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Summer Storm #1
Sounds Like Summer
It’s not just a weekend for Lux Castelo. She has a plan, of course.
Phase One: Escape to the beach for a music festival.
Phase Two: Deal with what she can’t control.
Phase Three: Return to reality whole and ready.
Nowhere in that plan is Micah Jacinto, self-proclaimed adventurer and the kind of boy with his head stuck in the clouds and the moon inked on his arm—everything her rational sense tells her to stay away from. And yet Lux finds herself welcoming the distraction. As they spend the entire weekend together, Micah leads her to rediscover the lost pieces of herself amidst the excitement and the confusion of a raving mosh pit.
But all weekends come to an end and Lux needs to return to the dreaded reality she’s running away from. Does being brave enough to leave summer behind mean being brave enough to ask Micah to stay?
Phase One: Escape to the beach for a music festival.
Phase Two: Deal with what she can’t control.
Phase Three: Return to reality whole and ready.
Nowhere in that plan is Micah Jacinto, self-proclaimed adventurer and the kind of boy with his head stuck in the clouds and the moon inked on his arm—everything her rational sense tells her to stay away from. And yet Lux finds herself welcoming the distraction. As they spend the entire weekend together, Micah leads her to rediscover the lost pieces of herself amidst the excitement and the confusion of a raving mosh pit.
But all weekends come to an end and Lux needs to return to the dreaded reality she’s running away from. Does being brave enough to leave summer behind mean being brave enough to ask Micah to stay?
121 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2017
7 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 13, 2018
WARNING. This ain’t a light review. It’s kind of not even really a review, it’s pretty personal. And it’s got spoilers. Let’s call it a book-related essay.
April 17, 2017
Sounds Like Summer is more than just your weekend gate-away book. The book tackles depression, and suicide. It’s more of a self-discovery novel rather than romance.
Lux is a scientist and she has depression. She grew up in an environment where perfection is a conclusive result from countless trial and error. After an accumulation of unsuccessful experiments, she snapped. When she was given an opportunity to attend a renowned weekend beach-music festival, she grabbed the opportunity. There, she meets Micah Jacinto. A boy who has a penchant for adventure who literally have a moon inked on his arms. This is her self-exploration novel.
I know a lot of readers tend to get dissuade when there’s a book about mental illness and they suddenly hear there’s a love interest. In some cases, it alludes romance will fix the main character. Sounds Like Summer isn’t like that. If you’ve read #romanceclass books, you’d know most of the novels tend to be subdued. For this story, I hardly would call it a romance centered. Of course, the readers could feel the searing chemistry between the two main characters, but it’s not the main prose.
“Are you depressed? Like, the diagnosed kind? Like when people have cancer.”
Kris taught me four words. “Yes. I suffer from depression. This is who I am.”
This novel, despite being paraded as a gate-away weekend focuses on hard-hitting topics such as self-harm, depression, and suicide. So please thread carefully if you’re not comfortable at reading scenes that skirted around it.
I like that Sounds Like Summer confronts mental illness not only in STEM but in the Filipino community. There’s a lot of stigma, and I’m glad we have this as a mirror. Lux’s brother is so supportive of her. I love it. It was respectfully done. It’s difficult to say if it balances the fun and the pain. It depends on the reader’s parameters.
I also appreciate that while the heroine and the male character just met and interacted during their weekend, it wasn’t treated as this instant colossal romance. Instead, the ending hint that they’ll explore getting to know each other first. It’s very authentic.
I would highly recommend Sounds Like Summer. It’s relatable, articulate paired with fleshed-out characters. Read it for the nuances of mental illness.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
Lux is a scientist and she has depression. She grew up in an environment where perfection is a conclusive result from countless trial and error. After an accumulation of unsuccessful experiments, she snapped. When she was given an opportunity to attend a renowned weekend beach-music festival, she grabbed the opportunity. There, she meets Micah Jacinto. A boy who has a penchant for adventure who literally have a moon inked on his arms. This is her self-exploration novel.
I know a lot of readers tend to get dissuade when there’s a book about mental illness and they suddenly hear there’s a love interest. In some cases, it alludes romance will fix the main character. Sounds Like Summer isn’t like that. If you’ve read #romanceclass books, you’d know most of the novels tend to be subdued. For this story, I hardly would call it a romance centered. Of course, the readers could feel the searing chemistry between the two main characters, but it’s not the main prose.
“Are you depressed? Like, the diagnosed kind? Like when people have cancer.”
Kris taught me four words. “Yes. I suffer from depression. This is who I am.”
This novel, despite being paraded as a gate-away weekend focuses on hard-hitting topics such as self-harm, depression, and suicide. So please thread carefully if you’re not comfortable at reading scenes that skirted around it.
I like that Sounds Like Summer confronts mental illness not only in STEM but in the Filipino community. There’s a lot of stigma, and I’m glad we have this as a mirror. Lux’s brother is so supportive of her. I love it. It was respectfully done. It’s difficult to say if it balances the fun and the pain. It depends on the reader’s parameters.
I also appreciate that while the heroine and the male character just met and interacted during their weekend, it wasn’t treated as this instant colossal romance. Instead, the ending hint that they’ll explore getting to know each other first. It’s very authentic.
I would highly recommend Sounds Like Summer. It’s relatable, articulate paired with fleshed-out characters. Read it for the nuances of mental illness.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
August 18, 2019
3.5 stars.
