How My Summer Went Up in Flames

How my Summer Went Up in Flames was such a fun read! (Although I can't stand the way the girl is standing on the cover. Can I say Ow?) At first, I thought it sounded cute but thought the main character would be kind of pathetic. Luckily, she was real, and fun, and not too pathetic.

Can I just start by saying I have a rocky relationship with road trip books? I tend to love em' or hate em'. In this one I thought the road trip aspect was handled superbly though. The characters go to cool destinations in the USA, plus the ratio of boys to girls is 3:1. So, we get a lot of fun comments from Rosie about the car ride with the boys. One of my favorite scenes is when Rosie tries to play a road trip game. (To the question "What kind of fruit are show more you?" Rosie get back an answer something like, "I am not sure about me, but you are definitely bananas!")

Rosie is, as already stated, an awesome narrator. She is spunky and you can clearly see the character growth by the end of the book. Also, her voice is easy to read and I was laughing, like, the whole time! This was a such a good book to read right after Prophecy which had nothing remotely laugh inducing within the pages. The other girl we get to know well is a character met half way(ish) through the book. I really liked her though. Just let me search through the book for her name... Avery! Yes, I remember!

Anyways, she is lots of fun and also induced some laughs from me. And, finally, we have the three boys, Matty, Spencer, and Logan. They were all great. Matty is the younger best friend that helps keep Rosie from getting into trouble. Spencer and Logan are brother who are both very, um, neurotic about the schedule and rules. I think I rolled my eyes at there freakish obsession with how they planned everything!!! Rosie feels the same way.

Also, I love how the dialogue feels real, and not at all forced, as that is one of my biggest pet peeves in a book. I read the book so fast, it was addicting. I love addicting books! And this book had everything else too: humor, awesome romance, a good message, cool premise, and a great pacing that had me zipping through the pages.

Overall, this was a great read! I would reccomend this to anyone looking for a light, fun contemporary full (and I mean full) of laughs. I cannot wait to read more by this author, Jennifer Salvato Doktorski!

4/5 bookcases (This was won in a giveaway, thank you Emily Crammed Bookshelf and Jennifer!) show less

This is the sort of refreshing YA contemporary that I live for. A road trip book complete with a scandalous start, HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES is about how Jersey Girl Rosie completely and totally didn't mean to blow up her boyfriend Joey's car, but how she actually did, leading to a temporary restraining order.

It doesn't seem to matter how many times she explains that it was an accident, how when she saw Joey show up at a party with his new freshman girl -- the one he cheated on her with -- she felt the urge to light some of the things he gave her on fire. Who wouldn't, really? But that doesn't stop her parents from agreeing to sentence her to a road trip with her neighbor and close friend Matty, his pal Spencer, and Spencer's show more older brother Logan, the latter of whom is on his way to pre-orientation at Arizona State. It's for the best, everyone says, to keep Rosie away from her ex and out of trouble. But Rosie isn't that into it. She feels like she's been kidnapped by a bunch of nerdy little brothers. Plus, Logan is kind of a jerk, and they're treating her like a girl invading their bro time, and Matty is in charge of her phone so she can't call or text or email Joey and break her restraining order. If Rosie is going to survive this road trip, she's going to have to take control. And it's not going to be easy. Especially when she finds herself cracking Logan's hard exterior.

HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES is laugh-out-loud funny, the kind of book that keeps you turning pages late into the night. This is a story of friendship and growing up, with just the right amount of sizzle. Keep an eye out for this debut from Jennifer Salvato Doktorski this summer! show less

When Rosie Catalano torches her ex-boyfriend’s car after a bad break-up and then finds herself slapped with a temporary restraining order (which she promptly ignores), it is time to get out of Dodge – or, at least, New Jersey. At a suggestion from best friend and next-door neighbor Matty, Rosie suddenly finds herself on a road trip to Arizona with Matty, his friend Spencer, and Spencer’s big brother Logan. With her cell phone held hostage by Matty and a guitar encroaching on her personal space, this Jersey girl embarks on a journey from Graceland to the Grand Canyon, with Dollywood, Dallas – and a whole lot of growing up – along the way.

As with most road trip stories, How My Summer Went Up in Flames is all about the characters show more – if one of them doesn’t work, everything pretty much falls to pieces. Thankfully, Jennifer Salvato Doktorski’s debut has a cast of well-developed, interesting characters and plenty of snappy dialogue to keep the story rolling along nicely.

Rosie is one of those characters who at times had me laughing out loud, other times slightly annoyed, and still others grimacing in sympathy. Rosie is chock-full of personality; I loved that she was so passionate, but there were times where I just wanted her to forget her ex Joey (who was clearly a smooth operator) and get her head on straight. I totally understood where she was coming from when she decided to burn some memorabilia from their relationship after she discovered he cheated on her (the car was a bit of a miscalculation). I mean, who hasn’t wanted to burn away bad memories? And it was great to see that even in the depths of her madness, she recognized how great her family and Matty were as they tried to get her through the legal nightmare that erupted with the car flames. Brash, snarky, caring, a little self-involved, and all-around relatable, Rosie is a character that readers will either embrace or find a little irritating. I fall into the former camp and had a blast seeing this road trip – and the three guys – through her eyes.

