Forever This Summer

Love Like Sky #2

by Leslie C. Youngblood

The second book from critically acclaimed author Leslie C. Youngblood, about family, identity, and learning to stand up for what's right.

Georgie has no idea what to expect when she, Mama, and Peaches are plopped down in the middle of nowhere--AKA Bogalusa, Louisiana.

G-baby wants to help out at the famous family diner that once served celebrities like the Jackson 5 and the Supremes, but with restaurateur Great Aunt Elvie needing help remembering day-to-day things, everyone is too busy to show G-baby the ropes.

G-baby makes friends with Markie, a foster kid under Aunt Elvie's care, who has a short arm caused by something called ULD and a huge singing voice. When G-baby's best friend, Nikki, comes to visit they realize that the kids in town don't have a place to hang out like their Boys & Girls club in Atlanta.

G-baby, Nikki, and Markie embark on a mission to start a club of their own: the Bogalusa Summer Club. Since clubs aren't exactly free, they decide to put on a talent show to raise money.

Along the way, G-baby will discover an unexpected talent of her own: fighting for what's fair and right even when everything is stacked against you.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Family, Contemporary, Childrens, Friendship, Disability

322 pages, Hardcover

First published July 6, 2021

About the author

Leslie C. Youngblood received an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. A former
assistant professor of creative writing at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, she has lectured at
Mississippi State University, UNC-Greensboro, and the University of Ghana at Legon. She’s been
awarded a host of writing honors, including a 2014 Yaddo’s Elizabeth Ames Residency, the Lorian
Hemingway Short Story Prize, a Hurston Wright Fellowship, and the Room of Her Own Foundation’s
2009 Orlando Short Story Prize. In 2010 she won the Go On Girl! Book Club Aspiring Writer Award. Born
in Bogalusa, Louisiana, and raised in Rochester, New York, her debut novel, Love Like Sky, will be published November 6, 2018, Disney Hyperion.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a middle grade book that has so much important things in it, and this is the second book in the Love Like Sky series. I have not read the first book in this book series. This is a heart felt story that shows that young kids can change and bring people together. The characters just are so great in this book. This book storyline is driven by the characters in this books. I also love the writing in this book. This was a cute and fun book to read. I think so many young kids will enjoy and learn so much for this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) or author (Leslie C. Youngblood) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great author. I didn't read the book before this one, but it didn't matter I jumped right into this loving story. What a endearing and unforgettable story of growing up, friendship, and the love of family. I really related to this story as I grew up in a foster home. A must read.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgie doesn’t want to spend the summer away from best friend Nikki, but Mama needs to help her family care for Aunt Vie, whose Alzheimer’s is progressing more rapidly than they could have imagined. It is beginning to look like Bogalusa, Louisiana will have nothing to offer Georgie except for lots of chores around the house and entertaining little sister, Peaches, when Markie makes an appearance and suddenly, summer is full of sneaky trips to the outskirts of town to try and find Markie’s mom and a talent show to raise money and awareness of Alzheimer’s. These two main characters couldn’t be any more different—obedient and respectful vs. brash and defiant, loving family vs. long string of foster homes, has friends vs. avoids relationships. Using Georgie and Markie, Youngblood shows readers that there are always things that connect us and uniting for a cause is a strong foundation for a friendship. Adding Georgies best friend into the mix provides a little extra drama with lessons on kindness and acceptance woven seamlessly into this terrific follow up to Love Like Sky. Target audience is likely 4-6th graders and is free of all profanity, violence, and sexual content. Markie’s disrespectful attitude, disobedience and other less than desirable traits have consequences and her character shows evidence of change. Thanks for the print ARC, Amazon Vine.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Another absolutely heartwarming, gripping, moving story! I’m so in love with these characters! Can’t say much since this is book 2, but we get a change of scenery, & go to a small town in Louisiana. We’re visiting an Aunt who has Alzheimer’s. Georgie’s other Aunts, & Grandma are there too. They’re helping with the aunt who is sick, & with her diner. Georgie makes a friend at the diner, & she has a mystery to help solve. All while trying to do her part to help her aunt(& keep out of the trouble her new friend keeps getting her into lol).

