Review: Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

April 19, 2011

Simon and Schuster

Received for review from Fine Print Literary

From Goodreads:
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....

My Review:
So this isn't going to be my usual review. This book was nothing like what I usually read so I am not going to use my "formula" that I usually go by in my reviews. Invincible Summer is not a romance book at all. Yet I LOVED it. It was nice to read something that is so completely new and unique. There isn't any mushy romance in the book. It is all about family, loss, and sticking together even when times get tough. It is raw and real and just the kind of story that I wouldn't think to read. I am SO glad I gave it a try because it completely blew me away. Moskowitz sure knows how to write an engaging story.

I don't usually like books that are solely from a boy's point of view. It feels like I can never get into the story or really understand what is going on in their heads. I thought I would never be able to get really into a book that is told by a boy, but Moskowitz proved me wrong. I actually got Chase and I could understand what he was going through. I can feel his confusion, frustration, and love for his family. I felt his pain when his family went through tough times and I felt his frustration about girls. He feels like he will always be "Everboy" Chase and will never grow into himself. He rushes into sex because he wants to get it over with and not be stuck a virgin.

During each summer, Chase experiences many harsh things. While he deals with the horrible realities of his life, I could see him growing little by little. Chase does not go through an easy journey in Invincible Summer. There are many rough patches and holes in the road for him. He makes mistakes and learns from them. He grows closer to his family and struggles with the conflicts going on between his parents. Invincible Summer tackles many serious issues in life and deals with them in ways that make sense. There is one horrible thing that happens towards the end that had me bawling. I was so upset at what happened but I still love the story. It is that good.

Invincible Summer got me to venture out of my comfort zone and I am glad I took the risk. It is an AMAZING novel that deals with all the harsh realities of life. I laughed and I cried right along with all of the characters. Moskowitz is an extremely talented writer and I will definitely read her work in the future!

My Rating: