Summer #2: It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Release Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 288
Review Source: Library

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Last year, all of Belly's dreams came true and the thought of missing a summer in Cousins Beach was inconceivable. But like the rise and fall of the ocean tide, things can change--just like that. Suddenly the time she's always looked forward to most is something she dreads. And when Jeremiah calls to say Conrad has disappeared, Belly must decide how she will spend this summer: chasing after the boy she loves, or finally letting him go.

My Thoughts:
Reading this book makes me want to re-read the first book and then start this one all over again. Jenny Han really makes you feel for Belly and all the other characters; it's like you share their history and know all their secrets. It would be easy to say that this is a novel which explores loss and deals with the ramifications of a love triangle between three people who have known each other forever, but it's so much more than that. Belly is sweet, sincere, insecure, and mature yet naive. She's so lovely, and Han's writing really allows you to get to know her and feel like you're a part of her somehow.

Conrad and Jeremiah are equally amazing male leads. Jeremiah is earnest, loyal, and everything Belly could ever need in a guy, but Conrad is the one she's always wanted. She loves him, or at least she thinks she does, and it seems as though he does love her too, although he cannot seem to show it. This book deals with the loss of the boys' mother, Susannah, to cancer, and throughout the book you can really feel the grief which all the characters are experiencing. Despite this sadness, 'It's Not Summer Without You' has a hopeful and uplifting feel to it. I cannot wait for the third book to come out so we can find out what happens next, as the epilogue of this book alludes to some very interesting possibilities. An emotional and "unputdownable" 2nd addition to this series.

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The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Release Date: March 9, 2010
Publisher: Dial
Pages: 272
Review Source: Library

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

My Thoughts:
I read this book based on a recommendation from YA author Susane Colasanti on her blog. I am SO glad I decided to read it, because it's absolutely amazing. The language Jandy Nelson uses is somewhat poetic, but accessible. It reminds me a bit of 'North of Beautiful' (Justina Chen Headley) in that way. Lennie is a very likable and empathetic character, as are all of the characters presented. The characters almost become like your friends, and Nelson's writing allows readers to truly feel loss, sorrow, and the love that the characters in the book are feeling. I would highly recommend this read to anyone who knows that life can be messy and complicated but who still believes in true love.

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The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell

Release Date: May 11, 2010
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 352
Review Source: Won a copy in blog contest

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Sixteen-year-old Damien Locke has a plan: major in messing with people at the local supervillain university and become a professional evil genius, just like his supervillain mom. But when he discovers the shameful secret she's been hiding all these years, that the one-night stand that spawned him was actually with a superhero, everything gets messed up. His father's too moral for his own good, so when he finds out Damien exists, he actually wants him to come live with him and his goody-goody superhero family. Damien gets shipped off to stay with them in their suburban hellhole, and he has only six weeks to prove he's not a hero in any way, or else he's stuck living with them for the rest of his life, or until he turns eighteen, whichever comes first.

To get out of this mess, Damien has to survive his dad's "flying lessons" that involve throwing him off the tallest building in the city--despite his nearly debilitating fear of heights--thwarting the eccentric teen scientist who insists she's his sidekick, and keeping his supervillain girlfriend from finding out the truth. But when Damien uncovers a dastardly plot to turn all the superheroes into mindless zombie slaves, a plan hatched by his own mom, he discovers he cares about his new family more than he thought. Now he has to choose: go back to his life of villainy and let his family become zombies, or stand up to his mom and become a real hero.

My Thoughts:
If I could describe this book in one word I would probably say it was funny. It almost felt like a parody sometimes, yet it was also heartwarming and earnest. Not exactly the typical descriptors one would use to describe a story about a guy stuck between being a superhero and a supervillain. Especially not one where that guy talks about sex a lot. But Chelsea Campbell has crafted a very interesting story here. First of all, it feels extremely unique and refreshing. I haven't read anything like this, probably partially because I don't typically read books with a male protagonist or books involving superheroes... but also, because I do think it's a fresh topic, especially in the way Campbell has written it. I felt like the ending came up a bit suddenly, and I wish there had been more development with the different characters, but overall it was quite enjoyable. Damien is a bit of an unreliable narrator, as he claims to think one way but acts in another way. Definitely an enjoyable read that I would recommend to YA fans who are sick of reading about the same subject over and over again, as this one is quite unique.

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