The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

Sisters, April, May and June are dealing with their parents divorce. They move to a new town with their mom and think everything is falling apart until they discover they have special powers. April can see the future, May can disappear, and June can read people's thoughts. I liked how close the sisters were and when I read their names I kept thinking of the months. They have their own personality but together they are amazing. Some things were predictable, like them using their powers for their own good. May not dealing with things and just disappearing or June using her powers to be popular. ( )

April, May and June are three sisters whose parents are in the middle of a divorce. Their mom uproots them and moves them to a new town, where they have to navigate the highs and lows of high school. When they recover special powers they had and lost as children, the three girls realize that while they can use the powers to their advantage when dealing with the woes of high school, the powers might serve a greater purpose, too.

Benway is a strong writer with a sharp wit and good technical skill. She excels especially when dealing with character dialogue. It was present in her debut, Audrey, Wait! and it's present here, in her sophomore effort. She is able to create teenagers that are real, flawed, and often genuinely funny.

What is also notable about this story is the way that Benway explores the bonds of sisterhood. Exploring the complex relationships of siblings is a rarity in YA, but Benway dives right into the concept and gets her hands dirty. Sibling relationships are a messy web of love and hate and jealousy and fierce protectiveness, and Benway hits on all of these points with poignancy and heart.

The novel is told through the three very different perspectives of the sisters. Each girl has a unique voice and view of the world around her, and each sister's corresponding special power is supposed add dimension to her personality and character. But the special powers are where the weakness in the book begin to show itself, because something about it just simply didn't work.

Although the girls have special powers, very little time is given to exploring what that means. If the powers are supposed to serve as a mystery, it's a failure. There is no mystery surrounding the powers, and the result is a bit of a disappointment. In fact, the story is stronger when the powers are being largely ignored. Benway is much more skilled at exploring interpersonal relationships than she is at the mystical forces behind the sisters.

In this reader's opinion, the book would be stronger without the mystic elements. The relationship between April, May, and June is compelling enough without the added magical elements. Benway's writing is strong enough to stand alone, without the help of flashy but ultimately empty bells and whistles. ( )

Sisters April, May and June thought their parent's divorce, and the move to a new town and a new school had turned their lives upside down...but all those changes are nothing to what happens when they realize they have psychic powers! April can see the future, May can disappear, and June can read people's thoughts. As if high school wasn't confusing enough already!


I've been looking forward to this book ever since 'Audrey, Wait!', and I'm glad to see it didn't disappoint. It has that same fun, gossipy tone, and true to life teenage feel as 'Audrey' did, and some how the inclusion of psychic powers doesn't make the book and less realistic. Benway also got the dynamic between sisters down so well I was surprised to read in an interview she is an only child.

Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Robin Benway. I'll definitely be waiting for her next book agan. ( )

Sisters April, May and June thought their parent's divorce, and the move to a new town and a new school had turned their lives upside down...but all those changes are nothing to what happens when they realize they have psychic powers! April can see the future, May can disappear, and June can read people's thoughts. As if high school wasn't confusing enough already!


I've been looking forward to this book ever since 'Audrey, Wait!', and I'm glad to see it didn't disappoint. It has that same fun, gossipy tone, and true to life teenage feel as 'Audrey' did, and some how the inclusion of psychic powers doesn't make the book and less realistic. Benway also got the dynamic between sisters down so well I was surprised to read in an interview she is an only child.

Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Robin Benway. I'll definitely be waiting for her next book agan. ( )

I loved this book. Even more than I liked Audrey, Wait!, Benway's first big hit. I had just finished watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and was in desperate need for a fix of lovable sisters, and April, May, and June filled that hole right in. I loved the authentic dynamic between the three siblings, and while I really wished their powers had been more fleshed out, I thought they were remarkably well-developed, interesting characters. Each sister had her own persona, and the three of them fit together wonderfully. Some of the book was kind of predictable, but that definitely didn't ruin the fun--it actually seemed to add to it, knowing what was going to happen but waiting to see how the sisters would react. The dialogue was snappy and so real! I loved this book so much.

Rating: 4.5/5 ( )