliness. Her personal story on the subject is revealing and powerful and can be found on her web site: www.tabithasuzuma.com. She has never read Flowers in the Attic.

Happy Reading,
@gojeannie

Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Who is the real Mclean?

Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Reading a Sarah Dessen novel is like meeting up with an old friend sometimes. It might have been a long time since you saw each other but once you get to talking you start to remember why you became such good friends in the first place. Such is the case with Dessen’s latest effort, What Happened to Goodbye. I’m not a die hard Dessen fan, but I have enjoyed the books I’ve read by her. Yes they do follow a certain convention but I truly enjoy the familiarity of the formula. Sarah Dessen novels make you feel good, they really are like good friends you see on occasion but love spending time with.

What sets What Happened to Goodbye apart are the one-two punches of Mclean’s relationships with her father and mother. Some of the most heartbreaking points in the book are the interactions with her parents, especially a very poignant one involving her mother. Mclean’s story evolves around changing who she is whenever she moves into a new town, it only makes sense that the more you change, the more you need to keep things the same to ground yourself to. Her parents, especially her father, are her grounding, that is to say, they are predictable to her and she can expect a certain amount of continuity with her parents. Although Mclean’s relationship with her mother is shakey at best, she could count on her mother to behave a certain way and that was comfort to her even if the relationship was not the best it could be. Sarah Dessen has such a way with these characters to convey the harshness of a broken family without being too cliche and definitely not over the top or overly hopeful. I really enjoyed the family dynamics of this story, especially the relationship she has with her dad.

Central to most Dessen novels is the romantic plot between the main character and her love interest. I have a bit of a beef to make about the romantic male leads in Dessen novels: they always seem almost flawless. Like, the girl is always this emotionally damaged damsel in distress and the guys are always these perfectly stable, high achievers who possess nary a flaw. What’s up with that? I think as young adults we are set up to identify with the MC and then fantasize about the man who rescues us from our emotional faults. I’m not sure how I feel about this theme except that I really do enjoy the stories and taken for what they are: pure escapism, it works. Overall, though, the romance works because it really doesn’t function as the central plot point. This story is about Mclean really figuring out her issues and even though Dave is a grounding point for her, he’s not the reason for her to come to grips with her own reality. I really like this message, that she is strong enough to admit her own faults and come to terms with them on her own. I like that she’s not a victim of circumstance but that she leans on her parents for support in times of emotional turmoil. This probably reflects real life closer than other Dessen novels I’ve read. It really shows that as an author, Sarah Dessen is revealing more depth to her stories that any young adult can appreciate and relate to.

There were some seriously adorable moments in this book and a hilarious B-plot involving a scaled model of the town they live in, great additional fodder for some of the heavier moments in the book that in some instances left me in tears. A truly well-rounded read and a delight for any Sarah Dessen fan. Not a Sarah Dessen fan yet? Read What Happened to Goodbye, you will become a fan soon enough.

Sarah Dessen is known for her young adult romances that sweep you off your feet and leave you wanting more. Other works by her include The Truth About Forever and This Lullabye among many others.

Happy Reading,
@gojeannie

Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Divergent was not supposed to be the review I write next. In fact, it’s supposed to be review number 4 on my list. But I finished the book last night and I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT so I figured I kill two birds with one stone. Brilliant.

Another dystopian novel? *groan* Hey now, before you start moaning and groaning about us reading yet another dsytopian story, I want you to understand a few things about Divergent: First of all, it takes place in post-apocalyptic Chicago, one of the most beautiful and recognizable cities in  America. It’s such a treat to read about locations and landmarks that you’ve seen all your life in movies and television and really know the landscape that this story is told on. Secondly, Divergent tells a ruthless, sometimes barbaric story of survival with little repentance and little hope. There are places in the story that will shock you and scare you but there are moments of intrigue and discovery that will warm you as well.

Now before I continue with this review I want to warn you. If you’ve read The Hunger Games, Matched, or Delirium (and as you know, we at SYTYCW have) then you naturally might be inclined to compare those (equally fabulous) works with Divergent. Let me do us all a favor and say “please don’t.” Please don’t get so hung up on the comparisons that you miss out on the amazing story Divergent aims to tell. I asked myself this question while I was reading it and started doing the comparison thing myself, I said, “Self,” because I really do talk to myself often, “Self, if you’ve never read Hunger Games or Matched or Delirium before reading Divergent, you wouldn’t think less of this story because of it, so why would you bog yourself down now, just read it for what it is and don’t compare.” I tend to have these debates with myself all the time. What? Is my schizophrenia showing? *grins*

Filled with characters you love as much as you hate, Divergent takes us on a ride through post-apocalyptic Chicago where ivy vines grow up the walls of the majestic architecture and the vast Lake Michigan is now referred to as a “swamp”. The “El” trains (Chicago-ese for their above ground “elevated” mass transportation system) still run through the city and remain the only mode of transportation for most of the citizens of the five factions. The factions are divided both socially and geographically and cross visitation into other factions are rare and discouraged. Citizens are born and raised in factions that their parents are in, however, when they come to age sixteen  they are allowed to go through a choosing ceremony to officially place themselves in a faction of their choice. That choice is assisted by a series of tests and evaluations meant to unveil each person’s tendency towards a specific faction. That same test however, revealed a deadly secret to Tris that threatens her very existence.

Fast paced and frantic, the pages keep turning and before you know it, it’s 4:30am and you’ve got to get up in 2 hours to get ready for work. THIS is the kind of book Divergent is. Tris is the center of this story and her story is one of evolution. Through her initiation process into her chosen faction you see her evolve from someone who toed the line at societal norms to someone who steps over it completely. She truly develops into a bad ass and man, oh man, do I love her!  Tris is a strong-willed, confident young protagonist who asserts herself in some impossible situations. But she isn’t completely fearless. She battles the same emotional demons we all battle including feelings of guilt, betrayal, fear and anxiety. The way she handles herself in these intense situations are very in-character of a mature 16 year old who has lived in the kind life she has. The surrounding characters assist in moving the story along and provide great fodder for her, the friendships develop realistically and the bullies have realistic motivations behind their actions. Even the romance develops at a natural pace and although is a bit surprising, it feel very right for the characters.

Divergent is the first novel in a trilogy written by 22-year old first time published writer, Veronica Roth. The next book in the series, Insurgent, will be out in 2012 and, for one, cannot wait!

Happy Reading,

@gojeannie

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth