Be True to Me by Adele Griffin

Jun 11, 2017 Jen Ryland added it

Be True to Me is a story of rivalry, jealousy and betrayal. I also thought it was a really beautiful piece of writing.

The story takes place in the 1970s on Fire Island, and is told in alternating first person POV by two girls who have just graduated from high school. Jean is a sophisticated New Yorker, a girl who has always felt inferior to her glamorous older sister. Fritz is a Southerner, and feels out of place in this summer community of wealthy New Yorkers. There's a history of rivalry betw Be True to Me is a story of rivalry, jealousy and betrayal. I also thought it was a really beautiful piece of writing.

The story takes place in the 1970s on Fire Island, and is told in alternating first person POV by two girls who have just graduated from high school. Jean is a sophisticated New Yorker, a girl who has always felt inferior to her glamorous older sister. Fritz is a Southerner, and feels out of place in this summer community of wealthy New Yorkers. There's a history of rivalry between the two girls, as the summer before, Fritz won a tennis trophy that Jean thought of as here (her mother and sister won it before her.) There's also a guy involved in the rivalry. Gil Burke is going out with Fritz, but Jean throws herself at him as well.

This book started out with a languorous tone and pace, but the tension and suspense rose slowly, almost imperceptibly, until the end had me furiously turning pages. Though I don't remember the 1970s, I loved the slang (jeez and crud) and cultural references (Looking for Mr. Goodbar, David Bowie, and Elton John) and the story world felt really cohesive and convincing.

At first I wasn't sure I would like the triangle-y feel of the book or the two POVs, but in the end I thought it worked really well. The book was really all about these two very different girls and their uneasy relationship. Gil was an important character, but he was also something they were competing for, just like the tennis trophy.

Finally, while I thought this was a beautiful book, it's definitely not the typical YA. In its tone and pacing, Be True to Me felt more to me like a piece of book club fiction in the vein of, say, The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls. While I might not have picked Be True to Me up if it had been published as general fiction, I wonder if it might have been more appreciated if it had been targeted to a different audience. It's just come out, so I guess we will see what the YA readership thinks.

If you like literary fiction, historical fiction or coming of age stories, and you don't mind a book with a slower pace and different tone than the typical YA, you should definitely try this.

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Jul 02, 2017 Emily rated it did not like it

Shelves: review-copies

In the summer of 1976, to teen girls fall in love with the new boy visiting their home on Fire Island. How far with they go to win his heart?

I read this book as part of a blog tour I was participating in. However, I disiked it and opted out of the review for the tour. I decided to write one now anyway. I always try not to bash books in reviews and so pair my critiques with complements. But in Be True to Me, I'm sorry to say there are very few complements I can give, and those are generally under In the summer of 1976, to teen girls fall in love with the new boy visiting their home on Fire Island. How far with they go to win his heart?

I read this book as part of a blog tour I was participating in. However, I disiked it and opted out of the review for the tour. I decided to write one now anyway. I always try not to bash books in reviews and so pair my critiques with complements. But in Be True to Me, I'm sorry to say there are very few complements I can give, and those are generally undermined by critiques. Still, I will be as fair and kind as I can as I tell you what I disliked about this book. But be forewarned that there will be many spoilers from here onward.

As you may know from the synopsis, this is the story of Jean and Fritz, two girls fighting over a boy, Gil.

Both of the girls, not Gil, were point of view characters. So my problem from the beginning was this: Which one do I cheer for? One of them had to lose, but I liked them both and didn't want to wish unhappiness on one or the other.

Next was the plot. It had the potential to be funny, hilarious even. (Bride Wars?) Or a full-on, murderous war. (Pretty Little Liars?) Either one would have made a good story. Neither happened. The girls ignored each other the whole time. Very few things acutally happened until the climax and ending. And the ending was disappointing, leaving none of the characters happy.

Next is the setting. It was the Bicentennial summer on a small-town island on the East Coast. The setting had so much promise. The small town part was portrayed realistically, except that I don't know how it would have been so SMALL TOWN when nearly all of the regular residents only lived there during the summers. It was the 70's, except that the only things showing that it was that time period instead of a more recent one was the lack of electronics (cell phones, computers, internet). And I found the Bicentennial holiday lacking. It was celebrated, but there were few indications that it was different than any other Independence Day celebration. The setting, like the plot, had potential but didn't follow through.

My last comment is on the little bit of symbolism mixed in. Kudos to the author for adding it because it gave another layer of depth to the story. It was about a pair of earrings Jean believed were hers. She took them from her sister only to find out that weren't hers at all. Her pair was forgotten. The earrings represented the boys in the story (Jean had another guy who loved her). The earring metaphor was clever and showed that Jean learned something from all of this. However, the boys were earrings? Pretty possessions to be owned and discarded at will? Itay not have been intentional, but the symbolism can be interpreted as objectifying men. Objectifying anyone is never good.

Well, I've said my piece. I welcome any comments from prople willing to discuss the book with me. Other readers - what did you like and why? I'm willing to listen and contemplate if you are.

I received a complementary copy of this book from NetGalley. I received no compensation, and all opinions are entirely my own. ...more

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Jan 22, 2017 Kelly added it

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2017

Set on Fire Island in 1976, this is a story about two girls -- Jean and Fritz -- and the new boy they're fighting over. It's a story of heat and romance, of summer, and about two girls who don't hate each other, don't tear one another down, but who are fiercely competitive, both on the tennis court and off. Griffin can write twists in her stories and this one is no exception. I'd come to accept something as the resolution and then BAM it was pulled from me (in a good way).

These are rich white k ...more

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May 13, 2017 Frankie Lovely rated it really liked it

Shelves: to-review, netgalley, 2017-release, sneak-peeks

3.5 stars
See this review and others at A Thousand Lives of Frankie Lovely
I received this sneak peek from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This review is for an excerpt of this book only. I was happy to be able to read the first few chapters of this book provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Story

This story This story takes place over the summer of ‘76 and follows the lives of two rival girls (Jean and Fritz) who spend their summers in the upper class exclusive beac ...more

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May 12, 2017 Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) rated it it was ok

Shelves: standalones, historical, arcs

So, this will be pretty short because I didn’t really love this story. I guess exclusive and ritzy island stories aren’t for me because I didn’t like We Were Liars either. I wanted a fun summer story of love and drama, but the abundance of pettiness just made the story drag for me.

Things I Liked :
This book really delivered on the summer drama and teen angst. It was over the top and very entertaining. It also helped the plot to move quickly.

Things I Didn’t Like :
All of the characters were ...more

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Jun 12, 2017 The Blonde Bookworm rated it liked it

Be True To Me is the story of two young women and a summer that will change their lives forever. There was romance, drama, fierce competition, and enough juicy gossip to keep me turning page after page. The characters were intriguing and the setting was perfect. I loved the gorgeous beach imagery mixed with days from the past.

As much as I enjoyed the setting, there were a few things that bugged me a little bit as well. I don't particularly love it when there is unnecessary female drama or compe ...more

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Jun 14, 2017 Michelle (Pink Polka Dot Books) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Summery with an edge. A book that made me miss those childhood summers of freedom and friends. It's also completely addicting and I'll be so tired now that I've stayed up all night reading.

I was so excited for this book because-- 70's, and summer, and ADELE GRIFFIN. I know Ms. Griffin doesn't make most people's lists of fave authors, but she's super high on mine. You wanna know why?? It's because her books fucking GO FOR IT. They aren't perfect, and things don't always go the way I want them to Summery with an edge. A book that made me miss those childhood summers of freedom and friends. It's also completely addicting and I'll be so tired now that I've stayed up all night reading.

I was so excited for this book because-- 70's, and summer, and ADELE GRIFFIN. I know Ms. Griffin doesn't make most people's lists of fave authors, but she's super high on mine. You wanna know why?? It's because her books fucking GO FOR IT. They aren't perfect, and things don't always go the way I want them to go. The characters are HARSH. But I love the fact that it's so completely different with a unique writing style.

It's the summer of 1976-- the bicentennial. Man, it made me wish I was alive to celebrate America's 200th year. I'll bet is was a great party. Anyway, the setting and the era was complete perfection. I loved the 70's fashions and slang. I loved the way summer came through this book so hard I could almost smell the sunshine and sunscreen.

Characters: As I started reading it, I really took Jean's side. It's about 2 girls with nothing in common except that they both spend summers in a town on Fire Island. I feel like Fritz (the other girl), is the one that most people will gravitate towards-- she's definitely more likable.... but you know me. I have to be a rebel and like the one I'm probably not supposed to. The thing is, Jean was flawed and had all the resources and advantages, but at the same time she had an inner pain that I could relate to. She goes through a big character arc, deals with heartbreak, but she's the type who will always land on her feet eventually. She's the type that I root for.

Now we get to the end. Holy smokes. The ending gives this book an edge that honestly, I think it needed. Up until then it was just about a love-triangle-- and those can get annoying. About 3/4ths of the way through things started getting INTENSE and I could not stop reading. I was up super late because I just HAD to know. Don't you love when that happens??

OVERALL: OMG YES!!! It's the perfect summer book--- plus it's the 70's!!! How many 70's YA books are there being published? It's addicting, cool, edgy, and about so much more than a love-triangle.

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May 12, 2017 PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps rated it it was ok

** I received a complementary copy of BE TRUE TO ME from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

Meh. 1.5 stars

1976 Fire Island. 2 girls, 1 boy on a collision course. Jean lives in the shadow of her older sister Daphne, who's off to Europe for the summer. Last year, her tennis rival Fitz captured the title that was supposed to be hers. On the eve of Daphne's departure, family friend Gil notices Jean, not her prettier sister. For once, Jean outshines her prettier sister. Then Fitz arrives f ...more

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May 17, 2017 Alexis (The Book Democracy) rated it did not like it

Shelves: contemporary, worst-reads

* I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review *

2.5 starts

I'm going to start by saying that this book has a two tropes I'm not okay with, which is why I rated it as I did. This first is cheating. I really hate cheating in general as a trope it's literally one of my least favorite things in books. The next is girl hate. I hate in when authors push girls against each other and make them full of hate and trash talk each other. In this circumstance it was a lack of will ...more

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May 22, 2017 Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: giveaways-read, own-owned

Liked it.
I had a bit of a time connecting with the book & some of the characters. For 1, this book takes place before my time LOL. And 2, I've never had to compete for a guy's attention & affection.
Poor Fritz. She didn't deserve that dumb shit happening to her. I shed a few tears for her. Poor baby.
And Jean, I started out kinda liking her. By the end of the book, Jean irritated the hell outta me.
All in all, a good book.
Received as a Gr giveaway. ...more

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May 18, 2017 Samantha (WLABB) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, arcs, ya, romance

Jean is determine to make this summer one of her best. She returns to Sunken Haven with a plan to win the heart of Gil, an island newcomer, and to reinvent herself. However, her plans are stymied, when Gil falls for Fritz, an island outsider. The tug of war over Gil fuels the rivalry, which meets a tragic ending.

This story takes place during the summer of 1976. I was only 4 years old, but I fondly remember the bicentennial. Griffin peppered the story with just enough references to bring me back. ...more

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May 26, 2017 Ms. Yingling rated it liked it

Lots of good 1970s details, but more of a high school book. Very slow paced compared to middle grade books. The party at the beginning of the book with the neighbors was spot on. I could practically taste the inevitable Jell-o mold that was lurking somewhere!

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Mar 03, 2018 Alisha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

[Edited on 3/8]

Reading all the negative reviews on this book, I thought I would go ahead and give a better idea about why I liked this book.

Some warnings: This book is not a romance. (view spoiler) If you are reading this in hopes of a fun light-hearted summer romance you will be disappointed.

Warning 2: All of the characters in this book are pretty unlikable. They are selfish, petty and make rash decisions. So...they are teenager ...more

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Apr 09, 2017 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult-teen

If you read one book this summer...this is the one. DYN-O-MITE!

At Reading Rants: http://www.readingrants.org/2017/04/0... ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 Online Eccentric Librarian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, arc, ya

More reviews at the Online Eccentric Librarian http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Be True To Me is YA at its best - a literary read with an historic milieu that is engaging and stays with you long after the story has finished. Characters are conflicted but very much a product of their upbringing - each making decisions and mistakes that are both heartbreaking but also poignantly teen. The writing is engaging: straightforward but evocative. And the story arc is crisp and surprisingly brisk for a slo More reviews at the Online Eccentric Librarian http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Be True To Me is YA at its best - a literary read with an historic milieu that is engaging and stays with you long after the story has finished. Characters are conflicted but very much a product of their upbringing - each making decisions and mistakes that are both heartbreaking but also poignantly teen. The writing is engaging: straightforward but evocative. And the story arc is crisp and surprisingly brisk for a slow burn type of plot.

Synopsis: In 1976, vacationers converge on the resort community of Sunken Harbor (on Fire Island, NY). A retreat for the wealthy, it is serviced by the less affluent along with the community's wealthy teens. Jean, the daughter of one of Fire Island's most upstanding families, is looking forward to a special Summer: her perfect older sister is going overseas and she can finally shine. Fritz is best friends with the daughter of one of the wealthy families and comes to Fire Island to work and enjoy the resort. Jean and Fritz's paths crossed the previous year - when Fritz took away the tennis trophy championship from Jean. And now, with the entry of the charming but mysterious Gil Burke, a different rivalry begins. One that will have tragic consequences for all.

Where this book shines is in the characters. Each is exquisitely drawn - products of their environment and how it shaped their outlook on life and situations. Protected, cosseted, wall flower Jean reveling in finally being able to come out from under her beautiful and accomplished sister's shadow. Grounded, fatalistic Fritz experiencing the Island resort as an outsider and somewhat reveling in it. Then there is Gil - also thrown into an unusual situation and with heavy stipulations due to being a 'poor relation' given a chance to live the good life. All three characters are main though only the two girls are given POVs. Even the side characters were impressively drawn.

In a story that stays true to real life, there are no idealistic heroes or situations. Gil's mistakes stem from idealism and impulsiveness, Jean's from lack of true life experiences, and Fritz's from frustration and stubborness. Author Griffin impressively translates those three perspectives into true expressions of the different aspects of being a teen. The book never hits a false note. Those worried about a love triangle need not - the choice is made clearly early on and each of the main characters has to deal with that situation in their different ways.

The story is brisk, moves nicely, and has a complete arc. The setting of 1976 makes sense but the author doesn't overdo the 'disco era' references and they do not overwhelm the story at any time.
No one is overidealized and tragic events are beautifully understated. The conclusion is logical but also surprising at the same time. It's a reminder that it's always the littlest of things that can snowball, especially through the minds of teens trying to find their way in the world. In all, highly recommended. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher. ...more

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Jun 09, 2017 Kristyn - Reading to Unwind rated it liked it

This story follows two girls during the summer where they travel to Sunken Island to stay. Jean is a girl from the upper class whose family has been on Sunken Island for years. Jean is finally spending the summer without her over bearing big sister and feels this is her summer. Fritz comes to the island to stay with a family friend every summer. Jean and Fritz have had some history with a tennis tournament last summer. Now Jean and Fritz are at it again for Gil’s attention a newcomer to Sunken I This story follows two girls during the summer where they travel to Sunken Island to stay. Jean is a girl from the upper class whose family has been on Sunken Island for years. Jean is finally spending the summer without her over bearing big sister and feels this is her summer. Fritz comes to the island to stay with a family friend every summer. Jean and Fritz have had some history with a tennis tournament last summer. Now Jean and Fritz are at it again for Gil’s attention a newcomer to Sunken Island.

Things I enjoyed in the book was how we did get multiple perspectives. The book is told alternating between Jean and Fritz so we get to look at the island from two different perspectives. Jean is brought up in a wealthy family so she has always had a lot handed to her. Fritz is from a military family so she is used to moving around and at Sunken Island she feels part of something.

The author does a great job creating the island environment as well as the hierocracy. The author explains who a lot of people are and their importance to the society in the book. I felt like the author also did a great job with all the details in the book she took her time to go back to 1976 lifestyle. The author also did a great job with how the story flowed I was easily able to follow along and figure out what was going on. I didn’t have any lingering questions by the end of the book.

Jean was an interesting character in this book. Although she did have some character flaws I felt she was never portrayed in the right light until the end. I did feel like Jean had some jealousy in her, but she did try and overcome in and was continually put back into the bad situation. Jean could look at herself and evaluate what was going on, which I feel is very challenging for a person to do. I felt like Jean did a lot of growing during the summer especially at the end of the book she matured so much you wouldn’t ever recognize her.

My major complaint was just with the story itself. We are introduced to Jean first in the book and she has her own set of issues that she is trying to overcome. As the story continues we get Fritz’s point of view. I just didn’t like how Jean was portrayed in this book at all. I felt like the author just didn’t like her and was always painting her in a negative light. I wanted a lot more from Jean and I was disappointed with how it was handled.

This book is one that could totally use a map in the front of it. When some of the action picks up I would have loved to look at a map and figure out exactly where everything was happening.

I would suggest this as a nighttime read. I was never fully engrossed in the book so I never felt like I had to keep reading. There were natural stopping points since the perspective was going back and forth so I could put the book down and come back.

I received a copy of this book from The Fantastic Flying Book Club to provide an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book. ...more

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Feb 29, 2020 Bookyworm:3 rated it liked it · review of another edition

Wow! Be True to Me was a romance taking place in 1970's. I'm not a big fan of love triangles and I was hoping that this book would change my opinion....which it didn't. Jean is a girl who finally gets to step out of her sister's shadow and gets to show everyone who she is. While in New York, she falls in love with Gil. But, when Gil arrives at Fire Island he makes a connection with Fritz. Fritz is an athletic, spunky girl who is free-spirited. She just broke up with her boyfriend and doesn't wan ...more

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May 15, 2017 Colleen's Conclusions rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, early-advanced-copy

I received this book from Netgalley as a early advanced copy. This was a really cute beach type of read! I think was like Dirty Dancing, but it was on the beach instead of a resort. It still had the same feel because the two girl characters reminded me of the sisters in the movie. I really liked the plot, and the time setting it was in. It'll be a perfect book to read while on vacation this summer. I also really love the cover, it makes me happy! ...more

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Jun 25, 2017 Sue Holmes rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, young-adult

*Review copy received from publisher
I struggled to get into this story for the first half and considered giving up. It did improve as the characters developed although their depth was overshadowed by the dramatic angst which dominates the book.
The exceptionally close parallels to We Were Lies by E. Lockhart gave the story a tired, uninspired taint which it probably doesn't merit. ...more

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Jun 27, 2017 Teresa rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2017-read

I was excited to read this book because it was set in 1976. It quickly faded into boredom. This is a love triangle with girl hate.

There are two girls who are on opposite ends of the island life. The boy comes along and plays them both against each other.

It gets two stars instead of one because she did have a few cultural references to the time period

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Jul 20, 2017 taylor rated it really liked it

{4/5}

THIS BOOK LEFT ME SHOOOOK LIKE HOLY HELL THAT ENDIIING!

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May 30, 2017 Dena (Batch of Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, mystery

Be True to Me is one of those epic love stories that you can’t get out of your head for days after finishing it. I picked it up because I LOVE the cover and it was compared to We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. In many ways, it was like We Were Liars, but it was different too.

Be True to Me is about two girls, both falling desperately in love with the same boy. It takes place in a sun-soaked island community where wealthy families gather every summer. Jean comes from one of these wealthy families, but Be True to Me is one of those epic love stories that you can’t get out of your head for days after finishing it. I picked it up because I LOVE the cover and it was compared to We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. In many ways, it was like We Were Liars, but it was different too.

Be True to Me is about two girls, both falling desperately in love with the same boy. It takes place in a sun-soaked island community where wealthy families gather every summer. Jean comes from one of these wealthy families, but she is insecure, self-conscious, and always coming in second. She’s been overshadowed by her sister, overlooked by her friends, and constantly pushed aside in favor of more interesting people. She was also bested at tennis by an army brat named Fritz.

Fritz is an outsider, but she’s generally tolerated by the wealthy families in Sunken Haven. A natural athlete, Fritz is confident, spontaneous, and used to getting what she wants. Unfortunately, she wants the same thing Jean wants—Gil.

This is a love triangle like I’ve never read before. I instantly fell into the story, enjoying summer vacation on a sunny island and falling in love for the first time, while hating the boy at the same time. Like I said before, it’s an epic love story with strong characters and an addictive quality that won’t let you put it down.

I adored the way both girls fell madly in love with Gil so quickly like he was something beautiful and wonderful and magic. The entire book holds a dark undercurrent, and you can feel something coming. You just don’t know what.
What I Didn’t Love:

My only disappointment came at the very end. I expected something more…sinister. As it was, the ending was tragic and wonderful and perfect for the story, but because my expectations were different, I felt a teensy bit of disappointment.

