Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (2013-05-07)

So, I picked this up only vaguely knowing the premise -- teens and summer, sick dad and family bonding -- and assuming I knew where it would go. I expected a fun read, a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but a happy ending.

Nope.

It was still a fun read, mostly because of the setting. I spent the whole book with a distinct longing to pack my bags and hike up to the mountains for some summer fun. The Edwards family was great, too, especially by the end. I really loved following their growth as a family unit, which really helped me as a reader bond with them as they bonded with each other. The same with Henry and Lucy, who I honestly didn't think that much of at the beginning (holding the grudges of a 12-year-old at their ages definitely crimped my feelings for a while). Taylor's journey to bond with her father made me so, so very emotional, and the way she just tried her absolute best to make him as happy as possible until the very end broke my heart in the best way. Her love for him (and his for her) was just so absolutely genuine, it made the course of the story that much more meaningful, and that much more sad.

My biggest complaint is that I often was much more interested and involved in the storyline about Taylor's family over her love life, so some of the scenes with Henry felt unnecessary. Overall, I didn't mind the romance, but it paled in comparison to what else was going on and how emotional everything else felt.

If you're looking for an emotional read with a beautiful, summer setting, heart warming and heart breaking at the same time, with beautiful familial relationships, definitely give Second Chance Summer a shot.

Book: Second Chance Summer
Author: Morgan Matson
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

Morgan Matson is probably the queen of summer books. (The only one who I think could maybe beat her is Sarah Dessen). This is my third Morgan Matson book and it was just as bit as enjoyable as the other two that I’ve read.

This is probably Morgan’s most emotional book that I have read. Taylor and her family pack up and head to Lake Phoenix for the summer. They had always spent the summer here, but for the last five summers it has been rather difficult to get up here. This summer is special because it is the last summer they will spend as a family. Taylor’s dad is dying. Taylor must go back and face what she left behind five summers ago.

Taylor is actually a pretty strong character. I know a lot of people are saying otherwise, but I think she is. She is trying to hold it all together, but doesn’t always do so. She is a real girl who makes real mistakes. She tries to find the right moments to say and do certain things. I like the bond she has with her father. She is trying to keep things going as normally for him as possible for as long as possible. I like how she is trying to learn as much about her father as possible before the end comes. In order to fully understand Taylor, you have to know what she is going through. Once you sit back and fully understand the situation, then I think you will have a better picture of her.

I liked how friendships of the past were rekindled. It was as if Taylor’s return to Lake Phoenix was a return to all the innocence of childhood. She finds herself back with her two best friends and trying to almost go back to the were they were. Though things have changed, they do find a way to move on.

Lake Phoenix is a beautiful back drop for the story. It really adds to the plot and makes this story even more special. It truly is the kind of place to make memories. All around, Taylor finds memories of not only her summers, but of her father. Yes, they do make new ones, but it is this since of being back home that I think allows Taylor to grow as both a character and a person.

Okay, this is actually a sad book. To me, it is even sadder than The Fault in Our Stars. Sure, The Fault in Our Stars was a good book, but I felt like Morgan’s writing had more of an emotional punch than John Green’s. I guess I’m kind of biased, because I do prefer Morgan’s writing over John’s.

Overall, a really good book that is going on my list of books to buy! If you are looking for a rather emotional summer read, then this is the one for you! Too bad that we have to wait until 2018 to have a new Morgan Matson book. I still haven’t read Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour, so I’ll be giving it a try in the near future.

My first tears came in chapter four. I thought this book was going to take me on a roller coaster of emotions, especially since it hit so close to home.
The story starts off with a family finding out their father has cancer. Worrying about seeing their father sick and not knowing how long he has to live is all to real to what I felt when my father passed away. However; the book takes a turn after the first few chapters. A boring turn!!
The family goes to the Lake House and the story becomes about a fight between characters at the age of like 12 and how 4/5 years later they are all still bitter. It's about nothing and was so boring.
This was another DNF and I am pretty disappointed. It was like this was supposed to be two different books with different plots. So much potential and it just failed in my opinion

believe that Morgan Matson is one of my favorite authors, in fact, I was so excited for her new book Save the Date, which came out this year and hopefully I will get to post its review ASAP. This is the last book that I needed to read to complete my collection of her books before Save the Date. I have reviewed all of her other titles and I absolutely love them and fangirl every time that one of her other characters are mentioned in one of the novels, like in this one, although I will address that later.
What I absolutely love about Morgan Matson is that she is always able to balance family relationships, friendship, romance and personal reflection for the main character perfectly, which creates the most enjoyable novels and stories with unforgettable characters and this time, it wasn't different.
Second Chance Summer narrated the story of Taylor, a teenager from Connecticut, who lives with her mother, father and her two siblings, Warren and Gelsey. It has been years since she has visited Lake Phoenix, in fact, the family hasn't gone for such a long time that they have rented their home until now.
Taylor's family decides it is important to spend time with each other after they realize that her father is ill and he asks for another summer at Lake Phoenix, where they were once the happiest. But when the family arrives at their home, Taylor starts to get memories of the life she left behind her. For instance, she remembers how she fell in love with Henry and how close she was with Lucy, her best friend, but she also remembers how bad everything ended and how coward she was.
Once the Edwards family gets settled in their home at Lake Phoenix, Taylor suddenly realizes that too many things have changed. For once, Henry is now her next door neighbor and they will have to meet even when they don't want to. On the other hand, when Taylor finally gets a job at the beach snack bar, she realizes that Lucy, her former best friend, works there too, which puts them in an awkward situation since they will have to eventually talk to each other.
Now, Taylor has to make the most of her summer with her father while accepting her mistakes and moving on from them and cherishing her memories with friends and family.
I want to start this review by mentioning that I have always spoken about how much I love Matson, in fact, I even mentioned it at the beginning of this review, but I would like to say that this is probably my least favorite novel from her, not because I didn't like the characters or the way the story was balanced, in fact, I absolutely loved those points about this story, but what I didn't really like was how after finishing the novel, I was craving more for character and story development, including Henry's character and story. I liked how some stories had an ending and how the story actually showed development, especially in the relationships. I absolutely loved how each relationship in the story evolved as the pages passed by, I specifically loved Taylor and Lucy, Taylor and her father and Warren and Wendy. But after ending the story, I didn't feel satisfied with the story as I was with her past novels. I believe that maybe I had too many expectations for the author since I have read more of her newer novels and just like every other author, she probably evolved and learned how to communicate her stories better.
Now, going back to the relationships in the story, I absolutely adored how natural they were. I liked how Matson was able to craft a story where the characters weren't forced to be in a certain place to meet, the characters were actually crafted to interact with each other and move from there. For example, Lucy and Taylor work together, which makes them notice each other and realize that there are many things that could change between them. The relationships were my favorite thing in this novel.
On the other hand, I liked the characters. I enjoyed Henry, although not as much as I enjoyed other Matson's male characters, like Roger, Clark, and Frank. I just wanted more from him. Besides, he smells like bread and frosting, I want a boyfriend that smells like a cupcake too! As mentioned before , what the story was lacking in my point of view was progression for each story, it just seemed like we only saw how the characters were guided to the beginning of very large paths, like their relationships, and I didn't really like that.
But I did enjoy reading about the Edwards family because they just seemed very normal and each of the members were different and brought something new to the story. Also, it was interesting to read the story from a character that didn't consider herself special at all within her family because it definitely brought a new point of view.
In addition, I just want to mention the dog because it was so cute and refreshing to read about.
Something that I really liked was the way that the summer was portrayed because everyone created their summer lives in a small bubble where they knew that there was nothing outside of that since they were all holding onto something that was so precious that was going to be taken from them, but never returned, which was their father. I think that story itself was very emotional because the presence of her father always brought a certain bittersweetness to the stories, but it actually led to the beginning of so many things. Yet, at the same time, I didn't like how these gave the freedom to the characters to do whatever they wanted because it created so many stories that at some point, the reader had so many things to focus on when there were really important things happening in another side of the novel. In addition, I felt like at the end of the novel, I didn't really know Taylor because there was nothing that was said about her other side of life in Connecticut, which I think would have helped us understand our narrator better.
However, I really liked the writing because Matson gave us the perfect combination of past and present in their Lake Phoenix bubble, which helped us understand what really happened and how the characters developed in order to get to that point.
Lastly, I really liked the character development from Taylor because she grew up in the short time that we got to know her, she realized what she was lacking and she changed it. This was something that I really liked about the main character.
Overall, Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is a refreshing summer romance novel, where you will be able to immerse yourself in a story surrender by the beach with childhood friends while shedding a couple of tears while understanding that the line that separated a human being from life and death is very, very thin.

