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stephxsu's review
4.0
It’s been so long since I’ve read a straightforward, fun, romantic, somewhat predictable, but ultimately heartfelt summer tale, and so LOVESTRUCK SUMMER far exceeded my expectations. Instead of flat characters, you get interesting, three-dimensional people whom you want to be friends with. It was of course easy to predict how this book was going to end, but I was surprised by how endearing Russ was, and what great banter existed between him and Quinn.
Most poignant was Quinn’s development from a self-centered, naïve snob into a more open-minded individual. I’m still having trouble understanding how Melissa Walker managed to, in just a little over two hundred (small) pages, make Quinn—who was even likable in her initial state—actually mature into a young woman we love and respect. Such gorgeously smooth character development rarely exists in a book that intends to be a light beach read, and I was greatly appreciative of how much I was able to understand, accept, and love the flawed Quinn and her equally entertaining and realistic friends.
LOVESTRUCK SUMMER is, first and foremost, a pleasure read, something that will make the bubbles rise in your stomach as the sun warms your face in the summertime. However, don’t miss out on the endearing characters and the complexity of Quinn’s maturation. I know that I will be reading this again whenever I need a book that makes me smile, swoon, and feel hopeful about the human nature.
Most poignant was Quinn’s development from a self-centered, naïve snob into a more open-minded individual. I’m still having trouble understanding how Melissa Walker managed to, in just a little over two hundred (small) pages, make Quinn—who was even likable in her initial state—actually mature into a young woman we love and respect. Such gorgeously smooth character development rarely exists in a book that intends to be a light beach read, and I was greatly appreciative of how much I was able to understand, accept, and love the flawed Quinn and her equally entertaining and realistic friends.
LOVESTRUCK SUMMER is, first and foremost, a pleasure read, something that will make the bubbles rise in your stomach as the sun warms your face in the summertime. However, don’t miss out on the endearing characters and the complexity of Quinn’s maturation. I know that I will be reading this again whenever I need a book that makes me smile, swoon, and feel hopeful about the human nature.
hpitcher15's review
3.0
good, i really liked the idea of the main character and the fact that she doesn't like the guy who is totally like her. I think it could have possibly ended better with them though
nagam's review
4.0
Finally! A book set in Austin, and by one of my favorite authors, no less! Full of music, a confused girl trying to figure out who she is and what she wants, and lots of awesome landmarks around this great city, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
yungokssss's review
5.0
OMG this book was hilarious... It was cute and funny. I will never regret reading this!
maggiemaggio's review
4.0
Lovestruck Summer combines so many things I love: music, Austin, TX, internships, summer, post-high school stories, that I was actually kind of afraid to read it. Silly, but true. Thankfully I had nothing to fear as I absolutely loved this book. It’s just so much fun!
Quinn has always felt out of place in her North Carolina town, she’s an indie rocker hipster and she longs to be in a music city like Austin. When Quinn gets her dream summer internship at her favorite music label (how she gets it is amazing) she’s over the moon. She’ll live with her studious cousin Penny who will never be around, she’ll attend tons of live shows, and she’ll meet the perfect indie rock guy for a summer fling.
Fast forward to arriving in Austin and cousin Penny is now “Party Penny” and president of her sorority, the internship isn’t exactly like she pictured (although still really cool), and even though she meets the “perfect” guy, she starts to question if he’s what she really wants. See, although Quinn judged Penny and her Greek friends at first, little by little Quinn starts to warm up to them and think they might not be as vapid and annoying as she first thought. Especially Russ, Penny’s cowboy-country-music-loving-frat-boy neighbor who takes a liking to Quinn.
Russ is way more my type than Quinn’s ideal music boy, so I immediately rooted for him. Plus, he takes Quinn to do all sorts of cool Austin things like going to Barton Springs, seeing the bats under the South Congress bridge, and taking her tubing. This means there’s a little bit of a love triangle in this story, not my favorite, but I liked that Quinn has perspective. Even though she likes DJ boy she never pictures him being a long-term thing, it’s just a summer fling. And the more she gets to know Russ the more she likes him, but it’s not like she’s running off to marry either of them. I especially appreciated this attitude towards the end of the story, I feel like I say this a lot, but it’s a teenage relationship, maybe it lasts, maybe it doesn’t and I loved how Melissa Walker treated these relationships.