Content: Two or three curse words (one f-bomb), and two semi-descriptive sex scenes. While not explicit or overly detailed, they’re not fade to black, either.

Source: Thank you to the publisher for sending me this book. ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Charlie-Dee rated it did not like it

Absolutely loved the concept of the book but unfortunately just couldn’t love the book. Really not sure what it was, maybe the narrative with it being between two different people (one of which I disliked) or the overall theme of the book. Would like to try more by the author however.

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Apr 16, 2017 Ilyda rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf, arc

While I appreciate the unique twist that alternating perspectives between two love rivals offers, what I've read of this book so far didn't particularly interest me.

Jean is a compelling but confusing and unpleasant character, and despite it being told in first person, I haven't had any engagement or understanding of her actions at all. Her relationship with Gil seems like an instalove sort of thing, although things might certainly change further into the book.

Admittedly, the bulk of the story is ...more

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Jan 11, 2017 Erinn rated it it was amazing

Excellent, immersive historical fiction. I ended up dreaming about this book.

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Jun 17, 2017 Lauren rated it really liked it

Be True to Me landed on my radar as soon as I saw that Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, two of my favorite YA authors, provided such positive blurbs for it. Then I saw the comparison to E. Lockhart's We Were Liars (if you haven't read this book, you must! It's deliciously twisty!). At that point it was a done deal: I was reading Be True to Me no matter what. As it turns out, Be True to Me was the perfect slow-burning summer read. A coming-of-age tale at its heart, Be True to Me is infuriating and h Be True to Me landed on my radar as soon as I saw that Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, two of my favorite YA authors, provided such positive blurbs for it. Then I saw the comparison to E. Lockhart's We Were Liars (if you haven't read this book, you must! It's deliciously twisty!). At that point it was a done deal: I was reading Be True to Me no matter what. As it turns out, Be True to Me was the perfect slow-burning summer read. A coming-of-age tale at its heart, Be True to Me is infuriating and heartbreaking yet charming and insightful.

I had a lot of mixed emotions about Jean and Fritz. They were both brazen, bold, and relentless, not afraid to risk everything to get what they wanted and craved most. They were also careless and reckless, often putting the feelings of others behind their own. From the moment Be True to Me starts, the reader is thrown into a quickly developing rivalry between Jean and Fritz. Both want Gil with all their hearts, as they're both equally convinced that he's the one for them, the boy of their dreams. Parts of me found their actions regarding Gil slightly ridiculous and immature, really who would put everything on the line for a boy they just meet? Then I remembered what first loves are like, especially when you're young and its summer. That's when it dawned on me Jean and Fritz are perfection representations of girls hopelessly in love, giddy for the ultimate romance. It struck a cord in me. I could remember being that silly and head-over-heels for some guy I had just meet in high school, and even though I never what to such drastic lengths as Fritz and Jean did, I could relate and I'm sure many other readers can as well. In addition to Fritz and Jean, Be True to Me offers up a large cast of other characters, primarily the residents of Fire Island. I enjoyed the way Adele Griffin weaved the stories of the other characters into the plot, especially that of Tracy and her mysterious disappearance. It made the story richer and helped to establish the setting.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the setting. Adele Griffin did a great job of fleshing Fire Island out, making it and its residents come to life. I loved the descriptions of the houses with distinctive (albeit slightly ridiculous) names as well as the stores and bars the characters frequented. I often felt like I was right there. I also enjoyed the little details about 1976 that Adele threw in. It was interesting to see the climate that existed during that time. From the interest in the ballet dancer neighbor who defected from Russia to the topic of gay rights to the music of the time, Adele managed to make this time in tune with the past.

The plot of this, as hinted to above, was slow-burning, but I still managed to fly through this book within a day. The book opens up with a small snippet about one of the characters (you're not told who) lost at sea, calling out for Gil. From that moment onward, I was obsessed with knowing which character it was (Jean or Fritz) and what had happened. The majority of conflict in this novel stems from the rivalry between Jean and Fritz, and while it was infuriating at times, I could still find the story relatable, and I was on the edge of my seat, dying to know who would get Gil, and more importantly, if he'd really be worth it in the end. The ending of this novel, though, blew me away! I didn't see it coming; however, I don't think it could have been more perfect, even if it did break my heart. It was cruel, yet it managed to bring about an important message: no matter how amazing a person may be, don't let them get in the way of being the best person you can be.

