Hot Afternoons & Waning Denial: A Summer Review
I have cursed the early pumpkin spice latte-ers and doggedly lived in my cut-offs. I have raged at the Cracker Barrel Halloween displays and held fall at bay as long as I possibly could, but alas, my beloved summer takes its leave. Autumn is upon us. So, as I soak up the last wayward days of inexplicably hot afternoons in waning denial, I reflect on my reading from this season. Below you will find my ode to summer in a list of books.
Beach Read - Emily Henry
I’ll be brief about this one. (Read my full review of Beach Read here.) Between the banter, the romance, the emotional depth, and laugh-out-loud moments, this book became an instant summer favorite. It was perfect for starting off my favorite time of the year, and I will almost certainly be reading it again—nothing like a self-aware enemies-to-lovers plot to kick off the hottest of the seasons.
China Rich Girlfriend & Rich People Problems - Kevin Kwan
I was thrilled to wrap up the series this year after starting it last summer. I devoured China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems, and overall I had a wonderful time in that world. It is a transportive, lush, raucous read that hits all of the right romance buttons with a luscious mix of soapy drama and plot twists and an immersive leap into a particular side of Asian culture. By the end of the last book, I did feel that the plot was a bit rushed, tying up loose ends a little too neatly and employing a few deus ex machina-esque interventions. The plots and characters, so carefully woven throughout the series, were not all fleshed out as thoroughly as I wanted them to be, and some conclusions felt contrived. However, all critiques aside, this series is definitely worth the hype. It added the spice and drama I was looking for in my summer line-up. Every time I opened these books, it was like being on the most tumultuous tropical vacation ever, and I ate it up.
Better Than the Movies - Lynn Painter
This delectable little surprise dropped in May 2021, right in time for summer, and thanks to my local library’s top-notch book display methods, it made its way into my life. I read this cute YA confection on a whim in one weekend, and while it is not what I would call a world-changing piece of fiction, it was a pleasant, quick splash of rom-com delight. The running theme of referencing classic romance movies was an engaging and relateable element, and there were some unexpected turns in the story that kept it from running too predictably. While trope-y at times and a smidge dragging over a few plot points, this book was still quite enjoyable and a great choice if you are looking for a funny, easy read with a satisfying ending.
The Kissing Booth - Beth Reekles
I want to be careful with this book review because anyone who manages to get an entire book out of their brain and onto a page deserves some respect in their own right. Additionally, it is worth remembering that this book was written when the author was a teenager. However, I was sorely disappointed with this read. I love the movie. I accept it for the fluffy piece of teen romance fodder that it is, and I will literally watch it eighty times over one summer. I assumed that the movie was good because the book gave it a lot to work with because, as all readers know, typically, the book is better than the movie.
I was wrong. The bones and some basic details from the movie came from the book. The quirky, adorable things that make the film so loveable are apparently works of Hollywood magic. I’d like to clarify that I am not basing my impression of this book solely on how it measures up to the movie, but the juxtaposition between the two threw into focus the things that the book failed to execute.
The book provided virtually nothing in the way of character or plot development. I didn’t know or care about any of the main players; the dialogue between them was bland and didn’t establish any kind of distinct character qualities. Side characters constantly popped out of nowhere only to disappear just as quickly. To be completely transparent… the book is a mess. It is a Wattpad book written by a fifteen-year-old, and it reads like one.
But here’s the thing. For a teenager, it’s not bad. For an early foray into writing a full-length novel, it is what is to be expected, maybe even better. I am positive that there is some Madison Farren original Twilight fan fiction out there that reads muuuuuch worse than this book. I am excited for Beth Reekles’ success, and I appreciate that this book exists because the movie is truly one of my favorite summer traditions. I just wish that I had done my research into the nature of this book before I dove in.
It Happened One Summer - Tessa Bailey
There never seems to be enough summer for all of the delightful sunny reads I have my eye on. It Happened One Summer is a casualty of the passing of time that I am so flip-flopping upset about. I bought my copy, and it sat on my coffee table the entire season, but it’s going to have to wait until next year. By all accounts, it is supposed to be great, and I am bummed that I couldn’t get to it. I can’t wait to pick it up next year!
For all of my belly-aching, I will survive the tragic but inevitable end of summer. I will pull out my favorite sweaters, go to haunted cocktail hours (for real, ask me about it, I’m so excited), marathon scary movies, and go out of my way to step on crunchy leaves. I might even forgive all of you deviants who hastened fall along and started putting up Halloween decorations in July. I will read as many books from my fall reading list as possible, and I will wait patiently for the air to take on that chlorine and sunscreen smell as summer finds us once again. And I suppose because it is that time, and I do live in the south, it has to be said,
