Isabell Conklin, also known as “Belly”, is a sixteen-year-old, high school student who explores her sexuality with two boys that happen to be brothers. The book, The Summer I Turned Pretty, is sure to rekindle the reader’s memories of first love and loss. The author, Jenny Han, portrays Belly as a stereotypical “nerd” who transformed into a “popular girl” over her freshman year. While the boys at her school swoon over her, Belly’s heart is stuck on her childhood, family-friend crushes, Conrad and Jeremiah. However, Belly’s romance and coming-of-age story halt when family struggles take over her life. Any teenage girl can relate to the nervous excitement and euphoria of falling in love. This book shows the emotional rollercoaster of entering adulthood, facing challenges of head vs. heart and self vs. family. I loved how Jenny Han created realistic family struggles of divorce and death, but her portrayal of romance was fairytale-like and unoriginal. I wish there were multiple narrators, like in Casey McQuiston’s book, Red, White & Royal Blue, to give a full, well-rounded perspective of the storyline. Although this book is nothing groundbreaking, it is perfect for any teenager in search of sparking their own love life. I would rate this book ⅘ stars for its captivating characters and plot, but a lackluster ending.
Leah K.
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