[Review: The Summer After You And Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski]

"The Summer After You and Me"
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: May 1st, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

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Summary:

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Summer After You and Me,

You are the perfect beach read. Seriously, you have a cute premise, a cute boy, and the whole "coming of age" thing going for you. I enjoyed you a lot, and I think that a lot of other people will too. Lucy and Connor where a ton of fun to read about and I also liked all of the other characters as well. So, I think what I'm trying to say is that I'll be telling people to read you.

-The White Unicorn

This book was so much fun! Doktorski has this way of weaving a lot of different things into her stories, so a simple summer romance, like this book, isn't boring. In fact The Summer After You and Me is fresh. It has some of the tropes that we all look for in "beach reads," but it also has a lot of heart behind it. 

I really liked that the book had so much to do with Hurricane Sandy. As a native California dweller, that is something that I've never needed to think about, so it was interesting to be immersed into the aftermath of that kind of natural disaster. Sandy is actually a huge part of the plot, bringing our two lovers together, and then also pulling them apart. It's an interesting setting and I'm glad that Doktorski decided to use it. 

Lucy has a lot going on in her life. A twin brother. Her best friend turned boyfriend Andrew. A job or two. The last thing that she needs is for Connor (the cute boy who lives next door) to come back into her life. He left her in lurch after they finally had all those fire-work-inducing moments that make you go "awwww!" But of course, Connor shows back up.

The interactions between all of Doktorski's characters is one of my favorite things about her writing. I can say this because I have read all of her books. There is something so natural about their interactions, that even if the plot points seem a little kitchy, you don't even notice. It's a writing style that I really look up to, and this novel is another showing of why it works. 

If you're looking for a beach read full of wanting and waiting and heartstrings being pulled, then this is it. This is a summer romance with some meat on its bones. This is the kind of book that will leave you cheering for the lead and falling in love with the rest of the cast. What more could you want from a summer read? 

Rating:

4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Cover Reveal: The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski]

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

There it is!

The Summer After You and Me

Release date: Spring 2015, Sourcebooks Fire

By Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

THE SUMMER AFTER YOU AND ME on Goodreads:

Where to find Jen Doktorski:

www.jendoktorski.com

Twitter: @jdoktorski

Facebook:

[Review: Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski]

"Famous Last Words"
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Pages: 288
Genre: YA Contemprary
Date Published: July 2nd, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Format Read: Finished hardcover

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Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

This is the 2nd book by Doktorski, her first novel (How My Summer Went Up In Flames) was a big hit with me and so I went into this one expecting greatness.  It lived up to my expectations, even if it wasn't fully what I was thinking it would be.  I have to tell you that I think Doktorski comes up with some of the most interesting and fun details and plot tools for her novels.  Placing our lead, Sam, in a local news paper and forcing her to write about dead people every day was a genius idea.  And there are large heaps of 80 references throughout the novel, as well as shout out to one of my favorite musicals "Rock of Ages".  (Though in all honesty Jennifer could have been eluding to the 80s song of the same title?)

It was fun to watch a writer learn how to write a good story.  And that's what we get while watching Sam.  She got a job at the local paper because she liked writing, but as the story unfolds and she learns more tools of her trade, it's fun.  Seriously, Sam makes writing about dead people seem like fun.  I also really enjoyed how she would sit down and write obituaries for the living people around her when they pissed her off or when they did something worth noting.  It made those moments stand out.  All in all, I liked Sam.  I think she was definitely in transition, which made some of her antics a little nerve grating, but as she grew and got comfortable in her own skin, she also grew on me as a reader.  She starts out so young and angsty, but she's also really strong.  She doesn't do anything that she doesn't want to do.  And it's when she realizes that it's okay to be different, while being surrounded by a ton of people who are different, that you really see her grow up and grow into her already oddly mature persona.  Plus, she really is clueless about boys.  I guess I liked her so much, because I could see a lot of teenage me in her character.

The side characters sometimes take the spotlight away from Sam, but I like that her personality stands out in a subtle way.  Her best friend Shelby is sure something.  Where Sam is very introverted and clueless when it comes to the man characters, Shelby knows what's up.  She feisty and spunky and not at all what you would guess Sam's bestie would be like.  As the novel progresses it's sad to see them grow apart, but they are both growing up and figuring things out.  I thought that Doktorski explored that aspect of redefining a long running friendship really well.

