At 17 years old, Nick should be having the summer of his life. His worries should be about when to catch the next wave and where to take his girlfriend out for a date. But that’s not his reality. His summer is actually filled with worry, regret, and tragedy. All of his plans now center around taking what he can get because life lately hasn’t offered much except pain and heartbreak. Even with the tragic way his summer begins, his life controls to spiral downward; one thing after another forces Nick further into melancholy: he’s forced to work with his girlfriend’s father who can’t stand him. He’s forbidden to see his girlfriend or his best friend because of their parents, and his sister basically calls him a loser and doesn’t think he’s going to amount to anything. It makes sense why he wants to self medicate with alcohol and marijuana to numb the pain for just a little while, but that only ends up getting him into further trouble. By the time Nick reaches the end of the summer, who knows where he’ll be or what he’ll have, but if everything continues to go the way it’s been going, Nick may have to figure out a different way to work through it all before he does something he can’t take back.
I really enjoyed Summer of Seventeen. It’s a realistic look into the struggles one endures when life tragically changes and adult responsibilities come much too quickly. Getting Nick’s story from his own perspective allows readers to truly understand everything that he’s going through as he tries to adjust and process this new life that he’s been thrust into. Transitioning between being an adolescent to an adult is hard enough without all of the added pressure and heartbreak that Nick’s going through, so readers can easily comprehend his struggles.
I haven’t read a book by Jane Harvey-Berrick that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed. She’s a fantastic storyteller who always presents her characters in their truest forms, no matter how flawed they are. Her writing allows readers to feel every emotion that is explored in the text, and it easily establishes a connection between them and her characters. We all, no matter how big or small, understand what Nick is going through because we’ve been through similar experiences, and as we witness Nick’s struggles, we identify with his situation and hope that like us, he can find his way out of the devastating circumstances he finds himself in.
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
4 poison apples
“You have a great ass,” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah!”
“It’s all yours,” I challenged her. “You only gotta ask.”
“Maybe I won’t ask; maybe I’ll just grab a hold,” she laughed.
“Fine by me.”
As the trees thinned out, I could see people already laying out beach towels, and a couple of guys throwing a football. Some of them I knew, but there were several I didn’t. I thought maybe they went to Viera or Rockledge schools.
Yansi laid out two towels for us while Megan took charge of the food and Esther was eye-fucking one of the guys playing football.
I tugged off my t-shirt and plopped down next to Yansi. She was wearing some real short cut-off jeans that showed her butt cheeks, and a tank top that was cropped above her belly button. She looked incredible.
“How come you were allowed to leave the house like that?” I teased.
She smirked at me and pointed to her sweater.
“I tied this around my waist. Papi couldn’t tell the difference.”
“And your mom?”
Yansi laughed. “She just shook her head and said to tell you hi.”
My lucky number is 13 because I was born on the 13th and live near a haunted castle by the ocean. My number one past-time is watching hot surfers get changed into (and out of) their wetsuits.
My husband doesn’t read my books. My mother does.
Writing is my love, my hobby, my total addiction. All my characters are important to me and whisper their stories, even when I’ve finished writing their books. That’s why you’ll often find bonus chapters/out-takes from various books, because those voices just won’t be quiet.
Fairest Of All Book Reviews 