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Nantucket #2
Nantucket Red
Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.
When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.
But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart.
When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.
But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart.
287 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2014
About the author
Leila Howland
9 books377 followersLeila Howland grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. She is the author of the YA novels Nantucket Blue, for which she was named a Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start author, Nantucket Red, and Hello, Sunshine, as well as the Silver Sisters middle grade series and the upcoming Rapunzel and the Lost Lagoon. Leila now lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
May 11, 2014
LOVED. Not as much as Nantucket Blue, but oh my gosh <3
May 29, 2015
How to read this book without getting pissed at:
for being sadistic/masochist enough to even go through this angsty/bs of a plot that could have been avoided if:
1). Open the book.
2). Read up to the point where they break up (which is in the first two/three chapters).
3). SKIP ALL THE WAY TO THE EPILOGUE BECAUSE YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF FROM GETTING ANNOYED AT HOW DUMB THE CHARACTERS ARE AND 80% OF THE BOOK CONSISTS OF ANGSTY WHINING/PINING.
4). Read a better book that doesn't deal with a character whining/pining/obsessing over a guy she's not even with for almost a year.
you're welcome.
• protagonist
• at the love interest
• and at yourself
for being sadistic/masochist enough to even go through this angsty/bs of a plot that could have been avoided if:
they knew how to communicate better
the love interest wasn't being an idiot
the protagonist wasn't being an idiot
seriously. you two have cell phones. COMMUNICATE
1). Open the book.
2). Read up to the point where they break up (which is in the first two/three chapters).
3). SKIP ALL THE WAY TO THE EPILOGUE BECAUSE YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF FROM GETTING ANNOYED AT HOW DUMB THE CHARACTERS ARE AND 80% OF THE BOOK CONSISTS OF ANGSTY WHINING/PINING.
4). Read a better book that doesn't deal with a character whining/pining/obsessing over a guy she's not even with for almost a year.
you're welcome.
April 27, 2014
For more reviews and giveaways, go to http://reviewsfromabookworm.blogspot....
I read and reviewed Nantucket Blue, and gave it 4/5 butterflies, and instantly moved onto my copy of Nantucket Red. I had found Nantucket Blue to be a really easy read, it had it's funny moments and it's cute romance moments. It wasn't a book that blew my mind or anything, but it was definitely enjoyable. So I went into Red with high hopes, I was hoping for another fun, enjoyable read. Unfortunately, for me at least, Nantucket Red fell short.
How I felt about NR.
It picks up from where Nantucket Blue ended, where Cricket and Zack have got together and she's apparently in love with him. And then she proceeds to basically break up with him five minutes later because he is going away to college. Basically, he is offered a place at a boarding school and accepts but this will take him far away from Cricket. Deciding that she doesn't want to do long distance, even though she says she loves him, she decides that they should put the relationship on 'pause' until the next Summer. I was frankly unsurprised when Zack was less than impressed with her way of thinking. To me, Nantucket Red made Nantucket Blue seem pointless for the longest time and then the end of Red just made the whole of Red seem pointless and irrelevant.
The beginning of the book works to show us what happens to Cricket between the end of Nantucket Blue and the next Summer, as quickly as possible. It's really quick and involves a lot of things happening that are way too convenient for me. I really can't explain in detail because I don't like to spoil anything but things just seem to conveniently happen for Cricket that work out perfectly in her favour. This bothered me throughout the entire book.
Cricket was a real issue for me because I really didn't like her in this book. I am not sure why she got to me so much, but it's hard to love a book when the main character is making you want to hit them. I had an issue with her from the word go, her breaking up with Zack made little to no sense to me. If you are declaring your love for someone one minute then I don't see why you are then telling them you can't handle long distance literally ten seconds after! If you really loved a person then you could probably make it work if you really wanted to try. She also makes a ton of bad decisions, but blames everyone else and gets angry at everyone else when things go wrong but never holds herself accountable for any of her own actions. I couldn't stand that about her, I was ready to be done with Cricket by then.
How I felt about Cricket.
Surprisingly, to me at least, I came to absolutely adore Ben, the new guy and love interest that is introduced in this book. He plays guitar and is a little emotionally unavailable at times, but I loved him. Now he was a fun character, he had a sense of humour and he was a breath of fresh air compared to Cricket. At one point I really did just think 'Screw Cricket, screw Zack... Ben all the way!!!'. Yup, I was rooting for Ben the whole time, not to end up with Cricket but just to somehow take over this story and make it all about him.
For a sequel I felt the whole thing seemed a little irrelevant. I don't feel like Blue ended in a way that seriously required a sequel to be written. It showed a cute, first-love story on Nantucket, it was fun, it was easy and it was enjoyable. Red just added too much pointless drama and a storyline that seems kind of silly by the time you get to the end. It only got fun and interesting at about the 65% mark, but by then it wasn't enough to make this all that enjoyable for me. I just felt far too disconnected and disappointed in this story, it wasn't what I was expecting at all.
2.5/5 Butterflies
This wasn't an awful book, but it just seemed like a really irrelevant sequel to me. I felt like it lessened and ruined my enjoyment of the first book as well, which is really strange but true. By the time I reached the end of the story I was left wondering if I really needed to have read it in the first place, especially with the way it ended. I felt like this didn't add much on to Cricket's story, there was far too much forced drama and convenient events that worked perfectly in Cricket's favour. It was still an easy enough read but I didn't enjoy it in the same way I enjoyed Nantucket Blue.
*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.
I read and reviewed Nantucket Blue, and gave it 4/5 butterflies, and instantly moved onto my copy of Nantucket Red. I had found Nantucket Blue to be a really easy read, it had it's funny moments and it's cute romance moments. It wasn't a book that blew my mind or anything, but it was definitely enjoyable. So I went into Red with high hopes, I was hoping for another fun, enjoyable read. Unfortunately, for me at least, Nantucket Red fell short.
How I felt about NR.
It picks up from where Nantucket Blue ended, where Cricket and Zack have got together and she's apparently in love with him. And then she proceeds to basically break up with him five minutes later because he is going away to college. Basically, he is offered a place at a boarding school and accepts but this will take him far away from Cricket. Deciding that she doesn't want to do long distance, even though she says she loves him, she decides that they should put the relationship on 'pause' until the next Summer. I was frankly unsurprised when Zack was less than impressed with her way of thinking. To me, Nantucket Red made Nantucket Blue seem pointless for the longest time and then the end of Red just made the whole of Red seem pointless and irrelevant.
The beginning of the book works to show us what happens to Cricket between the end of Nantucket Blue and the next Summer, as quickly as possible. It's really quick and involves a lot of things happening that are way too convenient for me. I really can't explain in detail because I don't like to spoil anything but things just seem to conveniently happen for Cricket that work out perfectly in her favour. This bothered me throughout the entire book.
Cricket was a real issue for me because I really didn't like her in this book. I am not sure why she got to me so much, but it's hard to love a book when the main character is making you want to hit them. I had an issue with her from the word go, her breaking up with Zack made little to no sense to me. If you are declaring your love for someone one minute then I don't see why you are then telling them you can't handle long distance literally ten seconds after! If you really loved a person then you could probably make it work if you really wanted to try. She also makes a ton of bad decisions, but blames everyone else and gets angry at everyone else when things go wrong but never holds herself accountable for any of her own actions. I couldn't stand that about her, I was ready to be done with Cricket by then.
How I felt about Cricket.
Surprisingly, to me at least, I came to absolutely adore Ben, the new guy and love interest that is introduced in this book. He plays guitar and is a little emotionally unavailable at times, but I loved him. Now he was a fun character, he had a sense of humour and he was a breath of fresh air compared to Cricket. At one point I really did just think 'Screw Cricket, screw Zack... Ben all the way!!!'. Yup, I was rooting for Ben the whole time, not to end up with Cricket but just to somehow take over this story and make it all about him.
