ARC Review: The Square Root Of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

Posted May 7, 2016 by Isabel in Uncategorized / 4 Comments

Title: The Square Root Of Summer
Author: Harriet Reuter Hapgood
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Published: May 3rd 2016 
Page count: 322 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Giveaway win

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Summary:
This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It’s a little bit like a black hole. It’s a little bit like infinity.

Gottie H. Oppenheimer is losing time. Literally. When the fabric of the universe around her seaside town begins to fray, she’s hurtled through wormholes to her past:

To last summer, when her grandfather Grey died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn’t even hold her hand at the funeral. To the day her best friend Thomas moved away and left her behind with a scar on her hand and a black hole in her memory.

Although Grey is still gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie’s past, present, and future are about to collide—and someone’s heart is about to be broken. 

 *The Chef’s Review*
     My rating: 4/5 stars

At first I didn’t quite understand the way this book functioned, but once you get the hang of it, I found that I appreciated its complexity. It covers subjects such as the loss of a dear one, a broken heart, a past love, family and friendships. This book also talks a bit about physics, which I think were both confusing and amusing.

Gottie is the main character of this story. She is a young lady who has an interest towards physics. Her world turns upside down when she starts to fall into wormholes and gets herself some first hand experience in this particular branch of science, plus the ability to travel through time and relive her life as it was before.  Gottie gets the chance to see her late grandfather who she loved very much, travel to her last summer, and childhood. But at the same time, Gottie’s body still lives in the present, so when her mind starts getting dragged from past to present, she finds herself struggling to stick to reality and her way out from this jigsaw puzzle…

I just love the way books give you something to think about and open “what ifs”. The Square Root Of Summer is no exception. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a second chance? To relieve another part of your life even though you may not chance it? To have the power to change it but be too scared that it may affect your reality in a way that you do not wish it? It’s scary but fun to imagine. Gottie had that chance and I feel a bit jealous!

I really enjoyed The Square Root of Summer but what keeps me away from giving it five stars is that, while the characters were interesting, they didn’t seem real enough. They felt a bit flat despite having heartfelt problems that I should have felt more connected with. However, it still was a good read and I believe many will enjoy it too.

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4 responses to “ARC Review: The Square Root Of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood”

  2. Lis

    Oh, I thought this book was the usual contemporary romance, but it sounds really great! Now that I read your review, I'm really excited to read it.

  3. Lis

    Oh, I thought this book was the usual contemporary romance, but it sounds really great! Now that I read your review, I'm really excited to read it.