Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Nantucket Blue

by Leila Howland
Young Adult/Contemporary/Romance/Summery Book
published May 7th 2013 by Disney Hyperion
294 pg
Stand-alone

***

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.

But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

Why do I like Nantucket Blue enough to recommend it to anyone who read this post?

First, Nantucket Blue is so fun to read. It's a summery book so it didn't take long for me to like it. The opening scene of the book, which was a lacrosse game, instantly engrossed me to read more. Cricket is kinda a strange name for a girl, but she's a lovely main character. I love the voice/tone that Leila used when telling the story from Cricket's point of view. And Nantucket Blue is one of those books that made you want to go there. The author described the setting pretty clear and I love that about Nantucket Blue. I googled lots of pictures of Nantucket after I finished reading and spent some time dreaming myself being in that lovely island for some good days, wearing a big hat and sunglasses, feeling the heat, basking in the sun while sipping on a glass of cocktail. Hmm, lovely image.

A beach on Nantucket. Picture credit to Adriana Casey

Second, this story of Cricket has layers. Multiple of it. We're told how Cricket has to deal with losing her bestfriend (I thought Jules gonna be one of those kick-ass secondary character, but ugh, I was wrong. It's shitty the way Cricket handles the speech on Jules' mom's funeral, I could understand why Jules is upset about it, but the way she treated Cricket afterwards was just wrong. And I hate how Cricket constantly tried to fix things between them. This kinda naive side of her is not her best strength), the family drama between her mother and her father's new family, realizing that the boy she had had a crush on wasn't really that appealing, getting a job to survive in Nantucke... She got a lot to deal with. Cricket is still a teenager, that's why sometimes her actions were so teenage-y, there were the ups and downs and abrupt change of emotions, sometimes she came down as annoying, but between this and that, this girl also grew up and learn many things.

I love her spirit. This is third. Cricket is kind-hearted and a positive person, she's not a moper. She quickly moved on from bad things that have happened to her and quick to find resolve on her own. Cricket ended up working at an Inn (after being told off by Jules, that is) then finding new friendship with Liz, Gavin and George. Also somehow got herself in a new relationship with someone who's kinda unexpected.... Eventhough I was kinda disappointed to read that this new boy was younger than her. (Well, mind you, I don't have a problem with girls going out with younger boys... they're just not that appealing to me. I had to plant my own made up fact that this boy is an older brother while reading the book :P) But they're sweet! I love all the flirting moments, dates, days spent in the beach, all their conversations and the whole sneaking up to avoid being known by his sister. What's a lovely summer without a summer romance, yeah?

Cricket is originally from Rhode Island

Overall, I didn't really fancy the friendship side of Nantucket Blue. Most of the time I just wanted Cricket to eff off and leave Jules to her ownself, but maybe this is the reason why I'm the horrible person while Cricket was such an awesome friend. The dynamics of Cricket's family wasn't really enjoyable (with the whole situation of her father having a new family, her mother is still left alone and being passive... it's just different with Emaline's story from The Moon and More, that is, which I loved, eventhough Emaline & Cricket's family situation has some similarity). I think what made the book fun was actually this new romance between Cricket and the guy, also the awesome summery vibe of the book. Like I said above, Nantucket Blue is one of those books that mad you want to be there. The plot flows easily, and I love how at the end Cricket was able to stand up for herself while still owning her mistakes and wrong behaviors. She realized her self worth, how no one should not make her down just for something she humanly did as a teenager.  Leila Howand had successfully intertwined all of Cricket's problems into a lovely contemporary book set in summer, which ended up giving the readers a pleasant reading experience ❤

Recommended for you who loves: Summery book/Fluffy summer romance/Stories about friendship, family, and growing up in between.

By the way, Leila herself had opened up about who will make a good live version of Cricket. She voted for AnnaSophia Robb. Not that I don't agree with this, but AnnaSophia is kinda..... everywhere lately. Who do you think will be good to portray Cricket Thompson of Nantucket Blue?

About the Author

Leila Howland graduated from Georgetown University. She spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. Leila now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two dogs. She teaches high school English and blogs for HelloGiggles. Nantucket Blue is her debut novel.

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Need more to convince your mind? Read other reviews of Nantucket Blue by:
Ginger from GReads!
Rachel from The Readers Den
Katy from A Blighted One


PS: [A great peek of the beautiful Nantucket Island]
PSS: There's still some days left to join my Birthday Giveaway! Enter to win book(s) of your choice up to Rp 150k! [IDN/INA readers only] :D