The Summer That Melted Everything [Review & Giveaway!]
![The Summer That Melted Everything [Review & Giveaway!]](https://i0.wp.com/oliviascatastrophe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/thesummerthatmeltedeverything.jpg?fit=400%2C317&ssl=1)
Hello there!
Title: The Summer That Melted Everything
Author: Tiffany McDaniels
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Published Date: 26th July 2016
Rating: 5 stars
*Thank you to the author for the review copy*
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Synopsis: Fielding Bliss has never forgotten the summer of 1984: the year a heat wave scorched Breathed, Ohio. The year he became friends with the devil.
Sal seems to appear out of nowhere – a bruised and tattered thirteen-year-old boy claiming to be the devil himself answering an invitation. Fielding Bliss, the son of a local prosecutor, brings him home where he’s welcomed into the Bliss family, assuming he’s a runaway from a nearby farm town.
When word spreads that the devil has come to Breathed, not everyone is happy to welcome this self-proclaimed fallen angel. Murmurs follow him and tensions rise, along with the temperatures as an unbearable heat wave rolls into town right along with him.
As strange accidents start to occur, riled by the feverish heat, some in the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be.
While the Bliss family wrestles with their own personal demons, a fanatic drives the town to the brink of a catastrophe that will change this sleepy Ohio backwater forever.
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Review: I
became a slave to this book. Not only did I want to consume it in on go but
unfortunately couldn’t, instead it had me awake at near 2am when I had to be
awake early the next day. I couldn’t put this book down and it messed with my
emotions. Going into it, I wasn’t sure what to expect. A contemporary like
title, all this talk of a devil and then summer? It sounds like quite a mixture
of things. But really, this book is about humanity in my opinion, and what
makes someone human. Especially when it comes to involving our actions.
became a slave to this book. Not only did I want to consume it in on go but
unfortunately couldn’t, instead it had me awake at near 2am when I had to be
awake early the next day. I couldn’t put this book down and it messed with my
emotions. Going into it, I wasn’t sure what to expect. A contemporary like
title, all this talk of a devil and then summer? It sounds like quite a mixture
of things. But really, this book is about humanity in my opinion, and what
makes someone human. Especially when it comes to involving our actions.
I’ll start with getting to the part I would most want to
have explained when it comes to this novel. Yes, there is some religious talk
here… but not much. Only what needs to be crossed when it comes to Sal, the
little boy, being the literal devil or not. Every now and again Fielding, the
main character would ask whether these particular actions would bring you to
hell or not. Or what hell is really like. Or what it feels like to be a falling
angel. I’m not saying I agreed with all the answers to these questions given –
I know I didn’t, but that’s okay because I can still read about it and be
intrigued by it – but the answers were incredibly clever. And it made me
realise that when it comes to hell, just like heaven, everyone pictures
something different. For some reason I just assumed everyone would be thinking
of burning and red and pain, but that’s not the case.
have explained when it comes to this novel. Yes, there is some religious talk
here… but not much. Only what needs to be crossed when it comes to Sal, the
little boy, being the literal devil or not. Every now and again Fielding, the
main character would ask whether these particular actions would bring you to
hell or not. Or what hell is really like. Or what it feels like to be a falling
angel. I’m not saying I agreed with all the answers to these questions given –
I know I didn’t, but that’s okay because I can still read about it and be
intrigued by it – but the answers were incredibly clever. And it made me
realise that when it comes to hell, just like heaven, everyone pictures
something different. For some reason I just assumed everyone would be thinking
of burning and red and pain, but that’s not the case.
But there is much, much, more to this story. In truth,
this is about a family which has fears. Fielding has his own personal fears.
His mother blatantly has one seeing as she never leaves the house. His older
brother, Grand, is idolized in his eyes as an amazing older brother but he also
has his own fair share of problems. And all the people in the town of Breathed
do too. McDaniels managed to describe the secondary characters wonderfully, and
in so much detail that it made me connect to them as main characters as well.
But it never drew me away from the main storyline, which meant it was done
perfectly.
this is about a family which has fears. Fielding has his own personal fears.
His mother blatantly has one seeing as she never leaves the house. His older
brother, Grand, is idolized in his eyes as an amazing older brother but he also
has his own fair share of problems. And all the people in the town of Breathed
do too. McDaniels managed to describe the secondary characters wonderfully, and
in so much detail that it made me connect to them as main characters as well.
But it never drew me away from the main storyline, which meant it was done
perfectly.
I must mention that in terms of the characters, the real
moral question this novel is raising is who is the real devil? Who or what is
the real evil here? There’s someone claiming to be the literal devil
themselves. There are the people of the town who come to hate the little boy.
There are many other characters who we could say are evil themselves. Sometimes
I even disliked Fielding and his choices and it made me question everything.
Maybe we get a certain answer to this question and maybe we don’t. I’ll leave
you to read about it to figure that one out. But you’ll definitely end up
thinking about it.
moral question this novel is raising is who is the real devil? Who or what is
the real evil here? There’s someone claiming to be the literal devil
themselves. There are the people of the town who come to hate the little boy.
There are many other characters who we could say are evil themselves. Sometimes
I even disliked Fielding and his choices and it made me question everything.
Maybe we get a certain answer to this question and maybe we don’t. I’ll leave
you to read about it to figure that one out. But you’ll definitely end up
thinking about it.