For a sequel I felt the whole thing seemed a little irrelevant. I don't feel like Blue ended in a way that seriously required a sequel to be written. It showed a cute, first-love story on Nantucket, it was fun, it was easy and it was enjoyable. Red just added too much pointless drama and a storyline that seems kind of silly by the time you get to the end. It only got fun and interesting at about the 65% mark, but by then it wasn't enough to make this all that enjoyable for me. I just felt far too disconnected and disappointed in this story, it wasn't what I was expecting at all.
2.5/5 Butterflies
This wasn't an awful book, but it just seemed like a really irrelevant sequel to me. I felt like it lessened and ruined my enjoyment of the first book as well, which is really strange but true. By the time I reached the end of the story I was left wondering if I really needed to have read it in the first place, especially with the way it ended. I felt like this didn't add much on to Cricket's story, there was far too much forced drama and convenient events that worked perfectly in Cricket's favour. It was still an easy enough read but I didn't enjoy it in the same way I enjoyed Nantucket Blue.
*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.
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May 11, 2014I started out unsure about this one -- the first few chapters moved through an entire winter and spring at a rapid clip, and as a result there was a lot of narrative summary. But once summer arrived and the story really got going, I got much more invested.
This is a story about change -- facing change, accepting change, adapting to change - and I liked that. Friendships and romances are strained and broken and sometimes remade, but nothing remains exactly the same.
I agree with Starry Eyed Jen that I could have done without the whole -- this part is revealed in the blurb but it's semi-spoilery skip this paragraph if you haven't read the blurb -- Zack falling in love with Cricket's worst enemy, because ... why? I didn't get the feeling he was doing it for revenge, but if he knew how much Cricket hated her, why would he do that? Also, the break-up between Cricket and Zack was sort of weird to the point of nonexistent. She tells him she wants to "pause" their relationship and he agrees, then apparently decides he doesn't want that and then he's suddenly with some other girl who happens to be the worst enemy... what???
But as a diehard fan of the beach romance, I'm a fan of this duology, which has a lot more depth than your typical summer romance book!
This is a story about change -- facing change, accepting change, adapting to change - and I liked that. Friendships and romances are strained and broken and sometimes remade, but nothing remains exactly the same.
I agree with Starry Eyed Jen that I could have done without the whole -- this part is revealed in the blurb but it's semi-spoilery skip this paragraph if you haven't read the blurb -- Zack falling in love with Cricket's worst enemy, because ... why? I didn't get the feeling he was doing it for revenge, but if he knew how much Cricket hated her, why would he do that? Also, the break-up between Cricket and Zack was sort of weird to the point of nonexistent. She tells him she wants to "pause" their relationship and he agrees, then apparently decides he doesn't want that and then he's suddenly with some other girl who happens to be the worst enemy... what???
But as a diehard fan of the beach romance, I'm a fan of this duology, which has a lot more depth than your typical summer romance book!
May 30, 2015
4.25 / 5
Really loved this sequel ,made me feel so many emotions !!
This duology is in my opinion the perfect summer reading material!
Really loved this sequel ,made me feel so many emotions !!
This duology is in my opinion the perfect summer reading material!
March 31, 2014
a three point five (maybe even a four) (i cannot decide!)
Well, now... for a while there I thought this sequel wasn't going to hit the same high notes that the first did. I was wrong, it only took one or two chapters before I got into the flow of things to recall why I was so engrossed by the first book as much as I was.
For those expecting happily-ever-after's in this, this isn't exactly just that. Recall the frustration felt over a friendship unraveling; then, recall the giddy feel over Cricket and Zach, and the shifting in their paths: from him as that one other familiar thing tied to her past, to him being her something else. I gnashed my teeth for her over the first, then sighed (and sighed some more) over the second.
Yet, this sequel one is more than Cricket falling in love or even her clinging to memories of 'when it was good' as she had in Blue; Red has her opening herself to more than one hard truth: that what's good doesn't always stay so; that what's bad can shift and even be set aside; and that what she needs doesn't necessarily aline with what she wants (or vice versa). But more it's her outgrowing certain high school fancies and drama's and just growing up with it becoming clearer to her that things (the good or the bad, as well as what she wants and what she needs) aren't set in stone.
There's growing here -and I loved that- not just by her, as they ALL allow things and issues to shift around- either allowing something else/new to happen or getting back some what used to be. It's to this end that I'm torn: this sequel starts with an ending of sorts; it's this ending that opens multiple possibilities to her- her, questioning the authenticity of what she and Zach had; her and another and that tentative reconnection (that wasn't exactly a reconnection); her and her goals and setting after the same; the culmination of all said with her then her ending up in roughly the same spot she'd found herself at the beginning of Blue, only here she's more bruised by certain developments yet still tentatively open to other things.
Which brings me back to where I'm torn--- despite all the sad and sadder going on for her, things went on. Sad is not the end of the world for her... because along with the said, came the new: EXCEPT there's this too perfect way things unfold. The depressing is eventually (always) balanced out by some new thing, some new development that has Cricket proving time and again that she is a good girl, (here, prone to mistakes,) but a good girl nonetheless. It's not supposed to be a negative but I kept coming back to how too perfect, too 'right' it felt.
Now set aside my nitpicking, and I will say: I enjoyed this story. Mainly because she grows up- they all do. And it's them experiencing first hand, that their roles are not set; that things and people can and do shift about... and it's in that aspect where there's truth.
Thank you, NG!
Well, now... for a while there I thought this sequel wasn't going to hit the same high notes that the first did. I was wrong, it only took one or two chapters before I got into the flow of things to recall why I was so engrossed by the first book as much as I was.
For those expecting happily-ever-after's in this, this isn't exactly just that. Recall the frustration felt over a friendship unraveling; then, recall the giddy feel over Cricket and Zach, and the shifting in their paths: from him as that one other familiar thing tied to her past, to him being her something else. I gnashed my teeth for her over the first, then sighed (and sighed some more) over the second.
Yet, this sequel one is more than Cricket falling in love or even her clinging to memories of 'when it was good' as she had in Blue; Red has her opening herself to more than one hard truth: that what's good doesn't always stay so; that what's bad can shift and even be set aside; and that what she needs doesn't necessarily aline with what she wants (or vice versa). But more it's her outgrowing certain high school fancies and drama's and just growing up with it becoming clearer to her that things (the good or the bad, as well as what she wants and what she needs) aren't set in stone.
There's growing here -and I loved that- not just by her, as they ALL allow things and issues to shift around- either allowing something else/new to happen or getting back some what used to be. It's to this end that I'm torn: this sequel starts with an ending of sorts; it's this ending that opens multiple possibilities to her- her, questioning the authenticity of what she and Zach had; her and another and that tentative reconnection (that wasn't exactly a reconnection); her and her goals and setting after the same; the culmination of all said with her then her ending up in roughly the same spot she'd found herself at the beginning of Blue, only here she's more bruised by certain developments yet still tentatively open to other things.
Which brings me back to where I'm torn--- despite all the sad and sadder going on for her, things went on. Sad is not the end of the world for her... because along with the said, came the new: EXCEPT there's this too perfect way things unfold. The depressing is eventually (always) balanced out by some new thing, some new development that has Cricket proving time and again that she is a good girl, (here, prone to mistakes,) but a good girl nonetheless. It's not supposed to be a negative but I kept coming back to how too perfect, too 'right' it felt.
Now set aside my nitpicking, and I will say: I enjoyed this story. Mainly because she grows up- they all do. And it's them experiencing first hand, that their roles are not set; that things and people can and do shift about... and it's in that aspect where there's truth.
Thank you, NG!
April 13, 2018
Written expertly from the teenage point of view, Nantucket Red by Leila Howland shows the importance of following your heart and is very relatable to teenagers.
Nantucket Red is about a girl named Cricket Thompson who lives in Providence, Rhode Island. She is a senior in high school, and, just like other high school seniors, she is trying to figure out her next steps in life. She ends up getting accepted into Brown because of her lacrosse skills, but she needs to make eight thousand to be able to afford to sleep in the dorms, so she goes to Nantucket, a small island, over the summer to make money as a waitress. As she is dealing with all these stresses, she is coping with her emotions for her former boyfriend, Zack, who moved away to boarding school and began a relationship with Cricket’s enemy, Parker, even though Cricket thought they had agreed she and Zack were not breaking up, but rather “pausing” their relationship until the following summer. Now she is trying to move on, even though she seems to run into Zack everywhere and cannot stop thinking about him.
This was a good read, and I had a hard time putting this one down. I feel that this book also incorporates the lesson of following your heart. All her life, she worked hard playing lacrosse and doing well in school which helped her get accepted into Brown, however, she realizes that she is not sure that is exactly what she wants to do with her life, This lesson is shown when she says to Zack, “I’ve lived in Providence my whole life. I want to live somewhere else.” It felt so good to release the truth, to surrender to it. “I don’t want to go. And I love lacrosse. But I also feel, I don’t know, done with it.” Because she is unsure, she takes a gap year and moves to New York with one of her best friends to try out a different job working for a journalist/writer. I feel that Cricket’s story shows readers the importance of trying new things to discover what is best for them.
I also enjoyed this book because it is very relatable. The author does a wonderful job writing from the teenage point of view. Cricket Thompson goes through very relatable struggles during the book because she is trying to figure out her life after high school. The book also shows the struggle many teenagers go through trying to figure out their feelings. Cricket goes through a lot of love drama, and she works to figure out her feelings throughout the entire story. When she finds out Zack has a new girlfriend, she summarizes her thoughts in the following quote, “I didn’t have to ask if it was a girl. I just knew it in my bones. As I felt air vacuumed from my lungs, I made a promise to myself not to cry.” This quote clearly depicts the emotions Cricket is feeling as a teenager. Hence, I recommend this book to teenagers who enjoy realistic fiction they can relate to.
Nantucket Red is about a girl named Cricket Thompson who lives in Providence, Rhode Island. She is a senior in high school, and, just like other high school seniors, she is trying to figure out her next steps in life. She ends up getting accepted into Brown because of her lacrosse skills, but she needs to make eight thousand to be able to afford to sleep in the dorms, so she goes to Nantucket, a small island, over the summer to make money as a waitress. As she is dealing with all these stresses, she is coping with her emotions for her former boyfriend, Zack, who moved away to boarding school and began a relationship with Cricket’s enemy, Parker, even though Cricket thought they had agreed she and Zack were not breaking up, but rather “pausing” their relationship until the following summer. Now she is trying to move on, even though she seems to run into Zack everywhere and cannot stop thinking about him.
This was a good read, and I had a hard time putting this one down. I feel that this book also incorporates the lesson of following your heart. All her life, she worked hard playing lacrosse and doing well in school which helped her get accepted into Brown, however, she realizes that she is not sure that is exactly what she wants to do with her life, This lesson is shown when she says to Zack, “I’ve lived in Providence my whole life. I want to live somewhere else.” It felt so good to release the truth, to surrender to it. “I don’t want to go. And I love lacrosse. But I also feel, I don’t know, done with it.” Because she is unsure, she takes a gap year and moves to New York with one of her best friends to try out a different job working for a journalist/writer. I feel that Cricket’s story shows readers the importance of trying new things to discover what is best for them.
I also enjoyed this book because it is very relatable. The author does a wonderful job writing from the teenage point of view. Cricket Thompson goes through very relatable struggles during the book because she is trying to figure out her life after high school. The book also shows the struggle many teenagers go through trying to figure out their feelings. Cricket goes through a lot of love drama, and she works to figure out her feelings throughout the entire story. When she finds out Zack has a new girlfriend, she summarizes her thoughts in the following quote, “I didn’t have to ask if it was a girl. I just knew it in my bones. As I felt air vacuumed from my lungs, I made a promise to myself not to cry.” This quote clearly depicts the emotions Cricket is feeling as a teenager. Hence, I recommend this book to teenagers who enjoy realistic fiction they can relate to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2016
Originally posted on
SuperSpaceChick
:
It took me WAY too long to read the conclusion to Leila Howland’s Nantucket Blue series after having loved the first book as much as I did but it wasn’t completely my fault! If I had been able to find my copy of Nantucket Red I would’ve read it sooner but despite labeling all of the 20+ boxes of books I packed, it was nowhere to be found until I went through every last box on a mission to find it (of course it was at the bottom on the last box). I didn’t realize how much I needed more Cricket, Zack and Jules in my reading life until I dove back in and let me tell you, it was a blissful experience.
The second book picks up at the beginning of the school year after Cricket and Zack decide that the long distance thing is not for them. Instead, they choose to “pause” their relationship while they figure things out but after an unfortunate phone call which Zack misinterprets, he ends up dating the awful girl Parker who Jules had ditched Cricket for in Nantucket Blue. While it was so great to see Jules and Cricket back as besties, it hurt my heart every time I would read about Zack with Parker. Cricket is such a driven and exceptional teen and I love being in her head. I wish Leila Howland would write more stories with these characters because I honestly love them and I want them to succeed in everything they do. Even though we got a fantastic epilogue, I could see so much more happening for them.
In Nantucket Red, Leila Howland expanded upon everything I loved about Nantucket Blue. Being back in the familiar Nantucket setting felt like spending my own second summer there on the beach surrounded by preppy people in pastel colors. While last summer dealt with handling difficult emotions and finding love, this summer was much more of a personal journey for Cricket. She’s all set with her Ivy league college plans but after finding a special list, she begins to question what it is she truly desires and what path she needs to take in the future.
Final Thoughts: Nantucket Red is the delightful conclusion to Leila Howland’s Nantucket Blue series. If you’re looking for an engaging beach read Nantucket Blue and Nantucket Red would be the first books I would suggest. My only complaint is that there aren’t anymore Nantucket books to read because I’m head over heels for this little summer paradise as well as the main characters.
It took me WAY too long to read the conclusion to Leila Howland’s Nantucket Blue series after having loved the first book as much as I did but it wasn’t completely my fault! If I had been able to find my copy of Nantucket Red I would’ve read it sooner but despite labeling all of the 20+ boxes of books I packed, it was nowhere to be found until I went through every last box on a mission to find it (of course it was at the bottom on the last box). I didn’t realize how much I needed more Cricket, Zack and Jules in my reading life until I dove back in and let me tell you, it was a blissful experience.
The second book picks up at the beginning of the school year after Cricket and Zack decide that the long distance thing is not for them. Instead, they choose to “pause” their relationship while they figure things out but after an unfortunate phone call which Zack misinterprets, he ends up dating the awful girl Parker who Jules had ditched Cricket for in Nantucket Blue. While it was so great to see Jules and Cricket back as besties, it hurt my heart every time I would read about Zack with Parker. Cricket is such a driven and exceptional teen and I love being in her head. I wish Leila Howland would write more stories with these characters because I honestly love them and I want them to succeed in everything they do. Even though we got a fantastic epilogue, I could see so much more happening for them.
In Nantucket Red, Leila Howland expanded upon everything I loved about Nantucket Blue. Being back in the familiar Nantucket setting felt like spending my own second summer there on the beach surrounded by preppy people in pastel colors. While last summer dealt with handling difficult emotions and finding love, this summer was much more of a personal journey for Cricket. She’s all set with her Ivy league college plans but after finding a special list, she begins to question what it is she truly desires and what path she needs to take in the future.
Final Thoughts: Nantucket Red is the delightful conclusion to Leila Howland’s Nantucket Blue series. If you’re looking for an engaging beach read Nantucket Blue and Nantucket Red would be the first books I would suggest. My only complaint is that there aren’t anymore Nantucket books to read because I’m head over heels for this little summer paradise as well as the main characters.
March 10, 2014
Real rating: 2.5 stars
**A version of this review will post to Ashley Loves Books at a later date.**
Three pages in and I remembered how little I liked Zack. 20 pages in and I was ready for him to just shrivel up and go away. And…well I can’t say what I want there since it’s a spoiler, but I was glad we had Ben introduced, even though he was fairly predictable in terms of what he would do for Cricket. I liked him, despite all his baggage, and thought what he added was much needed.
And even though I really couldn’t stand Jules in the first book, I kind of came around to her in the second. I still don’t think she’s a very good friend, but she and Cricket are a fairly good representation of a real friendship. They have bumps and breaks, and they never really address it—which is very much like a lot of friendships (my own and others I’ve seen). As terrible as it sounds, some friendships just need to exist no matter what you’re forgiving or ignoring.
I also liked the addition of the List—which I won’t elaborate too much since it’s a nice little element to stumble upon, but it was a nice focus and creative way to weave a depth into the characters.
Overall, however, I still wasn’t a fan of the story. There’s just something about every character that’s a little offputting to me, and it’s hard for me to get into a book where I’m not rooting for anyone, not even a little bit. I felt the end wrapped a little too nicely (even…well. Even though.), and I started flipping through the last 30 pages or so just to get it over with. All the elements I loved in the first book barely return (if at all), and not in a capacity I liked, which was pretty disappointing for me.
While I still liked the writing itself (relatability at it’s finest!), I didn’t like Nantucket Red any more than Nantucket Blue—but that’s all for personal reasons to me. I feel like if a reader liked book one, they’ll really like Book 2 and how it progresses. The characters do grow a bit, go through some pretty adult consequences and decisions, and it’s a nice addition to their stories. Just not for me.
**A version of this review will post to Ashley Loves Books at a later date.**
Three pages in and I remembered how little I liked Zack. 20 pages in and I was ready for him to just shrivel up and go away. And…well I can’t say what I want there since it’s a spoiler, but I was glad we had Ben introduced, even though he was fairly predictable in terms of what he would do for Cricket. I liked him, despite all his baggage, and thought what he added was much needed.
And even though I really couldn’t stand Jules in the first book, I kind of came around to her in the second. I still don’t think she’s a very good friend, but she and Cricket are a fairly good representation of a real friendship. They have bumps and breaks, and they never really address it—which is very much like a lot of friendships (my own and others I’ve seen). As terrible as it sounds, some friendships just need to exist no matter what you’re forgiving or ignoring.
I also liked the addition of the List—which I won’t elaborate too much since it’s a nice little element to stumble upon, but it was a nice focus and creative way to weave a depth into the characters.
Overall, however, I still wasn’t a fan of the story. There’s just something about every character that’s a little offputting to me, and it’s hard for me to get into a book where I’m not rooting for anyone, not even a little bit. I felt the end wrapped a little too nicely (even…well. Even though.), and I started flipping through the last 30 pages or so just to get it over with. All the elements I loved in the first book barely return (if at all), and not in a capacity I liked, which was pretty disappointing for me.
While I still liked the writing itself (relatability at it’s finest!), I didn’t like Nantucket Red any more than Nantucket Blue—but that’s all for personal reasons to me. I feel like if a reader liked book one, they’ll really like Book 2 and how it progresses. The characters do grow a bit, go through some pretty adult consequences and decisions, and it’s a nice addition to their stories. Just not for me.
August 14, 2016
It took me forever to actually read this book and I didn't expect the ending (aka not seeing these characters again) to hit me so hard. As usual, Cricket was a typical teenager who made stupid decisions and jumped to conclusions. It's hard to read that now that I'm not that age anymore, but it makes me so nostalgic for that summer between high school and college. I feel old now. Anyways, this was a fantastic duology that I'm sure I'll revisit someday.
April 13, 2020
My thoughts are everywhere with this book. I can only handle so much romance strife in a book before it drives me insane. A lot of the aspects of this story were enjoyable, but I found a lot of flaws in it as well.
May 15, 2023
These books were really cute! The perfect bedtime book.
August 16, 2016
While the fact that this book exists totally broke my heart when I heard of it, I think it was a perfect sequel. Books don't always show after the happily-ever-after. It's hard and rough and sometimes more trouble than trying to achieve HEA in the first place. I think this books shows that to great effect. Well done!
Full review here.
I was really happy with Nantucket Blue. I thought it was a fun, sweet summer read with plenty of substance, and I was very satisfied with the way it ended. So, naturally, when I found out about Nantucket Red's existence, I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. Because in the world of contemporary romance (or any kind of romance, I suppose), a sequel means one thing: conflict. And sure enough, the summary for Red had me reaching for the tissues. Why? WHY, LEILA?! Why would you betray your readers so?! I can't tell you how much anxiety I felt for this book because I LOVE Cricket and Zack together. The two of them apart, I just don't know how to handle that.
The first thing I need to mention is the pacing. I think Leila did a phenomenal job taking what was a summer book and creating a sequel that hits the high points of the rest of the year without rushing and then bringing us back to the heart of summer. It's not like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which always glossed over the events of the year. In this case, what happens in November, in December, at graduation are the events that set up the rest of the book. There's enough time for Cricket and Jules to resolve their relationship and introduce the bulk of Cricket and Zack's conflict. There's enough time for Cricket to become motivated to head back to Nantucket. Meanwhile, Leila does cut out the unnecessary things. This has never been a series about the rest of the year. It's a summer series. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to showcase the ins and outs of school or of senior year, but simply, those things don't quite matter in this book, in this series. Cricket doesn't get on the ferry until chapter twelve, but those first eleven chapters were essential.
Although I really enjoyed Blue (four stars worth), now that I've read Red, I think this sequel was quite necessary, and that's what made me bump it up to five. I didn't know that I needed this sequel until I read it, and now, I can't imagine only having Blue. The reason Red is so essential is because of Cricket. She's the kind of girl who seems to define herself by her relationships. Her relationship with her mom is kind of meh after her parents' divorce, her relationship with her dad is nearly nonexistant. Jules is her leader, and she fairly worships Nina. After Nina died and her friendship with Jules seemed to crumble, Cricket was adrift, which is why she went to Nantucket in the first place. She wasn't able to repair her friendship with Jules–yet–but she managed to find Zack. Now that she and Zack are broken up, it's kind of back to square one. I love that her stepmom's parents give her the push to strike out on her own on Nantucket, and I love that Cricket rises to the occasion. Cricket is tested in so many ways in Red, and I love that she takes the hits and keeps on keeping on. I attempted to review Blue, but I found that there wasn't much to say other than I enjoyed it. This time I can say that Cricket is an everywoman with tough situations and, at times, just plain sucky circumstances but she manages to fight her way to the top. This book really is all about Cricket, and I think that's awesome.
I met Leila at TLA this year, and I asked her if she was going to surprise us with any more books like Nantucket Green, and she gave me a noncommittal answer. I take that to mean, in typical author fashion, that it's not a yes, but if the story is there, it could be a maybe. And honestly? I'd be okay with another one. Sure, that means more conflict, but I think the way Cricket handles everything that happens in Red and where she and Zack stand at the end of the book, the two of them are more than prepared to handle whatever else may come at them. I think they're no longer floating aimlessly in the naive cloud of first love. There's serious heartbreak in Red, yes, but it served to shape two people whose eyes are open to the sometimes harsh realities of life but whose hearts are also open to love and trust and friendship. If Leila does end up adding more books to the saga of Cricket and Zack, I will read them gladly, and I hope you will too.
Full review here.
I was really happy with Nantucket Blue. I thought it was a fun, sweet summer read with plenty of substance, and I was very satisfied with the way it ended. So, naturally, when I found out about Nantucket Red's existence, I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. Because in the world of contemporary romance (or any kind of romance, I suppose), a sequel means one thing: conflict. And sure enough, the summary for Red had me reaching for the tissues. Why? WHY, LEILA?! Why would you betray your readers so?! I can't tell you how much anxiety I felt for this book because I LOVE Cricket and Zack together. The two of them apart, I just don't know how to handle that.
