Jenny Han : THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY SERIES

Warning! If you are expecting another TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE story, you might be in for a surprise.

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY book series is written by the wonderful and very talented story teller - Jenny Han.

I love Jenny and her stories. I fell in love with To All The Boys I've Loved Before earlier this year. It was one of those books which just makes you smile all the time whilst you were reading it. It filled your heart with content and happiness. And it set the bar pretty high for the rest of her stories.

So of course, when I decided to finally read THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY series this summer, I was expecting a great story packed with love, emotions, laughter and a little sadness and a beautiful happy ending. But I am sorry to say, that I was left with disappointment in my heart and soul.

*****

Every year Isabel (Belly) spends a perfect summer at her family friends' house. There's the swimming pool at night, the private stretch of beach - and the two boys.

Conrad - unavailable, aloof - who she's been in love with forever.

Jeremiah - friendly, relaxed - the only one who's ever really paid her any attention.

But this year something is different. They seem to have noticed her for the first time. It's going to be an amazing summer ... and one she'll never forget.

One girl. Two brothers. The biggest decision of her life... Which one will she choose?

*****

There are 3 books in this series:

• THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY
• IT'S NOT SUMMER WITHOUT YOU
• WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE SUMMER

I own the paperback editions reprinted in 2013 by Penguin Books. They are on average 250+ pages long. The design is simple, yet beautiful. White background with neon-coloured graphic design. Very pretty. 

Now.. The hard part.. The writing and the story itself... Well let's start with the easier part. The writing is easy to read and follow. It's packed with twist and turns. But I feel like it's missing the Jenny Han magical touch. It's very strange because I know that this book series has been published way ahead of time of TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE. And maybe it's the testament of Jenny's development as an author, but I don't get the hype about these books. I didn't feel any emotions at all whilst reading it. I wasn't on roller coaster ride with my feelings. It was bland. I actually had to force myself to read the books till the end and not abandoned them after the first one. 

The story is fairy predictable. It's too simple. A love triangle. A girl and two brothers. You can imagine where it is heading. She falls for one of them, the other one is the best friend secretly in love with her. The one she loves breaks her heart, so the one who loves her is there to pick up the pieces. And then the love triangle blooms and she needs to make a choice... Do you know what I mean when I say it is very, very predictable?

There is no real development to the characters and to be honest I don't like the way the story was heading. Straight from the start there was clear favourite (similar to Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices love triangle). I felt like Jeremiah was only dragged to the story to make it a trilogy. These books are all fairly short. And they feel forced. I think it story would be much more better and greater if the author would spend more time on the developing of the characters and the story itself. Maybe make it more unique. More original. More complicated. Bigger twists and turns. It would much better off as stand alone novel than trilogy. 

I will be honest. I hated Belly. I could not stand her at all. She a little spoilt brat. When she doesn't get her way, she pouts, gets angry.. And that didn't change as the story went on. She is selfish. She doesn't pay attention to others and their feelings. It's all about her and I quite frankly do not understand why these two great guys want to be with her... I am sorry but I don't see her appeal at all. She is a crappy friend (yes, I agree with Taylor). All she thinks about is summer and Conrad and her problems. I just do not like her. I am really sorry, I tried, but Belly as a character and a female lead failed me and this story.

Now,  with the boys, my feelings are slightly different. I couldn't understand the hype and why Belly liked Conrad at the start. He is this broody guy who doesn't communicate well with others. He doesn't share feelings. He bottles them up and let them eat him from the inside. Quite frankly I didn't like him and the way he treats people. But saying that,  the last book gave me a glimpse inside his mind and I have grown to tolerate him. But Jeremiah is a different story. He was and still is my favourite and I really wish that Belly would pick him and stop moping after Conrad. Jere is a good friend, son and brother. He is there when you need him. He is like a ray of sunshine which makes the shadows go away. I didn't like what Jenny did to him in the last book. Firstly, she made him cheat on Belly and then made him look quite irresponsible and irrational. Which was completely different to the previous books.


I have to say, the whole set felt not thought properly through. It was messy. The last book was just a complete waste of time. Actually, I will be honest, the whole series was a waste of time.

So I am really sorry, Jenny Han. And it does actually pain me to say this, but I did not like THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY series at all. I hoped I would love it. I harboured a small piece of hope as I read that the story would improve but it got worse. I am was left disappointed, heartbroken for Jeremiah and angered with Belly.


I will be honest, I won't recommend it to my friends and I won't reach for this book series in forseenable future.

I am so happy and glad that Jenny Han develop so much more as an author and hopefully she will write better stories in the future.