The Summer of Bitter and Sweet audiobook

4.5 stars Jennifer Ferguson’s complex, detailed and powerfully evocative debut is a deeply moving and poignant story that explores the topics of inter-generational suffering, colonialism, racism, sexism, and physical violence that BIPOC and indigenous people face daily basis. It’s a magnificently eye-opening (and honest) story full of rage, secrets and the bitter sting of injustice. But, it’s also full self acceptance, of exploring friendship dynamics (the good and bad) and embracing your community, there’s sweetness too,in the love, hope and support that sufffuses Lou’s journey every step of the way. In the summer before she sets of for University, Lou spends her days working in her family’s ice cream shack with her ex boyfriend (who she never felt any desire for) and her former best friend, King, who has returned to their Canadian prairie town three years after leaving without a word. Despite the awkwardness of this situation, it’s the letter from her biological father—the man who has spent the entirety of her life behind bars—that sends her reeling and she knows she cannot meet him no matter how much he insists. King’s friendship makes her feel safer and warmer than she’s ever felt before (more than she though possible) but when her biological father puts her family’s home and business under threat she knows she cannot ignore him forever…Though it deals with some hard hitting topics such as rape, institutional racism, sexism and violence I think this is an absolutely perfect summer read, that I know will resonate with readers just as much as it has resonated with me. Lou was an absolutely compelling and multi-faceted character whose struggles with her identity (both in terms of her heritage and her sexual identity) were well crafted and really brought her to life. I was soo emotionally invested in Lou, and found myself hearbroken and angry on her behalf soo many times, her mother’s horrific ordeal and the experiences of so many indigenous characters really brought to light just how threatening life can be for native women. Ferguson does an incredible job highlighting the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis currently being faced across Canada and the United States, and seeing soo many characters discussing it and taking action to protect one another was incredibly empowering to behold. I loved almost all of the characters (except for Wyatt, Doyle & Lou’s Bio father who I absolutely despised) and felt they were all really compelling and full of dimension, but I definitely had a soft spot for Tyler and Cami. King was also a really interesting character and I enjoyed just how patient and understanding he was with Lou—I also loved to see a healthier, positive friendship relationship to counter the toxicity surrounding Lou’s ex, Wyatt. I also loved the sheer breadth of diversity with Indigenous, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ / Ace and mental health rep that I felt was really sensitively and respectfully handled, I will definitely be reading more of her books in future. Overall, this is a powerfully resonant, relevant and utterly compelling novel that lovers of Contemporary YA should definitely check out! Also, a huge thank you to Harper360YA for this gorgeous proof.

