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Sol del Mar High #1
Something I'm Good At: A Sol del Mar High Novel
Summer was the girl who had it all: good grades, a spot on the high school volleyball team, and a best friend since elementary school. Then she was diagnosed with lupus, and her best friend betrayed her. Now she's cutting ties, because nobody should have to deal with someone as broken as her.Kane is the guy who never gives up. When he puts his mind to something, he gets it done-no matter how many broken bones it takes. So when a chance encounter at the urgent care throws him in the path of Summer, the girl he's secretly had a crush on for years, he's determined to win her heart.Despite her vow to keep people away, Summer finds herself falling for Kane's charm. Will the boy who never gives up be able to win-and keep-the heart of the girl who is afraid to let people in?
242 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2019
13 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Andrus
9 books62 followersCaroline Andrus was born and raised in the St. Paul suburbs where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and Henry McCoy—a wild cougar trapped in a housecat's body.
When not working as a hotel front desk agent she divides her time between writing, Facebook, designing (book covers & promo materials), and reviewing books. She is passionate about both reading and writing teen fiction, and is pretty sure she will forever be eighteen at heart.
When not working as a hotel front desk agent she divides her time between writing, Facebook, designing (book covers & promo materials), and reviewing books. She is passionate about both reading and writing teen fiction, and is pretty sure she will forever be eighteen at heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 30, 2019
A sweet light romance book for teens, well-written, clean, and very easy to read.
Summer Swanson has been diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, which means her body turns against itself instead of fighting infections. Summer used to dream of becoming a make-up artist, but now she won’t even sigh up to help with the school play, because what if she has a flare-up, and lets everybody down at a crucial moment. She has also given up her place at a volleyball team as well as her other extra-curricular activities. Summer’s also lost her best friend who betrayed her with Summer’s boyfriend. That’s a lot to take on in a short time, so perhaps she can be excused for trying to sort her feelings on her own. One thing she knows for sure: she doesn’t want to be labelled The sick girl, so she keeps her lupus secret.
Kane is adorable and somewhat accident-prone as far as any sport activity is concerned. He spends a lot of time mastering skateboard tricks with his loyal friends Mark and Abigail, mostly without much success, but with some spectacular falls and a few broken bones. During his trip to the hospital, he meets and talks to Summer, who despite going to the same high-school wasn’t even aware of his existence.
Kane has never been good at anything apart from making people laugh. Will he be able to bring a smile back on Summer’s face? How do you make a beautiful girl like this agree to go out with you? Kane’s mom thinks you have to be romantic and respectful at the same time and things will work out. Luckily, Kane has lots of fantastic ideas and is full of enthusiasm.
Should Summer take a chance on Kane as well as giving herself a chance for happiness despite her disease? Should she keep her lupus a secret from Kane, her new friends, and everybody else at the school? Or is it a recipe for a heartbreak which is going to come sooner or later?
I didn’t know much about lupus before reading this book, but it did make me look it up and reflect on how difficult it must have been for the main character to adjust to her new life situation. It was great to have a main character who is sweet, kind and strong, but not exactly flawless.
I had a slightly harder time with Kane. I thought he was cute, immature and a bit too persistent. After all, Summer did have good reasons to keep her distance. I would have preferred them being friends for longer time, so that Summer would have had a chance to get to know him better, which would have made her burgeoning feelings for Kane more plausible. As it was, were these feelings for Kane or for the sense of normality that had been missing for her life since her diagnosis?
I can wholeheartedly recommend this book as a light enjoyable summer read and I will definitely be checking out other titles in this new series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
3.5 stars rounded up.
My reviews can also be found on:
https://readingtonic.home.blog/
Summer Swanson has been diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, which means her body turns against itself instead of fighting infections. Summer used to dream of becoming a make-up artist, but now she won’t even sigh up to help with the school play, because what if she has a flare-up, and lets everybody down at a crucial moment. She has also given up her place at a volleyball team as well as her other extra-curricular activities. Summer’s also lost her best friend who betrayed her with Summer’s boyfriend. That’s a lot to take on in a short time, so perhaps she can be excused for trying to sort her feelings on her own. One thing she knows for sure: she doesn’t want to be labelled The sick girl, so she keeps her lupus secret.
Kane is adorable and somewhat accident-prone as far as any sport activity is concerned. He spends a lot of time mastering skateboard tricks with his loyal friends Mark and Abigail, mostly without much success, but with some spectacular falls and a few broken bones. During his trip to the hospital, he meets and talks to Summer, who despite going to the same high-school wasn’t even aware of his existence.
Kane has never been good at anything apart from making people laugh. Will he be able to bring a smile back on Summer’s face? How do you make a beautiful girl like this agree to go out with you? Kane’s mom thinks you have to be romantic and respectful at the same time and things will work out. Luckily, Kane has lots of fantastic ideas and is full of enthusiasm.
Should Summer take a chance on Kane as well as giving herself a chance for happiness despite her disease? Should she keep her lupus a secret from Kane, her new friends, and everybody else at the school? Or is it a recipe for a heartbreak which is going to come sooner or later?
I didn’t know much about lupus before reading this book, but it did make me look it up and reflect on how difficult it must have been for the main character to adjust to her new life situation. It was great to have a main character who is sweet, kind and strong, but not exactly flawless.
