The Summer of Firsts and Lasts

by Terra Elan McVoy

Three sisters. One life-changing summer.

Calla loves summer because summer means Duncan. They’ve been best friends for years, but Calla has never worked up the nerve to tell him how she really feels. This summer, the summer before college, is Calla's last chance.

Violet isn't much of a rule breaker in real life. But this isn't real life, this is summer, and Violet is determined to make the most of it. Besides, a little sneaking out never hurt anyone. And sneaking out with James is 100% worth the risk...even though James is completely off-limits.

Daisy has never been the sister that boys notice, but when sparks fly with Joel at the first bonfire of summer, it seems so easy and right. So why is being his girlfriend so complicated?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Summer, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Summer Reads, Realistic Fiction

423 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2011

About the author

I have been reading and writing, basically, ever since I learned how to, and everything I've done has pretty much been connected to those two things. I went to college at a small, fantastic school (with a super writing program) called St. Andrews Presbyterian College. I got my Master's degree in Creative Writing from Florida State. I have worked as an event coordinator at a major chain bookstore; as a freelance writer; a composition instructor; an editorial assistant at an NYC publisher; as manager of an independent children's bookstore, in Decatur, GA, Little Shop of Stories (where I still work as a bookseller); and as Program Director of the AJC Decatur Book Festival.

Reviews

[Lore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to read a book about summer camp. But I'm just not sure that this one tickled my fancy camp slippers (with matching pajamas, of course).



With a camp story, you expect: the grand arson of marshmellows at the end of woodland sticks, songs of kumbaya and jolly good fellows, spaghetti food fights, and zombie-apocalypse-survival-training (Wait, that last one might have just been part of my delusions while I was at camp).

But this was a lot of running around, talking, whining and complaining, and more not-so-intriguing things.

I went into this book expecting something like the sisters version of Invincible Summer at camp, instead of the beach. But this was not nearly as entertaining as it could have been.

Summer of Firsts and Lasts follows three sisters who are seemingly distinct in personality but not distinct enough in their voices. And guess what? Their names are THEMED! Yay! I love it when that happens. *coughNOTcough*

Their names are: Calla, Daisy, and Violet. Barf. Okay, again. They aren't bad names by any means but I just absolutely hate it when characters in books have "themed" names or similar names, because I can't frikkin keep them straight. And this time, there are three of them. I had a hard enough time with Harmony and Melody in Bumped.

I would forget which sister was narrating and would only figure it out by the people she was with or the other sisters they mention. Like "Okay, so she just mentioned Daisy and Violet, so then Calla is talking." However, I'm notoriously book ADD, so maybe this was my own fault for not paying enough attention.

The amount of nicknames was unbearable, considering the complete lack of consistency in which they were used. Each sister would use two or three different nicknames for each of the other sisters: Violet is Vi and ViVi. Calla is Cal and Cow. Daisy is Daze, Dizzy, Zee and ZeeZee. And I think somebody is Bot or Shaz, or maybe Shaz was a stand-in for a cuss word. I can't really remember or, at the time, I couldn't tell.

There seemed to be too much attention paid to the precise sequence of events and exactly what EVERYONE was doing ALL the time, as well as what everyone was wearing or talking about, or saying about the other minor characters. Sometimes when there are too many details in a book, it can seem not genuine. Not nearly enough character building, setting, or description was involved. None of the boys were swoon worthy. Even one of the main romances developed completely "off screen" and we never really experience it first hand.

Mainly, what I really missed was the ambiance of camp. I wanted to feel the campfire's heat crackling against my forearm and smell the crisp sweet scent of roasting marshmallows. This book never quite did that for me.

Personally, I didn't enjoy this very much, but if you miss the good ol' days of summer camp, give this book a shot. You might like it, anyway.

____________________________

In another way, reading this book was a completely surreal and somewhat nostalgic experience. I apologize in advance, because this part of the review may not be relevant to many of you.

There were a lot of characters in this book with names that are the same as a lot of my Goodreads friends. I almost felt like I was at Goodreads camp...

The sister named Daisy is besties with Flannery and this Flannery in the book loves playing twenty questions. Hmmmm, that doesn't sound familiar at all. But she puts a sadistic spin on it. Everytime you guess wrong you get dunked and held under the water in the lake. Are we sure this is fiction? Geez. Another favorite game of the book Flannery - Would You Rather.

Apart from her, there is also a Jill, Olivia, Lucy, Jessica, April, Emily, Kelly and Joel. Then all of a sudden, other names that are similar to goodreads friends names started morphing into their names in my mind. Deena into Tina. Sally into Sandy. Steffie to Stef. Jordan to Morgan. It was so weird.

Really, the only thing that kept me semi-involved in this book was the names coincidence.

I kept thinking about how much fun we would all have together at camp or on vacation or some crazy crap like that. And wishing we all could have grown up around each other... Or at least that I could have grown up around people more like all of you.

Do people even go camping or to summer camp anymore? The Great Outdoors? Never heard of it.

Here's an attempt to get a Goodreader to go camping:




(Thanks to S&S for allowing me to read this as an ARC.)

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoughts on the book:

- Couldn't care less about Daisy's story line. She thinks she likes a boy with white hair (WHITE HAIR?). He kisses like an idiot. She doesn't like him anymore. He disappears from the book. Some random jealous girl steals her underwear (Seriously?..). That's it. Oh, and throughout the book she is really good at running. That's it. Actually it.

- Hated Brynn. Girl was random and inexplicably crazy.

- Didn't like Violet for being Brynn's lapdog. Did not understand their friendship because it was based on nothing. Giving a minuscule peek into Brynn's back story now and then is not enough to explain her ridiculous actions. Never mind that the girl acts like a buffoon but has a perfectly normal family life so.... she has no reason to be acting like an idiot... Huh? This character just didn't make sense.

