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Not Our Summer
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Five trips, two cousins, one family feud, and a summer that will change their lives forever.
It's bad enough that estranged cousins Becka and KJ see each other at their grandfather's funeral, but when he leaves them a bucket list of places to visit together over the summer, so they can earn their inheritance, it seems like things are about to get much worse.
However, with ...more
It's bad enough that estranged cousins Becka and KJ see each other at their grandfather's funeral, but when he leaves them a bucket list of places to visit together over the summer, so they can earn their inheritance, it seems like things are about to get much worse.
However, with ...more
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I adore this book! Both characters hooked me in different ways, right off the bat. Plus... road trip! It's a light-hearted adventure, with the perfect amount of depth in the enemies-to-family storyline. Feel-good and fun story that will leave you craving a vacation!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Running Press Kids for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'Not Our Summer' is a novel with a premise I've never really seen done in books, only movies or TV shows. Becka and KJ are estranged cousins - their mothers are sisters who fell apart following an incident with Becka's father. As a result, the cousins don't get along much either. That is, until their grandfather passes away, leaving an inheritance with a catch: the girls have to go on a series ...more
'Not Our Summer' is a novel with a premise I've never really seen done in books, only movies or TV shows. Becka and KJ are estranged cousins - their mothers are sisters who fell apart following an incident with Becka's father. As a result, the cousins don't get along much either. That is, until their grandfather passes away, leaving an inheritance with a catch: the girls have to go on a series ...more
Giveaway Win! But I enter so many that I dont know where I won it from.
2.5 Stars
This book was fine. There was nothing special about it, but not all books need to be special. Not Our Summer is quick, beachy summery read. It was super predictable. It was obvious from chapter one why the cousins mother's hate each other. I also saw the "twist" coming immediately but that's fine. If you just want a quick roadtrip read than Not Our Summer maybe worth picking up.
The reason I gave this book 2.5 Stars ...more
2.5 Stars
This book was fine. There was nothing special about it, but not all books need to be special. Not Our Summer is quick, beachy summery read. It was super predictable. It was obvious from chapter one why the cousins mother's hate each other. I also saw the "twist" coming immediately but that's fine. If you just want a quick roadtrip read than Not Our Summer maybe worth picking up.
The reason I gave this book 2.5 Stars ...more
Not Our Summer by Casie Bazay is a contemporary YA mystery thriller I guess? Becka and KJ, two cousins which are quite good and well developed characters. They go on 5 trips and a family feud which changes their summer completely. The story is quite fast forward and I enjoyed reading it. However, I wasn't much invested into the plot.
However, with each trip the cousins complete -- like riding mules into the Grand Canyon or encountering a bear and a hot tour guide at Yellowstone -- they steadily l ...more
However, with each trip the cousins complete -- like riding mules into the Grand Canyon or encountering a bear and a hot tour guide at Yellowstone -- they steadily l ...more
This book made me want to go on an adventure! See the Grand Canyon, go white water rafting, scuba dive, it all sounded like so much fun. K.J. and Becka get a chance to do these things and more when their grandpa abruptly dies and leaves them a large sum of money with once catch: they have to travel together to places Eli wished he could have gone. The girls don't get along and aren't sure if they'll survive a summer of trips, but they decide to try anyway.
I would love a chance to go on trips li ...more
I would love a chance to go on trips li ...more
A sweet, fast-paced story about family and forgiveness, NOS follows 2 cousins in the grips of a family feud, now asked to fulfill their grandfather's dying wishes: to complete a short bucket list of adventure-based activities meant to build a bond between the girls. The scenes are quick, reading much like a series of snapshots, as the girls grow to respect and eventually like each other. Though the story touches on grief and loss, class differences, and the forging of identity outside the initia
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In Casie Bazay’s engaging new YA novel Not Our Summer, two likeable teens endeavor to complete an adventure neither of them wanted, determined to be themselves while trying to figure out each other. Perfectly paced, the story is terrific and pays off with a satisfying conclusion. Well done!
There’s nothing more dramatic than a death and a family feud. NOT OUR SUMMER, an engaging young adult story about a pair of high school cousins who do NOT get along, begins with both. Read during lockdown at my home in the UK, I didn’t realise how much I craved a road trip until the novel took me on one. Casie Bazay writes with clear, ungarnished prose that makes it easy to turn the pages. NOT OUR SUMMER is like hot chocolate in front of the campfire, a comforting treat you wish could go on fore
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This book was just what I needed right now!
KJ and Becka are forced to experience five tasks in order to receive the inheritance left for them by their grandfather Eli. Their mother's have hated each other for as long as they can remember and because of that KJ and Becka have always seen each other as the enemy. The intention of completing these tasks is Eli's way of bringing them together. His hope is that even if their mother's never get along again that at least the two girls can build a relat ...more
KJ and Becka are forced to experience five tasks in order to receive the inheritance left for them by their grandfather Eli. Their mother's have hated each other for as long as they can remember and because of that KJ and Becka have always seen each other as the enemy. The intention of completing these tasks is Eli's way of bringing them together. His hope is that even if their mother's never get along again that at least the two girls can build a relat ...more
I got this eARC from Netgalley in exhange for a honesy review
2.5 stars.
The cover is so beautiful. I had so much hopes that i`d really like the characters and the story, but i was just not interested or invested, sadly. ...more
2.5 stars.
The cover is so beautiful. I had so much hopes that i`d really like the characters and the story, but i was just not interested or invested, sadly. ...more
This is a lovely book about strained familial relationships, the secrets we keep, and moving out of comfort zones. Casie Bazay presents us with Becka and KJ, estranged cousins due to an enduring animosity between their mothers. They are nothing alike but this odd couple is sent on a life-changing journey thanks to instructions in their late grandfather's will. An agoraphobic entomologist, Eli's wish is that his granddaughter's would be able to form the relationship his daughters haven't had in y
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Becka and K.J. didn’t really know each other due to the “family feud”, but their grandfather had a plan that would hopefully reunite them. Unbeknownst to the family, Grandpa Eli left them an inheritance, however, there was a catch. Becka and K.J. had to take the bucket list trips he planned, but was unable to complete due to his agoraphobia. The question – would Eli’s plan work or would it drive them further apart?
I had a great time taking this journey with Becka and K.J. I can’t say it wasn’t w ...more
I had a great time taking this journey with Becka and K.J. I can’t say it wasn’t w ...more
A review for Net Galley. This was such a cute story! What caught my interest to read this is because it mentioned they would be hiking through Yellowstone where I have been many times.
We follow two young senior high school girls Becca and K.J. whom are cousins. When their grandpa passes away both girls and their mothers are sent to the attorney to see what they received from the will. Neither the girls nor the mothers have ever been very close.
Becca and K.J. are given a list of things from the ...more
We follow two young senior high school girls Becca and K.J. whom are cousins. When their grandpa passes away both girls and their mothers are sent to the attorney to see what they received from the will. Neither the girls nor the mothers have ever been very close.
Becca and K.J. are given a list of things from the ...more
This was such a fun book with a really sweet (but not sappy or sentimental!) core. I loved that this was a cousins story, which set it apart from other "friends" road trip or "bucket list" stories I've read. Both K.J. and Becka were believable and each had a unique voice that gave a lot of flavor to their respective chapters. The different adventures they have together were exciting to read about, and I loved how each one changed their relationship. The change in their feelings toward one anothe
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I very much enjoyed this novel. It follows two teenage girls as they carry out tasks their grandfather has planned for them. I found the teenage angst and sass to be genuine and believable.
There was a big thing I didn’t understand. The mothers of the story hate each other, for reasons you find out later in the story. But, why would speak so poorly of your niece that by the time she and your own daughter are teenaged, they hate each other? It’s obvious that both mothers do this. That’s a family ...more
There was a big thing I didn’t understand. The mothers of the story hate each other, for reasons you find out later in the story. But, why would speak so poorly of your niece that by the time she and your own daughter are teenaged, they hate each other? It’s obvious that both mothers do this. That’s a family ...more
Casie Bazay’s NOT OUR SUMMER ticks so many boxes for me. I love voicey novels, and Becka’s and K.J.’s voices sing. I’m a sucker for road trip stories – check, again. And I’m a big fan of National Parks, so the scenes in places like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are just icing on the cake. Told in alternating points of view, including letters from the girls’ recently deceased grandfather, NOT OUR SUMMER brought tears to my eyes as Becka and K.J. are reminded, again and again, of the importance
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Thank you to Perseus Books and Running Press for letting me read an eARC on Net Galley! This story was sweet and wholesome and gave me a little sense of adventure. Especially being stuck in the house with what's going on in the world today it was nice to be able to go along with Becka and KJ as they try and complete their grandfather's bucket list. I loved the dynamic of having both girls perspectives at times but also their grandfathers as well. It really brought the story full circle. I highly
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A wonderful, heart-felt read that will transport you to the days we could travel and experience adventure outside our own home, to the days we could hug our loved-ones. If you're in need of an escape, I highly recommend completing this bucket list adventure with K.J and Becka.
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This book follows 18-year-old cousins KJ and Becka, who hate each other due to a family feud. But when their grandpa dies and leaves them a crap ton of money on the condition that they complete his bucket list together, they learn that maybe they can get along after all — and that their family might have lied to them about the REAL reason the feud started ...
As much as I love a good romance, there’s a lack of YA that focuses on non-romantic relationships, so if you’re looking for one of those th ...more
As much as I love a good romance, there’s a lack of YA that focuses on non-romantic relationships, so if you’re looking for one of those th ...more
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Not Our Summer in exchange for an honest review.
Not Our Summer is not expectation defying. It's 2 girls completing a bucketlist and travelling from enemies to frenemies. It's cute and campy and a fun quick read. I just wish we got a little more development into either girl's mother considering their the whole reason for the feud in the first place or even more flashback scenes between the girls and the people they've lost in their life. There wer ...more
Not Our Summer is not expectation defying. It's 2 girls completing a bucketlist and travelling from enemies to frenemies. It's cute and campy and a fun quick read. I just wish we got a little more development into either girl's mother considering their the whole reason for the feud in the first place or even more flashback scenes between the girls and the people they've lost in their life. There wer ...more
*𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
I enjoyed this book! Casie Bazay did an great job with the writing of this novel. For the most part, I didn't find myself becoming bored of the plot or the characters, and I was always excited to see what came next. It was easily cliché, but I didn't mind reading on because the book is worth it.
I liked Becka’s and KJ’s character development because they both learned from each other and that allowed them to grow. Eli’ ...more
I enjoyed this book! Casie Bazay did an great job with the writing of this novel. For the most part, I didn't find myself becoming bored of the plot or the characters, and I was always excited to see what came next. It was easily cliché, but I didn't mind reading on because the book is worth it.
I liked Becka’s and KJ’s character development because they both learned from each other and that allowed them to grow. Eli’ ...more
welp
why didn't I read this book until now
like whaattttt soooo underrated and such a hidden gem
I've been wanting to read this for a while and Casie Bazay did a really good job with this book.
I found myself enjoying the characters and this was literally adorable
and come on, what get's better than a ROAD TRIP and family drama haha.
ANYWAYS I really enjoyed this and it was a very nice and refreshing read :) (ROMANCE WAS NOT A FOCUS!! ROMANCELESS!!!)
(sorry I read this without you m...👉👈 :p) ...more
why didn't I read this book until now
like whaattttt soooo underrated and such a hidden gem
I've been wanting to read this for a while and Casie Bazay did a really good job with this book.
I found myself enjoying the characters and this was literally adorable
and come on, what get's better than a ROAD TRIP and family drama haha.
ANYWAYS I really enjoyed this and it was a very nice and refreshing read :) (ROMANCE WAS NOT A FOCUS!! ROMANCELESS!!!)
(sorry I read this without you m...👉👈 :p) ...more
Two teenage cousins, virtual strangers to one another, are thrown together in a summer saga. The bitter feelings between the girls’ mothers are clear but unexplained. K.J. lives in a run-down trailer in a mobile home park, raised by a single mother in a dead-end job; her sarcastic and trashy attitude masks a feeling of hopelessness. Becka, a successful, college-bound soccer star, seems to have everything going for her. When their grandfather dies, the girls and their mothers are brought together
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Not Our Summer follows K.J. and Becka, two cousins, as they face a series of challenges. When their grandfather died, he left them a sizable inheritance on the condition that they take a series of family vacations. Although this could seem to be a simple task, K.J. and Becka are bitter enemies due to unresolved family issues. They gradually come to understand each other over the course of the journey, all while enjoying the time of their lives.
