Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler- Review

Reviewed by: Aneeqah's Not So Real Life
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Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genres: Contemporary
Release Date: June 1,2009
Source: Library
My Review:

In this story, we meet Anna. Her best friend is Frankie. Her other best friend was Matt. But they were becoming something more. And then he dies. This book is about Anna, a year after Matt's death, going on a trip with Frankie's family to California. They all are still trying to cope with Matt's death. So Frankie plans a game. They meet 20 boys in 20 days, and maybe Anna can finally have her romance. But Anna's heart is still broken from Matt, and here's the thing- Frankie never knew about Anna's budding relationship with Matt- because he died before he could tell her.

This is one of those books where my heart just ached, especially towards the end. By the end of the book, I was so attached to the characters. I really felt for Anna, Frankie, and Aunt Jayne. I wanted them to find their "Happily Ever After" and to move on. I was totally rooting for them, which is not something that I usually do with books. I really felt all the characters, which was amazing. They felt so real.

I also liked how not everything went as planned. Not everything you plan for a vacation actually happens, in real life. And that's how it was in the book, too, which added an even more realistic feel to the book. Not everything was perfect.

Also, the cover makes sense in the story. Yes, it's gorgeous, and that was definitely one of the reasons that I wanted to read it [because, you know, I absolutely love pretty covers!]. But after finishing the story, it totally makes sense. It's so well-thought out and fits well with the story. It's not a random girl in a dress, which most book covers are right now... So it's pretty, and it works with the book. Perfection.

However, there were some small things that I didn't like. For one, it's been a year since Matt's death. And it seems like it happened yesterday. Everyone is still depressed, crying, and everything. Shouldn't they have moved on? I've observed that it takes less than a year to accept death. Crying a little bit makes sense, but not full-out bawling all the time. Remember him, but try to move on.

There were a few other tiny things that I didn't like, but they're kinda spoilerish, so I'll just leave it at that. Overall though, it was a cute, heart-warming contemporary read.







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48 Hour Book Challenge - update 1 - Twenty Boy Summer

Twenty Boy Summer
Sarah Ockler
Little, Brown
Pgs: 290
Rdg Time: Total for book 2hs 49 min

Book Challenge
Books - 1
Pgs - 137
Time:
Rdg: 1hr 51m
Twitter: 1hr 9m 20BoySummer Twitter Party

Writing:
Twenty Boy Summer tells the story of Anna and Francesca (aka Frankie), and Matt, three best friends. Francesca and Matt are brother and sister. Anna and Frankie are best friends. Matt and Anna? Anna's always loved him and they finally get together only to have Matt torn from her one measly month later. But they never told Frankie and now it seems like its too late. Frankie has enough hurt and the things she's doing to bury it can only cause problems later. But Frankie and Anna get a second chance and decide to have the absolute best summer ever: the A.B.S.E.

'Rithmetic
I enjoyed Sarah Ockler's writing style in this book. She has a way of juxtaposing the sad with the humorous and never downplaying either. Her details are vivid, when Frankie puts on her armor, we see it:

"Anna, I know things aren't great right now," she says. "But we need to confer on outfits. We have to coordinate in tone and style. And also, I need to borrow your silver dangle earrings." p. 254

Frankie was by far my favorite character. She felt real and 3 dimensional while Anna seemed more like a follower. I thought the pacing of the story was just right and I liked how Matt stayed with us throughout the entire book. I really "knew" him as a character.

I thought the parents weren't very well-drawn. I almost got to know Jayne, Frankie's mother, but then she faded into the background again. All the parents were completely clueless, and luckily, I don't know many parents that way. Yeah, some of us pretend to be blind, but these four were completely oblivious. I also didn't like the picture of virginity as something to be gotten rid of nor did I like how Anna had no feelings about it afterwards. I do think these are issues that a book club can discuss and even for moms to discuss with daughters. I would gladly give this book to Jess and then we could talk about things over our very own VaVa Vineapple Smoothies.

All in all, I give the book 4 copies. I will buy it for the library and put in the hands of small groups of mature young ladies. Don't tell the parents, though! j/k :)


PS - Total time is 3hrs 45 minutes to be adjusted for twitter time.

48 Hour Book Challenge - Go!

This is my first official post for the 48hr book challenge! It's not too late to join! - go here.

I'm reading Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler.
Pg. 152

It is 8pm. Check back with you later!

Friday Five - June 5

It's The Friday Five! Welcome - come on in!

1. Viola in Reel Life - check out this summary from PW:

"...Adriana Trigiani’s Viola in Reel Life. The first YA book from bestselling author Trigiani, the novel is the first in a series featuring Brooklyn teenager Viola Chesterton. Chesterton, a funny teen whose parents are globe-trotting documentary filmmakers, is forced to attend her mother’s alma mater, a stuffy boarding school in South Bend, Ind., called the Prefect Academy. Convinced she’ll hate Prefect and South Bend, Viola, who largely views the world from behind her camera, learns unexpected things about herself—and starts a romance—as a result of the move..."