The first thing I need to mention is the pacing. I think Leila did a phenomenal job taking what was a summer book and creating a sequel that hits the high points of the rest of the year without rushing and then bringing us back to the heart of summer. It's not like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which always glossed over the events of the year. In this case, what happens in November, in December, at graduation are the events that set up the rest of the book. There's enough time for Cricket and Jules to resolve their relationship and introduce the bulk of Cricket and Zack's conflict. There's enough time for Cricket to become motivated to head back to Nantucket. Meanwhile, Leila does cut out the unnecessary things. This has never been a series about the rest of the year. It's a summer series. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to showcase the ins and outs of school or of senior year, but simply, those things don't quite matter in this book, in this series. Cricket doesn't get on the ferry until chapter twelve, but those first eleven chapters were essential.
Although I really enjoyed Blue (four stars worth), now that I've read Red, I think this sequel was quite necessary, and that's what made me bump it up to five. I didn't know that I needed this sequel until I read it, and now, I can't imagine only having Blue. The reason Red is so essential is because of Cricket. She's the kind of girl who seems to define herself by her relationships. Her relationship with her mom is kind of meh after her parents' divorce, her relationship with her dad is nearly nonexistant. Jules is her leader, and she fairly worships Nina. After Nina died and her friendship with Jules seemed to crumble, Cricket was adrift, which is why she went to Nantucket in the first place. She wasn't able to repair her friendship with Jules–yet–but she managed to find Zack. Now that she and Zack are broken up, it's kind of back to square one. I love that her stepmom's parents give her the push to strike out on her own on Nantucket, and I love that Cricket rises to the occasion. Cricket is tested in so many ways in Red, and I love that she takes the hits and keeps on keeping on. I attempted to review Blue, but I found that there wasn't much to say other than I enjoyed it. This time I can say that Cricket is an everywoman with tough situations and, at times, just plain sucky circumstances but she manages to fight her way to the top. This book really is all about Cricket, and I think that's awesome.
I met Leila at TLA this year, and I asked her if she was going to surprise us with any more books like Nantucket Green, and she gave me a noncommittal answer. I take that to mean, in typical author fashion, that it's not a yes, but if the story is there, it could be a maybe. And honestly? I'd be okay with another one. Sure, that means more conflict, but I think the way Cricket handles everything that happens in Red and where she and Zack stand at the end of the book, the two of them are more than prepared to handle whatever else may come at them. I think they're no longer floating aimlessly in the naive cloud of first love. There's serious heartbreak in Red, yes, but it served to shape two people whose eyes are open to the sometimes harsh realities of life but whose hearts are also open to love and trust and friendship. If Leila does end up adding more books to the saga of Cricket and Zack, I will read them gladly, and I hope you will too.
May 21, 2014
3 Cute Finding Your Way Stars!!!
eARC for Honest Review from Disney - Hyperion via NetGalley
After meeting Cricket and Zack in Nantucket Blue I couldn't wait to find out how their relationship blossomed in this book.
As I was quickly hoping for a HEA and a cute YA romance I was surprised to realize that this is not what I was going to get. Instead this is a tale about growing up, becoming your own and finding your own path. Once you can do that then you get the sweet romance.
Cricket has been living vicariously through everyone else just trying to find her way in the world. Where she thought things were going to be easy, she quickly learns that she has to work for things to find out who she really is. In this journey she re-establishes her friendship with Jules, explores dating, gets closer to her family and finds herself and what she truly wants instead of living through Nina's.
First love is always tricky and we often don't know how to navigate through it. Here, Cricket learns that relationships take work and you can't take them for granted because sometimes you don't always get what you want. For Zach and Cricket it is a process to be together.
I did think this was a cute YA book, but the first third of the book I felt was a bit slow. It did pick up momentum once they were back in Nantucket. Sweet YA series about finding one's self with a little romance and teenage drama thrown in.
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May 13, 2014
I wanted to read Nantucket Red because I really enjoyed the summer feel of Nantucket Blue. But not only did it have the fun and free feeling, there was also a romance I enjoyed, the tension with her friend, the loss of friend's mom, as well as Cricket having to work hard and how she grew as a result of her summer in this high end community.
When Nantucket Red started, we got to see Cricket at home, in her groove with the private school, an athlete as well as trying to still navigate the waters with Jules since their fights and tension the previous summer, and the fact that she was dating Jules' little brother Zack. They were so good together, but unfortunately distance and the time apart put a huge strain on their relationship. We had to see him with another girl, and the shaky ground of one person wanting one thing and the other another. I was still cheering for them, just wanted to get rid of Parker first, because I hate the cheating. They had such tender times and hot make out sessions as well as the shared history, since Cricket was with Jules so much and an honorary member of the family.
Cricket is accepted at Brown, and she ends up back in Nantucket trying to gain enough money, since her grandparents offered to match the money she made and help her actually be able to have the full college experience with dorms, eating on campus and feeling of freedom instead of living at home. Cricket meets up with her roomie from last summer and gets a job waitressing, which challenged her in ways that she didn't expect, and pairs her with Amy, another waitress who trained her and also seems to dislike her and not want to be around her. There is a weird tension between her, Cricket and guitar bartender guy that Cricket talked to on the ferry. I had my eye still on Zack, so even though they had the banter and teasing and a seed of possibility, the way that he only talked to her when Amy wasn't there had me wondering what was going on. I don't know though why I was holding out for Zack, because of who he started dating. I get that the pause button on their relationship didn't really work, and that teen relationships are dysfunctional and people make bad decisions, but I think he has a good heart and she loves him, so I guess there you have it.
So weird love situation aside, I do think that it worked out for the best and that it was pretty obvious where it was going after the book got going. I am happy with how things ended, not neatly wrapped, but laced with hope and possibilities as well as with their history, attraction and chemistry to fuel things along.
Nantucket caught my attention, I enjoyed Cricket, and watching her grow. She had to make some hard decisions as well as deal with a bunch of no fun stuff that not all teens have to. She all of the sudden felt so alone with the weird rift that is only semi healed at this point between her and Jules. She is learning to try and accept how things are and make the best out of what can be done or changed.
Her summer, and ultimately the ending of this book really shows that there isn't one right answer for everything and life isn't one size fits all. I love that Cricket is so passionate and how she fights so hard for the things that she wants. But she is also woman enough to admit when she has been wrong and work to change it. She grew so much more even in this book, and I loved watching her grow into a young adult making her own choices and way in life.
It was a fun read, with just the right amount of emotion, and drama to keep the plot going. I finished it in a day and would have done a one sitting if time would have allowed.
Bottom Line: Another summer with Cricket and even more character development.
When Nantucket Red started, we got to see Cricket at home, in her groove with the private school, an athlete as well as trying to still navigate the waters with Jules since their fights and tension the previous summer, and the fact that she was dating Jules' little brother Zack. They were so good together, but unfortunately distance and the time apart put a huge strain on their relationship. We had to see him with another girl, and the shaky ground of one person wanting one thing and the other another. I was still cheering for them, just wanted to get rid of Parker first, because I hate the cheating. They had such tender times and hot make out sessions as well as the shared history, since Cricket was with Jules so much and an honorary member of the family.
Cricket is accepted at Brown, and she ends up back in Nantucket trying to gain enough money, since her grandparents offered to match the money she made and help her actually be able to have the full college experience with dorms, eating on campus and feeling of freedom instead of living at home. Cricket meets up with her roomie from last summer and gets a job waitressing, which challenged her in ways that she didn't expect, and pairs her with Amy, another waitress who trained her and also seems to dislike her and not want to be around her. There is a weird tension between her, Cricket and guitar bartender guy that Cricket talked to on the ferry. I had my eye still on Zack, so even though they had the banter and teasing and a seed of possibility, the way that he only talked to her when Amy wasn't there had me wondering what was going on. I don't know though why I was holding out for Zack, because of who he started dating. I get that the pause button on their relationship didn't really work, and that teen relationships are dysfunctional and people make bad decisions, but I think he has a good heart and she loves him, so I guess there you have it.