Six de los Reyes' writing is so lovely. Sounds Like Summer is a journey of self-discovery and healing for Lux. The portrayal of her depression is frank yet sensitive. Difficult, but also vital, to read. And there is still lightness and hope. Lux meets Micah at a summer musical festival and forms an unexpected connection, marking the beginnings of a romance. Sweet but more of a side plot. While this was not a perfect story - a bit scattered and not as polished - I'm grateful that Reyes told it.
Six de los Reyes' writing is so lovely. Sounds Like Summer is a journey of self-discovery and healing for Lux. The portrayal of her depression is frank yet sensitive. Difficult, but also vital, to read. And there is still lightness and hope. Lux meets Micah at a summer musical festival and forms an unexpected connection, marking the beginnings of a romance. Sweet but more of a side plot. While this was not a perfect story - a bit scattered and not as polished - I'm grateful that Reyes told it.
January 29, 2019
I liked this waaaaaaaaaaay more than I thought I would. And it I devoured it in a hot second, so I'm giving it 4 stars, but I do feel like the book is filled with flaws.
I bought this on a whim, without knowing much about the plot and not having read any reviews. And I think that helped manage my expectations a lot.
First, I feel like this hit every romantic nerve in my body, but I wouldn't consider this book a Romance. The ambience that it presents speaks to my heart like very few things do. My 20s have been marked by music festivals. I started working full time. All of my friends and I graduated uni. We got jobs in different cities, demanding, time consuming jobs. I became so responsible I'm still amazed at myself sometimes. I work hard. But for a few times a year, we take days off together and go to every music festival that we can. And we dance and shout and drink and sing like there's no tomorrow. I honestly can't describe what being in a mass of people high on adrenaline all chanting along to the same lines, jumping like crazy, making the ground on México City tremble like we are on the middle of a 7 scale Richter earthquake does to me, but I've always figured that's as close as I'm ever going to get to being religious. I worship on the church of a bass shredding whats left of my eardrums and I sing my devotion away with three day alcohol and smoke induced hoarseness on my voice.
So, you could say this book got to me.
"Sounds like Summer" turned out to be way more serious that I thought it would be. The colourful, cheery cover and the catchy title deceive you. The book presents a main character with depression and a slew of consequences from it that I think were handled superbly, realistically and respectfully. Lux is a science geek and fond of nudiebranches and fan of bands with cool names. And I think she's one of the best main characters I've read in a long while. But if you are looking for a happy feeling vibe in the book, then you'll be disappointed.
While being an incredibly earnest book with a character with depression, the book is (maybe unintentionally?) really funny. Micah and Lux start interacting on the first chapter (and all the way to the end!) and their conversations are always engrossing. I give mad respect to the author for presenting another female character that for a moment there I thought would fall into the stereotypical "another woman" friend, that turned out to be anything but. I love how Lux, our main character, has the same prejudiced first impression and I love that we were shown this and how she's proven wrong. I also feel that the way Micah and Lux spend the weekend away does lend itself to a believable path of connection in such a short spam of time. Nothing felt "insta" even though that's exactly what it is. And the fact that I'm not laughing at or questioning it by the end of the book speaks to the craft with which the author wrote a convincingly good start to the relationship.
But that's also why I feel this isn't a Romance. The book is just the beginning of something more. And that's it. The ending is barely a start. It's fitting and it's real and it's credible and everything in this book happens organically, but I personally wouldn't even give this a HFN, let alone a HEA stamp.
Don't get me wrong, I loved it. And it has basically all of the elements that I look for in a Romance, except that this book is about Lux. Not about Micah and Lux together. Still, who hasn't felt like a mosh pit full of sweaty people singing along to the exact same lines as you are while your body is completely electrified and your brain is rattled and there's barely enough air to breathe is the most thrilling thing ever? I have. And if you haven't I can't recommend the experience enough. It is also the exact place and moment I can honestly believe in sparks flying. I feel like if you haven't kissed the fuck out of someone while being jostled by a crowd going berserk around you, with the soundtrack of your life playing at 120 decibels, you haven't lived.
I only have a couple of niggles, which are honestly tiny and irrelevant and those are that I didn't like Lux's brother (for various reasons) and that there's some grammar errors and misspells that are noticeable.
Last but not least, another fantastic thing about this book that it is set in the Philippines!!!
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
I bought this on a whim, without knowing much about the plot and not having read any reviews. And I think that helped manage my expectations a lot.
First, I feel like this hit every romantic nerve in my body, but I wouldn't consider this book a Romance. The ambience that it presents speaks to my heart like very few things do. My 20s have been marked by music festivals. I started working full time. All of my friends and I graduated uni. We got jobs in different cities, demanding, time consuming jobs. I became so responsible I'm still amazed at myself sometimes. I work hard. But for a few times a year, we take days off together and go to every music festival that we can. And we dance and shout and drink and sing like there's no tomorrow. I honestly can't describe what being in a mass of people high on adrenaline all chanting along to the same lines, jumping like crazy, making the ground on México City tremble like we are on the middle of a 7 scale Richter earthquake does to me, but I've always figured that's as close as I'm ever going to get to being religious. I worship on the church of a bass shredding whats left of my eardrums and I sing my devotion away with three day alcohol and smoke induced hoarseness on my voice.
So, you could say this book got to me.
