Sunday, July 8, 2012

Review of A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

 
A Midsummer's Nightmare
By: Kody Keplinger
Review by: Kimberly Ho

Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 304
Star Rating: ★/ Go out and buy it now.
Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

"But as the clock ticked the hours past and Dad still didn't come up the stairs to see me, I really wished that I didn't know the truth."

You've read The DUFF, you've read Shut Out, now it's time for A Midsummer's Nightmare to take the stage! (Wow, that sounded lame.)

I absolutely adored this book. It was up there with Kody Keplinger's debut, and excels the level of Shut Out. I loved everything.

But I half expected to be disappointed with A Midsummer's Nightmare, just as I sort of was with Shut Out. I'd thought I'd dislike Whitley's cynical personality as I did Lissa's. Don't get me wrong, Shut Out was good, but it was too much like the author's previous work. I wanted something more. It seems like that's always too much to ask for.

But A Midsummer's Nightmare was that more. Whitley always had a good retort and that sarcastic sense of humor that I loved in Bianca. And speaking of Bianca, she and Wesley are back! But honestly, the moment Wesley made a reappearence, nothing clicked. I thought he was just another character with the same name and, as I'm sure Whitley can testify, the same figure that can make girls swoon. That's how perfectly everything fit. I didn't feel their comeback was out of place in the slightest, it felt they were just another part, a very good part, of the story. And for fans of The DUFF, didn't our beloved characters grow so much?

However, what I think made me connect with Whitley on a whole other level was the way this story was set up. Like Bianca, like Lissa, Whitley was dealing with the aftermath of a painful event and situation. But it wasn't just all talk and no show with Whitley's story, we got to experience it first-handed alongside Whitley herself as she learns that nothing is ever as it seems. I think this is a book that can, and will, appeal to teens and adults alike. Kody Keplinger sure doesn't shy away from any topic at all.

And for a idea of how I looked while reading:



I think that just about does it nicely. But seriously.

Buy. This. Now.

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Review also found at: Goodreads

Contact me at: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com


15 comments:

  1. You have yourself a new fan! :D

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  2. Soooo adding this to my TBR pile! This sounds awesome! I love your reaction too! :)

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  3. I think I need that kind of reaction :P
    Great review, Kaede! I have a copy of this, but I didn't think of reading it. You've definitely changed my mind!

    I hope you'll stop by!

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    1. Yay! Then my job here is done. >;D. I certain will stop by! Hope you enjoy!♥

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  4. I haven't read The DUFF or Shut Out, but I did read this. Yep, I do things backwards! haha. I really want to read the others though bc I did enjoy this too it was a great read. I've also hear mixed reviews from those who have read the others so I'm super curious!

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    1. Oh? Tsk tsk. You must read the DUFF and banish the backwardness...or something like that. c:

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  5. I haven't read any of Kody Kaplinger's books yet, but I know I should. I've heard amazing things about the DUFF. You're review reminds me that I need to push all her books up on my TBR pile. I'm so glad you liked it!

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    1. Why thank you dear. I hope you like it too! You must read one of the three soon! =3

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  6. omg we have like the same response to her books! I was disappointed big time with Shut Out but I LOVED A Midsummer's Nightmare! It's my favorite of the three. (ALSO YOUR BLOG IS SO CUTE I JUST HAD TO FOLLOW IT.)

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    1. Bahaha. This isn't my blog, but thanks! I'm just the current co-blogger. :p. And right? I thought Shut Out was a disappontment too. -__-

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  7. I love Kody! :D

    By the way, I nominated your for the Versatile Blog Award.

    Click on the link below to see the rules. <3

    http://sandeelovesbooks.blogspot.com

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