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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
I Love this book. One of my favorites. Read multiple times
I got this book at the local library. Honestly, I read the cover and wasn't interested, based on that. I looked around at everything else, and then came back to the book. I don't know why, but something made me pick up this book that day. And I can honestly say I'm happy I did.
In the book, Sam and Riddle made Emily's world sharper. I feel like the same thing has happened to me, reading the book. Sam and Riddle live a sad life, and things change for Emily when they show up. But Emily changes their lives too.
I could feel the empathy described by Emily that Sam had through each word that was told in his point of view. In Riddle's, it was innocent but the emotions he felt were raw and overpowering.
I'm not going to spoil the book, but it made me yell at the characters. Usually, when this happens, it means the book is absolutely amazing. If you pick this book up, and the cover doesn't interest you, get it anyway. You will not regret reading it.
In the book, Sam and Riddle made Emily's world sharper. I feel like the same thing has happened to me, reading the book. Sam and Riddle live a sad life, and things change for Emily when they show up. But Emily changes their lives too.
I could feel the empathy described by Emily that Sam had through each word that was told in his point of view. In Riddle's, it was innocent but the emotions he felt were raw and overpowering.
I'm not going to spoil the book, but it made me yell at the characters. Usually, when this happens, it means the book is absolutely amazing. If you pick this book up, and the cover doesn't interest you, get it anyway. You will not regret reading it.
After hearing about this book at a conference, I knew I wanted to read it and share it with my students.
The characters in this story were great. I was on Sam and Riddle's team/side since the beginning of the book because I felt so bad for them. I know there are kids that are out there in the world that are living with a family member that is struggling with a mental disorder and it just breaks my heart. I'm glad that Sam and Riddle met Emily and her family because I really felt like they saved them in the end. And Bobby, what comes around, goes around. The kid was a idiot but hey, I think he was realistically portrayed in the story.
I liked the story a lot but it took me a long time to get through. Parts of the story were kind of slow and I just wanted things to hurry up a little bit to get to know what happened. The story line kind of reminded me a little of the movies Pay it forward and the Blind Side.
The characters in this story were great. I was on Sam and Riddle's team/side since the beginning of the book because I felt so bad for them. I know there are kids that are out there in the world that are living with a family member that is struggling with a mental disorder and it just breaks my heart. I'm glad that Sam and Riddle met Emily and her family because I really felt like they saved them in the end. And Bobby, what comes around, goes around. The kid was a idiot but hey, I think he was realistically portrayed in the story.
I liked the story a lot but it took me a long time to get through. Parts of the story were kind of slow and I just wanted things to hurry up a little bit to get to know what happened. The story line kind of reminded me a little of the movies Pay it forward and the Blind Side.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Couldn't put it down, read in a day. Loved the multiple viewpoints and story, good drama and nicely written. Felt sorry for Bobby in the end though!
When one describes a novel as being “magical,” we often think of lyricism, of rhythm and beautiful descriptions. But Holly Goldberg Sloan’s debut novel, I’LL BE THERE, is magical in quite a different way. A story of how the little things add up to the big things, I’LL BE THERE takes extraordinary characters and ordinary moments and weaves them together into a suspenseful and unforgettable story, one of the most unique books I’ve read in 2011.
I want a Sam in my life. He is undoubtedly an extraordinary boy—model-worthy looks, raw musical talent, swooningly romantic—but made sympathetic and real by all the hardships he has had to endure. Unlike other beautiful and talented love interests in YA fiction, Sam does not seek the spotlight, which endears him all the more to us. His lack of awareness of his own specialness is his best trait.
I’LL BE THERE is told from multiple points of view, covering everyone from Emily, the girl who draws Sam and Riddle out of their shells, to Riddle, smart and determined and existing in a bubble of lack of oxygen, to the various adults who come in and out of these two boys’ lives. This is a technique we don’t see often in YA, and yet I think works exceptionally well at riveting our eyes to the page especially during the later, most suspenseful moments of the book, when I literally couldn’t put the last 250 or so pages down.
There is nothing flashy about Holly Goldberg Sloan’s writing: instead, the magic of the writing and story comes from the characters and predicaments themselves. Don’t expect to find a regular ole contemporary story of trial and triumph in these pages: I’LL BE THERE contains truly enviable story craftsmanship, and is a unique, and uniquely told, story that you will find difficult to not read in one sitting. Magical, indeed.
I want a Sam in my life. He is undoubtedly an extraordinary boy—model-worthy looks, raw musical talent, swooningly romantic—but made sympathetic and real by all the hardships he has had to endure. Unlike other beautiful and talented love interests in YA fiction, Sam does not seek the spotlight, which endears him all the more to us. His lack of awareness of his own specialness is his best trait.
I’LL BE THERE is told from multiple points of view, covering everyone from Emily, the girl who draws Sam and Riddle out of their shells, to Riddle, smart and determined and existing in a bubble of lack of oxygen, to the various adults who come in and out of these two boys’ lives. This is a technique we don’t see often in YA, and yet I think works exceptionally well at riveting our eyes to the page especially during the later, most suspenseful moments of the book, when I literally couldn’t put the last 250 or so pages down.
There is nothing flashy about Holly Goldberg Sloan’s writing: instead, the magic of the writing and story comes from the characters and predicaments themselves. Don’t expect to find a regular ole contemporary story of trial and triumph in these pages: I’LL BE THERE contains truly enviable story craftsmanship, and is a unique, and uniquely told, story that you will find difficult to not read in one sitting. Magical, indeed.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No