And what guys! Good-guy Matty, sweet Spencer, and straight-shooter Logan were great – and Rosie had chemistry with all three of them. Since she grew up with Matty, their relationship had sibling overtones mixed in with their friendship. They knew each other inside and out, strengths and weaknesses alike. Matty’s other best friend, Spencer, was simply adorable with a touch of OCD when it came to the itinerary he had put together for the trip (complete with maps and pit stops!) and slightly delicate sensibilities (yes, he apparently shrieks like a girl). I loved how Rosie recognized the possibilities in him and bonded with him in the manner she had with Matty. And then there’s Logan – the reason for the road trip as he headed to Arizona State for his freshman year. Sexy, annoying (to Rosie), and unwilling to put up with any shenanigans, Logan was a nice solid presence with enough nerd in him to talk superheros with the guys, and enough maturity to want to make a difference in the world. This is the type of guy Rosie really needs, one who can provide balance for her flights of emotion and call her out when necessary. I have always fallen more for the boy-next-store type in romances than the bad boys, so I was in absolute heaven with these three.

Doktorski keeps everything moving with smooth and zippy pacing. I did have a hard time believing Rosie’s loving parents would send her out on a road trip with three boys – two of whom they’d never met – but I decided to just suck up my disbelief and settle into the story. Rosie’s inner monologues kept things interesting and had me busting out in laughter, while the nerd-tastic conversations between the boys were right up my alley (I’d love to know what their Green Lantern discussion was all about). There were some rough spots – mainly at points where Rosie would randomly lose her mind again – but they were offset by moments when there was some actual growth in Rosie’s character. For her, the road trip becomes more than just an opportunity to get away from a toxic relationship; it’s about finding herself along the way.

Jennifer Salvato Doktorski’s debut novel How My Summer Went Up in Flames is an entertaining road-trip story that shows she is an author to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Rosie, Matty, Spencer and Logan from New Jersey to Arizona (courtesy of Spencer’s carefully planned itinerary), visiting the sights and seeing Rosie mature a bit along the way. These are some seriously adorable dorks taking this road trip with a very opinionated Jersey girl, so kick back, relax and enjoy the ride! show less

There are some book fads that get old: vampires, mermaids, dystopian to name a few. Road trip stories are not one of them. Doktorski's debut, How My Summer Went Up in Flames, is a fun adventure of a reluctant traveler forced by her family and friends to get away from her ex boyfriend and violating her Temporary Restraining Order.

I'll be honest here, I was slightly annoyed in the first half of the book. I have heard from other people who've read the novel, that they felt the same way at first. The main character, Rosie, is... Obsessive? Self-centered? Just annoying? She spends a good portion of the first part of her trip feeling sorry for herself and somehow still finding ways to do everything this trip is supposed to stop her from show more doing. I told myself that she was in denial, that she's still in her boy-crazy stage, and she'll come out of it. So I ignored all my reservations against Rosie and just tried to enjoy the story. I'm glad I did!

Rosie has quite dramatic character development over the course of the novel. She transforms from that character I wasn't so crazy about into a young woman that I really appreciated. I wish I got to see more of the Rosie 2.0, but I'm really glad she was there. Please do not do what some other have done and stop reading because of beginning-of-the-story Rosie. Stick it out so you can see how much she changes and how each aspect of her trip affects her.

There is one scene in particular when you see Rosie developing right there in front of your eyes. I don't want to spoil anything, but it involved her, Spencer, a broken down car, and a guitar. At first I was thinking, "Who are you?" and then I realized that this was the new and improved Rosie coming out. It is just SUCH a CUTE scene!

Another aspect that I really liked is that something still happens once the road trip comes to a close. Not everything Rosie escaped could be fixed on the trip. The author recognized that, and Rosie isn't at ease until some things get resolved. So perhaps my "road trip" label is not quite correct, and we should add "coming of age" right there along side it. It sounds so cliche, which makes me reluctant, but Rosie is one of the most transformative character's I've seen in a while. The author has such an amazing feel for her characters, which is something that does not go unnoticed. How My Summer Went Up in Flames is a quick, summer read, perfect for that day at the beach you've been planning. (You, not me, because I hate the beach.) show less

Thanks to April of Good Books and Good Wine, I'd been warned not to have high expectations going into How My Summer Went Up in Flames. Doktorski's debut had been high on my must-have list ever since the cover reveal (will I ever learn), so this reality check was needed. Prepared to dislike the novel, I was actually pleasantly surprised. Though flawed, Doktorski's debut still kept me entertained and flipping pages.