"Sounds like Summer" turned out to be way more serious that I thought it would be. The colourful, cheery cover and the catchy title deceive you. The book presents a main character with depression and a slew of consequences from it that I think were handled superbly, realistically and respectfully. Lux is a science geek and fond of nudiebranches and fan of bands with cool names. And I think she's one of the best main characters I've read in a long while. But if you are looking for a happy feeling vibe in the book, then you'll be disappointed.
While being an incredibly earnest book with a character with depression, the book is (maybe unintentionally?) really funny. Micah and Lux start interacting on the first chapter (and all the way to the end!) and their conversations are always engrossing. I give mad respect to the author for presenting another female character that for a moment there I thought would fall into the stereotypical "another woman" friend, that turned out to be anything but. I love how Lux, our main character, has the same prejudiced first impression and I love that we were shown this and how she's proven wrong. I also feel that the way Micah and Lux spend the weekend away does lend itself to a believable path of connection in such a short spam of time. Nothing felt "insta" even though that's exactly what it is. And the fact that I'm not laughing at or questioning it by the end of the book speaks to the craft with which the author wrote a convincingly good start to the relationship.
But that's also why I feel this isn't a Romance. The book is just the beginning of something more. And that's it. The ending is barely a start. It's fitting and it's real and it's credible and everything in this book happens organically, but I personally wouldn't even give this a HFN, let alone a HEA stamp.
Don't get me wrong, I loved it. And it has basically all of the elements that I look for in a Romance, except that this book is about Lux. Not about Micah and Lux together. Still, who hasn't felt like a mosh pit full of sweaty people singing along to the exact same lines as you are while your body is completely electrified and your brain is rattled and there's barely enough air to breathe is the most thrilling thing ever? I have. And if you haven't I can't recommend the experience enough. It is also the exact place and moment I can honestly believe in sparks flying. I feel like if you haven't kissed the fuck out of someone while being jostled by a crowd going berserk around you, with the soundtrack of your life playing at 120 decibels, you haven't lived.
I only have a couple of niggles, which are honestly tiny and irrelevant and those are that I didn't like Lux's brother (for various reasons) and that there's some grammar errors and misspells that are noticeable.
Last but not least, another fantastic thing about this book that it is set in the Philippines!!!
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
May 7, 2017
I picked this up expecting a cutesy sweet read and ended up getting something more. A romance that tackles depression and feeling lost and inadequate, I related a lot to Lux's anxiety and fears. Micah is a true sweetheart and I was rooting for Lux and him; I loved how he was so supportive and sweet towards her while simultaneously pushing her to challenge her fears.
Summer music festivals are magical and the sense of adventure and revelry were so well captured in this book. This is my first de los Reyes book but it surely won't be my last.
Summer music festivals are magical and the sense of adventure and revelry were so well captured in this book. This is my first de los Reyes book but it surely won't be my last.
February 15, 2017
*Also posted at Oops! I Read A Book Again*
My placeholder Goodreads review to this book read "yes to everything". And honestly, I could stop at that. Because I can't seem to find fault in this book. I'm sure that's not the case for everyone but it just hit all the right notes for me. Let me list five things this book did right to have my heart like that.
1. A STEM graduate student as its main character. Six de los Reyes continues to be my source of novels (bonus that they're romance novels) with main characters in STEM. Specifically in molecular biology/microbiology in this novel. Being in the same field, I could just relate to everything she's going through. The long hours, the culture that can eat you alive, that feeling that you don't know what you're doing while everyone does, the demotivation, working on something you don't really like, EVERYTHING. Even the nerdy shirts and explaining common natural phenomena. It is an understatement to say that I related to Lux because HELLO, MIRROR, IT'S ME.
2. Mental illness representation. Lux's depression and anxiety were portrayed accurately and the author did not cut any corners in writing about it, its effects, and how people react to it. Lux also harms herself and that was difficult to read but important. The latter part of the book when Kris talks to Lux about taking it a day at a time and about having people who love her who are "willing to shut the blinds and soundproof your walls" when you need it the most GAH MY HEART. It's what someone depressed needs to be told and hear. That's what YOU should tell someone who's suffering. That's how you help. You listen, you don't invalidate whatever they're feeling or thinking. So I strongly recommend EVERYONE to read this book, even just for that part, so you know how to help.
3. Micah. Oh, Micah. You and your talkative self. Lux has all these walls and Micah just broke them down with his smile and with his intrusiveness and talkativeness. But he also listens and tries to understand, do what's right, do what Lux needs or wants. He disarmed her and made her realize that her scars aren't scary and gross. That she's strong and brave, despite what she thinks of herself. And hello, moon cycle tattoo on his right arm?!?! Literary quote tattoos?!?! A musician?!?! *fans myself*
4. Romance. Other people might feel that the romance was lacking because they didn't really fall in love or had grand gestures of love/like or something you would expect out of a romance novel. But for me, it was perfect. Meeting Micah didn't magically cure Lux of her depression. Meeting him or even love is not the answer. It stayed true to the narrative. It was only a weekend and of course we'd only witness the beginning of a possible romance. And I love how it started.
5. EASTER EGGS. I mean, if you're like me, a big fan of Six de los Reyes' novels, you'd read about some familiar names and bands in here. Don't worry, this is a standalone novel, but it's so fun to read about what the other ~people~ in the universe of her novels are doing. Isaiah~ Thomas was even mentioned too!. And for fans of Jay E. Tria's Playlist series, Trainman is even here.
Hello, here's another book you'll love from one of my favorite authors. Amazing mental illness representation + beach + music + a girl in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) + amazing love interest = AMAZING BOOK. Like every book by Six.
P.S. THAT COVER. LET ME MARRY IT.
My placeholder Goodreads review to this book read "yes to everything". And honestly, I could stop at that. Because I can't seem to find fault in this book. I'm sure that's not the case for everyone but it just hit all the right notes for me. Let me list five things this book did right to have my heart like that.
1. A STEM graduate student as its main character. Six de los Reyes continues to be my source of novels (bonus that they're romance novels) with main characters in STEM. Specifically in molecular biology/microbiology in this novel. Being in the same field, I could just relate to everything she's going through. The long hours, the culture that can eat you alive, that feeling that you don't know what you're doing while everyone does, the demotivation, working on something you don't really like, EVERYTHING. Even the nerdy shirts and explaining common natural phenomena. It is an understatement to say that I related to Lux because HELLO, MIRROR, IT'S ME.
2. Mental illness representation. Lux's depression and anxiety were portrayed accurately and the author did not cut any corners in writing about it, its effects, and how people react to it. Lux also harms herself and that was difficult to read but important. The latter part of the book when Kris talks to Lux about taking it a day at a time and about having people who love her who are "willing to shut the blinds and soundproof your walls" when you need it the most GAH MY HEART. It's what someone depressed needs to be told and hear. That's what YOU should tell someone who's suffering. That's how you help. You listen, you don't invalidate whatever they're feeling or thinking. So I strongly recommend EVERYONE to read this book, even just for that part, so you know how to help.
3. Micah. Oh, Micah. You and your talkative self. Lux has all these walls and Micah just broke them down with his smile and with his intrusiveness and talkativeness. But he also listens and tries to understand, do what's right, do what Lux needs or wants. He disarmed her and made her realize that her scars aren't scary and gross. That she's strong and brave, despite what she thinks of herself. And hello, moon cycle tattoo on his right arm?!?! Literary quote tattoos?!?! A musician?!?! *fans myself*
4. Romance. Other people might feel that the romance was lacking because they didn't really fall in love or had grand gestures of love/like or something you would expect out of a romance novel. But for me, it was perfect. Meeting Micah didn't magically cure Lux of her depression. Meeting him or even love is not the answer. It stayed true to the narrative. It was only a weekend and of course we'd only witness the beginning of a possible romance. And I love how it started.
5. EASTER EGGS. I mean, if you're like me, a big fan of Six de los Reyes' novels, you'd read about some familiar names and bands in here. Don't worry, this is a standalone novel, but it's so fun to read about what the other ~people~ in the universe of her novels are doing. Isaiah~ Thomas was even mentioned too!. And for fans of Jay E. Tria's Playlist series, Trainman is even here.
Hello, here's another book you'll love from one of my favorite authors. Amazing mental illness representation + beach + music + a girl in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) + amazing love interest = AMAZING BOOK. Like every book by Six.
P.S. THAT COVER. LET ME MARRY IT.
June 3, 2018
"Unbelievable. Please don't tell me you're a fangirl."
"I am also rabid." Knowing I won't see Micah again, I find no more reason to lie. Besides, is it really such a bad thing? When there are days you're incapable of the normal spectrum of human emotions, you hold on to whatever elicits a sense of normalcy in your life. Even if it's just a distraction. For me, that's music.
I wasn't particularly interested in the romance and Micah was a bit of a manic pixie dream guy but I really liked how well this book described 1) living with a mental illness and 2) the atmosphere at this music festival on a beach in the Philippines.
August 23, 2017
Sounds Like Summer is insightful, relevant and at times, funny. This story of courage and self-understanding blown in by music and sea breeze is worth reading any time of the year.
Read the rest of my review on Bookbed.
Read the rest of my review on Bookbed.
January 4, 2019
3.5-4 stars: this is NOT a light book. I also think it can't really be called a romance--this is more of a coming of age book, of growing up and coming to terms with yourself. It deals heavily with depression, anxiety, and self-harm.
I absolutely recommend it, even though I also recommend being a good head space while reading it--Six de los Reyes spot-on portrayal of depression can be triggering. This book is NOT about a boy saving a girl, or about a girl realizing she needed a boy to love her. This book is about the power of talking and of the possibilities for healing, of feeling broken and of breaking down, but learning that you don't need to be "cured" or "fixed."
And while parts of it are very heavy, Six de los Reyes writes with a simplicity and openness that doesn't make the story super depressing. If you've suffered from anxiety or depression, I think you'll be seen by this book--at least I was. And if you don't, then it's one of the better portrayals of the gaslighting and fear that are an everyday reality for people with depression.
While I didn't love the pacing, and the first quarter was very slow, I'm glad I stuck with it. I also think de los Reyes did a great job of capturing the feeling of a music festival, and of summer adventure--the sense of expectation but also endless possibility. On paper, it's a five star read, but while I connected to it, it wasn't heart-stealing/mind-altering, so it stays at 4 stars.
I absolutely recommend it, even though I also recommend being a good head space while reading it--Six de los Reyes spot-on portrayal of depression can be triggering. This book is NOT about a boy saving a girl, or about a girl realizing she needed a boy to love her. This book is about the power of talking and of the possibilities for healing, of feeling broken and of breaking down, but learning that you don't need to be "cured" or "fixed."
And while parts of it are very heavy, Six de los Reyes writes with a simplicity and openness that doesn't make the story super depressing. If you've suffered from anxiety or depression, I think you'll be seen by this book--at least I was. And if you don't, then it's one of the better portrayals of the gaslighting and fear that are an everyday reality for people with depression.
While I didn't love the pacing, and the first quarter was very slow, I'm glad I stuck with it. I also think de los Reyes did a great job of capturing the feeling of a music festival, and of summer adventure--the sense of expectation but also endless possibility. On paper, it's a five star read, but while I connected to it, it wasn't heart-stealing/mind-altering, so it stays at 4 stars.
August 10, 2018
six de los reyes is amazing
I don’t know how this author does it, but six de los reyes does it! Reyes knows how to keep you interested in the characters despite that it’s less than 100 pages. She knows how to write the growth in her characters and the romance is the cutest.
This one was definitely emotional and I just love the points she hit within this story.
TW: self harm
I don’t know how this author does it, but six de los reyes does it! Reyes knows how to keep you interested in the characters despite that it’s less than 100 pages. She knows how to write the growth in her characters and the romance is the cutest.
This one was definitely emotional and I just love the points she hit within this story.
TW: self harm
February 4, 2017
I like this book. This kid can write! It was funny and sweet but at the same time, it greatly wrote a young woman's struggle with her anxieties/ depression and how love and acceptance are keys in conquering these issues. I hope there is more to the ending. I think Six can make a book two out of Micah and Lux, see how they've become as a couple.
Congratulations, Six! This was my first book of you and I'm sure to read more!
Congratulations, Six! This was my first book of you and I'm sure to read more!
February 6, 2017
Honest, gripping prose, the kind I’ve learned to expect from delos Reyes since I’ve found my girl in deeply introverted Kaya (Beginner’s Guide). Sounds Like Summer feels brave and resolute in the story it wants to tell. A dark cloud hovers over what would usually be a light beach-music romance, but not without the delicate balance of wit, sharp humor, fun banter and kilig that delos Reyes is surely becoming an expert at. I realize not everyone could easily relate with Lux and her plight, but there’s fight in her, a strong sense of wanting to belong, to feel and to feel right, that should be easy for readers to grasp. As for Micah, it starts with the tattoos and the bedhead and his sense of open adventure, but he is also kind, and when he tries to understand Lux he does it with honesty too. The kind where he admits that he doesn’t fully grasp the scope and the depth of Lux’s battle, but like what we all want from a cute stranger we meet on the bus en route to a music weekend, he will be there for her just the same.
October 6, 2020
I'm completely in love with the story and I can't believe it took me so long to read Six de los Reyes.
*Filipino rep
*They meet at a music festival. One night(weekend) stand, nothing more. Oh no, but what are these feelings they have now?
*The romance is adorable, super cute and silly. And it doesn't, in any way, try to take 'fix' the heroine.
*This is one of the best representations of depression that I've ever read. Or maybe, it's really close to my own experiences so I think it is great. Lux has depression, but she is not defined by it; yes, her depression affects her life and interactions, but this is a story of summer love. She is not trying to be saved, but she does learn to ask for help, to acknowledge that something is wrong. The romance doesn't eclipse her mental illness, doesn't make it less important or serious.
*The ending is super hopeful and beautiful. It's so validating and heartwarming. Depressed people can get happy endings, and we deserve them.
*Filipino rep
*They meet at a music festival. One night(weekend) stand, nothing more. Oh no, but what are these feelings they have now?
*The romance is adorable, super cute and silly. And it doesn't, in any way, try to take 'fix' the heroine.
*This is one of the best representations of depression that I've ever read. Or maybe, it's really close to my own experiences so I think it is great. Lux has depression, but she is not defined by it; yes, her depression affects her life and interactions, but this is a story of summer love. She is not trying to be saved, but she does learn to ask for help, to acknowledge that something is wrong. The romance doesn't eclipse her mental illness, doesn't make it less important or serious.
*The ending is super hopeful and beautiful. It's so validating and heartwarming. Depressed people can get happy endings, and we deserve them.
August 6, 2018
This book was really not what I was expecting, having already read and loved Feels Like Summer. This book, while having a romance storyline (which ended in more of a HFN ending), is really about the main character, Lux, dealing with her depression and opening up about it to the LI, Micah, whom she meets while on a bus to a summer music festival. This book tackles depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, so TWs for all of those things. I thought the mental health rep was really well done and handled with sensitivity and nuance.
February 28, 2017
(4.5)
Thankful for this book. Finally, one that sheds a light on mental health issues. Well-written prose. I admire the author's gift for articulating a character's deepest, most complex thoughts without alienating readers. And Micah. I want to hear his music. <3
*Sorry this review is all over the place. Congrats, Six.*
Thankful for this book. Finally, one that sheds a light on mental health issues. Well-written prose. I admire the author's gift for articulating a character's deepest, most complex thoughts without alienating readers. And Micah. I want to hear his music. <3
*Sorry this review is all over the place. Congrats, Six.*
January 13, 2017
I loved how it portrayed what a person with depression is going through. It's a sensitive issue and I think those who'll read it will have a pretty good / hopefully better grasp of it after reading this book.
May 17, 2020
Lux has had a really awful day, and is now escaping on a bus to a weekend music festival by the beach. She meets super helpful Micah, and tries to forget the awful events left behind, just for this weekend.
