Book Review: SUNKISSED by Jenny McLachlan

I first heard about Jenny McLachlan from an associate publicist at MacMillan Publishers, and I'm so glad I read this book! Every good story has a great first line, and SUNKISSED is no exception: "I'm hiding in my bedroom wardrobe with my sister's ex-boyfriend."  This series did well in the U.K., and I'm really hoping it gains traction here too. It doesn't come out until 2017, but it is completely worth grabbing a hold of--and all four books are currently available in the U.K.

Kat can't believe her family are sending her to Sweden for the summer. But without her friends, or even a phone signal, can Kat make it on her own?

In a land of saunas, nudity and summer sun, Kat soon realizes she has nowhere to hide. It's time to embrace who she really is, underneath what she's been thinking people want her to be. Especially if she's going to win the heart of mega fit Swede Leo! Can Kat find her inner strength and prove she's got what it takes?

Kat soon finds that when you're surrounded by phosphorescence and wonder it's easy to sparkle. Or maybe that's what happens when you fall in love . Or maybe you only shine when you're true to yourself.


Review:

Even though I was introduced to the third book in the series, it didn't depend on the first two, which means readers can start anywhere, with any character, and still enjoy an engaging and unique story. It kind of reminded me of a more modern version of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (without the pants). The biting humor is spot on, and Kat is engaging from the start. And even though I had a bit of trouble sympathizing with her at first, the character growth she demonstrated during the course of the novel was excellent. It helps that she gets a change of scenery--a remote island off the coast of Sweden--to help her grow as well. There was a love triangle too, but it resolved in a way that was not only unexpected but refreshing to read. Even more importantly for books at this level, the story's pacing was spot on--there was never a point where I wasn't motivated to read more of Kat's voice. Even more importantly, her story offers a great example to young girls for finding happiness within. This is a great choice for both bookstores and libraries, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

To grab a copy of SUNKISSED  for yourself, feel free to click the links below:

Buy: BookPassage ~ Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~  IndieBound








And here are the other books in the Ladybirds series that are currently available in the U.S.:

Buy: BookPassage ~ Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~  IndieBound

Buy: BookPassage ~ Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~  IndieBound