Thursday, June 10, 2010

"The Summer We Read Gatsby" book review and {GIVEAWAY!!}


I had a chance to read "The Summer We Read Gatsby" by Danielle Ganek. In case you have not heard of this book before, here is a synopsis (taken from Amazon.com):

"Two half-sisters search for the thing of utmost value in an inherited ramshackle Southampton cottage in Ganek's witty new novel (after Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him). The story is narrated by introverted, newly divorced, would-be writer Cassie, but the flamboyant center of the story is her older half-sister, Peck, a theatrical socialite determined to bring out her sister while thwarting Cassie's sensible plan to sell Fool's House, the cottage they've jointly inherited from their eccentric aunt Lydia. As they wonder whether the house's treasure is a Jackson Pollock painting, a first edition of The Great Gatsby, or a family secret, the sisters' contrasting personalities clash in hilarious ways. During a summer marked by parties that recall both the artsy milieu of Pollock and the posh extravagance of Gatsby, the two sisters run into long-lost loves, strange neighbors, aggressive real estate agents, and charming artist hangers-on as they ponder the legacy of their beloved Aunt Lydia and their relationship to each other. Even though many of the novel's revelations can be seen a mile away, getting there is a fun, witty, and surprisingly moving trip."

I thought this book was an easy, fun read. The characters were very likable and the story line was easy to follow. I would categorize this book as a simple summer read. It doesn't take much effort to follow along and although I don't see this book winning any literary awards anytime soon, I did think it was written well and it had an interesting plot line. I would recommend this as a perfect beach read for your summer vacation.

WIN IT!
One lucky reader will win their very own copy of "The Summer We Read Gatsby."

Mandatory entry:
Tell us your most memorable summer.

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Good luck! Contest ends on June 20th at midnight. Winner will be announced June 21st.
Winner will be chosen through random.org.

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-Tracy
We are not compensated for our reviews. We receive product(s) for free so we can provide our experience. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

19 comments:

  1. My most memorable summer was the summer we took the kids the kids to the beach for the 1st time! They had the most fun and I loved just sitting back watching them enjoy every minute!

    april_vereb@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. The summer I got married was a memorable one. shyann.mc@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Last summer, which was my first summer living in Brooklyn. Beautiful neighborhood with tree lined streets, Prospect Park, and Coney Island, and exploring the city, so much fun!. I can't wait to see what this summer will hold!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i was 15, had my 1st boyfriend, went o my 1st big trip to nantucket with out my folks
    nannypanpan at sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  5. Two summers ago, we took our first family vacation. It was such a fun, relaxing time. My son still talks about the "vacation house." He loved it too!
    mommastaci33 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
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  9. My favorite summer was when we took my 2 young kids to DisneyLand. Still can picture their smiles and enjoyment at everything.

    aprily99@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. follow publicly

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  13. My most memorable summer ever was when I was sixteen hung out every day with my sister and a mutual friend at a local waterpark where we live, because we each had season passes. we had so much fun!
    annemolino at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. The summer we traveled in my families new VW bus to the worlds fair it was one that we still talk about we had a blast!

    Thanks
    heidivargas [at] live dot com

    ReplyDelete

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