I've so enjoyed reading Susan Crandall's previous novels and The Myth of Perpetual Summer was no exception. The characters are so real and well developed. I get completely caught up in their stories and think about them long after the novel ends.

Tallulah James has left her Mississippi roots long behind when she receives disastrous news about her brother that calls her to come to his rescue. As soon as she arrives back, she is bombarded with memories from her difficult childhood but she also brings a new perspective. The Myth of Perpetual Summer is a story of a young girl struggling to find her place in the world amidst family secrets, family bonds, and small town prejudice, all against the backdrop of the civil rights movement.

I can't say enough about the way Susan Crandall tells a story. Her characters are simply spot on and stay with me long after I've read the last page. This was a five star read for me.

I received this book courtesy of Gallery Books though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story is told from Tallulah's perspective, alternating from present to past. While we slowly learn what is currently happening with her brother's case, we also learn why Tallulah and her family ended up where they are today.

My favorite quote that pretty much sums up Tallulah's life:

“My parents loved so wildly, they destroyed each other. My father was a tormented man. My brother betrayed my trust. My mother is a self-centered hypocrite. My grandmother has secrets so dark she’d lose me than reveal them. I’m afraid if I love you, you’ll destroy me.”

The characters in the book are one of a kind and each one uniquely interesting. From Tallulah, to her older brother, to her Gran, and to her parent's unusual relationship with each other and with their children, every single character introduced is a vital part to the story.

The quality of writing in this story is outstanding. I could effortlessly imagine this small, southern town and its inhabitants clearly. I felt like I was there and could feel each character's emotions with every page turn.

I give this book 5 stars, only because that's the maximum number of stars allowed. This is one of those books I could read over and over again, and fall in love with it once more, every time.

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for allowing my an ecopy to read and give my honest review. This was my first book from author Susan Crandall, but I look forward to reading more form her.

This book is out now and you can pick up your copy here or wherever you love to shop for books/ebooks!

Happy Reading!

“I stare at the house for a few minutes, even now surprised I’m standing here, a place I thought I’d never see again. It causes a strange sense of vertigo, this collision of long-ago and now of childhood pain and adult understanding, of the unchangeable past and the possibilities of the future.” My favorite quote in The Myth of Perpetual Summer

This story tugged at my heart. Tallulah James, a precocious and thoughtful 13-year old girl grew up way too fast due to her selfish and largely absent parents’ behavior. The repercussions of her traumatic childhood bleeds into later years; when we meet Tallulah 11 years later, now living in California and estranged from her family. When she learns of a brother’s incarceration, she reluctantly heads back to her old home in Mississippi and old feelings of a dysfunctional past bubble to the surface. Will she ever find peace?

I loved the story being told from Tallulah’s viewpoint. She was a complex and wonderfully human character who tries to accept her weaknesses and reconcile with her past. I did get a bit frustrated at times regarding her constant second-guessing though. She could be her own worst enemy.

A character that really stood out for me was Ross. Ross, Ross, Ross - I loved you, I wanted you for my own. There wasn’t a more perfect caring boy who would grow into a perfectly well-baked caring man. Great story by Susan Crandall

I received a recommendation to read this book.
I have read her two previous historical novels- so I was excited to read another one.

A girl uncovers family history- discovers how past impacts present.
She is forced to be responsible for her younger twin siblings.
Old wounds rip open.
Dreams and hidden feelings get awakened.
Travel between past and present.
People need to survive the only way they can. Family is our foundation.

The descriptions take you into the scene- you will both see and feel the story.
I truly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend!

I was glad to pick this up and get back to some Historical Fiction. I love it as I always reiterate every time I do a review on a Historical Fiction book. Two pages in and I was already getting hooked. My obsession with the Manson murders is real and on page one, Tallulah starts speaking of how people can be brainwashed into doing senseless actions. I stated thinking of the Manson murders, and then as I turned the page, it was brought up itself. I wss hooked instantly. This instant connection was lost quickly though as the story had very little Historical Fiction aspects and little murder. It was more about a very dysfunctional family and how people's lives are changed and molded based on these experiences. 
The story goes back and forth from past and their present. The past part started a little slower for me than their present time. There was a lot of background information needed to understand character dynamics and so forth. The children's' lives were sad and it helped make sense of the current events. Tallulah's relationship with Maisie was so innocent and naive for the time making it hard to read knowing the underlying issues that their friendship would eventually endure.
The chapters that take place in the past are indeed important and necessary but I didn't find myself as interested. In the first half of the book, it was a large chunk of information that I wasn't really loving. I actually felt like I got more of a sense of important happenings in the past that shaped their present in conversations between Tallulah and Ross that are taking place in the more recent time period chapters.
As the book continued, I felt a tad let down. It was definitely interesting and I did enjoy the story in its entirety but it definitely veered away from the murder brought up in the beginning and focuses more on Tallulah and her life making her who she is and her siblings are in the present chapters. There's nothing wrong with this but I was looking more for what would be going on with that entire situation.
As the past chapters are important, the information is necessary but I feel like much of these chapters have extra "fluff" as I call it. The Civil Rights Movement is of little importance to the novel itself and the Maise relationship is unfortunately underdeveloped making it seem kind of pointless all together.
With that being said, I was still interested in what I was reading. I was just expecting something a little more suspenseful maybe. I set myself up for that though and that shouldn't take away from reading this novel.
Crandall does do a good job with some character development and then leaves some characters (possibly intentionally) very vague. As for the story itself, it's interesting to notice some differences in the time period as Tallulah's dad was screaming manic depressive disorder from the beginning for me. As the book centers around the dysfunctional family, it's also very sad that much of the dysfunction really centers around mental illness. The taboo of being mentally ill is so strong especially in our novel's time period. It's disheartening to recognize this in the novel not only with the father but other characters as well.
The ending for me was a bit rushed. Everything fell into place all at once and randomly. Things came back to the surface that was long forgotten about and the solution was thrown out immediately for all of it. I would have liked more of a an buildup to the end and less information and stories that didn't have a direct hit to the problems and solutions.
I still think the novel is pretty solid and enjoyed the read. I do suggest it.

*Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

A summer that seems to continue forever is exactly how Tallulah must have felt about the summer she saw her brother's picture on TV.  She separated from her dysfunctional family at an early age and returns home after discovering her brother is accused of murder.

I was immediately drawn to The Myth of Perpetual Summer by its description and  it fulfilled my expectations.  Susan Crandall used her characters to explore a mental illness within the confines of a dysfunctional family and she did this by easily moving the reader from Tallulah's present circumstances in 1972 to the memories of her childhood during the insecure times of the late 1950's and 1960's. History and coming-of-age blend well.

The first few chapters captured my attention away and I savored them, but there were times during my reading that I wanted to skip ahead. It wasn't because the writing was bad or that the story wasn't interesting because these were both very good.  It was more from my own impatience. The idea of having a character with a mental illness that wasn't recognized or treated in the past fascinated me. I couldn't wait to see how the author used the current circumstances of our protagonist, Tallulah, to bring this mental illness to light.  Because of this, some parts of the story read slowly for me.

I recommend this book if you love family drama. Kept secrets. Broken relationships. Unstable behavior. Regrets. Love. A satisfying ending.  If you like these things you'll love The Myth of Perpetual Summer by Susan Crandall.

Personal Rating: 4.00                    Star Rating: 4/5 

Title: The Myth of Perpetual Summer
Author: Susan Crandall
Publisher: Gallery Books
Date Published: June 19,2018
Reading Format: eBook, Kindle

I’ve been reading Crandall since she hooked me with Whistling Past the Graveyard. The Perpetual Myth of Summer is just as wonderful. There is enough family drama in this story to fill a couple of novels. If you’re looking for remarkable southern fiction, you must read this.

Wow, what a crazy family in this book. I didn't know who to feel the sorriest for. Two older kids and a set of twins (boy and girl) with a mother who was never there. She was always out protesting (or was she?). And a father who was only sometimes there.

I absolutely loved the whole book though.

I smiled when I read the Pacific Ocean Park fortune. I was secretly hoping it was for Ross.

A delightful read that had me mesmerized and entertained throughout.

Thanks to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The Myth Of Perpetual Summer is mostly set in a small town in Mississippi and after reading this book I feel as though I've been there! Susan touches on the effects one can have growing up in a dysfunctional family. Not a lot of people can say that they had the picture perfect childhood, so it was easy to become very attached to our main character, Tallulah. I cannot wait to see what Susan comes out with next!!

The Myth of Perpetual Summer
Susan Crandall

Great writing and interesting characters combine
for a complex and moving coming-of-age story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Tullulah James would be lost if it were not for her old older brother, Griff, and her Southern grandmother. Her parents are volatile and erratic and are rarely even home. Tallulah has taken personal responsibility for shielding the family‘s reputation and for raising her younger twin siblings.

Following a family death and abandonment Tullulah sets out alone for a new life in California. But her dysfunctional childhood makes it difficult for her to develop close relationships. When disaster strikes her family once again, she must return home to pick up the pieces and is finally able to uncover long held family secrets.

