Second Chance Summer

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It was really irritating in this book, moreso than her other two, and I found myself unable to relate to-- or enjoying reading about-- the characters. The entir Tissue count: The entire premise of this was just meh. And although it was a nice read and made me sad at the end inevitably , it's not the best thing in the world.

And I'm still unsure if this book was overhyped for me, or if that's just how I feel truly. View all 5 comments. Nov 28, sreeja hiatus rated it really liked it Shelves: This book managed to make me cry more than the opening scene of Guardians of the Galaxy yes, I cry everytime?? IDEK why which is like a lot. This was such a summery and beautiful read that it made me all kinds of warm and happy on the inside anyway. Minus the ending of course. That was just pure torture and completely devastating. And honestly, it was so beautiful to watch this slightly distant and very different family learn to love and accept each other through their last summer together as a family.

This book was great to watch play out as Taylor managed to bridge the many distances that she had with the people that she loved. Seeing her make amends with her once-childhood best friend, Lucy was a highlight in the book. Although I did have an issue with the fact that Lucy was being cold about something that Taylor did like what 7 years ago? It was realistically quite immature, NO wait their argument was more immature dear god. Once I managed to find out the real cause of their fallout I was just there like, girldrama Henry was honestly just a pure ray of sunshine in the book!

His passion and patience along with the fact that he can bake omg boyfriend material made him one of my favourites to follow. Also he is incredibly sweet and thoughtful. I cannot express in words how beautiful their relationship was. Taylor began to truly get to the know the person that is her father and hold on to as many memories as possible and whenever they were in scenes together believe me your eyes will just tear up naturally. Then waking up and hearing that he passed away in his sleep peacefully: View all 15 comments. This novel hit a little too close to home.

I feel like not everyone will understand Taylor but I just I just felt like I was reading about myself. But she's not a particularly strong character here? For me she was a strong one. Honestly, I love reading about strong female characters who don't give a shit about what other people think and who represent empowerment. Now, what I want to ask you is: It This novel hit a little too close to home.

It's a bit different when you're reading a book and looking at the character's behavior objectively than when you're living your own life and making mistakes along the way. If you're really that self-positive, I applaud you. I found myself relating to Taylor a lot, apart from the fact that I'm the only child and that I don't really have childhood crushes.

But, how everyone pretends that everything's okay? Now, that's something I can relate to. My family pretended just like hers. I feel like I'm still pretending. So, what I wanted to say is that we're all allowed to feel like crap sometimes. And we're allowed to be strong. Or not so strong. And, most of all, we're allowed to be humans and not reach any kind of perfection. Flaws are beautiful too. View all 7 comments. This book should come with a free box or boxes of tissues. Second Chance Summer just like the rest of Ms.

Yes the premise is very sad- about a family spending their last summer togeth Spoiler Alert: Yes the premise is very sad- about a family spending their last summer together considering the father has only a few months left to live, but the story was approached in a light-hearted manner stretching and fixating the plot on Taylor, the middle child and her shot at second chances. I enjoyed how she was able to spend a productive summer while gaining confidence and winning back her friends which had all been possible because of the time she spent with her father, getting to know him better and learning so much from him during his last few weeks alive.

Not sure how, but this was even better the second time around. It's now my fave Morgan book.

Tears but such a good story. All YA contemporary needs to take a page from Morgan's book. Loving monthofmatson, even though I'm carrying it into June ;P. Oct 11, Jenny rated it it was amazing. Jun 13, Jennifer Ellision rated it it was amazing Shelves: Posted to Almost Grown-up: That is… Not Safe For Work. Nope, no gratuitous sex in THIS incredible book.

But we will get to that. Earlier chapters of Second Chance Summer may not be sob-inducing, but they pulled at my heart an equal amount. And there are a variety of reasons for that. A dark cloud on a sunny day, so to speak. But those happy moments are there. Matson develops a cast of characters around Taylor who are quirky and wonderful. I wanted to squish them in a hug. Even when they were fighting, for that matter, I still respected them. The boy who brings swoon to the page in Second Chance Summer.

The way he and Taylor come back together is so realistic and just… do they actually make boys like this in real life? Because I would like one. I started off the cry-fest by wiping the few tears that trickled out of my eyes. This is a fabulous book and left me with… just… so many feelings. Aug 12, emma rated it liked it Shelves: Okay, so, this book is bonkers long. I'm talking nearly-five-hundred-pages-and-isn't-that-just-goddamn-ridiculous long. I am of the belief that there is nary a contemporary on this planet that needs to be over pages, and it seems like Morgan Matson, despite being the love of my life and joy of my soul, may be ignoring the letters and emails and faxes and Instagram direct messages I've been sending her on this topic.