Surprising, chilling, and romantic, Be True to Me is a book that I highly recommend, perfect, as the synopsis suggest, for fans of We Were Liars.

Grade: B+ ...more

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Jul 17, 2017 Sara (A Gingerly Review) rated it did not like it

Shelves: audio-book-2017, 2017

BORING.

DULL.

Uneventful.

Forgettable characters, bad dialogue, and a ho-hum plot that felt like an afterthought. Do yourself a favor, skip this book.

---------------

Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...

You want the truth about this book? BORING. Snoozefest. This book was dull as dull can get.

Short recap: Two girls fight over the same guy during the summer of 1976.

Pretty direct and two the point, no? That’s about all you need to know when it comes to this book. Do n ...more

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Aug 04, 2017 Heather A rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-books, netgalley, historical, ya-contemporary, read-in-2017

I received a copy from Netgalley.

I actually had a request wish granted for this one. An enjoyable read, though very meandering and almost no plot until right before the end.

The novel tells the story of two different girls on an exclusive island during the summer of 1976 and the boy they both want the attention of. I don’t quite get why it had to be set in 1976, the setting didn’t really do anything for the story. The setting didn’t really make much difference, the plot could have easily worked I received a copy from Netgalley.

I actually had a request wish granted for this one. An enjoyable read, though very meandering and almost no plot until right before the end.

The novel tells the story of two different girls on an exclusive island during the summer of 1976 and the boy they both want the attention of. I don’t quite get why it had to be set in 1976, the setting didn’t really do anything for the story. The setting didn’t really make much difference, the plot could have easily worked as a modern day summer story.

Jean has been living in the shadow of her prettier, popular, older sister Daphne for her whole life. Only this summer Daphne is off to Europe, so Jean can have some fun without having to be compared to Daphne. She’s really looking forward to it. Jean comes from a very well to do family who are summering on the exclusive Fire Island. She has a couple of best friends and meets a good looking boy, Gil, the nephew of one of her parents’ snooty friends. Gil’s friendly and easy going. They share a night out in New York before heading to Fire Island for the summer, but it’s enough for Jean to be head over heels for him. It’s kind of insta-lovey and she’s obsessed pretty quick.

Jean was nice enough, if a little dim. She’s sheltered, spoiled and very naïve. Whether it’s a rich people thing or whether the drinking laws in 1976 were less strict, I don’t know, but there were lots of parties and everyone was drinking, even the teens. (Might be a rich people world thing, I vaguely remember something along the same lines in the modern day Gossip Girl series of the parents not caring too much if their teens drank at social functions).

Jean has a habit of shooting her mouth off and speaking no inhibition regardless of hurting anyone when she drinks. She does this quite a bit. She can also be very selfish, but I don’t think she realises this. This shows more towards the end, when she does something that appears on the surface to just be her wanting the cute boy for herself, but if she hadn’t done it, then an outcome that was tragic might have been different.

Fritz was the more outgoing, can’t remember her background, but she came from a family of lesser standing, army kid I think. There were definitely some class issues when Fritz got friendly with Gil and was given a cold reception by his family simply because she wasn’t from a family as well to do as theirs. Fritz joins her best friend for the summer on Fire Island, and hits it off with Gil too. Fritz had a lot more personality than Jean did. She was friendlier and more outgoing.

The novel is told in alternating points of view from Jean and Fritz as they both try to get Gil’s attention. I can’t say I liked Gil much at all. While he comes across all polite and friendly, charming and good looking with a great potential future, he was clearly playing these two girls against each other. Telling one something different to the other one. He gets them both pretty obsessed with him, even though he does eventually choose one over the other, the other can’t let go. There’s very little interaction with the two girls together, there’s hints that could be a rivalry but it’s not really explored.

It’s very slow and meandering. And as I mentioned earlier the plot is almost non-existent. Until the end when things take a rather surprising turn. Didn’t see it coming at all. I did think it was well written, and while I can’t see the point of the 1976 setting, the actual place the girls were summering in was lovely. The setting was well described, the characters were all well fleshed out. Despite being rather slow at points, I did enjoy the novel. Don’t know if this is something I would read again, but I would definitely read something else by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for granting my wish to read the title.
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May 27, 2017 Vina Le rated it it was ok

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The feel when you want to like a book because the set up sounds interesting...and then the main character drives you to rip out your hair.

