Cecilia Vinesse

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher from BEA 2016. All opinions are my own.*

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First, I have to say, that I was a little wary going into this, as I’m not a huge fan of young adult romances that are only romances — I think they either become vapid or too melodramatic, and I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case with this one. Luckily, it very much wasn’t, and I give Vinesse all the credit in the world for writing an incredibly grounded, show more realistic portrayal of a relationship that might happen at that stage of someone’s life.

The balance between Sophia dealing with her departure from Tokyo and also exploring her new relationship is beautiful. It’s nice to see that both of these situations are fully dealt with within the book — Sophia’s anger at leaving, confusion, and fear for what is to come next, and then her happiness for finding this new connection with Jamie, and the fear of what’s to come if she falls too far in. I think, in a way, most relationships start out with that fear, even without the imminent threat of what would very much be a long-distance relationship, so I think that feeling is incredibly relatable. Where is this going? Can we be feeling this so quickly? What if I really love this person, but it doesn’t work out? Even within the span of seven days, Jamie and Sophia don’t seem to fall for each other too quickly, although it helps that they knew each other before that week.

Mostly, though, this book is about self-discovery and self-awareness. In departing from the country she’s lived in most of her life, Sophia is able to take a closer look at her relationships and how she’s being treated by her friends and family. It’s a lovely coming-of-age sort of thing where she realizes that some people she’s been fighting hard to have relationships with are really not being good people to her, so she has to re-evaluate what’s really important spending effort on. Again, while Sophia’s situation is at an extreme, I think we can all relate to being put in a situation where we need to re-think what’s going on in our lives, so reading about Sophia’s journey of self-discovery is satisfying and rewarding in that we can self-reflect and compare her decisions to ones that we are currently making, or once made.

I very much appreciated this book for what it was — a second chance for two people to reconnect and forgive each other for past miscommunications and to explore their feelings for each other. The tension is kept strong through the short timeline of the seven days that Sophia has left in Tokyo, and it makes it a fast read, because everything is so condensed and there’s no time for anything to be drawn out. At the same time, nothing is rushed because of that, and I give Vinesse a lot of credit for not feeling the need to rush Sophia and Jamie’s relationships. It’s taken at a reasonable, moderate pace, and ends on a hopeful note, which I very much enjoyed. I can’t recommend this book enough for being everything you want in a young adult romance and containing none of the common cringe-worthy or exasperating tropes. Pick it up when you get a chance.

Originally posted on Going on to the Next. show less

I thought this one was really cute! It made me very nostalgic for my trip to Japan a few years back--I thought the local details added some lovely flavor. The plot was a little implausible, but not in a bad way... why is it that fictional high schoolers are so much cooler than I'll ever be?? That said, it was a fun, fluffy little book that was a breeze to read. I particularly appreciated the ending, once I got over how unfair life is when you're a teenager.

I received a copy of this book from show more Netgalley to read in exchange for an honest review. show less

After graduating from the London American School and before dispersing to the four corners of the earth, five friends take a two week trip through Europe. They include Aubrey and her boyfriend, Jonah; Gabe, Jonah’s best friend who shared a kiss with Aubrey three weeks prior and has not spoken to her since; Aubrey’s best friend, Rae; and Clare on whom Rae has a massive crush but who is straight. Given the dynamics of the group, something is apt to explode and it does.

As the trip show more progresses, tempers flare, friendships and relationships are strained and members of the group learn things about themselves and each other, such as even though you will be 3,000 miles away, it does not mean you have to sever your friendships.

The Summer of Us is a charming, comig of age read any time of year. Told in alternating chapters by Aubrey and Rae, it recaps some incidents from both narrator’s perspectives as well as providing new information as to the group’s goings-on. Rae in particular, who is moving to Melbourne, has tried to distance herself from Clare who is moving to California, in the belief that distance will ease the heartache of unrequited love. Aubrey and Jonah’s ideas of life together in New York are polar opposites. The author of Seven Days of You, Vinesse’s travelogue adds to, rather than detracts from, the story. Vinesse provides a realistic, but hopeful ending, avoiding the saccharine ending that defines many romance novels. A fun read. show less

Sophia has one week left in Tokyo, one week before her family moves back to New Jersey and she has to say goodbye to all of her friends and the city she loves. And Jamie is going to ruin her week. She's sure of it. When he went to boarding school three years ago, they had a terrible fight, and they haven't spoken since. Now he's coming back to Tokyo, and he's sure to make the easy, carefree balance of her friendship with Mika and David awkward and uncomfortable. What she couldn't have ever show more predicted is how Jamie really feels about her, and how it will completely change everything in ways she never expected.

This is a nice, light YA romance. It has some similarities to The Sun is Also a Star, but it's not quite as deep. Sophia occasionally did things that drove me crazy, but in spite of that I enjoyed reading (actually, listening to) this book. The audiobook narrator did a fair job, though her clipped delivery made the ends of chapters seem abrupt. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Jennifer E. Smith and Jenny Han. show less