Author: Emylia Hall
ISBN: 978-0-7553-9084-7
RRP: $29.99
The Book Of Summers is Emylia Hall’s debut novel and was inspired by childhood holidays spent in rural Hungary. This book evokes a myriad of emotional responses sure to touch everyone who had a childhood shared between separated parents.
Covered in what I can only guess is Morning Glory on a background of glorious sky blue this volume is eye catching and reminiscent of summer. It is a paperback book but has the foldout cover flaps which I always consider using as a bookmark but can never bring myself to.
The Book Of Summers is set in the present but much of the story takes place in the past by way of a trip down memory lane.
From very early on you know that something big has happened to further tear apart an estranged family but you can never be sure just what it is. The answer to this is never even hinted at throughout the book though whenever Aunt Jessica visits you can tell there is something she disapproves of.
Beth is a puzzle to all of those around her, something of an enigma that no-one has been allowed close enough to unravel. For reasons as yet unknown Beth keeps everyone at a distance, never letting anyone close enough to really know her. We learn early on that this is in some way related to her childhood but it isn’t until the closing chapters that we discover the life-changing event that totally changed the course of her life – and her name.
An unscheduled visit from her father sets the wheels in motion for a big discovery, because that’s something that just isn’t done so there is sure to be more to it than a family catch-up. With him he brings a parcel that has arrived in the post, a parcel that resonates with the past and comes very close to being discarded unopened.
Eventually the parcel is opened and found to contain a letter bearing bad news and a photo album with the power to transport Beth to the childhood summers that held such promise when she holidayed in rural Hungary with her mother. Snapshots that thrust her back to that time, that place and allow us to share her time in Hungary. A time of awakening and growing up where she was free to explore and experiment.
As Beth remembers we tag along and hear all about her childhood. The week in Hungary is vivid and detailed allowing us to really share the experience with her, as she grows and matures under the Hungarian summer sun. The rest of the year isn’t completely left out but it is skimmed through briefly with the entire year taking as much time and space as that one magical week.
Beth grows up spending time not only with two separated parents but in two separate countries and in two very different worlds. Hungary is all about life, love, beauty and vivacity which can not compare to the dull and drab existence in England where it’s all about looking forward to the next letter, the next phone call, the next visit – where everything is about the anticipation of Hungary.
All of this takes us on that path down memory lane through the entry into puberty, the first crush, the first kiss, the first smoke, the first drink – all of which take place in Hungary. Almost like life is put on hold in England and all of the living happens in that one magical summer week in Hungary.
So what could possibly happen in that 7th Hungarian summer visit to change the balance so much that the book is shut, along with that place in heart and head where Hungary resides and Beth manages to erase all of Hungary as if it never existed? Well that’s something you are going to have to discover for yourself – I’m not telling.
This is a book that touched me as I think it will touch all who have grown up with separated parents. A book that describes that search for identity where your location changes who you are, different people in different places so who does that make you if something changes?
Our panel members have been reading The Book of Summers, find out what they thought below…
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
I also forgot to mention that when I received my book it came in a beautiful recyclable bag, I found it to be a wonderful touch by the publishing company.
The Book of Summers is a great read – the cover alone invokes feelings of dreaming and holidays away with it’s cursive script and drawings of flowers.
It did take me a while to get into this book – but once I got into it I couldn’t get out. I thought it was wonderfully written with it’s details into Hungarian Summer holidays. The characters are a varied bunch, and I found myself a bit confused by Erzi/Beths actions at times but that was only a minor issue. They were all different in their own ways, and I felt I went on their rollercoaster of high and low emotions.
Overall I thought it was a fantastic book, so thanks to Beauty and Lace for giving me the chance to read it 🙂
I just finished reading The Book Of Summers….wow! What a beautiful and emotion-filled story. It definitely kept me wanting to read more as every page went along. I think I almost cried even, it was so beautiful. Two massive thumbs up. I am now going to give this book to someone else so that they too can enjoy reading it ias much as I have.
As soon as I received this book I loved it. The design of the cover is beautiful and draws you in straight away. In saying that my first thoughts were that the story itself didn’t immediately pull me in so I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it, though after reading the first few chapters I started to feel as though I couldn’t put it down!!
I felt like it was a book I could relate to. Erszi was going through many things I have growing up. I had a soft spot for her father and everytime she went away on her summer holidays I felt sad for him.
