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Speaking of Summer
In the spirit of Maria Hummel's Still Lives and Megan Abbott's Give Me Your Hand comes a thrilling new page-turner by an award-winning writer of color
Speaking of Summer is a psychological thriller about a young woman in Harlem whose twin sister goes missing from the roof of their building. But the door to the roof was locked, and no footprints were found. She sets about searching for her, dealing with her aching loss, and thus begins the novel's What does it mean to be a strong woman of color? What does it mean to be alone in a city, the world? How much does the past influence our decisions today? After becoming the first person in her family to get a college degree, from the University of Chicago, Kalisha Buckhanon was set for grad school and law school before encountering Push by Sapphire. Kalisha reversed course and studied with Sapphire, obtaining her MFA from the New School. With her first novel, Upstate, Essence Magazine named Kalisha as one of Three Writers to Watch.
Praise from
After her sister Summer up and disappears one winter night in New York City, Autumn Spencer is consumed by her sister's disappearance. Autumn is no stranger to true crime, surrounding herself with information about violence against women in order to protect herself and her sister in the big city, but Summer's vulnerability and disappearance leaves Autumn spinning and frantic for answers, her guilt compounded by the fact that she's fallen in love with her sister's boyfriend. In a country where the treatment of African Americans, and particularly the disappearances of African American women, are often overlooked and ignored, Autumn is determined to make waves and force the NYPD to pay attention regardless of the personal toll it takes on her. Kalisha Buckhanon perfectly intertwines the best of the literary fiction and mystery genres in order to create a compelling narrative on the intersections of crime, race, gender, and personal freedom in modern America. With each chapter, the pace quickens, and Buckhanon's writing will have you racing to the end. --Morgan McComb, The Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS) Imagine you have a twin sister (like Autumn does). Now imagine one day she walked up to the roof of your apartment building and, well . . . disappeared. Locked roof door and one set of footprints notwithstanding, there's not much interest in finding her, at least from official ranks. So it's up to Autumn to find Summer. This is no typical amateur sleuth. Autumn is a normal woman who would rather avoid danger, but she has no choice. I love her dedication to her sister and the mystery of her disappearance. This is a thriller written in such beautiful, compelling language that you won't want it to stop. --Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore (Spokane, WA)
Speaking of Summer is a psychological thriller about a young woman in Harlem whose twin sister goes missing from the roof of their building. But the door to the roof was locked, and no footprints were found. She sets about searching for her, dealing with her aching loss, and thus begins the novel's What does it mean to be a strong woman of color? What does it mean to be alone in a city, the world? How much does the past influence our decisions today? After becoming the first person in her family to get a college degree, from the University of Chicago, Kalisha Buckhanon was set for grad school and law school before encountering Push by Sapphire. Kalisha reversed course and studied with Sapphire, obtaining her MFA from the New School. With her first novel, Upstate, Essence Magazine named Kalisha as one of Three Writers to Watch.
Praise from
After her sister Summer up and disappears one winter night in New York City, Autumn Spencer is consumed by her sister's disappearance. Autumn is no stranger to true crime, surrounding herself with information about violence against women in order to protect herself and her sister in the big city, but Summer's vulnerability and disappearance leaves Autumn spinning and frantic for answers, her guilt compounded by the fact that she's fallen in love with her sister's boyfriend. In a country where the treatment of African Americans, and particularly the disappearances of African American women, are often overlooked and ignored, Autumn is determined to make waves and force the NYPD to pay attention regardless of the personal toll it takes on her. Kalisha Buckhanon perfectly intertwines the best of the literary fiction and mystery genres in order to create a compelling narrative on the intersections of crime, race, gender, and personal freedom in modern America. With each chapter, the pace quickens, and Buckhanon's writing will have you racing to the end. --Morgan McComb, The Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS) Imagine you have a twin sister (like Autumn does). Now imagine one day she walked up to the roof of your apartment building and, well . . . disappeared. Locked roof door and one set of footprints notwithstanding, there's not much interest in finding her, at least from official ranks. So it's up to Autumn to find Summer. This is no typical amateur sleuth. Autumn is a normal woman who would rather avoid danger, but she has no choice. I love her dedication to her sister and the mystery of her disappearance. This is a thriller written in such beautiful, compelling language that you won't want it to stop. --Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore (Spokane, WA)
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2019
327 people are currently reading
10225 people want to read
About the author
Kalisha Buckhanon
12 books372 followersKalisha is the author of the novels UPSTATE, CONCEPTION, SOLEMN and SPEAKING OF SUMMER: a book pick of Essence, O Magazine, TIME, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmo, Buzzfeed, Lit Hub and more. Her stories and essays are published in Fiction, CrimeReads, Fiction International, Oxford American, Black Renaissance Noire, Michigan Quarterly Review, pluck! and more. She is also seen on ID, BET and TV-One true crime shows as an expert. Her work is honored by the American Library Association, National Book Foundation, Audie Awards, Hurston-Wright Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Friends of American Writers and more. She has English degrees from University of Chicago and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from The New School in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
June 4, 2020
i’m not sure i would categorize this as a “literary thriller” or even “fast-paced” as the synopsis claims—to read this one quickly does a disservice to its subject matter, which is more important and necessary than most books classified as “thrillers” typically contain.
it is, technically, a missing person novel, but it is also a missing self novel, about family and mental illness and the aftereffects of childhood trauma, about the everyday burdens of being a woman in a culture still hostile to women and a social climate where white victims get more news coverage than black victims, where there is so much violence against individuals that the incidents begin to blur together, their victims falling between the cracks as the next sensationalized crime takes its place on the news cycle; a situation autumn addresses while scouring online crime blotters while searching for her missing twin sister, summer:
she experiences compassion fatigue from the other side, as well, while waiting hopelessly for responses to the posters she puts up across the neighborhood; made conscious of how she herself has become inured to the ubiquitous visual white noise of comparable fliers in an urban environment where people just—vanish.
there’s a lot of pain in this novel, and it is often beautifully written. i’m not sure why i didn’t love it, but it gets a solid 3 1/2 stars from me. some of it is simply down to flow or pacing—it’s fairly languid and meandering and once i predicted where the story was headed, i became impatient for the book to deliver on that prediction so i could see how the revelation changed the character and the dramatic tension and it just took. its. sweet. time. doing. so. but there’s a lot to applaud here, and i’ll certainly read more of her work going forward. 3 1/2 stars is not an “avoid this book” warning—it’s just a matter of my own subjective storytelling preferences, and none of you are me, thank your lucky stars.
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it is, technically, a missing person novel, but it is also a missing self novel, about family and mental illness and the aftereffects of childhood trauma, about the everyday burdens of being a woman in a culture still hostile to women and a social climate where white victims get more news coverage than black victims, where there is so much violence against individuals that the incidents begin to blur together, their victims falling between the cracks as the next sensationalized crime takes its place on the news cycle; a situation autumn addresses while scouring online crime blotters while searching for her missing twin sister, summer:
There seemed to be no boilerplate habit or way of being that could shield women from the unthinkable. It was possible I had heard of all of these lives and endings, from the news and online, but I blocked them out for fear of compressing my own vulnerability with too much possibility. And, compassion fatigue set in often.
she experiences compassion fatigue from the other side, as well, while waiting hopelessly for responses to the posters she puts up across the neighborhood; made conscious of how she herself has become inured to the ubiquitous visual white noise of comparable fliers in an urban environment where people just—vanish.
It was karma. I’d had a choice to zoom in on similar flyers rolled around streetlight and station posts. Instead I chose to stare down choked streets for a bus header, or into dark passages for a train light. I now needed people to stop, notice, care, and recall. But I saw we people were all just alike.
there’s a lot of pain in this novel, and it is often beautifully written. i’m not sure why i didn’t love it, but it gets a solid 3 1/2 stars from me. some of it is simply down to flow or pacing—it’s fairly languid and meandering and once i predicted where the story was headed, i became impatient for the book to deliver on that prediction so i could see how the revelation changed the character and the dramatic tension and it just took. its. sweet. time. doing. so. but there’s a lot to applaud here, and i’ll certainly read more of her work going forward. 3 1/2 stars is not an “avoid this book” warning—it’s just a matter of my own subjective storytelling preferences, and none of you are me, thank your lucky stars.
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August 4, 2019
I didn’t hate this book but the blurb made me feel like I wasn’t reading the same book!
This is NOT a thriller. I had sorta guessed the twist relatively early.
The bulk of the book is finding oneself and dealing with trauma.
Well written but the blurb was incredibly misleading.
This is NOT a thriller. I had sorta guessed the twist relatively early.
The bulk of the book is finding oneself and dealing with trauma.
Well written but the blurb was incredibly misleading.
Read
August 12, 2019This is another book where the star rating is going to be very hard.
What drew me to this book was the earnest anticipation of Russell from Ink and Paper blog and the many accolades my GR friends have given Buckhanon's earlier novels Upstate and Conception. From my understanding Buckhanon hits hard on those topics that hit our community hard. She does this in a way that reads like poetry but in a language that is at the eye level of the reader.
With the opening passages of this book I felt that she was fire but by the 33% mark I was about to bail on this book.
I felt like the plot was meandering and God help me I was so done with Autumn I was about to run away. But as I thought I understood the point Buckhanon was trying to get across I continued. As I reached the 60% mark the story started to come together. Some of Buckhanon's detours made more sense.
We live in a society where Black girls and women are devalued. This is true even in the Black community. We raise our voices and fists in protest of Black men brutalized or wrongfully imprisoned. If a Black woman is sexually assaulted by a Black man of any standing or prominence -- Why is she bringing a good man down? If she endures trauma she is to do so silently, in private; her public face that of "a strong Black woman". If she is passionate about her cause or defends herself what she deems as an injustice - she is labeled "An angry Black woman". But alas, for the most part, the Black woman is invisible. You could walk by her everyday -heck, even bump into her - and not even acknowledge she were there.
So yeah I GET where Buckhanon is coming from.
Even though I had some trouble getting into this book at first I will definitely be picking up her other two books.
What drew me to this book was the earnest anticipation of Russell from Ink and Paper blog and the many accolades my GR friends have given Buckhanon's earlier novels Upstate and Conception. From my understanding Buckhanon hits hard on those topics that hit our community hard. She does this in a way that reads like poetry but in a language that is at the eye level of the reader.
With the opening passages of this book I felt that she was fire but by the 33% mark I was about to bail on this book.
I felt like the plot was meandering and God help me I was so done with Autumn I was about to run away. But as I thought I understood the point Buckhanon was trying to get across I continued. As I reached the 60% mark the story started to come together. Some of Buckhanon's detours made more sense.
We live in a society where Black girls and women are devalued. This is true even in the Black community. We raise our voices and fists in protest of Black men brutalized or wrongfully imprisoned. If a Black woman is sexually assaulted by a Black man of any standing or prominence -- Why is she bringing a good man down? If she endures trauma she is to do so silently, in private; her public face that of "a strong Black woman". If she is passionate about her cause or defends herself what she deems as an injustice - she is labeled "An angry Black woman". But alas, for the most part, the Black woman is invisible. You could walk by her everyday -heck, even bump into her - and not even acknowledge she were there.
So yeah I GET where Buckhanon is coming from.
Even though I had some trouble getting into this book at first I will definitely be picking up her other two books.
August 14, 2019
Autumn’s twin sister Summer has gone missing from the roof of their Harlem brownstone, and no one cares. The papers don’t mention her since she’s not rich and White. Even Autumn believes the culprit is a Black man.
“We riot when Black men are shot. What about those women?” The missing ones. The ones who disappear?
Autumn winds up in a hospital. Her boyfriend Chase feels it’s more than stress. Feels Autumn is wearing herself out. But Chase doesn’t understand Autumn. He had not lost his mother and sister in the same year. Yet something seeps below the surface of this hospital visit. It seems Autumn’s been here before. There’s something deeper, darker that grief for her missing relatives. It’s grief for her missing self.
Only one person can help Autumn. That is the policeman Mr. Montgomery. He alone understands what Autumn is going through. And in a surprise twist, her issues are not what you think they are. Autumn’s issues go much, much deeper than the loss of her twin sister and her mother.
Autumn alludes to the problem in the prologue. As she runs the gauntlet of catcalls through Harlem, not trusting anyone, she runs for all women. “If you were a woman who saw me like that, but you were busy running too, please know I was running for us all.” She literally runs to self-knowledge. Otherwise, she will disintegrate.
It's not the best writing. It's quite choppy. Bad flow at parts. But the story is so compelling and to see a good work that addresses mental illness made me rate up.
This is a book about empowerment. About as women, being heard in the world. About having a voice. That although we are deeply flawed, we are normal, and have a life worth living.
He was convenient, the distraction from so much more to be scared of in the world. Even I believed in the Black boogeyman I had been told all my life was near, waiting for us at corners and alleys and rooftops.But what if the real bogeyman is herself?
“We riot when Black men are shot. What about those women?” The missing ones. The ones who disappear?
Autumn winds up in a hospital. Her boyfriend Chase feels it’s more than stress. Feels Autumn is wearing herself out. But Chase doesn’t understand Autumn. He had not lost his mother and sister in the same year. Yet something seeps below the surface of this hospital visit. It seems Autumn’s been here before. There’s something deeper, darker that grief for her missing relatives. It’s grief for her missing self.
Only one person can help Autumn. That is the policeman Mr. Montgomery. He alone understands what Autumn is going through. And in a surprise twist, her issues are not what you think they are. Autumn’s issues go much, much deeper than the loss of her twin sister and her mother.
