The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty

by Jenny Han

It's Not Summer Without You (Book02) ♥ We'll Always Have Summer (Book03)

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. (Goodreads)

Review

Wow. Just, wow. I don't know another way to start really. Just, wow. I found this book via my favorite FanFic writer-she was raving about it being her new favorite summer novel and I just had check it out. I didn't even read the synopsis(Which I don't really do anyways). I stared it, didn't stop until I was halfway through the last book-I did so to take a breather. I devoured the whole trilogy in like a day! I read these books like my life depended on it! they were that amazing. I'm still extremely and totally and utterly flabbergasted by this beautifully written portrayal. A portrayal of a young girl's summer. A summer every girl wishes to have.

Belly is turning sixteen-a time of insecurities and rash decisions. She's spending another almost-perfect summer at the fucking awesome beach house she and her family share with her mom's bestfriends' family. She's been doing it since she was born, and being the jealous bitch that I am, I hated her. I felt while reading the first few pages that she was going to be a complainerrr(God help us all). Her brother, Steven, I knew I was gonna like-but I was deathly disappointed he didn't end up with you-know-who. Her mom, Laurel was pretty cool, and cool as in, she seemed like a sci-fi loving, bad ass lesbian. When They get to the beach house you get introduced to her mom's best friend's, Susannah, aka; the sweetest person on the goddamn planet, along with her two boys: Conrad(yum) and Jeremiah(aww). The six of them have some sort of routine that they repeat every summer; what they eat as their first night's dinner, the type of sun tan lotion and beverage they drink as they lie under the hot smoldering sun. Summers at the beach house is what Belly has lived for, and what I dream of. She (figuratively) draws this godly portrait of how her summer was and how it's always going to be, yet she has vivid memories of what it means to be the only girl among three older boys always leaving her left behind(I grew up always playing with boys, who probably thought I was a boy-thanks to my brothers for not clearing that up!). This have changed though, Belly is no longer the little girl with pig tails, braces and baby fat(Girl got herself a make over! you go girl). She's transformed into a pretty young girl. And two very cute somebodys have noticed!

Belly was also struggling with family issues. Her parents had recently gotten divorced(I don't remember why though, but I'm opting for her mom coming out and professing her undying love to her best friend). Belly's relationship with her mother is a little stingy, to the point that I found her a little too disrespectful and unappreciative(She was also a total bitch to her dad). Susannah was like her safe haven, she loved her and respected her like the world was on her feet. She depended on her like she was her only confidant. And like every beautiful character, Susannah had to suffer, both emotionally and physically(Fuck Cancer!). No one knew about the demoniacal bastard though(except my Laurel), not even her sons-who were very protective and watchful of her. Both Conrad and Jeremiah had to deal with their own issues their own way. Conrad dispatched himself from everyone, specially Belly. And Jeremiah pretended like he was content with being the goofball of the bunch. I felt like Belly has always had feelings for Conrad-who was indifferent, and that Jeremiah has been helplessly in love with Belly-who only saw him as a friend.

The setting for this book is what grabbed my attention from the beginning. I always loved the beach(who the hell doesn't). And you'd think you'll find the atmosphere the book set in any other summer oriented book set at a beach house, but noooo, Jenny Han brought an idea and tuned it into a fantasy. The description, the easy going flow of the analog and the goddamn writing, sucks you head to toe. And as I turned the pages, page to page, I can't help but want to live in that world and never leave. I know, I know, I've been holding off on the romance, and its coming... you thicks. I'm gonna come out and say it and be done with... I. Ship. Colly\Berad. Yep! I went there. I thought they had amazing chemistry. Every time they get a moment to themselves I'm on the edge of my seat(which was an almost broken swing on a rainy day... *sigh* The things I do for my otp.

Over all, this book was just plain entertainment and pure lovein. I loved when it was going back and forth between Belly's memories(So much cuteness) and the present. I love that it wasn't completely based a girl and her love triangle. It was more characters based than couple based(If that makes any sense what so ever.) I loved this book, I fangirled it to death with my sister, and I died a figuratively agonizing death when it ended.

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