The Last Summer (of you and me)
Registered by DeeOhTea on 6/12/2007
12 journalers for this copy...
Brand-spanking-new book purchased for me...will be heading to the near-top of Mt TBR & then on to a Book Ring!For many of us, there's a place -- a beach or a farm or the cold, clear waters of a lake -- where we locate our nostalgia for lost summers. For the characters in Ann Brashares's The Last Summer (of You and Me), this place is Fire Island. Here, sisters Riley and Alice and their neighbor Paul have spent the summers of their childhoods, maintaining a fierce loyalty to each other through the turbulence of adolescence and the encroachments of adult realities. Fire Island has been a separate reality, a place apart.
Now in their 20s, they have converged here for a final summer. All these characters frequently seem younger than their stated ages. Riley, 24, has never fully made the transition to adulthood. Gifted in sports, "effortlessly expert at skateboarding, sailing, running fast, coaxing a fish off of any line," she has remained strangely close to her childhood world, even as her peers have grown up and moved on. Alice, at 21, is looking toward law school, not because she wants to be a lawyer but because it's the next dutiful step. Paul, who lives in the big house that blocks their ocean view -- sometimes with his wealthy, narcissistic, mother and more often alone -- has been Riley's best friend, her match in physical daring and something of an older brother to Alice. These three have always wandered the island together....
I enjoyed starting the summer off with a beach read that takes place at the beach!Quick & good read:)
Now it's off to the start of a great BookRing...
Going to EllyMae58:)
Enjoy!
Delivery Confirmation #0306 1070 0001 5989 2072
Here's the reading order to this Book Ring so far:
Ellymae58 - CA..Completed:)
collectorkerri -IL...Completed:)
indygo88 -IN...Completed:)
BethanieKay -TX...Completed:)
spoiledrotten - NJ...Completed:)
timollie5502 - PA...Completed:)
sweetybeans - OR...Completed:)
top-tappser - WA...Completed:)
boomda181- Canada...Completed:)
dnsvm -CO...Completed:)
nynjagrrrl-WI...Completed:)
Back to DeeOhTea!...It's HERE!!
Thanks so much for sharing this, DeeOhTea! I am looking forward to diving right into it as soon as I'm finished with my current read.
My 101st read of 2007.
This was okay, not what I'd call a breezy beach read. I found the writing to be a bit flowery for my taste, and the story was sluggish at best. It was relatively easy to read, as I finished it in a day, but I found myself just wanting to finish it already, so I could move on to something else. I anticipated the turn the story was going to take pretty early on, so there wasn't really much left to surprise me.
Thanks again for sharing, DeeOhTea. This will be off to collectorkerri as soon as she sends me her address.
This was okay, not what I'd call a breezy beach read. I found the writing to be a bit flowery for my taste, and the story was sluggish at best. It was relatively easy to read, as I finished it in a day, but I found myself just wanting to finish it already, so I could move on to something else. I anticipated the turn the story was going to take pretty early on, so there wasn't really much left to surprise me.
Thanks again for sharing, DeeOhTea. This will be off to collectorkerri as soon as she sends me her address.
Received yesterday. Will read ASAP.
Having loved the 3 of 4 Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books by the same author, I expected to enjoy this book, and I did. It was a lovely coming of age story with a somewhat unexpected twist. I really like the way Ann Brashares writes.
Sent on to indygo88 today.
Sent on to indygo88 today.
Came back home from a weekend of camping & found this in my mailbox! I am currently swamped w/ bookrings, so this may take a bit longer than normal for me to get to, but I will! (book reading order is on my bookshelf)
9/9/07 -- Starting book today!
9/9/07 -- Starting book today!
I started out enjoying this book quite a bit & continued to do so until about halfway through. After that point (spoiler *sort of* alert...highlight to read) I thought it was relatively predictable & followed along the lines of a typical love story in that you suspect how it's going to end, but wonder why the characters can't just get over themselves & make it happen. I think Brashares got it right initially, but ran out of steam during the second half of the book. I did, however, enjoy the prose for the most part.
Thanks for sharing this book, DeeOhTea! I already have BethanieKay's address & plan to get this out in tomorrow's mail.
Thanks for sharing this book, DeeOhTea! I already have BethanieKay's address & plan to get this out in tomorrow's mail.
Received this in the mail today. I love this author's other books, and have been eyeing this book ever since I first saw it on the shelves! I'm very happy to be included in this ring and will start it right away! Thanks!