REVIEW
This is Tullulah’s coming of age story and is set in Mississippi in the tumultuous 1960s. Tullulah narrates the complicated story and her character is both brave, and vulnerable. She tries so hard to make the family right, and you so want her to succeed. My favorite part of the story was when she takes her grandmother’s boat downriver river to gather mayhaws to make jelly for a mother’s day gift, but gets in over her head when a storm approaches.

I’m not really sure what the “myth of perpetual summer” is, but the book is a satisfying read despite a slow start. It’s a emotional story of a once prominent family that is burdened with the blood of mental illness and its’ declining reputation in the community. THE MYTH OF PERPETUAL SUMMER addresses a wide array of additional topics including murder, suicide, cults and bullying, There is a diverse cast of interesting characters, but my favorite was the blue-eyed Ross, who is from New Orleans and is a modern day knight in shining armor for the James family.

Susan Crandall is a critically acclaimed author of women’s fiction, romance suspense. She has written several award winning novels including Back Roads (2003) and Whistling Past the Graveyard (2014). Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of The Myth of Perpetual Summer in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Gallery Books
Publication June 19, 2018

I was given an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This book was so very well written. It captivated me the entire time!

I got through about 100 pages. This book is definitely well-written. I had high hopes for this book. The summary sounded intriguing, but The Myth of Perpetual Summer did not hold my attention.

Tallulah James is a burdened middle-child in a beyond-dysfunctional family wrecked by mental illness. Her grandmother has taught her well to protect the family secrets and reputation above all else. What secret could be worth this pain of holding it in? Her older brother Griff promises to someday sweep her away to a better life in California, until a tragic event tears them apart and leaves Tallulah alone to hold together her imploding family.

When the family disintegrates, Tallulah heads out on her own, seeking the California dream she shared with Griff, only to find the ghosts of her childhood followed her. Unable to give herself fully to anyone, she pours her all into her career—until another crisis pulls her back to Lamoyne, Mississippi.
Returning to the place of her oppressive memories, will Tallulah break? Or will she finally be able to make peace with her past?

This story had me hooked from the first page. I felt Tallulah’s pain. Understood why she hid her heart behind a wall. I wanted someone to hold her and tell her it would be alright. I was totally invested in this character.
The Myth of Perpetual Summer belongs on a shelf with other classics. Not only is the story riveting—it is important. It features a bi-racial friendship in 1960s Mississippi. It tells—though briefly—the tale of those who fought for equal rights as well as those who didn’t understand. It discusses the devastation mental illness can heap on a family. It even rolls in a pot of corruption. There is far too much in this story to write in a review.
The quality of the writing is outstanding. Descriptions will have you dabbing the Mississippi sweat from your brow and smelling the dark waters of the alligator-infested river. The pace is excellent, and the story never lags. I will read more books by this author.

I give this book FIVE stars, only because that’s the maximum. There is the tiniest bit of foul language and sexual situations (nothing graphic), but I felt those areas made the story and the characters genuine and revealed an important layer to their personalities. I wouldn’t have a problem with my fourteen-year-old granddaughter reading it—and I’m cautious with what I expose my grandchildren to.

This book is the book by which all other summer reads will be weighed.

The Myth of Perpetual Summer released today, June 19.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books through NetGalley.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Tallulah just saw the news. She cannot believe it. Her little brother is being accused of murder. She must get home. Even though she has not seen him, or anyone in her family for years, she knows she must go back to Mississippi and face her past.

I love Tallulah. And I really do not know how to describe her. She has been hurt and is a damaged woman, especially when it comes to relationships. But, she is a character that loves with all her heart.

Tallulah had some hard times as a child. Her father suffered from a mental illness and her mother disappeared and reappeared so many times in her young life. Tallulah, her older brother, Griff and her southern bell grandmother did all they could to keep the family together. This is an emotional roller coaster of a story. Many places were hard to read and you just wanted to reach through the pages and give this family a helping hand.

As most of you know, I am a HUGE fan of southern fiction. Susan Crandall is spot on! Her southern characters and her descriptions of Mississippi, are all true to form! Plus, and this is a huge plus, Susan Crandall has the best prose! I know I am not supposed to quote an ARC. And it tells you right at the beginning of this book not to quote…well, I am still gonna do it. “Memories as thick as the air and mud and secrets of our Mississippi childhood sit heavy on my skin.”

DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

Tallulah James is dealing with her far more weight on her shoulders than a young girl should. Her parent's relationship is explosive and she and her 3 siblings struggle with the constant fallout. Their mother is cold and distant and their father is in a world of his own. The four James children are left to raise themselves aside from the guidance of their old fashioned grandmother who is harboring some family skeletons and secrets. All this dysfunction, makes the family a source of gossip in their small Mississippi town in the 1960s. When things come to a tragic climax, Tallulah, weary of trying to hold her family together, takes off for California and hopefully a life where no one knows the family's shame.

