Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Book Review: Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Fifteenth Summer Fifteenth Summer
Author: Michelle Dalton
Genre: YA contemporary romance
Publication Date: May 7th 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse

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A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

Love blossoms by the lake in this sweet summer romance, in the tradition of Seventeenth Summer and Sixteenth Summer.

Chelsea isn’t looking forward to her summer at the lake. It’s the first time her family has been there since her grandmother died, and she can’t break out of her funk. But her summer takes a turn for the better when she meets a boy who works in the bookstore. Josh is cute, sweet, funny…and best of all, seems to like her as much as she likes him. As the days pass by in a blur of boat rides, picnics, and stolen kisses, she can’t believe how lucky she is. No one has ever made her feel so special, or so beautiful.

But Chelsea knows her days with Josh are numbered. She’ll be heading home at the end of the summer—and he’ll be staying behind. Will this be Chelsea’s summer of love? Or will it be the summer of her broken heart?

My Thoughts:

This book was so lovely and sweet and exactly in my comfort zone, but I also had some issues with it. 

I'm going to start with the good things. This book is the sweetest YA summer romance book I've ever read!! It was so cute and adorkable (I love this word. lol) and was just pure fun to read!! It is a very short book, only 270 pages (I think) and I was just flying through the pages, eager to get more of this great, light feel of summer. It got me into a great mood, too.

I just LOVED Chelsea and she was the most easy-to-relate-to character I've ever read about. I felt like she was me. Yes, she was that realistic. First of all, she was exactly my age - 15, and that's quite a rare age for a main character in YA books. I really don't understand why. Second, she was a book nerd and a self-proclaimed dork. She was a shy avid reader who lived her life through books and was waiting for her own adventure to start. This was just like me!! I was amazed to find out that I'm not the only one who's waiting for her real-life Peeta Mellark... ><

Chelsea's character developed a lot as the book progressed, and that made this book a bit of a coming-of-age novel. At the beginning she was very insecure. She hated the way she looked with those wild red curls and freckled skin, but she grew up during the book and learned to love herself and to feel more confident in her own body. I loved reading about the transformation she made.
This book talked a lot about book love and about reading for pleasure, what made it even more enjoyeble for me.

Chelsea and Josh met in the best bookstore in the world (too bad it's fictional. I wish I could visit there in real life).  Chelsea took a paperback to everywhere she went, and Josh, too, LIVED books - he worked at a bookstore. Chelsea and Josh started to get closer to each other by reading (and laughing about) a terrible book together, and that is a great proof that reading can help your love life!! XD
As a book lover and an avid reader myself, I really enjoyed reading a novel about BOOKS. My favorite parts were always the ones that were set in the bookstore, or when Chelsea talked about the novels she read.

Chelsea and Josh shared a really cute relationship at MOST TIMES. And that was actually the main problem I had with the book. Josh was hot and cold in a terrible way. For one second he was the ideal boyfriend, all sweet and loving, and then, at the next one, he became all cold and distant and even tried to avoid Chelsea. That annoyed the hell out of me!! I mean, what was his problem? What kind of a boyfriend was he, and how could Chelsea stand him!? I mean, that's right, he could be extremely cute when he wanted to, but you could never trust him. He was very unstable and inconsiderate and just so SO annoying.

Overall this book was very enjoyable and sweet. It was all about first love and the imperfections of it that make it so cute and naive... I highly recommend in to teen girls, especially to 14 or 15-year-olds. It is also perfect as a quick beach read for all ages!!

8 comments:

  1. Tell me about it! There's only ever fourteen or sixteen year old main characters - what about our age?! So I'm glad the MC is 15 in this! She also sounds like me too - but, in my case, I'm waiting for my real-life Will Herondale! ;) It's a pity the love interest is annoying though! I'm sure that would irritate me! But he does love books... so maybe he can redeem himself a little. ;)

    I really like the concept of this book and I've been on the look-out for light, fluffy summer reads so this one could make the cut! :)

    Great review! :D

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    1. Thanks, Rachel! <3
      I haven't read TID series yet, but I've heard that Will Herondale is really swoony... (:
      Josh's love for books made him, well, acceptable... Otherwise I would have totally hated him!!

      I am always on the look-out for fluffy summer reads!! They are always my favorite. If you find anything, I'd love to know!!

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  2. aww, 15? I prefer female protagonists of atleast 16, if not 17 or 18 (I'm 22 :P ), however I understand how you being 15, reading about 15 year olds makes you connect with the characters. I do love the brooding male types, but not the hot and cold ones so Josh might annoy me a bit.

    great review,
    - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

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    1. Well, I usually enjoy reading about characters that are older than me or exactly my age. I rarely read about 13 or 14 year olds, so I guess it's pretty much the same for you.
      Josh was cute but annoying, I hope you'll like him better than I did!! XP

      Thanks for stopping by (:

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    2. I can handle annoying, but only if it is endearing in some way :D

      oh, new follower!

      - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

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  3. This is definitely what I need! I have been read many good books but I remember back in the day when I read so many fluffy chick-lit books! DX Well, I am happy I have broadened my version.

    Chelsea is a book nerd! High five to that! And the fact that she met Josh and had a relationship in a bookstore is a dream for any bookgirl! <3

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