The above summary does not do the book justice, and judging by everyone's reviews here, this was a book that defied all expectations, while still doing what it says on the tin. Without giving away too much, this book details visceral confrontations with one's inner demons and external pressures, all set against the backdrop of music, weekend romances, and the dread of Monday.
My first de los Reyes was Beginner's Guide: Love and Other Chemical Reactions, where I was immediately drawn by the interesting mix of romance and grad school. A particularly memorable bit was when the MC revealed her grad school anxieties, about showing up everyday and merely going through the motions, knowingly setting yourself up for failure. Well, Sounds Like Summer is an extended rumination of those anxieties, and prolonged, the experience is heartrending (although it does threaten to overshadow the romantic aspects of the book).
I feel like this book also fits in with recent romance novels centred around academic heroines and their mental health struggles - Jackie Lau's writings come to mind, and of course our favourite econometrician Stella of The Kiss Quotient. What's interesting in this book is that the struggles are present, and recent. We get the feeling that both Stella and Courtney of Mr. Hotshot CEO struggled in grad school, but for Lux these struggles are still painfully raw, with no evident light at the end of the tunnel. That the author managed to capture the intensity of the struggles, especially in the moment, is affecting.
I also admired the sensitivity of tone, that did not dramatize traumatic moments but instead took us through it, and more importantly beyond it. Writing about distressing content is difficult in that you're treading on thin ice, and this book achieved its aims responsibly.
a few gripes:
- I might have gotten this wrong, but is Lux 21?? if yes, then there's something about the timeline that feels jarring...
- I didn't find Kara necessary, but as is the wont with #romanceclass I might have just missed a cameo. but without a deeper backstory I felt like the story worked fine without Kara to advance it (Kris can stay!)
4 stars, would highly recommend and reread again. especially for lines like these: "The scars are there to remind me that the past is real, that I survived but only just." phew.
The above summary does not do the book justice, and judging by everyone's reviews here, this was a book that defied all expectations, while still doing what it says on the tin. Without giving away too much, this book details visceral confrontations with one's inner demons and external pressures, all set against the backdrop of music, weekend romances, and the dread of Monday.
My first de los Reyes was Beginner's Guide: Love and Other Chemical Reactions, where I was immediately drawn by the interesting mix of romance and grad school. A particularly memorable bit was when the MC revealed her grad school anxieties, about showing up everyday and merely going through the motions, knowingly setting yourself up for failure. Well, Sounds Like Summer is an extended rumination of those anxieties, and prolonged, the experience is heartrending (although it does threaten to overshadow the romantic aspects of the book).
I feel like this book also fits in with recent romance novels centred around academic heroines and their mental health struggles - Jackie Lau's writings come to mind, and of course our favourite econometrician Stella of The Kiss Quotient. What's interesting in this book is that the struggles are present, and recent. We get the feeling that both Stella and Courtney of Mr. Hotshot CEO struggled in grad school, but for Lux these struggles are still painfully raw, with no evident light at the end of the tunnel. That the author managed to capture the intensity of the struggles, especially in the moment, is affecting.
I also admired the sensitivity of tone, that did not dramatize traumatic moments but instead took us through it, and more importantly beyond it. Writing about distressing content is difficult in that you're treading on thin ice, and this book achieved its aims responsibly.
a few gripes:
- I might have gotten this wrong, but is Lux 21?? if yes, then there's something about the timeline that feels jarring...
- I didn't find Kara necessary, but as is the wont with #romanceclass I might have just missed a cameo. but without a deeper backstory I felt like the story worked fine without Kara to advance it (Kris can stay!)
4 stars, would highly recommend and reread again. especially for lines like these: "The scars are there to remind me that the past is real, that I survived but only just." phew.
October 5, 2018
“What are you so afraid of?”
•
It’s an innocuous enough question, but to those of us who deal with fear differently, it is a loaded question. Micah asks Lux this early on, and she immediately goes over her mental list of fears, many of which I personally share. This was the moment I knew Six de los Reyes was writing something I would cherish and I was right.
•
“ “But please don’t hurt yourself anymore. I know I’ll never understand what it’s like. But whatever it is that happened, find another way to forget. Just not like this.” “
•
Anyone whose ever struggled with deep, debilitating sadness, in any of its forms, should read this book. I’ve highlighted so many lines that resonated with me, because I recognize them as things I have said to myself. When Lux laments being "called incompetent because you can’t - just can’t - figure it out fast enough.” among other things, I took a hit. Lux was being so hard on herself, and then I realized I was being so hard on myself too.
•
“All my life, I’ve been running away. Maybe now it’s time to run towards something.”
•
Depression can make a person feel stuck, and this book showed a facet of how that can happen. But more than that, Sounds Like Summer also gave encouragement and showed how a person can get unstuck. It doesn’t magically happen with an intervention, or a weekend with the most adorable guy in the world, but it CAN happen, things can get better. The hope in that, the hope that this book gave me, is what makes this unique tale of awkward nerd girl meets cool musician boy extra special.
•
“An anchor… So you don’t float away.”
*This review first appeared as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
•
It’s an innocuous enough question, but to those of us who deal with fear differently, it is a loaded question. Micah asks Lux this early on, and she immediately goes over her mental list of fears, many of which I personally share. This was the moment I knew Six de los Reyes was writing something I would cherish and I was right.
