We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han Book Review!

 

Title: We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3)
Author: Jenny Han
Publish Date: April 26th, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: Taken from my sister's bookshelf!

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college—only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

Penelope's Review

This is it. The end of summer... Ugh I was crying at the end of this book simply because it's all over. And I am sad. BUT that won't stop me from writing a glowing review for this fantastic book! Because it really was... this whole series just touches something special in my heart. I can't quite put into words what it means... but it just brings all of my hopes and dreams and way of looking at life as a 16 year old kid right to the forefront and I love it. Sigh. Anyway let's get on with it!

So in this book we have fast-forwarded by two years and Belly is in her first year of college! Despite the way the second book ended, this book starts with Belly and Jeremiah together. I am firmly Team Conrad so I was a little miffed at this development lol! But I like the back and forth in the timeline so that we slowly piece together what happened between Belly and Conrad and how Belly and Jeremiah ended up together. The whole book is an absolute whirlwind of emotions, and we get so much from the love triangle that we haven't previously seen. It was all so, so epic.

The writing is great, as per usual. As I've said in previous reviews, I really like how Jenny Han is able to channel the reality of characters at the age she writes them. In other words, it doesn't sound like an adult trying to speak college freshman... it just sounds like a college freshman! Overall, this is such a fantastic book and an even more fantastic series. I love the twists and turns this book takes, and I'm happy with the ending, though of course sad that it's over. The great thing abut summer though, is that even though it always comes to an end... there's always another summer right around the corner.

Rating: 5/5 Devils!

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han Book Review!

 

Title: It's Not Summer Without You (Summer #2)
Author: Jenny Han
Publish Date: April 27th, 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: Taken from my little sister's bookshelf!

Belly finds out what comes after falling in love in this follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (soon to be a major motion picture!), 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.

Penelope's Review

Belly's story continues in this second installment to the Summer trilogy! I absolutely ADORED the first book, so I dove right into the second one with high hopes! Happy to report that I was definitely NOT disappointed. 

Everything has changed. This book is so full of emotion, both happy and sad. Belly is starting to grow up, though she's still a bit immature. Again, her character stays true to her age and I was once again struck by how relatable she is! I loved getting to know her even more and going on such an emotional roller coaster alongside her lol! I don't know if I said this in my review of the first book but I am Team Conrad! Yes, yes I know he strings Belly along a bit but... I just get him! He's this tough, keep everything inside kind of guy but really he's a little mushball that's so helplessly in love! SWOON! When Conrad goes missing, Belly jumps at the chance to face him again and see where she stands. I loved this whole storyline honestly, despite missing Susanna like crazy! 

We also get to see some chapters in Jeremiah's point of view which was SUPER exciting! Despite being Team Conrad, I love Jeremiah's character! I think he's so fun and sweet and it was great getting to see into his head. My heart wishes for some Conrad POV but that's ok lol.

I still love Jenny Han's writing style - it's clean, simple, and relatable. She's really great with characters, and making them sound exactly like real kids. Overall, this was such a great addition to the series and I am both over the moon excited and sad to read the last book in the trilogy next!

Rating: 5/5 Devils!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han Book Review!

 

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1)
Author: Jenny Han
Publish Date: May 5th, 2009
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Source: Taken from my little sister's bookshelf lol

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.

Penelope's Review

Omigosh! This is such a fun, nostalgic summer read! I'm so glad I've started this series! With the TV show releasing Friday, I decided to read the books before delving into the show and I'm so happy I did.

Isabel AKA Belly is our main female lead, and she spends every summer at Cousins Beach with her mom, brother, her mom's friend Susannah and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly is such a relatable girl! She's fifteen, turning sixteen and has the maturity level that I would expect for a girl her age. That is hands down the best thing about this book - the fact that every character acts their age (in my opinion) and I could 100% see myself in these situations reacting the exact same way. It just made me feel... young again! Granted, I'm saying this at age 27 LOL but still! You get what I mean if you read this :)

I loved Conrad and Jeremiah. As brothers, we get to see the good and the bad - the protective side of one, the adoration from the other, the arguments expected of a pair of teenage boys, and so on. They are both so, so different personality wise, and yet I loved them both!

Plot wise, this story is full of love and heartache, innocent fun, and a summer full of adventure! It hits every nerve, it'll have you laughing one page and crying the next, you'll relate to Belly and her struggles with first love.... I really just can't say enough good things about it. AND the writing is great!!! I cannot stress this enough - it DOES NOT sound like an adult trying to write a 16 year old... it just sounds like a 16 year old! That's one of my favourite aspects because I can't stand it when a book features a young girl and it's written the way an author THINKS a girl that age would speak. This one just flows naturally. Highly recommend to readers any age!

Rating: 5/5 Devils!