- Didn't like Violet for having sex with a guy the author tells the reader nothing about. And then never elaborating on their relationship. It was honestly: "They see each other from across the room and feel something" He says five words to her. They meet in a field. They have sex. She loves him. She leaves him (a sudden plot twist that was really rather pointless). She accepts that they will never hear from each other again and is fine with it. Mind you, I am not leaving anything out either. He literally says one sentence to her - to which she does not respond - and then the next thing you know, they're doing it in a field.

- Calla was boring. She likes her friend. They hang out every once in a while between her boring job of... filing paper or something... She finds out he doesn't like her. Bam, he no longer appears in the book either.

- Ended up reading a quarter of the book and poorly skimming the rest.


It felt as though the author had a lot of thoughts that she poured into the book but did not end up elaborating on a single one of them. None of the events that happened had any support or explanation behind them. There were a lot of characters that we really knew little to nothing about because they were unexplained so every event, person and relationship seemed very shallow.

Seriously disappointed. I mean, the title sounded nice.

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book. Was so. GOOD.

And then the last thirty or so pages ruined it all.

It could've been a five-star book, if it had ended properly. If you were to chop off the last thirty pages, it'd be four stars. As it is, three stars will have to do.

The ending of The Summer of Firsts and Lasts was one of those book endings where you keep expecting something to change, some new twist to pop up and make everything okay. And then it just doesn't.

Let's start at the beginning, though. The three girls' stories are each amazing in their own way, though you're left a little lost on Daisy's and Violet's, at first. I wish the book had begun just a little bit earlier in time, so we could see Daisy meet Joel and Violet's initial reaction to James's presence in greater detail.

So, each of the girls in turn:

Calla- I loved Calla. I really did. I expected her to be the stereotypical, responsible older sister and while she is responsible and she did love her sisters with a fierceness that every oldest-of-the-sisters is supposed to have, she's so unique in the way she goes about it. And I love how she was named after the camp. She's just so CAMP. Not sickeningly rah-rah Camp Spirit type CAMP, but she is just CAMP. She loves Camp Callanwolde. And while I really felt sorry for her when you were supposed to be happy for her - she could've been out with Duncan as a counselor instead of stuck in the office - I loved everything she did. Having mentioned Duncan, let's move on to him. DUNCAN. DUNCAN. DUNCAN DUNCAN DUNCAN. I loved him, and I loved how Calla loved him. I did not think it was at all pathetic how she fawned over him summer after summer. I thought it was freakin' ADORABLE. Duncan was what could have made this a five-star book.

Violet- I adored Vivi too, actually. I wish we'd gotten more detail about her writing - is she passionate about it? I got the feeling that she was.. but we never got to see her writing past the initial explanation she writes about the sisters' nicknames for each other. I really liked that bit. It was a painfully obvious, though necessary, author's technique to explain the nicknames the sisters had for each other throughout the book, and Violet addresses the three-flowers-bouquet-blossomed-haha-so-funny-GET-OVER-IT quite nicely. Throughout the book I sensed Violet's need to get out of Calla's shadow of authority, her need to be independent. I didn't really get her attraction to James, though. He never really TALKED. And when he did, he sounded creepy. But she just adores him, and I wish we'd seen why.

Daisy- Yay! While I was initially full-on in love with Calla's story (In love with best friend? Sucks me in, time after time) by the end of the book I was most fascinated by Daisy. She is incredibly strong, both physically and mentally. I can't run for my life - if the time comes where I have to outrun a bear to survive, well then, GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD - but Daisy can run LIKE A BOSS. She made me feel empowered, because SHE was empowered. And I loved how she called things "yes" like it was an adjective. It just made me feel so "yes." Daisy is all about empowerment, and "yes" is empowerment.

In short, the girls were fantastic. The storylines involving the boys were, for the most part, a tragic mess. SO much more could have been done there. Whenever there was a moment where Calla and Duncan were together, I lapped it up like a dog. However, the NUMBER of those moments could have been much greater. There should have been more James, and Joel was just useless. Daisy was awesome enough all by herself.

So, yeah. Fabulous book overall, until, as I said, the last thirty or so pages. A little slow-moving, though. If I were the type of person to just put books down, like they're INANIMATE OBJECTS or something, I probably would not have been able to push through it, but I did. I just wish that it had ended properly, that McVoy had given Cow, Vivi, and Dizzy the ending they really deserved.

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts is a wonderful story about the bond between sisters. I'm the only girl in a brood of four and so reading abut Calla, Violet and Daisy made me wonder how awesome it would be to have a sister with whom you can share your secrets and even just talk about girl stuff with. I loved how close these three were and how they knew each other inside out. The setting threw me off a bit at first (probably because I wasn't expecting it) but it was an integral part of the story. I just wished there was more "place-building" to warm readers to the idea of a camp setting. All in all, a very good summer read.

3.5 stars

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally, I really like Terra Elan McVoy. After the Kiss, Being Friends with Boys, and especially Criminal were all pretty good, if not fantastic. But this was a lot weaker than any of those three - this is probably the worst of McVoy's books that I've read so far.

The central problem was that the three main characters - Calla, Violet, and Daisy - were functionally identical. Their actions were entirely defined by their roles in the story. When it came to their voices, they all sounded exactly identical - several times, I had to go back in the book to figure out who was narrating this particular chapter. Their personalities - beyond superficial qualities - were also basically indistinguishable as well. They also reek of McVoy's previous protagonists, although I guess I can't hold that against this book, since it was written before Being Friends with Boys and Criminal. But it's still quite a problem when all three narrators were enthusiastic, a little awkward, and generally bubbly.

The similarities in the characters made it difficult to get invested in the plots. Really, their plots weren't particularly connected, except towards the end. The sisters were constantly present in each others' lives, and we're told about this great connection between them, but in practice, they didn't actually affect that much. It made the book feel like three novellas taking place at the same camp, rather than one cohesive novel. It didn't help that the stories were, to be frank, boring. Neither Being Friends with Boys nor After the Kiss had particularly inventive stories, but it was in how they were told that made them interesting. After the Kiss was interesting in the unique ways that the protagonists expressed their emotions, and due to their very refined character development. Being Friends with Boys was interesting because McVoy made you care about the protagonist, by making her an engaging character. In both, the stories by themselves would've been pretty boring - it's now McVoy told them that were interesting. Here, there's nothing to liven up these dull stories. They're all fairly typical for summer camp books; boy drama, sneaking out and breaking the rules, bitchy girls, ect. McVoy did do some well here. As with Being Friends with Boys, she seems very aware that the problems here come from a place of privilege, and it is a nice change of pace in the contemporary novels that I read to see well-adjusted protagonists doing fairly typical things. But that doesn't change the fact that I just couldn't get invested in this story. More than anything else, it just felt like an excuse for McVoy to wax nostalgic about going to summer camp.

There was a little to like here, which is why the book got two stars instead of one. For one thing, although none of the protagonists were well-developed, and the love interests also felt identical, there was one interesting character: Brynn. We only get hints of her full character development here, but a later novel of McVoy's, In Deep, apparently focuses on her. So I'm pretty excited for that. Also, the prose wasn't bad, apart from the fact that the characters' voices all sounded identical. It got its messages across fine, and it was rarely awkward or error-ridden.

But other than that, there's little to like here. As a fan of McVoy's, I can say that this really isn't her best work. If the concept of this look interesting to you... well, I'm not sure why it would, but if it does, I'd recommend Being Friends with Boys instead. It's a much stronger exploration of similar character interactions.

This review can also be found on my blog.

[Estelle]

Review originally from July 2012:

This book is the ultimate as far as light, summery YAs are concerned.

First: the setting. Three glorious weeks at a summer camp where you pick a concentration: writing, running, nature. When I was young I only attended day camps that ran for a few weeks, and McVoy had me secretly hating my parents for never sending me away to an overnight place like this one. (If there are any camps like this for 27-year olds, let me know because I am game!)

Second: the boys. Now, my husband’s name is James so I always feel secretly proud when there is a love interest in a book that shares his name (see: Unbreak My Heart). Middle sister Violet reunites with James after he skips a year of camp… although now he’s a counselor — a big no-no. Campers and counselors can’t date. Or make out. Or stare at each other from across the room and feel all tingley inside? Yum, their story was delicious. Each sister has some kind of boy in their life in some capacity and I really liked seeing the different stages the three were in.

Third: the drama. Now it wouldn’t be summer camp without some bitchy girls, unavailable guys, and a rebellious girl who loves to be the center of attention. Instead of being a counselor, Calla has a paying job in the camp’s office and is thoroughly worried about being perfect, making a good impression, and making the best out of camp even though her job duties take her away from the camp activities she has grown to look forward to year after year. Violet buddies up with a new girl who keeps getting into trouble, and Daisy is dealing with girls who are so jealous of her they will stop at nothing to humilate her. While each sister goes through their own thing, they do overlap with one another and provide support and friction at the same time.

At the core, this book is about the bonds of sisters. And it really made me miss mine. (We’re five years apart and don’t see each other that much because she’s in school and I’m a “grown up”.) I missed the days when I used to come home after school and see my sister or even the days during the summer when we hung out at the beach. It kind of just made me miss home. At the back of the book, McVoy shares that she indeed is part of a trio of sisters and I could tell. They were some very tender, sweet moments as well as those inevitable ragey ones. (By alternating chapters between the three, we were able to find out the inside thoughts each had about the other and I loved being privy to this insight.)

Best of all, McVoy shocked me completely with her ending. Reading it was just as disruptive as what happens to the girls (ohh the suspense) and it fit the situation perfectly. All I could think was “bravo” for taking the road less traveled.

I could see you reading this book on the beach (like I did), in the fall, or even with some hot chocolate in the winter. It doesn’t need to be summer to feel the excitement and freedom that the season and this book radiates.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts was such a telling coming-of-age book. With huge themes throughout, this book was absolutely spot on. It was able to capture the uncertainty, angst, drama, and up and down adventures that go along with growing up.

First Impressions...

- Daisy: Sweet, driven, focused on discovering self outside of "comfortable" identity, budding interest in boys (but would be okay going without if need be), family-oriented (the unit is important to her; the special bond that she shares with her sisters is quite obvious); there is a quiet wisdom and strong sense of character about her; she is fiercely loyal

- Violet: Sassy, a good girl with a streak of defiance, seems to want to stretch/expand; caretaker by nature, there's something special about her yet it's hard to pinpoint right away

- Calla: Eager, responsible, overacheiver, observant, can be tough, insecure in uncharted waters, a go getter who doesn't always know how to go

Conflict/Drama (includes, but is not limited to): Identity issues, bullying, social and emotional anxiety, sex, drugs/alcohol, profanity, morality issues, attention-seeking behaviors, coping strategies, self-defense, family/friends, positive and negative supports

There was so much that I liked about this story. It was very easy to get into. I felt like the main characters - Daisy, Violet, and Calla - were each on a journey of discovery, finding out who they were, what they were about, and what they were made of both individually and collectively. They needed to experience life outside of each other just as much as together.

The things that the girls experienced transformed them. They certainly, none of them, were the same as when they first arrived. They all grew. They were all challenged. They all matured. Although some of their lessons were harder than others, life happened to them and they were perhaps changed for the better.

I love how these sisters stood by each other at the end when all was said and done. No matter what, family is family and that endures. No matter how upset we are with one another or how betrayed we might feel because of the actions of one another, family always (should always) stick together.

All three girls showed a sense of strength in the final analysis. Different but evident. Even with that, however, they were mindful of, I think, the fact that you can survive despite challenges.

Final Thoughts...
(outside of the sisters)

I loved the sub-characters in this book. Okay, I didn't love every one of them, but I really adored a few of them.

Duncan: Even though he didn't appreciate Calla and the unspoken relationship they had yet to explore, I loved him. I thought he was charming and sweet. I liked how he cheered for her and encouraged her. He tried to be sensitive even when he delivered his news. I felt like, in time, these two could have something.

Brynn: I loved her. I wanted to figure her out. She was salty and sweet. Hot and not cold (maybe warm). She had grit and guts. There was more to her than met the eye. I admired her courage, especially when she faced Calla and apologized.

Coach: I thought he was unique and interesting. He wasn't afraid to be different and he got the kids he was working with. I know he didn't have a large role, as it were, but he was way cool.

Rutger: Dude! I liked him. He and Daisy had like this vibe. It connected through running.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Status: Young Adult (also mature middle graders)
Plus: Great themes/topics to discuss
HEA: Yes and No
Stand Alone: Yes and No
Interest in More: Yes

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wasn't feeling this book.

While the setting was fine, I believe that it was the characters that really dragged this book down for me. It's difficult for me to choose between giving it two or three stars. The whole book just left me feeling nothing at all, especially towards the characters. They were whiny, and I honestly had no care in the world what happened to them, when I could actually tell them apart.

"Three sisters. One life-changing summer."
Camp for these three sisters is no small thing. For years they've been going to Camp Callanwolde, and while activities-wise they know what to expect, it's the people that throw them off. These three distinct sisters all share in three different experiences, as they struggle to hold onto their bond as sisters. Calla has been in love with Duncan for as many summers as she can remember, and feels that this summer is her last to tell him her true feelings. Violet has her eye on James, a boy whom she's known for a few summers as well, and has now become a camp counselor. However, seeing him in a way that she'd like to is more difficult then it seems, and requires a few camp rules to be broken. Finally, Daisy has eyes for Joel, but doesn't know how exactly to act on her feelings. Is this going to be a summer of heartbreak?

Hm. So, if it weren't obvious by the rating I really didn't care for this book. The characters annoyed me and there just seemed to be no pizzazz at all. I felt more like I was reading the diaries of three very dramatic girls, only with a swell narrative. Therefore being, I have no issues or complaints with Terra Elan McVoy's writing. The story just fell flat with me, and I kind of struggled to keep reading.

Annoyances, take one.
The characters. Calla, the oldest of the sisters, was the easiest one to recognize. From her seemingly never-ending whining about Duncan and not getting to spend near enough time with him and her sisters, I'm only left shaking my head at her. You wanted to work behind the scenes at camp, you deal with the consequences, please. This was really the only reason that I could tell her apart from her sisters because I saw the name Duncan printed in nearly every other sentence of her chapters.
Though, despite, she is responsible and does take care of her sisters in the best way that she knows how to. So, I applaud her for that.

Next, the other two sisters were the ones that I kept getting confused. I knew that Daisy was the runner and Violet was the writer, but as far as which boy each other wanted, I was lost throughout the entire thing. Well, maybe just up until the end. I think that Daisy was the youngest sister, but I'm not willing to place money on that.
As far as Violet goes, she just seemed very bi-polar and hasty and just kind of irritating. She's a smart-alec, who manages to befriend the camp basketcase, and sets off on a sort of rule breaking mission. Whatever, you can pick your friends, that's no big deal. However, I felt that Brynn was a bit right there in the end when she talked about friendship. Even though Brynn did kind of push Violet and James together, I agree that friendship is supposed to be more important.
Then, with Daisy, I almost pitied her when those girls in her cabin and running class did those mean things to her. But, she didn't do anything about it, and I just ended up shaking my head more for no resolution of this in the end. -sigh-

While their individual characters didn't strike me as extraordinary, I do feel that their bond as sisters was pretty cool. Myself being pretty close to my family can really appreciate when I see or read about it. This was one of the aspects that I did like about the book, and I only wish that we'd seen more of this.

Also, I really wish that we'd seen more of the camp aspect. Sure, we read about certain activities, and a few actually get fleshed out, but there were just other parts that I'd have liked to read about. Like smores or something. I dunno.

As far as the life-changing summer bit, what exactly occurred that was so life-altering? Major spoilers ahead! -> Sure, Calla's feelings were outed to Duncan and he didn't reciprocate them. Life-altering?
Violet ends up being kicked out (taking Calla with her) for sneaking out with Brynn, after managing to score with James. Life-altering?
Daisy figures out that there aren't any sparks between her and Joel and is bullied by her cabinmates. Then, she ends up leaving with her sisters at the end without resolving anything. Life-altering?
Nothing that occurred seemed to be very life-changing to me. When I think of that I think of something huge and monumental occurring, like a death or some epic self discovery, none of which I thought really happened in this book. But hey, maybe that's just me?

Overall, this book was decent. I found the characters to be overly whiny for my taste, which ended up deterring me from any other good quality that existed in this book. I really hate when that happens. However, maybe you'll end up enjoying it more than I did.

Other thoughts:
* The cover, I liked it. Three different scoops of ice cream to represent three very different girls. I can dig it.

☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want a summer read for when it's snowing and cold outside.
Or, if you just want another summer read for any time of year.

[Carolyn Pellegrini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read it because it was on my book shelf and I didnt want to buy another book.

[𝕘𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕖🌻 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was good but the book was boring. I wasn’t even able to finish it.

[Annah Stevenson]

noiccceaisdga

[Alli · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is actually a difficult review to write because there were a lot of things I really loved about this book and a lot I really didn't like! But I'm going to try to explain. Because I did love this book despite it's flaws!
It takes place at a summer camp which I actually ended up loving when I didn't expect to! It follows three sisters (Calla, Violet, and Daisy). While I loved all three characters, I kind of wish it would have only focused on one! They were each developed really well and all stayed in character but I felt like the book lacked.. Something. The supporting characters were hard for me to care for. Maybe because there were so many on top of having three narrators. They all seemed one dimensional and there was no reasoning given for them. When I really wanted some sort of explanation!! Especially for Brynn. The troublemaker. She wasn't cruel exactly (at least not like some of the others), but she still caused a LOT of problems!
Speaking of characters, I have to talk about the boys. I didn't fall for any of them. Not because of their flaws exactly but maybe because we don't see much else! While I can appreciate a book where the boy storyline is subtle, it still has to be believable! Again, one storyline would have really helped this! (or even two!) Although honestly, I'm not sure they story would have worked without all three of them as narrators. But it bothered me. While I totally knew where the sisters were coming from, I was totally lost on the boys! They just seemed confusing! Maybe that was the point! But I wanted more. (Which is saying alot, because the book was 400+ pages.)
Calla has been in love with Duncan for five years. Every year at camp, they bond, and are best friends, and Calla is smitten. So a part of me was like aww, and a part of me was like REALLY? FIVE YEARS? Do something woman! I still can't decide how I feel about Duncan. He really confused me.
And James was Violet's interest, but he was barely in it enough to be called an interest. He was talked ABOUT a lot, but actually getting to know James? No, that didn't really happen. Which both bothered me, and made me love him more than the rest. It's hard to explain.
I know what you're thinking: Geez Al I thought you liked this book! And I did! The girls were uniquely awesome! Crazy codependent but the love between them was palpable! I liked that the camp was used as a way to force them to grow up, no matter what that meant for each other! Could have used fewer nicknames though! Plus "sissy" just bothers me. I can't explain.
Of the three sisters, I think Calla was my favorite! But that changes a lot! She's really idealistic and I loved that about her! It's her last summer before college, and she's working in the office of the camp, but it's not working the way she wants. I loved her even though I related more to Violet! Vi seems to find herself in bad company, but she likes the thrill of it which I can kind of relate to. Sometimes you just need the anti-you to know who you are.
At the heart of this story, it's about three sisters who have to learn how to let go, and pull each other closer at the same time. And THIS aspect of the story, the author excelled at with flying colors. I loved watching each of the girls stand on their own just as much as I loved them when they came together when they needed each other the most. It's about finding balance, and happiness, and understanding that sometimes summers are short for a reason. That kind of magic can't last all year long.
Anyway it prob didn't come across in the review, but I do recommend it! It really does hold your interest. I was up until 4 AM finishing it! Makes me wish I'd spent a summer away at camp! No, it's not a must-read, but still a good summer choice! It'd probably be better for girls that have sisters they are really close to. (I do not.)

[Deri David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calla, aka, Cow, Cal; Violet, aka, Vivi, Sissie; Daisy, aka, Shaz, Daze, Zee, ZeeZee left me saying, “Huh?” until I straightened out all the girlhood nicknames these sisters affectionately call each other. And then there is the antagonistic non-sister, Brynn, the bad girl Violet hooks up with at camp and, in the end, causes the sisters to be that much closer. The title, the summer of firsts and lasts, is right on target. The three sisters attend summer camp together – Calla as a camp counselor, her last time to be at camp before she goes off to college. Always wanting to please everyone, and a little on the judgmental side, according to her sister, Daisy, Calla is in love with Duncan. She discovers that he does not reciprocate that love, after bad-girl, Brynn, Violet’s newfound “friend” orchestrates a humiliating scene between Calla and Duncan. Violet, the sister in the middle, experiences her first intimate love with James, and, spurred on by Brynn, participates in risqué activities she would never have done before. Daisy, the youngest sister, bullied by a couple of girls in her cabin, finds her own strength, and gains independence apart from her sisters. I can see many teenage girls loving this book, but it wasn’t one I couldn’t put down. For me, the ending redeems the book when Calla rescues Daisy and Brynn after a possible compromising incident involving a seedy bar and a couple of guys up to no good. Calla and Daisy are forced to leave camp, and Daisy, in her new-found strength, decides to leave camp with them. I love the sister bond. One issue I have is the new trend in writing the expletive “God” as “god.” A few current media references could outdate the book, e.g. referring to the Dave Matthews Band. I found interestingly an allusion to Harry Potter!
“Violet looks like she just got touched on the forehead by Voldemort . . .” (p. 419). Overall, a pleasant read.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 star rating


I had high expectations for this novel, it got recommended to me and I thought that it'd be the perfect summer novel. Well, I was wrong.

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts wasn't the novel for me.

First of all, I disliked the events. Nothing really "big" happened, did I mention that I didn't finish the novel at all? I read until about half of it, and then I threw it down, it made me so upset.

When you thought that something big would happen, it never did. The author kept us guessing, but in a bad way. I was waiting for the calm after the storm, but it ended up being gloomy the whole way through.

Then we had the characters. They actually weren't so bad, I really liked Violet and Daisy, Violet reminded me of myself, the writer. Calla was the one who really didn't make a difference in this novel, I felt that she did nothing, and she was a brown-noser, if you know what I mean.

The setting was good, you really don't see many teen novels that are set in a camp, right next to C.C. Hunter's Born at Midnight.

Overall, I was really bored with this novel, and it really disappointed me. Please, trust me on this one.

[Magic Shop · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was actually pretty good. Each chapter is one of the girls point of view. You get confused at first but then you get the hang of each of their stories. Three different stories between three sisters at summer camp. The ending was kind of sweet yet sad.

It really is THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS for these girls. Sisters should stay together where ever they are because they will always have each other.

[Emma Falardeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

the last like 30 pages of this book completely ruined the entire story

[Julie Melton · Rating 2 out of 5]

giving this book 2 stars… i didn’t even finish it cause it was not good. Don’t waste your time.

[Abby M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. "The Summer of Firsts and Lasts", by Terra Elan Mcvoy, sounds intimidating, almost like you are not going to be able to tell whats going to happen next. At one point in the story, I got very bored, which dragged this book out for longer than it should have taken me to read, but after getting back into it and finishing it, I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would.

This book is about Calla, Daisy, and Violet, and their summer at camp is portrayed through their different points of view. Calla is the oldest, and has a major crush on a childhood best friend, Duncan. But, has never had the nerve to tell him how she really feels and this is her last chance before college. Violet is a goody-two-shoes outside of camp, but this year, everything changes. She makes a new BFF, Brynn, who pushes her to her limits and brings out her wild side, which she turns out to really like. She also meets a boy, James, who experiences her wild side first hand. Daisy is the complete opposite. She has never been the one that boys typically go after, until she catches Joels eye. But things aren't always as easy as they seem, and for Daisy, it means complicated.

I really enjoyed this book, especially how it made the characters so different, and then made each "chapter" through someone else's perspective. This made the book more interesting for me, having to wait to find out what would happen next with one character to read the chaos in another characters life. The one thing I did not like was how the story got dry at some points. The author would drag out certain events that, I guess, made me keep reading, but some were events that could have been summed up in one section. This would have made more room for other scenes to be dragged out and some new crazy to be brought in.

Overall, I would recommend this read, specifically, to people at a younger age. I think the events that happen can be super relatable to some people and help give insight on a certain topic. Although this was a little hard for me to get through at some points, I really did enjoy this book, and the end was well worth the wait!

[Alicia C · Rating 3 out of 5]

~Be warned, this review may be long, and contains spoilers~

This book is about three sisters (Violet, Calla and Daisy) who go to a summer camp, have adventures, and try to win the hearts of boys they like.

Violet has a huge crush on one of the counselors (James), for some reason we don't really know other than he is super cute and nice. He's also out of reach, due to being a counselor, so I guess there's a hint of "forbidden love" in Violet's story. Violet also enjoys writing.

Calla is in love with Duncan, also a counselor. But Calla is working in the office part of the camp now, so it's not really "forbidden" for her to like Duncan. She's had a background with Duncan for the past five years they've been at camp, and it's her last year to actually tell him how she feels because she is going away to college after the summer. We don't learn much about Calla except that she's a workaholic and crazy for this one boy, kind of a dreamer. I don't recall her saying what she was going to college for, but maybe I missed it.

Daisy ends up liking a guy named Joel rather quickly, they flirt a little but don't talk very much. Daisy is a really good runner, one of the best in the class next to another guy called Rutger who she befriends.

For a quick summer read, it's not bad. If you're looking for a cute summery story that doesn't really have a super intense plot, then this is good for you. The writing style is very good, there weren't many punctuation or grammar errors that I saw. The author seems to know what she's doing, unlike a few more famous authors I've read who can't write worth a damn. I also did like the cover, the three coloured ice cream cone, each colour representing one of the sisters. "The Summer of Firsts and Lasts", this title suits the book well. A lot of first and last things happen for the girls that are both good and bad.

However, here's where my criticism comes in. The things that bothered me are:

1) It was too rambly in some places. There were a lot of scenes that could have just been cut out and the book probably would have been like 250 pages and still got to the point. It just seems like every mundane detail is described of the girl's daily routines. We get to hear about how amazing Daisy is at running every time she has track, also everything in her routine of track everyday. We get to hear about Violet describing eyeballing James and obsessing over him. Everything that Calla does in the office is described almost daily. She also goes off on tangents and tangents about Duncan a lot. And I did end up skimming through a lot of it (sorry) but didn't really miss out on any plot.

2) Brynn. I guess she was supposed to be the bitch-who-can-be-sort-of-nice-sometimes "friend"? I don't think she was evil or anything, just really weird and crazy and a troublemaker. She doesn't think before she acts. She doesn't care about consequences. For me, I don't like getting in trouble. I wouldn't want to risk getting kicked out of camp for some cheap thrills, or to impress someone else, as Violet tries to follow Brynn to impress her. Brynn was probably supposed to be the antagonist to cause drama between the sisters, but she was really annoying. I guess the author probably made her that way on purpose, so you never know whether to love her and think she's cool or hate her and think she's dumb. Also, there was no real reason why Brynn was this way. She supposedly had a good family life, and nothing else was really explained about her behaviour or background. Her character wasn't explained or developed enough. There are parts where she talks to Violet and gets a little personal, but we don't hear exactly what she says.

3) Violet and James' relationship. Well, according to Violet, James was a camper with her two years ago, and she sort of bonded with him then. The next year he wasn't at camp, but now he's back as a counselor. The minute her and James see each other on the first day, Violet begins describing how, when their eyes meet, it's like something sparks between them. She just KNOWS she feels super strongly attracted to him. The first week, they barely interact, except to make goo goo eyes at each other from across the room, and Violet is convinced he's the "one". She eventually sneaks out with Brynn to a counselor bonfire after telling Brynn her feelings for James, and Brynn makes her and James sit together. After a few words at the fire, Violet and James sneak off to have sex in a field. The sex scene is sweet and romantic, but I find it kind of abrupt when they just end and get up and leave the field afterwards. I just don't really get the whole love at first sight thing.

4) Calla and Duncan were the only real legit relationship I could see possibly working out, because they had been friends at camp for 5 years and had a history. Calla's in love with him and is like 99% sure he returns those feelings. She takes his actions and words to heart, and imagines a whole entire life for them after camp. She's just been too afraid to tell him her true feelings, but this is the last chance she has to do it. One night she decides that she wants to tell him soon, but thanks to Violet and Brynn, Duncan finds out about her feelings in the wrong way. He, however, doesn't reciprocate those feelings, leaving her devastated and no longer wanting him in her life. I just find it sad that she completely ended a five year friendship because the guy didn't love her in the way she wanted him to.