I had a slightly harder time with Kane. I thought he was cute, immature and a bit too persistent. After all, Summer did have good reasons to keep her distance. I would have preferred them being friends for longer time, so that Summer would have had a chance to get to know him better, which would have made her burgeoning feelings for Kane more plausible. As it was, were these feelings for Kane or for the sense of normality that had been missing for her life since her diagnosis?
I can wholeheartedly recommend this book as a light enjoyable summer read and I will definitely be checking out other titles in this new series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
3.5 stars rounded up.
My reviews can also be found on:
https://readingtonic.home.blog/
June 20, 2019
This book is more than teenage angst - it is about hope, forgiveness, perseverance, friendship, and love.
This may be a YA book but it spoke to me and I raced through this book like there was no tomorrow. The story flowed well, the characters were flawed yet real, and it shed some light on Lupus.
Kane is goofy and Summer is reserved but finds what Kane has to offer might be exactly what she needs. I appreciated that the characters weren't rushing into anything, mostly because of Summer's disease and her reservations, but that they took time to get to know each other. The relationship is not smooth sailing but it was real and honest.
I also liked Matt and Abigail, good friends to the end. I'm hoping we get to see stories for each of them in the future.
This book had me laughing at times and is worth the read.
This may be a YA book but it spoke to me and I raced through this book like there was no tomorrow. The story flowed well, the characters were flawed yet real, and it shed some light on Lupus.
Kane is goofy and Summer is reserved but finds what Kane has to offer might be exactly what she needs. I appreciated that the characters weren't rushing into anything, mostly because of Summer's disease and her reservations, but that they took time to get to know each other. The relationship is not smooth sailing but it was real and honest.
I also liked Matt and Abigail, good friends to the end. I'm hoping we get to see stories for each of them in the future.
This book had me laughing at times and is worth the read.
May 30, 2019
A cute romance with likeable characters! I enjoy teen romances, but it was especially nice to see one that didn’t involve too much drama. There was very little in terms of the “bad clique” or the “school bully” which was refreshing.
Summer’s Lupus was dealt with wonderfully too. It didn’t feel like it was solely teaching teens about the issue, instead it was an addition to a cute romance, allowing us to see Summer live her life to the fullest without it having what I deem the “fault in our stars” problem of being non stop illness.
Lovely teen characters acting like teens should at that age. Overall a refreshing read.
Summer’s Lupus was dealt with wonderfully too. It didn’t feel like it was solely teaching teens about the issue, instead it was an addition to a cute romance, allowing us to see Summer live her life to the fullest without it having what I deem the “fault in our stars” problem of being non stop illness.
Lovely teen characters acting like teens should at that age. Overall a refreshing read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 25, 2019NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
I went into writing this book wanting to write a light romance for teens. I wanted to touch on what someone suffering from an autoimmune disease would have to deal with. I didn't want the tone to get too dark or heavy though, so I don't delve too deep into Summer's struggles, instead choosing to give a light overview. I hope readers will understand a little of what someone with lupus or other autoimmune diseases goes through day to day from reading Summer's chapters. (If you've read an ARC, I don't have the link in there, but google the spoon theory for more information about that. I'll be including the link in the final copy.)
The premise of the story - the boy who's no good at anything, but can make the girl smile - came from the song SOMETHING I'M GOOD AT by Brett Eldredge. That song made Kane who he is. He's a little immature, not very good at any one thing, but he's full of heart.
All too often I see teens in YA acting far too mature. You won't find so much of that in this book. (Not with Kane anyway!) I attempted to make my teens act like the 16 and 17 year olds that they are.
If you're wondering what's next for Sol del Mar High, I intend to write Mark's story!
I went into writing this book wanting to write a light romance for teens. I wanted to touch on what someone suffering from an autoimmune disease would have to deal with. I didn't want the tone to get too dark or heavy though, so I don't delve too deep into Summer's struggles, instead choosing to give a light overview. I hope readers will understand a little of what someone with lupus or other autoimmune diseases goes through day to day from reading Summer's chapters. (If you've read an ARC, I don't have the link in there, but google the spoon theory for more information about that. I'll be including the link in the final copy.)
The premise of the story - the boy who's no good at anything, but can make the girl smile - came from the song SOMETHING I'M GOOD AT by Brett Eldredge. That song made Kane who he is. He's a little immature, not very good at any one thing, but he's full of heart.
All too often I see teens in YA acting far too mature. You won't find so much of that in this book. (Not with Kane anyway!) I attempted to make my teens act like the 16 and 17 year olds that they are.
If you're wondering what's next for Sol del Mar High, I intend to write Mark's story!
October 3, 2019
So freaking adorable!
I loved it - and kind of squealed and grinned, now my jaw hurts and i want to re-read it again this instant.
So adorable, easy-read romance, sometimes that is what one need! <3
I loved it - and kind of squealed and grinned, now my jaw hurts and i want to re-read it again this instant.
So adorable, easy-read romance, sometimes that is what one need! <3
June 3, 2019
Something I'm Good At focuses on two main characters, switching between their point of views to tell the story of their relationship. First we start with Kane, a guy who is very prone to accidents and has broken more bones in his body than his stunt double dad has in his whole career. Kane enjoys trying something even at the risk of a major failure which is how we find him at the beginning of the book, ready to take on a new challenge with disastrous results. But maybe the disaster is exactly what he is meant to do to finally get his chance with the girl he has been crushing on for years.
In comes Summer, the girl of Kane's dreams even though they have only ever had one interaction with each other years ago and she doesn't seem to recall him being at her school. Summer has recently been diagnosed with Lupus and her whole life has turned upside down. Between the new view on her life (not very optimistic) and the fact that her best friend and boyfriend shared a kiss behind her back, Summer is planning on taking this year solo, but Kane has other plans for them after their chance encounter at Urgent Care.
Both characters have enough likability to keep me reading the story to find out how their relationship turns out, but often times I found myself thinking that Kane seemed rather repetitive and maybe not completely fleshed out. Many times throughout the book, Kane would refer to Summer as being beautiful or an angel and focused a lot on her looks even after getting to know the girl inside of her. I think I would've liked to see his internal dialogue shift a little more from the physical looks to more about the girl he is actually getting to know. Yes of course he is still physically attracted to her and that can be mentioned but I felt like it was a little crazy how often she was referred to as being beautiful as if that meant more than what she was really like.
Summer, I think for the most part, is pretty realistic to what a teenager would be thinking and feeling after being diagnosed with pretty much any disease. She's afraid to get close to others in case something should happen to her and doesn't want to put that burden on anyone else. Of course with not telling anyone about her diagnosis, she puts herself at risk by overdoing it. Which again I think is pretty realistic. A lot of people, not just teenagers, would rather bunker down and be on their own when something life changing like that happens to them. I felt like the author really handled her character development really well and had a pretty good balance of maintaining that easy going feel while still having a topic that's a little heavier.
Overall, the book was a quick and easy read, but I wasn't fully invested in the characters and their stories.
In comes Summer, the girl of Kane's dreams even though they have only ever had one interaction with each other years ago and she doesn't seem to recall him being at her school. Summer has recently been diagnosed with Lupus and her whole life has turned upside down. Between the new view on her life (not very optimistic) and the fact that her best friend and boyfriend shared a kiss behind her back, Summer is planning on taking this year solo, but Kane has other plans for them after their chance encounter at Urgent Care.
Both characters have enough likability to keep me reading the story to find out how their relationship turns out, but often times I found myself thinking that Kane seemed rather repetitive and maybe not completely fleshed out. Many times throughout the book, Kane would refer to Summer as being beautiful or an angel and focused a lot on her looks even after getting to know the girl inside of her. I think I would've liked to see his internal dialogue shift a little more from the physical looks to more about the girl he is actually getting to know. Yes of course he is still physically attracted to her and that can be mentioned but I felt like it was a little crazy how often she was referred to as being beautiful as if that meant more than what she was really like.
Summer, I think for the most part, is pretty realistic to what a teenager would be thinking and feeling after being diagnosed with pretty much any disease. She's afraid to get close to others in case something should happen to her and doesn't want to put that burden on anyone else. Of course with not telling anyone about her diagnosis, she puts herself at risk by overdoing it. Which again I think is pretty realistic. A lot of people, not just teenagers, would rather bunker down and be on their own when something life changing like that happens to them. I felt like the author really handled her character development really well and had a pretty good balance of maintaining that easy going feel while still having a topic that's a little heavier.
Overall, the book was a quick and easy read, but I wasn't fully invested in the characters and their stories.
June 18, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest review.
This book had some serious A Walk to Remember (the movie) vibes for me. A girl who's basically swearing off love because of an illness, Summer's just isn't terminal. I honestly felt like Summer was being a bit dramatic, but in retrospect I think I was probably just a different type of teenage girl than Summer. Also, I'm not super-familiar with exactly how lupus affects someone's life, and I guess I can sort of understand how being diagnosed as a teenager could make it seem like your life is over. But I still ultimately couldn't really relate to her swearing off love because of it. That particular pair of Summer's shoes just didn't quite fit my feet. I had no problem wearing the rest of her shoes throughout the story though.
Read the rest of my review on my blog. --> https://justanothergirlandherbooks.bl...
This book had some serious A Walk to Remember (the movie) vibes for me. A girl who's basically swearing off love because of an illness, Summer's just isn't terminal. I honestly felt like Summer was being a bit dramatic, but in retrospect I think I was probably just a different type of teenage girl than Summer. Also, I'm not super-familiar with exactly how lupus affects someone's life, and I guess I can sort of understand how being diagnosed as a teenager could make it seem like your life is over. But I still ultimately couldn't really relate to her swearing off love because of it. That particular pair of Summer's shoes just didn't quite fit my feet. I had no problem wearing the rest of her shoes throughout the story though.
Read the rest of my review on my blog. --> https://justanothergirlandherbooks.bl...