(CW: SA, sexual coercion, racism, hate-crimes, micro-aggressions, strong police presence). I LOVED this book so much!!! The title promises you exactly what you'll be experiencing when you read this book. There is a perfect balance of utterly disdainful shit in here, and heart-warming moments to get you through the rest of the way. I have read some critiques of this book, specifically about Lou's asexuality, & I wanted to go into a bit of spoiler territory for this next bit, so read the rest with caution. Equating sexual trauma to asexuality is absolutely problematic in any sense, one does not result in the other (it CAN, but the overall public representation of Asexuality should not be that it stems from sexual trauma, as it is its own valid identity free of any sort of requirements of trauma).That being said, is there a line we draw when it comes to authors being able to portray fictional characters as having trauma AND sexual identities that can overlap with each other? And, if so, where do we draw it?I saw a few people took a deep issue with Lou grappling with the way she was concieved being directly tied to her lack of sexual attraction. While I agree that it can be harmful to portray asexuality, or any sexuality in this form, I think that it is also an important conversation to include people who may involve their trauma with their experience of their sexuality. I think the purpose of this plot-narrative was to bring represemtation towards folks who have experienced trauma, and who have equated that with other areas in their lives, such as sexuality. The character of King was, for the purpose of the plot, there to make Lou realize that her lack of attraction was not a direct result of her mothers' SA, & she wasn't inherently broken because of it, and that asexuality is a real & valid thing to experience, for loads of people with & without trauma. I think the way in which we talk about certain subjects can make or break how our points are perceived to the public, however I think that the language in & around this book is subjected towards healing, embracing, self-identity, & I think by the end it very much achieved a sense of overall self-acceptance. So the point made regarding harm towards the asexual community because of this book; I can see where the argument was made & where it comes from, however I think that it is equally important to save space for depictions of trauma, & in turn the complexities of relationships between our trauma & our sense of self, as they do very much coincide for the vast majority of us. Of course this includes sexuality as a soul-searching questioning concept as well. I feel that this book had a very important conversation to start, & I look forward to reading more complex-natured stores such as this one!I also fucking hated that her scummy loser ex got a kind-of sort-of semi redemption at the end when he absolutely DOES NOT deserve one, by way of admitting he actually did coerce Lou into actions she didn’t want to partake in, & that’s it, the bar is this low that men can just admit they sucked & somehow we’re all like “alrighty then!” She treats him way better than he deserves for the sake of her own emotional peace, when it doesn’t even add to her peace of mind anyway, there was just no reason not to write this character out completely near the end as a complete asshole we all don’t speak to anymore. But nope, guess he’s just gonna hang around cuz he’s a loveable doofus now! Aw shucks! (He literally went from insufferable subtlety-racist jackass to (trying too hard to be) lovable oblivious goofball who can’t comprehend the way his actions effect others. I just, the way we use incompetence to excuse men time & time again in media is honestly exhausting. It’s such a good thing he didn’t appear as much as he definitely could have in regards to the plot. Phew!

In her debut book, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson takes a stand to tell a story about a Metís girl, Lou.Lou is starting to have a complicated summer. First of all, she will be working in an ice cream shop with her ex- boyfriend. She never felt comfortable kissing him and she doesn’t know why. On top of that, her former best friend King will also be working in the ice cream shop as well.But her summer is turned into further mess when she hears from her biological father- a man she never hoped to meet and hoped he’d stay behind bars forever.This is Lou’s story about how she managed complicated friendships and relationships, and how she started questioning her sexuality in order to find out who she is and what she wants.This book is PERFECT for summer! Reason? Ice cream shop.Not only just the ice cream shop, the vibe of this book screams summer. Hanging out with friends, being on a farm, descriptions of Canadian prairies, everything will remind you summer.The author’s note was heart-touching when she said she has never read a Metís woman, so she wrote one. And honestly, she nailed it.This is not your typical feel-good light YA book. This book is quite heavy. It deals with a lot and I think it dealt with everything well. I felt how vulnerable Lou felt inside but she tried so hard to be strong. At times, she was terrified but she faced everything with a brave face making her one of the most commendable protagonists I’ve ever read about.Overall, this is a very strong debut book. Also an important one. Can’t recommend this book enough.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada Frenzy for sending me this advanced reader copy!This was a really good read. It was tough at times, full of both sadness and joy, hardships and happy moments, and a plot that had me hooked instantly. CW: references and discussions surrounding rape, assault, racism, colonization, hate crime, alcohol consumption, arson, drug use, discussions surrounding mental health and medication, physical abuse, toxic relationship, bullying, cursing, racial slurs, sexual assault, sexual violence, grief, stalking, fire/Fire injury, gaslighting, abandonment This book has a good introduction that speaks to the tough subjects, trying to make sure that the readers stay safe. Lou was an interesting character, she's been through a lot and goes through a lot in this book. Lou learns a lot about her sexuality throughout this book, and throughout she realizes she's asexual. This book really hinges on Lou and the relationships she has with the other characters. She felt very real, struggling with money, coming out of a toxic relationship, missing her mother, the issues she's dealing with just felt so grounded. She experiences a lot of racism, as do other Indigenous characters within. King was a very interesting character, I loved him a lot. Smaller Canadian towns can be dangerous to young Black men, racism is very alive and rampant within Canada, I liked that he moved to Toronto and got to be around other Black teens. Toronto may have its faults, but in this case I'm just so happy that King had that experience. I liked the relationship he had with Lou, I really enjoyed their conversation on sexuality.Florence was a tricky character, I struggle with the absent/bad friend trope within YA, I really dislike it tbh. Both Florence and King are bisexual, and I struggled with the rep within, as at times it felt that Flo was leaning into the promiscuous bisexual trope, which is a tough one. But I will look to 2SLGBTQIAP+ reviewers for their thoughts on the bisexuality representation. I liked the family dynamics portrayed here, I think they were interesting. Lou's mother and uncles all had their own lives, and they were interesting through and through. The plot was really well done, very intricate and interconnected, which can be tough to execute. But everything flowed together well, and I really enjoyed it. Lou's father was terrifying in all honesty, and the plot surrounding him was tough to read at times but very well done. I loved the ice cream shop and the happy and bright plots surrounding that. The writing was exceptional, I was hooked instantly and couldn't put it down. The world within was so familiar, and I loved it. Ferguson is definitely an author I want to keep my eye on, this was a phenomenal debut. Overall I really enjoyed this, it's tough at times but very well done, with an interesting story within. Please check the content warnings within, as it's tough at times.