So many great themes in here, such as family, friendship, standing up for yourself & others, doing what’s right, honesty, & also righting wrongs. There’s discussions about racism that existed in the town back in the day, & the racism that still exists. Also, putting blame on those who don’t deserve it-just because of who they are related to for example. Just like the explanation of the title of book 1, when the title came into the dialogue towards the end of this one.. goosebumps. Brilliant, & brought tears to my eyes.

Alzheimer’s really is a bully. I pray one day there will be a cure. How horrible to start to forget memories, everyday normal things around you, & those you love. It steals so much from the person who has it, but also from everyone who loves them. I loved what Georgie did to help, & loved seeing more of her & Nikki together. Their friendship warmed my heart so much. These are book hug worthy books for sure.

I don’t know if there will be more, but I really hope so. Especially after that amazing ending! It wrapped everything up very nicely, but I’d love to see what the author would do next with all the changes happening in the characters lives. HIGHLY recommend! Gorgeous covers by Vashti Harrison too!💜

[Ms. Arca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie Youngblood deserves more press! She is such a talented writer and she is rocking this series and middle grade writing in general (and I read a ton of it).

The characters are layered, navigating multiple feelings/wants/needs. She does a beautiful job writing authentic aged voices and the pushes and pulls of relationships, and especially shines writing that in friendships. She’s a must have middle grade writer and I’m so excited this series is continuing. This second one was fun with the three girls being so different from one another and some mysteries woven throughout.

Love it. Definitely snag it for your classrooms for next year. This series is quality and truly deserves more readership and more selling press!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Katie Reilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming middle grade book about family, friendships, and the strength of a community coming together.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Popsugar #9 - found family

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit on the boring side, it didn't hold my attention and took me forever to read.

[Amy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warning: Alzheimer’s.

An author with roots in Rochester?!? You bet I’m going to read it. She also has roots in the south which is where these books take place. This follow up to love like sky took me a bit longer to get into but once I hit my stride, I finished it quickly. Georgie is an inspiring young person that I hope kiddos can learn from about how to support family, be a friend and love

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Mentions of the Ku Klux Klan

[Munchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to read a book about Alzheimer's and parental abandonment, but here we are.

Forever this summer follows Georgie and her family traveling down to visit her aunts and grandma in the town her mother grew up in. Her aunt Vie has Alzheimer's, she meets a girl named Markie that starts off as what you'd expect troubled youth to act and sound, but come to find out there is more to her story besides her short arm. That's not the end of it either. Not to spoil too much, this book focuses on family and friendship. It's so down to earth about the conflicts we as people face each day, it really was a well rounded read.

Of course the book wasn't perfect. The read was slow in the beginning and boring at times, but it did pick up and kept pace with what was happening. I did feel it could have been shortened, since this is a 323 page read that feels more for middle school readers than the intended 8-12 year olds which is a big stretch between 2nd and 6th graders.

The ending felt like it wasn't meant to be a happy "we know what happens" ending, but one that's more left open to thinking "what could happen". And I appreciate that. It doesn't always need to be completed. I'm sure the author might intend to make Georgie's life into a series of books and I'm down for it. So I assume that's why it ends the way it does.

The characters were all personable, the conflicts were solved in the right way that made you appreciate how gentle the author was in regards to addressing actions such as theft, foster care, judgemental, to name a few. Ms. Hannah was one of those characters I felt kind of bad for. Knowing her family history and her only being associated because she was simply tied by family, I felt like that one was sad and wished it different. Sometimes we have to realize even if it's sad, not everything needs to be a happy ending. Her relationship to Vie is one to be happy about but wish that we could have learned a bit more about their bond in this book. She's more like a sideline character as the focus is truly on Georgie, Markie and Nikki who's Georgie's best friend from Atlanta. But at least she is seen throughout the book helping the girls.