I didn't dislike this book ... but I didn't love it, either. I really enjoyed the first half, and felt drawn into the confusion, anxiety and utter anticipation of adolescent love and friendship. However, like indygo88, I felt they should have just gotten on with it. I understand the twist in the storyline threw a monkey-wrench in things, but I guess I'm just an idealist in that I feel that love should conquer all, and was a little irritated that things took so long to come about to what I felt was the obvious conclusion. I mean, come on! These kids have known each other for so many years and have shared so much. I found it hard to believe they all just gave up on things so easily, or shut each other out and kept secrets.
I was happy with the ending, but I also agree with EllyMae58 in that some of the writing was a bit flowery. Actually, I kind of thought that some parts had a lot of rambling and confusing or pointless analogies.
Don't get me wrong, though - I still enjoyed the story and read it rather quickly. Thanks to DeeOhTea for sharing, and to the rest of you for playing along!
I've already got spoiledrotten's addy, so will send to her this weekend.
I was happy with the ending, but I also agree with EllyMae58 in that some of the writing was a bit flowery. Actually, I kind of thought that some parts had a lot of rambling and confusing or pointless analogies.
Don't get me wrong, though - I still enjoyed the story and read it rather quickly. Thanks to DeeOhTea for sharing, and to the rest of you for playing along!
I've already got spoiledrotten's addy, so will send to her this weekend.
Book is now on its way to spoiledrotten in NJ ... shipped via USPS parcel post today. Happy Travels, little book! :)
Received in the mail today. Thanks for including me will read as soon as I am done with my current book.
This was the first book by this author that I have read. I did enjoy the storyline and writing, but not as much as anticipated. I agree with the comments made by BethanieKay and EllyMae58. I don't know that I would go out of my way to read this author again. Thanks so much for sharing!!! Will mail as soon as I get Timollie5502's address.
10/09/07 The book is now on its way to timollie5502.
10/09/07 The book is now on its way to timollie5502.
Just received this in the mail today, and really look forward to reading it! I do have one ahead of it, though - but I will move along as quickly as I can :)
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
I sat down today when I wasn't feeling all that great, and read this straight through. I loved it. Brashare's writing style still draws me in, and I got very wrapped up in these characters' lives. It was a delightful distraction from not feeling good, and I can't wait until she writes something new.
Thanks so much for sharing it.
Edit - this book went out in the mail today, 10/22/07. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for sharing it.
Edit - this book went out in the mail today, 10/22/07. Enjoy!
received in the post today -one book ahead and then will get to asap :) excited to read a more"adult" book of hers.
Hmmm....I was disappointed by how predictable this book was. I was looking forward to a more adult book by her, but it really didn't live up to its expectations for me.
Thanks for sharing
Pmed next person :)
Thanks for sharing
Pmed next person :)
Rec'd in the mail today. I have one book in front of it to finish. But, I will get to it shortly.
After reading previous journal entries I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book. But, I loved it! And the author definitely left it open for another to follow.
I have pm'd the next on the list for their address and will send it on it's way once I receive.
I have pm'd the next on the list for their address and will send it on it's way once I receive.
Mailed today!
This one arrived today and looks like a good read. I have a couple of rings ahead of this one, but will be reading it very soon.
I loved this book, the characters were very genuine to me. I like the way Brasheres approaches relationships.
I had received dnsvm's address, but accidentally deleted it, so I have asked for it once again. As soon as I have it, I will drop this book in the mail.
I had received dnsvm's address, but accidentally deleted it, so I have asked for it once again. As soon as I have it, I will drop this book in the mail.
I received this book in the mail last week and just haven't had a chance to journal it. It is going on the top of the TBR pile and I will send it on ASAP!
I wanted to like this book as much as the Pants series, but it was really hard for me to get into. The writing style is so different from her other series!! I am not sure if it was the slow pace of it or what, but I didn't really feel any affinity for the characters until late in the book. I do have to say though that by the end I felt a lot better about the book & the characters and appreciated the connections she was making between sisters and friends.
Sending this out today to ninjagrrrl.
Sending this out today to ninjagrrrl.
This book came in the mail yesterday. I plan on starting it this weekend. Thanks for sending it!
Wow, this little book has criss-crossed the United States and made a stop in Canada! I agree with some of the other readers, I didn't dislike the book but I didn't love it either. At the end of the book I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Some of the characters were interesting but it was a little slow moving. Thank you for sharing this book. I will send it out as soon as I have the next address.
Arrived back home Safe & Sound!!THANK YOU to all of you who passed it along:):)
I'll probably make this available on BookMooch.com sometime this week...see where it travels to from here:)
Going on a BookMooch to NY in tomorrow's mail!Enjoy:)
