Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

"Summer on the New Jersey shore offers Quinn a new start at life and love, but only if she can come to terms with her past"--

August and Everything After

One last summer to escape, to find herself, to figure out what comes next. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han will love this contemporary, coming-of-age romance. Graduation was supposed to be a relief. Except Quinn can't avoid the rumors that plagued her throughout high school or the barrage of well-intentioned questions about her college plans. How is she supposed to know what she wants to do for the next four years, let alone the rest of her life? And why does no one understand that it's hard for her to think about the future—or feel as if she even deserves one—when her best friend is dead? Spending the summer with her aunt on the Jersey shore may just be the fresh start Quinn so desperately needs. And when she meets Malcolm, a musician with his own haunted past, she starts to believe in second chances. Can Quinn find love while finding herself?

Sofie

Ah, instant love. I thought YA had moved on from it, but I guess not.

Megan Leprich

I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for my honest review. I'm a huge fan of Sarah Dessen so I was intrigued by this book when it was compared to her novels. It was a great fast young adult read that I did enjoy. The ending kinda threw me for a loop but I liked the writer's style and how she interpreted each character.

Quinn just graduated from high school and is spending the summer at her aunt's house at the Jersey Shore while she figures out her next step in life. While working in a bar she meets musician Malcolm Trent who, like her, is trying to get over a tragedy that they feel guilty for. After she joins his band as a drummer Quinn finds herself falling in love fast and must make a hard decision about where she goes next.

This was a good read and I really liked all the characters. Like I said I really was not expecting the ending but still a great book.

Belle Ellrich

*I WAS SENT AN E-ARC IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

From the author of How My Summer Went Up in Flames comes an amazingly written contemporary about a girl with a bad past.

Quinn Gallo is a newly graduated girl who is struggling to find her "life plan" like her mom wants. For the summer, she's staying with her aunt and working two jobs in the town. While working for her job at a bar, the singer that is performing that night—Malcolm Trent—approaches her.

You have pretty eyes, Quinn. You shouldn't hide them behind ugly glasses.
This quote is actually pretty relatable for me. I've gotten this comment before, even though I absolutely love my glasses and wouldn't trade them for any other pairs. Quinn and I actually share a few things. Like her, I also have cat-like eyes that multiple people have pointed out to me.

All in all, this story has become a new favorite. The characters were well developed and relatable, the plot was well understood and liked, and the tension was perfect. For that, this book has earned its rating of 5/5 stars.

August and Everything After

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