Book Review: When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WHEN WE HAD SUMMER by Jennifer Castle Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: WHEN WE HAD SUMMER

Author: Jennifer Castle

Pub. Date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/WHEN-WE-HAD-SUMMER

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets 13 Little Blue Envelopes in this new young adult novel about a tight-knit, daring, and eclectic group of friends who dedicate every summer to completing their #SummerSistersBucketList together – that is until one of their own passes away.

Best friends Carly, Daniella, Lainie, and Penny – aka the self-proclaimed #SummerSisters – have been coming to the New Jersey shore town of Ocean Park Heights ever since they could remember. And every year, the girls make a bucket list and dedicate their entire summer to completing every item on it, documenting their wacky escapades on FotoSlam for everyone to see. It’s their tradition, and as long as the Summer Sisters had each other, the rocky jetty on the shore, and their bucket list, that would never change. Right?

But then, tragedy strikes after Carly – the mastermind behind the bucket list– unexpectedly passes away. As the remaining Summer Sisters try to wrap their heads around their best friend’s death, life seems determined to throw more curveballs at the girls, threatening to split the Summer Sisters up for good. Daniella is accepted to a prestigious music academy in New York City, Lainie finds out her family is moving to Florida and leaving Ocean Park Heights for good, and Penny struggles to find her footing as she feels ready to leave childhood behind more quickly than either of her friends. What will hold them together with Carly gone and the Summer Sisters seemingly over?

Then, Daniella finds Carly’s final bucket list. And just like that, the Summer Sisters are back! But of course, things don’t always go as planned, and the girls try their hardest to navigate grief, loss, and coming-of-age woes while keeping the Summer Sisters – and Carly’s memory – alive.

 

Why Should You Read This?

“When We Had Summer” by Jennifer Castle is a beautifully written and authentic coming-of-age story about friendship, loss, and growing up. The story follows four best friends, Carly, Daniella, Lainie, and Penny, who have a tradition of spending their summers together and completing a bucket list of activities. But when Carly unexpectedly passes away, the Summer Sisters’ tradition is broken, and the remaining girls struggle to come to terms with their loss.

What I loved about this book is how well the characters were developed. Daniella, Lainie, and Penny were all unique and relatable, with realistic flaws that made them feel like real teenagers. I appreciated how the author tackled topics such as divorce, anxiety, and acceptance of nonbinary gender identity with sensitivity and honesty.

The writing was engaging and kept me turning the pages, even when the subject matter was heavy. The beachy setting and the Summer Sisters’ adventures added a lightness to the story, making it a perfect summer read. The author’s use of an imaginary social media platform “FotoSlam” was a clever touch.

Overall, “When We Had Summer” is a touching and heartfelt novel that deals with difficult subjects in a realistic and authentic way. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story with well-developed characters and a strong sense of friendship.

 

About Jennifer Castle:

Jennifer Castle is the author of twelve books for children and teens, including the novels for BLAIRE WILSON, American Girl’s Girl of the Year 2019. Her YA novels published by HarperCollins include THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, which was an American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, WHAT HAPPENS NOW, and TOGETHER AT MIDNIGHT. Her four-book middle grade fantasy series from Bloomsbury USA is BUTTERFLY WISHES. She’s also the co-author of two non-fiction books, FAMOUS FRIENDS: BEST BUDS, ROCKY RELATIONSHIPS, AND AWESOMELY ODD COUPLES FROM PAST TO PRESENT and FRIENDS AND FRENEMIES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE AWKWARD. Jennifer lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband, two daughters, and two cats/writing assistants on the edge of deep woods that are most definitely filled with magic…she just hasn’t found it yet. You can visit her online at www.jennifercastle.com.

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of WHEN WE HAD SUMMER, US Only.

Ends May 6th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway