Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Release Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: For Blog Tour
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

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.

With summer coming up soon, reading Nantucket Blue just made me want the days to go by more quickly! With beaches and boys, you're clearly headed for a fantastic summer read.
I read this one non-stop because I thought that the plot was just fantastic. I love the multiple stories and the characters involved, and how they're all connected because of Cricket. There's of course the romance, the problems with Jules, problems with her mom and dad, working at the hotel, working as an intern– brilliant bits and pieces that come together that make it one delicious summer journey.

First off, I think the name Cricket is becoming PRETTY popular in the world of YA. I mean, I believe I've heard it a couple times before, so I think this is a trend that's going to be big (or at least, girls with insect's names).
To be honest, I didn't like her character very much. She seemed to make very rash and terrible mistakes, and then doesn't want to own up for it. She puts herself first every time and doesn't seem to think about other's feelings. It really put me on edge whenever that particular trait of hers came up.

Even though Cricket's mother isn't a prominent character in the book, her teenage version is! A lot of diary entries by Cricket's mom pops up in this book, and it's quite hilarious to see Cricket reading about her mom's romance, especially when things spice up a little. Definitely contributes to a tiny twist in this novel.
All the other characters were great: Jules I loved to hate (and then love and hate some more), Zack was just absolutely swoon-worthy, and Liz was hilarious the max with her Irish accent and relationship advice. They really helped to build up the story, especially Zack, for I'm sure whom without this story would have been pretty dry.

Nantucket Blue portrays the ups and downs of life, love and friendship. Leila Howland has written a gorgeous novel which will have you aching for summer the whole way long. Loved this book and no doubt about it, she's amazingly talented. Can't wait for what she writes next!

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you to Shane at Itching for Books for allowing me to be apart of the Nantucket Blue blog tour, and to Jamie Baker at Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing an eGalley for review! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

• The Story of Us by Deb Caletti ● Goodreads
• The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han ● Goodreads
• The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland ● Goodreads

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

LEILA HOWLAND loves to read, explore L.A., and engage in funny and meaningful conversations with her friends and family, especially her brother who calls from Washington D.C. whenever he’s waiting for the bus. A lot gets discussed in those phone calls, but they tend to end abruptly when the bus shows up. She can really cut the rug, but wishes she could sing without people covering their ears. A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. It was a lot of fun and she often talks about “getting back into it.” The closest she has come was a stint as an extra on The Young and the Restless in 2010. 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 first novel.

leilahowland.tumblr.com | twitter.com/leilahowland

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Enter in the giveaway below! :D

a Rafflecopter giveaway