People, I live in South Bend, Indiana!! IRL! OMW! This is a total must read for me. And..it just moved Very Valentine closer to the top of the reading pile! This is so rad!

2. Twitter Party - yes, you read that right! I'm going to a twitter party tonight! Come join @sarahockler for a night of fun and good times with to kickoff your summer of reading. We'll be discussing Twenty Boy Summer! What? You haven't read it? Get off the computer and read it!! NOW! This will be here when you get back! See you at the Twitter Party at 7pm EST!

3. 48 hr Book Challenge - I'll be starting this later today. Watch for my beginning post. I will be donating books from their wishlist to Color Online's Summer Book Drive. If you'd like to help out they have a wish list at Powell's. If you can't find their wishlist - use their email address - cora_litgroup@yahoo.com.

For each book I finish, I will buy them a book from the list.

4. Jane Carter Solution - seriously thinking of locing my hair. Right now it's twisted and I always undo it before it locs. Twisting takes about 2 hrs and my hair is short! Still, it's an easy do. I think I'm going to take the plunge sometime this summer...thoughts? Also, if you go to JCS - turn down the sound, it talks automatically!

5. 20 Must Reads - Last year I posted 20 YA books I wanted to read over summer. I've read 17, not too bad. Here are 18 more plus 2 from my previous list:

• Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins
• Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
• My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
• Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
• Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
  
• The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon
• Reality Check by Peter Abrahams
• Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
  
• Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
• Return to Sender by Julie Alvarez
• Ash by Malina Lo
  
• Coretta Scott by Ntozake Shange
• Hate List by Jennifer Brown
• Happy Face by Stephen Emond
  
• Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
  
• Diego by Carmen T. Bernier-Grande
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, 1 by MT Anderson
• Never Slow Dance With a Zombie by E. Van Lowe
  
• My Life as a Rhombus by Varian Johnson
• Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose
  

You will note that a couple of these haven't come out yet - giving me a little leeway! What's on your must read list?

Well, that's the Friday Five today. I'll be posting an awful lot over the next few months so I hope you stick with me! Look for my first Contest Monday on...Monday!! Have a great weekend!

PS - Apologies to E. Van Lowe - I have 2 ARCs of your book right here!! I was just typing too fast. Please forgive!

Twenty Boy Summer 20 Days of Fun - Day 1

Twitter Party!

Tomorrow we will kick off our Twenty Days of Fun with a Twitter Party hosted by none other than

Sarah Ockler! Join twitter and sign up to follow

@thebrainlair and @sarahockler

From 7pm until 11 pm EST, Sarah will be answering questions about the author, tweeting book trivia, and giving stuff away!! Yes, you can get stuff just for talking! So finish reading the book and get your tweet on!! Tweet you there!

In My Mailbox - June 1

This week's book's I've received, aka In My Mailbox, is brought to you courtesy of The Story Siren - check out her new blog design. Somehow this moved to Sunday night without me noticing...will take care of next week. Let's get right to books I bought, begged for, and books I'll tour.

Bought: I know I promised not buy so many books, but sometimes it's the only way to get what you want!

Looking for Alibrandri by Melina Marchetta
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger



Hero Type by Barry Lyga
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer
Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison




Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - Lots of fun activities coming up with this title. Today was the official release day and I'll be posting about a Twitter Party and other activities later today - stay tuned! It will be a blast! We'll be featuring activities throughout the month of June to celebrate!

Begged For:

School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari
Knowing I couldn't go to BEA I was afraid I wouldn't get this book - but Little, Brown tweeted about it and sent it to me! It releases September 1st and I am psyched to read it. It has a different phobia listed before each chapter. Great formatting. It's also a middle-grades novel which I'm looking to add to our collection.

The Actor and The Housewife by Shannon Hale
I received this one from Bloomsbury. I've already read it and it was fantastic. Sometimes I laughed out-loud, in public places! I cried quite a few times. Shannon's writing made me feel like I was the housewife going through this. Look for my review later this week.


Blog Tours:

The Vanishing Sculptor by Danita K. Paul
The Vanishing Sculptor releases June 2, 2009. I'll be touring June 22 - June 26, please stop by to hear more about this new fantasy for middle grades. I'll be giving away two copies of this book!


Ghostgirl:Homecoming by Tanya Hurley
Ghostgirl: homecoming releases July 1, 2009 and I get to interview Tonya Hurley!! I have two copies of ghostgirl and two copies of ghostgirl:homecoming to give away! Love the coffin books!


Well, those are the books in my mailbox. I'm thinking of doing all blog tour books separately...I'm going to have to get my calendar together so I keep track of everything! Some fun reading coming up as soon as I'm completely done with work!

What's in your mailbox?