Second Chance Summer is a different kind of YA novel, since it doesn’t focus on romance, but on family. It’s about hard times, but not “edgy” controversial issues. It’s about Taylor, a girl who always runs from her problems and the summer that changes her life forever. Taylor’s family has gone to their lake house every summer with the exception of the previous five years. There’s always something that came up, and Taylor was actually glad not to return since some things went down that she’d rather not face even after all this time. But now, there’s no avoiding it. Taylor’s father has stage four pancreatic cancer, and only three months to live. This will be their last summer as a family, but no one is talking about it.

There’s a lot going on in Second Chance Summer, but it all ultimately comes down to communication, love, and not taking anyone or anything for granted. Taylor’s family is pretty normal. They’re not overly affectionate, but they’re also not completely distant from one another. They just don’t talk about anything, but Taylor still feels like the odd one out. Her sister and mother share ballet, while her brother and father share academics. Taylor is kind of on her own, which explains why she has the tendency to just take off when things get rough. But during this summer, she learns to face her problems head on, now that she’s faced with one that cannot be avoided. She also gets a second chance with the people she’s hurt in her past.

Second Chance Summer is on the long side, but for the most part it didn’t feel that way. I read it in less than a day, and never felt bored. In the beginning I was really interested in finding out what had happened five years ago that was so terrible that Taylor had lost her best friend and first boyfriend, and caused her to hide away from the lake house. This is revealed slowly throughout the book as short flash back chapters. But once I got past the big reveal, I did feel like the story dragged a bit. We now know what happened, and all that’s left is for Taylor to face it, fix it, move on, and of course, her father ultimately succumbing to his illness.

The story isn’t all sadness and tough life lessons. Second Chance Summer does have its funny and sweet moments. I did like the romance, which isn’t the focus at all. Taylor and Henry are cute together. My favorite of the happy bits was the dog, Murphy. He was abandoned by the previous renters, so Taylor’s family takes him in, despite her brother being afraid of dogs. It’s actually quite funny and adorable how he overcomes that fear. Taylor’s dad also provides lots of great puns throughout.

In the end, I really enjoyed Second Chance Summer. It’s full of love, but not necessary the romantic kind. Taylor is surrounded by friends and families all through this last summer, which was both nice and sad to read about it. For whatever reason, cancer books just don’t make me cry, but I’m sure this book will draw out tears from many readers.

I really enjoyed this book. I've never read anything of Matson's but I will definitely be reading her other stuff. Matson perfectly portrayed the struggle of being a teenage girl who is going through a lot. I felt the pain and awkwardness that Taylor felt in the beginning of her summer vacation.

The summer starts out knowing that time is limited and that everything will change after summer ends. This sadness is written so well that I felt it from page one. This summer is Taylor's last summer before everything changes, and a summer of second chances. Taylor seemed like such a real character to me that I wanted to be her friend and help her with everything she was dealing with. It deals with realistic teen drama: friendship, family and growing up.

All of Matson's character were really well thought out and written. Also I thought Matson did a really good job of portraying the struggle of dealing with terminal cancel very well. As someone who has experienced this, I was happy to see it was reflected very accurately. This is one of the best contemporary YA books I've read. 4/5

WARNING: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is NSFW. That is... Not Safe For Work. And it's not due to the usual reasons that things are deemed NSFW. Nope, no gratuitous sex in THIS incredible book. Second Chance Summer is of the ugly-crying NSFW variety. But we will get to that. I promise.

Earlier chapters of Second Chance Summer may not be sob-inducing, but they pulled at my heart an equal amount.

And there are a variety of reasons for that.

First of all, there's Morgan Matson's masterful handling of a terminal illness. Taylor's dad seems fine as the summer starts, but his diagnosis hangs over them even in happy moments. A dark cloud on a sunny day, so to speak.

But those happy moments are there. Matson develops a cast of characters around Taylor who are quirky and wonderful. Her family is loving, but isn't some cliche of the all-American family. They don't seem like caricatures of an idea; they are all so human and real.

Taylor reunites with her former best friend, Lucy amidst a great deal of awkwardness (they haven't spoken in years after something Taylor did to both Lucy and Taylor's ex-boyfriend), but when they get back to the friendship point? I wanted to squish them in a hug. Even when they were fighting, for that matter, I still respected them. Lucy wasn't nice to Taylor, by any means, but she doesn't fall into that trap of being "mean girl."

Then... oh, guys, then there is Henry. Taylor's ex-boyfriend. Her first love. The boy who brings swoon to the page in Second Chance Summer. The way he and Taylor come back together is so realistic and just... do they actually make boys like this in real life? Because I would like one.

We get into NSFW territory (again, only from ugly-crying) as Taylor's father begins his decline. I started off the cry-fest by wiping the few tears that trickled out of my eyes. But soon after that, I gave up wiping them because they kept on coming; there was practically a WATERFALL on my face. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that there was a point when I was crying so hard that I couldn't breathe.

Overall rating: 5/5. I literally have no criticism of Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer. This is a fabulous book and left me with... just... so many feelings.

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3.75 stars

Taylor has a habit of running away from her problems. As the middle child in a family with a genius for an older brother and a dance prodigy for a younger sister, Taylor is pretty ordinary. When her dad is diagnosed with cancer and given a few months to live, Taylor is forced to come to terms with a lot of things in her life and in herself. I enjoyed watching her learn things about herself and her family, and discovering it's never too late for a second chance.

While I had trouble connecting with most of the characters, I found them likeable. I particularly liked Warren, and thought his fact-spewing and awkwardness were hilarious. I also liked Taylor's dad, and how he had a distinct personality for a secondary character. The interactions between him and Taylor were funny, sweet, and touching.