So weird love situation aside, I do think that it worked out for the best and that it was pretty obvious where it was going after the book got going. I am happy with how things ended, not neatly wrapped, but laced with hope and possibilities as well as with their history, attraction and chemistry to fuel things along.
Nantucket caught my attention, I enjoyed Cricket, and watching her grow. She had to make some hard decisions as well as deal with a bunch of no fun stuff that not all teens have to. She all of the sudden felt so alone with the weird rift that is only semi healed at this point between her and Jules. She is learning to try and accept how things are and make the best out of what can be done or changed.
Her summer, and ultimately the ending of this book really shows that there isn't one right answer for everything and life isn't one size fits all. I love that Cricket is so passionate and how she fights so hard for the things that she wants. But she is also woman enough to admit when she has been wrong and work to change it. She grew so much more even in this book, and I loved watching her grow into a young adult making her own choices and way in life.
It was a fun read, with just the right amount of emotion, and drama to keep the plot going. I finished it in a day and would have done a one sitting if time would have allowed.
Bottom Line: Another summer with Cricket and even more character development.
March 27, 2017
i thought that the book was amazing!!!! It made me feel like i was apart of there life.
May 13, 2014
Nantucket is the second book in the series, and I was happy to find it. The ending of the first book was one of those bittersweet ones, so to have Cricket’s story continue was certainly something that I want to read about. This is a great view of that summer between the last year of high school and a new chapter starting college, and how things can change so much.
Cricket is back from Nantucket and is in her senior year of high school, being offered a scholarship has her excited for college, but at the same she has to figure out to pay for all the things the scholarship doesn’t pay for. During the summer she finds herself back in Nantucket, working at a restaurant. There is also a cute guy that works there, he might just be what she needs to get past all the pain she has been feeling about her relationship with Zack.
I have to sat, that I kinda missed Cricket, Zack, Jules and Liz. Cricket doesn’t seem like the same girl, she has her mind set on attending school, and just about the summmer before. Liz was just a blunt and spunky, and exactly the friend that Cricket needed. Of course Zack and Jules were great in this one too. We also are introduced to a couple of new people. Loved Ben, he was such a sweety.
Cricket’s story picks up shortly after returning from Nantucket, the first few chapter are basically her entire senior year, and then we are back in Nantucket for the summer. A little strange to have it all crammed in there, but it really didn’t bother me once everything was back where it all started. I just love the beach touristy setting and it would definitely be a place I would like to visit. There is plenty of flirting, and sweet moments, and of course there is drama, what would a summer in Nantucket with Cricket be without drama. But this was the type of drama that no one wants, and could jeopardize all the things she has been working so hard for. I was so happy with the way Cricket handled it all, her growth was so wonderful, amazing what those three months during the summer can do for you. It wasn’t just her growth that made this a great coming of age story, it was Zack and Jules’ changes too. The ending was a satisfying one for me. I think this was a great crossover between YA and NA, and would be a fantastic read for fans of YA contemporary romances for the upcoming summer break.
Nanntcket Red was a worthy sequel, it’s fun, romantic and growing up. Howland has certainly made a fan out me, and I will be on the lookout for more books from her.
For more review, check out Visit Book Live Forever
July 4, 2016
I started reading Nantucket Red almost immediately after I finished its prequel, Nantucket Blue. Although the first book was good and addicting, there were a few things that just didn't quite seem resolved, and so I had to find out if everything worked out in the end.
Nantucket Red took place soon after the events in the first book. School is about to start, and Cricket and Zack are about to go to school in separate states. They had to decide if and how they would continue their relationship.
The first part of this book and the events within, seemed really quick and rushed. Almost a whole year goes by, and it wasn't long before we were reading about the following summer. Cricket made a decision and I could not understand why she did what she did, and the logic behind it. I also didn't feel like she and Zack really talked about things in detail. Their last conversation before each left for school was just...really short and abrupt. And then I had expected Cricket to elaborate more on how she felt about things, since it was a big deal, but the only time she really expressed conflict was when she was with Zack in person.
I am still wondering what happened with Cricket and her dad. In Nantucket Blue, things were tense between the two and something unfortunate happened. However in the beginning of Nantucket Red, it a was as though nothing had happened. I wanted to know what their first encounter after that quarrel was like, even if it was though a flashback. For a while, I thought I had missed something. I thought the two would never have any kind of heart-to-heart, but fortunately there was some resolve.
Once Cricket was back on Nantucket, the story seemed to slow down a bit, which was good. Some of the events made me really sad. Other things made me really happy! Liz brought so much to the story, and I really loved her character. She was just the friend that Cricket needed and I am glad that they could be there for her. Ben was another character who I really liked. He was so sweet and I really admired how he stuck to a decision he made, even though it was hard. I was laughing out loud when he was teaching Cricket how to drive stick shift! I remembered when my mom was trying to teach me, and how frustrated I got. I reacted the same way Cricket did, when I got upset. :)
I really loved Cricket's list and how she tried to follow it. It taught her so much about herself and who she was. I had to really admire her plan at the end. It took a lot of courage to do what she wanted to. I was kind of hoping that there would be more to the epilogue. I would have loved to have read about the characters 10-15 years from now. Were they still friends? Did they have careers that they loved? Did anyone get married and have babies?
I recommend this book to those looking for a good, romance series. There are two books total (as far as I know). Like the previous book, I'd say that Nantucket Red is geared toward older teens due to content and language.
Nantucket Red took place soon after the events in the first book. School is about to start, and Cricket and Zack are about to go to school in separate states. They had to decide if and how they would continue their relationship.
The first part of this book and the events within, seemed really quick and rushed. Almost a whole year goes by, and it wasn't long before we were reading about the following summer. Cricket made a decision and I could not understand why she did what she did, and the logic behind it. I also didn't feel like she and Zack really talked about things in detail. Their last conversation before each left for school was just...really short and abrupt. And then I had expected Cricket to elaborate more on how she felt about things, since it was a big deal, but the only time she really expressed conflict was when she was with Zack in person.
I am still wondering what happened with Cricket and her dad. In Nantucket Blue, things were tense between the two and something unfortunate happened. However in the beginning of Nantucket Red, it a was as though nothing had happened. I wanted to know what their first encounter after that quarrel was like, even if it was though a flashback. For a while, I thought I had missed something. I thought the two would never have any kind of heart-to-heart, but fortunately there was some resolve.
Once Cricket was back on Nantucket, the story seemed to slow down a bit, which was good. Some of the events made me really sad. Other things made me really happy! Liz brought so much to the story, and I really loved her character. She was just the friend that Cricket needed and I am glad that they could be there for her. Ben was another character who I really liked. He was so sweet and I really admired how he stuck to a decision he made, even though it was hard. I was laughing out loud when he was teaching Cricket how to drive stick shift! I remembered when my mom was trying to teach me, and how frustrated I got. I reacted the same way Cricket did, when I got upset. :)
I really loved Cricket's list and how she tried to follow it. It taught her so much about herself and who she was. I had to really admire her plan at the end. It took a lot of courage to do what she wanted to. I was kind of hoping that there would be more to the epilogue. I would have loved to have read about the characters 10-15 years from now. Were they still friends? Did they have careers that they loved? Did anyone get married and have babies?
I recommend this book to those looking for a good, romance series. There are two books total (as far as I know). Like the previous book, I'd say that Nantucket Red is geared toward older teens due to content and language.
December 3, 2015
FIRST THOUGHTS:
Oh, this book! Nantucket Red is a wonderful story. I loved being reunited with Cricket and other familiar characters from Nantucket Blue. But most of all, I love how Howland really explores that time between high school graduation and college orientation, how she tackles the feelings and situations one might get into. It had me tearing up towards the end, which I always think is an excellent thing.
REVIEW:
(Originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
Nantucket Red is an incredibly awesome follow-up to last year's Nantucket Blue, and I dare to say that I enjoyed this even more than the latter. Howland perfectly captures during the summer after high school graduation and before college orientation, complete with all the good and bad feelings and surprising situations. Grounded in the familiar faces that pop up, it was a pleasant surprise to read Nantucket Red.