June 24, 2019
Something I'm good at by Caroline Andrus is the 1st book in the Sol del Mar High young adult series, and it won't be my last. Summer was doing well in school and on the volleyball team, until she was diagnosed with Lupus. Summer's way of dealing with it, is to distance her self from everyone. Kane has had a long time crush on Summer, and he refuses to be pushed away. This book is a cute young adult love story, that deals with a chronic illness. I recommend this book to anyone who like a sweet romance, and watching teens develop into their own person.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
June 18, 2019
4.5 - This is my first Caroline Andrus book and I plan on keeping an eye out for her other books. Kane's dialogue is so refreshing, and he had me constantly cracking up. I love his confidence, optimistic outlook, and sunny disposition. He knew who he was and what he liked and it was endearing. I enjoyed learning a little bit about how Lupus impacts a person's daily life. I found Summer's struggles relatable and I think most teens will to as they learn to cope with life's challenges. Overall a fast read that kept me engaged while the pages flew by. I hope we get to see a book about Mark because he was a mysterious character that left me wondering about his story.
July 10, 2019
*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
It's been a while since I read a contemporary YA with a love story that I could recommend without any reservations. But I recommend this book.
Chapters alternate between Kane and Summer, and it worked. I don't always like alternating-perspective books (though I'm finding I do more than I used to). I typically find one character less interesting than the other. But I liked both Kane and Summer, and I appreciated being privy to each of their thoughts.
Let me just start by saying that I adored Kane, even admired him. Not only was he funny and straightforward, but he was kind and chivalrous. Yes, a BELIEVABLE chivalrous teenage boy in a contemporary YA book. Honestly, he's the kind of boy a mother would be proud of (and I know this because I have three sons). He's the kind of boy a mother would be happy her daughter was dating (I know this because I have a daughter). He was just . . . good. Caring, accepting, determined, thoughtful. I could keep going. Reckless? Yes, but only in terms of his daredevil activities--he wasn't reckless with other people, nor was he reckless simply for the sake of recklessness. One of my favorite inner thoughts of his was the following: "This is the girl I'm going to marry." Because too many times, people assume that dreaming about and looking forward to marriage and family is a girly thing. But it's not. I'm a big fan of Kane.
I don't have as much to say about Summer, but it's not because I didn't like her. I was frustrated with her unwillingness to open up to anyone about her lupus--literally the only people in the book who knew about it were her parents, her sister, her doctor, and the school nurse. She was so determined to keep it a secret that she made things worse for herself. I get that she didn't want to be "the girl with lupus" or "the sick girl"--I'm not criticizing her desire to not be defined by her disease. It just frustrates me when I see people doing things that I (and usually they) know will make things harder for them. But aside from that . . . I did like her. She wasn't happy-go-lucky like Kane, but they kind of balanced each other out.
I really appreciated the relationships that Kane and Summer had with their parents. Kane was very open with his parents about pretty much everything. He treated them with respect and love. He asked for their opinions and advice. Did he always agree with them? No. But he wasn't disrespectful. Summer's relationship with her parents was not quite as comfortable as Kane's with his; however, it wasn't a bad relationship. I'm sure her diagnosis and medical treatment affected things, as well. But it was obvious that her parents loved her and were reasonable people.
And I just want to say THANK YOU, Caroline Andrus, for writing a YA love story with NO SEX. Not even a hint of it. It was so incredibly refreshing, and I sincerely wish more authors would follow your lead.
After reading this, I plan to learn more about lupus. I really don't know anything about it except what was mentioned in this book (which wasn't much). But the book did not feel like it was pushing me toward that goal; it didn't feel like a PSA or anything. The book wasn't about lupus--it just happened that one of the main characters had lupus, and it impacted the way she lived.
How it ends:
Note: Some swearing.
It's been a while since I read a contemporary YA with a love story that I could recommend without any reservations. But I recommend this book.
Chapters alternate between Kane and Summer, and it worked. I don't always like alternating-perspective books (though I'm finding I do more than I used to). I typically find one character less interesting than the other. But I liked both Kane and Summer, and I appreciated being privy to each of their thoughts.
Let me just start by saying that I adored Kane, even admired him. Not only was he funny and straightforward, but he was kind and chivalrous. Yes, a BELIEVABLE chivalrous teenage boy in a contemporary YA book. Honestly, he's the kind of boy a mother would be proud of (and I know this because I have three sons). He's the kind of boy a mother would be happy her daughter was dating (I know this because I have a daughter). He was just . . . good. Caring, accepting, determined, thoughtful. I could keep going. Reckless? Yes, but only in terms of his daredevil activities--he wasn't reckless with other people, nor was he reckless simply for the sake of recklessness. One of my favorite inner thoughts of his was the following: "This is the girl I'm going to marry." Because too many times, people assume that dreaming about and looking forward to marriage and family is a girly thing. But it's not. I'm a big fan of Kane.
I don't have as much to say about Summer, but it's not because I didn't like her. I was frustrated with her unwillingness to open up to anyone about her lupus--literally the only people in the book who knew about it were her parents, her sister, her doctor, and the school nurse. She was so determined to keep it a secret that she made things worse for herself. I get that she didn't want to be "the girl with lupus" or "the sick girl"--I'm not criticizing her desire to not be defined by her disease. It just frustrates me when I see people doing things that I (and usually they) know will make things harder for them. But aside from that . . . I did like her. She wasn't happy-go-lucky like Kane, but they kind of balanced each other out.