Autumn alludes to the problem in the prologue. As she runs the gauntlet of catcalls through Harlem, not trusting anyone, she runs for all women. “If you were a woman who saw me like that, but you were busy running too, please know I was running for us all.” She literally runs to self-knowledge. Otherwise, she will disintegrate.
It's not the best writing. It's quite choppy. Bad flow at parts. But the story is so compelling and to see a good work that addresses mental illness made me rate up.
This is a book about empowerment. About as women, being heard in the world. About having a voice. That although we are deeply flawed, we are normal, and have a life worth living.
January 21, 2020
Just finished Speaking of Summer and all I can say is wow - it was breathtaking and beautiful - and as someone with an identical twin (and some of the other issues from the book), I could so very much relate
This book kept me reading the entire time and I had no idea of the twist coming
Now I must read her other books
This book kept me reading the entire time and I had no idea of the twist coming
Now I must read her other books
March 28, 2019
One hundred pages into this book I was ready to give up. I had decided the main character, Autumn, was a messed up fruitcake that I had had enough of. But I plowed along and I am glad I did. Slowly Autumn and the cast of characters grew on me and I began to get a hint of the plot twist to come.
There's a lot here ... the complexity of family dynamics, the ways the mind protects itself, the diversity, indifference and dangers of urban life ... but there's also attachment, strength and hope for the future. I grew to really like this story.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
There's a lot here ... the complexity of family dynamics, the ways the mind protects itself, the diversity, indifference and dangers of urban life ... but there's also attachment, strength and hope for the future. I grew to really like this story.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
July 10, 2019
Speaking of Summer opens with a prologue that draws you in instantly; there’s just something about its first person narrative that pulls you in, makes it feel as though said character wants to tell you, the reader, their story.
I wouldn’t class this novel as “fast-paced” as the blurb states, but it certainly addressed the themes mentioned: urban peril, victim invisibility and what it means to be a black woman in America and societies attitude towards them. Autumn was a very complex character. From her early childhood experiences to her present day life, this novel unpicks Autumn’s urban life and how her experiences impacted her. More a story of Autumn’s self-, and society, exploration than a ‘missing person’ novel.
“Women of color don’t matter in America unless we are rich and famous.”
The pace was steady, there was a slight lull in the middle but a turn of events caused the pace to pick up. Not ‘light’ reading, this novel sheds light on many important issues and that’s the reason I recommend it – for the insight into the experiences it details.
Also with themes of mental health, which are always of great interest to me. How the mind constructs itself, and it’s ability, or inability, to cope with certain trauma. Buckhanon also mentioned “compassion fatigue”, a term that really stayed with me because it’s a reflection of the world we live in. Where you’re constantly hearing about tragic events in the news, the compassion you offer to others, but how much compassion do you have to give? You need to keep some for yourself, to be kind to yourself, and look after your own mental health – with all the horrific events happening around the world, do you find yourself less affected by them than you once were, do they have less of an impact on you than they should?
Speaking of Summer is literary in nature, well-written with important themes. It didn’t read as fluidly as it, perhaps, could have but I definitely want to read more from Buckhanon, particularly her novel Upstate. I’m finding this novel hard to review but I hope I have provided enough for you to decide if you want to read it for yourself.
*My thanks to the publisher (Counterpoint) for providing me with a copy of this novel*
I wouldn’t class this novel as “fast-paced” as the blurb states, but it certainly addressed the themes mentioned: urban peril, victim invisibility and what it means to be a black woman in America and societies attitude towards them. Autumn was a very complex character. From her early childhood experiences to her present day life, this novel unpicks Autumn’s urban life and how her experiences impacted her. More a story of Autumn’s self-, and society, exploration than a ‘missing person’ novel.
“Women of color don’t matter in America unless we are rich and famous.”
The pace was steady, there was a slight lull in the middle but a turn of events caused the pace to pick up. Not ‘light’ reading, this novel sheds light on many important issues and that’s the reason I recommend it – for the insight into the experiences it details.
Also with themes of mental health, which are always of great interest to me. How the mind constructs itself, and it’s ability, or inability, to cope with certain trauma. Buckhanon also mentioned “compassion fatigue”, a term that really stayed with me because it’s a reflection of the world we live in. Where you’re constantly hearing about tragic events in the news, the compassion you offer to others, but how much compassion do you have to give? You need to keep some for yourself, to be kind to yourself, and look after your own mental health – with all the horrific events happening around the world, do you find yourself less affected by them than you once were, do they have less of an impact on you than they should?
