It's Not Summer Without You

March 15, 2010
In this second book of the planned trilogy that began with The Summer I Turned Pretty
, 16-year-old Belly Conklin feels displaced. Unlike years past, she won't be at the beach with her mother's best friend, Susannah, and Susannah's sons, Jeremiah and Conrad. This summer, “I wasn't in Cousins. Conrad and I weren't together, and Susannah was dead.” When Belly learns from Jeremiah that Conrad has disappeared, she immediately agrees to help; their search leads them to the beach house, where Conrad is hiding out. Belly's plaintive voice sometimes makes her sound too young, but Han realistically touches upon the characters' various reactions to grief—Belly's mother becomes withdrawn, Conrad fiercely protects the house (his father wants to sell it), Belly has trouble processing the permanence of loss—as well as Belly's emotional entanglements with the brothers (occasional chapters are told from Jeremiah's perspective, and Belly reflects on her failed romance with Conrad). Though the fate of the summer house is resolved a bit quickly, Belly's difficult relationship with her best friend and her standing with the boys hang in the balance, which should leave readers anxious for the final installment. Ages 12–up.

October 1, 2010

Gr 8 Up-This summer, everything is different for 16-year-old Belly in Jenny Han's sequel (2010) to The Summer I Turned Pretty (2009, both S & S; Recorded Books, 2009). She always spent her summers at Cousins Beach, chasing after Susanna's two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah, and her own older brother. But Susanna has passed away, and Belly's romantic relationship with Conrad has soured since her death. Just as Belly is resigning herself to summer without her second family, Belly gets a call from Jeremiah letting her know that Conrad has disappeared from school and he needs her help to find him. The three end up back at the summer house, where they must confront their memories, their grief, and each other. Occasional chapters narrated by Jeremiah reveal his feelings for Belly, while most of the story is told from Belly's point of view. Han's touching novel paints a realistic portrait of teenage love and heartbreak. Jessica Almasy provides a perfect voice for Belly, using subtle vocal shifts to indicate clearly when other characters are speaking. Recommended for high school libraries where the previous title is popular with the caveat the this volume has some strong language and teenage drinking.-Beth Gallego, Panorama City Public Library, Los Angeles, CA

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.