Overall I loved the book. It just took me a bit longer to read it with so much going on.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this follow-up to the previous title, Love Like Sky, eleven-year-old Georgie has moved for the summer to Bogalusa, Louisiana, which is nothing like Atlanta, Georgia where she lives. Her mother wants to help care for Great-aunt Vie whose memory is fading. Georgie chafes under her mother's eagle-eye, and when she has a chance to slip out of the house and be independent, she takes it. She ends up hanging out with Markie, a foster child who had once lived with Aunt Elvie but is quite a handful. Markie helps out at the family diner run by Georgie's relatives, but her main purpose in life is to locate her mother and figure out why she abandoned her. As it turns out, Georgie's mother knows a thing or two about Markie's story and her mother. Fans of the first book will enjoy this one as they watch Georgie growing up and spreading her wings, sometimes landing herself in trouble. As in the other book, her heart is in the right place and she's determined to do good and make a difference in the world. I just found it hard to believe that a town would support so easily the talent show that she and her friends organized, even if it was for a good cause, and the relationship between Markie and Aunt Elvie and how things went awry needed further development for me. Georgie is blessed to have many supportive individuals in her life, including both sets of parents. As a side note, it's worth mentioning that Georgie is still haunted by the images she has seen of the ravages wreaked on the land and its people by Hurricane Katrina.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever This Summer
by Leslie C. Youngblood
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 25 May 2021



I am reviewing a copy of Forever This Summer through Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley:


Georgie has no idea what to expect when she, Mamma and Peaches are plopped down in the middle of small town US, also known as Bogalusa, Louisiana, which is where Mamma grew up and Aunt Vie is in need of constant care.



Georgie wants to be able to help out at her once favorite dinner that served celebrities like the Jackson 5 and the Supremes, unfortunately everyone is too busy to show her the ropes and Mama is treating her like a baby, not letting her leave her sight. When she is finally allowed to leave on her own, Georgie makes friends with Markie, a foster kid who'd been under Aunt Elvie's care--who has a limb difference and a huge attitude.


After Markie asks Georgie to help her find her mom, and suddenly summer has a real purpose. But when Georgie and Markie's histories begin to entwine, Georgie becomes more desperate to find the truth. But after words are spoken they cannot be taken back and once Georgie knows the truth, she may even find a way to right past wrongs and help Aunt Vie and Markie out after all.



I give Forever This Summer five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute and heartwarming book. I really enjoyed reading it! When I bought it, I didn’t realize it was a middle-grade book (or the second in a series), but I’m glad I got it because it was a great read. Something I like about this book is that it doesn’t really matter if you’ve read the first one or not. The two books aren’t super connected, so you’re not lost if you read the second one first.

This is a book that I’d recommend to middle-grade readers or anyone who’s interested in middle-grade books. I really enjoyed the plot and how there were different storylines happening that all came together in the end. There were also some plot twists and surprises that I wasn’t even expecting as an adult reading this book. I found the characters to be well-rounded and sound like the age they are supposed to be. Overall, it was a good read that kept me engaged and wanting to find out what happens next. I hope there’s a third book coming to this series because I would love to know what happens next with Georgie, Markie, and Nikki.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a middle grade story about a Black girl from Atlanta that goes to visit her great aunt in Bogalusa, LA. Her great aunt Vie has Alzheimer's and her mother is going to help care for her. Their family diner, Sweetings, was being run by Aunt Vie's sisters. Georgie (the main character) gets to know Markie, the 12.5 year old that helps work the diner and they become friends.

Georgie struggles with trying to grow up and getting her mom Katrina, see that she needs some independence. She works to earn enough trust to help out at the diner with her grandma. Over time she decides to try and fundraise for Alzheimer's research, while helping Markie, a foster kid, find her mother.

I loved Georgie, Markie and Nikki. I enjoyed getting to know them. There were important lessons written throughout, which included racism. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the audiobook and the narrator did a great job distinguishing between the huge cast of characters and setting the various tones throughout the stories. A realistic fiction story about two girls with two very different life experiences joining together for a common cause, their Aunt V. A relatable story of trust-building in new friendships, testing the limits of old friendships, and the power of a community coming together. I would call this a character-driven book with a lot of detail into backstories, emotions, and motivations. Sometimes the main character sounds less like a kid and more like an adult. The ins-and-outs of a fundraiser are sort of glossed over and can come off a little idealistic, but the message of "standing up for what you believe" is clear. This book is relevant and relatable. And though it is long, it is worth the read.

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgie is forced to spend her summer away from her hometown of Atlanta, GA in small-town Lousiana to help her Mama care for a dear aunt who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. While there, Georgie meets a new girl, Markie, who is connected to her family somehow but seems to get Georgie into trouble constantly. Georgie wants to prove to her mother that she IS capable of making good decisions and having responsibility, so she plans a fundraiser to Alzheimer's research with help from Nikki (her best friend from home) and Markie. The plot thickens and thickens, but the family pitches in to make all come right in the end. A coming-of-age story starring an empathetic young girl with a loving family behind her; what a heartwarming read!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in the Love Like Sky series.
Georgie and her mom are spending the summer in Bogalusa, Louisiana to help care for her aunt with Alzheimer's. She is not happy to be here as her mom refuses to let her do anything outside the house. Relationship layers are revealed and readers will discover why her mom reacts as she does as the story unfolds. Youngblood weaves the past into the current happenings with hints for readers to find. She captures the challenges girls of this age face as they learn about themselves and what they expect from others. I appreciate that everything is not resolved by the end of the book. Relationships take work, and Georgie does have to process new information she learns about her mom and others.

[Mirissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like nothing really happened in this book, yet a lot did happen--a fundraiser, parental abandonment, friendship drama, debilitating illness. I just found it a slog to get through, perhaps because the narrator really tells us everything instead of allowing the book to show us what's going on. I do appreciate that it touched on so many important issues without making them seem like a laundry list (a character with a limb difference, frequent genuine-sounding discussions about racism). The main characters' lives and concerns felt authentic to me. But the world around them never really felt authentic. Plus, for a book with so many scenes set in a diner I would've loved some more vivid descriptions of southern and Creole food!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one just wasn't it.
It had several inconsistencies from the first book (like Tangie not coming with them plus poor editing that switched POV's) and just seemed to try to put too much in the plot - like Nikki leaving for California plus the weird bit about it being Katrina's fault when she didn't take care of Markie despite her not being in a good place financially to take care of another child
It was poorly written and felt like it had WAY too much plot that just made the whole point of the point confusing and difficult to understand.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgie is spending the summer in Louisiana with her mother because her Aunt Vie who has Alzheimer's is in need of care. Georgie meets and befriends Markie Jean and becomes involved in helping her find her biological mother. She also decides to raise awareness of Alzheimer's with a community talent show. This is a charming story that explores friendship, family secrets, and activism. Both the characters and setting are wonderful.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgie befriends Markie, a girl with a sad past, in small town Louisiana when she visits over the summer to help care for Aunt Vie, who has Alzheimer's. With Georgie's bff Nikki, the trio plans a fundraiser and hopes to also help Markie find her mother. The characters' conversations are fluid, and the plot moves from point to point easily. The relationship between the three girls is authentic, with some jealousy but also understanding. A great book about friendship and family.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know until filling out my reading log that this book is a companion sequel. That being said, you do not have to read the first book prior to this one although you would likely have more context to some of the events and character motivations. Youngblood did a really good job exploring concepts of memory, memory loss, as well as familial and friendship relationships from the perspective of a middle schooler. I will likely pick up more books from this author in the future.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and will add it to my activism unit-- nice that while the author & protagonist are Black, and there are certainly mentions of racism throughout the book, that's not the focus of the book or the activism (it's an Alzheimer's awareness book).

Also cool to have a main character with a limb difference.

[Ms. Nigeria Nigeria Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how these books are so relatable. Leslie brings topics that a lot of us think about but we don't converse on. I'm reading both of these books again. Peaches was my favorite character. She reminds me of myself.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc of this title.

Middle-grades readers will enjoy this story built around the themes of friendship, trust, and courage.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This follow-up to Love Like Sky was another good snapshot of life in the current South. Recommend it for upper elementary or middle school readers.

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book about making friends and understanding people.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good young adult book. I would recommend it to 5-8 grades

[JustAnotherReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

No LGBT+ content, no profanity, no romance.

Discusses racism, parental abandonment, and Alzheimers.