Author: Lesley DahlCopyright: 2006
Number of Pages: 224
Rating: 5 out of 10
Why I Picked This Up: The title intrigued me. Honestly, I wanted to know what could possibly be wrong with paradise!
When Casey learns that she has to spend her ENTIRE summer on a deserted island, she is devastated. Unfortunately, nobody seems to understand why she's upset. Not even her mom or best friend show any sympathy. All Casey wanted was to spend the summer with her boyfriend, Matt, start a band with her friends and head over to the beach for some fun. But now, she is going to miss out on all of that. Unwillingly, Casey heads of to Taratuga island, reluctant as ever. Although she doesn't want to admit it, Casey starts to like the island. It is undeniably beautiful, for one thing. But what's more gorgeous is Jonah, another boy who lives on the island. Will Casey truly forget her life back home to enjoy her summer in Taratuga?
When I started I really wanted to enjoy it, but there was one problem: I couldn't stand the protagonist Casey! For the most of the book she was whiny and not likable at all. Personally, I did not see anything about her that made me care why she was upset. Also, who gets that angry over going to the Caribbean for the summer? I wouldn't for sure. Out of nowhere, in the middle of the book her tone completely changes. Suddenly, the island isn't so bad! Why? Because there is a cute boy there. Wait a minute- wasn't the reason Casey was so reluctant was because she wanted to spend time with her boyfriend? Confused? Me too. Obviously, the writer had to make Casey and the cute boy fall in love. Of course it didn't matter that she was cheating on her boyfriend(Trying to be sarcastic here)! If this was the author's way of trying to make the readers relate to Casey- it didn't work. So instead of Casey being merely annoying, she became a hypocritical cheater! I won't tell you how it ends (in case you decide to go against my advice) but the pathetic attempt at a climax isn't even important because you are so sick of Casey at the end of the book anyways. If I had to choose one good point about this book it's that the author really did paint a beautiful picture of an island. I could almost feel the sand between my toes... But honestly, would you really want to go to the Caribbean if an annoying, whiny girl was there with you the whole time?
Quote from book:
Absent. I couldn't find any "see insides". This book was probably to unpopular for people to want to look inside it anyways!
Well, first off, who would want to leave there friends for a WHOLE summer? I could see why Casey would be a little whiny.( but its not like she complained over everything..?) MOST people look forward to hanging out with their friends the WHOLE summer. She cant even stay in touch with her friends on the island GINGER because there's not internet or cell service... who wouldn't be upset over that? Most likely ALL YOUR AVERAGE TEEN AGERS. And once she's there for a while she learns to like it.. she doesn't just change SUDDENLY (out of no where) and it's not because of jonah either. She likes the island before that.. when he comes shes just happy someone her age is at the island and he just happeneds to be a good looking boy..and she doesn't mean to cheat on her boy friend she doesn't want to like jonah but when theres no body eles your age and shes a girl and hes a boy.. you do the math. I PERSONALY thought this book was good. it does a excellent job of talking from a TEEN AGERS point of view. It also is just well written out. I really liked it :)
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