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SOS: Summer of St. George
When we were 16, we made a pact.
When we were 17, we decided to follow through.
When we were 18, we decided to spend our final summer together.
Because at the end of the summer, we would show them.
Our deaths would show the world- they can’t treat us this way any longer.
This is our SOS, our Summer of St. George.
Murphy and her cousin Poppy have been BFFs forever. They share everything- including a birthday.
When they make a pact to commit suicide after high school, they decide to have one last summer of fun with NO consequences and nothing holding them back.
As the Summer of St. George begins, things don’t go as planned. Murphy doesn’t expect to fall in love and she doesn’t expect to find a boy that makes her want to live. His name is Liam, and after spending two years in the Air Force living in Japan, he's trying to integrate back into American society. As a self-proclaimed "Jack-of-all-trades" he knows things about Murphy that she isn't quite ready to admit to herself. And he is determined to haunt her, peel back layer after layer of lies until she can't run from the truth anymore.
This is our SOS, this is our Summer of St. George.
(Note: This is a YA/NA dark romance/ suspence novel for ages 16 and up. It is loosely based and inspired by Pride and Prejudice, but is not a retelling of the original story.)
When we were 17, we decided to follow through.
When we were 18, we decided to spend our final summer together.
Because at the end of the summer, we would show them.
Our deaths would show the world- they can’t treat us this way any longer.
This is our SOS, our Summer of St. George.
Murphy and her cousin Poppy have been BFFs forever. They share everything- including a birthday.
When they make a pact to commit suicide after high school, they decide to have one last summer of fun with NO consequences and nothing holding them back.
As the Summer of St. George begins, things don’t go as planned. Murphy doesn’t expect to fall in love and she doesn’t expect to find a boy that makes her want to live. His name is Liam, and after spending two years in the Air Force living in Japan, he's trying to integrate back into American society. As a self-proclaimed "Jack-of-all-trades" he knows things about Murphy that she isn't quite ready to admit to herself. And he is determined to haunt her, peel back layer after layer of lies until she can't run from the truth anymore.
This is our SOS, this is our Summer of St. George.
(Note: This is a YA/NA dark romance/ suspence novel for ages 16 and up. It is loosely based and inspired by Pride and Prejudice, but is not a retelling of the original story.)
- GenresNew AdultYoung Adult
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2016
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 11, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
It took me a while to get into this, but after a while I found it to be an okay read.
There were a few times where I put the book down to read something else, and I didn't really have the urge to want to pick it back up again, but it wasn't one that I hated reading. It just wasn't one that gripped me either, unfortunately.
Overall, Not one I loved, but it was okay.
It took me a while to get into this, but after a while I found it to be an okay read.
There were a few times where I put the book down to read something else, and I didn't really have the urge to want to pick it back up again, but it wasn't one that I hated reading. It just wasn't one that gripped me either, unfortunately.
Overall, Not one I loved, but it was okay.
August 13, 2016
full review to come
July 3, 2017
If you are in the mood for a good psychological thriller and one with an ending that you will be like OMFG I didn't see that coming, then this is the read for you. I finished this book a few days ago and am still reeling after the ending. If you have read We Were Liars by E.Lockhart or seen the movie Dream House with Daniel Craig; this is similar but not. In SOS we meet Poppy and Murphy who are cousins and were born on the same day, the pair all their lives have been inseparable. When they were seventeen, Poppy made a pact with Murphy that they would live the following year with no consequences and spend one last summer at Poppy's beach house on St.George and then on their 18th Birthday they would kill themselves as neither one wanted to live without the other. Murphy has arrived, and Poppy is already there, the girls are armed with their summer rules. One of them is NOT TO FALL IN LOVE. The thing is though that Murphy meets Liam and the pair despite her reservations and wanting to follow the rules; they hit it off. What happens though when this summer Murphy's life starts changing for the better and she has second thoughts about the pact, but of course she doesn't want to disappoint Poppy? Will this Summer be the end of Poppy and Murphy for good or will someone hear their SOS call and save them before the summer is out and show them that life is worth living for ? If you have read Courtney Cole's series NOCTE , then you will feel right at home with SOS by Briana Gaitlin, a book definitely worth reading.
August 12, 2016
*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This book was a powerful and intense examination of grief, loss and war. The book was intriguing and shocking as the reader is led to believe one thing and all that is shattered within the last few chapters of the book. There were a few things I had guessed but some of the revelations were truly shocking and hard to come to terms with. One of the things I love about books is when they have a profound impact on me and this book definitely did; it has left me reeling and feeling saddened. I really liked the main character Murphy and especially enjoyed the chapters from her viewpoint. The flashbacks throughout the book were interesting and were well-spaced so that they didn't interrupt the flow of the present so much that the book seemed jarring. The emotional roller coaster this book took me on was intense and dark, however this was a great read by a promising author. I recommend this to anyone who likes dark suspense novels with a little contemporary romance.
This book was a powerful and intense examination of grief, loss and war. The book was intriguing and shocking as the reader is led to believe one thing and all that is shattered within the last few chapters of the book. There were a few things I had guessed but some of the revelations were truly shocking and hard to come to terms with. One of the things I love about books is when they have a profound impact on me and this book definitely did; it has left me reeling and feeling saddened. I really liked the main character Murphy and especially enjoyed the chapters from her viewpoint. The flashbacks throughout the book were interesting and were well-spaced so that they didn't interrupt the flow of the present so much that the book seemed jarring. The emotional roller coaster this book took me on was intense and dark, however this was a great read by a promising author. I recommend this to anyone who likes dark suspense novels with a little contemporary romance.
August 3, 2016
I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading SOS: Summer of St. George. It is self-published by an author I've never heard of before.
To be clear, Poppy and Murphy did NOT make a suicide pact at age 16, nor did they decide to follow through at age 17. I'm not sure why the description insinuates that, but the pact was about never leaving each other alone.
The book has flashbacks from two years before the present. It's immediately clear that Poppy and Murphy at sixteen are much different than Poppy and Murphy at eighteen. They're happy, they have plans, and Poppy is in love. In the present, Murphy and Poppy are depressed. Poppy is wasting away, and both the girls have no college or life plans. They've both decided to commit suicide at the end of the summer, so they're going to make the most of their last trip at St. George's, where Poppy owns a house.
Then, Murphy meets a boy at the beach. To her, it seems like he can see inside her brain. He notices her veiled cry for help, and he wants to be her friend. He wants to see her smile and laugh and have fun. Liam is slowly breaking Murphy and Poppy's rules for the summer, and Murphy tries to stay away, but she can't. He makes her feel when she thought that couldn't happen anymore. Liam makes her want to change her mind, but she won't, because she can't leave Poppy alone.
Murphy's interactions with Liam often drew up red flags for me. He was sometimes cold and mean to her. Some of the things he did to her would have made me feel really uncomfortable, and I wouldn't have stuck around. It felt like Murphy was easy prey for him, and that he wanted to control her. Telling her that she can't sleep with him unless she tells him that she won't kill herself should have been a huge red flag to get out of that relationship fast. Of course he should care that she is suicidal, but Liam shouldn't try to force Murphy to not kill herself by withholding sex. Their relationship didn't seem healthy to me.
Poppy isn't a bad friend. She isn't forcing Murphy to kill herself; Murphy is choosing to do it. In some novels, a teenage girl is portrayed as a "cult leader," with other girls under her influence, unable to make decisions for themselves. That isn't Murphy and Poppy. Their relationship is complex. They're cousins, and they've been inseparable since birth. They're best friends, and they take care of each other.
Something terrible happened to change Poppy and Murphy. I figured out why the girls were so different now fairly early in the book. But even though it was easy to guess, I still wanted to know how it was going to end. SOS was suspenseful and entertaining, but it did have its flaws. However, I really enjoyed it, and I highly recommend reading it. SOS a quick, short read that is perfect for summertime.
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To be clear, Poppy and Murphy did NOT make a suicide pact at age 16, nor did they decide to follow through at age 17. I'm not sure why the description insinuates that, but the pact was about never leaving each other alone.
The book has flashbacks from two years before the present. It's immediately clear that Poppy and Murphy at sixteen are much different than Poppy and Murphy at eighteen. They're happy, they have plans, and Poppy is in love. In the present, Murphy and Poppy are depressed. Poppy is wasting away, and both the girls have no college or life plans. They've both decided to commit suicide at the end of the summer, so they're going to make the most of their last trip at St. George's, where Poppy owns a house.
Then, Murphy meets a boy at the beach. To her, it seems like he can see inside her brain. He notices her veiled cry for help, and he wants to be her friend. He wants to see her smile and laugh and have fun. Liam is slowly breaking Murphy and Poppy's rules for the summer, and Murphy tries to stay away, but she can't. He makes her feel when she thought that couldn't happen anymore. Liam makes her want to change her mind, but she won't, because she can't leave Poppy alone.
Murphy's interactions with Liam often drew up red flags for me. He was sometimes cold and mean to her. Some of the things he did to her would have made me feel really uncomfortable, and I wouldn't have stuck around. It felt like Murphy was easy prey for him, and that he wanted to control her. Telling her that she can't sleep with him unless she tells him that she won't kill herself should have been a huge red flag to get out of that relationship fast. Of course he should care that she is suicidal, but Liam shouldn't try to force Murphy to not kill herself by withholding sex. Their relationship didn't seem healthy to me.
Poppy isn't a bad friend. She isn't forcing Murphy to kill herself; Murphy is choosing to do it. In some novels, a teenage girl is portrayed as a "cult leader," with other girls under her influence, unable to make decisions for themselves. That isn't Murphy and Poppy. Their relationship is complex. They're cousins, and they've been inseparable since birth. They're best friends, and they take care of each other.
Something terrible happened to change Poppy and Murphy. I figured out why the girls were so different now fairly early in the book. But even though it was easy to guess, I still wanted to know how it was going to end. SOS was suspenseful and entertaining, but it did have its flaws. However, I really enjoyed it, and I highly recommend reading it. SOS a quick, short read that is perfect for summertime.
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2016
This book takes a close look at trauma and how different characters deal with it. There is PTSD in many forms, from soldiers dealing with coming back to civilian life to siblings/cousins dealing with the death of a loved one. These events shape the story and lives of Murphy, Poppy, Liam and Donner. The story follows what is meant to be the final summer of the lives of cousins and best friends, Murphy and Poppy. They are meant to spend the summer taking chances and throwing out consequences. At the end of the summer they are planning on killing themselves. Murphy is the only one truly taking chances and breaking rules, even the rules they are meant to follow. She meets Liam and starts to fall for him, even though falling in love is strictly forbidden. Murphy and Poppy have always been extremely close, even sharing a birthday. Things are different this final summer though. There is a distance between them Murphy can't seem to bridge. This book jumps back and forth from Murphy telling her story in real time and flashbacks from 2 years ago told from Poppy's point of view. The flashbacks tell crucial backstory on all the characters and help us understand what the current summer is really all about. It takes some twists and turns, most aren't hard to see coming, but they keep you reading. You just want to see how everything will unfold. If Murphy will choose to stand up and decide to live. The description is a bit misleading because the cousins did not make a suicide pact when they were 16. They never made a suicide pact. They made a pact to never be alone, to always stay together. Overall I enjoyed watching Murphy struggle through reconciling promises made with emerging desires for a future.
August 25, 2016
Murphy and Poppy are cousins, best friends and completely inseparable. Their mothers were twin sisters and planned their pregnancies and births so that the girls could even be born on the same day. What should be a very happy life for both girls finds them in tragedy, enough so that they make a pact to always be together, no matter what.
