Hello there!
A new week starts and this one is a very relaxed one for me, because after working the weekend, I'm only working today and tomorrow and then I'll have the rest of the week off! *dances*
I'm starting the week with a new Mark This Book Monday entry and this one is special, because it's the first book chosen for my new book club, The Readers Lounge, organized by the lovely Emma from Never Judge a Book by Its Cover!
I was concerned that the book wouldn't arrive in time to read it before the end of the month, because the post over here has been insanely slow and it's still recovering from a massive backlog over Xmas, but it arrived in time and then I read it at night in one sitting, so problem solved! ;)
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Since You've Been Gone was chosen as the first book of the book club I'm part of, the Reading Lounge and even if I wasn't entirely too sure if I'd like it. But luckily it was exactly what I needed to fight my blue mood & distract me of my insomnia! I didn't stop reading till nearly 6 am and I was finished with the book!
Emily is our main character and she's a very shy girl, used to having her best friend Sloane taking the lead in everything and dragging her out of her shell. Once Sloane seems to simply up and disappear without a trace, Emily is lost and a bit paralized without her. And then a list sent by Sloane appears and pushes Emily to get out of her shell, her comfort zone and to make friends and rely on herself.
I really enjoyed seeing Emily grow during the summer, finding herself in situations she wouldn't have been before (even less without Sloane next to her) and sometimes losing her nerve before compliting a task but always trying and finding that she's capable of more than she thought she would.
I loved that Emily's family is around, even if they're peculiar and are quite distracted for most of the summer, her parents are there and I simply loved their theater tradition and laid back but not lax attitude. Emily's brother was a riot with his daredevil ways!
I also really liked that we got the flashback moments to when Emily and Sloane met and their interactions and going out, because that way we could really get a sense of their friendship and how much it meant for Emily. I feel the book would have been incomplete without them, not as easy to relate to Emily's sense of loss.
This book managed to make me smile, laugh and giggle loads of times, not only there were fun and witty dialogs but some of the situations were simply hilarious! And the most fun were always those that involved Emily completing a task from the list.
Emily grows, find new friends, makes mistakes, learns from them and by the end of the summer she can stand on her own two feet, doesn't need Sloane to go out and interact with people and discover what she likes or not, but she still wants to find her friend. And once she does, that friendship is stronger for that.
I loved that friendship was such a central theme to this book and that the message for the most part about friendships and interactions was positive, without name calling or slut-shaming or any other pitfalls about female friendships that I abhor in books (and in society in general).
One of those contemporaries that makes me want to read more of them and well deserving of 4 stars!
View all my reviews
A new week starts and this one is a very relaxed one for me, because after working the weekend, I'm only working today and tomorrow and then I'll have the rest of the week off! *dances*
I'm starting the week with a new Mark This Book Monday entry and this one is special, because it's the first book chosen for my new book club, The Readers Lounge, organized by the lovely Emma from Never Judge a Book by Its Cover!
I was concerned that the book wouldn't arrive in time to read it before the end of the month, because the post over here has been insanely slow and it's still recovering from a massive backlog over Xmas, but it arrived in time and then I read it at night in one sitting, so problem solved! ;)
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan MatsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Since You've Been Gone was chosen as the first book of the book club I'm part of, the Reading Lounge and even if I wasn't entirely too sure if I'd like it. But luckily it was exactly what I needed to fight my blue mood & distract me of my insomnia! I didn't stop reading till nearly 6 am and I was finished with the book!
Emily is our main character and she's a very shy girl, used to having her best friend Sloane taking the lead in everything and dragging her out of her shell. Once Sloane seems to simply up and disappear without a trace, Emily is lost and a bit paralized without her. And then a list sent by Sloane appears and pushes Emily to get out of her shell, her comfort zone and to make friends and rely on herself.
I really enjoyed seeing Emily grow during the summer, finding herself in situations she wouldn't have been before (even less without Sloane next to her) and sometimes losing her nerve before compliting a task but always trying and finding that she's capable of more than she thought she would.
I loved that Emily's family is around, even if they're peculiar and are quite distracted for most of the summer, her parents are there and I simply loved their theater tradition and laid back but not lax attitude. Emily's brother was a riot with his daredevil ways!
I also really liked that we got the flashback moments to when Emily and Sloane met and their interactions and going out, because that way we could really get a sense of their friendship and how much it meant for Emily. I feel the book would have been incomplete without them, not as easy to relate to Emily's sense of loss.
This book managed to make me smile, laugh and giggle loads of times, not only there were fun and witty dialogs but some of the situations were simply hilarious! And the most fun were always those that involved Emily completing a task from the list.
Emily grows, find new friends, makes mistakes, learns from them and by the end of the summer she can stand on her own two feet, doesn't need Sloane to go out and interact with people and discover what she likes or not, but she still wants to find her friend. And once she does, that friendship is stronger for that.
I loved that friendship was such a central theme to this book and that the message for the most part about friendships and interactions was positive, without name calling or slut-shaming or any other pitfalls about female friendships that I abhor in books (and in society in general).
One of those contemporaries that makes me want to read more of them and well deserving of 4 stars!
View all my reviews
Yay for title arriving on time! I just received an Xmas gift that was mailed early December last week. LOL! Good ol' Canada Post. ;) I've never been part of a book club before, but a 4 star read is a pretty good start I'd say. Strong female friendships are a rare bird in fiction, especially ones that manage to avoid the bullying aspect entirely. Morgan Matson did GOOD!
ReplyDeleteCarmel @ Rabid Reads
I'm still awaiting a Xmas card I ordered to send to a friend (thankfully I found a replacement in my own collection, so this one will be for this next Xmas)!
DeleteThis female friendship was a positive one and I think that's what made the book for me!
"I loved that friendship was such a central theme to this book and that the message for the most part about friendships and interactions was positive, without name calling or slut-shaming or any other pitfalls about female friendships that I abhor in books (and in society in general)."
ReplyDeleteYES! I hate the way female friendships are so often portrayed - catty and full of name calling and jealousy, and while I get that happens for sure, in my experience it's not the norm. I have some wonderful girlfriends (many of whom I met blogging!), so it always makes me happy to see a really strong and positive friendship front and center:)
Exactly! I have a few really amazing friends and we've never had that catty or jealous relationship, I did have some less than healthy friends like that in high school but I simply let go of them after college, I cannot stand that kind of people in my life!
DeleteYes! This is the second review for this book that I've read today and it's aweeesome! I love your review, Pili >:D< I haven't read this book yet but I'm excited to explore it and see how it tackles friendship and finding oneself :)
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
I wasn't too sure about this one my self, but I really enjoyed it to my surprise, Faye! So I'd say give it a try!
DeleteI've seen this one around and sadly, I wasn't even tempted to read it, probably because it's contemporary, and well... you know me and contemporaries. However, you've totally made me reconsider. I'm not sure about those flashbacks since I generally don't like that kind of thing, but the rest sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, Maja! You know I'm usually very much like that when it comes to contemporaries! But this one surprised me in the best of ways!
DeleteYay for getting most of the week off from work :D That is awesome. <3 Hope you will have a great time away from it, hih :) Anyway. Amazing review Pili. <3 I'm glad you liked this book so much :) I don't think it would be for me, but it do look pretty cute. <3 thank you for sharing about it sweetie :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much sweetie! I'm hoping to read loads, relax and spend some time with friends!
DeleteI've had my eye on this one for a while it sounds like a great read! I love it when family is present - especially siblings. And I also am a big fan of flashbacks that allow you to see how they connected, you know. This really sounds like it would be my thing! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you need to give this one a try for sure then, Giselle!
DeleteI hope you enjoy your nice, extra-long weekend, and I hope you get the chance to do some fun stuff!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book, and I was also a bit skeptical before I read it, because it didn't sound like something I would normally like. But I thought it was so moving, and it was also just very cute, without being OVERLY cute.
I hope all of your book club picks go this well!
Thank you Stephanie! I'm really looking forward to it and disconnecting a bit from work! =D
DeleteI'm glad you had such a positive reaction to this book! Insomnia sucks butt, and you've been working hard nonetheless. Sounds like a winning contemporary novel!
ReplyDeleteAlyssa @ The Eater of Books!
One of those rare contemporaries that really worked for me, Alyssa!
DeleteYA contemporary isn't really my thing, but every once in a while I'll get a wild hair and read one. Second Chance Summer was one of those types of reads, and I LOVED it. I LOVED it even though I typically hate that kind of book, and for the life of me I can't figure out what compelled me to read it in the first place. Whatever. I'm glad I did. I liked it so much that I pre-ordered this one when I found out Matson was (finally) having another book published.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I haven't gotten another wild hair since then. *snickers* BUT I've got it on my shelf for the next time the mood strikes ;) Great review, Pili! Glad you loved it.
I must say that I agree with you, this is not what I'd call my kind of book at all, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, so the author must be doing something right for us! I hope you'll get to read and like this one too, Jessica!
DeleteI've heard so many good things about this book that I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to know about the friendship! Thanks for your review, Pili!
It's a great book about friendships the most! I do hope you'll give it a try, Lis!
Delete