The Edge of Summer drops readers into the world of Coriander (“Cor”) Cabot. She is a teenage girl, almost 18, who is coping with the recent and tragic loss of her best friend, Ella. In an effort to feel closer to her friend, Cor tries to complete the list of things they created to complete before college, at the top of which is becoming an intern at a marine biology institute in Cape Cod. The most impressive and surprising part of this book was the main character’s niche interest in whale conservation. Her passion and concern for these animals shines through in every page; in the process, the book brings awareness to various ways in which humans are causing harm to marine life. One issue with this book is that at times, it is hard to sympathize with the main character. It feels as if she does not learn from her previous mistakes and is constantly destroying her relationships. This serves as a harsh and somewhat confusing juxtaposition to the main character’s love interest, who is described as perfect in almost every way– he was handsome, tall, caring, good with kids, a courageous lifeguard, a great chef, and all-together talented at anything he put his mind to. Still, this book is well worth the read– it is a great book that temporarily transports readers to summer in a beach town; at the same time, it is a meaningful story about a girl who learns to grapple with loss by exploring new relationships and responsibilities.