Reviews

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

nitzanschwarz's review

Go to review page

4.0

Okay, what is this with books leaving me wanting MORE lately?! SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE looks a bit intimidating (it's a big book, y'all!) but it's a fast and engaging read, sure to make you cheer on the MC and scream KISS ALREADY at the top of your lungs (I know I did).
If you're looking for a fun summer read - do yourselves a favor and pick this up.

Let's start with Emily - the voice of our story and our main character. We meet her when she's feeling quite lost after her best friend's sudden disappearance, and now she has to find who she is without Sloane. Her journey of self discovery and growth was lovely to see, and I loved her very much - before finding her courage, and after. She was just fun, and sweet, and shy...

Then there's Frank, and let me tell you... I never, ever thought I'll crush on a Frank. The name does nothing for me, but the guy... love! He was sweet, and cute, and quirky, and just geeky enough for me to totally swoon!

Then there was Beckett, Emily's younger brother. How I wish my relationship with my brother was like this one. We have a similar age difference, but we're totally cat and mouse, while Beckett was totally adorable and his relationship with Emily one of my favorite parts of the story. Sure, there was annoyance on both ends, but of the best kind.

My least favorite part, surprisingly enough, was the Sloane flashbacks. Not the regular ones, but the ones we suddenly had a time title for and the font changed and with them the time. It threw me off. I wanted to get back to the story of now, and I always felt the temptation to just skip those parts. I think, if it wasn't for the change in font and the title, I wouldn't have felt that way. I'm just wacky like that.

I'm kind of interested in a Sloane story, though. Like, I'd love to see her find love, and struggle through her family situation to find herself. As Emily's dad said - she did feel kind of "lost" to me, not unlike Emily herself.

The most annoying part of the whole story? I wanted SO MUCH MORE. First of all, I waited so long for those two to step up to their romantic feelings. Give me more than that, Matson! Then, there was the whole friendship issue. I wanted to see how it'll be resolved - will they start talking again? Won't they? Will it last? Where the ones in the "middle" will fall? So many interesting aspects to explore... and yet they were left open.

And I wasn't happy with that. I wasn't satisfied. And maybe I wasn't supposed to be, I don't know. But still. 

moi_stephanie's review

Go to review page

4.0

When reading young adult, I'll usually be "Ugh, I can't believe I got caught up on another one". Then I'll finish and I'm so glad I did read it. This is one of those cases.

You'll find yourself caught up in Emily finishing up the list and the surprises that come along the way.

dianagastelum's review

Go to review page

5.0

I absolutely adored this book! It is automatically one of my favorites. Honestly, can I just give this book 10 stars please.

I loved Emily and could relate to her on so many levels. I loved watching her journey as she made her way through the list and along the way grew a confidence that was like the missing piece of her. I loved the self-discovery aspect of the story and it just made me want to be so much more outgoing and take more risks and adventures in life. It was a blast reading about Emily's adventure with the list and the experiences and memories she makes along the way.

I'm honestly just gushing about this book but I loved it! I like that it was a good combination of friendship, self-discovery, and romance. I fell in love with the characters and can I please have my own Frank Porter. I fell in love with him so much!

My only little problem with it is I wish that they had been a little bit more resolution with some of the relationships. (I'm trying to be vague so that I don't spoil.) Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it because this is an amazing book that anyone can read.

melissaalgood's review

Go to review page

4.0

A great read about a girl on a search for her friend, and finds herself. It's a book you can feel confident to give to your tween or teenager and know that the characters are a positive influence on your child. I also recommend it for your adult friends, too.

samiisreading's review

Go to review page

4.0

This was fun and enjoyable. I related to Emily a lot, and I love the awkward girl representation. The story was predictable, and I wish Emily and Frank stayed friends but that’s not how these books work is it? 

cecarson's review

Go to review page

5.0

Never have I been able to so clearly visualize a book as a movie. “I don’t think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it’s the little things that are harder anyway.”

xlovelylaurencalistax's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

*Slow from start to finish but still intriguing to watch Emily complete Sloane's list and try to find Sloane. The plot relies on only these two things.
*Apparently her friends that she met along the way weren't as important as Frank, so be prepared for that. They're all 2-dimensional.
*Emily is relatable and nice. Her parents and little brother were the most interesting characters, though.

melonep08's review

Go to review page

3.0

3.5 stars
this book was cute and light and made me smile.

pomochi's review

Go to review page

5.0

This is one of my favorite contemporary books that I've read this year, probably ever. Although this is quite a long contemporary (450 pages), I flew through this book in a couple sittings. A wonderful blend of self discovery, fun, and taking risks, Since You've Been Gone is the perfect read to put you in a happy, summer mood. I never found myself bored, and this novel has excellent pacing. I was interested from the first page, and I never wanted to stop reading. I found myself really relating to the main character Emily, who is very shy and awkward in a lot of social situations. Emily's friendship with Sloane is absolutely wonderful, and the new friendships that Emily made with other characters throughout the summer was a delight to read. I love how there is romance in this book, but it doesn't overpower the overarching theme of friendship and taking risks. After reading this book and looking at the art on the cover and the back, I could piece little details together that were described in the book, which is awesome.

steph01924's review

Go to review page

3.0

OK, the beginning of this book was very...needy/whiny/pathetic and it turned me off. It felt very juvenile and I was surprised so many people liked it as much as they have. I actually skipped to the end to see where the friend Sloane (it's pretty bad I had to pause to go look up everyone's names and I only read this a few weeks ago) went because I couldn't stand the thought of reading the whole book to be let down by this silly 'mystery'. Once I read the end, I decided to go for the whole shebang, and I began skimming.

But then...I began actually reading. It all got much better once Emily went to the Orchard by herself. I enjoyed Frank as a character, so his inclusion made it all better. And Emily's extreme shyness/anti-social issues, coupled with having just one amazing friend that she felt like a shadow to, I related somewhat. No self-respecting introvert enjoys showing up to a party alone. Emily was a bit extreme (seriously, LET the cute boy get you some gas for your car!) but I began to understand her more throughout the book. I still may have skimmed over a few minor parts, and it was still a pretty fluffy venture overall, but I ended up liking it more than I expected to five pages in.

I read another review where the person berated 'The List' as being too easy and babyish. Not everyone is amazingly comfortable to run around nude in front of their sort-of friends! Some people have 'silly' fears like being scared of adorable horses (I mean, they ARE large). I didn't have a problem with the relative smallness of the tasks Emily had at hand, because when you're a cautious/risk-adverse person, even the smallest things can be daunting.

So. Not the most amazing thing I've read, but decent just the same.