Cruel Summer

Cruel Summer
Author(s)
Genre(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
May 27, 2008
ISBN
0312355114
Buy This Book
      

“This was supposed to be my best summer yet, the one I’ve been working toward since practically forever. Now I’m being banished from everything I know and love, and it just doesn’t make any sense.”

Having recently discarded her dorky image--and the best friend that went with it--Colby Cavendish is looking forward to a long hot season of parties, beach BBQ’s, and hopefully, more hook-ups with Levi Bonham, the hottest guy in school. But her world comes crashing down when her parents send her away to spend the summer in Greece with her crazy aunt Tally.

Stranded on a boring island with no malls, no cell phone reception, and an aunt who talks to her plants, Colby worries that her new friends have forgotten all about her. But when she meets Yannis, a cute Greek local, everything changes. She experiences something deeper and more intense than a summer fling, and it forces her to see herself, and the life she left behind, in a whole new way.

User reviews

3 reviews
Overall rating
 
4.9
Plot
 
4.7(3)
Characters
 
5.0(1)
Writing Style
 
5.0(1)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A(0)
Already have an account? or Create an account
View most helpful
Great
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Being a huge Alyson Noel fan that I am i loved this book. I thought that the plot wasn't just about how a teen girl thought her life sucked. it was great story of a trip, friendships, and learning. Colby learns that her life isn't all she thought it was going to be and having all the "cool" friends was NOT important, or anything she really needed. She also figured out that she has a passion for writing, and that stepping on old great friends to try and be popular was not a good thing to do. But with everything that changed over her time in Greece life at home isn't what she truly wants anymore.
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Greek islands
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Reader reviewed by stephanie

I have to admit, when I first started reading this book, I was sorely disappointed. It was written in diary entries [my 2nd to least favorite type of writing] and the plot went by really slow. I didn't like Colby, the main character, at all because all she did was whine...and whine...and whine. She even created a blog just to whine about going to Greece. That was pretty, um...lame? This was the first book by Alyson that I was disappointed in so I was pretty surprised because I had loved all her other books. Oh, and the letters she kept writing to her parents? Those were really pointless as well. Anyway, overall, the book disappointed me and hopefully, when I read her newer books, it'll be a lot better. :)
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Amazing
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Colbie Cavendish is looking forward to a fun summer spenet partying with her new (and über-popular) circle of friends. Unfortunately, her fighting parents decide to send her to a tiny Greek island no ones ever heard of to stay with her crazy aunt Tally. This is practically unforgivable to Colbie since shell only have minimal contact with her new friends (email) and is worried theyll forget her. But when Colbie finally takes a break from being depressed about her vacation when she spends mostly in an Internet café, she realizes that maybe she should be out living instead of mourning all the changes to her old life. And thats when she meets Yannis, a gorgeous Greek guy whos just as interested in her as she is in him. It seems Colbies vacation isnt as miserable as she thought it would be; it changes her perspective on her entire life.

I really enjoyed Alyson Noëls writing in her other novels that Ive read, Faking 19 and Saving Zoë, and Cruel Summer was no different. While the plot isnt fast-paced and exciting, its the well-developed characters that really caught my attention, though in this case, Colbie was the only well-developed character as the story was told from her point-of-view. Alyson Noël has a subtle way of making her stories much deeper and more meaningful than they may appear on the surface, and this makes them seem real. For example, Colbie is initially portrayed as a whiny and insecure girl, but as her vacation progresses, she starts to appreciate or at least accept what she has in life. I also liked how romance was incorporated into Colbies story, because she really deserved Yannis in the midst of all her other problems. In all, Cruel Summer was a very enjoyable story and, despite the cover, much better than just a beach read.

In a strange way, although none of her novels rank very high among my favorites, Alyson Noël is one of my favorite authors. Its not just because shes an Orange County resident like me and often writes about that setting; Alyson Noël just has a really great writing style. I definitely recommend Cruel Summer as well as her other novels that Ive read, Faking 19 and Saving Zoë. I also look forward to reading Art Geeks and Prom Queens and Kiss & Blog sometime in the future.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0