Amy Mason Doan

// RECEIVED AN ADVANCED READER COPY //

I am terribly sorry for the late review

“He found her. Smiling, he raised driftwood as if toasting her — and in that second, to her, after the long, lonely summer, he might as well have hung the moon”


I don't know what made me so nostalgic while I was reading this, if it was that everlasting summer vibe, the characters that made it all too real or the love and friendship I felt while reading this. This might be one of the easiest 5 star ratings that I have ever given. I did not know what to expect at the start of reading this book but I did not expect for it to be able to paint a picture in my head. Very little books do this to me and almost all the time it is what keeps me from giving that 5th star. So I was really pleased when the author's writing did it so easily for me.

It's written in a diary style and it was simple enough, which made it easy to follow the timeline of the events that were going on. The characters were written well, not at all one-dimensional and extremely relatable (Casey is that typical best friend though HAHA). The love story was very intriguing (HEHE). And overall it was a wonderful thing to read in the summer heat when you just miss your friends and want to feel a bit closer to them. It definitely made me want to call the squad and run away together and have our own camp on some jungle-beach.

It's not heavy and is very enjoyable, though you might not cry, you will surely feel something.… (more)

3.75 stars

Laura is 35-years old when she receives an invitation in the mail to come home. It’s from Casey, her high school best friend, though they’ve been estranged since Laura moved away to start college 17 years earlier. Laura decides she’s curious enough to see what’s going on, so she heads home. Turns out Casey didn’t send the invitation, and a scavenger hunt has been set up for them.

I enjoyed this. In addition to following the current scavenger hunt, the book backs up in time to when Laura and Casey were teenagers and the years that led up to the estrangement. There were additional chapters in italics thrown in that I didn’t find as interesting. At first, of course, you don’t know who these chapters are following, but after a bit I thought I figured it out, then a name was provided and I was right. It got a bit more interesting after I knew whose story we were following at that point, but I thought Laura and Casey had the better storylines.… (more)

4.5 stars.

The Summer List by Amy Mason Doan is a bittersweet journey of healing and reconciliation.

Growing up, Laura Christie is a bit of an outcast among her classmates so she has low expectations for her unexpected friendship with newcomer Casey Shepherd. Since her ultra-religious, conservative mother does not approve of Casey's much younger, free-spirited mom, Alex, the girls spend most of their time at the Shepherd home, also known as The Shipwreck.Inseparable over the first summer of their acquaintance, Laura is delighted when their friendship continues to flourish over the years. However, just weeks before moving away to live together while attending college, Laura's life takes a shocking turn and she runs away without explanation.

Fast forward seventeen years and Laura has made a comfortable life for herself away from her small hometown of Couer-de-Luna. So when she receives an unexpected invitation to return to the lake and join Casey on a scavenger hunt, Laura is conflicted about whether or not she has any desire to revisit her past. Although she is uncertain whether or not accepting the invitation is prudent, Laura cautiously decides to meet with Casey. Their reunion is fraught with anxiety and they reluctantly collect the various clues from the list Alex has provided for them.

Chapters from their past are interspersed with the events occurring in the present. During their teenage years, Casey and Laura's friendship is close-knit so there is a great deal of suspense surrounding their eventual estrangement. What happened to drive such a schism between them? What possible reason could Laura have for leaving everyone behind in such a dramatic fashion?

Equally compelling are the chapters that detail another unlikely friendship between two girls who meet at summer church camp. Neither of the girls are overly enthused about the camp and they embark on some rebellious adventures. After their time at the camp ends, their mothers' choices lead the girls down an unanticipated path that culminates in an unforeseen turn of events for both of them.

The Summer List is a captivating novel of friendship that has a lovely nostalgic aspect to the storyline. The characters are vibrantly developed with endearing traits and relatable foibles. Laura and Casey's reunion is realistically depicted as they gradually work through the lingering hurt and anger from their long standing estrangement. This impressive debut by Amy Mason Doan is an engaging and emotional novel that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend.… (more)