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    The Summer of Skinny Dipping
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    The Summer of Skinny Dipping
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    The Summer of Skinny Dipping
    Ebook294 pages4 hours

    The Summer of Skinny Dipping

    By Amanda Howells

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    There Are Some Summers You'll Always Remember

    Sometimes I wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life.

    My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateJun 1, 2010
    ISBN9781402253706
    Unavailable
    The Summer of Skinny Dipping
    Author

    Amanda Howells

    AMANDA HOWELLS grew up on a small bay on the Atlantic Ocean and spent summer weekends in the Hamptons while a college student in New York City, where she studied creative writing. She has published many stories for teen and adult readers and now lives in the pacific Northwest.

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    Reviews for The Summer of Skinny Dipping

    4/5

    88 ratings17 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This book was good, but it was more than just a summer read. It was sad, but the book was good.
    • 5/5
      I’m impressed. When I first saw The Summer of Skinny Dipping, I found myself judging it by its cover. It looks suspiciously like many other novels that often feature vapid, annoying characters and an overrated romance. I was so, so wrong. The best part? I knew that Mia would fall for Simon, it’s right in the description, but I could not put this book down. I found it ridiculously easy to identify with Mia and I wanted to examine the details of her summer… to see the how and why behind her love for Simon and the growth she experiences.The novel starts with Mia heartbroken over the loss of her boyfriend. I’ll admit to being skeptical upon discovering that their relationship only lasted for two months and that Mia claims to have been in love with him. I’ll admit it: I scoffed. Then I remembered what it was like to be sixteen. I would have felt exactly the same way. Plus, I can’t fault Mia’s immaturity; I wasn’t far into the novel before Howells writes her character into the loss of that naïveté. I’m stunned by Howells’ deftly written coming-of-age tale. There are many YA novels in which the main character spends the summer in the Hamptons, or some similar summer destination, and learns startling truths about herself and the sparkling world that she once thought was so perfect, but I don’t think I’ve enjoyed any as much as Howells’ portrayal. Mia begins the novel with a skewed perception of everyone around her, including herself. Slowly, she begins to see her family as they really are… and finds she couldn’t be further from the truth. So yes, this story has been told before. The difference is the fact that Mia’s voice is perfectly pitched and so real that it reads like a whole new experience. And then there is the romance between Mia and Simon. I knew it was there all along, yet it still managed to sneak up on me. And punch me in the stomach and leave me gasping. There are so many things going on in this novel that I felt like I was in a hurricane of emotions praying to reach the eye of the storm. Then I finally did, only to be ripped back into the raging storm when I least expected it. *sob* I’m not sure that my review of this novel is entirely coherent, particularly the bits about the romance, but maybe that’s for the best. I hope it prompts you to pick up this novel, if only because you are so confused that you feel you must discover what I’m blathering on about.
    • 4/5
      THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING, by Amanda Howells is a sweet story of teenage angst and first loves. Being a teenager is hard enough emotionally but when broken hearts and unmet expectations occur, the results can be life-changing.The summer that Mia recounts in this book was the best summer of her life. After being dumped by someone she thought was her true love, she wanted to get away to a time and place where everything was simple. But Mia discovered that the appearance of perfection that her cousins and aunt represented was farthest from the truth.In the wake of any breakup, a person undergoes an analysis of themselves to try and understand what went wrong. Mia with her southern roots and not-so-thin body was scrutinized by her cousins and even herself. But the interest of Simon Ross transformed Mia's perspective completely.Howells characters were fantastic. Each one of them was affected by this incredible summer of transformations and realizations. Mia and Simon were a striking couple. They both created a friendship that turned into a romance by opening up completely with each other, including skinny dipping. As a reader, I invested a lot in these characters and their happiness but sometimes bad choices get in the way. Life is about balance and if you create good from bad you are never wrong.Overall this book was exceptional. This story of love, appearances, and being true to yourself wholly transformed my thinking of life.
    • 4/5
      This little gem was an unexpected surprise. At first, the story itself threatened to be rather unremarkable. Girl goes to stay with her cousins for the summer in the Hamptons. Cousins are rich elitist snobs, girl is average run-of-the-mill teenager who is overly self-conscious and eager to fit in. So I went into it not really expecting a whole lot. What I didn't expect is to get hit with a tidal wave of self-discovery and emotion. I did a disservice to you, little book, by prejudging you and I am sorry. At first, I didn't like the main character, Mia. She always professed to being a person of more substance than she was and yet I never really saw any examples. All talk and no action so to speak. Mia spends a few weeks at the end of a rapidly fading (and disappointing) summer vacation, with the boy next door. Simon is the opposite of everything her cousins feel is "in." He is carefree, unique, artistic and refreshing. No love at first sight, no crush on the wrong guy complex going on, just a nice simple friendship with the hint of the possibility of more. Through her relationship with Simon, Mia learns to let go of her need for acceptance from those who really aren't worth the trouble to begin with. A nice little summer read, complete with the beach and all.
    • 5/5
      The images painted in the pages of this book leave you breathless. I will say that I was cruisin' along through this book, hoping that Mia would find her own path. That she would not be so susceptable to the acceptance of her cousins and their crew. I was glad to see that happening and was loving her development as a character. She was falling in love with Simon, things looked so grand. Then BLAM! I'm not going to tell you the ending, but it really wracked me. It's tough to have something fraught with tragedy, yet have it remain beautiful and tender. I think Ms. Howells succeeds in this. My favorite lines (because I can't pick just one) are: "I tried not to stare nor feel envious of their sun-kissed bodies, but when you see people like my cousins, no matter what your body type, you end up feeling squashy as a marshmallow and covered with hair, even if you've just gotten a bikini and leg wax." This one for the image alone. "Corinne and Beth lay like tiny dolls way off on the dunes, but I averted my eyes and picked up my pace." And this one for it's sheer honesty. "There's no complete truth. There's only the way you see it, the way you remember it."I definitely recommend this book. There is some drinking and drug use in it. I would say 14 and up is prime age for this book. Maybe even a touch younger.
    • 5/5
      This is an impressive coming of age novel. Mia finds herself out of her element after expecting an amazing summer vacation with her cousin, Corinne. Corinne has changed as well as the family dynamic Mia has always envied. Growing up thinking Corinne had the perfect life, Mia now realizes maybe she was mistaken. Between the changes in her cousin, and the realization her aunt may not be as perfect as she’d believed, she can’t help but feel thrown for a loop. There is also the ever strained relationship between Mia and her mother. Now Mia finds herself surrounded by girls that are everything she’s not. She’s struggling with the pressure to conform to fit in, or stay true to herself. Feeling awkward, and alone she gives up the hope of having a good time while on vacation. Then she meets Simon. Now she needs to put her insecurities aside, and give herself a chance to have some fun.A few years have passed since I was a teen, but I still remember the pressure to fit in. The author nailed the emotions with main character Mia. I felt for her. The relationship between Mia and Simon was so sweet. I loved their secret meetings, and deep conversations. Never have I felt such a strong urge to skip to the end of a book, and read the final pages. I had to know what happened between Mia and Simon. I didn’t sneak a peek even though I wanted to. I spent the entire afternoon reading, because I could not put this book down. The ending was not at all what I expected. Paint me shocked, and a little broken-hearted! Very few books have had the ability to make me feel so many different emotions. Anger, delight, frustration, and even grief. The Summer of Skinny Dipping is an intense book, with a strong message. A great reminder that life is too short not to take a few risks, and make sure the people you love know you do. The author’s writing was beautifully descriptive, and almost poetic at times. I’d recommend this one, but make sure you have a box of tissues handy. You’re going to need them.The Summer of Skinny Dipping is a book I’d recommend for not only teens, but also adults searching for a sense of nostalgia. A beautiful book that I highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING by Amanda Howells is another great summer romance following in the footsteps of 20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. If you could only take a handful of books with you to the beach, this is definitely one that I would choose to take. This is a story of self discovery and learning to love who you are. Mia, our heroine, is struggling to get over her ex and reform some old familial ties. She's excited about getting to spend time with her family, but disappointed when she finds that the moodiness of her cousins threatens to destroy her vacation. In rides the knight in shining armor. Simon brings a light into