5) The characters hadn't really developed much by the end. There isn't too much of a climax either. Brynn basically forces Violet to follow her to the nearby bar through the forest at night, which is against the camp rules of course and the punishment for getting caught sneaking off after hours is getting sent home. They almost get into a compromising situation when two weird guys start to pay attention to them and want to take them home. Brynn is enjoying the attention while getting drunk, however Violet is not, so she sneakily calls Calla to come get her, despite knowing that Calla is upset with her. Calla comes with the camp van and brings Brynn and Violet back. They get found out and Calla, Violet and Brynn are forced to go home the next day because they broke camp rules. Daisy hears about this and decides to go home too. Because, co-dependence much?

Daisy kept going on that she was slowly learning to be independent at camp, but then she basically decided to go home because her sisters were. Sure she had a rough time with girls being mean to her, but once she pushed Montgomery (the jealous bully girl) around, she seemed to stop. So why did Daisy suddenly want to leave? Calla hasn't changed too much, and neither has Violet. Violet only did a few "bad" things like sneaking out and smoking pot due to Brynn's influence, she'd never do those things on her own. I do have to give Daisy credit, she does overcome her fear by going on a zipline and pushes a bully down, but otherwise it still seems she's co-dependent on her sisters.

The good-bye scene between Violet and James was not that great, either, Violet lost her v-card to him, so you'd think there would have been more words exchanged. Violet basically dismisses him after a hug and a kiss, not taking him seriously, and it bothered me. Sure, not saying that you have to get with the person who took your V. It was just that Violet acted like what her and James did was "meh, whatever". James: "I'll write you." Violet: "No you won't." As if she thought he was going to just forget about her after she left, even though he told her he wouldn't.

6) It was hard to keep track of all the nicknames of the sisters. Especially when they used different nicknames from one sentence to the next. If they could have just picked one nicknme and stuck to it like most people do, it wouldn't have been so annoying.

I didn't learn anything from this book that I didn't already know (being as I'm over a decade older than these characters) so it didn't do anything for me in that sense. I guess, my being older, played a part in the things I found that I didn't like about it. The book wasn't horrible but it could be long and tedious at times, plus I found the characters lacking much personal change or growth at the end. I just think it could have been done a bit better, that's all. It did talk about the summer camp events that they did, and it brought me back to when I was in summer camp. However, since I was so shy and my camps were only a week long, my having any luck with guys was...no luck. Well, I did get in trouble once when I jumped into the pool AFTER the final whistle to leave was blown, and I was supposed to stay behind for five minutes during the next pool session. I don't think I did, but nobody really cared that much. Oh yeah, I'm so badass. lol And during one dance, I danced with a guy I liked ;) but nothing happened other than me making goo goo eyes at him all week.

So, that's the gist of my own "crazy" camp adventures. I kind of wish there was adult summer camps. lol like no really. Even at my age, it would be nice to get away for a week or two, and make new friends. Hah, of course boys are off the radar since I'm engaged now. But it would still be fun.

[Colleen Scidmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Summer of Firsts in Lasts is a story about three sisters, Calla, Violet and Daisy that go to the same summer camp that the parents had met at and where Violet and Calla had already been to several summers in a row. Each sister has their own story and challenges at camp that they are trying to overcome.

Calla is the oldest and no longer a camper but an office worker helping out behind the scenes. She feels a little left out because she is not a counselor like all her other camper friends her age and has to spend all her time away from the fun. This is also her last year at camp, she is about to leave for college and her last time to ignite anything between her and Duncan, her crush from her very first year who is also her best 'bud'.
Violet is the middle sister who seems to be the fun and exciting one and has all the boys she can handle after her. But she only has eyes for one, James. James in now a counselor and she is a camper so their romance is going to be a bit tricky. She also has a crazy, trouble maker and really for lack of a better word bitchy new friend Brynn who I can't stand. She chooses to spend more time with this girl than anyone at camp, I guess because of the thrill of a different type of fun she's used to. But Brynn's really not worth it in the end to me.
And last there is Daisy the youngest sister and also the baby the other 2 seem to look out for. Daisy goes through the worst of it. She is young and homesick and dealing with some really upsetting bullying. At first she doesn't know how to deal with it all and just wants to go home. But Daisy turns a corner later and learns to stick up for herself.

It was a kind of sweet and mild coming of age story for all 3 of the sisters, who have to grow up a bit at camp. And this book really made me think how really important family is even when there those times you can't stand to look at some of them.

I was surprised that I ended up liking this book somewhat in the end. I'd say it's probably a 3-3.25 star. I would rate it higher if it wasn't so damn slow in the beginning. I really dreaded picking it up but it got better about 1/2 way through. I feel like some of the story was to adolescent for me, but there was also some material that was a little older and I could relate too. I may even pick up another one of Terra Elan McVoy's books, you never know.

[Shanyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a camp girl. I went to camp for eight years as a camper and four or five more years as a counselor or staff member. I LOVE camp. And I know what goes on there. So - first thought - a book about camp? YES! YES!

My second thought when starting a book about camp (which I've only done a few times before), is that I hope the author gets the mood of camp right. It's an immediate Do Not Finish for me if the author doesn't write about camp in the right way (yes, I'm picky - but I also feel knowledgeable enough about the topic to be this way).

So I will start this review by saying Terra Elan McVoy made me MISS CAMP TERRIBLY. Which means she did it right.

There is a camp feeling that is hard to explain, but McVoy did the best of all the camp books I've read previously. Her characters noted that camp friends are immediate and fast, that the few weeks you are there are what you live your whole summer for, that you rarely talk to camp friends besides at camp. She got the cabin dynamics, the group sessions, the campfires all right.

On top of that, the three sisters that narrate the book (in turns) each have distinct personalities and each behave according to those personalities - meaning they don't do things for the sake of a good story in the book. By the time I got to know the sisters, not only was I really missing camp - I really wanted to be part of their sister clan.

The title suggests some trials and tribulations, and that certainly happens while the sisters experience their summer at camp. It's fun to not know which events will be 'firsts' and which will be 'lasts' - I wasn't really ever able to predict an outcome before it happened.

A book about camp and sisterhood, The Summer of Firsts and Lasts will get you in the camp spirit whether you've been to camp before or not. You'll be wishing you were roasting marshmallows right next to Violet, Calla, and Daisy, and wanting to hold their hands when things go badly. A great summer read!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tore through this pretty quick, but it wasn't as light as I expected it to be. Not everything was resolved all hunky dory at the end which was a nice surprise. Less about romance than relationships between sisters and friends (although there's definitely still some romance), McVoy tells the story of one session of summer camp through the rotating viewpoints of three sisters. Daisy is a sophomore just beginning to discover her talent for running but plagued by her cabinmates' mean girl antics. Violet's a senior who is trying to balance her new friendship with the camp wild child and a hot, forbidden romance with a counselor. Calla, the oldest, will be off to college in the fall, but for her last summer at camp she's won the only office intern spot which leaves her in a unique position somewhere between staff and counselor - not really fitting in with either group and struggling with her feelings for Duncan, her best friend at camp for years and now a counselor himself. All three girls know this is their last summer together at camp and they're determined to make it a summer they'll never forget. The relationships among the three sisters are extremely complex and well-depicted; I also really liked that the three girls had distinct personalities, not just different interests. The whole summer camp experience as depicted here was fascinating to me - I remember going away to camp as a kid, but I never did it as a teenager and I wonder if this is really what it was like. All in all, an excellent summer read that won't rot your brain.

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I thought this was a really slow-moving book. Nothing happened until halfway through, and what did happen was really unexciting. The focus of Daisy's description was Joel, yet Joel was mentioned twice after the first few pages. Violet got her counselor hunk and everyone hates her for it. Calla's heart is ripped out of her, minced into tiny pieces, stomped on, burned, pounded,and thrown into an incinerator because of one annoying camper. Then they all leave together and nothing is resolved - Violet has to leave her boyfriend behind(who was her first time, of course); Daisy never makes up with the girls in her cabin; Calla never talks to Duncan. Brynn also really pissed me off because it was like the author couldn't decide if she was meant to be a nice person or a mean one, and then picks mean one in a sloppy bar scene. Montgomery and Olivia also never had any motives to play the cliched camp prank they pulled on Daisy. There were lengthy stretches of boring chapters talking about nothing but camp activities and Calla's duties. Overall I really thought it was a pointless book. I only read it because I have the same name as Calla anyway.

[Chase Coe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this more like a 3.89. I thought it was a wonderful and easy read. It helped bring some warmth into this cold December.

I just thought a lot of it was so cheesy. Calla was so annoying with her pining after Duncan and reading into every single thing he said/did. But she never had the courage to tell him. I was glad when Brynn did it so she could finally fucking move on.

I loved Violet the most. She was cool, detached and thrilling. Her and James gave me rushes of excitement. However, I thought the ending was so ridiculous. Violet gave up her virginity to him but they didn't even make a big deal out of Violet leaving. Just that they would never forget it. Like they were both being pretty cavalier about it. Maybe it wasn't as much of a big deal as I would think it is.

Daisy was really cool too. I liked how she became more independent throughout the novel and did her own thing trying to separate herself from the shadows of her sisters.

Overall it was a good book but it wasn't something that stabbed me, changed my life, you know?

[CJL · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, enjoyable read. Personally, I couldn't put it down because I HAD to know what happened between Daisy/Joel, Violet/James, and especially Calla/Duncan. I felt like Calla and I were the same person! Now that the book is over I'm dying to know where these girls end up, but I know their sisterhood will be as strong as ever--something I really related to, being one of three sisters myself!

I was confused at first because of the ending (I won't say what happened) but I appreciate what it meant/revealed about the sisters' relationship.

Also, an interesting side plot was all of the mishaps with Brynn. I still don't really understand what her deal was. Maybe I didn't delve deeply enough into her character.

If you are looking for a light but heartfelt read, this is the book for you!

[Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to explain my rating here. The Summer of First and Lasts is by no means a bad book. There are many messages and themes I actually very much approve of. The problem is, I just didn't care that much for the story itself. It took a good 150 pages for it to get going in the first place, and by that time, it was too late for me to form a serious attachment to any of the characters. And when it comes to summery contemporaries, I read for connections and ships, neither of which happened with this book. A few times even, I found myself thinking I should just keep reading so I could get it over with and be able to start a new book.

Read the rest on Finding Bliss in Books.

[emerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I’m tired of pretending, tired of acting like everything’s okay, tired of not being with him…”

Overall Thoughts

I'm literally the only one of my friends on goodreads who has read this book lol. I picked this up looking for a cute, lovable summer read and did not get that. I barely remember reading this tells you something right there but from what I can remember it wasn't anything fantastic. The characters were immature, and dull and so was the story. Nothing about this stood out.

Until Next Time,
Emerald BookWorm

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really good! The experiences were real and something you could relate or connect to. It made me want to spend my summer away at camp and I wished I had a bond with my siblings like these sisters do! This story had just the right amount of everything- happiness, sadness (made me start to cry towards the end) and even some moments where I laughed out loud! Long story short, this book was great and I really reccomend reading it...even if I didn't enjoy how it ended. :P

[Hunter Dyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am extremely disappointed in this book. Due to the lack of detail I couldn't tell you what any of the sisters look like. Also, the book finally gets going about 300 pages in. And when I does start getting good, it just ends! Just ends! I wouldn't suggest reading this book unless you want to have frustrating feelings when you finish it. Just my personal opinion though.

[Lena ♫ ♪ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the sisterhood and concept, but this just wasn't the book for me. The book is told through three separate points of view (each sister), but neither of them were unique or distinct. I don't know. Maybe I'll pick this book up later and try again, but for now, I must move on.