Bringing the Summer by Julia Green

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: ARC

Published: 10^th May 2012

Number of Pages: 272

Book: For Review*

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic-Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Mental Health, Coming Of Age, YA

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Swearing, Mild Violence, Smoking, Alcohol References

No Drug References

Author's Site: Julia Green

“I turn on to my back and let myself float, arms outstretched, eyes open to the wide blue sky.  For a moment I let myself drift, held by the water, surrounded by light.”

It’s the lazy end of summer but Freya is ready for something new, a change.  And then she meets the gorgeous, good-looking Gabes.  Freya is drawn not just to Gaves himself but everything about him, including his large, warm and shambolic family, so different to her own.

Then Gabes’ older brother makes it clear that he is interested in Freya – and Freya has some difficult decisions to make about what she really wants…

                                                                    Review

Freya's about to start her A levels, but she's still trying to cope with her brother's death.  She's just begun to think she's ready for a new start. 

And then a railway accident leads her to Gabes - gorgeous, sweet Gabes abd his big, bubbly, warm family. 

Soon Freya is falling in love - but not really with Gaves, but with his family. 

But then Gabes' brother Theo shows up - mysterious, dangerous Theo. 

As she gets closer to Theo, Freya has to question what she really wants. 

Byt us she ready to make the difficult choices?

I loved Julia Green's Drawing With Light, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.  From the cover - and blurb, actually - I thought this would be a light read.  And while it was fun and quick, it also tackled some really tricky issues.  I just love everything about Julie's books, loved how complex her main characters were and how she made a clichéd idea into something new and amazing and beautiful.  Also, I so wanna be a Fielding!!

The characters were all so amazing and varying and believable.  Freya was really sweet and strong, but broken over her brother's death.  She was really clever and sensitive and observational, was mature for her age and sensitive too.  What I really loved about her was that she wasn't perfect.  She made mistakes.  But she was so sweet and genuine that you had to love her.  Gabes was so sweet and cute and arty.  I’d love to have him as a friend.  He was simple and straight forward and so cute, just so not-complicated and warm and genuine.  I just wanted to hug him!  Theo was quite, mysterious, dark and broody.  I loved how we slowly got to see beneath the arrogance to see the sensitive, vulnerable boy within.  He was dark and dangerous - the kind of boy you know you shouldn't get involved with but intrigues you anyway.  And the Fielding family - oh how I adored them all!  They were so big and cheerful and close.  And their house - I wish I'd lived there!  It was so wonderfully describes, so lived in and homely.  They were all so bubbly and fun and real.  My family's big and fun and close... but I still want a Fielding family!!  I especially loved their Christmas - loved it to pieces - loved them to pieces!

I loved all the characters, how padded out they were.  As I mentioned before, I adored the Fielding family and all of them in the family!  I also loved Freya's grandparents and friend from the island, Danny.  Danny seemed really sweet and I felt he was a character who could have been added to - just 'cause he seemed so darn cute!

The writing was beautiful - as Green's writing always is!  Green has this wonderfully simple and beautiful way of writing that always leaves me wanting more.  There's magic there.  You can see everything, feel everything.  The plot was one I guess you’d call self-discovery.  I should have been against it - two brothers, one girl is kinda cliché - but in this it just... wasn't.  While the plot is incredible and addictive, the writing and Fielding family just stole the show for me.  But I must admit, I had no idea where the plot was going and at some points I was actually scared!  And I loved how through the Fieldings, we slowly got to know about Bridie, who she was before she died.  As for the ending, it was perfect. 

Green tackled some tricky issues in this book, but like everything she does so effortlessly.  She doesn't make light of them but instead balances them with a light plot.  Also, it's message was so subtle you didn't really get it til the end.  It wasn't... obnoxious, like other books. 

One girl, two brothers, one huge happy family and a dead girl who bought them all together...  Bringing the Summer was a beautiful, edgy, fun read, one I couldn't put down.  It just grabbed me from the word go; Julia Green has this way of bringing a story and characters to life through her words, characters that just get inside your head.  I must get my hands on Breathing Underwater and I am seriously desperate for whatever Julia brings out next!  I loved the book: it had strong themes, but left me feeling all happy inside, warm.  It wasn't as hard hitting as some of the other books I've read this year, but I loved it and it was a great read. 

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Drawing With Light by Julia Green
Hayling Island Cycle by Miriam Halahmy
This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2012 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

YA Contemporary Challenge 2012 (Hosted by Reading Angel & Katie's Book Blog)

British Books Challenge 2012 (Hosted by The Overflowing Library)

Happy Reading

Megan

* This book was received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review