Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss?
Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive....
Not your typical beach read.
Review: Back in January, I wrote a post called S-E-X And YA. Many things happened after I published that post, but the one thing I will never forget is getting to know Hannah Moskowitz. *grin* Hannah's cover for Invincible Summer was used as an example of how some YA readers (of all ages) might steer clear from books with sexual content just because they contain it. I stand by a person's choice to not read these books. I don't stand by parents telling their teens that books like these aren't worth their time.
Folks, this book is worth your time, even if you dislike sexual content in YA.
No, this book isn't about sex, but it does feature a male protagonist who has sex (you know, like some teen boys do in real life...). Chase does not have sex in every page, or is constantly seeking girls out. There's this one girl, though. He's not sure if she really likes him, or if she's just passing time. He's confused. He worries about his family, especially his little brother Gideon, who's deaf and communicates through ASL (American Sign Language). He recites quotes from (the uber-awesome) Albert Camus, existentialist extraordinaire.
I think he might teach some teens more about love, hope, and identity than their parents ever will. Why? Because he's so honest. And raw. Unabashed. So is Hannah's writing. Everything clicked for me, even when it didn't click for Chase.
So yeah. I loved Chase.
I loved this book.
Make sure you go pick up a copy when Invincible Summer comes out April 19th!
Great review. I definitely want to read this one!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like my kind of book- I love real teen boy Protags...and books that portray what teens are REALLY like, not just what their parents wish they were like. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI think if y/a is for older teens a bit of sex in a book in realistic. What teen isn't thinking about it or doing it for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI was recently booted out of the ABNA competition because my y/a novel had a scene that was a bit more suggestive. For this edgy y/a contemporary it was needed. The seventeen-year-old mc needed an escape from his alcoholic abusive father. And finding comfort in his sexual prowess was the only way he knew how... until later.
Yay. Great review. I can't wait to read Invincible Summer. I love raw, unabashed writing.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds great! Like my cuz Kee Kee, I love male protagonists. Will definitely check this one out. :)
ReplyDeleteHaven't read a YA book with sexual content yet. I'm behind the times, I know. :) However, from your review, I can tell that's not what the book's about, and sex is a fact of life for many teens.
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