What can I say about McDaniel’s writing style? This novel
is the kind that should go down as a classic. The writing style is just so
beautiful, if it were an art piece I would buy it in seconds. It isn’t written
in the style of a classic, but it could be held in regard as one. There are
literary techniques used and the writing is so gorgeous that it is easy to
picture all the scenes she is describing. However, this writing is not
difficult to understand in a single moment. It doesn’t distract us from the
story at all. So again, I have to applaud McDaniel’s for her amazing balance
when creating this novel.
is the kind that should go down as a classic. The writing style is just so
beautiful, if it were an art piece I would buy it in seconds. It isn’t written
in the style of a classic, but it could be held in regard as one. There are
literary techniques used and the writing is so gorgeous that it is easy to
picture all the scenes she is describing. However, this writing is not
difficult to understand in a single moment. It doesn’t distract us from the
story at all. So again, I have to applaud McDaniel’s for her amazing balance
when creating this novel.
The title to the novel suits inside and out. It’s a
historical fiction, set in the past, but it’s got a relevant message for today.
Messages, I should say. It’s very much a character driven novel but it’s so
good I would recommend it to some plot based readers too. And lastly, I have to
say that the ending just made me sad. Things happened to people who didn’t
deserve them… and that end sends a resounding message itself. You should
definitely read it to find out what I mean.
historical fiction, set in the past, but it’s got a relevant message for today.
Messages, I should say. It’s very much a character driven novel but it’s so
good I would recommend it to some plot based readers too. And lastly, I have to
say that the ending just made me sad. Things happened to people who didn’t
deserve them… and that end sends a resounding message itself. You should
definitely read it to find out what I mean.
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Gif Summary:
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Giveaway: Enter to win a hardcover edition of The Summer That Melted Everything! US entries only.
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Olivia’s Question: Do you let yourself stay up late
reading from time to time?
reading from time to time?
Olivia-Savannah x
Sounds like a good read!!!
brat52101 at yahoo dot com
It was so good 🙂
I would love to read this. It does sound good.
You should do, Susan ^^
This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the opportunity to win. 🙂
Fingers crossed for you :3
sounds like a fun one
That's the perfect description ^.^
Would love to read this!!~
You definitely should 😉
Book looks great!
It's really wonderful <3
This book sounds great-thanks for the opportunity!
Thank you for entering 😉
Books look great!
It is a great book!
This books sounds awesome, it's the first time I've heard of it but I've added it to my 'to-read' list!
Yay! I hope you'll love it whenever you get around to reading it 😀
This book sounds really intriguing. I love books that you want to read all in one go and read until your eyes can't take it anymore. LOL, 2 am is not bad…Glad you enjoyed this one!
Hehehe, the more addicting the novel, the better ^.^
Sounds like an interesting read! Thanks for the giveaway.
Thank YOU for entering!
I'd never even heard of this one till I saw it on your blog. Now I'm intrigued! Great review, and I'm the same about books that I can't put down. I've been so bad lately about staying up past midnight because I don't want to stop reading, even though I have to be at work at 7 am the next morning! Thanks for the giveaway as well!
I am glad I could introduce it to you! I love when a book keeps it up… and even though we know responsibilities we just get too addicted!
I've read great reviews for this, so I'm not surprised that you love it. It is currently in my Amz cart for "save for later". Yes, I stay up way into the night reading. Especially as of late, because I can't sleep and I still get up and go to work every morning. I'm running on autopilot.
Yes, this is a really great read and I'm glad you might be picking it up really soon. And yeah, I would guess that you would be. Hopefully those sleepless nights will end soon though… you need your rest 🙁
I just love it when a book keeps me up at night like that! 😀 Although I do feel sorry about it the next day…
This is very different from what I usually read, but it sounds really good and original! I'm glad you liked it so much! 🙂
Lipstick and Mocha
I have regrets the next day, but at the same time I don't! Original is definitely a good word to describe it :3
OH WOW! Wowsy, Olivia! I can't believe you've featured my blog on your site!! You're so good to me. <3<3<3
You deserve it, Lonna. Your blog is epic and you're always sharing my posts as well. Only a small way for me to show my gratitude ^.^
Oh heck yes! I'm constantly nursing a book hangover!
Hehehe late night reading club <3
Wow, this sound like a story that would eat my life as well
It consumed it in the best possible way!
This is really nice! Happy Halloween.
STYLEFORMANKIND.COM
Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Woah sounds like a really intriguing read!! <3 Adding to TBR pile! 🙂
Haniya
booknauthors.blogspot.com
Yay! I can't wait to know what you think about it once you've read it too 😀
Looks like a quality, intriguing read.
Couldn't have said it better myself 😉
Oooh this sounds GOOD! This wouldn't have been on my radar at ALL, I don't think I'd even heard of it, so I am so glad to see that you loved it! Fabulous review, thanks for sharing it (and for the chance to win it!)
And to answer your question, I ALWAYS stay up late reading. Usually 4am, every day. It… isn't the best idea, but that's how it goes down 😉
Thanks for entering the giveaway yourself and I do hope you might pick this one up along the road at some point, regardless. Yep, the majority of my reading gets done late at night too. 4am is really late though! D: Don't forget to catch them sleep minutes too 😉
I had the opportunity to read and review this book but i missed out on Net Galley. It was already archived before I could even download it. I feel so bad. Bah.
Anyway, lots of surprising details about this book – least of all is the religion aspect. I'm glad you enjoyed this immensely, Olivia!
Aww, that's a shame. I think you may have been able to really enjoy this one as well. There were a lot of points about this one that I really appreciated!
Sounds really interesting! O.O 🙂
It's such a cool book!