After a terrible divorce between her parents, Poppy gets herself emancipated from her family, access to her trust fund and a house on St. George Island, nicknamed “The Pop.” There, she and Murphy spend happy summers together. especially their birthday. During the summer of their 17th birthday, Poppy meets a young soldier named Donner, and they fall madly in love right before he deploys to a war zone. Murphy on the other hand is completely underwhelmed by his best friend Boomer, who seems to want to drive Poppy and Donner apart, and could not be any ruder to Murphy.
Flash forward two years and Murphy and Poppy have returned for their final summer. Terrible pain in their lives has caused the girls to consider committing suicide together at the end of what will be their final summer at The Pop. But something is holding Murphy back. Is it the mysterious Liam who she seems to be falling for every day. Or is it something deeper than that? This book is full of flashbacks, twists and turns, and suspense that will keep you wondering what is going on until the very end. Frothy end of summer YA reading!
After a terrible divorce between her parents, Poppy gets herself emancipated from her family, access to her trust fund and a house on St. George Island, nicknamed “The Pop.” There, she and Murphy spend happy summers together. especially their birthday. During the summer of their 17th birthday, Poppy meets a young soldier named Donner, and they fall madly in love right before he deploys to a war zone. Murphy on the other hand is completely underwhelmed by his best friend Boomer, who seems to want to drive Poppy and Donner apart, and could not be any ruder to Murphy.
Flash forward two years and Murphy and Poppy have returned for their final summer. Terrible pain in their lives has caused the girls to consider committing suicide together at the end of what will be their final summer at The Pop. But something is holding Murphy back. Is it the mysterious Liam who she seems to be falling for every day. Or is it something deeper than that? This book is full of flashbacks, twists and turns, and suspense that will keep you wondering what is going on until the very end. Frothy end of summer YA reading!
September 11, 2016
This is not exactly a review, but my impressions of the book.
I knew that the book was YA Dark genre; I knew that the plot involved a suicide pact between two cousins- BFF; I knew there would be some change in plans that covenant when one falls in love. However, I was not prepared for the emotional charge that the story conveys.
The story is very good !!
At the same time it brings a sad and desperate life story (one of them, Poppy, was rich, the perfect daughter and saw her world crashing down when she was in the middle of a war of custody of her parents' divorce. The other, Murphy, was not rich, had relationship problems with parents and no prospects in life), brings a word of hope.
It all starts in a strong friendship. A pact. A farewell to life in summer. The fall in love. The options that life can offer. Which one to choose? The easier? The most convenient?
The book's release in the month (September) known as the National Suicide Prevention Awareness, which helps promote resources and awareness around the issues of suicide prevention, how you can help others and how to talk about suicide without Increasing the risk of harm, was definitely good.
It's a sad story. It's a story of hope. It's a love story.
It was my first Briana Gaitan book to read. And I liked very much.
PS: Prepare the tissues.
5 stars
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review
I knew that the book was YA Dark genre; I knew that the plot involved a suicide pact between two cousins- BFF; I knew there would be some change in plans that covenant when one falls in love. However, I was not prepared for the emotional charge that the story conveys.
The story is very good !!
At the same time it brings a sad and desperate life story (one of them, Poppy, was rich, the perfect daughter and saw her world crashing down when she was in the middle of a war of custody of her parents' divorce. The other, Murphy, was not rich, had relationship problems with parents and no prospects in life), brings a word of hope.
It all starts in a strong friendship. A pact. A farewell to life in summer. The fall in love. The options that life can offer. Which one to choose? The easier? The most convenient?
The book's release in the month (September) known as the National Suicide Prevention Awareness, which helps promote resources and awareness around the issues of suicide prevention, how you can help others and how to talk about suicide without Increasing the risk of harm, was definitely good.
It's a sad story. It's a story of hope. It's a love story.
It was my first Briana Gaitan book to read. And I liked very much.
PS: Prepare the tissues.
5 stars
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review
November 13, 2016
SOS: Summer of St. George is about the bond between Poppy and Murphy. They are cousins and best friends. They make a pact to always be together. They plan on having one last great summer, taking chances and having fun before they commit suicide.