Emylia Hall is an amazing writer, I could see every part of Villa Serena her description on every aspect was very real and made you feel apart of the story.
After reading about Erszi and her summers in Hungary I felt an urgency to visit just to see how real it all is. It seemed like she had a beautiful childhood while she was visiting.
I would recommend this book as I enjoyed reading it.
I enjoyed the book of summers, I was ready to give up at chapter 4, but i stuck with it and it got better, some descriptions drag on a bit too much and i found i would skip paragraphs. I enjoyed reading about hungary with such a different culture and all the characters were great. I loved the twist that i wasnt expecting. I would have liked the ending to be different so we could find out about Tamas. I dont think i would recommend it as its just too hard to get in to from the beginning.
What a pretty cover and back page blurb to get you motivated. I loved getting to know the characters and their distinctly different locations – also how their personalities changed within those locations. As I got further into the story, my mind came up with multiple scenerios of what could go wrong – and guess what? None of them were right. I shed a few tears towards the end – feeling the loss for everyone, but the ending helped me to feel confident in the characters again and the future that lay ahead.
I found the descriptions clear and they helped in setting the moods within the story.
I enjoyed taking the holidays with Beth / Erszi and remembering my own childhood memories of holidays gone. Hungary sounds magical.
Thanks for the chance to be one of the first readers – my friends are already enjoying the read too!
Well, firstly may I just say that the book arrived packaged beautifully in a recyclable bag; a very nice touch.
This book took me a while to get very absorbed in it; but it was a rather enjoyable read.
I loved the authors very detailed descriptions of landmarks and characters.
I did feel however, that a little bit more could’ve happened throughout the story just to hold my attention a bit more.
I liked the characters, particularly Beth’s father and Tamas, but was disappointed that we didn’t find out what happened to Tamas. I loved how each chapter was a different summer. It was an enjoyable read but somewhat forgettable I must say; not one of those books that stay in your mind for days after you’ve finished reading it. But I would still recommend it, particularly for a holiday read. I will look out for future novels from this author.
I was absolutely delighted to receive this lovely book and there was also a large re-usable book bag that came with it which I have since been using as my library bag. Perfect size for lots of books! 🙂
Being a sucker for beautiful book covers, this one is totally gorgeous and made me even more anxious to begin reading!
I thoroughly enjoyed being taken back to each summer and living them out through the magnificent, detailed descriptions in each chapter.
This book was very well written and easy to understand and follow. It constantly kept me guessing and eagerly reading each word, page after page and losing track of time.
I look forward to seeing more books by this author and reading them in the future.
Thank you Beauty & Lace for another enjoyable reading experience to keep my mind out of reality! 🙂
By the end of the first chapter I felt the strong and undeniable ‘hook’ that the author sends out to grasp the readers attention. I couldn’t put it down after chapter 1! In the chapters 2,3 & 4 the book is like a flower bud opening it’s all-interesting petals to produce a platform for the rest of the book to be read from.
There is little sexual references in this novel after about chapter 5, as the teen Beth grows up, and it personally annoyed me to see a teen in that light but maybe that was just me because I’m probably more prudish than most unfortunately! Most people probably wouldn’t even batt an eyelid.
It was an interesting novel which kept me intrigued as to how it was all going to end. By the end, I did feel like I still wanted to know more about the rest of these characters lives: a great trampoline for the next book to follow on! This could have been done on purpose by the author I think??
A lovely cover with pretty flowers made me want to read it in the beginning just to hold it. Plus the fact that it was about ‘summers’ grabbed me because I love summer!
I won’t say this book was exciting or action packed, nor was it a book I would have chosen to read from a book store.However, this is a book which totally took me by surprise with the beautiful imagery and simple, believable story, one which in many ways I could relate to personally. Delightfully descriptive I absolutely loved the Hungarian setting with its vivacious and open hearted people. What I would give to know a woman as wonderful as Marika –so what if there was an untruth at the base of the story –this woman loved with a full heart. Poor David, his heart was full of pain and grief over his wife that he had nothing left to give.
A lovely, well written book which evoked feelings of longing in me for the wonderful summers in Hungary, rich in art, love, strength and vitaltiy.
I would recommend reading this book but don,t expect the usual.
Also loved the bag.