Take Two: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June

Hi!

Although my bookshelf contains many of my favorite novels, re-reading has always been a rare occurrence for me. I didn’t form this habit with intention, but when it comes to choosing between a beloved, but “old,” story, or a new, never-read book, my thirst for discovering new worlds and characters usually makes my decision. However, there are several novels I want to revisit, from childhood favorites to first books in a series – I just need the push to do so!

Hannah and Kelly’s Re-Read Challenge has been the perfect incentive so far {I first wrote about it HERE}. To keep track of the books I re-read, I created the feature,”Take Two,” a brief recap on each novel I revisit for a second time. Hannah and Kelly created a simple format that makes reviewing re-reads a breeze. Easy-peasy for a bonus weekend post! :)

Title: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June

Author: Robin Benway

Published: August 3rd, 2010 by Razorbill

Pages: 281

Genre: Young Adult / Magical Realism

Source: Gifted / Paperback

Series: N/A

Summary: Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait!Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood–powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds–everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other. Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood. {Goodreads}

When I First Read It: I first read The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June, four years ago in the summer, a few months before I began blogging! Before Ciao Bella was born, I discovered several young adult authors that remain some of my go-to writers today, such as Gayle Forman, Morgan Matson, and of course, Robin Benway.

What I Remember: Like any book blogger, how I read, discuss, and rate books have all changed greatly since I started blogging; I think my first reactions to reading this would have been different had I read it while reviewing books consistently. Nevertheless, all I can remember is loving this book to pieces!

Why I Wanted to Re-Read It: I remembered how much I enjoyed this story, but it had been so long ago {with hundreds of books in between} that I had forgotten much of the plot and character development. Nothing like a re-read to help jog the memory! I’m such a big fan of Benway’s books, that I also thought it would be interesting to “re-live,” in a sense, my first experience with her writing.

How I Felt After Re-Reading: I didn’t end it disappointed, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to match my first level of love for the novel. And that’s okay! It’s only to be expected that I would have different feelings about a book I read over three years ago. There were a handful of plot lines I wanted more of, such as the backstory behind the sisters’ powers or the divorce between the girls’ parents, that I must have overlooked – or not noticed – the first time around.

Would I Re-Read Again: I’m on the fence, but I going to say I will probably not re-read The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June for a third time. I’m glad I gave it a second look, but upon finishing it, I felt satisfied. I would, however, like to revisit another early Benway novel: Audrey, Wait!.  

Let’s discuss! Are you a frequent re-reader? Are you participating in any reading challenges? Finally, have you read any of Robin Benway’s books? Her spy novels are the cutest, and I can’t wait to read her June release, Emmy and Oliver.

Have an awesome Sunday + enjoy the extra hour of sunlight! :)

Bella