Not Our Summer does not defy expectations. It's abou ...more
Not Our Summer does not defy expectations. It's abou ...more
This book was truly a pleasant surprise. I went in blind, and my hopes weren't the highest based off of the cover, but I really liked this. It was a super quick read, but it was wholesome.
Not Our Summer follows two cousins, K.J. and Becka on a series of challenges. After their grandfather passed away, he left them a large inheritance on one condition; that they go on a series of vacations together. While this may sound easy, K.J. and Becka hate each other, due to unresolved family drama. Over t ...more
Not Our Summer follows two cousins, K.J. and Becka on a series of challenges. After their grandfather passed away, he left them a large inheritance on one condition; that they go on a series of vacations together. While this may sound easy, K.J. and Becka hate each other, due to unresolved family drama. Over t ...more
I LOVED THIS BOOK. I rarely read contemporary YA stories, but I was intrigued by the premise (two cousins who hate each other, trying to finish their grandfather's bucket list in order to earn their inheritance - so original!). I found myself completely hooked from the first page ("grasshopper-green death box" had me literally CACKLING out loud!) and I swallowed this entire thing in one great gulp. FANTASTIC voice, compelling characters, smooth pace - and a really interesting family dynamic. Thi
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Thank you to Netgalley for the arc
I read so much fantasy that these light-hearted books are such a relief. Now I know this deal with death and family disputes but no one kills each other. Right? I devoured this book in two days because I just couldn't get enough of K.J. and Becka. They are such good characters, and I had a good time with them.
At the start of the book, KJ was definitely my favorite, but I slowly started to warm up to Becka. I eventually understood why she was the way she was, an ...more
I read so much fantasy that these light-hearted books are such a relief. Now I know this deal with death and family disputes but no one kills each other. Right? I devoured this book in two days because I just couldn't get enough of K.J. and Becka. They are such good characters, and I had a good time with them.
At the start of the book, KJ was definitely my favorite, but I slowly started to warm up to Becka. I eventually understood why she was the way she was, an ...more
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley
I can honestly say I enjoyed this book. Becka and KJ's fighting annoyed me at some points because it would seem like they were making progress but then they wouldn't be talking all of a sudden. I got over it though because I read the book in three days meaning it must have been good. The major plot twist in the middle of the book definitely surprised me but not in a bad way. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fast ...more
I can honestly say I enjoyed this book. Becka and KJ's fighting annoyed me at some points because it would seem like they were making progress but then they wouldn't be talking all of a sudden. I got over it though because I read the book in three days meaning it must have been good. The major plot twist in the middle of the book definitely surprised me but not in a bad way. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fast ...more
NOT OUR SUMMER immediately pulled me in from the first pages. KJ and Becka are well developed characters with distinct, compelling voices. I found myself rooting for both of them and hoping they would mend their estranged relationship. Their feud felt very realistic. I've never read a book about cousins and NOT OUR SUMMER was a refreshing read. Especially now when travel is limited, I also loved reading about the various adventures the girls took as part of their grandfather's bucket list. This
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This book tells the story of the two estranged cousins who must work together on a road trip in order to fulfill their late grandfather's dying wish of reuniting them and to gain their inheritance. This was such a fun and engaging summer read! I'm always a sucker for contemporary YA told in dual POVs, and Bazay is masterful at capturing the unique voices of both of her female protagonists, KJ and Becka. The pace is quick, and I was fully immersed in the story. I can't wait to read more of Casie
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YA and Wine: Not Our Summer - ARC | 14 | 13 | Mar 22, 2021 08:40AM | |
| YA Buddy Readers'...: Not Our Summer by Casie Bazay --> Starting January 10th, 2020 | 1 | 13 | Dec 16, 2020 09:07AM |
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Casie Bazay is a former middle school teacher turned full time writer/editor. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the great outdoors, spending time at the barn with her horses and goats, reading, and watching movies (especially young adult novel adaptations). She lives on a hay farm in northeastern Oklahoma with her husband and two children but loves traveling to new and exciting destinations
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