Review for My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin

My Almost Epic Summer
By Adele Griffin
Published by Putnam Juvenile 
Source: Gifted from Diana
192 pages
      

 "Irene's got big dreams' someday she's going to own an exclusive salon in L.A. It's a good thing she has dreams, since her reality is a nightmare. She's just been fired from her mom's beauty salon for her tear-jerking shampooing technique and is forced to take the only other job she can find-babysitting. Now she's stuck at the beach entertaining kids while everyone else is having a glamorous summer. Will she ever get a life? Then Irene meets Starla, a mindbogglingly beautiful lifeguard, whose diva attitude, dangerous obsessions, male admirers, and fiery blog hold enough real-life drama and romance to fill a book. Suddenly Irene finds that the countdown to real life is over and her fate is in her own hands."-Goodreads

   This was my first Adele Griffin book (I know!) and I've heard many good things about the author from numerous people (*cough*Small*cough*) ... never-the-less I was excited! (This will be a relatively short review)

   Just so you all know, the low star rating is not because I didn't like the authors style! I found Ms. Griffins writing really easy to read because it flowed and there were just enough details to satisfy me. But it seems it just wasn't the right book for me. I was a little bored most of the time and this definitely is a summer read (bad judgement on my part since its winter but I couldn't wait!) I found myself disliking Irene a lot. She didn't seem appreciative of anything and I don't get what she liked about Starla. The kids she babysat were awesome! I didn't see how she didn't like babysitting them (although it is strange that a 12 year old needs babysitting). Lainie was so so sweet and Evan was so charming! But there is one thing I loved about Irene. She read. Classics. I know! I was so happy with that because frankly not enough heroines are well versed! I also enjoyed the self growth made by Irene. I found her to be immature and a bit irresponsible but by the end of summer she was just a bit more mature about matters. And although you don't know by the blurb... there is some romance! Yup! I was excited when finally we got some plot going on and I thought it was the sweetest scenario!

   I didn't love this book but I did like it and I'll be looking for more of Adele Griffins books. I read it in just over three hours so if you want a quick, lighthearted and summer-y read, this is what I would recommend. Thanks for the book Diana!

Excerpt:

Here is my dream. One day I am going to open my own beauty salon. It will be an upscale but cozy boutique in Los Angeles, with chandeliers and a white wood floor, where I will offer the latest looks. My specialty, however, will be re-creating the hairdos of Great Women in Literature.

I plan to call my shop Heroine Hairstyles.
In preparation, I have drawn seventy-six pages of heroine heads in my blue spiral notebook. Three heads to a row, four rows to a page, no order. On one page, Franny Glass is next to Antigone is next to Scout Finch is above Anna Kareni--
"Girl! You got shampoo in my eye!"
I look down. The lady's eyes are squeezed tight. "Left or right?" I ask.
"Who cares left or right? Get me some water!"
"I-rene!" My mom races from the cash register to the line of sinks. When Mom's mad, she says my name like it's a pronoun plus verb.
Rene (REEN): to perform an act of astonishing stupidity.