May Book Club Reviews
The Summer She Went Missing by Chelsea Ichaso (Shelfawarness Book Club)
I never thought that The Summer I Turned Pretty and a murder mystery could be combined into a book, but Chelsea Ichaso has done it with her debut novel. There were many similarities between The Summer I Turned Pretty and The Summer She Went Missing, such as the characters' personalities, Paige and Dylan's relationship, and Clearwater Ridge. The obvious difference is murder and kidnapping.
The book had a slow pace, and things didn't begin happening until around page 60. From then on, the plot had a steady pace of suspense while Paige and Dylan tried to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Audrey. I liked that the plot constantly had me jumping from person to person, placing the blame on someone else in almost every chapter. Some plot twists surprised me quite a bit, leaving me reeling while also trying to figure out if Audrey was truly alive, as her family believed. I didn't find myself scanning the pages just to flip to the next page like I do most books. Although that brings up the narration. The book is a dual POV, with Paige being the main narrator and a mysterious girl who narrates a few chapters in between. I wasn't a massive fan of how the narration for either girl was written, but that could have been the writing style. Some of the sentences were written awkwardly, which forced me to reread them several times to understand the meaning of the sentence. However, the narration of the unknown girl was a cool concept that I have yet to see in other books. The author doesn't outright reveal who the narrator is but instead drops subtle clues throughout.
The characters were likable. However, they didn't stand out too much, especially physical descriptions. All I remember is that Dylan has dark hair, Audrey has blonde hair and blue eyes, and Paige's hair gets frizzy in the heat. However, each character had a distinct personality that differed from the other. Paige is a strong, independent, and stubborn teenage girl who will do anything to find her best friend, even if it means breaking a promise to the boy she's been in love with since she was eight. Dylan is an angsty teenage boy who loves his family and is very protective of anyone he loves. Audrey is another breed of human. She runs more clubs than I can count and is the very definition of an overachiever. She is incredibly stubborn and ambitious, with a solid moral compass that won't stop her from achieving her goal. A few characters throughout the book left me questioning things, and if I were Paige, I would definitely have trust issues for the rest of my life.
Romance-wise, I would have loved to see more in the book, but I also like how the book focused more on the plot than the romance. Paige and Dylan had a very cute romance that consisted of best friends older brother, which is a great trope. Every time Paige did something dangerous or stupid, Dylan was there to swoop in and back her up. Throughout the book, he makes little comments that most people brush off, but he shows that he cares and is a little overprotective over Paige because he doesn't want to lose her like he lost his sister. But in all, Paige and Dylan are a great match that fits each other's personalities.
My one big turn-off of this book was the lack of reactions and descriptions to major events. When Dylan and Aurdrey reunite after almost a year of Aurdrey being missing, you would think the siblings would have a big reaction. Instead, the author brushes over the details, just describing how they hugged. We also never got the rest of Audrey's family's response to her being alive because the book skipped to a year later. I wanted the emotions, the tears, the entire emotional rollercoaster that those scenes would have taken me on, and instead, I was left with nothing.
I'm not sure I would read another of Chelsea Ichaso's books, because I don't think her writing style fits my interests, but it is definitely a good book worth reading over the summer!
Funny Story by Emily Henry (Literary Ladies Book Club)
Where to begin with this book? I don't often read romance books, but this one definitely takes the cake on the ones I have read. Emily Henrey's new novel was incredible and entertaining, and I flew through the book at an unhealthy rate. The story's character dynamics, plot, and banter were top-tier. The book was fast-paced, with problems unfolding at every corner in a way that is only possible in books. The drama started unfolding on page one, and it only got worse until the lies began piling up and spiraling out of control. Some people would say that Funny Story was too long because no romance should be 400+ pages long, but the book was the perfect length because of all the character development, banter, and plot we gained from the added pages. The book wouldn't be the same without them.
I enjoyed most of the characters in Funny Story and their diverse personality traits. It's rare that I stumble upon a book where the main character loves books as much as me, and they are rarely librarians. Daphne was a hot mess throughout the story, which I found hilarious. Things were constantly going wrong in her life, and it seemed that the only sense of normalcy in her life was Miles. Although, I wouldn't classify Miles as normal, either. Miles, a man with a heart of gold, had a rough childhood that caused him to push people away when they got close, but he's sarcastic and funny, along with his incredible kindness. Almost every scene with Miles and Daphne shows their love for each other, and I think it would be impossible to pinpoint the moment the two characters fell in love. Emily Henry did a phenomenal job at making me hate Peter and Petra. In every scene they appeared, I audibly groaned.
I especially loved that the characters were relatable and realistic. Every character had flaws. Daphne constantly complains, Miles fears commitment, and Peter is a walking red flag. Everyone can find someone to relate to in Funny Story.
Then there's the actual plot. The story follows Daphne after her fiance, Peter, breaks up with her for his childhood best friend, Petra, dating Miles. After a brutal breakup, Daphne finds comfort in the only other person who knows what she is going through. Throughout the book, Miles takes Daphne on an adventure through food, wine, and scenery, showing her all the things about her small town that she would miss if she continued to let Peter ruin her life.
And, of course, with fake dating, adventures, and being roommates, there had to be tension. And Emily Henry did not disappoint. Daphne and Miles bantered throughout the book, whether it was about Miles' sad music or Daphne's lack of adventure. I don't even know how often I giggled about what was going on in the book, almost as if I was standing beside the characters, immersed in their lives. The more banter between the two characters, the more tension was added between them until something snapped, and they were full-on making out. And let me tell you, Emily Henry knows how to find romance that will leave you feeling things and daydreaming about how a fictional man would treat you. Although I definitely preferred Daphne and Miles pre-dating because of the amount of tension versus when they were actually together because the tension was replaced with cute lovey-dovey scenes.
I was so swept up by Funny Story that I can't even remember anything I didn't like about the book. Everything fell into place perfectly throughout the story, and I can't wait to read the rest of Emily Henry's books!
Written by Carlie Renee