I received a copy via the publisher for an interview with the author. This did not affect my rating in any way!Ferguson hits us with a few emotional punches in this book, so I suggest you go ahead and read the trigger warnings she includes at the very beginning of her book!I really enjoyed this one, even though I was constantly hoping for the MC, Lou, to do the right thing every time she faced a new situation. One of my favourite things that Ferguson mentioned in her interview was how every person who asked her about Lou's choices and experiences at the age of eighteen was an adult. I would love to be able to ask a younger reader who's read this book what takeaways they might have gotten from reading about Lou's tumultuous and traumatizing summer.I absolutely loved how diverse this book was regarding sexuality and race, despite the stifling atmosphere that the story is set in. I loved seeing that as a bit of hope in such a corrupt and racist place. I especially thought it was important to see that this is set in a Canadian small town. Lou's journey to finding her identity was one that I think many will relate to. My favourite moment of her self-discovery is when she finally thinks that there isn't anything wrong with her. That was an especially powerful moment. I loved that ice cream was the sweetness of this book, alongside first love and self-discovery. I also appreciated the exploration of being a mixed teenager living in a world that could potentially treat you differently based on the race you choose to identify as. It resonated with me because it took me years to face my internalized racism. If you want more Indigenous and LGBTQ+ stories for the YA audience (and older--there is no age limit!), then I highly recommend you check this one out. I will repeat my warning from the beginning of this review and highly recommend that you check out the Trigger Warnings!Happy reading!

I received an ARC from Edelweiss TW: mentioned violent sexual assault, mentioned domestic abuse, violent hate crime, arson, mentioned addiction, sexual coercion, internalized racism & intentional white-passing, themes of racism and colonization3.8This is Lou's last summer serving ice cream, the last span of time before she leaves her family and her town, and has to discover life outside it. But it's a summer of change even before it's time to leave- because this summer she finally says no once and for all to the boyfriend she never even wanted to kiss, this summer and old friend and maybe love finds his way home, and, this summer she gets news that fills her with dread. Her biological father, her mother's rapist, is out of jail- and finding ways to sneak her messages and threats. With her m0ther gone for the summer and her uncles hiding things, Lou has never felt closer to falling apart.I think this book is a powerful one, and one that will mean a lot to people whose experiences are reflected here. This is a book filled with Indigenous life and prejudice against them, it's a book about shame and guilt, for what's within your control and what isn't. And for anyone this book begins to resonate with, I think they'll find a real experience here.I appreciate the rare representation here, as well as the heavy and important topics. There still aren't many books with Indigenous main characters, or main characters who identify on the a-spectrum. Seeing a demi girl grapple with her identity and figure out what it is and learn to accept and embrace herself is a new experience, and one I'm sure many people will see themselves in, and I can see helping other aspec people along in their journey.There's also good tension in this book. The looming threat of Peter England colors the page, as does the racial tensions and the never quite forgotten attitude of the new ex, but there's also good tension. The dynamic between Lou and King is nicely done. They feel like former friends but they also work almost immediately in a romantic situation, and Lou's actions always make sense, even if they don't play into what we as the reader want.But I had issues getting into this book. It was hard to connect, personally, and because this book wound up being a lot heavier than expected I wasn't prepared and in the right headspace that might have let me be closer to really enjoying this book. Instead I had to push myself through this.I also wish the characters had more dimension. Everyone but Lou felt painted with a very broad brush, and never quite turned into a fully fleshed person.

