Fireworks: Four Summer Stories

Okay, I'm going to go story-by-story so it'll all make sense. Miss Independent: Lauren Myracle This one was just okay. It definetly draws you in at the beginning. However, it was really, really predictable. I liked the idea behind it, but I just... wish I wouldn't have figured out what the ending was going to be like. A Nice Fling is Hard to Find: Sarah Mlynowski I think this is my favorite story out of all four. It wasn't too predictable, and it was written really nicely. I haven't read anything by Sarah Mlynowski before, but this really makes me want to read her other books. Cabin Fever: Erin Haft I really loved the setting in this one. The camp was described nicely, as were the characters. I have Erin Haft's book, Pool Boys, here and if I didn't have a bunch of other books in my TBR pile before it, I'd be reading it right now. Night Swimming: Niki Burnham I've read Niki Burnham's books before (she's one of my favorite Simon Romantic Comedies author) and this short story was really good. This was my second favorite out of the book. It was a bit predictable, but not much. I didn't guess how it was going to end like I did some of the others. Mmk, there's my short speel on each story. Overall, Fireworks was pretty good. It would have been better if the stories hadn't been so predictable.

Title: Fireworks Author: Niki Burnham, Lauren Myracle, Sarah Mlynowski, and Erin Haft Rating: Rating varies from story to story, I'll explain in the review. Review: I'm writing this review a bit differently than the rest... which I think is perfectly fine, since it's a book of short stories. I'm going to share a couple thoughts about each story and then say a little something about the book as a whole. 1st Story: Miss Independent by Lauren Myracle I think this story was alright. Not exactly memorable, but really cute for what the whole book is about... summer. I think I really liked how I could relate to the main character and I really liked how there was a cute, happy ending, even if it was a bit predictable. My third favorite story. 2nd Story: A Nice Fling is Hard to Find by Sarah Mlynowski I think this was my second-favorite story out of all of them. It was really corny, but it was still extremely cute and funny, which is what kept me interested. I also used a quote from this story in a real-life situation, which always scores a book some brownie points. Still, like I said, it was corny, but it was cute. Which worked in this case, where it wouldn't work if this were a full-length novel. 3rd Story: Cabin Fever by Erin Haft My least favorite story out of the four, but it was by no means bad. I liked the formatting, and the way it was written made an entirely unbelievable story into an only semi-unbelievable story. However, it was corny and predictable, which may have worked with the Sarah Mlynowski story, but it did nothing for this one. Still, it wasn't bad. 4th Story: Night Swimming by Niki Burnham This story completely blew the rest out of the water... it was by far my favorite, and I'll tell you why. In one fourth of the book I found myself actually caring about the characters and what was going to happen. I also loved the way Niki Burnham put some sort of conflict in there that was a bit deeper than a summer fling, but still found a way to incorporate the fling into it. I could also relate extremely well to the main character, and overall I was just really amazed with the story. So, as an overview, the fourth was my favorite, and I fully intend on reading something else by Niki Burnham as soon as I am able to check a book out from the library and not let it sit on my shelf for three months. Either that, or I'll buy something when I go to Barnes and Noble tomorrow...

After the heartwarming compilation of four heartwarming stories in Mistletoe, Point Books once more brings together four authors to create another four sizzling stories that go perfectly with the summer heat. Pull up a towel and a big glass of lemonade, because the only place you will be going is inside the minds of four girls ready to accomplish what they have been wanting the most during summer. Lauren Myracle brings us Megan, who is finally turning 18, in MISS INDEPENDENT! The only thing that seems to be on her mind is Pete, the boy she met at the preschool where she worked. Well, that and trying to keep up with her cousin, Porter Ann. The first moment Megan and Pete laid eyes on each other, there was a definite spark -- at least that's what Megan thought. Unfortunately, summer began, which means that her chance to finally talk or even go out with Pete is gone. But what Megan doesn't know is that her birthday will be full of surprises and a very special present from her cousin. In Sarah Mlynowski's A NICE FLING IS HARD TO FIND, Lindsay is finally going to France with her best friend, Becca, and Becca's twin brother, Tommy. And the one thing Lindsay wants the most is to find a European hottie and finally have a fling. Could the lucky person be her tour guide, Pierre? Or maybe Vlad, the really cute Russian guy with the to-die-for accent? Or could it be the one person that is closer to her than any other -- the one she would never have thought of going out with? Molly Walker just can't wait to leave her crazy family at home and go back to that one place where she can have a little peace, Camp Menominee. Molly can finally become a counselor and take care of her own cabin. And, most importantly, she will get to see River Ween, the camp owner's son, the boy who Molly has liked forever but can never seem to catch his eye. But this summer will be totally different, what with her younger sister, Dakota, tagging along with her after getting dumped by her boyfriend. What worries Molly the most is when Dakota finally meets River, and there seems to be a little flirting going on. Could disaster be spelled D-A-K-O-T-A for Molly this summer? Find out in Erin Haft's CABIN FEVER. And last but certainly not least is Wynn Michaela O'Malley, in . Wynn hates being so pale and hates that summer brings fun in the sun at the beach, so she escapes the chance of looking antisocial once again and signs up for summer classes in Delaware, taking Creative Writing. Everything is all planned out, that is until Wynn finally gets into her dorm and sees that she has an ocean view room. Who knew that this college was on a beach!? But besides the beach, the dorm isn't all too bad, especially since it's co-ed and the first guy she meets, Caleb, is someone Wynn would definitely like to get to know. Another great anthology filled with stories that will definitely make you smile -- and making you wish that one of these stories would happen to you! Reviewed by: Randstostipher