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Summer Sisters

© Nancy Coulter

This article is part of the Suite101.com Read All About It special event. Looking for a good book to curl up and read during the winter months? Check out the other book reviews on the Read All About It page.

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Have you ever read a book that you just can't put down? Not because it's a terrifying horror story or because it's a spellbinding mystery. Simply because you feel as if you are part of the lives of the characters and you don't want to miss a page of their lives.

Judy Blume succeeded once again in creating a story that leaves its readers bound to the book till the very end. For those Blume fans (like myself) who grew up reading books like Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing or Freckle Juice, you should enjoy one of her attempts into serious adult fiction.

The book is called Summer Sisters and it chronicles the life of two best friends from their early childhood days, till the days of their adult life. Caitlin and Victoria, or Vix and Caitlin calls her, are the two best friends. Caitlin comes from a privileged family. She's used to getting her way and not having to work very hard for whatever she gets. Caitlin is the stereotypical rich kid, complete with divorced parents who live on opposite sides of the country.

Every summer, Caitlin spends her time with her father and brother, vacationing in the family home on Martha's Vineyard. One fateful summer, Caitlin chose Vix to spend the summer with her. Caitlin is notorious for having a long string of different friends spending the summer with her. Each year it's a different one, and sometimes the friend doesn't last that very long at the Vineyard.

Vix comes from a working class family with 4 children, the youngest of which has muscular dystrophy. Both her parents work and her mother tends to be pretty bitter about their living situation. Reluctantly, her mother agrees to let Vix go with Caitlin. To her mother, letting Vix go means one less mouth to feed.

The first summer together is only the beginning of Caitlin's and Vix's story. Summer Sisters tells of their summer adventures together and how it affects their winter lives. That first summer is when they become Summer Sisters and start the exclusive NBO (Never Be Ordinary) club. We read about their teenage tribulations, their first loves, losing their virginity, learning about the world, becoming closer friends and learning more about themselves in the process. You can't help but read the words and think back on your own life, reflecting on how you have changed since your days as a teenager.

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