I loved the premise of this story; the blurb intrigued me and I knew that this was a book I had to read! I fell in love with Murphy from the beginning; Poppy was a little harder to have a connection with. Murphy was not very confident so she was always out shined and bossed around by Poppy. Poppy was not my favorite character; she was at times mean to Murphy and very distant. However in the end, once I learned the truth it all made sense and I felt bad for my previous thoughts about her. From the beginning I had the feeling that Murphy wouldn't go through with Poppy's plan. Then she meets Liam and that's when I knew she wouldn't give up her life. Liam was perfect and always there when Murphy needed him; sometimes she didn't even realize that she needed him. He was a great book boyfriend.
SOS was an intriguing read; I read it in one setting. It completely messed with my mind and I couldn't put it down. There were twists and turns in the story that kept it very interesting. The ending was perfect. I can't say too much more without spoiling this book. If you like a book that is a mind game you should one-click SOS.
I loved the premise of this story; the blurb intrigued me and I knew that this was a book I had to read! I fell in love with Murphy from the beginning; Poppy was a little harder to have a connection with. Murphy was not very confident so she was always out shined and bossed around by Poppy. Poppy was not my favorite character; she was at times mean to Murphy and very distant. However in the end, once I learned the truth it all made sense and I felt bad for my previous thoughts about her. From the beginning I had the feeling that Murphy wouldn't go through with Poppy's plan. Then she meets Liam and that's when I knew she wouldn't give up her life. Liam was perfect and always there when Murphy needed him; sometimes she didn't even realize that she needed him. He was a great book boyfriend.
SOS was an intriguing read; I read it in one setting. It completely messed with my mind and I couldn't put it down. There were twists and turns in the story that kept it very interesting. The ending was perfect. I can't say too much more without spoiling this book. If you like a book that is a mind game you should one-click SOS.
September 8, 2016
I was given an electronic copy of SOS: Summer of St. George, in exchange for an honest review.
Poppy Middlestone was the most popular kid in school, a real leader that had girls scrambling to follow her lead. When her parents' divorce causes a huge chasm between all of the parties involved, Poppy asserts her independence and uses a granted emancipation and a healthy trust fund to start her new life. When this turns out to not be enough, she turns to her cousin Murphy to enact the pact that they made years before. After a summer together, will Poppy pull Murphy down the rabbit hole for good?
SOS tackles important social issues, including PTSD and suicide. Although the pact that Murphy and Poppy enter into does not seem all that believable, the author realistically describes symptoms of PTSD and breathes life into her characters. Some of the plot is sketchy and the time shifts sometimes ruin the flow of the novel, but the book is compelling as a whole. The biggest problem that I had with the book was the dialogue, which was awkward in places. SOS: Summer of St. George is middle of the road for me, but readers who like realistic YA fiction might find it interesting.
Poppy Middlestone was the most popular kid in school, a real leader that had girls scrambling to follow her lead. When her parents' divorce causes a huge chasm between all of the parties involved, Poppy asserts her independence and uses a granted emancipation and a healthy trust fund to start her new life. When this turns out to not be enough, she turns to her cousin Murphy to enact the pact that they made years before. After a summer together, will Poppy pull Murphy down the rabbit hole for good?
SOS tackles important social issues, including PTSD and suicide. Although the pact that Murphy and Poppy enter into does not seem all that believable, the author realistically describes symptoms of PTSD and breathes life into her characters. Some of the plot is sketchy and the time shifts sometimes ruin the flow of the novel, but the book is compelling as a whole. The biggest problem that I had with the book was the dialogue, which was awkward in places. SOS: Summer of St. George is middle of the road for me, but readers who like realistic YA fiction might find it interesting.
August 3, 2016
I first fell in love with the beautiful cover that Briana Gaitan has on SOS: Summer of St. George. Who doesn't like a beautiful cover on a book? Intrigued by the blurb I knew I needed to read this book. It is a bit out of my normal realm of books but I was ok with that.
