The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt

The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt
Random House, 224 pages
ARC courtesy of Random Buzzers

"It’s 1986, and 13-year-old Drew Robin Solo is waiting. Waiting for things to happen; waiting to feel moved by something--or, as it turns out, someone. Drew’s summer begins in her mother’s cheese shop, making pasta alongside handsome Nick and caring for her pet rat and constant companion, Hum. The mysterious nightly disappearance of the old cheeses Drew leaves behind the shop lead to Emmett Crane, a boy who effortlessly brings color to her monochrome life. By the end Drew is no longer waiting for life to happen, but instead asking, 'How could people sleep when there was so much at stake, so much happening, when there were so many reasons to be awake and alive?'"

To start off, my first impression of the book was very bad and did not do the book any justice. I have a problem with the cover, first and foremost. I like the colors and the picture, but the font absolutely irks me to no end. And once I read the description, it had me thinking, "Really? A rat? Seriously??" So, needless to say, I thought The Summer I Learned to Fly was going to be one of those easily forgotten books that you read. Boy, was I wrong.

I enjoyed reading from Drew's point of view. At first I thought it would be difficult to connect with the main character, seeing as how much younger she was than myself, but the epilogue was very fascinating and quickly changed that part of my mind.

The book was very well written and kept moving, which was a good thing. There are so many things that I would love to say about this book, but I feel like it would be very easy to give away what happens in the book this way. (There are several surprises.)

You read the book, and you take away something. For me, The Summer I Learned to Fly made me very nostalgic about my own childhood, seeing as how this is my last year in high school. The message of the book wasn't in your face, but it was always in the background throughout the book.

I greatly enjoyed this book. It made me look back on my childhood memories with fondness, but also encouraged me to look forward to the future and what comes next. This book will not be forgotten in my mind, but it is not one that I would think of immediately.

Rating: 4 stars - I really liked it. Worth buying.