•
“ “But please don’t hurt yourself anymore. I know I’ll never understand what it’s like. But whatever it is that happened, find another way to forget. Just not like this.” “
•
Anyone whose ever struggled with deep, debilitating sadness, in any of its forms, should read this book. I’ve highlighted so many lines that resonated with me, because I recognize them as things I have said to myself. When Lux laments being "called incompetent because you can’t - just can’t - figure it out fast enough.” among other things, I took a hit. Lux was being so hard on herself, and then I realized I was being so hard on myself too.
•
“All my life, I’ve been running away. Maybe now it’s time to run towards something.”
•
Depression can make a person feel stuck, and this book showed a facet of how that can happen. But more than that, Sounds Like Summer also gave encouragement and showed how a person can get unstuck. It doesn’t magically happen with an intervention, or a weekend with the most adorable guy in the world, but it CAN happen, things can get better. The hope in that, the hope that this book gave me, is what makes this unique tale of awkward nerd girl meets cool musician boy extra special.
•
“An anchor… So you don’t float away.”
*This review first appeared as a bookstagram on my IG: @bentchbites
June 4, 2025
Actual: 3.5⭐️
Lux Castela embarked on a spontaneous trip to Zambales to attend Summer Storm, an indie music festival. She met Micah Jacinto during the bus ride to Zambales. He was her seatmate at the bus and also going to the music festival. What Lux anticipated as a weekend of losing herself to the music turned out to be a weekend spent with a free-spirited stranger whose ears offer more comfort than the actual people in her life. Will memories of Summer Storm only stay in Summer Storm?☀️
This book is so atmospheric. I felt like I was in the beach and watching artists and singers perform while lying on the shore.🌞 It also helped that I brought this during our team building at the beach and started reading the first chapters. It added to the reading experience more.😊
This is the first book by romanceclass author, Six de los Reyes @sixdlr that I have read.😍 I love her writing style and I definitely tabbed a lot of favorite lines. Words, verbs, and adjectives seemingly danced harmoniously, the author played with words effortlessly. The writing style has musical vibes.🎶 plus add some endearing science nerd traits of the MC and we got a beautiful summer romance.🥰
This novella is a quick escape; you find two new adults who are so different, crossing paths and tentatively being attracted to each other—with the beach and music festival as backdrop.🏝️I read this in less than 24 hours. It’s short and sweet, but with so much depth. It asks you to take note of your mental health and to take a dose of vitamin Sea every now and then.😊
Lux Castela embarked on a spontaneous trip to Zambales to attend Summer Storm, an indie music festival. She met Micah Jacinto during the bus ride to Zambales. He was her seatmate at the bus and also going to the music festival. What Lux anticipated as a weekend of losing herself to the music turned out to be a weekend spent with a free-spirited stranger whose ears offer more comfort than the actual people in her life. Will memories of Summer Storm only stay in Summer Storm?☀️
This book is so atmospheric. I felt like I was in the beach and watching artists and singers perform while lying on the shore.🌞 It also helped that I brought this during our team building at the beach and started reading the first chapters. It added to the reading experience more.😊
This is the first book by romanceclass author, Six de los Reyes @sixdlr that I have read.😍 I love her writing style and I definitely tabbed a lot of favorite lines. Words, verbs, and adjectives seemingly danced harmoniously, the author played with words effortlessly. The writing style has musical vibes.🎶 plus add some endearing science nerd traits of the MC and we got a beautiful summer romance.🥰
This novella is a quick escape; you find two new adults who are so different, crossing paths and tentatively being attracted to each other—with the beach and music festival as backdrop.🏝️I read this in less than 24 hours. It’s short and sweet, but with so much depth. It asks you to take note of your mental health and to take a dose of vitamin Sea every now and then.😊
July 25, 2018
This was a very mixed read for me and for a lot of the book I wasn't sure what to make of it.
It was a bit rambly and incoherent at times but when it wasn't it was beautifully written.
It's told from the pov of Lux who I struggled to connect with.
She was running away from, well, life at the beginning of the novel and running towards a music festival. That was easy enough to wrap my head around but the rest of her thinking... Not so much.
Simply put, the chick has issues and I just couldn't relate to her at all.
Her impulses and her way of thinking was so foreign to me, it jarred horribly.
I was at 10% and seriously considering DNFing the book but I persisted and I'm glad I did.
For on the bus to the music festival, she meets a boy.
A sweet, chatty, interesting and persistent boy who doesn't let her shut him out and they form the most amazing connection that was addictive to read.
Despite the magic connection and weekend they share, the book is almost painfully realistic in the way things play out.
Meeting a wonderful boy, who she could one day love, does not heal Lux. It doesn't make her problems go away. However, Micah thinks she's worth it. Dark places and scary times and all.
The book is sweet, it's hopeful and it leaves you feeling optimistic.
It was just a little too real for the light-hearted summer read I was expecting.
It was a bit rambly and incoherent at times but when it wasn't it was beautifully written.
It's told from the pov of Lux who I struggled to connect with.
She was running away from, well, life at the beginning of the novel and running towards a music festival. That was easy enough to wrap my head around but the rest of her thinking... Not so much.
Simply put, the chick has issues and I just couldn't relate to her at all.
Her impulses and her way of thinking was so foreign to me, it jarred horribly.
I was at 10% and seriously considering DNFing the book but I persisted and I'm glad I did.
For on the bus to the music festival, she meets a boy.
A sweet, chatty, interesting and persistent boy who doesn't let her shut him out and they form the most amazing connection that was addictive to read.
