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jessiesreadingjourney's review
4.0
I love Colasanti's writing! I really liked this book like all her other books but I feel like the ending wasn't quite satisfying, I wish the story would have continued for a few more chapters. Overall though I did enjoy the book and liked all of the characters!
jedaiaries's review
4.0
Brooke Greene follows her crush Scott Abrams to New York when she learned that Scott's going to transfer. I guess I have to give a point to her guts. I mean, that was pretty daring of her to actually move from her school and leave her friends and mother to be with her crush. But, I also thought it was quite stupid and unnecessary. I mean, in reality, that would be plain dumb for you to do such big things because of a damn crush towards a person.
The book is a Susane Colasanti book so I really love it and I loved this book solely because of John Dalton. I wish he was real. Eventhough he was academically challenged because of a kind of sickness, he's very determined, nice, honest, open, talkative, among others. He really has a goal and I love it. He's refreshing and one could appreciate his whole being, flaws included.
John was a major factor that influenced Brooke to changed her way of thinking and lifestyle. You see, Brooke is a genius but she slacks off at school because of some radical reasons. At the start, she didn't even have a goal in her life. John made a lot of difference with her because he was able to help her realize her potential, capacities and her wants.
The book is a Susane Colasanti book so I really love it and I loved this book solely because of John Dalton. I wish he was real. Eventhough he was academically challenged because of a kind of sickness, he's very determined, nice, honest, open, talkative, among others. He really has a goal and I love it. He's refreshing and one could appreciate his whole being, flaws included.
John was a major factor that influenced Brooke to changed her way of thinking and lifestyle. You see, Brooke is a genius but she slacks off at school because of some radical reasons. At the start, she didn't even have a goal in her life. John made a lot of difference with her because he was able to help her realize her potential, capacities and her wants.
halie_liles's review
5.0
This book is really among the best in my opinion. In some parts of the book I felt as though Colasanti came in and gave her own words of wisdom through her character Brooke. I was really inspired by the things she said and was able to relate to certain parts in the book. I would recommend this book to young adult readers looking for a good read.
skck09's review
5.0
I am always so pleasantly surprised when I read a Susane Colasanti novel. It's almost like I forget how good her books really are until I'm reading one of them. This book was one of my favorites by her.
Brooke has just been going through the motions in life. She hates school, so she refuses to do her school work even though she is a genius,she doesn't get along with her mother, and she is in love with a boy who has no idea she exists. All of that changes when she finds out Scott, the boy Brooke thinks she is meant to be with, moves to NYC.
When Brooke moves in with her dad, who lives in NYC, in order to follow Scott, it is as beautiful as she expected, but the relationships she expected to have with Scott and her dad are not what she expected. Luckilly, she meets a great friend Sadie who gets her to sign up for a tutoring program where she meets an awesome boy named John who shows her how to look at the world from a different perspective. Only then, when she realizes that life is beautiful, does Brooke start to turn her life around, and attempt to make a difference in the world.
This book really makes you feel like you can make a difference in the world. I also really connected to this book because I saw a lot of myself in Brooke. I definately recommend you read this book if you are a fan of teen romance in any way.
Brooke has just been going through the motions in life. She hates school, so she refuses to do her school work even though she is a genius,she doesn't get along with her mother, and she is in love with a boy who has no idea she exists. All of that changes when she finds out Scott, the boy Brooke thinks she is meant to be with, moves to NYC.
When Brooke moves in with her dad, who lives in NYC, in order to follow Scott, it is as beautiful as she expected, but the relationships she expected to have with Scott and her dad are not what she expected. Luckilly, she meets a great friend Sadie who gets her to sign up for a tutoring program where she meets an awesome boy named John who shows her how to look at the world from a different perspective. Only then, when she realizes that life is beautiful, does Brooke start to turn her life around, and attempt to make a difference in the world.
This book really makes you feel like you can make a difference in the world. I also really connected to this book because I saw a lot of myself in Brooke. I definately recommend you read this book if you are a fan of teen romance in any way.
pageturning578's review
4.0
This review is probably going to be a mess because I need to get my thoughts straight. To say that I am happy with the ending of this book would be an understatement. I have never once cheered for a main character to not get something that he or she wants and I am thrilled that Susane Colassanti was realistic with how Brooke's relationship with her friends but most importantly the boys turned out. The lesson in this book is so important and I am truly jealous of the teenage girl community that has author's like Susane and Sarah Dessen because the lessons in their books are for the most part realistic with how relationships in real life turn out. Take it from me I am not a character in a story and I learned the hard way that the boy I had a crush on since middle school is not going to be the person I marry. All girls are young and naive and need to learn this lesson on their own but it is truly a life changing lesson!
I started reading this book mainly because I thought that the main character Brooke was extremely childish for following her long time crush to new york because she "knew they belonged together" (gag me now) and then i remembered how I was in high school with not only 1 but 2 boys whom I would have done anything to be with. And I decided to read it to see not only what would happen but to see what kind of message the author was sending to young readers. For more than half of the book I was annoyed with Brooke for being obsessive. I even told my mom that I thought that I had out grown teenage literature. Her response was simple "well your not a teenager anymore". But I kept reading because sometimes I feel like books pick me to read them instead of me picking the book to read. And I was pleasantly surprised with the last hundred pages because they covered a topic that almost all high school seniors and college students face "finding the right college", and being faced with "deciding what your going to do for the rest of your life" EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOPICS!!!!!!!
I feel as though this author has created a new form of literature because college related subjects are not exactly teenage literature today. There is a new stage in developmental psychology called Emerging Adulthood ages 18-25 years of age. She is onto something and i am excited about it because I love watching authors grow along with their stories! I also that that there should be a sequel because I would love to see what colleges Brooke and John got accepted to, if they are still together, if sadie and carols stay together, and so much more!!! (she could totally write another book about these characters)
I started reading this book mainly because I thought that the main character Brooke was extremely childish for following her long time crush to new york because she "knew they belonged together" (gag me now) and then i remembered how I was in high school with not only 1 but 2 boys whom I would have done anything to be with. And I decided to read it to see not only what would happen but to see what kind of message the author was sending to young readers. For more than half of the book I was annoyed with Brooke for being obsessive. I even told my mom that I thought that I had out grown teenage literature. Her response was simple "well your not a teenager anymore". But I kept reading because sometimes I feel like books pick me to read them instead of me picking the book to read. And I was pleasantly surprised with the last hundred pages because they covered a topic that almost all high school seniors and college students face "finding the right college", and being faced with "deciding what your going to do for the rest of your life" EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOPICS!!!!!!!
I feel as though this author has created a new form of literature because college related subjects are not exactly teenage literature today. There is a new stage in developmental psychology called Emerging Adulthood ages 18-25 years of age. She is onto something and i am excited about it because I love watching authors grow along with their stories! I also that that there should be a sequel because I would love to see what colleges Brooke and John got accepted to, if they are still together, if sadie and carols stay together, and so much more!!! (she could totally write another book about these characters)
btwnprintedpgs's review
3.0
When I saw that Colasanti had another book, my gosh, I was excited. I loved her other books, so when I finally got my hands on ‘So Much Closer’, I was ecstatic.
The book is about Brooke. Her parents were divorced and she was living with her mother in New Jersey while her dad was living in New York. Scott, a boy from school, is her world. She is crushing hard, and would do anything for him, even though she knew that he probably didn’t even know her name. However, right before she confesses to Scott, he tells her that he’s moving to New York. Shocked and appalled, she decides to move to New York and live her father, who was the reason for her parents’ divorce. Forced to overcome this barrier between her and her father, she begins to discover who she is and who her real friends are. As she journeys through New York, she meets Sadie and John, who become a large part of her life by accident.
I’m sorry. As much as I anticipated this book, I didn’t like it. Yes, it was very well written, as are all of Colasanti’s books. However, I found it quite silly to pick up your life and move to a new city FOR A GUY. Also, she’s supposedly a reluctant genius, however, that seemed to only apply to school work and not common sense… It was a good book, don’t get me wrong. I have to say, though, the second half was definitely better than the first.
I’m disappointed, and yet I’m not. I mean, her writing has gotten better, however, the story line was lacking. Overall, it wasn’t her best book, but it could’ve been worse.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.61/5
-review by Between Printed Pages
The book is about Brooke. Her parents were divorced and she was living with her mother in New Jersey while her dad was living in New York. Scott, a boy from school, is her world. She is crushing hard, and would do anything for him, even though she knew that he probably didn’t even know her name. However, right before she confesses to Scott, he tells her that he’s moving to New York. Shocked and appalled, she decides to move to New York and live her father, who was the reason for her parents’ divorce. Forced to overcome this barrier between her and her father, she begins to discover who she is and who her real friends are. As she journeys through New York, she meets Sadie and John, who become a large part of her life by accident.
I’m sorry. As much as I anticipated this book, I didn’t like it. Yes, it was very well written, as are all of Colasanti’s books. However, I found it quite silly to pick up your life and move to a new city FOR A GUY. Also, she’s supposedly a reluctant genius, however, that seemed to only apply to school work and not common sense… It was a good book, don’t get me wrong. I have to say, though, the second half was definitely better than the first.
I’m disappointed, and yet I’m not. I mean, her writing has gotten better, however, the story line was lacking. Overall, it wasn’t her best book, but it could’ve been worse.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.61/5
-review by Between Printed Pages
phantomofthelibrary's review
1.0
I can honestly say that I was disappointed by this story. I went into it knowing that it would probably be very cliche, and I wasn't wrong about that. However, I feel like the story could have been polished more. I also didn't connect with the main character at all. I found her to be very whiney at times and she didn't seem to connect well with other characters. I was also disappointed by the ending of the story. It went the way I expected it to but still somehow ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. I understand that real life doesn't have a happy ending where everything has been resolved but the ending of this book left a bad taste in my mouth.
danibene's review
3.0
I've read all of Susane Colasanti's books, and no matter what issues I have with any of them, they always provide a fun reading experience. However, before reading this one, I was not entirely sure I'd even enjoy it. The premise is just so creepy, and because I knew Brooke would be narrating I was a bit alarmed that I would have to read about her seeing nothing wrong with following this guy to New York City. Despite the creepy, though, I still enjoyed the novel, but mainly for a few supporting characters and how light and breezy a read it is.
I have to devote a while to the whole creep factor in this book. Following someone to a new city is just inherently shady, but because Brooke only spoke to Scott, like, twice before moving, it's even worse. I mean, if they were friends before maybe I would be more on board with this idea, or at least I'd understand why she was so obsessed with him. I was not buying that she just "knew" they were destined to be together. I'm even confused that she would just think this, since she's supposed to be a genius of sorts. Their relationship, or lack thereof, in the beginning is based on absolutely nothing. I never even understood Scott's appeal once the pair finally began to get to know each other; he was a bit dull and their relationship progressed so quickly that I just didn't have time to see his appeal.
There were a lot of people I didn't see the appeal in, unfortunately. Brooke's friends from back home, her supposed "best friends," practically disappear. I understand the idea of growing apart because of the move, but the girls appeared so little that they didn't do much at all. Similarly, Brooke's divorced mom and dad appeared so little that they weren't terribly significant. I liked the idea of Brooke trying to come to terms with their divorce during this journey of self-discovery, but because of how little they appear, that couldn't readily occur. Luckily, there are a few saviors in this book: John and Sadie, whom Brooke meets in New York City. Sadie and Brooke are a very fun pair, and I loved seeing Brooke finally find a true friend that she could go on fun adventures with. John is even better, though, because of how bright and happy a person he is. His humor, optimism, and just general happiness made this book insanely fun to read, and I only wish he could have been there more.
So Much Closer could have used much more development, mainly to make the whole premise less creepy, but it was still at the very least a light and fun read. However, if you're going to go for a Colasanti novel, I'd say go for When It Happens.
I have to devote a while to the whole creep factor in this book. Following someone to a new city is just inherently shady, but because Brooke only spoke to Scott, like, twice before moving, it's even worse. I mean, if they were friends before maybe I would be more on board with this idea, or at least I'd understand why she was so obsessed with him. I was not buying that she just "knew" they were destined to be together. I'm even confused that she would just think this, since she's supposed to be a genius of sorts. Their relationship, or lack thereof, in the beginning is based on absolutely nothing. I never even understood Scott's appeal once the pair finally began to get to know each other; he was a bit dull and their relationship progressed so quickly that I just didn't have time to see his appeal.
There were a lot of people I didn't see the appeal in, unfortunately. Brooke's friends from back home, her supposed "best friends," practically disappear. I understand the idea of growing apart because of the move, but the girls appeared so little that they didn't do much at all. Similarly, Brooke's divorced mom and dad appeared so little that they weren't terribly significant. I liked the idea of Brooke trying to come to terms with their divorce during this journey of self-discovery, but because of how little they appear, that couldn't readily occur. Luckily, there are a few saviors in this book: John and Sadie, whom Brooke meets in New York City. Sadie and Brooke are a very fun pair, and I loved seeing Brooke finally find a true friend that she could go on fun adventures with. John is even better, though, because of how bright and happy a person he is. His humor, optimism, and just general happiness made this book insanely fun to read, and I only wish he could have been there more.
So Much Closer could have used much more development, mainly to make the whole premise less creepy, but it was still at the very least a light and fun read. However, if you're going to go for a Colasanti novel, I'd say go for When It Happens.