52 Books in 52 Weeks: Summer Sisters

I have to tell you that within the first - oh, several chapters of this book, I was thinking that I would not be using this book for one of my 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge books, because I knew I'd be embarrassed - er, ashamed - to admit that I was reading it.

It's a coming of age story, totally. So it starts out with these two young girls who are unlikely friends but who develop a sisterhood-type friendship very quickly. As these girls grow up, they find themselves getting into all sorts of R-rated (ok, maybe even X-rated) situations. Do not let your teenager read this book.

BUT. There is something really sweet about this story. I am blessed to have an actual sister AND a best friend who FEELS like a sister, and this story was like all of those relationships balled into one for me. There's love, angst, periods of time the girls aren't close like they were before - it's just very real and an accurate portrayal of what it's like to be a sister.

The end of the book took me totally by surprise. I can't figure out how I feel about this. It's not that the story took a really bizarre turn or anything, it's just that the whole tone of the book went from light, fun and silly to serious and mature very suddenly. On the one hand, it was a really pleasant surprise after reading through a LOT of fluff. And really, it works that it's so mature when the characters themselves have actually grown up. On the other hand, it's a little weird to have the whole tone change THAT much.

All in all, I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. I wouldn't read it again, and I wouldn't even recommend it since it did have a lot of hanky-panky, but I enjoyed the book.