It was such a pleasure to revisit Nantucket, and post-novel, I want to go and visit in person one day. The setting is perfect for a book set in summer, and I felt like I had been transported with all the details Howland included. It was also great to see so many familiar faces in this novel, including Cricket herself, and I found myself pleased with how well-developed everyone was. It was a great reunion all around, and I happily immersed myself in this story without a backward glance!
Cricket is the central character, but she's facing different circumstances this summer. I loved that many things - friendship, romance, summer, college - were on her mind as she spends another summer in Nantucket, and Howland does an excellent job juggling them all. Contending with everything that's going on in her mind is no easy feat, particular considering all the emotions (good and bad) she feels. In spite of her doubts and her fears, Cricket finds her way, and that is the main reason I cried reading Nantucket Red.
Everything about Nantucket Red works - the characters, the setting, the story. It flows so easily and organically that it's almost as if Howland is just recounting the story of someone she actually knows in real life. Even though it's no longer summer, I'd still say that Nantucket Red (and Nantucket Blue) are totally worth the read!
Oh, this book! Nantucket Red is a wonderful story. I loved being reunited with Cricket and other familiar characters from Nantucket Blue. But most of all, I love how Howland really explores that time between high school graduation and college orientation, how she tackles the feelings and situations one might get into. It had me tearing up towards the end, which I always think is an excellent thing.
REVIEW:
(Originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
Nantucket Red is an incredibly awesome follow-up to last year's Nantucket Blue, and I dare to say that I enjoyed this even more than the latter. Howland perfectly captures during the summer after high school graduation and before college orientation, complete with all the good and bad feelings and surprising situations. Grounded in the familiar faces that pop up, it was a pleasant surprise to read Nantucket Red.
It was such a pleasure to revisit Nantucket, and post-novel, I want to go and visit in person one day. The setting is perfect for a book set in summer, and I felt like I had been transported with all the details Howland included. It was also great to see so many familiar faces in this novel, including Cricket herself, and I found myself pleased with how well-developed everyone was. It was a great reunion all around, and I happily immersed myself in this story without a backward glance!
Cricket is the central character, but she's facing different circumstances this summer. I loved that many things - friendship, romance, summer, college - were on her mind as she spends another summer in Nantucket, and Howland does an excellent job juggling them all. Contending with everything that's going on in her mind is no easy feat, particular considering all the emotions (good and bad) she feels. In spite of her doubts and her fears, Cricket finds her way, and that is the main reason I cried reading Nantucket Red.
Everything about Nantucket Red works - the characters, the setting, the story. It flows so easily and organically that it's almost as if Howland is just recounting the story of someone she actually knows in real life. Even though it's no longer summer, I'd still say that Nantucket Red (and Nantucket Blue) are totally worth the read!
January 25, 2015
As seen on The Quiet Concert
4.5 stars
When I first learned that Nantucket Red was Cricket's story of personal growth, and not a continuation of her romance with Zack, I lost a little enthusiasm to read it. I am not really sure why, since I enjoyed Nantucket Blue for more reasons than the romance, but that is why it took me so long to pick it up, despite all of the promising reviews. Until one fateful Saturday when I had no idea what to read next and so I wondered over to my bookshelf... and well, the rest is history.
I definitely regret waiting so long. I forgot how easy Leila Howland's narration is to read. I loved being back in Cricket's head while she faces some difficult questions about her future. Even though I am well past 18 and college is behind me, the changes and the doubts that she faces are relatable to me still. I enjoyed watching her try to navigate work, boys, friends and life in general as she tries to figure out what she wants for herself, and not what others expect of her. I also simply adore Cricket. She's as down-to-earth and honest as they get. And it was wonderful to be back on Nantucket, even as I freeze my butt off here in New Jersey. It's true that islands make you feel like anything is possible.
And I needed this book for closure. At the end of Nantucket Blue there were still quite a few things in Cricket's life that needed fixing, her relationship with Jules and her father to name a couple. And I am happy to say that this book works on those relationships, among other things. I think Cricket gets the ending that she deserves and readers get the ending that they've been waiting for.
So even though this book wasn't really a romance, and it was a difficult to see Zack with a wench, it had everything else to make for a great story. It wasn't the book I was originally looking for, but it ended up being the book I wanted. I highly recommend it!
4.5 stars
When I first learned that Nantucket Red was Cricket's story of personal growth, and not a continuation of her romance with Zack, I lost a little enthusiasm to read it. I am not really sure why, since I enjoyed Nantucket Blue for more reasons than the romance, but that is why it took me so long to pick it up, despite all of the promising reviews. Until one fateful Saturday when I had no idea what to read next and so I wondered over to my bookshelf... and well, the rest is history.
I definitely regret waiting so long. I forgot how easy Leila Howland's narration is to read. I loved being back in Cricket's head while she faces some difficult questions about her future. Even though I am well past 18 and college is behind me, the changes and the doubts that she faces are relatable to me still. I enjoyed watching her try to navigate work, boys, friends and life in general as she tries to figure out what she wants for herself, and not what others expect of her. I also simply adore Cricket. She's as down-to-earth and honest as they get. And it was wonderful to be back on Nantucket, even as I freeze my butt off here in New Jersey. It's true that islands make you feel like anything is possible.
And I needed this book for closure. At the end of Nantucket Blue there were still quite a few things in Cricket's life that needed fixing, her relationship with Jules and her father to name a couple. And I am happy to say that this book works on those relationships, among other things. I think Cricket gets the ending that she deserves and readers get the ending that they've been waiting for.
So even though this book wasn't really a romance, and it was a difficult to see Zack with a wench, it had everything else to make for a great story. It wasn't the book I was originally looking for, but it ended up being the book I wanted. I highly recommend it!
August 6, 2016
Fantastic follow-up and conclusion to Nantucket Blue. This book continues to be full of raw emotions. Leila Howland doesn't know how to fake it. Her characters are honest and real and feel like people you know in your real life. Full review to come closer to publication date :)
Full Review At...
Full Review At...
June 20, 2016
Yes. Yes. Yes. LOVED this series. This is one of the few series in YA that I think actually deserves to be a trilogy (just for the spectacular characters). Leila is one of my new favourite authors and she made me absolutely adore stepping into Cricket's world. Perfect book to kick off the summer with!
June 18, 2014
Is there going to be a Nantucket Yellow or something because I would love a whole rainbow of colors for this series, please and thanks.
Longer review to come...
Longer review to come...
October 26, 2014
Actual Rating: 2.5/5
Talk about character regression. Ugh.
Talk about character regression. Ugh.
November 26, 2014
this book was to slow and it didn’t catch my attention that much
December 8, 2015
I HATE HOW I READ THIS DURING FINALS WEEK I COULDN'T FOCUS ON MY EXAMS AT ALL BECAUSE OF THIS BOOK
June 12, 2018
3.5 stars
Definitely better than the first one.
Quite an enjoyable summer read, and now I wanna go to Nantucket
Definitely better than the first one.
Quite an enjoyable summer read, and now I wanna go to Nantucket
June 28, 2014
*ARC kindly provided by Disney Book Group thru Netgalley.*
January 14, 2020
There’s something about Leila Howland’s writing that makes it compulsively readable among the huge selection of YA contemporaries on the market today. I think it’s due to a combination of the dreamy, beachy setting of Nantucket along with her willingness to go just a little farther than other YA authors in her heavier content, from sex to grief to bullying. There’s a rawness around Cricket’s experiences that makes the narrative hit home a little more without compromising its status as a fun, beachy read.
The first thing that I, (and many other reviewers, I’m sure), have to bring up is that the beginning of the book goes fast. It picks up only a few weeks after Nantucket Blue ends and drops a huge bomb on you early on, View Spoiler » It rushes through Cricket’s senior year in just a few chapters in order to get to the aspect that readers really crave: the quaint yet fabulously wealthy summer on Nantucket.