As much as I liked this book, I didn't love it the way I loved Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. I know it's not fair to compare the two, but I'm finding it hard since Amy & Roger is one of my favourite books. Second Chance Summer was lacking that special something that made me love it. I connected with every single character in Amy & Roger, even the secondary characters that we just met briefly. I didn't get that with Second Chance Summer. I also thought it was a bit too long, and the pacing was kind of slow at times.

On a personal note: as with my review for Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, I'd like to take a minute to talk about how this book affected me on a personal level. After reading the synopsis for this book, I can tell you that if it had been written by any other author, I probably wouldn't have read it. A father dying of cancer - way too close to home. And while that may sound ridiculous since I wrotea book about cancer, I tend to avoid reading them. We know from the beginning that Taylor's dad is going to die, but I cried my eyes out when it happened. I was only ten when my dad died, and even though he had been sick for two years, he was getting better, so we didn't know he was going to die the way Taylor's family knew. I cried so hard in their last scene together, and then when she got the letters from him - I'd give anything to have letters from my dad. I have a vivid memory of crying to my mum before my dad died saying how he wouldn't be at my grade eight, high school, and college graduations, or at my wedding or any of the other huge life milestones, so this particular part hit me hard. I felt like Matson handled the whole illness and death thing well, and the emotions rang true.

Overall, Second Chance Summer was a good, emotional story about family, love, and taking advantage of second chances. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary young adult with a bit of emotional depth.

This story brought back so many memories. The reason being: its the most raw, most realistic, most fact based story I've ever read. For this to be my first book by Morgan Matson, I am very pleased with it. It surely will not be my last.
My aunt just passed away from breast cancer and I found out about 3 months ago that my grandmother has Stage IV Ovarian cancer, so this book really hit home for me. As read it I noticed all the things that I noticed while watching my grandmother (who is now in the care of hospice) and my aunt. It really felt like Matson was going on personal experience because everything was there. Even the smallest of details. This is actually what I liked the most. (Even though it made me cry like non stop!) It really feel like this was the first "real" realistic fiction book I've ever read.
I also really liked the characters. Although Taylor had her faults, someone helped her understand and come to terms with them. I also liked Henry. (I mean he works in a bakery! What's not to like?!) It was obvious that he genuinely loved Taylor and would do anything for her. With Lucy, I really liked her, but I really thought their little feud was stupid. At 12, none of that should've been as important to them as it was. As far as all the supporting characters, Davey was my favorite. I thought he was adorable.
Lastly, I loved that the writing style was so easy to read. For such a tough subject, Matson's writing style made it easy to read and easy to understand. She will bring out your best and your worst emotions at the same time and leave you wanting more. Honestly, last night when I finished I had already thought of when I would take the time to re-read this.
Matson is an amazing author and I''m upset that I waited until now to read something by her. I know that I've absolutely loved something when I can relate it to my own personal experiences as well as completely getting "taken away" with the author's words and that's exactly what this one did for me.

This novel follows the story of Taylor Edwards as she is forced to take a final summer vacation with her family to make the most of her father’s last summer. He has cancer and he is going to die (this is not a spoiler because you are told this from page one). Her mom, dad, ballet obsessed little sister, and super genius older brother are in this summer house that isn’t nearly big enough and since they are exactly a close knit bunch, it’s more than a little awkward. This is increased by the fact that they haven’t been here is 5 years and when they left, Taylor made a mess of not only a strong friendship, but also her first romantic relationship. As the title implies, this summer gives her a second chance at family, friendship, and love.

This novel fell somewhere in the middle for me. I can completely relate to Taylor’s desire to run away from things that are going to be stressful or difficult but I fault her for actually running. The more I learned of her past screw ups, the more I wanted to yell at her for just ignoring her friends and not trying to work things out. The situation between her, Lucy, and Henry could have easily been dealt with if she would have just spoken up and tried. But it’s a moot point since even in the beginning of this novel, it is part of the past. I also liked that this novel is told from the “normal” character’s perspective. Taylor is the middle child with no special talents and it was very refreshing to read about someone who wasn’t the chosen one or had been studying to be a doctor since preschool or whatever.

This book reminded me a bit of the movie The Last Song. It was interesting but it wasn’t something I was dying to continue reading. I wanted to know how it ended, but in a sense, I already knew exactly where it was going so there was no mystery to it. It also didn’t have much humor which isn’t shocking because how can a book about cancer be humorous? There was a point where I wanted to stop reading near the end because Taylor was being an idiot and did the same idiotic thing most heroines do when things get hard and though I won’t ruin it for you, I wanted to run her over with my car.

In general, I liked this novel, but I didn’t love it. Though I knew going into it her dad was going to die, I still wasn’t thrilled when it happened. If you are looking for a book that will break your heart while giving you hope, this is it. If you are looking for something to make you laugh, well, go read You Wish by Mandy Hubbard.

My Thoughts: Oh my freaking gosh, I loved Second Chance Summer. I went into it hoping I would enjoy it but I fell madly in love with it. I loved it to pieces. I loved every single second of it even when things weren't perfect.

We are introduced to Taylor who lives with her mother, father, older brother Warren and younger sister Gelsey. They aren't the perfect family but things are normal and they care for one another.

Every summer they go up to their house up in the mountains and spend the summer but they haven't done it in 5 years. Things have gotten hectic and their lives never seem convenient enough to go. The timing is just off.

Taylor also has a past with this house and their summers. She had a best friend and a first boyfriend up there. She left them on a sour note.

When the family gets shocking news her father wants the whole family to go and spend the summer together, abandon all other plans.

They get in their cars and go. The place is just as Taylor remembers it but she notices her first boyfriend Henry's house is different. He's moved away. She's relieved she won't have to face him. YES! She also figures if she stays inside most of the summer she also won't have to face her old friend Lucy.

Things don't go as planned for Taylor and she runs into a lot of people from her past.

I loved both her relationship with Henry and Lucy. Lucy was such a funny and carefree best friend and Henry was just swoon worthy. Oh Henry! I savored and ate up those moments with Henry. I lived for them. I loved the moments with her family. I cherished them the way Taylor did.

This one is also devastating. It was hard reading about her family and what was going on. Probably because I've experienced losing a parent and its not fun. I could relate so much to Taylor and what she was feeling.

And the kicker, I cried my little eyes out at the end. I just sat there and had tears rolling down my face. I guess that is when you realize that a book is truly amazing. When it brings up so many emotions in you, you don't know what to do.

Second Chance Summer started my reading year with a bang. It's going to take a lot to live up to this amazing novel.

Overall: I enjoyed this one to pieces but not because it had sad moments. But because I could relate and I knew how Taylor was feeling throughout the novel. It was beautiful. It was lovable, it was just everything to me.

I would severely recommend this to everyone. If you haven't read it, please go and buy it, and put it on your reading pile now!

Cover: Love it! Totally fits alright. Love the colors and how she's sitting there.

What I'd Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
_________
Taken From Princess Bookie

First Sentence: I eased open my bedroom door to check that the hallway was empty.

A Quick Synopsis: Taylor's never been a stellar kid. In fact, one might say the opposite, given her history of running away. But when the family receives heartbreaking news, there's no running away this time. Her father makes the decision to go up to the lake house, a place Taylor hasn't been to since she was twelve, five years ago...and a place that holds a wide array of memories, both good and bad. As the summer progresses on, Taylor realises she's getting a second chance--but eventually, that second chance will run out.