Finally, there’s Austin. I absolutely love Austin. I used to go at least twice a year for my old job and I always tacked on extra days on either side of the trip so I could spend more time there. I was glad to see so many places I’ve been and heard about in Austin included in the book and it makes me sad that I won’t be taking my normal January trip down there.
Bottom Line: This is another winner from Melissa Walker. Quinn is a great main character, I loved the supporting characters, and the setting of Austin, TX is fabulous. I loved watching Quinn open her mind up to new people and new music. My only complaint is that there isn’t a playlist included in the book!
This review first appeared on my blog.
Quinn has always felt out of place in her North Carolina town, she’s an indie rocker hipster and she longs to be in a music city like Austin. When Quinn gets her dream summer internship at her favorite music label (how she gets it is amazing) she’s over the moon. She’ll live with her studious cousin Penny who will never be around, she’ll attend tons of live shows, and she’ll meet the perfect indie rock guy for a summer fling.
Fast forward to arriving in Austin and cousin Penny is now “Party Penny” and president of her sorority, the internship isn’t exactly like she pictured (although still really cool), and even though she meets the “perfect” guy, she starts to question if he’s what she really wants. See, although Quinn judged Penny and her Greek friends at first, little by little Quinn starts to warm up to them and think they might not be as vapid and annoying as she first thought. Especially Russ, Penny’s cowboy-country-music-loving-frat-boy neighbor who takes a liking to Quinn.
Russ is way more my type than Quinn’s ideal music boy, so I immediately rooted for him. Plus, he takes Quinn to do all sorts of cool Austin things like going to Barton Springs, seeing the bats under the South Congress bridge, and taking her tubing. This means there’s a little bit of a love triangle in this story, not my favorite, but I liked that Quinn has perspective. Even though she likes DJ boy she never pictures him being a long-term thing, it’s just a summer fling. And the more she gets to know Russ the more she likes him, but it’s not like she’s running off to marry either of them. I especially appreciated this attitude towards the end of the story, I feel like I say this a lot, but it’s a teenage relationship, maybe it lasts, maybe it doesn’t and I loved how Melissa Walker treated these relationships.
Finally, there’s Austin. I absolutely love Austin. I used to go at least twice a year for my old job and I always tacked on extra days on either side of the trip so I could spend more time there. I was glad to see so many places I’ve been and heard about in Austin included in the book and it makes me sad that I won’t be taking my normal January trip down there.
Bottom Line: This is another winner from Melissa Walker. Quinn is a great main character, I loved the supporting characters, and the setting of Austin, TX is fabulous. I loved watching Quinn open her mind up to new people and new music. My only complaint is that there isn’t a playlist included in the book!
This review first appeared on my blog.
black0star's review
5.0
WOW. I liked this book. Much more than I thought I would.
I thought it would be a nice, light summer standalone I could read in a short time. And it was. But it turned out to be much, much more. It subtly includes deeper issues such as stereotyping and not letting other people's view of you BE you.
I really liked how Quinn wasn't a perfect girl. She was real. And so were all the characters. They didn't have too much backstory, but you could really get a sense of who they are and you really grow to care about them.
I also enjoyed that the ending was an open-ended. I thought it would annoy me but I think it ended realistically and cutely.
I thought it would be a nice, light summer standalone I could read in a short time. And it was. But it turned out to be much, much more. It subtly includes deeper issues such as stereotyping and not letting other people's view of you BE you.
I really liked how Quinn wasn't a perfect girl. She was real. And so were all the characters. They didn't have too much backstory, but you could really get a sense of who they are and you really grow to care about them.
I also enjoyed that the ending was an open-ended. I thought it would annoy me but I think it ended realistically and cutely.
gwynethlovins's review
4.0
I read this book a lot when I was younger, and it's been awhile, but I remember really loving it. the main character is a bit of a pick-me, but overall it's really fun.
wlkrmlss's review
5.0
I loved this book! As soon as I finished the Violet series, I wanted more and waited patiently for this one. As soon as I started reading it, I couldn't stop! It was a great story with great characters.