TRIGGER WARNING: rape, hate crimes, racism, crimes against indigenous peoples, violence towards indigenous women, stalkingOh my goodness, where to begin? This book was in equal parts phenomenal and heavy. The audience joins Lou, a Métis girl living in Canada, on that vital last summer before college. She's working with her best friend, Florence, her childhood friend who vanished 3 years ago, King, and her recent ex, Wyatt, at her uncle's ice cream shop when she is contacted by her recently released from prison birth father. From there the summer dissolves into secrets and anxiety, only to be salvaged when everyone is honest and open about what is going on. Stunning writing, but would recommend having a fluffy read lined up to decompress after.

The Summer of Bitter and Sweetby Jen FergusonHarperCollins Children's Books, HeartdrumPub date: May 10That fabulous cover drew me to Jen Ferguson's debut novel, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, unlike any book I've read before. The MC Lou is a Métis Native who lives a harsh, difficult, and confusing existence on a Canadian prairie. She helps her family survive as they run a financially shaky ice cream shack. Her mother, a bead artist, quits her low-paying traumatic job to go on the road selling her wares. And Lou's best friend soon leaves to explore dreams elsewhere, while her ex-best friend unexpectedly returns. As the title says, there are both bitter and sweetness in the gripping story, told through fully-fleshed emotionally real characters. An impressive debut!CW: Rape and partner abuse. This novel is released under HarperCollins' Heartdrum imprint -- which features intertribal voices, visions, and stories on Indian Country and the strength of young Native heroes -- in partnership with We Need Diverse Books.Thanks to author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.#TheSummerofBitterandSweet#JenFerguson #Heartdrum #NetGalley #ownvoicesfiction #CanadianMetisNovel#comingofagefiction #diversityinfiction#bookstagramcommunity

A wonderful debut YA novel featuring Lou, a demi/asexual Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies. Ferguson masterfully balances the light with the dark as Lou struggles with generational trauma, family secrets and her sexuality over a summer working with her friends at the family creamery. I really loved the care the author put into the content warning note at both the beginning and end of the book not to mention the AMAZING queer and BIPOC rep in the main characters. The story doesn't shy away from talking about violence against Indigenous women as well as sexual assault, rape and incidents of racism. Sprinkled throughout, however, are lighter notes at the beginning of each chapter about interesting ice cream flavors and color facts which I enjoyed so much and found helped break up the heavier tones of the story.Great on audio narrated by Julie Lumsden and highly recommended for fans of The fire-keepers daughter by Angeline Boulley. I can't wait to see what's next by this author and am really excited for Heartdrum, the new HarperCollins imprint focused on Indigenous stories and authors.

More of a 4.5, but it deserves the round up.Thank you so much to Epic Reads and Harper Collins for the finished copy of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet! This book deserves so much recognition. Jen's writing is phenomenal, the dialogue is perfect, and the characterization is some of the best. I think I would read anything Jen writes if its all like this.The Summer of Bitter and Sweet isn't easy to read. The story hits hard. Jen doesn't shy away, but she also includes a very nice trigger warning list right before the story starts (I fell in love with Jen right there. She comes across as someone kind and so caring). The world needs more Lous and Kings. Flawed humans who are working so hard to be the best versions of themselves for those they love.