The Review: I usually choose what books to read based on the descriptions I read of them, but the reviews here for Second Chance summer really stood out. Ultimately the reviews here are what convinced me to buy the book, so it's only fitting that I should review it right now.

Taylor's lake house is the perfect setting for this book, and it is so beautifully and vividly described that it reminded me of my summer camp, near a lake. I didn't even mind the pages and pages of description that the author would insert at times.

Taylor's first-person narrative was direct and you could truly sympathise with her. Morgan Matson absolutely nailed Taylor's voice and all the characters in this book seemed so, so real. The dialogue was sharp, quick, and very witty at times. One of my favourite moments are the scenes where Taylor creates puns with her father. Second Chance Summer is loooong, and you'll definitely find a new favourite moment or two.

As for the plot, can I just say that it was heartbreaking? Honestly, I wasn't sure how it was going to end, but the way it turned out to go, it was amazing! The writing is great; the sentences flow oh so naturally. Shockingly, I had no problems with the ending, which I usually do with realistic fiction books! Please clear out your schedule when you read this book. That's not because it's a thriller style book that keeps you reading, but it's because this book begs your full attention, especially during the ending.

Second Chance Summer is really a great book. I haven't read Morgan Matson's first book, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, but I think after reading this, I have no reason not to and every reason to do so. Pick this one up and give this one a try before summer is truly over. Here's to more great summer reads in the future by Morgan Matson!

Memorable Quote: In all the medical dramas I'd ever seen, there was always some solution, some last-minute, miraculously undiscovered remedy. Nobody ever just gave up on a patient. But it seemed like in real life, they did.

I adore author Morgan Matson ever since I read Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. So I was hysterically excited to get my hands on her next book, Second Chance Summer, and yet again she has written the perfect summer read. This is a brand new story with new lead characters that will draw you in and tug at your heart. Taylor and the journey her family embarks on is so captivating that it had me reflecting on my own personal life and how the interactions I have with my family reveal my love and respect for them. When I was near the end of the book I had to close the book and take a minute to compose myself because there was a tiny moment when I saw my own little girl in Taylor and myself. I made a connection to the book and because of that I plan to share this book with my daughter when she becomes older. It's that seriously good!

Taylor is hands down, a character that any teen girl or woman could connect to. She is a girl that is just trying to get through life with as little bumps in the road as possible, but that's not real life. Real life decides to slam her in the gut like a steel hammer and challenges Taylor to not run away from what she is afraid of. While I read Taylor's story I felt a sense of encouragement towards her. She's the middle child of the family who feels she doesn't stand out to her super intelligent older brother Warren and little ballerina sister Gelsey. So when she experiences things like talking in front a crowd or pleading her case to an ex-boyfriend, and friend you want things to work out for her because she is at least trying to make things better, and when she does this I was right there with her as a reader while her hands shook and pulse raced.

Henry is a guy who was hurt by Taylor five years prior. He was Taylor's first boyfriend and friend. He has his own story line that I was not expecting. Early in the book he is a bit cold toward Taylor but you never hate him for it because he has every right to be. Instead you are given a storyline from Henry's perspective that is enlightening and proves helpful to Taylor. I love Henry's simplicity; nothing is too showy about him. He's just a guy going through life and someone that you would feel privileged to know.

The Edwards family was my favorite part of the entire book. There interaction with each other is wonderful. They each have there own little quirks and sarcasm that will have you laugh out loud. They support each other during there up's and downs and make an honest effort in spending time with each other. Robin, Taylor's father, is absolutely brilliant. He adores his family and he is a reminder that parents always have an idea of what's going on with their children if they pay attention. His relationship with his daughter had me in tears until the very end of the book. My husband bared witness to this and when he asked why I was crying I said, "Because I can't help but think of you and our own daughter when I read this book." I may have seen a bit of my husband in this too only because he is a man of rituals. He is consistent with our children making sure they each feel special and I see that in Robin Edwards.

Even though this book is shelved in the YA genre, I feel that it would stand true amongst any adult fiction title as well. It's got humor, drama, and really makes you think and reflect after reading it. I can't stop talking about it and have a number of people that I have to hound and make sure they read Second Chance Summer. Morgan Matson is probably one of my favorite authors. She has a way of keeping the characters locked away in the minds of her readers and can set up a scene like no one's business. When reading her books I can't help but see the movie version in my head and hear the soundtrack that partners with it of course. So if you read anything this summer do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Second Chance Summer.

've had Amy and Rodgers Epic Detour on my wishlist pretty much before it came out and for whatever reason still have not purchased a copy despite having hearing amazing things, so when I got a chance to read and review Second Chance Summer, I was estatic.

This isn't your typical summer romance, or beach read. It's a lot deeper then that, although the story takes place in the summer and at a beach house, this story has so much depth that it's not a typical summer read. but none the less It was phenomenal. The whole first half of the book I was dying to know what Taylor had done in the past to have everyone from her summer house hate her the way that they did. Henry next door was obviously still extremely hurt, as well as her best friend, and I wanted to know what Taylor did to deserve such treatment.

The story with Taylors father was heartbreaking, I couldn't imagine having to lose my father in such a way esp. at such a young age as is Taylor, but I do know that is a reality for a lot of people and that a lot of people unfortantally would be able to relate to such a story. I love stories dealing with drama and heart-break and tough situations, but Morgan Maston really hit home with this story. Everything felt real, the emotions weren't far-fetched, the characters in my opinion were well-developed, and the story played out in a way that was effective and believable.

After reading this story from Morgan, I definitely need to move up Amy and Rodgers Epic Detour on my TO-BUY list...

Second Chance Summer was a surprisingly honest and heartfelt story about the love and loss of someone that many people can't imagine living their lives without. From the moment Taylor finds out that her dad has terminal cancer and won't survive until the end of summer, the family makes a point to spend the next few months together in a lake house that they haven't stepped foot inside for years. Unfortunately, at Lake Phoenix, Taylor can't escape her past and is forced to face a lot more than her father's impending death.

It's obvious that the Edwards family isn't used to spending a lot of time together. They all have different interests, but any reader will see that they're trying their best during their last few moments as a family. Upon making her dad's last summer memorable, Taylor also spends time slowly rekindling friendships she left behind five years ago. Though things didn't end well with her best friend or her ex-boyfriend, I found the bonds that tied them back together again to be quite realistic and exciting.

The relationship between Taylor and her father was what touched me the most, as I know what it's like to lose my own. It's easy to take others for granted, but once they're gone, you realize how much you truly care. Thankfully, Taylor still has time and she spends it listening to him, trying to soak in as many of his stories as she can. There's just something about knowing you won't ever hear the stories told the way he tells them again, no matter how many times you're heard them before.

The unique and breathtaking moments that the author included in this story were what made it worthwhile. Second Chance Summer was so much more than another heartbreaking story about loss, but about another chance at the life that Taylor left behind. There are no other words to describe this book than achingly beautiful.

(Review from thehollowcupboards.blogspot.com)

"Daddy," I whispered, feeling my own breath hitch in my throat. "I love you."

