readingwithcats's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Mel’s father is abusive towards her mother but no “on screen” violence occurs.amylia's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Best Worst Summer by Elizabeth Eulberg is a lovely contemporary / historical fiction mashup. Peyton is angry! Her family has just moved from a big city to a much smaller town and she has had to leave all her friends and her life behind. Her mom is always working, and her brother is more interested in his phone than anything else. Then she finds a time capsule buried in her backyard with a cryptic apology note inside, and her summer gets a lot more interesting. At the library, she meets Lucas, and together they decide to solve the mystery of who left the capsule and what they were apologizing for. The other half of this story takes place in the 1980’s, told from the perspective of the girl leaving the capsule.
This book was adorable start to finish. While it did make me feel very old reading the 80s as this far off historical time, that is the reality for middle grade readers!
The root of this book was friendships and how to make them, keep them, and cherish them. That is an important lesson no matter what decade or age. I loved the back and forth timelines and the relationships between the girls, their parents, their siblings (or lack thereof), and their friends.
Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse
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