Review - Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Title: Summer Bird Blue

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Pages: 384

Publisher: Ink Road

Release Date: 11th April 2019

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying. What to eat, where to go, who to love. But one thing she is sure of – she wants to spend her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea.

Then Lea dies in a car accident, and Rumi is sent to live with her aunt in Hawaii. Now, miles from home, Rumi struggles to navigate the loss of her sister, feeling abandoned by her mother, and the aching absence of music.

With the help of the "boys next door" – teenage surfer Kai, who doesn't take anything too seriously, and old George Watanabe, who succumbed to grief years ago – Rumi seeks her way back to music, to write the song she and Lea never had the chance to finish.

With unflinching honesty, Summer Bird Blue explores big truths about insurmountable grief, unconditional love, and how to forgive even when it feels impossible.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

 

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Black & White Publishing and NetGalley*

When Rumi's sister dies in a car accident and her mother sends her to Hawaii to stay with her aunt, Rumi is left feeling abandoned and unwanted.

Rumi's sister, Lea, was her best friend, her song co-writer, and her entire world. Surrounded by strangers and struggling with her grief and guilt, will Rumi be able to make friends and move on?

Can Rumi forgive her mother and herself?

Summer Bird Blue is an emotional, heart-wrenching read.

I thought Rumi was a good protagonist. I liked that she wasn't perfect - she could be rude and fought with Lea, but she loved her with all her heart. I felt so sorry for Rumi for all she had been through.

I liked a lot of the characters in this book and at times I wished that I could be at Hawaii with them, even if just to give Rumi a hug.

My favourite part of the book has to be Rumi's relationship with her aunt's neighbour, Mr. Watanabe. But I also loved Rumi's characterisation and how well the author explained Rumi's thoughts and how grief affected her.

The plot was interesting and held my attention. I liked that there was asexual representation.

This was an emotional, heart-felt read that had me in tears at times.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.