There are two boys in the novel, but I liked the way the triangle (if you could call it that) was handled.  While one attraction was slow burning and developed over the course of the book, the other was instant crush material.  I like how the whole thing was handled.  No one was professing undying love or pulling ridiculous gestures, it was honest.  I thought it was cool that they were both so different too.  A.J. is nerdy and has a pony tail and plays drums in a band.  While Tony (Coma Boy) is the rich, hot guy who is Sam's competition.  The only thing I wish is that Doktorski would have gone into both guys background a bit more.  They seemed interesting, but not as fleshed out as I would have liked.  Some deep stuff was hinted at, but never really explored.

I also appreciate the fact that Doktorski doesn't make things easy on her main characters.  Not only that, but the way that she does it.  There is always something really funny lurking in the background, ready to pounce and ruin a romantic moment, or something completely serious.  She also managed to weave in a whole Nancy Drew thread, that would have seemed weird, but somehow worked in Famous Last Words.  It helped wrap things up nicely and added some extra tension to the plot, cause sometimes teenage angst just isn't enough.

If you like contemporaries with quirky characters, strange plots and laugh out loud moments, then Famous Last Words might just be the right book for you.  I know it worked for me!

Rating:

        4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!  

[Waiting On Wednesday: Famous Last Words]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Famous Last Words"
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Release Date: July 2nd, 2013

Summary:

 Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.

-Goodreads

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This book sounds amazing and I have so much love for Jennifer's first book How My Summer Went Up In Flames!  This book also comes out on my birthday, so I just wanted to say thanks Jennifer, that's a pretty awesome birthday present, cause I know you had me in mind when you picked your release date.  She didn't, but wouldn't that be cool?

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!

[Review: How My Summer Went Up In Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski]

"How My Summer Went Up In Flames"
Author: Jennifer Slavato Doktorski
Pages: 320
Genre: YA Contemporary, Roadtrip
Date Published: May 7th, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format Read: eARC provided by the publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

First she lost her heart. Then she lost her mind. And now she’s on a road trip to win back her ex. This debut novel’s packed with drama and romance!

Rosie’s always been impulsive. She didn’t intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So when she’s served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she’s heartbroken—and furious.

To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie’s parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie’s spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

This book has rearranged some things and squeezed into a little wedge of my heart.  I have to admit that I'm surprised by this.  When I read the summary (which I think sells the actual book a little short) I thought this was just going to be about a girl and the drama with her ex + drama with the mentioned new guy, but that's not what I got.  And I'm so glad that I squeezed this book into my busy reading schedule this month!  

This book is the kind of contemporary that I love.  It's just weird enough to not be your run of the mill story.  It's funny enough to have you chuckling loudly to yourself in public.  And it's got a lot of heart.  Plus to make it all a little more epic, it's a cross country road trip putting 3 guys and one frustrated girl in one little car.

Right away you know that Rosie is going to be a handful.  She gets served with a temporary restraining order for blowing up her ex boyfriend's car in the first few sentences of the book.  I mean talk about starting off with a bang.  I actually adored Rosie.  Sure she's got her issues and she acts like a fool sometimes (or a majority of the time) but this girl had tons of courage and heart when it comes down to it.  And on top of everything she able to adapt with ease, even if she claims that she doesn't.  She's just a girl trying to find herself in her mixed up adolescent feelings while dealing with some pretty hefty stuff.  Like the cheating ex boyfriend.  Rosie and her story could have gotten old and worn out feeling, but somehow Doktorski really made her coming of age tale stand out to me.  

I LOVE that the road trip consisted of Rosie, her best friend/almost brother/neighbor Matty and his two pals Spencer and Logan all cramming into a little car and heading off on a cross country road trip together!  Covering all the ground in between New Jersey and San Diego.  The places that they went and the adventures that they stumbled upon were awesome and had the feel of an actual road trip with a bunch of guys.  It takes one to know one and I can relate to this road trip on so many levels.  Being the only girl in a car full of nerdy guys can be both the greatest and not so greatest thing in the whole world and Doktorski nails it.  She just gets the vibe that would happen in the car.  From being picked on to being protected and everything in between.  

And the guys.  The guys are wonderful and nerdy and awesome!  I also enjoyed how even though they are all all of those things, each one has his own personality.  It makes things interesting and keeps the tension in the car high at all times, even if it is a relaxed and enjoyable tension!  Logan is surly and strong headed and is the master of ragging on people.  Spencer and Matty both like to keep the peace, but in different ways.  Seriously, you just have to read this book to get to know these guys.

I like that there wasn't a love triangle.  Yes there were moments with all of the guys and Rosie, but this book was more about Rosie figuring her life out, trying to avoid her ex and still make her court date and the guys helped her get to where she needed to be.  I guess that one of the things I liked so much is that this book was both a girl power and a man power book at the same time.  Depicting the importance of healthy relationships with guys and what that can do for you as a girl! 

Rating:

        4 Unicorns = Almost perfect!