The Summer of Firsts and Lasts

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts
Author:Terra Elan Mcvoy
pages:423
publication date:May 3 2011






Summary:
Three sisters. One life-changing summer.

Calla loves summer because summer means Duncan. They’ve been best friends for years, but Calla has never worked up the nerve to tell him how she really feels. This summer, the summer before college, is Calla's last chance.


Violet isn't much of a rule breaker in real life. But this isn't real life, this is summer, and Violet is determined to make the most of it. Besides, a little sneaking out never hurt anyone. And sneaking out with James is 100% worth the risk...even though James is completely off-limits.


Daisy has never been the sister that boys notice, but when sparks fly with Joel at the first bonfire of summer, it seems so easy and right. So why is being his girlfriend so complicated?

Review:

I was very disappointed while reading this. I had just finished Terra’s other book “After the Kiss” and I didn’t like it all. I thought I was going to have better luck with this one but I just don’t like her writing style at all.

This story is told in the three sister’s point of view (Calla, the oldest sister, Violet, the middle sister, and Daisy the youngest sister), which I liked, I’m a sucker for POV’s. Each is going to a camp that they have gone to ever since they could remember, each sister as problems and they all encounter drama into their individual lives.

Calla is too old to be a camper but she decided to be an assistant and work at the camp for her college application.  She’s been in love with her best friend from camp for ages but has never worked up the courage to ask him, it’s been years and she still hasn’t done anything.  Don’t you think that if he hasn’t made a move this whole time he doesn’t like her that way back? I just became frustrated by her not realizing it. I mean he was so sweet to her and it seemed like he may like her a little but if anything hasn’t happened yet, it’s not going to.

Violet met a Brynn at camp, she is a crazy and a total rule breaker but Violet finds that she enjoys being a friend with her. When I was reading about Brynn I started disliking her, then as time goes on I actually started feeling bad for her.  I think Brynn was totally misunderstood, she helped Daisy get over her fear of the zip line, of course she threatened her beforehand but it still works, she got over her fear. And when Brynn sent Calla’s crush a letter telling her about Calla’s true feelings, she found out what she wanted to know the whole time.  Did he like her back? Daisy crushes on this guy but finds out he’s a total tool, she should have known.

And then there’s Daisy, whenever I picture Daisy in the book I always pictured to be really young like 8 or 9 but she is a teenager, being the youngest she’s always in the shadows, she doesn’t like being the center of attention and she love running. So she joins the “track team” at camp, she then starts having a crush on her coach. I felt like whenever it was in Daisy’s POV the coach was stringing her along, making her feel special, maybe it was my imagination but…. He was just concerned for her. He knows she was a bit of a loner, he wanted to make sure she was ok.

Somewhere in the book all three of the sisters were mad at each other, no one wanted to own up and apologize so the closeness they had was completely gone, but by the end of the book they all learned that no matter what sisters are sisters. You can’t choose family; especially when all their names are flowers. They became a close knit group and ended up leaving everything behind.  

I just couldn’t find any connection with any of the characters in the book at all. I just couldn’t love this book as much as I wanted to. I’d like to say that I am looking forward for more books but I don’t think that will happen, I don’t think Terra’s books are for me.  

2/5 stars