"I just stared up at them until it felt like I could breathe, maybe for the first time that day."

Photo credits go to this Photobucket account

Hi Megan,

So I thought I would change things up this time by putting the book art first. And this is really a terrible cover for this book.  This whimsical, light-hearted cover will leave UK readers COMPLETELY unprepared for the massive amount of emotional suck-itude within its pages.

This is not a happy book. Sure, it's got that romance plot thing going on, but really, it's not that lovey-dovey. For anyone who has lost a loved one, this is a horribly depressing book. So I'll get real for a bit, and talk about me and my life-something I really hate doing, but since my personal experience had a huge influence over how I received this book, I think it's appropriate.

The summer before my freshman year of college, we found out that my grandma had an advanced case of lung cancer.  She had been having respiratory problems for a long while, but the doctors continually misdiagnosed her, and in fact reassured us that cancer was the least likely cause of her illness. This hit me hard.  Grandma was like a second mom to me--she was my babysitter, piano teacher, and imparter of age-old womanly wisdom,  like baking, sewing, and the facts of life. She had always been healthy and active, so to see her frail and hooked up to oxygen machines was difficult to say the least.

Despite some misgivings, I went off to college, and got caught up in that life. I made new friends, and met my first serious boyfriend--the first guy who I thought might be "the one," and who I was very excited to introduce to my family. Then, just before Spring Quarter Finals, I get a call from my parents, letting me know that Grandma was in her last days.  A few days later, during finals week, she passed away before I was able to go home and say goodbye. Needless to say, it was crushing. I'm not one who cries, but losing one of the most important people in my life left me gasping for air.

When I started Second Chance Summer, honestly, I wasn't impressed. The writing was so-so, and I really wasn't that engaged.  And she quoted song lyrics for the dedication. I hate it when authors do that (did you ever read Halo? She quoted Beyonce, and the book was horrible).  But as I read on, I became increasingly engrossed, and ended up reliving my own losses. This book had me bawling, not for the character's loss, but for my own. Because I've been there. I've felt that. I still find it hard to cope with the fact that my grandma will never meet my husband, and never sew a quilt for my babies. And, like Taylor, I was very fortunate to have a shoulder to cry one, one that didn't belong to a friend or family member, but my boy, my love. Honestly, I don't know how I could have handled that finals week without him.  While we are now separated, and it ended with him being an ass, reading this book reminded me that he's not a bad person, just a terrible boyfriend.

So while Morgan Matson may not be the best writer, in the conventional sense, she gets it. She understands that devastating loss. So props to her for that.

As for my quote, that was another thing she "got." I loved growing up outside the city limits, because in my darkest moments, seeing the stars changed everything.

To a happier posting next time,
Becca

"There's loads more to talk about. We've only just gotten started."

Hey Megan,


   So initially, I looked at the book and thought, "Meh, it's tiny with big print, that should only take me, what, a day?" and proceeded to shamelessly procrastinate on reading it. And boy, am I glad we set our deadline for a week after you finished The Fourth Hand, rather than a few days later. Because otherwise, I would have been IN TROUBLE.  

An excellent quote from the book, taken from here.

   For some reason, I just had a lot of trouble getting into the book. To be honest, it's probably because I, like you, am more inclined to think of the IMPROBABILITY of love at first sight. And I will readily admit that my attitude is certainly, in part, a result of still-too-recent heartbreak. On the wrong side of a three-year relationship, I scoff at the idea that two strangers can meet and instantly (or almost-instantly, as is the case here) fall in love. 


   But, like you said in your post, and I must , upon reaching the conclusion of the novel, admit, the chemistry between the two is very real.  I especially liked the part about the animated duck movie, because I am most definitely that 21-year-old girl who still rushes to the theaters to see the latest Disney release (I saw Tangled twice in theaters. Twice!), and I'd like to think there's a guy out there who may not understand it, but finds it endearing. Or, better yet, shares that love. But I digress. Basically, yes, they're disgustingly cute and perfect for each other. Kind of like the couple that emerges in 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (do you remember her from the Festival of Books? She was the awesome, quirky author on the panel with Maggie Stiefvater who talked about life at Catholic school). And, once again, I find myself wishing life were like a book, where the boys may not be perfect, but they sure are perfect for you. And you find them, like, right away (oh Nawat, you will always be my favorite crow <3).


   Now, ignoring the fact that they're young and disgustingly cute in love, yadda yadda, I, too, loved reading the progression of her relationship with her father. Now, I'm not from a separated household. In fact, my family dynamic is closer Oliver's, minus the infidelity. What I loved, however, and what I think is striking no matter what your personal life may be, is that Hadley was able to reconcile with her father. And I think that's rare. I feel like society encourages people to run from their problems, rather than face issues and work to make things better. Family is no longer something you fight to keep.  If something's broke, people don't try to fix it.  They move onto the next best thing.  So it was very refreshing to find a book where the opposite happens, where a family fought (though Hadley did so reluctantly) for love.


   Thanks for recommending this one! After some reluctance, I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed a book I would not have, at this point, picked up for myself.


Keep Calm and Read On,
Becca


PS~Hadley, incidentally, is the name of Sookie's cousin. :)