Just when I was sure he was asleep, the one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "I knew that," he murmured. "Always knew that."

I honestly don't know how to put my feelings toward Second Chance Summer into words that would fully and comprehensively explain my love for it. All I can say is that my feelings, especially since I'm writing this right after I've turned the final page (and oh that last paragraph!), are raw. I really connected with this book and to Taylor for I understood how she felt. Though it wasn't my father who I lost to cancer, I did lose someone extremely precious to me and everything that Taylor felt, I also felt though to a different degree because her story and my own are two different ones and so not all the feelings are exactly the same.

"And I've realized that the Beatles got it wrong. Love isn't all we need--love is all there is."

A majority of times, I don't really get emotional when I read my books, though there are those few that really get to me and evoke a plethora of different feelings, and Second Chance Summer is definitely one of them. It made me cry. Not just a few sad tears that can be quickly swiped away with the back of your hand and forgotten about, but the kind of crying where your breath hitches in your throat, your eyes become puffy, your cheeks shiny and wet, and your nose burning . . . it hit me that hard.

This was a beautiful book from the opening page to the closing one; it was beautiful, sad, tiring, elating but mostly it was love--first love, love of family, and the saddest love of all--goodbye love.

This is a novel well worth reading, and one that I would highly recommend. You won't forget it.

A family decides to spend one last summer at their lake house after finding out some devastating news about their father. Going back to the summer house that Taylor spent so much time at during her summers as a child brought back so much emotion and nostalgia that she worked so hard to forget. When living in the lake house for the summer Taylor grows closer to her family and past friendships are rekindled. Taylor, being the middle child, has to battle with finding her "thing." Her younger sister is a ballet dancer like her mom used to be and her older brother in school to be a lawyer like her dad. She has always been the child that doesn't have a true calling. She is very close with her dad, so this summer means the world to her. During the summer, she learns more about herself and her family.

I picked this book out because I was looking for a fast summer read. It was indeed a fast read, I was able to read it in one day. But I couldn't put it down. It had so much emotion written within the pages. I couldn't help but cry at the end of it. It was written so well. Not a lot of books are able to make me cry. I became so attached to the characters by the end of the novel.

Basically, my favorite books are about a girl who falls in love with a boy. I was looking for any book that I have never read with that plot and found this book at Barnes and Noble among the summer reads shelves. I would definitely recommend it to anybody who loves and wants a book about a love story.

This book was such a pleasure to read. It was fast paced, but explains the details really well. It is an easy book to be hooked into. It's unputdownable. It quickly became one of my favorite books. I will definitely be reading it again. I was captivated by how much emotion could be written in a book. If you're looking for a book that is an easy read for the summer, pick this one.

Book #20 Read in 2013
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (YA)

Taylor's father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He wants to spend the last summer at the summer home, all of them together, as a family. Taylor and her family are dreading the thought of losing him, but life continues to go on. Taylor needs to repair relationships with her friends from the summer town, namely Lucy and Henry. As she attempts to do so, she connects with her father and learns more about him and ultimately, learns about herself.

This was a good read and yes I did tear up while reading it. I think my favorite quote was near the end of the book and Taylor states that "today was a day that would split my life into before and after". This totally captured how I felt when I lost my mom when I was a teenager. Your life is never the same. Besides emotional power, this book included great characters (loved Taylor and her father), romance, and wonderful canine in Murphy the dog. I recommend it.

Taylor has a habit of running away from her problems. That's what she did at her family's lake house the summer she was twelve, and five years later she still has no desire to return. But this summer is different; her dad is dying, and her family has only one summer left together. Once back at the lake house, Taylor is surprised to find how much things have changed. As her family struggles to reconnect before it's too late, Taylor is also forced to face her childhood friendships and mistakes...and this time there's no running away.

Morgan Matson's second novel is a heartbreaker. Matson has created the perfect summer setting in Lake Phoenix; it's idyllic and charming and full of so many important memories for Taylor. It's the perfect place for her to really face her fears and learn how to deal with her relationships; the ones she has with her siblings, with her childhood best friend, Lucy, and with Henry, her first boyfriend and long-time friend. But the most important relationship in this book is the one that Taylor has with her father. Taylor not only has to deal with his illness and impending death, but how she expresses her feelings for him, and her anxieties that he doesn't know how much she cares. Throughout the summer, she makes incredible strides in how she handles her stress, deals with being a runner, and learns not to back out when relationships get hard or messy. The pacing is beautifully done with a nice balance between the present and various flashbacks and memories throughout Taylor's life. The characters are all fully formed and a lot of fun. Although heart-rending and highly emotional, Second Chance Summer is an incredible, entertaining, and funny novel that will not disappoint fans of Matson's first novel.

First note: Probably shouldn't read this at work. It does induce tears!

I thought this book was great. I fell in love with Morgan Matson when I read Since You've Been Gone, and this book didn't disappoint. I really liked Taylor and I liked how her relationships evolved, and I really felt for her in the end. I thought the reason she had been avoiding both Henry and Lucy was a little lame, but then as I thought about it, I supposed it would be a traumatic thing to a twelve year old. I was glad that she got to mend her fences there.

I didn't like how she ran away from problems, knowing exactly what she was doing, and still did it anyway, but I'm glad she grew in the end.

Overall I liked this book a lot, and I would definitely recommend it.

Title: Second Chance Summer

Author: Morgan Matson

Series:

Chapters: 40

Pages: 468

Genre: teen Chick Lit

Rating: 4 ½ stars

Taylor's family is going through a very difficult summer. Will it be a summer that the family grows closer or farther apart? This book was a different type of teen book than I have read before. Even though it is a sad book, and a tear jerker, I love this one. I liked it better than Morgan's first book which was also a good read.
Second Chance Summer reminded me a little bit of the Lurlene McDaniel's books that I read as a teen. I will admit that Second Chance Summer was a bitter sweet read. So if you want to read it I recommend a few tissues. For it to be mainstream teen fiction I don't remember any cuss words and it is clean fiction.

I read Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer in literally one day. Yes, I am a teacher in her first few weeks of summer freedom, so I've got nothing but time, but I also couldn't put it down. Seventeen-year-old Taylor tends to run from things (we have this in common). Whenever things get tough or intense that girl is off. Once her family found out that her father has stage four pancreatic cancer, Taylor discovered that there are certain things you just cannot outrun. The doctors gave Rob four months to live so the family decided to retreat to their summer home in the Poconos for one last summer together. Taylor is dreading this summer plan, one because she doesn't want to emotionally deal with her father's sickness, but also because she burned some bridges during her last family vacation there when she was twelve. She had her first romantic experience, making things uncomfortable with her best friend Lucy and her summer love, Henry, and did what Taylor does when things get uncomfortable, she ran, and she never came back, until five years later. Matson created such a beautiful character in Taylor and the very different members of her family. Taylor was mature beyond her years in a lot of ways, but Matson always brought her back down to seventeen-year-old earth, which made Taylor's character much more relatable to younger girls. I absolutely loved Warren, Taylor's older brother. He was awkward and smart, and Matson gave us many vocabulary lessons through his character. Totally the English teacher in me. Second Chance Summer made me laugh, made me cry, and made me want to read more of Morgan Matson's work.