A beautifully written coming of age story that's perfectly titled for its blend of sweet, bitter, and everything in between. Ferguson's prose is deeply lyrical with a distinct rhythm to its repeats and cycles, as she depicts a teen girl's pivotal summer before leaving the land, the family, and the friends she loves to start college. The story contains a lot of hardship, both external and internal, as Lou confronts racism, brutal abuse, threats from her newly-released-from-prison genetic father, generational trauma, and sexual coercion from her boyfriend. She also sells ice cream, builds deep friendships, talks to cows, reads paleontology websites, has a joyous date on the edge of a field of bison, and finds new ways of defining her relationship to love, her heritage, and her sense of truth. It's a lot, but Ferguson blends it all brilliantly, creating a realistic portrait of a girl who's only just beginning to figure it all out. She also weaves in thematic meditations on various spectra, from red to violet, from hard to soft, from past to future, from clear wanting to not-so-clear withdrawal. Full of vivid imagery and memorable characters, I hope this one finds its way to lots of teen readers, especially those struggling to embrace the parts of themselves society doesn't always deem acceptable, the parts the world doesn't always have words for, and sometimes, the parts the world has too many words for. Those teens will find themselves in this book, told through words that never sugar coat or pander or condescend. Stick around for the note from the author at the end as well. You won't escape this one without a few Big Feels, and without learning a few things. Maybe about Canadian culture and history, particularly in relationship to Indigenous life on the prairies. Maybe about the stories we tell and how or why we tell them. Maybe about ice cream. One way or another, this book leaves its mark on the heart, and isn't that what we always hope a good book will do?

This was the first time I read alongside the audiobook and I highly recommend that because as I was crying and my vision got blurry I still had the audio to listen to. This book was intense. There were a lot of heavy topics being discussed but also a lot of sweet moments which balanced out some of the bitter ones.Please check the content and trigger warnings before reading this book. Some include racism, discussions around rape, toxic relationships, assault and hate crime, gaslighting and sexual violence.I really enjoyed getting to know Lou’s family and the found family aspects within this story made me happy. We get to see Lou and her coming to self discovery with herself and her identities. This book is raw and intense but also has softer moments within to create the sweetness in the title. Lou’s friends were supportive yet each had their own issues to get through and I wish more spotlight was on them only to flush them out more and get to know them better. I absolutely loved King. I definitely recommend checking Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ reviewers for the representation being discussed. Thank you Harper Collins Canada Frenzy for the ARC and for hosting this lovely read-along.

I love seeing a story set here in Alberta, and even more so with some ace representation. It brought me back to living in a res, and felt like, while feeling somewhat simple in its story, well executed in conveying some pretty complex issues, on top of a grounded story about a girl coming into her own, feeling othered, and dealing with her families demons coming home to roost. The ace rep is the type of inclusion that pops up organically, based on the situations she’s in, and not a book capital a about that, and a crash course on it. Which I liked. It would have probably felt awkward otherwise, in this kind of story.

Thank you so much to HCC frenzy for an arc of this book!!I loved reading a book set in the prairies, I'm from the East Coast but the setting felt so real and evocative. It did take me a few chapters to get into the writing style but I was hooked after that and read the book in one sitting!I did feel that some of the side characters could have been more fleshed out, and the 'villain' felt quite cartoonish. However, Lou made it for it with her strong character growth and believable journey.So much important representation in here as well! Really glad I read this

Can I rate this six stars? This book is what the world needs to read. I would say the best part is the author’s note, when everything is put together and with her perspective. The author wants to empower people, and I’m so happy I happened to pick up this book.

This is a beautiful, complex, and heartfelt story, and it was such a treat to get to know these characters. My thoughts on this book are in this wrap up video.

Love the fact that the author decided to write the book they wished they had read when they were younger. Honestly same!