Jean lacked self esteem to the point where she was the most self absorbed/selfish character I've ever experienced. She's that friend that falls instantly in love, analyzes every little thing the guy does, and then throws a fit when he doesn't call her because she's psychotic. So what is your s I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The feel when you want to like a book because the set up sounds interesting...and then the main character drives you to rip out your hair.

Jean lacked self esteem to the point where she was the most self absorbed/selfish character I've ever experienced. She's that friend that falls instantly in love, analyzes every little thing the guy does, and then throws a fit when he doesn't call her because she's psychotic. So what is your solution to the problem? She sleeps with him to keep him with her all the while talking about how she knowingly manipulates another boy that's in love with her through sexual interaction too. Jean is what Regina from Mean Girls was meant to be a caricature of.

Fritz on the other hand is daisies and sunshine, getting over heartbreak and trying to fit in with a crowd that simply wont have her. She's confident in herself and knows who she is but there's just something about her that seems to be missing.

Gil, don't even get me started there. He's a social climbing ambitious young man who was willing to reject his family for a place in high society. He's what our two girls are fighting over and while you see his conflict, he doesn't do much to mitigate it.

The premise of the book in general is based in the 70s, and while I do understand that it's the 70s this crowd drive me insane. I think we'll housewives of Martha's Vineyard hanging out all summer trying to get along. They're wealthy they try to convince themselves through "volunteer" work to make themselves seem like normal people. All the while carrying things down to build a helicopter pad so that they could be a bit more comfortable in their lifestyle. They allow other teenagers to run around getting drunk all summer long on the beach with each other doing God knows what the parents are notorious for partying just as much as the kids.

Overall the writing style was easy to read but the characters in general and the setting drove me nuts. Especially for current events, knowing we're currently dealing with the rampant over overprivileged young crowd that's simply out of touch with the world. ...more

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Jul 31, 2017 Shannon Holcomb rated it it was ok

Shelves: ya-contemporary, young-adult, 2017

I'm so sad to say this, but I really did not like this book. It was so disappointing to me.

I was immediately sold when I heard that this book took place in 1976. I thought it was be really cool to experience a contemporary in a different decade, especially the 70's. Unfortunately, had I not known beforehand, I wouldn't have even been able to tell the time setting was 1975 until about halfway through the book.

Where my disliking for this book really spans is that the characters were so incredible I'm so sad to say this, but I really did not like this book. It was so disappointing to me.

I was immediately sold when I heard that this book took place in 1976. I thought it was be really cool to experience a contemporary in a different decade, especially the 70's. Unfortunately, had I not known beforehand, I wouldn't have even been able to tell the time setting was 1975 until about halfway through the book.

Where my disliking for this book really spans is that the characters were so incredible unlikeable. Most of them were actually downright hate-able, and I'm not sure whether or not that was the author's intention. Jean was a catty, selfish, spoiled brat who cared about no one but herself and her obsession for Gil. She had absolutely no character development, and even after that whirlwind of an ending she didn't change her ways, which was baffling to me. Gil was dense and shallow, and I never ever saw the appeal of him. Fritz was the only okay character, though I was still bothered by her sometimes catty attitude. Also this story was not one, but two extreme cases of instalove. Jean was in love with Gil after only spending THREE HOURS with him. It was so unnecessary.

The whole plot was basically these two girls pining after and obsessing over this average boy and hating each other. Though I will say Fritz usually wouldn't talk down on Jean and didn't really have that much of a problem with her, and that's what made her somewhat redeemable to me. Jean ruined the story for me. Every time we read her perspective I wanted to choke her. I really thought she would blossom and grow and realize that there's more to life than just a boy who doesn't give her the time of day, but nah.

The reason this book is getting two stars is because it was fast-paced and sort of an easy read, and the ending was written fantastically. I didn't mind the writing style or the pacing, I just couldn't get with the plot and characters. Truthfully I would have DNF'd it but I heard the ending was wild and accidentally read a spoiler and wanted to find out how things went donw. ...more

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