I’ve wanted to read Second Chance Summer for years and I’ve had a copy both on my shelves and on my eReader since shortly after it came out, but I just wasn’t brave enough to pick it up and read it until last weekend. And even then, I was equal parts excited to finally read a book by an author who I consider to be one of my favorites and terrified because I knew it would bring a whole lot of potentially devastating feels. I’m a grown ass woman who is lucky enough to still have both of her parents, but I struggle so hard with books/TV shows/movies where a parent is sick or dying. It’s something I don’t think you’re ever ready for when its your own parent and reading books or watching a show or movie automatically puts you in the spot of that character who is watching their parent die or dealing with the aftermath of an unexpected death. Or at least that’s what I find myself doing. It’s something I avoid pretty much at all costs, yet I felt compelled to read this book over the weekend and, while it was as painful as I expected at times, it was also a beautiful read and easily one of my favorites for May.

I’m not even sure what to say about this book that hasn’t been said roughly a thousand times before, so I’m not going to waste a lot of your time with an unnecessarily long review. I loved the characters. Taylor was so very easy to identify with, on a number of fronts. I adored her father (*weeps*) and the rest of her family. Though I was initially on the fence about Henry and Lucy – her childhood crush and childhood best friend – I definitely grew to love them, too. I liked how Taylor grew over the course of the book, reconciling with Henry and Lucy after five years of being apart after some immature actions on her part. The friendships were strong and, while it took a little while for the romance to really gain traction, I eventually found myself grinning like a fool while reading the scenes with Taylor and Henry. I loved how she took responsibility for how she ran when she was younger and attempted to build something new and honest with each of them. She needed all the friends she could get to help deal with her dad’s illness and who better than the people who have known her for years?

I’m filing this book under “painful, but totally worth it.” It pummeled my heart at times, but it also made me happy in others. It was a really conflicting reading experience as I juggled the feelings I had about her dad’s deteriorating condition and the happier feelings about the friendship and romance… and even the way her family was coming together during this time, as they all tried to balance their own fears and feelings. Add to that the way I put myself in her position and imagined what it would feel like if it was one of my parents and I was basically one big ball of feels. I cried so much that I literally gave myself a headache. I’m not even kidding. It was an ugly, ugly cry. You know the one… with the shaking shoulders and hiccups and swollen eyes. I simultaneously loved and hated Morgan Matson and these characters for making me feel so damn much. But, at the end of the day (or the book anyhow), I loved it for so many reasons. Yes, it will make you cry. It will likely rip your heart out like it did mine. But it’s totally worth it. The sadness isn’t totally offset (in my opinion) by the hopefulness, but it’s pretty darn close. Regardless, it was a wonderful read that I just can’t recommend highly enough.

I immediately connected with Taylor's voice. I had such sympathy for what was going on with her dad, because it was made clear her sadness, and just the feeling of not knowing what to do in that sort of circumstance. I also related with her on her wanting to run away, or try to avoid a problem because that was my form of dealing when I was in high school as well.
I appreciated the value placed on family in Second Chance Summer. There is enough bickering between the siblings to make it realistic, and the parents are just the right amount of annoying at the right times. But you could plainly see that everyone cares for one another. And I like how she identifies what type of family they are--not touchy feeley in the physical aspect, so she valued hugs even more than someone who gets one just to say good afternoon. But I appreciated how close they got, and how much they learned about one another, and I think that it is so sad that a lot of families have to have tragedies hit in order to really connect and lean on your family.
The mystery of what exactly happened between Taylor, Henry and Lucy had me captivated. I knew that something went down, and then she was away from the summer lake house for quite some time. When she returned she is put face to face with Henry in awkward situations, and I loved the tension that was there. Yes, there was anger and hurt, but there was also caring buried in there somewhere.
The scenes where her father is in pain, or they are worrying, and trying to find the balance of fulfilling his wish they have a "normal summer" and trying to get in time with him all tug on my heart. Ms. Matson writes emotion so vividly and I did not want to put the book down. I wanted to keep reading about what the characters are doing, feeling, and how they are growing and changing as a result of this summer, where she realizes maybe there can be a second chance for love and friendship, but on some things there just can't be any more that can be done.
Henry in this book is so sweet, understanding and crushworthy. Especially when what happened summers ago is revealed. I won't say a lot about him except I really enjoyed reading his character.
Another secondary character that I adored was Taylor's brother Warren. He is so nerdy and intelligent except when it comes to social matters, and it is fun watching him fumble around in that aspect as well.
The ending was so sad, but I appreciated how hope was woven in. Taylor grew so much, but it was hard because of what it took and the pain that she went through in order for the change to come about.

Bottom Line: All the elements of a perfect summer read with heartbreak on the side.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is a wonderful YA novel about tenderness, family relationships, love and dealing with Cancer. When the husband and father of three is diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer, he gets his family to spend the summer at their cottage again by the lake that they haven't been to in five years. Taylor, the 17-yr.-old daughter is reluctant to go back because of her broken friendships.

This is a very good story about mending friendships, overcoming fears and being real with people. The bond between Taylor and her dad is beautiful and reminded me so much of the special relationship I had with my parents. The writing is conversational and told from Taylor's point of view. It was interesting to see how she grows as a person through the book and gets to know her whole family better. Her relationship with Henry is very sweet in this is a very touching story. In some ways it is similar the The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. If you liked that, I think you would also like Second Chance Summer. It really touched me because I knew a couple sisters whose father died of Pancreatic Cancer in a very short time. I also couldn't help reliving the deaths of my own parents, although I was fortunate to have had them much longer than Taylor had her dad in this book. I loved this great emotional clean romance and highly recommend it.

'Second Chance Summer' was exactly the subtle summer novel it comes across as. It was a really nice story altogether.

What you'll find out early on is that Taylor's dad is sick and that's why the Edwards have decided to spend the summer at the lake house they haven't visited in five years. Though, five years ago Taylor made decisions that broke her first relationship and friendship with her best friend, and now she'll be back to face everything.

What I mean when I say that 'Second Chance Summer' was a subtle novel is that the speed of the book as well as the plot itself was steady and calm.
You'll know where things are headed and there won't be any surprises along the way but, as I think most are aware when picking this up, it's the kind of book that's not about any of that - this novel was focused on telling an engaging story about family, second chances, and not being afraid.

I'm a sucker for lakeside scenery. Although, I'm not as much for lakes in real life (maybe I just haven't found the really nice ones) I can't think of a nicer setting in books. If I ever end up living by a lake (at some point in my life) it's all because of these lakeside novels.

What really made 'Second Chance Summer' was truly the little things - Taylor and her dad's ice cream and breakfast tradition, Taylor's weird boss, her stage fright, Warren's constant fact sharing, Taylor and Lucy's ways of communicating across the lake, Murphy, the neighbors acting out their script, the licorice.
Just these little puzzles, even the smallest of them, coming together as a big picture. Most of all it was how close-knit the entire novel was. Somehow it worked.

I liked the characters just fine, but they didn't grow on me. I was especially surprised by how so-so I felt about Henry - I don't know, I just expected his character to make more of a difference.
However, I liked Taylor's relationship to her dad. I liked that they sort of had an understanding just the two of them and how authentic that felt even though they weren't necessarily super-close.