I really appreciated the relationships that Kane and Summer had with their parents. Kane was very open with his parents about pretty much everything. He treated them with respect and love. He asked for their opinions and advice. Did he always agree with them? No. But he wasn't disrespectful. Summer's relationship with her parents was not quite as comfortable as Kane's with his; however, it wasn't a bad relationship. I'm sure her diagnosis and medical treatment affected things, as well. But it was obvious that her parents loved her and were reasonable people.
And I just want to say THANK YOU, Caroline Andrus, for writing a YA love story with NO SEX. Not even a hint of it. It was so incredibly refreshing, and I sincerely wish more authors would follow your lead.
After reading this, I plan to learn more about lupus. I really don't know anything about it except what was mentioned in this book (which wasn't much). But the book did not feel like it was pushing me toward that goal; it didn't feel like a PSA or anything. The book wasn't about lupus--it just happened that one of the main characters had lupus, and it impacted the way she lived.
How it ends:
Note: Some swearing.
August 29, 2019
I received and Advanced Readers Copy courtesy of Netgalley.
This book was absolutely adorable. Not to mention, this is a CLEAN READ! I absolutely LOVE the fluffy romances. The sad thing is, with books like these, I read them in about 2 days. Something I'm Good At was so incredibly gobble-worthy (I think that's a term) and I wish I could get a little more Kane and Summer.
This book has both the girl and the guys P.O.V., and I have never read a contemporary like that . . . I think . . .
Kane is such a good character, not to mention a good person. He is funny, confident, loyal, determined. I believe "adorkable" was the term used to describe him. He was definitely my favorite P.O.V. to read from. Although he does get a little obsessed with Summer, it is done in a cute way. I'm pretty sure there is no guy as amazing as Kane is. Or at least, no 'real' guy.
Summer is fun too. It was very interesting to me to read about a character having to deal with a disease like Lupus. How it effects her, and how is has affected her. She doesn't want to get close to anyone for fear of her being a burden on them, and also because of what people might say if they find out about her having Lupus.
Something else I wanted to add: I loved how much time the characters spent doing beach-y things. Having grown up on the beach myself, it made me quite homesick, but in a good way :)
There was never a dull moment, and it almost always kept the same pace. Kane helping Summer out of her self imposed shell was such a cute thing to read. If any other books come out by Caroline Andrus, I will most certainly be looking in to reading them in the future!
This review will be posted onto Goodreads, effective immediately. This review will be posted on Amazon on 8/29/2019, give or take the time it takes to process the review through there system. And Finally I will be posting it on my blog, Reading Rambler on 9/ 2/2019. The link I have added will not be effective until the date I have specified.
This book was absolutely adorable. Not to mention, this is a CLEAN READ! I absolutely LOVE the fluffy romances. The sad thing is, with books like these, I read them in about 2 days. Something I'm Good At was so incredibly gobble-worthy (I think that's a term) and I wish I could get a little more Kane and Summer.
This book has both the girl and the guys P.O.V., and I have never read a contemporary like that . . . I think . . .
Kane is such a good character, not to mention a good person. He is funny, confident, loyal, determined. I believe "adorkable" was the term used to describe him. He was definitely my favorite P.O.V. to read from. Although he does get a little obsessed with Summer, it is done in a cute way. I'm pretty sure there is no guy as amazing as Kane is. Or at least, no 'real' guy.
Summer is fun too. It was very interesting to me to read about a character having to deal with a disease like Lupus. How it effects her, and how is has affected her. She doesn't want to get close to anyone for fear of her being a burden on them, and also because of what people might say if they find out about her having Lupus.
Something else I wanted to add: I loved how much time the characters spent doing beach-y things. Having grown up on the beach myself, it made me quite homesick, but in a good way :)
There was never a dull moment, and it almost always kept the same pace. Kane helping Summer out of her self imposed shell was such a cute thing to read. If any other books come out by Caroline Andrus, I will most certainly be looking in to reading them in the future!
This review will be posted onto Goodreads, effective immediately. This review will be posted on Amazon on 8/29/2019, give or take the time it takes to process the review through there system. And Finally I will be posting it on my blog, Reading Rambler on 9/ 2/2019. The link I have added will not be effective until the date I have specified.
May 25, 2019
I don't know anything about Lupus or how a teenager would react to being diagnosed, but the love story is sweet and light and I smiled a lot.
June 17, 2019
2.5/5
Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Something I'm Good At focuses on the two main characters Summer and her love interests Kane, alternating between their point of views we get insight into both of their lives and Summer's journey with Lupus.
Something I'm Good At was a a sweet, YA romance; Summer was navigating her way through a new diagnosis and Kane was a bit of a klutz who was quite persistent when it came to Summer and starting a relationship with her.
The beginning is what mainly made me reduce my rating, Kane was a little too persistent and infuriating for me, he didn't know the meaning of the word no and came across as quite immature. As the story progressed and their friendship grew I began to enjoy it.
Overall, this book was a quick, easy and well written book.
Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Something I'm Good At focuses on the two main characters Summer and her love interests Kane, alternating between their point of views we get insight into both of their lives and Summer's journey with Lupus.
Something I'm Good At was a a sweet, YA romance; Summer was navigating her way through a new diagnosis and Kane was a bit of a klutz who was quite persistent when it came to Summer and starting a relationship with her.
The beginning is what mainly made me reduce my rating, Kane was a little too persistent and infuriating for me, he didn't know the meaning of the word no and came across as quite immature. As the story progressed and their friendship grew I began to enjoy it.
Overall, this book was a quick, easy and well written book.
July 24, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was light-hearted and romantic. It was a very easy read. It was a break from my usual genre too.
July 5, 2019
To read my full review please go to https://opinionatedbw.blogspot.com/20...
Oh my goodness, Something I'm Good At is the book I didn't know I needed in my life.
Oh my goodness, Something I'm Good At is the book I didn't know I needed in my life.
August 17, 2019
I received an eARC of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review.
This was a sweet summer read, about teenage love, life struggles, hope, friendship and forgivness. Super easy to read and very well writen. A lovely story, without the teenage angst that usually comes with this type of books. and great characters.
I`m gonna start with Kane, whom I`ve felt verry attached to through the story (besides being a male character, he was very relatable). He`s a goofy guy, always smiling and cracking jokes, quite good at making people smile/laugh. He might seem as a very imature person, vey clumsy and prone to accidents - we learn about his many accidents and trips to ER throughout the story, and maybe a little too pushy when it comes to things he made his mind up, but I think if we dig deeper, he`s actually very caring and strong headed. Someone that kows exactly what he wants and is willing to work hard to get it.
Next, we have Summer, a sweet and reserved girl, that used to have it all figured out. She was quite popular, had many friends, was involved in lots of extracurricular activites at school, had a beauty blog and was dreaming of becoming a make-up artist until she was diagnosed with lupus. When she realised she`s gonna be sick her whole life, she distanced herself from everyone and gave up all her hard work and dreams to avoid letting people down or becoming a burden. She`s strong and brave and once she let`s Kane and his friends slowly in her life, she starts fighting back, not letting her sickness win.
We see some great friendship relationship from Matt and Abigale, Kane`s childhood friends. Besides their daily bickering, they definitly care and support eachother. They support Kane`s attempts to win Summer and even try to give him advice. Also, they are making sure Kane`s not falling in depression once Summer is pushing him away and igonres him. What impressed me the most, was the fact that they continued to be Summer`s friends as well, after she and Kane break up, and they still cared and helped her, even if she was the reason their friend was hurting. That`s great qualitty friendshi material right there.
This story hade me laughing out loud at times and tearing up at others, so i`d deffinitly recommend it!!
.
This was a sweet summer read, about teenage love, life struggles, hope, friendship and forgivness. Super easy to read and very well writen. A lovely story, without the teenage angst that usually comes with this type of books. and great characters.
I`m gonna start with Kane, whom I`ve felt verry attached to through the story (besides being a male character, he was very relatable). He`s a goofy guy, always smiling and cracking jokes, quite good at making people smile/laugh. He might seem as a very imature person, vey clumsy and prone to accidents - we learn about his many accidents and trips to ER throughout the story, and maybe a little too pushy when it comes to things he made his mind up, but I think if we dig deeper, he`s actually very caring and strong headed. Someone that kows exactly what he wants and is willing to work hard to get it.
Next, we have Summer, a sweet and reserved girl, that used to have it all figured out. She was quite popular, had many friends, was involved in lots of extracurricular activites at school, had a beauty blog and was dreaming of becoming a make-up artist until she was diagnosed with lupus. When she realised she`s gonna be sick her whole life, she distanced herself from everyone and gave up all her hard work and dreams to avoid letting people down or becoming a burden. She`s strong and brave and once she let`s Kane and his friends slowly in her life, she starts fighting back, not letting her sickness win.
We see some great friendship relationship from Matt and Abigale, Kane`s childhood friends. Besides their daily bickering, they definitly care and support eachother. They support Kane`s attempts to win Summer and even try to give him advice. Also, they are making sure Kane`s not falling in depression once Summer is pushing him away and igonres him. What impressed me the most, was the fact that they continued to be Summer`s friends as well, after she and Kane break up, and they still cared and helped her, even if she was the reason their friend was hurting. That`s great qualitty friendshi material right there.
This story hade me laughing out loud at times and tearing up at others, so i`d deffinitly recommend it!!
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June 22, 2019
I received a free copy for an honest review! Thanks Net Galley!
Something I’m Good At by Caroline Andrus
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was adorable! Kane is a sweetheart who is so funny! What a perfect match for Summer who feels broken!
I really enjoyed learning more about autoimmune diseases and how lupus is like have a unknown amount of spoons each day and when you run out that’s it for the day- game over till tomorrow. What a creative metaphor!!
I loved all of Kane’s food puns!
Great summer romance read!
Something I’m Good At by Caroline Andrus
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was adorable! Kane is a sweetheart who is so funny! What a perfect match for Summer who feels broken!
I really enjoyed learning more about autoimmune diseases and how lupus is like have a unknown amount of spoons each day and when you run out that’s it for the day- game over till tomorrow. What a creative metaphor!!
I loved all of Kane’s food puns!
Great summer romance read!
June 20, 2019
I read this book in one sitting. It is a sweet story about people who love and accept each other for who they are, broken pieces and all. We are all broken in some way and hope to be loved, broken bits and all.
June 12, 2019
My first reaction after reading this book can be summarized in one word: AWWW (sigh). What a lovely and cute book. You just gotta love Kane, who is just like an over eager puppy, with floppy limps and falling all over his own legs. And still waggling his tail and looking adorable.
And you can't help but feel sympathy for Summer. The good girl, who had it all and now is struggling with her life, since she was diagnosed with lupus. Acting up like a teenager and not willing to surrender to the fact that she has to change her life. And Caroline has done an outstanding job of showing how an autoimmune disease has an enormous impact on the life of a teenager. But she also kept the tone light and the laughter flowing (with the help of Kane).
So, in all, a wonderful cozy read. Not too heavy, but interesting none the same. Well done, four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.
And you can't help but feel sympathy for Summer. The good girl, who had it all and now is struggling with her life, since she was diagnosed with lupus. Acting up like a teenager and not willing to surrender to the fact that she has to change her life. And Caroline has done an outstanding job of showing how an autoimmune disease has an enormous impact on the life of a teenager. But she also kept the tone light and the laughter flowing (with the help of Kane).
So, in all, a wonderful cozy read. Not too heavy, but interesting none the same. Well done, four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.
June 19, 2019
Such a sweet book! Easy to read and you will fall in love with the characters in it. Loved every second of it. You will not want to put it down.
July 17, 2021
I’ve been slowly working my way through a list of books, catching up on some books that I’ve been meaning to read for years. I have this list in a notebook with just the titles of the books so I have no idea what kind of story I’m getting into until I start reading it. That being said, there has to be some sort of irony that the next book on the list was this one… a book about a young girl whose been diagnosed with lupus.
Having been feeling sick for quite a while and going to doctor after doctor who has yet to pinpoint what it is exactly I have, well, Something I’m Good At hit a little bit too close to home. Reading about how Summer pushed everyone away after her diagnosis for fear of being a burden rang so true with me and I couldn’t help but empathize with her/connect with this character so much. So when she meets Kane? My heart couldn’t help but break for her because I know what it’s like to push someone away in order to protect them, so when I read these lines? I was completely gutted. Kane, the goofy guy whose so good at making the “girl of his dreams” laugh, who went over the top to make this girl his girlfriend & include her in his group of friends was just aww worthy.
Something I’m Good At is a for the most part lighthearted teenage romance wherein two young people are forced to deal with things that plenty adults would not be able to. This book was cathartic to read in essence and I could not have enjoyed it more.
Having been feeling sick for quite a while and going to doctor after doctor who has yet to pinpoint what it is exactly I have, well, Something I’m Good At hit a little bit too close to home. Reading about how Summer pushed everyone away after her diagnosis for fear of being a burden rang so true with me and I couldn’t help but empathize with her/connect with this character so much. So when she meets Kane? My heart couldn’t help but break for her because I know what it’s like to push someone away in order to protect them, so when I read these lines? I was completely gutted. Kane, the goofy guy whose so good at making the “girl of his dreams” laugh, who went over the top to make this girl his girlfriend & include her in his group of friends was just aww worthy.
Something I’m Good At is a for the most part lighthearted teenage romance wherein two young people are forced to deal with things that plenty adults would not be able to. This book was cathartic to read in essence and I could not have enjoyed it more.
June 8, 2019
Liana 4 stars
Something I'm good at by Caroline Andrus is my first book read from the author and was a fresh and enjoyable read.
The story centres around teenagers and their courses and their life in high-school, which is not always easy for everyone especially when they get to discover that an illness has turned their life upside down and they have to adapt.
Summer prefers to be alone and close the door to her heart by staying away from old friends and extra curricular activity for school as she can barely cope with her new life and she doesn't want to be a burden for anyone, but then comes along Kane, some will say he's an adrenaline junky for getting so many times to the ER with a broken bone or injury but I think he's just a normal teen. There's a beautiful friendship development between them and I enjoyed their story.
A fast paced young love story with a twist that reminds us that nobody is perfect and everyone around us carry a burden inside even if they want to hide or protect us from heartbreak.
June 3, 2019
**I received this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review**
My inner Sweet Valley High pre-teen fan loved this book. It was a light read, kind of reminded me a little bit of the books that I read as a young girl, I would have loved to have read this book, and I would have loved the characters and the light romance.
This was a cute book, easy to read, good world building I don't think the characters were too believable as far as how they acted, his zero boundaries, the tattoo, and how she reacted to her diagnosis, I read a lot of Lureline Mcdaniel (I totally butchered that name i have to google the spelling) and she wrote about teenagers who got terminal type diagnosis's that reacted with a little bit less theatrics than she reacted to lupus.
Overall I really enjoyed it, I would read the other ones that come out.
My inner Sweet Valley High pre-teen fan loved this book. It was a light read, kind of reminded me a little bit of the books that I read as a young girl, I would have loved to have read this book, and I would have loved the characters and the light romance.
This was a cute book, easy to read, good world building I don't think the characters were too believable as far as how they acted, his zero boundaries, the tattoo, and how she reacted to her diagnosis, I read a lot of Lureline Mcdaniel (I totally butchered that name i have to google the spelling) and she wrote about teenagers who got terminal type diagnosis's that reacted with a little bit less theatrics than she reacted to lupus.
Overall I really enjoyed it, I would read the other ones that come out.
