Title: How My Summer Went Up in FlamesAuthor: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Also by this author: The Summer After You and Me
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Rating:
First she lost her heart. Then she lost her mind. And now she’s on a road trip to win back her ex. This debut novel’s packed with drama and romance!
Rosie’s always been impulsive. She didn’t intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So when she’s served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she’s heartbroken—and furious.
To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie’s parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie’s spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…
How My Summer Went up in Flames, Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is a light and amusing summer read. It tells of a perfect road trip that is relatable and will make the reader feel as though they are part of the story. This book is complete with an entertaining narrator and a plot that is inspirational.
❀ Road Trip Book
How My Summer Went Up in Flames is an epic road trip novel! I am a huge fan of any travel/road trip books, so I really enjoyed this one. After the main character, Rosie, is served with a temporary restraining order, for accidentally setting her new ex-boyfriend’s car on fire, she is sent on a trip with her neighbour and his two friends in a tiny car. They visit places like the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, which are well known and make the book more relatable. The way the book is written makes the reader feel like they are part of the trip as well.
❀ Rosie is an Enjoyable Main Character
I really liked Rosie as a main character for How My Summer Went Up in Flames. She brings a lot of humour to the book. Her actions are not very well thought out, but it makes the book even more enjoyable when they backfire. She understands that what she does is wrong and attempts to fix it. She is a realistic character, because not everything goes her way. Rosie does have moments that are immature, but in real life, nobody’s perfect.
❀ Unlikely Friendships
The plot of How My Summer Went Up in Flames isn’t just Rosie trying to get her ex back, which I really enjoyed. When she goes on a road trip with the three boys, she slowly changes and becomes very mature. This book is mostly about unlikely friendships and how sometimes, you just need to get away from an issue.
❀ Light Summer Read
How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is a nice, light summer read. It contains many famous landmarks and tourist stops, a spunky main character, and a great message. This novel is the perfect debut.
About Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is the author of the YA novels, HOW MY SUMMER WENT UP IN FLAMES, FAMOUS LAST WORDS, a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year, THE SUMMER AFTER YOU & ME, a YALSA Teens' Top 10, and AUGUST & EVERYTHING AFTER.
Her first paid writing gig was as an editorial assistant for the North Jersey Herald & News, where, in addition to developing a life-long passion for coffee and news, she wrote obituaries for eight months. She also worked as a speech writer, bank teller, ghostwriter, bookkeeper in a lampshade factory, pet shop clerk, and music zine editor.
She lives with her family in New Jersey and spends her summers “down the shore,” where everything's always all right.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, novice New Yorker, & professional bibliophile.
I hadn’t heard of this one before, but it sounds like it might be one some of my students would enjoy. Especially the light reading part. I’ll have to look to add it to buy. Great review!
I have seen this one so much, but I haven’t really read any reviews for it. It sounds cute, and it is nice to know it is a good book! Definitely makes me more likely to read it. I haven’t read very many road trip books, so I am curious to see how this road trip plays out!
This sounds great! I find it really funny how she want her ex cheating boyfriend back but on this road trip have these guys helping her.
Sounds like a nice summer read! Cute cover!
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