The Summer List by Amy Mason Doan (Review by Danielle Jackson)

The Summer List is a book not to be judged by its cover. At a glance, I expected a fairly easy, average read, about friendship lost and found. What quickly became apparent was that this book is anything but average. The Summer List is a moving and compelling coming-of-age story with beautifully written characters. The book alternates between two girls in the past who lost touch and the same two women in the present, who are trying to make sense of the events that took place as they transitioned from adolescence to adulthood. A sign of a great author is the ability to not have the reader quickly reading one part in order to return to the more interesting part. Amy Mason Doan does just that, as I found myself savoring each section, past and present. It is easy to relate to this book, as most of us have friends who knew us inside and out at a young age but with whom we later drifted apart. As the two main characters take a literal trip down memory lane, I became nostalgic and memories from my own childhood were brought to the surface. If you are looking for a relatable novel about love, friendship and forgiveness with both heartbreaking and uplifting twists, do not hesitate to pick up this book.