June 19, 2019
I normally don’t pick up this kind of little romance book, but I was drawn to this one because the main character has an autoimmune disorder. Even though I am twice the age of these characters, I do work with high schoolers so I was interested to see how this might affect someone that age. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder of my own 2 1/2 years ago, a very similar to one to this main character actually. She is trying to decide if she should distance herself from everyone, because she doesn’t want to burden everyone with her illness that is never going away. Then, she meets a boy who is so funny and kind that she is even more torn. Should she push him away or let him into her life and be honest with him? This is a title I can see some of my high schoolers enjoying, so I will purchase it for my library most likely.
July 25, 2020
This is a very sweet, loving book. I love the setting. Reminds me of home, back when I lived in Southern California. We had to drive to the beach, not bike or skateboard, but it was still close. I liked hanging out with the characters there and at the skate park. Kane is just as sweet and adorkable as could be. Hard not to like him. Summer had some real issues about letting people know what was up with her. I know that was the main plot of the story, but I just wanted her to tell everyone and see where the chips fell. But, you know, as a parent of girls that were all teens not long ago, I remember how they held information back if they weren't sure how it would be received. I liked the book a lot and recommend it for anyone looking for a clean, sweet romance that also features good friendships.
June 14, 2019
CASSIE'S REVIEW
Something I’m Good At tackles a teenage girl’s journey through coping with living life with lupus. Add in the super sweet hero and we have the perfect beginnings of a YA novel. I feel like we saw Summer grow and heal notably, but Kane was sort of flat. With it being Dual POV I was yearning for more character arc for him since we saw his perspective so often. Had the author only written from Summer’s perspective I don’t think it would have bothered me so much. The secondary characters were also hit and miss. Abigail offered a good supporting role whereas Mark felt easily expendable. The book has a great message and has the feels of a perfectly classical and wholesome YA novel, it is just missing some of the extra detail to make this book great.
Something I’m Good At tackles a teenage girl’s journey through coping with living life with lupus. Add in the super sweet hero and we have the perfect beginnings of a YA novel. I feel like we saw Summer grow and heal notably, but Kane was sort of flat. With it being Dual POV I was yearning for more character arc for him since we saw his perspective so often. Had the author only written from Summer’s perspective I don’t think it would have bothered me so much. The secondary characters were also hit and miss. Abigail offered a good supporting role whereas Mark felt easily expendable. The book has a great message and has the feels of a perfectly classical and wholesome YA novel, it is just missing some of the extra detail to make this book great.
January 3, 2023
Something I'm Good At is an adorable young adult romance. Caroline Andrus has created characters that are almost impossible not to like. Kane is an irresistibly cute puppy who loves food puns and Summer is the sweet, honest girl everyone wants to be friends with. I've never read any of Caroline Andrus's books before now, but after Something I'm Good At, I will definitely be reading more of her work. Kane and Summer's story is a quick, clean romance that is excellent for summers by the pool. If you're a fan of Sarah Dessen, then I think you will love meeting Kane and his friends.
June 13, 2019
A solid 3.5 star. Loved the two characters and the storyline. Back and forth POV was well done. Just wish there was more backstory. It talked about him liking her for years but that never came up between them. There seemed to be something going on with Mark but no attention paid to it. Still a cute romance.
June 7, 2019
I got this book as an arc and really enjoyed it. I love how all the characters were portrayed and that it did an awesome job at describing what it’s like for someone to have lupus to help people better understand. I would definitely recommend this book and will continue to read other books by her.
May 31, 2019
Accident-prone Kane finally gets the perfect chance to talk to Summer, the girl of his dreams, when they meet by chance at urgent care. However, Summer is dealing with being diagnosed with lupus, and has pushed all her old friends and interests to the side to hide her illness. Still, Kane has made up his mind, and he won't give up pursuing her for anything, even if he knows she's keeping secrets from him.
This was a cute, quick read, but honestly the premise and execution--the way that Kane wouldn't give up when Summer was, at first, clearly not interested, but of course she falls for him eventually because his persistence is just so cute--rubbed me the wrong way. The author mentioned in the afterward that she wanted to write teens the way they actually are, and that Kane is supposed to be immature, but I hope that parents these days are teaching their kids more about acceptable boundaries and that it IS normal for teens to respect girls or boys when they indicate that they aren't interested. I'm not going to say this book has no place on my shelves, because it's just a cute, clean, uncomplicated romance, and I know kids in my community will enjoy both that and the added element of Summer having a chronic illness. But I don't personally enjoy romance stories that reinforce the trope that persistence means you're going to succeed in romance, and, in this case, it frankly creeped me out.
This was a cute, quick read, but honestly the premise and execution--the way that Kane wouldn't give up when Summer was, at first, clearly not interested, but of course she falls for him eventually because his persistence is just so cute--rubbed me the wrong way. The author mentioned in the afterward that she wanted to write teens the way they actually are, and that Kane is supposed to be immature, but I hope that parents these days are teaching their kids more about acceptable boundaries and that it IS normal for teens to respect girls or boys when they indicate that they aren't interested. I'm not going to say this book has no place on my shelves, because it's just a cute, clean, uncomplicated romance, and I know kids in my community will enjoy both that and the added element of Summer having a chronic illness. But I don't personally enjoy romance stories that reinforce the trope that persistence means you're going to succeed in romance, and, in this case, it frankly creeped me out.
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