Returning to Nantucket in Red really felt like a convincing return to characters who had gone through realistic change over the course of the year. Cricket is less responsible and more focused on questioning than excelling. Liz is now the new Gavin, and Jules doesn’t ignite quite as much fury in me when I read about her. Cricket’s redefining the relationships in her life, especially with Jules’ family, and Nina’s presence still hovers awkwardly yet kindly above them all. A new romantic interest appears in the form of an older guy who Cricket uses to experiment with and try other sides of herself. Overall, Cricket faces a mini-existential crisis of sorts, which leads her to finding herself in a very compromising situation, and the fallout forces her to reevaluate her childish behavior all summer and focus on some major life choices.
Though I found Cricket’s behavior cringe-worthy throughout most of the novel, I appreciate that she screwed up in some pretty bad ways and had to face realistic consequences to deal with afterwards, consequences that had even me, who is usually less than sympathetic toward characters’ who’s stupid behavior gets them into trouble (it’s the Capricorn in me), nervous for the outcome.
While Nantucket Red really focuses on Cricket’s coming of age and debating which path to travel down post high-school, there is the continuation of some themes from Nantucket Blue that I really appreciate in this series. I like how the story shows the service industry side of Nantucket, as the YA genre is already over saturated with series featuring the fabulous wealthy and shockingly unsupervised teenagers of such expensive destinations. I admired watching Cricket work as a waitress and house keeper in this series, and that it didn’t seek to portray her as a stereotypical girl in poverty; rather, she’s middle class with a good life but has to work on her own to provide for the extras she wants out of life. I also like how there wasn’t a complete demonization of the upper class either, as Cricket is heavily involved of the lives of Jules and Zach who are definitely wealthy but not obnoxious about it (well, at least not all of the time).
Overall: Nantucket Red delivers on all of its promises from Nantucket Blue, from the dreamy setting of Nantucket to the painfully raw teenage emotions and hormones raging inside of its characters, while still not falling into the category of being a “heavy” or “issue” book. It features realistic character development (for better and for worse) and doesn’t hide any of its characters flaws or triumphs. While there were aspects of the characters story arcs I disliked, I have to acknowledge that they were well done. A solid contemporary read, Nantucket Red indulges readers just as much as Nantucket Blue does, although it does likewise deliver on some of the more problematic elements from earlier in the series, such as slut-shaming, girl-hate, etc. (which is what ultimately kept it from being a 5 star read for me). If you liked Nantucket Blue you should definitely pick up this sequel, as it really adds depth to its’ characters stories.
The first thing that I, (and many other reviewers, I’m sure), have to bring up is that the beginning of the book goes fast. It picks up only a few weeks after Nantucket Blue ends and drops a huge bomb on you early on, View Spoiler » It rushes through Cricket’s senior year in just a few chapters in order to get to the aspect that readers really crave: the quaint yet fabulously wealthy summer on Nantucket.
Returning to Nantucket in Red really felt like a convincing return to characters who had gone through realistic change over the course of the year. Cricket is less responsible and more focused on questioning than excelling. Liz is now the new Gavin, and Jules doesn’t ignite quite as much fury in me when I read about her. Cricket’s redefining the relationships in her life, especially with Jules’ family, and Nina’s presence still hovers awkwardly yet kindly above them all. A new romantic interest appears in the form of an older guy who Cricket uses to experiment with and try other sides of herself. Overall, Cricket faces a mini-existential crisis of sorts, which leads her to finding herself in a very compromising situation, and the fallout forces her to reevaluate her childish behavior all summer and focus on some major life choices.
Though I found Cricket’s behavior cringe-worthy throughout most of the novel, I appreciate that she screwed up in some pretty bad ways and had to face realistic consequences to deal with afterwards, consequences that had even me, who is usually less than sympathetic toward characters’ who’s stupid behavior gets them into trouble (it’s the Capricorn in me), nervous for the outcome.
While Nantucket Red really focuses on Cricket’s coming of age and debating which path to travel down post high-school, there is the continuation of some themes from Nantucket Blue that I really appreciate in this series. I like how the story shows the service industry side of Nantucket, as the YA genre is already over saturated with series featuring the fabulous wealthy and shockingly unsupervised teenagers of such expensive destinations. I admired watching Cricket work as a waitress and house keeper in this series, and that it didn’t seek to portray her as a stereotypical girl in poverty; rather, she’s middle class with a good life but has to work on her own to provide for the extras she wants out of life. I also like how there wasn’t a complete demonization of the upper class either, as Cricket is heavily involved of the lives of Jules and Zach who are definitely wealthy but not obnoxious about it (well, at least not all of the time).
Overall: Nantucket Red delivers on all of its promises from Nantucket Blue, from the dreamy setting of Nantucket to the painfully raw teenage emotions and hormones raging inside of its characters, while still not falling into the category of being a “heavy” or “issue” book. It features realistic character development (for better and for worse) and doesn’t hide any of its characters flaws or triumphs. While there were aspects of the characters story arcs I disliked, I have to acknowledge that they were well done. A solid contemporary read, Nantucket Red indulges readers just as much as Nantucket Blue does, although it does likewise deliver on some of the more problematic elements from earlier in the series, such as slut-shaming, girl-hate, etc. (which is what ultimately kept it from being a 5 star read for me). If you liked Nantucket Blue you should definitely pick up this sequel, as it really adds depth to its’ characters stories.
October 7, 2025
This book picks up exactly where Nantucket Blue left off, although it then speed-writes through her senior year in about 25 pages, hitting a few highlights and lowlights until graduation day, and a new summer (and story) begins. And honestly? I liked it just as much. Maybe even a tad more.
I did deeply miss the Inn; waitressing is a much less interesting job and less inspiring setting to me than hotel housekeeping...but I did love that she ended up rooming with Liz (after coming perilously close to being stuck with a $150-a-week price tag for a mattress in a flophouse). I don't know how I feel about the quasi-truce with Jules; this friendship will really never quite be the same and maybe Cricket is better off without it after all...but I kind of liked it in the moment.
I also once again loved the setting, the whole beautiful feeling of summer and the cusp of adulthood stretching out before you. Even the Big Thing that suddenly puts her college acceptance in jeopardy is handled really well -- that's normally a plot I would hate, but I loved the way she worked through it.
I DID weary a bit of Cricket's crazy jealousy; it was fully ridiculous that she
============
And the epilogue made my heart sing. That girl's gonna be all right.
All in all, I think this works well as a duology, and I'm actually kind of glad I put off reading the first book until I had the second one in hand, no matter how long it took. This turned out to be the perfect reading choice when summer weather stuck around through the first week of October this year, and I had to keep scrambling to find more appropriate seasonal reads on my shelf and continually pushing back the fall books I'd been stockpiling.
I did deeply miss the Inn; waitressing is a much less interesting job and less inspiring setting to me than hotel housekeeping...but I did love that she ended up rooming with Liz (after coming perilously close to being stuck with a $150-a-week price tag for a mattress in a flophouse). I don't know how I feel about the quasi-truce with Jules; this friendship will really never quite be the same and maybe Cricket is better off without it after all...but I kind of liked it in the moment.
I also once again loved the setting, the whole beautiful feeling of summer and the cusp of adulthood stretching out before you. Even the Big Thing that suddenly puts her college acceptance in jeopardy is handled really well -- that's normally a plot I would hate, but I loved the way she worked through it.
I DID weary a bit of Cricket's crazy jealousy; it was fully ridiculous that she
============
And the epilogue made my heart sing. That girl's gonna be all right.
All in all, I think this works well as a duology, and I'm actually kind of glad I put off reading the first book until I had the second one in hand, no matter how long it took. This turned out to be the perfect reading choice when summer weather stuck around through the first week of October this year, and I had to keep scrambling to find more appropriate seasonal reads on my shelf and continually pushing back the fall books I'd been stockpiling.
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