Though Taylor's dad's illness is addressed throughout the book - hard to avoid, to say the least - I do find 'Second Chance Summer' to be more of a nice (for lack of a better word..) story than a heartbreaking one. That's not to say I didn't spill a few tears, I definitely did. I think the ending was beautiful in a way, I left off feeling good.

Loved it? No
Regret reading it? Not really
Will I read more from the author? Sure

" Second Chance Summer" is a heartbreaking and poignant story that begins when the Edwards family return to their summer lake house in the Pocono Mountains. Although they're not a close-knit family, terminally ill Robin Edwards has decided to spend the precious time he has left by the lake, hoping that with their time together they'll draw closer.

For seventeen year old Taylor Edwards this means returning to a place she wanted to forget, but hasn't for the last five years. She's guilt-ridden by her betrayal of her best friend Lucy and shamed by her sudden departure that left her first boyfriend Henry shocked and angry. But instead of hiding out in Connecticut she has to face the consequences of her actions and prays it's not too late for her friends to give her a second chance just as her father is praying for one for his family.

The plot is filled with the tenderness, love and heartbreak of family and friends as love and friendships are built or restored in an atmosphere where the hopelessness, uncertainty and despair of death hovers. In a story that follows events through a long, hot summer, it also retraces the heartbreak five years earlier that sent Taylor fleeing home. As she begins to face her past mistakes, finds courage, heals friendships and rekindles an old love, humour, the antics of a new dog and bad puns lighten the emotional tension. With skilful honesty Morgan Matson illustrates the feelings of isolation Taylor has endured before leaving Stanwich, which grow as she and her family become vulnerable to the talk in town that brings embarrassment, anger and protectiveness in the wake of her father's decline. This mesmerizing story tugs at your heart strings from the first page to the last.

The characters are well-developed and realistic as the family tries to live normally while the spectre of death looms over their father's head. Taylor Edwards is a teen who constantly runs away from problems, playing it safe. She's curious, funny and persistent in her desire to put her past mistakes to rest. Over the summer she learns to be brave and even increases in self-confidence after making the introduction at the " Movies Under the Stars" night. Warren Edwards her brother is a brilliant student who's not very social until he meets a likeable groomer. Gelsey Edwards is their talented but bratty younger sister until she makes friends with the daughter of their neighbours. Lucy Marino seems aloof and cold thawing with Taylor's apology. Henry Crosby is quiet, enthusiastic , kind and considerate. Instead of dealing with the pain of another breakup, he steps back from the girl he loves until she can reconcile her feelings for him. Of all the characters Robin Edwards is the strongest and most courageous. Dealing with constant fear , apprehension and even pain he never loses his sense of humor or his deep love for his family. Even Taylor's mother facing the coming loss of her husband is organized and relaxed most of the time bringing comfort to her children and unconditional love and support to her husband. All these personalities and others add depth and dimension to a riveting tale of second chances when all seems lost.

"Second Chance Summer" is a beautiful story, bittersweet and powerful in its intensity. I recommend it highly

Morgan Matson is a relatively new novelist known for her two books Amy and Roger's Epic Detour as well as Second Chance Summer. After attending college in Los Angeles with a theatre major, she realized that her dream career was to be an author. Once she graduated, she received her Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children. Matson's books have been given numerous awards including the San Francisco Book Review Best Book of 2012 and the 2012 Atlantic Wire Best MG/YA Book of the Year, both for her most recent novel Second Chance Summer.
Critics have been raving about Morgan Matson's new novel Second Chance Summer, and it is not without reason. The compelling novel is beautifully written, relating to many parts of a teenagers life. It is full if intense feelings and bittersweet situations that leave the reader indulged until the very last page.
Publisher's Weekly agrees that "...readers will feel intensely for this cast of vulnerable characters who demonstrate integrity, personality, and perseverance as they work to bridge the distances between them."
Second Chance Summer explores Taylor Edwards and her family, who have spent every summer at their house on Lake Phoenix in the Pocono Mountains until she was twelve. It was an idyllic place to grow up; with her best friend, Lucy, and her first crush, Henry. As years went on, Taylor found herself getting caught up in everything typical of a pre-teen; sleepovers with her best friend and spending time with a new boyfriend.
Things were going great until Taylor, Lucy, and Henry's friendship fell apart after many years. That summer changed everything. Instead of facing the reality of the situation, Taylor did what was expected of her and ran away, avoiding the truth. She was confident that she would never have to see her childhood friends again.
After Taylor's dad received unforeseen news of stage-four pancreatic cancer, the Edwards' decided to spend their last summer together as a unit back at summer house. Taylor never anticipated that she would be back at Lake Phoenix, but suddenly she is back at her childhood home, facing the wrath of her still bitter friends. As the days pass and her precious time becomes limited, she realizes that she must make the most of her second chance- with friends, family, and love.
Throughout the novel, Taylor grew and matured very quickly. "A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted- mostly because I had assumed that there would be a thousand more (324)." She learns how to deal with the grief of losing a family member and the independency that comes along with it.
Taylor also begins to understand more about friendships, and what is really important. "You said you didn't want to waste your time on people who aren't going to matter," I said, and he nodded. "But how do you know they're not going to matter? Unless you give it a shot? (161)." Taylor realizes that she cannot take people for granted, but she must give everyone equal opportunity in proving their importance in her life. Matson's theme of friendship and bonds is presented often within the novel.
Matson's captivating novel deserves five out of five stars. The tear-jerker is deep-themed and full of heart-wrenching experiences. The style of the book, written in alternating chapters from Taylor's past to her present life keeps the reader turning the pages, not wanting to put the book down. All in all, Second Chance Summer is the perfect book for anyone who is looking for a book about a blend of teenage problems all in one strong, emotional story.

Second Chance Summer, by Morgan Matson is a realistic fiction book that won several awards. In a 17 year old teenager's, Taylor's, point of view, it explains the struggles she faces over that summer. Taylor used to spend every summer at her family's lake house, but she hasn't been there since she was 12 when she made a huge mistake with her friends there. Five years later, her father finds out that he has pancreatic cancer and wants his whole family to spend quality time since he knows it's his last summer. Now she has to face her former friends, deal with her family, and know that her father's death is soon.

Second Chance Summer is a story of redemption and making up for lost time, that constantly had me reaching for a new tissue. While Taylor’s time with her friends is important within the story, it is the familial interactions that had me coming back for more. I think this is my favorite depiction of family that I have read in a YA novel so far. The balance in the sweetness of watching Taylor’s family reconnect after so long mixed with the reality of the entire family watching their family patriarch’s declining health is utterly heartbreaking. I feel like most YA I read picks up after the tragedy has already struck and it is about the protagonist moving through grief and healing. Matson’s novel however, dives right into the gritty reality of sickness and packs a punch to readers’ emotions.

I intentionally saved Second Chance Summer until the week before school started, hoping it would allow me to hang on to some shreds of summer in the face of the steadily approaching school year. While I wouldn't peg it as entirely disappointing, it certainly fell below my expectations, featuring quite a few clichés and a frustrating plot...and sounding very much like a Sarah Dessen novel. It certainly didn't leave much of a lasting impression.