I'll just say this book is way, way, way too long and move on. I Okay, so, this book is bonkers long. I read this book while I was driving through a lil lake town. I read this book while I was in the backseat of a car that was driving through a lil lake town. But a person was driving it, yes. Despite my disinclination toward driving yes I am 19 and I do not know how to drive don't comment on it I'm very defensive about it I am also equally disinclined to be a test dummy in the self-driving car experiments that appear to be going very poorly at the moment. If we can still uncover it underneath all my self-obsession and rambling.

Like archaeologists, except the dirt is my oppressive personality and the dinosaur bones or Egyptian necklaces or old pieces of rock are the actual reason you're reading this in the first place! The point is that I was driving through looking at a lake town, and I was so thoroughly charmed by the lifestyle I was romanticizing in real time totally ignoring the harsh realities - aren't there, like, flesh-eating bacteria in lakes? And I read it in two days, despite it being longer than most religious texts and me being busily on vacay.

Otherwise, this book is not bad. Neither is it life-changingly good. It's a little more profound than most contemporaries, but not any more enjoyable. And the characters are fairly flat and boring. I am suddenly so scared that my Morgan Matson reread is going to end up being a score of two- and three-star ratings. Since You've Been Gone, please come through for me. So much for a mini-review. Aug 01, Pinky rated it it was amazing Shelves: When I picked this book up, I was expecting it to be a fun, happy read.

But it wasn't and I wasn't expecting it to be so sad and depressing. I still loved the book and enjoyed the whole reading experience but I was not expecting what I read. Taylor Edwards is forced to cancel all her plans for the summer after her family discover horrible news about Taylor's dad. Instead of a summer packed with clubs and other things, Taylor's parents decided that they should visit their old lake house in Pocon When I picked this book up, I was expecting it to be a fun, happy read.

Instead of a summer packed with clubs and other things, Taylor's parents decided that they should visit their old lake house in Pocono Mountains. Taylor's childhood was all in this lake house, along with her best friend and first boyfriend, who still live in the area. She has to deal with seeing them after 5 years of no contact with them. The whole journey of what happened in Taylor's past and how Taylor will get past her father's devastating news is basically the story of this book.

This wasn't a fluffy contemporary read like I was expecting, it was more of a depressing sad book with a nice story.

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I loved the writing style and I loved how we got to see what happened before and how every chapter would change from past to present. The characters were so realistic and I loved all of them. Taylor was one of the people that I wished talked things out with people instead of running away from her problems. But I run away from my problems too so I am being a hypocrite right now: Taylor finds herself in this book and learns more about how everyone is so important to her.

Henry always had your back no matter what and that is one of the things I envy about him. Lucy was one of the characters I liked in present but hated the way she acted in the past.

Gelsey and Warren were the best siblings ever and I liked how different they were. Mr and Mrs Edwards were also amazing characters that I enjoyed reading about. When I finished reading this book, tears were flowing down my face and I was holding the book away from me so my tears wouldn't go on the book. I looked like such a fool but I loved the book so much. Morgan Matson is my favorite author for contemporary books. It was cool how Taylor got her second chance 5 years after what happened. You wont regret reading this and you will enjoy it to the very end.

If you enjoyed Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, you will definitely enjoy this book! View all 10 comments. Mar 08, Jillian bookishandnerdy rated it it was amazing. A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted -- mostly because I had assumed that there would be a thousand more.

Morgan Matson is a master at highlighting the big moments that most everyone will probably go through in life and pinpointing the little mo "It wasn't until now, when every day I had with my father was suddenly numbered, that I realized just how precious they had been. Morgan Matson is a master at highlighting the big moments that most everyone will probably go through in life and pinpointing the little moments we most likely take for granted. This book made me want to tell everyone I love most that I love them.

If you still haven't read this book, I highly recommend it. Jun 15, alexandra rated it liked it Shelves: Jan 01, Shannon leaninglights rated it it was amazing Shelves: I can't process my feelings about this book right now.

I have never cried harder in my life reading a book. Granted, this is largely in part due to circumstances in the book paralleling circumstances in my own life, but I can't see how this book wouldn't move each and every person who picks it up. And while my favorite parts were the parts dealing with family, I came to the conclusion after completing the book that it wouldn't have been realistic if it had only been the challenging moments for the family and not the entire full perspective of Taylor's life.

Second Chance Summer – The Book Blog

She is a teenage girl and her life reflected that. I loved the messages about friendship, second chances and what's really important in life. Morgan Matson is so incredibly talented and this book was no exception to the other amazing works I've read by her. She is a beacon of truth and reality in a genre that can often fall prey to cliches and cheesiness. Second Chance Summer moved me and evoked so many different emotions.

AND PS - don't ask me to rank Morgan's books because that's like asking a mother to choose between her children. They hurt themselves and other people. It's my first time reading a book written by Morgan Matson, and I could say that she's one of a kind. The first few lines of the book already told me that the author is thoroughly capable of writing a great and unforgettable novel.

Second Chance Summer is a likeable book. It can put you into a summery feel because it somewhat brings you to a relaxing, calm setting, which is the reason why I did not hesitate to delve into it. I like summer books! This is a sort of moderately heavy drama. It starts off when the main character Taylor Edwards learned that her father has a pancreatic cancer and is dying. One who is used to running off whenever certain situations tend to get rough, she found herself unable to escape the situation when her family decided to go to Pocono Mountains where their lake house was situated and where they always spend their summers together.

Even though she was not really comfortable going back there-- because going back means possibly seeing her best friend Lucy and childhood sweetheart Henry, she had to- for the sake of her dad who wanted to make his possibly last summer meaningful. I love these kinds of stories. But it takes an extremely convincing plot to really impress me. The book is good, but for some reason it was lacking.

Taylor also teaches the importance of staying and facing difficulties instead of running away from your problems. Taylor overcomes her instinct to run away every time something unthinkably difficult confronts her, and she repairs long-strained relationships. By allowing Henry back in her life and her heart , she opens herself up to love, even though going through grief with someone is hard. Edwards doesn't take the last months of his life for granted and makes each moment count -- with his children, his wife, and his father. He surrounds himself with his favorite things and most beloved people.

Henry is a pretty amazing guy: It isn't violent, but it could be disturbing particularly for teens who've experienced the loss of a parent to read about Mr. Edwards' sickness and death. Taylor describes how his pancreatic cancer progresses. She also falls and injures her hand. Taylor reminisces a lot about her summer crush on Henry when they were 12; they shared their first kiss and early make-out sessions.

Taylor and Henry reunite with considerably more passion at 17 than they had at They can't keep their hands off each other, but there aren't any graphic scenes, and the making out never leads to sex. Other characters go on dates, kiss, and flirt.

Like many teenagers, Taylor and her friends say "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," and more when they're together. Occasional mention of Mr. Edwards' favorite movies and music Casablanca , Jackson Browne, etc. Parents need to know that Second Chance Summer is a tender coming-of-age novel that follows a year-old's final summer with her father, who's dying of cancer. The story has some heavy, emotionally charged themes, from the deteriorating dad whose behavior changes as his disease worsens to repairing fractured relationships including the usually distant dynamic between the protagonist and her siblings and allowing yourself to fall deepy in love.

There's some teen language "s--t," "f--k," "ass," "bitch" , and a few passionate kisses and make-out sessions, but ultimately this is a novel about life, love, and family. Add your rating See all 1 parent review. Add your rating See all 6 kid reviews. Taylor Edwards isn't ready for the summer between her junior and senior years in high school. Her father, a successful attorney, has just been diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer, so her parents have decided to take the three kids to their summer house in the Pocono Mountains for the first time in five years.

On top of her dread about her father's advancing disease, Taylor can't come to terms with the thought of facing the two people she left behind the summer she was Henry, her first boyfriend, and Lucy, her former best friend. The summer starts off as awkward and sad, but even as she faces the grief of losing her father, Taylor learns to open herself up to rekindling old relationships and experiencing unconditional love. Matson manages to keep Taylor's emotions running high -- how could they not when she's about to lose a parent? Matson creates a protagonist who's achingly real.

Taylor is occasionally insecure a classic middle child, she has a genius older brother and a ballet prodigy younger sister and slightly clueless about how to handle her initial spark of attraction to Henry. While the romance is intense Henry is quite the swoon-worthy love interest , it's not all about stolen kisses in the rain. This is a story about the love between fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters, and lifelong friends.

The plot will resonate deeply with any reader who has lost a parent. Kids, you should get to know -- really know -- your parents, the author is saying, because you carry them with you always, whether you know it or not. Families can talk about how teen books depict death and grieving. How does the Edwards family deal with Mr. Does Second Chance Summer inspire you to get to know your parents better? How is Taylor's connection to Henry stronger than her attchment to previous boyfriends? Is it realistic that high schoolers would be be so dedicated to each other through a tragedy?

What does Taylor she learn about herself and her family? What are some other books about life-changing summers? Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase.

Second Chance Summer

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