A real page turner, I powered through this book in a weekend. Tallulah was very loveable and you could totally cringe along with her at the family's dysfunction. An interesting look at how undigagnosed and untreated mental illness could have repercussions on a family for generations. This is my third Susan Crandall novel, and she never fails to draw me in with her relatable characters and satisfying plots.

A 2018 Favorite!

I love everything about this book—the characters, the themes, the setting, the time period, the authors, and the ending. A definitive favorite of 2018!

In 2013, I read Susan Crandall’s breakout novel, Whistling Past the Graveyard, and fell in love with her brilliant storytelling. I remember being in awe of her ability to create such rich characters that seep into your heart and mind, and refuse to leave. A part of young Starla, its coming-of-age protagonist, still lives with me.

In The Myth of Perpetual Summer, which takes place during the same Civil Rights era and on through the 70s, Tallulah James is just as endearing and memorable, if not more so. Although my childhood circumstances weren’t the same as “Lullie’s,” they were turbulent. This enabled me to fully sympathize and empathize with her. I feel as if I’ve walked in her shoes and made many of the same choices she made—missteps, as well as successes.

Having a Manic-Depressive (Bi-Polar) parent, I certainly understand the “hurricane” and “shadow” times Tallulah was forced to experience throughout childhood. I understand her inner yearnings for “normal” parents who bake cookies, have tea parties, and play ball with their children. Perhaps having so many similarities with Tallulah is why I love this story so much, but I can’t imagine anyone not being able to relate to her.

I’ve never even visited Louisiana, but now feel as if a part of me has lived there. Tallulah’s hometown of Lamoyne depicts so many southern towns in the US, with mixtures of friendly community and bothersome busybodies, unwanted broadcasts and “things that are never mentioned,” Southern hospitality and social intolerance.

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, I enjoyed looking back into certain aspects of my younger years, although the social injustices I witnessed during the Civil Rights Movement were painful to revisit. The world has progressed in the past five decades, but not nearly enough.

I could go on and on about why I love this story, but I’ll end by saying one of my favorite things about The Myth of Perpetual Summer, aside from the heartrending message of redemption, is that nothing feels fabricated. That’s quite a feat for a tale that was fabricated in the author’s mind. Kudos, Ms. Crandall—brilliant storytelling!

5 Stars

Cover: Love
Title: Love
Pages: 368
Publisher: Gallery Books
First Lines (chapter one): I delude myself into thinking I am where I am today because of clear choices and controlled decisions. In the chaos of my childhood, that’s all I dreamed about, power of my own life.

I received an Advanced Copy of this book from NetGalley.

The Myth of Perpetual Summer is an outstanding novel set in the 1960s and 1970s. The. story explores the life of a poor family that struggles with secrets,dysfunction and mental illness. When a book causes you to think about life long after it is finished then the author should be applauded. This book did just that for me. I began taking notes and underlining key quotes in the novel so that I could go back to key moments in the story that I did not want to forget. Although this novel is a bit long I do not think anyone will be disappointed reading it.. I am almost sad that I have finished it. I received this novel for free from net galley in exchange for this honest review.

This is the first book I read by this author.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books publishing I got a pre-release copy and took a change on Susan Crandall and I'm glad I did.
Time period is the sixties and early seventies. If you where a child or young adult during that time you probably will even feel closer to the main character Tallulah.
You get to know Tallulah as a child and as an adult. Showing how the events in someone's young age will effect them still as an adult. This is a very emotional story. Some of the historical events of that time period are interwoven in to the story lines. It also touches on some of the taboos of that time period as the mentioning or seeking outside help by mental illness.
I highly recommend this book. Take a change on it and I don't think you will regret. Well maybe about some of the chores that did not get done because you could not put the book down.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I immersed myself in the Myth of Perpetual Summer. I loved the speed at which the past came to light and the continual hint of dark family secrets. This was a very entertaining novel, with a very serious undertone and examination of the many layers of mental illness. Very, very real.

The Myth of Perpetual Summer is an interesting come-of-age novel that takes place in the 60s and 70s. The main character is Tallulah, a young girl with a dysfunctional family that tries to get by and help her siblings the best she can even though the past is surrounded by secrets. I like when a book does a good job on mixing real facts (things that happened in history) with fictional characters - so while learning about Tallulah you will also read about racism in Mississipi, Vietnam war, and even some breakthroughs in Psychology in the 70s. The title comes from the idea, shared by one of the siblings, that escaping to California would solve all their problems. This is such a beautiful and moving story, and in the end makes us realize that everyone has its own struggles in life, and comes with a family history that you can’t simply deny; its part of who we are today.