Speaking of Summer is literary in nature, well-written with important themes. It didn’t read as fluidly as it, perhaps, could have but I definitely want to read more from Buckhanon, particularly her novel Upstate. I’m finding this novel hard to review but I hope I have provided enough for you to decide if you want to read it for yourself.
*My thanks to the publisher (Counterpoint) for providing me with a copy of this novel*
July 27, 2019
If you're looking for a mystery, it's best you look elsewhere for the only thing truly mysterious about this novel is the reliability -- or lack thereof -- of the narrator, and it is a far cry from that which it is described. Leisurely paced, with an almost dreamlike quality, the overall effect is disorienting -- I'll give it that much, and taken for what it is -- an intimate exploration of grief coupled with mental illness as well as a visceral examination of the way in which the crimes against women, particularly women of color, are so excessively ignored within our justice system that it is itself criminal -- it's certainly a worthy read. Just read it for the right reasons and in the right mind.
October 10, 2019
This author, who brought us Upstate one of my all-time favorite novels, keeps switching things up. Her voice changes from book to book, but what remains the same is that she brings us fiction rooted in some of the most troubling social issues of our time.
In 'Speaking of Summer' she tackles violence against women, mental illness, and the kinds of secrets that make frightened girls grow into fragmented women. There's even a little subtle commentary on gentrification and the changing face of Harlem thrown in. What I liked most about this novel is that it includes a lot of introspection as Autumn, the main protagonist, tries to figure herself out, and reconstruct the past to understand her present. I like reading characters' thoughts, and seeing how through those thoughts, they eventually change behavior and relate to other characters differently. This book gave me plenty of that, though I suspect it will perhaps be too much for some readers.
My only minor quarrel is that at times the prose seemed self-conscious in its effort to be literary. Some sentences I had to re-read three times because they were so laden with heavy ideas they failed to convey mood. That also made this a somewhat slower reading experience than it might have been if the language was smoother. Still, there is no doubt that this was a very intriguing plotline, and a book well worth reading. As always, I'm eager to see what Kalisha Buckhanon puts out next. Recommended.
In 'Speaking of Summer' she tackles violence against women, mental illness, and the kinds of secrets that make frightened girls grow into fragmented women. There's even a little subtle commentary on gentrification and the changing face of Harlem thrown in. What I liked most about this novel is that it includes a lot of introspection as Autumn, the main protagonist, tries to figure herself out, and reconstruct the past to understand her present. I like reading characters' thoughts, and seeing how through those thoughts, they eventually change behavior and relate to other characters differently. This book gave me plenty of that, though I suspect it will perhaps be too much for some readers.
My only minor quarrel is that at times the prose seemed self-conscious in its effort to be literary. Some sentences I had to re-read three times because they were so laden with heavy ideas they failed to convey mood. That also made this a somewhat slower reading experience than it might have been if the language was smoother. Still, there is no doubt that this was a very intriguing plotline, and a book well worth reading. As always, I'm eager to see what Kalisha Buckhanon puts out next. Recommended.
March 8, 2020
An incredibly powerful story of one individual black woman, but at the same time, the experience of many women. The narrative explores how we are shaped by shatterings in our lives, and the ways in which we move forward on more than one track, parallel to ourselves, as a coping mechanism.
September 12, 2019
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
I can't remember where I first heard about Speaking of Summer by Kalisha Buckhanon, but as soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to add it to my to-be-read list. I enjoy a good mystery, and I was excited that this one featured African American women. Additionally, I found the twin element intriguing. The publisher, via the synopsis, describes this book as follows:
"On a cold December evening, Autumn Spencer's twin sister Summer walks to the roof of their shared Harlem brownstone and is never seen again—the door to the roof is locked, and no footsteps are found. Faced with authorities indifferent to another missing woman, Autumn must pursue answers on her own, all while grieving her mother's recent death.
With her friends and neighbors, Autumn pretends to hold up through the crisis. She falls into an affair with Summer's boyfriend to cope with the disappearance of a woman they both loved. But the loss becomes too great, the mystery too inexplicable, and Autumn starts to unravel, all the while becoming obsessed with murdered women and the men who kill them."
Sounds good, right? Well, if that was the story I read I would agree. This was my biggest issue with the book - the synopsis - hence the 4-star (rather than 5) rating. Because the synopsis is was drew me to this book in the first place, I felt a little cheated after having completed it.
The story I read, I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a little slow to start, and I was a little put off by Autumn and some of her behavior, but the book kept tugging at me and I kept reading it - finishing in just two days. But the book is not a "literary thriller" as described. I would say it is more of a psychological study of how major trauma affects women and how it can be dangerous just living as a woman, a Black woman, in the United States. The prose is enticing. Ms. Buckhanon has a way with words that, as a lover of words and collector of quotations, I can appreciate. The plot twist is interesting but expected, with the indicators that the author placed leading up to it. Once this twist is revealed, the novel changes course and becomes a more complete piece of literary fiction focusing on a very important and relevant topic.
Recommendation: I don't want to give too many specifics to spoil this book for potential readers. I do highly recommend it. Just go into knowing the published synopsis is a bit misleading. Read it through the lens of violence against women and healing from it in the age of the me-too movement.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
I can't remember where I first heard about Speaking of Summer by Kalisha Buckhanon, but as soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to add it to my to-be-read list. I enjoy a good mystery, and I was excited that this one featured African American women. Additionally, I found the twin element intriguing. The publisher, via the synopsis, describes this book as follows:
"On a cold December evening, Autumn Spencer's twin sister Summer walks to the roof of their shared Harlem brownstone and is never seen again—the door to the roof is locked, and no footsteps are found. Faced with authorities indifferent to another missing woman, Autumn must pursue answers on her own, all while grieving her mother's recent death.
With her friends and neighbors, Autumn pretends to hold up through the crisis. She falls into an affair with Summer's boyfriend to cope with the disappearance of a woman they both loved. But the loss becomes too great, the mystery too inexplicable, and Autumn starts to unravel, all the while becoming obsessed with murdered women and the men who kill them."
Sounds good, right? Well, if that was the story I read I would agree. This was my biggest issue with the book - the synopsis - hence the 4-star (rather than 5) rating. Because the synopsis is was drew me to this book in the first place, I felt a little cheated after having completed it.
The story I read, I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a little slow to start, and I was a little put off by Autumn and some of her behavior, but the book kept tugging at me and I kept reading it - finishing in just two days. But the book is not a "literary thriller" as described. I would say it is more of a psychological study of how major trauma affects women and how it can be dangerous just living as a woman, a Black woman, in the United States. The prose is enticing. Ms. Buckhanon has a way with words that, as a lover of words and collector of quotations, I can appreciate. The plot twist is interesting but expected, with the indicators that the author placed leading up to it. Once this twist is revealed, the novel changes course and becomes a more complete piece of literary fiction focusing on a very important and relevant topic.
Recommendation: I don't want to give too many specifics to spoil this book for potential readers. I do highly recommend it. Just go into knowing the published synopsis is a bit misleading. Read it through the lens of violence against women and healing from it in the age of the me-too movement.
Until next time ... Read on!
Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.
Read all of my reviews at bit.ly/PageBedtime
August 3, 2025
A few topics here…grief, mental illness, loneliness, abuse.
March 8, 2020
I first borrowed this book from the library as a hardcover, and for some reason I struggled to get into it. I tried to renew it but it was waitlisted, and I really wanted to push through my struggle, because I felt like I had to find out what happened in the rest of the story. So I added myself to the waitlist for the ebook version, and once it became available devoured the remaining 300 pages in two days. I’m so happy I listened to myself and read on. This novel is pretty amazing.
Autumn Spencer’s twin sister Summer goes missing from the roof of their Harlem brownstone in the middle of the winter, leaving no traces or clues of what may have happened to her. While still grieving the death of her mother, Autumn sets out on a quest to find her sister, as no one else seems to care enough to really make an effort. During her search Autumn’s life and mental state begin to unravel, and her quest ends up being more about searching for who she really is herself.
The novel is written in such a way that the reader lives through Autumn and sees through Autumn’s eyes, which is why the first part of the novel is a little disconcerting and confusing, as Autumn really is all over the place. Kalisha Buckhanon brings it altogether perfectly though, and uncovers so many important topics along the way; mental health, childhood trauma, abuse, and the way Black women are devalued and forgotten in our society, but also the importance of surrounding oneself with people who care, a family of friends, of good people.
The story hit me hard in several places and I was in tears for much of the second half, I knew all too well what Autumn was going through. When you start the book Autumn IS a mess and as a reader I wanted to shake her sometimes, but it’s a mess I understood, and I’m so glad I held onto her and stayed there for the whole ride.
This is a difficult book to review without adding spoilers, but there are some interesting twists and turns that make for a really good read.
Autumn Spencer’s twin sister Summer goes missing from the roof of their Harlem brownstone in the middle of the winter, leaving no traces or clues of what may have happened to her. While still grieving the death of her mother, Autumn sets out on a quest to find her sister, as no one else seems to care enough to really make an effort. During her search Autumn’s life and mental state begin to unravel, and her quest ends up being more about searching for who she really is herself.
The novel is written in such a way that the reader lives through Autumn and sees through Autumn’s eyes, which is why the first part of the novel is a little disconcerting and confusing, as Autumn really is all over the place. Kalisha Buckhanon brings it altogether perfectly though, and uncovers so many important topics along the way; mental health, childhood trauma, abuse, and the way Black women are devalued and forgotten in our society, but also the importance of surrounding oneself with people who care, a family of friends, of good people.
The story hit me hard in several places and I was in tears for much of the second half, I knew all too well what Autumn was going through. When you start the book Autumn IS a mess and as a reader I wanted to shake her sometimes, but it’s a mess I understood, and I’m so glad I held onto her and stayed there for the whole ride.
This is a difficult book to review without adding spoilers, but there are some interesting twists and turns that make for a really good read.
December 5, 2019
I will admit that I was attracted to this book because of its vibrant and creative cover, but I was also intrigued by the description of the mystery within its pages.
Autumn's twin sister, Summer, walks to the rooftop of their shared Harlem brownstone and is never seen from again.
As a woman of color, she knows how many women go missing and society and police can be complacent in these missing person cases. She meets often with the detective to talk through the clues and concerns, in Summer's case, hoping that she can help find her sister.
As time progresses, Autumn does her best to hold it all together, but begins to unravel as her obsession grows to try to solve the disappearance. What happens though when no one seems to care about a woman of color?
This started out so strong and the answer to the mystery was done incredibly well. Buckhanon uses this book to shed light on bigger themes like race, mental health, and addiction. It, truly, sucks the reader in. I was stunned by the twist and talked about it for days afterwards.
This one missed the mark, for me, at times with consistency and keeping the plot moving once Summer's whereabouts are revealed.
Despite the inconsistency, I really loved the creativity that went into this novel and Buckhanon's beautiful writing.
I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Autumn's twin sister, Summer, walks to the rooftop of their shared Harlem brownstone and is never seen from again.
As a woman of color, she knows how many women go missing and society and police can be complacent in these missing person cases. She meets often with the detective to talk through the clues and concerns, in Summer's case, hoping that she can help find her sister.
As time progresses, Autumn does her best to hold it all together, but begins to unravel as her obsession grows to try to solve the disappearance. What happens though when no one seems to care about a woman of color?
This started out so strong and the answer to the mystery was done incredibly well. Buckhanon uses this book to shed light on bigger themes like race, mental health, and addiction. It, truly, sucks the reader in. I was stunned by the twist and talked about it for days afterwards.
This one missed the mark, for me, at times with consistency and keeping the plot moving once Summer's whereabouts are revealed.
Despite the inconsistency, I really loved the creativity that went into this novel and Buckhanon's beautiful writing.
I can't wait to see what she writes next!
April 8, 2020
I don’t know how I miss the advertisement or the promotion of Speaking of Summer. Luckily the cover caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks. I love a good book cover! Then couple that with the main character’s name being my favorite season and I’m eager to give it a try, plus I have a thing for stories about twins. Autumn Spencer is on a mission to find out what happened to her sister. She just upped and disappeared. Where the heck did she go? No one really knows. It’s during this time when women are missing then turning up dead, but can Autumn accept that her twin sister, Summer, was murdered and thrown away like trash? There’s layers to this story that I cannot say much about with out ruining it for others. I did not see the plot twist happening. It was the furthest thing from my mind. Maybe because I was reading it too fast; I’m not really sure. Every family has some kind of drama. Autumn and Summer definitely has some stuff to work through. Read it to find out what happened to Summer. Hopefully, you’re not caught off guard too.
August 10, 2019
Not the story I was expecting! The first 100 pages or so are kind of hard to get through, but the twist and ending are satisfying. Speaking of Summer has a lot more social commentary than a traditional thriller. I enjoyed it!
August 20, 2019
So boring, slow and discombobulated.
July 19, 2020
Went in with no idea what this was. I enjoyed reading about Harlem. I wish there was more of that. Much of the writing was very good. There where many parts that were a little disjointed and confusing. I thought the twist was fun, but felt like something was still missing. Unfortunately there was some strong coarse language.
October 16, 2019
1. What a beautiful cover. 2. What an emotional ride. I don't really read synopsis for fear that they give too much away, so I assumed this book was basically a missing persons story. IT WAS NOT. It touched on many topics in regards to being a black woman and bearing so much pain, and doing our best to cope with that pain. I felt for Autumn, and although I've never experienced "___________" disorder myself I connected with her pain and her need for Summer.
