The Summer I Turned Pretty

‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ is written by Jenny Han

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‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ focuses on a group of friends who seem to meet every summer in a house that belongs to a lady called Susannah. Within the group, there is a girl named Isabel, or they call her Belly. Her mother and Susannah are childhood friends and as close as sisters.

Jenny Han’s writing is like a warm hug on a wet day, enticing you to enter Belly’s world, our realistic and adorable protagonist. As you turn the pages, you’ll be transported to lovely beach days, with sand between your toes and salty sea breezes in your hair. The detailed information and evocative language bring the scene to life, making you feel as if you are there yourself.

But it’s not just the setting that elevates this novel. Jenny Han deftly delves into the complications of family, friendship, and first loves. You’ll definitely find echoes of your own experiences and feelings as Belly navigates the changing dynamics of her relationships with her brother and childhood friends. The characters are so well-developed that at the end of the story, you’ll feel as if you’ve made new friends.

So, every summer, Belly’s family comes down to spend the holiday at Susannah’s summer house. Belly enjoys going there every summer and loves being included in the group of other kids. She is the youngest among everyone in the group, which could be the reason why she is not always welcomed and sometimes left behind.

However, things start changing as years pass by. The kids grow up, and things become even more complicated as they became even more complicated as they developed crushes and feelings. Belly seems to have a crush on Conrad, who does not show any interest as he tends to be quiet most of the time. But Belly’s feelings towards Conrad start developing. As for Jeremiah, he is Belly’s best friend and is always funny and cheerful.

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‘The Summer I Turned Pretty‘ refers to the summer when Belly turns sixteen, and both Jeremiah and Conrad start noticing her beauty in a new light. Belly enjoys herself to the maximum and experiences everything possible as a pretty grown-up girl: the first kiss, first dance, first crush, first breakup, first love, and more.

Belly seems to be very clever and can easily read other people’s personalities, which is why she feels for Conrad. She believes that his actions are way too obvious, and he is like an open book for her.

Furthermore, in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’, the writer does not focus solely on the children; rather, she sheds light on the adults who are experiencing challenges in their marriage lives. Belly’s parents are divorced, and she can’t seem to figure out the exact reason. Susannah seems to have some hidden secrets that she is not confident to open up about.

It seems the writer in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ focuses on bringing light to different generations, and this is really amazing. It makes you want to know more and more about them. It is like a reflection of our real-life situations! The plot contains both uplifting and heartbreaking scenes. It portrays the bittersweet moments of adolescence, the butterflies of first love, and the secrets we all keep dear to our hearts. While the story takes place in the summer, the ideas are ageless and universal.

I would highly recommend reading this book. Alternatively, you can sign up here for a free trial and listen to the story! Feel free to share your thoughts with me here in the comment section.

I would love to know more about your thoughts, and if you have other recommendations, let me know. Also, feel free to have a look at yesterday’s book review, Things We Hide From The Light