Hey There!
"Suddenly, you edge your way to the end of your second ten years and BOOM. Your choices matter. Not chocolate or vanilla, bridge or pier, Sandy Claw or Abenaki. It's your whole life. We're suddenly this close, like Nic said, to the wrong move. Or the right one. It matters now."
4/5
So this was one of the books I took on holiday this year, so I can say I finished this book within 2 days. I'm one of those people where I cannot put a book down once I start reading it, and then I have to re-read it so I can fully review if I actually enjoyed reading the book. This is one of those books I definitely enjoyed reading. It is a typical Young Adult romance so if you enjoy that genre this book is definitely for you.
This book focuses on Guinevere (Gwen) Castle and her summer in Seashell Island. She lives in a small house, needing maintenance, along with her Mum, her younger brother Emory, Grandpa Ben, and her cousin Nic. On the other side of the island, closer to the beach, there are more expensive houses where the people are much wealthier. Gwen spends this summer, instead of working for her Dad at his restaurant, Castle's Ice Cream, working for Mrs Ellington to "keep her company." Gwen also has to deal with Cassidy Somers, who we learn she has a history with, as he works for Island maintenance. Throughout the story we learn through Gwen what their relationship status is and what her backstory is, as she is perceived to have a certain reputation among the swim team at her school.
One of the positives I found with this book was how Gwen managed to stay strong no matter what people were saying either to her, or behind her back. She has to deal with this reputation she has, which in fairness she has created herself. But the way she did not allow this to knock her back, but instead ignore what people were saying and come out the other side is something that should inspire other girls with potentially the same problem. As a girl, it is easy for what people are saying to get you and effect you in day-to-day life, but Gwen managed to take these words and throw them back in the faces of the people that were saying them.
This book does not just focus on this issue. There is a focus on a class divide as well through Gwen's job, and the fact that Gwen wants to get off the Island but the responsibilities she has are holding her back. But going away from Gwen, we also learn about Gwen's cousin Nic, who happens to be dating her best friend Viv. We are able learn about their "perfect" relationship, but you learn that seeing relationship from the outside can be completely different to actually being in that relationship.
I couldn't find many faults with this book to be honest. I guess I could just say I found it rather predictable. I don't know if that is through reading so many books and watching so many different TV shows, or if it was through the writing. But this did not stop me from enjoying the book at all! I mean, who can't love an ideal teenage relationship where everything seems all rainbows and unicorns (I'm up for it if there are any takers!!).
I would recommend this as a summer read for everyone, even if you aren't going abroad. The way Fitzpatrick writes about the beauty of the island through the beaches makes it easy to imagine yourself there at a bonfire party. Having that vision of summer really lifts the mood (especially if you live in Britain where we have ONE day of sun) and makes you want to jump on a plane as quickly as possible!
Tell me what you think and other books you recommend for reading over the summer!
Girl Without a Plan, Making Plans
xoxo
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