Emma Hanmer

Emma Hanmer
Tan Lines
Katherine Applegate
Realistic Fiction
Holiday
565

1. Currently in the book Tan Lines, Summer has moved in with Jared, a mentally disabled boy who's only a few years older than her. She moved out of her old apartment with her cousin Diana and best friend Marquez because she found out that her fiancé Seth had had a fling with her cousin. Summer was deeply upset and took the room that Jared offered to her. The day after she moved in, we figured out that Jared is actually Adam Merrick, the senator's son. He and Summer were boyfriend and girlfriend the summer before, until Summer found out that Ross, Adam's brother, had sexually assaulted Diana when she and Adam were dating. Adam didn't try to defend Diana, he stood on Ross' side even thought he knew it was wrong. He only wanted to protect his family's reputation. So now Summer's living with him, and spending every moment with him, having no idea who he really is. Also, Diver has gone missing. He lied to his work and left without a trace. Marquez, Diver's girlfriend, has gone insane searching for him. They figured out he went to Miami, but what they don't know is that he came back to Crab Claw Key and is staying in the stilt house where Summer stayed the year before and where they met.

2. I really enjoy reading this book! It has an intense, twisting plot that never gets old. There are so many  unexpected occurrences that pop up in the book! I had no clue that Jared was going to be Adam. It didn't even come through my mind! Sometimes in books there are things that are somewhat too random, but this book feels very realistic. I also really enjoy realistic fiction novels because I feel like I can relate to them. Especially Summer, who is a teenager trying to figure her life out. Making connections to the main character keeps me interested in the book!

3. Another theme that I see in this book is fear of failure. I see fear of failure in the characters because of the way they face their problems. Diver, Summer's brother, runs away from his problems. He fears that he will mess things up with Marquez, Summer's best friend, so he hops on a bus to Miami to get away from all that is going on with her. Marquez think that him and Caroline, a girl that is friends will another girl from Coconut Key, are having a secret relationship. But actually she was just his neighbor at the house with the family that kidnapped him. He didn't want to tell Marquez because he was afraid she would be upset that Caroline was blackmailing him about his past. He also left because Summer was pressuring him to clean up his act and get a job. She told him that he had to settle down somewhere and get a good paying job, but he was afraid that he would fail her again and quit like usual. Since he failed her family once, he didn't want to do it again.

4. My favorite character is this book is still Summer. She is such a strong, inspirational person. She is still my favorite character because from my last book report to now, she has made a lot of tough decisions. Since she knew that Seth had cheated on her, she moved out of the perfect apartment that she had with Marquez and Diana. She moved in with a man that she thought she didn't even know, because she knew she deserved better that what she had before. To be able to make those decisions and live with the consequences makes her a role model for me. The fact that she knows what's good for her is extremely inspirational.

5. My least favorite character in the book is Diver. He runs away from his problems, leaving everyone behind. He left Marquez alone by going to Miami, and he was one of the only people that understood who she really was. Just because she was mad at him about Caroline doesn't mean he can just hide from her. Also, he ran away from his Summer and her family back in Minnesota when they tried to take him in and get him a job. When Summer got back to Crab Claw Key and tried to get him to settle down to a job and be with Marquez, he collapsed under the pressure and ran away. I think he has to come into reality and realize that he can't keep running his whole life; he has to clean himself up. It's not fair for him to leave all the people that depend on him in their struggling times.                

6. I predict that Diver will come home, but Marquez will be fed up with his childish ways. I think she's going to dump him and never want to see him again. Since Summer already has had to deal with Diver running away, I think Marquez will act the same way as Summer did. Summer was very hurt and angry, and she basically gave up on him. I also predict that Summer and Austin will get together. Since Summer is not going to get over what Seth did to her, she will realize Austin's true personality, and see the good in him. Austin just made the decision to stop going after Summer, so I think Summer will miss the attention and want to be with Austin. I predict Summer will be happier with Austin, because she knows he respects her and will treat her well.