Mia's life and over the course of the book we see him help Mia accept who she is. On the same note, Mia does her own bit of public service and helps Simon with his own personal demons as well.There were many aspects of THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING that made it a wonderful read. The writing style was smooth and clear - great for reading with wild kids running around the beach. Some aspects of the story could have bogged down a bit, but the paced actually pretty good throughout. I loved how Ms. Howells was able to dig into some fairly deep topics while still keeping the general feel of the book from dipping into dark and depressing territory. Also, the fact that she included some of these darker aspects at all is testiment to the realism of this story and how well young adults should be able to relate to it.Another great aspect of the book was the character development. Not only did Ms. Howells develop Mia beautifully, but she gave us some good insight into the other side characters in the story as well. Mia's family really comes to life, although not always in a good light. Reading this story is very much like sitting in the middle of someone's living room, watching the goings on of the people around you.The best way I can describe the experience of THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING is an emotional rollercoaster; one you would ride again and again. Ms Howells has a great way of writing that really makes the reader feel like their skin is sunkissed; like they're slipping through the ocean waves.I highly recommend this to any fans of Romance or YA. Fair warning though, tissues are definitely going to be required for this read as is the occasional punching bag.
    • 4/5
      16-year-old Mia Gordon was planning for a boy-free summer, after having her heart broken by a boy whom she thought loved her. The Gordons stay in the Hamptons with Mia’s beloved cousin Corinne’s family. However, things have changed since Corinne and Mia last hung out. Suddenly, Corinne is slim, beautiful, and fashionable, and has better things to do than hang out with the totally uncool Mia.But then Mia meets Simon, whose family is renting the house next door, and her summer begins to change unexpectedly. Like her, Simon also feels like an outsider in the exclusive Hamptons teen community, and they hang out nearly every night on the beach. Even as they each struggle with their own family problems, they grow closer, and Mia finally begins to understand to love herself, to love living, all because of one boy.Normally I’ve gotten over the whole “the summer that changed my life” trope, but THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING was a surprisingly well-written, poignant, and deep read. Its cover suggests a good beach pastime, but it’s a story that will resonate during any season.Amanda Howells does an excellent job of writing well-rounded characters that are more than just types. There are numerous layers to the interpersonal complexities of Mia’s life, from her parents’ rocky relationship, to Corinne’s two-facedness, to Simon’s own family issues. That is why this book cannot simply be classified as a summer love read, because it runs deeper than that.Of course, this book’s back-cover summary implies there will be a romance, and thankfully Mia and Simon’s budding relationship was equally well developed. Simon doesn’t come off as an irritatingly perfect male specimen, irresistible to all womankind but wanting only Mia. (Whew *wipes sweat off brow*.) Their relationship is a relaxed, alternately playful and serious, dance across the summer, and we grow to love the way they work together in spite of all their individual difficulties.THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING is a worthy read this summer, and the best part is that it’s a good deal in paperback form. Be sure to check this one out if you’re looking for a gentle yet emotional story of love, family, and self-discovery.
    • 3/5
      I have to admit my expectations were probably a little high for this book based on reading the spiel that came along with the book. It was a sweet story as we see Mia have to deal with what she thought was her first love and loss. She heads to her cousin's beach house in hopes of being able to recover from her heartbreak and reconnect with her cousin who was at one time more of a best friend but is now someone she doesn't even recognize. The cast of characters were interesting and they face pressures that many teenagers have to deal with nowadays. The romance between Mia and her neighbor, Simon, is sweet but did not really draw me in. So in the end I did not feel the emotional investment you would hope for at the end of summer. Still a sweet summer read.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful book! I would read it again and again! Awesome
    • 5/5
      A very sweet very sad book. Not usually a reader of young adult coming of age type books. Been there, done that. But this one reminds you what it was like and has messages for all of us.
    • 4/5
      "The rest of the girls out here are just shooting stars,"Simon whispered into my ear. "They're on a crash course to nowhere. But you, my lady friend, you're a black hole. You've sucked me in, and now there's no escape..."

      Okay, so i was told that this one's gonna be a real heartbreaking read but i didn't expext to fall for it.
      The Summer of Skinny Dipping was a sweet, heart-wrenching book, that will keep you hooked once you get to the romance between Mia our 16 years old insecure, witty, smart and realist protagonist and Simon the boy next door she gets the chance to meet on a party organized by her cousins.
      What i liked most about their relationship - beside the late in the night swims- is the fact that it wasn't love-at-first-sight, it was slowly builed up, taking time to know each other. And the book wasn't entirely dedicated to the romance, it was about teenagers' issues, how your body change, the fear that you won't fit in anywhere unless you think, speak and behave the same way that people do.

      I think that i'm not being all coherent here, so i'll just report writing this review another time!
    • 5/5
      meow

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells, no brainer, takes place over, you guessed it! The Summer! 16 year old Mia goes to visit her rich family in the Hamptons. She does not fit in very well with her cousin and her cousin's upscale friends. One night, Mia's cousin ditches her at a party. When one door closes, another one opens.Mia forms a bond with the most interesting, 3-D character of the novel, Simon. Simon is eccentric, he is an artist, and he quotes F. Scott Fitzgerald. Clearly, favorite character status of the whole book. I thought the interactions between Mia and Simon were excellent. The chemistry was there, and had me wanting more.The themes of this book are definitely themes teens today can relate to, such as overcoming inhibitions. Mia's mother calls her fat, when if what I am thinking is correct, and Mia is the girl on the cover, she is clearly skinnier than I am, and ya'll I am a tiny girl. So, Mia has all sorts of body image problems, but she isn't anorexic or anything. I guess she hates her body because she has big boobs, when her cousin and her friends do not. Sigh. What a terrible problem. Well, I suppose if you are consistently told you are ugly and surrounded by beautiful people, you probably do really find yourself not good looking. IDK I can't relate, as I wake up in the morning and chastise myself for being really, really ridiculously good looking. But, I digress, back to themes. Well, Mia eventually says "self, I am pretty in someone's eyes, therefore I iz hot." That is the gist anyways. I wish she didn't need confirmation from someone else, but I can understand it.To be quite honest, I was not immediately engaged by this book. As soon as action started happening, and she stopped crowing about her ex, I became interested. I know, I know, when you are a teen and you break up with a boy, you are clearly obsessed and want to date him again. However, I am past this point in my own life, so I find this crowing rather boring. However, I bet 16 year old April would have ate this right up after a particular painful breakup.As far as the ending, I was not a fan. At all. I thought it was a complete cop out. It completely turned me off. However, I am one of those people where if I don't like an ending, I wind up feeling very disdainful toward the book. Not everyone is like me, and I bet a lot of people will love this book. However, it was not my favorite.I will say, this is not Dessen caliber, as far as contemporary goes. Yet, it was an average beach read and something I could see a lot of teens enjoying while sunning in the Hamptons or Myrtle Beach, or the local pool.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      ??
    • 2/5
      My ratings were all over the board with this book. I finally settled with two, even though I wanted to just give it one a few times. It's funny, because for a while there I briefly tried to decide between 4 or 5 stars. In the first half Mia tries to fit in with her beautiful and rich cousins but doesn't do a good job. She tries to understand why she even cares about what they think. This part of the book was ok. Nothing really happens, but I'd rather be in Mia's head, than Beth's. I didn't like the way Mia (who is supposedly nice) treated her little sister. I felt she could have made more of an effort to connect with her. She was nine, she could tried harder.The second half focuses on her meeting and hanging out with Simon, who also doesn't fit in. I thought Simon was kind of weird but also sweet. I liked this part. They go to beach, swim, kiss, rinse, repeat. They talk about life. Other than that, nothing happens, but it's still just a nice, normal, non-paranormal read. I don't recall any bad language, but there's a lot of underage drinking, some implied drug use, and smoking. Simon smoked like a smoke stack. I think every time he was around he was smoking. I'm pretty sure he managed to smoke while swimming underwater.Was Mia chubby or wasn't she? The cover didn't show her as someone who needed to "suck in her tummy" as her mom suggests at one point. (Really is it so hard to get a cover that goes with the book?) She apparently was very active and a strong ocean swimmer. I couldn't see where she would need to diet.Too much describing! The descriptions were too flowery/poetic/beautiful/epic at times.What the heck kind of ending is that???? It's like you're reading and everything is going fine and then WHAM! Here's a whole 'nother storyline for you. What? Did all that ridiculousness really have to happen? I felt cheated. All of a sudden it turns into a crappy ABC Family special. Not believable at all! You don't understand how much I hated that ending. So much so that I can't even recommend the book to anyone. They'd probably hate me if I did.
    • 4/5
      In Amanda Howells debut novel she writes a telling story of Mia Gordon journey to finding her self and true love all in the space of one incredible summer. The story had a nice flow starting soft and light in the beginning then building in suspense and surprise that had me turning pages to figure out what troubles Mia and her cousins get into in the Hampton and whether the feelings she and Simon had would grow into something more. The characters felt real and interesting. The interaction within the family setting felt real adding to the tension and suspense of the story. Mia voice felt genuine and I could relate to her and the struggles in her life. Mia's crazy cousins Corinne and Beth added the spice and intrigue to the story as well. The romance between Mia and Simon felt special and real, tugging on my heart strings every time they were together. I enjoyed their journey, learning about each other and exploring the feelings that were growing. I feel a lot of girls can relate to Mia with her dilemmas, insecurities and peer pressure that all of us have to deal with in our lives. I liked Simon and how independent he was, not caring about what people though about him. He made a great fit for Mia, helping her as well as himself. The first person narrative was great, it made me get into Mia's mind and understand what she was going through internally as well as dealing with outside influences. Howells captured the essence of a teenage girl trying to find her way and experiencing life so well. I felt that I was in Mia place dealing with all the family drama and unexpected romance. Howells really captured my interest and emotions, taking me on a wild entertaining ride. I would totally recommend this story to readers!