Despite the magic connection and weekend they share, the book is almost painfully realistic in the way things play out.
Meeting a wonderful boy, who she could one day love, does not heal Lux. It doesn't make her problems go away. However, Micah thinks she's worth it. Dark places and scary times and all.
The book is sweet, it's hopeful and it leaves you feeling optimistic.
It was just a little too real for the light-hearted summer read I was expecting.
March 29, 2021
I am really thankful for coming across Six de los Reyes’ books. It’s like she knows exactly what I need to read whenever I pick up her stories.
At first, I thought Lux and Micah were like Kaya and Nero 2.0, which was fine because I’ll never shut up about Beginner’s Guide. Like the latter couple, Lux is a socially awkward grad student scientist, and Micah is a free-spirited art guy (though in this case, it’s music) with tats. (And he comes off as a manic pixie dream guy.) Yet, unlike Beginner’s Guide, this story is about something more serious: Lux’s depression. In fact, the romance between Lux and Micah isn’t even the main story here, which is appropriate considering the subject matter.
And like with de los Reyes’ other books, I highlighted a lot of passages. Of all her works, this probably hit home for me the most.
At first, I thought Lux and Micah were like Kaya and Nero 2.0, which was fine because I’ll never shut up about Beginner’s Guide. Like the latter couple, Lux is a socially awkward grad student scientist, and Micah is a free-spirited art guy (though in this case, it’s music) with tats. (And he comes off as a manic pixie dream guy.) Yet, unlike Beginner’s Guide, this story is about something more serious: Lux’s depression. In fact, the romance between Lux and Micah isn’t even the main story here, which is appropriate considering the subject matter.
And like with de los Reyes’ other books, I highlighted a lot of passages. Of all her works, this probably hit home for me the most.
October 7, 2018
This is unexpectedly moving, because for some reason, it was my understanding that this book was about summer and music festivals and carefree boys with sentient hair and bright smiles. And it is all that. But the author also tackles mental health thoughtfully and in a way that I think a lot of Filipinos still willfully refuses to acknowledge. And that is not an easy thread to explore, but de los Reyes weaves these pockets of levity that not once feel off.
Plus, 50 points to—okay, I don’t know the author’s house, but whatever that is, 50 points for not making love or the love interest magically cure the main character of her crippling anxiety. The ending stayed true to Lux’s journey.
And okay I want my own Micah Jacinto. Please and thank you!
Plus, 50 points to—okay, I don’t know the author’s house, but whatever that is, 50 points for not making love or the love interest magically cure the main character of her crippling anxiety. The ending stayed true to Lux’s journey.
And okay I want my own Micah Jacinto. Please and thank you!
February 16, 2020
I liked that this book was not only all romancey but it tackled about mental health. What Lux was going through could easily be shoved as mid-life crisis, irresponsibility and all, when in fact it lies deeper than that. No amount of love and support could actually get any love one through that phase. It is important to have that support, but it shouldn't be used as a means to say "someone is lucky and shouldn't be going through such a phase." I love that the people who cared about Lux didn't pressure her as much and that they were willing to go through everything with her day by day. It was still Lux's battle at the end of the day and the emphasis the book made on that really stood out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2021
I had no idea what to expect when I bought this book on a whim. I mean, okay, I do probably have some clues, but was utterly surprised about what it was all about. I usually avoided reading books about mental health. Or fiction that talks about mental health... given that I work in the field and it stresses me out when writers would romanticize everything. And even when they don't, it still irks me because they don't get it. Like mental health issues are going to be fixed with a single solution. But that's not how it works, does it? However, Six de los Reyes does. They get IT.
May 16, 2017
I rate this book 5 stars because it became an eye opener, I know that talking about depression, anxiety and other illnesses are not that easy but this book gave it a big shot.
I also think that this is not just a romance book but also an inspirational book to a lot of people. to be honest, i highlighted a lot of lines because I feel inspired and i just need to remember those lines always.
i think you should read this book. seriously.
I also think that this is not just a romance book but also an inspirational book to a lot of people. to be honest, i highlighted a lot of lines because I feel inspired and i just need to remember those lines always.
i think you should read this book. seriously.
April 23, 2018
Look, this book was great. I love Lux, she is such a relatable character that I have a lot in common with. Seeing her have such a difficult time was hard but I like that it wasn’t all magically resolved, it made her story feel more real. And her relationship with Micah was super cute. This is a book that I would highly recommend!
TW: self-harm, suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety
TW: self-harm, suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety
November 19, 2018
TW: Suicide, self-harm
This book made me into an emotional wreck. The whole thing is first person heroine's point of view, and she's a beautiful soul, depressed, and trying to find a little piece of fun before she floats away. The science stuff is perfect.
I cried and I laughed and I glowed when it ended.
This book made me into an emotional wreck. The whole thing is first person heroine's point of view, and she's a beautiful soul, depressed, and trying to find a little piece of fun before she floats away. The science stuff is perfect.
I cried and I laughed and I glowed when it ended.
October 29, 2018
Sounds Like Summer packs a powerful, emotional punch in such a short span thanks to multidimensional characters and a smooth plot. This novella is an intimate slice of summer, storms and all.
Content/trigger warnings for self-harm, anxiety, and depression.
Content/trigger warnings for self-harm, anxiety, and depression.
April 28, 2018
Not an easy read, but very well written - so rare to see a romance protagonist who lives with mental illness.
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