One of my main gripes with respect to the plot was that I struggled to understand Taylor's driving concern about her relationship with Henry when she was twelve. Twelve. She incessantly fawned over her preteen crush, completely overlooking her dying father in favor of her own selfish concerns and "hardships." As a story that was intended to address familial relationships, particularly in light of her father's illness, there were almost zero family interactions, which seemed rather contradictory. There was no real family bonding until the final week of the summer, at which point there were 20 pages remaining in the book.

There was minimal character development throughout the novel. The protagonist, Taylor, started as a wishy-washy, anxious mess, and at the conclusion of the novel, she was an equally wishy-washy, anxious mess, if not even more so. She has a tendency to run away from her problems rather than facing them head on, and she continues to gripe about this personality fault for the majority of the novel without addressing how she can alter her behavior. But suddenly, entirely out of the blue, Taylor is magically able to plant her feet and stop running in the opposite direction without the merest hint of an internal struggle, which seemed so out-of-place that I found it challenging to accept. Moreover, Taylor came across as a whiny toddler for the majority of the book, complaining about this and that, but waiting for someone else to do something about it, particularly when it came to reconnecting with her childhood friends. All I have to say is "Grow up."

For a book that came across as a constant stream of romance and fluffy love scenes based upon its summary, it was severely lacking in that department. Any romantic interactions came across as forced and awkward, almost as if the characters were a decade younger and "playing" boyfriend and girlfriend during kindergarten recess - even holding hands was a cause for embarrassment (insert dramatic eye roll). Just wait until we get to making eye contact or hugging - very scandalous, I know.

Second Chance Summer was a quick read, and although the plot tended to drag and the characters were less than desirable, it had a cute premise - I just wish it had been further developed. It had quite a bit of promise, but it seemed to fall pretty short. There were pages and pages that recounted absolutely nothing that was relevant to the plot, and I tended to quickly skim these sections. There was no true inciting action or climax, so I felt like I was watching a very dull soap opera while reading, which isn't the best of feelings to be left with. On the other hand, the ending was likely the most memorable and my personal favorite part of the book (though you may want some tissues nearby before you tackle it!), and it served to tie up many, if not all, of the loose ends. After all, who doesn't like a nice decisive ending?

The last four or five chapters were a doozy. Especially for me. My dad and my step-dad's lives deaths came crashing back to me, and throughout chapter thirty-seven, I feel apart.
Most of the story is not so sad. It's about young love. It's about family. It's about friendship. There is even some humor thrown in here and there. Yup, it's just a delightful and thoughtful read. Yet, it carried so much power in the end.
Talk about BANG!
You all may see this review and wonder, 'what the hell?', but believe me, this book is epic. You definitely need to read it. And now I need to read, Since You Been Gone.

Originally posted on bbooksmart.com

I finished Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson about half an hour ago, and in that time I have cried to both my mom and dad about it and called my best friend Victoria telling her she must borrow this book and read it immediately.
Screen Shot 2015-05-28 at 9.11.33 PMSecond Chance Summer is about a 17 year old girl named Taylor Edwards. Her whole life, Taylor has been running away (literally) from her problems instead of facing them, but when her and her family learn that her dad is battling a life threatening illness, Taylor can't run away anymore. Because of the circumstances, the Edwards family decides to spend the upcoming summer together at their cottage in the Poconos. Most kids would be excited to go up to a cottage for the summer, but not Taylor. Having to go up to her family's cottage means that Taylor has to confront the life she suddenly left behind five years prior, including her former best friend Lucy and first "boyfriend" Henry. When she arrives at her cottage she learns her past friends definitely have not forgotten her or her mistakes. And as her father is getting sicker, Taylor must try to patch up her relationships before time runs out.

Second Chance Summer is a heartbreaking book, but it's a book that is also filled with happiness and love. Taylor was an amazing protagonist, she was incredibly honest and relatable (as all Morgan's characters always are). Taylor's family was equally amazing and hilarious as she was; there is Taylor's twelve year old sister Gelsey, who is a ballet prodigy and Taylor's older brother Warren, who is a genuis and is always spewing out random facts in basically every conversation that he has. As you can probably tell from the description of her siblings, Taylor is definitely struggling with middle child syndrome or whatever it's called. She feels like she isn't as special or important as her siblings, but as the book goes on you can see just how incredible she actually is.

Screen Shot 2015-05-28 at 9.12.45 PMAnother part of the book I adored was the setting. The Poconos are beautiful, as shown in the picture to the right, but Morgan's way of describing the cute little town blew me away. Being someone who has gone up to a summer cottage every year of my life, I noticed tons and tons of parallels between my Northern Michigan cottage and Taylor's cute little village. Honestly, the way Morgan described this town will make you want to live in it. IT WAS SO CUTE!

In YA there is a lot of romance books (which can be great!) but sometimes you just need a book that has more family and friendship aspects in it, don't get me wrong the romance in this book is fantastic, but the majority of this book is focused on the importance of family, which I loved. Reading about the Edwards family's interactions made this book for me, especially the relationship between Taylor and her dad, and watching it progress.

I have been raving about this book this whole time, but there was only one teeny tiny thing that got on my nerves while reading Second Chance Summer, that being that people still held grudges for things that happened when they were twelve. I mean, I hardly remember anything from when I was twelve except for eating loads of candy and reading those silly celebrity gossip magazines. And also, who had a boyfriend when they were twelve that they still think about??? Ugh! But don't worry this didn't make me enjoy the book any less because I ended up giving it a 5/5 stars.

GO READ THIS BOOK. Seriously!!! As I said earlier, I literally just finished it and raved to three people already. Plus, it's the summer time, so what better season to read it? :)

Grab the tissues. This book will make you sob until you have no more tears left. Go through a terrifying and sad journey of Taylor Edwwards life. Her dad is terribly sick, he doesn't have long to live. Readers are on the edge of their seats as Taylor rekindles things with old boyfriends and best friends. Cry through this emotional roller foster she calls life. Bring boxes of tissues while reading the saddest book ever that seems to be glued to your hands. Tell your parents you love them because you never know how much time you have.

A really good book. I couldn't put it down! Morgan Matson, author of Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, will have you reading late into the night try into finish it! I completely love this book. There is some language so your descresion is advised.

I was looking forward to this book since I really liked "Amy's and Roger's Epic Detour". And I love it! I seriously, honestly love it. The characters, their relationships (especially between her and her dad), their struggles, the writing - it was flawless. And although I knew exactly what was going to happen, this book made me cry. And the last time a book made me cry was about five years ago. Read it, you won't be disappointed.

I am impressed with the the way the book progresses. I am no doubt in favor of Henry but I love Taylor too. Every character brings you their perspective of dealing with life, love and death. Thank you for a book was so close to heart and very beautifully written. Regards.

I have heard so many great things about this novel. I completely agree. This story is beautiful and literally brought me to tears which is extremely rare. Morgan Matson wrote a phenomenal story about life, love, growth, and understanding.

This book really helped me understand the process of love and loss, the characters really made a connection with me personally especially Taylor and Lucy. The two girls in the story who made this book feel complete and brought hilarity, laughter and tears to my eyes.