TOUR: When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle

I am so glad to be hosting a spot on the WHEN WE HAD SUMMER by Jennifer Castle Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

Title: WHEN WE HAD SUMMER

Author: Jennifer Castle

Pub. Date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/WHEN-WE-HAD-SUMMER

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets 13 Little Blue Envelopes in this new young adult novel about a tight-knit, daring, and eclectic group of friends who dedicate every summer to completing their #SummerSistersBucketList together – that is until one of their own passes away.

Best friends Carly, Daniella, Lainie, and Penny – aka the self-proclaimed #SummerSisters – have been coming to the New Jersey shore town of Ocean Park Heights ever since they could remember. And every year, the girls make a bucket list and dedicate their entire summer to completing every item on it, documenting their wacky escapades on FotoSlam for everyone to see. It’s their tradition, and as long as the Summer Sisters had each other, the rocky jetty on the shore, and their bucket list, that would never change. Right?

But then, tragedy strikes after Carly – the mastermind behind the bucket list– unexpectedly passes away. As the remaining Summer Sisters try to wrap their heads around their best friend’s death, life seems determined to throw more curveballs at the girls, threatening to split the Summer Sisters up for good. Daniella is accepted to a prestigious music academy in New York City, Lainie finds out her family is moving to Florida and leaving Ocean Park Heights for good, and Penny struggles to find her footing as she feels ready to leave childhood behind more quickly than either of her friends. What will hold them together with Carly gone and the Summer Sisters seemingly over?

Then, Daniella finds Carly’s final bucket list. And just like that, the Summer Sisters are back! But of course, things don’t always go as planned, and the girls try their hardest to navigate grief, loss, and coming-of-age woes while keeping the Summer Sisters – and Carly’s memory – alive.

 REVIEW

    When We Had Summer is a coming-of-age journey that tackles many heavier topics while showcasing the ups and downs of growing up. Four girls who have spent every summer together for as long as they can remember, completing an annual bucket list and learning the meaning of true friendship, become only three when one of their group dies unexpectedly. The three remaining best friends are left with nothing but their grief combined with all the issues of becoming a teen and starting high school. When the first summer without her begins, they realize nothing is the same. Until.... They find out she was already making the list for their next summer and now they have a chance to keep the tradition alive and figuring out how they can overcome the hardships they face. 

      This one, while very YA, was so very touching and down to earth. I feel like so many young people could connect to a story like When We Had Summer because it approaches so many different topics-- from grief, to body image, to moving away, to parental fighting, and so many more. Like they were all united though their summer traditions, the girls became united in their grief, and yet they were all so different too. One things I loves was the depiction of anxiety, positive therapy rep, and coping techniques showcased. Each girl dealt with their problems differently but all felt realistic too. Also, I loved seeing the author include diverse people, like a non-binary character, that further enhanced the story's discussions of identity. 

      While I think this one is probably better suited for younger audience than me, I still found it to be a beautiful reading experience that made me feel lots of emotions. I know I could have benefited from a story like this when I was younger. This book is hard at times but still holds onto the light you want in a summer-filled book. 

 

About Jennifer Castle:

Jennifer Castle is the author of twelve books for children and teens, including the novels for BLAIRE WILSON, American Girl's Girl of the Year 2019. Her YA novels published by HarperCollins include THE BEGINNING OF AFTER, which was an American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, YOU LOOK DIFFERENT IN REAL LIFE, WHAT HAPPENS NOW, and TOGETHER AT MIDNIGHT. Her four-book middle grade fantasy series from Bloomsbury USA is BUTTERFLY WISHES. She’s also the co-author of two non-fiction books, FAMOUS FRIENDS: BEST BUDS, ROCKY RELATIONSHIPS, AND AWESOMELY ODD COUPLES FROM PAST TO PRESENT and FRIENDS AND FRENEMIES: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE AWKWARD. Jennifer lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, two daughters, and two cats/writing assistants on the edge of deep woods that are most definitely filled with magic...she just hasn't found it yet. You can visit her online at www.jennifercastle.com.

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of WHEN WE HAD SUMMER, US Only.

Ends May 6th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/1/2023

Reads by Radus

Excerpt/IG Post/TikTok Post

 Week Two:

4/2/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
4/3/2023	Mallory Books	Review/IG Post
4/4/2023	Breysreviews	IG Review
4/5/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
4/6/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
4/7/2023	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
4/8/2023	@gsreadingspree	Review/IG Post

 Week Three:

4/9/2023	Tracey Reads and Rambles	Review/IG Post
4/10/2023	100 Pages A Day	Review
4/11/2023	Kayl's Krazy Obsession	Review
4/12/2023	@thrillersandhistoricalfiction	IG Review
4/13/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
4/14/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
4/15/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review

 Week Four:

4/16/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/17/2023	NeverKnotReading	IG Post
4/18/2023	@inspired.j.reads	IG Review
4/19/2023	popthebutterfly	Review/IG Post
4/20/2023	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
4/21/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
4/22/2023	@bookishlifeofkels	IG Post

 Week Five:

4/23/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	Review/IG Post
4/24/2023	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Review/IG Post
4/25/2023	Mindyourshelf	IG Review
4/26/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
4/27/2023	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
4/28/2023	@drew_ambitious_reading	Review/IG Post
4/29/2023	Midnightbooklover	IG Review

 Week Six:

4/30/2023

The Book View

Review/IG Post