Don't Forget to Dance

Sylvia Hall

Summary:

You know who you are. I don’t. I don’t know where I come from or where I’m going...

Ravenna Collins is intelligent, beautiful...and deeply unhappy. She just doesn’t seem to fit in at home any more. She’s always known she was adopted but suddenly it’s become vital that she discovers who she really is...

Then she meets Beth and Ravenna feels in touch with her roots at last. Beth teaches her to dance and it is through these liberating rhythms that Ravenna finds herself close to discovering the truth. But the truth twists and turns in a merry dance of its own, and soon Ravenna is in danger of losing the only real home she has ever known...

Plot:

I thought this story had a lot of potential. There is so much you can do with a story about dance, and the descriptions and emotions could have been portrayed wonderfully through it. I could see the author trying to connect the main character’s feelings and thoughts with the way she dances, but unfortunately it wasn’t as well done as it could’ve been. Much of the writing became a little pretentious and it felt like the author was trying too hard to create beautiful descriptions and kind of lost track of the plot line. Also the story didn’t seem to go anywhere, and the plot twists were a litle anti-climactic, although there was some moments I really enjoyed.

Characters:

I liked and felt for the main character, but I probably won’t remember much about her, except that she loves dancing. The other characters were all pretty well handled, but none of them really grabbed my attention. They were different and interesting, but not fascinating.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for mild language and sexual content as well as very mild violence. If you want a descriptive story and love dancing you might enjoy this, but I feel like there must be better books out there about this subject matter.

My rating:

This book wasn’t boring, it just wasn’t as good as it could have been and while I was reading I just kept noticing things the author could've done differently. 2/5

Quote:

If you don’t know who you are, you can belong anywhere. You’re free. I could be anybody.

I couldn't find a cover image for this book :/ and my copy isn't in great condition and has plastic on it so I couldn't scan it...

We'll Always Have Summer

Jenny Han

Summer #3

Summary:

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.

Plot:

Like the previous books in this series this book’s story is pretty generic. What makes this series good, however, is the author’s way of making sure the reader never knows what to expect. It never becomes predictable and you’re never sure if the character is going to do what you want or not. The writing is fun and light and very easy to read. I like that these books are all similar enough to make the whole series flow together, but still each unique enough that you still don’t know what exactly is going to happen.

Characters:

The character growth in this instalment is much more than in the previous two in my opinion. Belly is now finished with High-School and attending college and is much more mature than in the previous books, even though she still has a lot to learn. Her character stays very true to herself throughout the series, she grows, but never really changes. I also liked how the boys were more responsible and mature and you see them becoming men.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for language and references to sex. If you’re looking for a cute contemporary series that’s very easy and quick to read and still has some emotional moments this is definitely one you should check out. If you’re looking for a series that’s going to have a profound impact on you this is probably not the one for you. This is definitely aimed towards girls.

My rating:

I enjoyed this book, I also got the ending I wanted (even if it’s not what everyone wanted), but I wasn’t sure of anything until the very end, which is always good. 4/5

Quote:

He didn’t give me flowers or candy. He gave me the moon and the stars. Infinity.

It's Not Summer Without You

Jenny Han

Summer #2

Summary:

When something is perfect, you hope it never ends.

Isabel’s lazy, long hot summers at her family friends’ beach house are over.

Conrad-sexy and unavailable – is the only boy she’s ever loved. He’s left for college, taking her heart with him.

Jeremiah-his gorgeous brother, is still Isabel’s best friend – but maybe friendship isn’t enough for him any more...

Isabel just wants everything to stay the same, because change means moving on. But if she stops looking back, will she find a future she never knew she wanted?

Plot:

I thought this was a very good sequel to ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’, it had less of that summery, fun feel to it and was a little darker. The first one didn’t touch me as much as this one did. I really felt for the characters in this installment and I couldn’t put the book down. I also think this love triangle is one of the better ones out there, it never feels forced. Like with the previous book the story is pretty generic, but it’s never predictable. The romance can be a little overly dramatic, but I think it’s very relatable if you’re a teenage girl.

Characters:

In the first one I liked the characters, in this one I didn’t always like them, but I felt more emotionally connected to them, if that makes sense. I’m not the hugest fan of Belly, but the boys develop and grow in this installment and it was great to see. Belly started annoying me a bit in the first couple of chapters, but she too changed and I liked her much more when the book ended.

Who should read this:

13+, the themes in this novel are a bit darker, there are some references to sex as well as alcohol use. The language was also more frequent. If you enjoyed the first one, but thought it was lacking a bit in character depth this is definitely going to surprise you in a good way. If you like easy reads that will tug at your heartstrings and keep you interested without taking up too much of your time, this might just be the one for you. This whole series was definitely written with girls in mind.

My rating:

In my opinion this was a better book that the first in the series, while I really liked the first one I couldn’t put this one down and I really felt for the characters. 5/5

Quote:

“We stood there, looking at each other, saying nothing. But it was the kind of nothing that meant everything.”

Read my review for 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Jenny Han

Summer #1

Summary:

Every year Isabel spends a perfect summer at her family friends’ house.

There’s the swimming pool at night, the private stretch of beach – and the two boys.

Conrad-unavailable, aloof-who she's been in love with forever.

Jeremiah- friendly, relaxed-the only one who’s ever really paid her any attention.

But this year something is different.

They seem to have noticed her for the first time.

It’s going to be an amazing summer...and one she’ll never forget.

Plot:

This is not an extremely original story, but it’s sweet and tugs at your heartstrings. The writing is good and even though the plot is pretty generic the story wasn’t predictable. I want to know what happens next in the series, and I will read the second book soon.

Characters:

You reallys start to feel for the characters in this book. I usually enjoy the ‘bad boy’ character more in this type of novel and this was no exception, but the other male characters were all extremely likable in their own ways. The main character isn’t my favorite ever, and at times she was a bit annoying, but I felt like I could relate to her and that’s always good. All the characters are pretty normal, but they’re never flat, which is something that could easily happen with these everyday-type of characters.

Who should read this:

10+, some mild language and other mature content are mentioned. This is a great book if you’re looking for a quick, light read that still makes you a little emotional at times. If you’re looking for a profound novel then you won’t like this one. Definitely aimed towards girls.

My rating:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me feel happy and sad at times and even though I feel like the story is kind of ‘been there, done that’ it didn’t bore me once so: 4/5.

Quote:

‘For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)/it’s always ourselves we find in the sea.’