Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Review: That One Summer (Giveaway Included!!!)


Book Description Provided by Goodreads: 
Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day … He sure could kiss.
As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve. So that can only mean one thing: road trip!
No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson. She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place? After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.
Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all. Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again.

Story Line: This story line was very unique and entertaining. For starters, it was written in the time frame of 1999, a couple of days before 2000 to be exact. I found that it gave a new light to the typical road trip story lines, especially because the book incorporated songs, people, and events from the 90s. I also loved that it was set up in road trip style because this meant that the scenery kept changing and so did the people along the way!

Relationships: I found all the relationships in the book to be highly entertaining. Not only are Chris and Tammy together but so are Sean and Amy, Toby and Tess, and Stan and Bell. I found that all the couples added something different to the story line that made it kind of romantic and all the much more endearing! I especially loved Chris and Tammy's relationship; they have so much chemistry that it literally comes off the pages and immerses the reader in their struggle to identify their feelings for one another and define their relationship.

Characters:
Chris: Chris's character is so moody and defensive at the beginning of the book but as the book progresses he starts to open up more (and oh can he joke! lol!!!) and we learn more things about his character that make him amazingly sweet, caring, protective, and an overall great swoon worthy guy! 

Tammy: Tammy's character starts out feeling self-conscious, stressed, lost, isolated, and shy. Although her new friends, thanks to Amy, include her in all their summer activities and seem genuinely nice she can't seem to feel left out and like an outsider. This stems from the fact that she continuously isolates herself from them by making up excuses so she won't have to feel their rejection that she believes will ultimately come. However, as Tammy embarks on the road trip with Chris, she learns how to let go, not stress, and be completely present in the moment, which turns her attitude, self-esteem, and overall view of life into a positive one. I loved seeing her transform throughout the book and learn how to stand up for herself. It was a very relatable story that was beautiful to read about!

Adam/Ringer/Sean/Amy/Ellie/Tess/Toby/Bell/Stan: All the sub-characters added extra charm, wit, and humor to the overall sense of the book. I don't believe this book would have been as amazing as it was if these supporting characters hadn't been included!

Overall: It's a great, fun, and easy read! The journey that the characters take both mentally, emotionally, and physically will take the readers right along with them. This book is perfect for losing yourself in and just taking a wild ride along with awesome and hilarious characters!

Rating: I would give this book a 10 out of 10!!!

RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: 
Contest is void where prohibited. Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner’s name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified for authenticity.

About the Author:
C.J Duggan is a Number One Best Selling Australian Author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn’t writing books about swoony boys and 90’s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos. The Boys of Summer is Book One in her highly successful Mature Young Adult Romance Series.
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