Okay, guys, believe it or not, but I haven't actually read too many road trip novels. It's a super popular sub-genre of contemporary fiction, but I only really started reading contemporary novels this past year. How My Summer Went Up in Flames has convinced me that I need to read more of them, because this book totally show more simulated a vacation. It's like I got to visit a whole bunch of touristy places I wouldn't actually want to go, so I can cross them off. Success!

Driving across country with her best friend Matty and brothers Spencer and Logan, Rosie visits so many sights. They pack a lot into their trip. It's seriously impressive how much they get done. Also, I love how much focus Doktorski gives to the music playing as they drive. Music is essential to a road trip, so I loved knowing what they were listening to. Also, Spencer rules for playing Al Simon as they drove to Graceland. *sings "We're going to Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee"*

Doktorski also does a great job with the characters. All four of them felt like real people, though Rosie I didn't like, and I'll tackle that soon. However, I thought Matty and Spencer were utterly adorable and delightful. I only wish Rosie wouldn't roll her eyes and turn her music up over their dorky discussions of Star Trek, because I dig that. Logan, too, though not my favorite, has depths to him. Doktorski captures a lot of the awkwardness of time spent trapped together: the tiffs, the silences, the uncomfortable moments where personal space is invaded.

With novels in a first person perspective, one's enjoyment can be seriously impacted by the personality of the main character. In this case, the MC was the big negative to the book. Rosie, short for Rosalita, should be awesome. She's half-Ecuadorian and half-Italian, and she's very passionate. Plus, she has a distinct personality, so I do give Doktorski serious props for that. However, Rosie's also seriously obnoxious. She is seriously judgmental, selfish, and hypocritical. She slut-shames, even though she almost had sex with her boyfriend (she didn't because she wasn't ready which is great, but also means she's not opposed to sex before marriage), she judges girls who show too much skin, and she judges girls who drink, though she does a couple of times too. There's also a double standard to her mean thoughts; Rosie's predisposed to dislike females she comes in contact with, but sizes up every guy as a dating prospect, not judging them for drinking, bare skin, or sexual activity.

I'd been hoping that Rosie set his car on fire in a bit of overenthusiastic vengeance. Instead, it was an accident that happened while she was stalking him after the breakup. Rosie's crazy, completely obsessed with Joey. His birthday is even the password to her voice mail. All of this made her really difficult to relate to in any way. Also, I couldn't support the romance, because she's obviously not mentally stable enough to be in a relationship. I wish the ending had stayed more open-ended.

For those who can stomach Rosie, How My Summer Went Up in Flames will be a fun, summery read. Doktorski's well-drawn characters and humor show talent, and I still hold out hope for her sophomore novel, Famous Last Words, to be released later this year. show less

Main character Rosie is funny and snarky, but there's an underlying sweetness to her, and any girl who's had her heart broken by a jerk will relate. Her story seems like it would be kind of a cliche--cross county road trip to escape your problems but end up finding yourself--but the well-drawn supporting characters (including a dog. Aside: we need more dog characters in YA novels! just saying) and some unexpected twists and turns along the way move this book out of the fluff category and firmly into high quality/entertaining read.

You know those books that make you smile throughout? The ones that aren't especially deep, but loads of fun and laugh out loud funny? The ones you read when you're looking for an escape, when you don't want to think too hard, when you just want to read to enjoy? How My Summer Went Up in Flames is that sort of book.

I am actually a newbie when it comes to books about road trips, and I'm glad this was my first experience, because it really was a cute, fun, fluffy way to spend an afternoon. The book is engaging and engrossing in equal measures, and I was actually surprised that, once we got past a hilariously funny (without always meaning to be) main character in Rosie that there's actually a lot of depth to her story, and the way her show more ex-boyfriend's actions turned her into someone she didn't like at all. I thought it was pretty thought-provoking in the end, without hitting you over the head. I also liked the cast of characters accompanying Rosie on her trip, from boy-next-door Matty, to geeky and surprisingly sensitive Spencer, to moody and impatient Logan. Each of the boys served their own role in getting Rosie to realize that breaking up with Joey wasn't the be all, end all and that she actually could do something to turn her life around.

I do want to say that I had a fairly big problem, however, with the fact that Rosie used words like "skank" and "slut" and other completely inappropriate names to refer to Joey's new girlfriend. Considering that he is the one who cheated on her, not the new girlfriend, Rosie's anger was completely misdirected. And regardless of how angry you are, throwing a word around like "slut" to describe the girl your boyfriend cheated with is just distasteful. Let's put the blame on the right person, and quit with the name-calling.

Nonetheless, I came away from How My Summer Went Up in Flames with a new appreciation for road trip books. Rosie's personal journey was infinitely readable, and I found it impossible to not root for her to make the necessary changes and figure herself out. If you're looking for a fun and quick contemporary read that's perfect for summer, do pick this one up!

An e-galley was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. show less