When I finally dove in and started reading I didn't really have any idea where this was going to go. I loved the current day portions of the book and can understand why we needed the back story and chapters from the years prior but they were lack luster for me. I read those "flashback" chapters quickly so I could get back to the current time to see what was happening with Murphy and Poppy and Liam.
I loved the bond that Liam and Murphy built, and how they slowly fell in love. There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming that kept me guessing until the very end!
This book was a solid 4 stars for me. Great quick summer read!
When I finally dove in and started reading I didn't really have any idea where this was going to go. I loved the current day portions of the book and can understand why we needed the back story and chapters from the years prior but they were lack luster for me. I read those "flashback" chapters quickly so I could get back to the current time to see what was happening with Murphy and Poppy and Liam.
I loved the bond that Liam and Murphy built, and how they slowly fell in love. There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming that kept me guessing until the very end!
This book was a solid 4 stars for me. Great quick summer read!
August 25, 2016
Wow, okay. This is an excellent book that's going to be really hard to review, because I don't want to give anything away. I can't even say which other book it reminds me of without giving something away. Am I giving something away by saying I don't want to give anything away? Argh! Right, let's concentrate on the technicalities. The writing - superb. A perfect combination of character and plot-driven, realism and emotion. Caught between Murphy in the present and Poppy in the past, something that's not easy to pull off but Gaitan somehow gets it exactly right. This is a frustrating review to write, because there's so much I want to say but can't. I'm going to have to settle for saying it's an intelligent and moving story, as well as a beautiful romance. Yes, I figured it out part way through, but I think by that point I was meant to. If you're puzzled by this review, just go and read the book.
August 9, 2016
I picked it because of the cover and the interesting synopsis but didn’t know just how much I would end up liking the book. It’s a nice, easy read that is quick to get through. However, it’s the kind of story that will tug at your heartstrings and get you invested in the characters. I really liked this book and highly recommend it. It is the perfect summer read. If you like romantic suspense then you may also enjoy reading SOS: The Summer of St. George by Brianna Gaitan.
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Here are all the reasons why I liked this book:https://ahavenforbooklovers.wordpress...
I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Here are all the reasons why I liked this book:https://ahavenforbooklovers.wordpress...
August 3, 2016
I received a complimentary copy of SOS: SUMMER OF ST. GEORGE by Briana Gaitan from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I asked for this ARC, because the premise of two cousins making a suicide pact sounded interesting. I never bought into the premise that Poppy, the more dominant friend convinces Murphy to commit suicide at the end of the summer. I've worked with suicidal teens and the scenario just didn't ring as authentic. Gaitan doesn't appear to have done any research on the topic.
The writing was more tell than show, filled with clichés and contained too much passive voice to hold my interest.
I'm sorry, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend SOS.
I asked for this ARC, because the premise of two cousins making a suicide pact sounded interesting. I never bought into the premise that Poppy, the more dominant friend convinces Murphy to commit suicide at the end of the summer. I've worked with suicidal teens and the scenario just didn't ring as authentic. Gaitan doesn't appear to have done any research on the topic.
The writing was more tell than show, filled with clichés and contained too much passive voice to hold my interest.
I'm sorry, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend SOS.
August 13, 2016
This book is hard to put into words. I spent the entire thing expecting it to turn out a certain way and then it completely turned on its side, and took me with it. It's the sort of book that has you feeling like you can relax through it, but then you realise that's a luxury you're never going to have. It's non-stop and utterly harrowing and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the brilliance of it all. Murphy and Liam just make sense together, they way they navigated their way through their own trials of the summer and still managed to form such a strong bond in a few months makes them two of the best suited couples I've read about in a while.
February 11, 2017
Make sure you read this
I absolutely loved this book. It deserves the five huge stars! I also highly recommend this read. Make sure you grab it. Like now.
I absolutely loved this book. It deserves the five huge stars! I also highly recommend this read. Make sure you grab it. Like now.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews