This was a coming-of-age story that gave a great insight into what was happening in middle-class America in the Summer of 1969. A very enjoyable and worthwhile read and highly recommended.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Candlewick Press via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "Summer of 69" by Todd Strasser. A super unique read that takes us back to the 60's! It was a thrilling ride for me since I was not alive during this decade. For anyone looking for a great ya book or someone looking for a psychedelic trip, this book is for you.

*I got this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Anyone who knows me knows that I adore history, and that the 1950s and 1960s are my favorite era to study. While I wholeheartedly understand that the era was certainly not the best for minorities — women, PoC, and LGBT+ folks alike — I love the pop culture, which *definitely* influences my interest. So, needless to say, I was SUPER excited when I stumbled across this book on NetGalley, and even more so when I got approved to read it! It sounded right up my alley.
That being said, this book was rather... disappointing. The era was cool, and the atmosphere/imagery of the Summer of ‘69 was pretty on point, as far as I can tell (coming from a 20 year old who studies the era, but never actually lived it), but the writing itself was not that great. There were also formatting issues, but I’m going to hope that was just NetGalley screwing up, at no fault of the author.
The writing, though, as I said, wasn’t great. It was pretty choppy sentence and structure wise, there was a lot of telling instead of showing, and there was this... really weird thing where the POV would continuously switch from first person to third? I *think* it was meant to be a stylistic thing, meant for while the main character was high or tripping, but it didn’t work very well. Instead of coming off as a clever plot device, it read as very choppy and awkward instead.
And, while the imagery itself was pretty cool, nothing much really... happened, plot-wise? The book walks us through the summer of 1969, and we follow the main character, Lucas, as he tries to avoid being drafted and faces long distance drama with his girlfriend, but in the end everything wrapped up a little *too* perfectly, and the whole ordeal ended up being almost pointless. There was also somewhat of a summer fling type love triangle, but one side of the triangle kinda ends up just... disappearing from the plot, with not much resolution.
I will say that this book does do a pretty good job of exploring the Vietnam War from an antiwar perspective, and my favorite thing to read about were definitely the different music and hippie festivals that Lucas goes to. It’s a shame that the rest of the book didn’t follow that same decent consistency, because I have a feeling I would have liked it a lot more if it were more like that. It definitely captures the *spirit* of 1969, I just... wish there was more to it.
Overall, perhaps if the formatting weren’t such an issue, and the writing was a bit better, this book would be perfect for the right audience. Summer of ‘69 is supposed to be based around the author’s own experiences, so I definitely think there are people out there who would enjoy the plot that, admittedly, was more simplistic than I was hoping for. I’m disappointed that I wasn’t a huge fan, but I do think it has overall potential and I would definitely still recommend checking it out if you’re interested in the 1960s antiwar era!

This book is different than any YA book I've read. This is a semi-autobiographical account of the author's youth which is likely why the book genuinely feels so lates 60s- early 70's. Everything from the slang, to the descriptions of clothing, hair, cars, and home furnishing leads to completely immersive experience as the reader. Since this is marked as a YA novel, I think that this will be a great reading experience for teenagers of today. You can see how EVERYTHING as changed in good and bad ways since that time. Now with it being marketed as YA I want to emphasis that depicted with the novel are sex, war and other violence, and drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. This is certainly outside of my experience with the YA genre. However it works here because the book is so honest and true to that era. The story takes place mostly within that summer of 1969. Lucas didn't do so well in school and finds out that he wasn't accepted to the college of his choice and now the draft is staring him in the face. His girlfriend went away for the summer and things may have been souring in their relationship leaving Lucas confused and heartbroken. (Never was the era more obvious- there was no cell in phone in sight for him to call Robin. When he did make calls it was from a landline with ridiculous charges) . He gets letters from his friend who is fighting in the war and reads first hand how dire the situation is for the soldiers there and he can't imagine fighting for a war he actively objects to morally. A lot changes over the course of this book, over the course of that summer. I enjoyed this book and I'm really glad to have read it. This book told me more about the Vietnam war then anything I've read before (which wasn't much). I also enjoyed the mentions of different musicians from the era and references to other things from that time. I especially enjoyed the scenes where Lucas went to what would later be called Woodstock. We've all seen the pictures but the story describes a bit about what else was going on there. I certainly recommend this book. I'm glad Todd Strasser finally decided to write down his story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Summer of '69 by Todd Strasser. I've read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Summer of '69 is a story about Lucas who has just graduaded high school, said good-bye to his girlfriend who's leaving for camp and has been rejected by a college which results in a very high chance that he'll be drafted for the Vietnam war. The story details how Lucas tries to find a way to not get drafted for the war, while dealing with feelings about the war, his relationship and his future. In order to surpress his feelings about all of this, he takes different kind of drugs.

Summer of '69 is partly based on the real life of the author which made for an interesting read. I was drawn to the aspects of the character's fear about being drafted for the Vietnam war and the circumstances in that period. Unfortunately, apart from the drafting storyline, the story didn't resonate with me. I felt that the shift between first person and third person was annoying at times, even though it showed the difference between sober Lucas and Lucas on drugs. I couldn't really connect to any of the characters which resulted in me not connecting to the story.

I do think that this story might be more appealing to people who know more about the Vietnam war and perhaps the repercussions it's had on people. Being from Europe, I've only read about the Vietnam war in History class in high school, so it's interesting to learn more about it in this way. But apart from that I couldn't connect to it that deeply.

I recommend this book if you want to read a story that takes place in the sixties and deals with Woodstock, all types of drugs, the Vietnam war and the fear of being drafted for a war you don't believe in.

I've never had a doubt that I was born during the wrong time period. I missed Woodstock by about 20 years, and that's so sad. I knew Summer of 69 would be a perfect read for me. Ah, the music. Ask my 10 year old who Hendrix, Joplin and CCR are, and he can tell you...lol. I loved the entire experience of this story. It's so atmospherically engrossing that I felt like I was there. The drugs are present but relevant, so I wasn't bothered by that. The Vietnam War and the draft had to have been terrifying. It's a time of great change and revolutionary thinking, and I respect these people who really believed in something and fought for it. They didn't pose for Facebook and Instagram for attention with no actual convictions. This generation actually felt deeply for various things and pushed back against the system. It's amazing, and this story just brought it home to me. I loved it! Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is amazing: fascinating, well written and entertaining, is one of those book you cannot put down.
I love this coming of age story, the great style of writing and the fleshed out characters.
This is a historical period I find fascinating and I loved the details and the descriptions.
I think it's realistic, I was a child when this book take place but it was like travelling back in time and living what the characters were living.
A very good historical trip, I fell in love with the cover and the I fell in love with book.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Candlewick Press and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A wild ride set in the era of love. Both fun and intense and tackles the subjects of both love and war.

I have always been interested in the 60s and I am especially a fan of the music from that era. One of the reasons I requested this book was because one of my favorite songs is Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams, haha. That song was of course written in the 80s, but it was about a life in the 60s. That time period just seemed so fun from things I’ve read, listened to, and watched. But there were also a lot of heartbreak and bad things happening in the world throughout that time too, which brings me to this book.

Summer of ’69 was without a doubt a fun ride, but it was also a lot deeper than I thought it was going to be. The war in Vietnam was happening and you risked being drafted if you didn’t get into college or have another way out. Throughout the story Lucas had a lot of fun with his friends, they used a lot of drugs, and basically just had a really good time. There were a lot of mishaps, but it was an adventure whether it was really happening or they were tripping on acid. Aside from that though, Lucas was dealing with a lot between his home life, his girlfriend Robin, and whether he was going to be able to get out of being drafted into the Army. His friends had their own issues and troubles as well.

Overall, I really loved the story. I love this era of time, so this book was right up my alley. I was sucked in from the very first page. It was a mix of happy and sad moments; good and bad moments. It was fun, but also heartbreaking. It left me shocked, in tears, and with goosebumps at times. There were also times where I was laughing out loud. So many great characters and friendships as well. I loved all the hippie vibes. I also loved learning more about that time period, the events happening, and the war. It was a wild ride and full of emotions.

This book was way more than what I originally thought it was going to be, but I am so glad that it was. The author wrote this story based on events in his life during this time, which I thought was really cool. So this is essentially his summer/life with some things/places/times changed up a bit. I would definitely recommend picking this one up.

Fantastically poignant, honest, and heartfelt historical fiction with a tad of autobiography tossed in. Life in the 60s as an 18-year-old could be fun, adventurous, and deadly. Strasser's book takes the reader on a journey through drugs, Woodstock, Vietnam, dating, loss, and life. This was a great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

I love most things “hippie” because my parents were from that generation and I loved hearing the stories from their past.

I enjoyed this story, even though I felt exhausted reading it. So many drugs... I never knew what was real.

I just read that it was based on Todd Strasser’s life, which made it make more sense for me.

All in all, I enjoyed this book quite a bit! I do love me some historical fiction and while reading this I realized I've never read a whole lot about the 60s. Being a fly on the wall at Woodstock was awesome!

This book was entertaining and I kept wanting to read more and not to put it down whenever I was reading this! I think part of the reason why I liked this book was how it balanced the carefree ways of summer with heavier topics such as the draft for the Vietnam war looming over the main character. This book also had the ability to throw something bad at the main character the whole time which kept me on my toes.

Lucas, the main character, sort of annoyed me because I felt like he was being careless most of the time and he rarely had to be responsible for his own life because other people kept solving his problems for him all. The. Time. I did manage to enjoy the book even though I didn't really care for the main character, so there's that!

I also had some slight problems with how this book shifted tenses sometimes.

All in all though, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to others!

My Dad, -God rest his soul- had a 1968 VW van, (better known as a COMBI) that he restored in it's entirety in 1994. Who knows where he bought it at, and how much he invested, but he kept on saying that van was possibly one of the greatest items he had ever possessed. The interior was all cream beige leather and there were a lot of hippie symbols painted inside. It was a beauty.

A year later his license was revoked for unpaid tickets, and till the day he died, he never drove again.

reading this book, I couldn't help but to think all the times i wish I had inherited that van. The author plays a significant role here, and I guess, for the 1960's teens this story could be a trip down memory lane. The era, from what I have heard was very influenced by a revolution of characters north and south, east and west, and the emancipation of a very guarded time where discrimination turned into a complete revolution twisting lives and making the youth of that time more aware of their rights, their need to love and be loved, Todd Strasser shows us in this memoir one of just thousands of experiences that most definitely marked an era, drugs, sex, rock and roll, freedom. It must've been so awesome to live in NYC at the end of the 1960's and experience the storm before the bigger storm that was the 70's. I guess each stage was different.

Very fun read, emotional sometimes for me, only cause I miss my Dad. I wish I could have shared this story with him, if only so we could talk about his hippie van and the fact he sold it dirt cheap before I was old enough to drive it.

I wasn't a huge fan of the switching between first and third person throughout the book. It was distracting to me and made the flow of the book not smooth enough to love it.

A thoughtful tale of youth. Despite the main character's flaws we want things to work out for him in the end. A mix of summer love, drugs, and rock and roll but not sugar coated by the free love era. There are consequences and our characters face them in varying degrees.

In Todd Strasser's new historical fiction, he uses some personal experiences and some "borrowed" experiences to make this coming-of-age in the era of the Vietnam War, Woodstock, hippies, and freaks feel almost more like an autobiography than just a wonderful work of fiction.

Eighteen-year-old Lucas Baker is in love with his girlfriend, Robin, and hoping to gain acceptance into a college near where his ladylove plans to go to school in the fall. Before that can happen, Lucas must survive a summer alone while Robin works in Canada at Camp Loon Lake. Lucas notices Robin is acting weirdly before she leaves, but because this story takes place way before smartphones and free long-distance calling, communication between the two is limited to the USPS and old fashioned letter writing.

Meanwhile, Lucas learns he was waitlisted for the only college he applied to, and is now in danger of being drafted as he doesn't qualify for deferment. While he's trying to figure out how to stay out of Vietnam, prison, OR Canada, he works in his father's junk-mail company and spends time with his friends Arno and Milton, his cousin Barry, and a hippie chick named Tinsley. It is with Tinsley that Lucas attends the legendary concert Woodstock.

Throughout this story, Strasser weaves the tale in both first and third person, in flashbacks and present tense, in such a way that when Lucas trips on acid, we feel the trip (both good and bad). The book is hard to put down and the trials and tribulations Lucas goes through both with his friends and his family (Dad cheats on Mom, Lucas has a developmentally slow younger brother, etc) bring the reader deep into the plot. We root for Lucas to find a way out of serving in Vietnam, and the couple of surprises toward the end warm the heart.

Two thumbs up for this trippy exploration of a time known for turning on, tuning in, and dropping out.

Incredibly difficult subject matter. Strasser holds the tension so well, almost too well. It's exhausting to travel this journey.

