The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls
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One summer will challenge everything the Garrett sisters thought they knew about themselves—and each other in this captivating new novel by Jessica Spotswood. As the oldest, Des shoulders a lot of responsibility for her family and their independent bookstore. Except it's hard to dream big when she's so busy taking care of everyone else. Vi has a crush on the girl next door. It makes her happy and nervous, but Cece has a boyfriend...so it's not like her feelings could ever be reciprocated, right? Kat lands the lead in the community theater's summer play, but the drama spills offstage when her ex and his new girlfriend are cast too. Can she get revenge by staging a new romance of her own? Bea and her boyfriend are heading off to college together in the fall, just like they planned when they started dating. But Bea isn't sure she wants the same things as when she was thirteen... Told through four alternating points of view, readers will laugh, cry, and fall in love alongside the Garrett girls.
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I received this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review
This book is the reason why I still try reading woman's fic or contemporary writing. By the time I got around to needing to start it, I didn't think I would like it since other similar genre books haven't been working for me, but I began reading it anyhow and ended up really enjoying it.
What a quirky group of sisters. They all had something about them that I liked or was able to relate to. There were times I wanted to shake the girls because they were being so silly, but as the reader we can see it, in life you can't see it and I felt even more deeply for the characters. I wanted to scream at Bea to break up with her boyfriend, only to remember when I continued dating someone I wasn't in love with anymore. That feeling of knowing you will be losing their family, friends you've made through them, and letting go of a secured future.... it is terrifying! I don't agree with what she did, but I understood at least that part of her.
Des feeling stuck and wanting more out of life?? Yeah, I get it.
Kat finding something else to be passionate about and trying not to be as jealous or dramatic? I heard her so loud!
Vi being nerdy and writing fanfic–AND talking about it fluently?! Shocking, surprising and made me feel so nostalgic.
These girls might be fictional, but their problems and the solutions they come up with are so very real. I think many people will be able to relate and root for these girls.
Sweet, cute, yet still has some bigger issues it tackles: mental health-wise and sexual identity (I totally didn't realize how prolific Nina LaCour and her girl love books were). It is awesome how not everyone is straight and white.
This is a book I think many people will enjoy and I plan on recommending it to many, many people. I look forward to reading something else by this author.