My issues with this book were sometimes that they writing became clunky and that I almost DNF'd it because it did not catch my attention until I was 3/4 of the book in. I think it is a story needed to be told from a mental health standpoint, but this is not a thriller if that's the read you're looking for...
My issues with this book were sometimes that they writing became clunky and that I almost DNF'd it because it did not catch my attention until I was 3/4 of the book in. I think it is a story needed to be told from a mental health standpoint, but this is not a thriller if that's the read you're looking for...
July 20, 2020
Speaking of Summer is a unique blend of psychological thriller and survivor story. Still recovering from the agony of caring for her mother as she died, Autumn Spencer struggles to advocate for her missing sister in a world that seems to view black women as invisible and disposable. As Autumn presses police to take her sister’s disappearance seriously, her life spirals out of control, forcing her to confront the lingering impact of a long-buried trauma on her life.
Buckhannon has created a compelling, flawed protagonist and surrounded her with equally fully-realized characters. Autumn’s journey from fear, shame and isolation to embracing her community kept me engrossed.
Buckhannon has created a compelling, flawed protagonist and surrounded her with equally fully-realized characters. Autumn’s journey from fear, shame and isolation to embracing her community kept me engrossed.
November 27, 2019
After reading the summary, I was eager to get my hands on this book! Unfortunately, it was a very slow read for me. It was my first time reading anything by this author but the writing seemed to be all over the place. I’m not sure if it was done on purpose to show how disorganized the main character was. It didn’t take long to figure out the plot twist but really wish that the story would’ve been developed more.
August 27, 2019
I finished this book to knock out a square, in a book bingo challenge that I am participating in (a book with the word "Summer" in the title). Finishing this book was a chore for me. I loved the audiobook "Upstate" which was also written by this author, so I had high hopes. Oh well, every thing is not for every body.
March 3, 2020
This was an excellent read! It took me less than a week so I would say I couldn’t put it down.
I loved that the author finished the story. So often authors build up to the climax and then the book ends without answering questions or with and abrupt end. She may have put some unnecessary details in the ending but I appreciate her effort to finish the story.
I loved that the author finished the story. So often authors build up to the climax and then the book ends without answering questions or with and abrupt end. She may have put some unnecessary details in the ending but I appreciate her effort to finish the story.
May 5, 2019
3.5 stars, but rounding up for its delicate treatment of a heartbreaking and difficult subject.
Recommend to those who like domestic thrillers but are tired of them a bit and looking for something softer and serious.
Recommend to those who like domestic thrillers but are tired of them a bit and looking for something softer and serious.
August 22, 2019
The Only Good thing about this book is the Cover. The Cover is Beautiful. Fast Paced HA!!!!! Reading this book is like dropping molasses through a sieve. Buckhanon could have said in a couple of pages what she took forever to say.
August 14, 2019
A fascinating literary mystery. Review to come at AAR.
January 14, 2020
Beautiful, vibrant language.
February 12, 2020
As a thriller, it's a slow-burn style for sure. As literary fiction, it's powerful, relevant, emotional, and hopeful. Together, an excellent read that I'm still thinking about.
December 3, 2022
Autumn tries to find her missing twin sister and struggles with the lack of progress, going through her things and uncovering a surprising truth about Summer.
This book is not at all what I expected. The pitch for it doesn't quite align, but once I adjusted that expectation, it ended up being better than I'd hoped. This is a character driven story about grief and depression, getting caught and stuck in it, and coping mechanisms, some more unconventional than others. I found the last fourth of the book to be moving. It's insightful, dark, sad, but hopeful, and it's a book I expect I'll continue to think about from time to time.
This book is not at all what I expected. The pitch for it doesn't quite align, but once I adjusted that expectation, it ended up being better than I'd hoped. This is a character driven story about grief and depression, getting caught and stuck in it, and coping mechanisms, some more unconventional than others. I found the last fourth of the book to be moving. It's insightful, dark, sad, but hopeful, and it's a book I expect I'll continue to think about from time to time.
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September 5, 2022This book did not turn out to be what I expected when I picked it from the library shelves. I thought it would be just another mystery thriller. It IS a sort of one but is much more a meditation on Black women’s lives and the trauma and fear that may lurk in all women’s lives.
Although I was captivated by the story and read this book quickly because I practically couldn’t put it down, there is something about the author’s way of constructing sentences that didn’t work for me. My mind kept stumbling over sentences.
Although I was captivated by the story and read this book quickly because I practically couldn’t put it down, there is something about the author’s way of constructing sentences that didn’t work for me. My mind kept stumbling over sentences.
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