Lucas’ plans for the summer are simple: hang out with friends, smoke some weed and take some pills along the way. His plans go off track when he finds out that he did not get into college. He is now at risk of being drafted and sent to the Vietnam Conflict. Also, his girlfriend is spending time in Canada and his friend Tinsley wants to practice her free love by temping Lucas to cheat on Robin. If his life wasn’t crazy enough it looks like his parents might be getting a divorce and his friend in Vietnam is in constant danger. What will Lucas do to avoid ‘Nam? What else will life throw at him?

The Summer of ’69 is a coming of age story inspired by the author’s own time in this iconic era. The drugs are abundant and the choices are less than noble, but the story will be appealing to readers of all ages. Since this is the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, some young readers may see articles and shows that talk about the events, yet this story will help them understand what was going through many young people’s minds in the months and weeks leading up to the festival. Strasser has based his characters and events on his own life and stories he heard from friends and this makes this book just a little bit more appealing.

The 60s: the decade of space travel, mindless wars, and the best music to ever pass through mankind’s ears (*cough* Creedence Clearwater Revival *cough*). The good, the bad, and the ugly. Through it all, one thing always remained with those who chose to live it: free love.

So, naturally, when I saw Todd Strasser’s novel, “Summer of ‘69” advertised on the Amazon shopping page I immediately added it to my cart, my GoodReads “Want to Read” list, and Net Galley request form. The anticipation for this read was excruciating, and when I finally got my hands on it you best believe that I DEVOURED it in one sitting. You better buckle up, folks, because this book is a wild ride.

The novel is simple enough to follow. Taking place during one summer of 1969, probably the most famous year of the decade, our story follows Lucas Baker. Lucas is your average, everyday seventeen-year-old “hippie” (as described by society, not me). His story, however, is anything but average. Told through Lucas’s point of view (as well as a third every once in a while, which I’ll explain more on later) and letters to and from his supporting characters, Strasser weaves a tale of pang and woe that comes with one’s journey through those uncomprehensible months just before life begins.

Okay, that’s all out of the way. Now I can finally spew EVERY LAST THOUGHT I"VE BEEN KEEPING INSIDE SINCE READING THIS BOOK. *Achem* Let’s begin, shall we?

In my opinion, the ensemble cast is what makes this book so enjoyable. For starters, our narrator feels completely genuine. I’ve seen others call Lucas out on his obnoxious habits, but I’m here to defend him. To me, his drug use, desperate heart, and anger is what makes him such a strong character. I’m just sick of seeing these washed-up, overused stereotypical charcters in literature. Lucas was such a refreshing divergence from that.

As for our side characters, I’m very pleased to be able to say that they were given the same treatment. Something I often see in books with such strong leads are much weaker side characters, which irks me beyond belief. “Summer of '69,” however, manages to create such a balance that Lucas can stand solo next to everyone else without smearing them off the page, and vice-versa.

Another thing I really enjoyed about Strasser’s novel was the atmosphere he created. As an avid reader, I’ve traveled to a lot of places: the Highlands of Scotland, World War II-era England, Narnia…the list goes on for quite a while. My point is that I read books to be transported to an entirely different world. I want to see what the characters see, smell the air they breathe, hear the sounds they hear, and so on. Strasser, it seems, is a complete master at this. Within only a couple dozen pages I felt I was standing in the middle of a war-riddled country in the end of the 60s.

Now, all of these great things the author provides isn’t always enough to create such a phenomenal book. When reading, I also want to feel something. Whether that be grief for the war-torn countries burying their people, lovers disagreeing, or just the fear that comes from being looked at on the street. I just need to have some emotion stirring inside of me. This book, as you might have guessed, did exactly that.
Of course, no book is without its faults. Fortunately for Lucas’s story, there aren’t too many. Really, the only things that bothered me were the point-of-view switching and one itsy, bitsy part of the ending (WHICH I CANNOT SPOIL, SO DON’T COME AT ME FOR LEAVING YOU HANGING). The point-of-view thing made sense later on, though, so it’s not too big of a deal (again, I cannot spoil anything).

So all in all, Todd Strasser’s novel, “Summer of '69,” was an emotionally evocative tale that, for those who were there, reminds us what those young years were all about, and, for us younger folks, gives us a glimpse into the lives we were never able to experience. For that, this novel is recieving a solid 4 out of 5 stars from me. Thanks, book. Now I can truly say I’ve experienced free love.

Okay I did not finish this because I didnt enjoy any of it. The whole premise sounded fantastic but I was so bored and wanted it to end and finally decided that I couldn't deal with it and put it down. I may come back to this at another time but for now I'm not.