Review: The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy
Title: The Summer of Firsts and Lasts
Hardcover, 432 pages
Author: Terra Elan McVoy
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon
Book Summary:
Three sisters. One life-changing summer.
Calla loves summer because summer means Duncan. They’ve been best friends for years, but Calla has never worked up the nerve to tell him how she really feels. This summer, the summer before college, is Calla’s last chance.
Violet isn’t much of a rule breaker in real life. But this isn’t real life, this is summer, and Violet is determined to make the most of it. Besides, a little sneaking out never hurt anyone. And sneaking out with James is 100% worth the risk…even though James is completely off-limits.
Daisy has never been the sister that boys notice, but when sparks fly with Joel at the first bonfire of summer, it seems so easy and right. So why is being his girlfriend so complicated?
Review:
I’m a camp girl. I went to camp for eight years as a camper and four or five more years as a counselor or staff member. I LOVE camp. And I know what goes on there. So – first thought – a book about camp? YES! YES!
My second thought when starting a book about camp (which I’ve only done a few times before), is that I hope the author gets the mood of camp right. It’s an immediate Do Not Finish for me if the author doesn’t write about camp in the right way (yes, I’m picky – but I also feel knowledgeable enough about the topic to be this way).
So I will start this review by saying Terra Elan McVoy made me MISS CAMP TERRIBLY. Which means she did it right.
There is a camp feeling that is hard to explain, but McVoy did the best of all the camp books I’ve read previously. Her characters noted that camp friends are immediate and fast, that the few weeks you are there are what you live your whole summer for, that you rarely talk to camp friends besides at camp. She got the cabin dynamics, the group sessions, the campfires all right.
On top of that, the three sisters that narrate the book (in turns) each have distinct personalities and each behave according to those personalities – meaning they don’t do things for the sake of a good story in the book. By the time I got to know the sisters, not only was I really missing camp – I really wanted to be part of their sister clan.
The title suggests some trials and tribulations, and that certainly happens while the sisters experience their summer at camp. It’s fun to not know which events will be ‘firsts’ and which will be ‘lasts’ – I wasn’t really ever able to predict an outcome before it happened.
A book about camp and sisterhood, The Summer of Firsts and Lasts will get you in the camp spirit whether you’ve been to camp before or not. You’ll be wishing you were roasting marshmallows right next to Violet, Calla, and Daisy, and wanting to hold their hands when things go badly. A great summer read!
Buy: Amazon
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Twitter: ReadingWifeJac
Yay! I really want to read this one now! I wasn’t sure at first probably because of it having 3 different POV. I’ve only ever been to camp once and that was basketball camp, haha. Great review!
I went to basketball camp once! It was awful hahahha. It was so so so hot, and that’s basically all I can remember
Twitter: LisaMParkin
For some reason, I don’t end up reading a lot of books with varying points of view, but I always enjoy them when I do. This book sounds like a lot of fun!
I only went to camp three summers during high school, but I definitely loved it and wouldn’t mind “revisiting” that time again through this book!
Great review!
Sometimes I have trouble with different points of view (I get confused) but I’m getting better lately
Or I’ve been reading books that are good at doing it.
Twitter: oodlesofbooks
Lucky you, I only got to camp once! It was fun and this book sounds like a fun one. Great review
Aw I am sad for you!! I love camp so much.
This one looks so fun! If I wind up reading it I’m going to need a lot of ice cream while I eat it. Great review!
This is a good review, and makes me even MORE excited for this book! I LOVE camp books!:) Have you read/reviewed Huge by Sasha Paley yet? Another great camp book!:)
Yes I have! The review is on my blog
I found The Summer of Firsts and Lasts to get the camp feeling better than Huge did – it makes me miss camp so much!
Thank you so MUCH for the amazing review! I am so glad you liked THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS in the special ways you did; and I’m happy I hit the mark for you, camp-wise!
Wow, thank you for taking the time to comment!!
I liked and hated some summer camps. It sounds like a good book.
I loved summer camps a great opportunity to meet people and have different perspectives. Never met anyone and fell in love but made some great friends. Will definitely look at this to reignite some old memories