Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

"Friendship...and falling in love?


"At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start, and hopefully her first real boyfriend. Could it be popular, dreamy Derek? Or geeky Nash, who might just have a crush on her? Then there's the underground, anonymous DJ, whose podcasts are the hottest thing at school and who seems to totally understand Marisa. But she doesn't know who he is...or does she?"

I think this has to be my favourite of Susane's books to date. Marisa suffers from anxiety issues, and suffered depression in her freshman year at high school. Now she wants to make more friends, find a boyfriend and be 'normal' again. But it's easier said than done, especially when things aren't so great at home, or between her and her best friend, who has guy issues of her own.

I found Marisa very easy to like. I've suffered from depression and still suffer from some anxiety issues, so I found her very easy to relate to. I really enjoyed the story, how while not perfect, both guys were actually decent guys. It would be easy for one of them to have been drawn as a real jerk and make the answers obvious, but that's not the case.

Like Susane's other books, she does a very good job of creating a more rounded world showing bits of side characters stories, the issues seen but not dealt with in full. I like getting that little look, that shows it's not just the protagonist dealing with things. And that she's not just dealing with any single person, and her relationships with other people can affect the romantic relationship that is generally the focus as well.

It's actually not quite the easy, predictable story I expected. Yes, certain parts of it are, but there are little things along the way that surprised me and I liked them. Overall it was a really good, pretty quick read. It moves along at a pretty decent pace and the characters are well rounded with enough depth that you can get really sucked in to their lives. I really wanted to find out how things would work out for Marisa. Very enjoyable read! 9/10

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

"What if your soul mate is...your best friend's boyfriend?

Lani and Erin are lifelong best friends - and total opposites. Lani's a down-to-earth Taurus; Erin's a fiery Leo. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. They've always had wildly different tastes, from pizza toppings to guys.

That is, until Erin starts dating Jason.

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the amazing connection she feels with him. It's like they've known each other their whole lives. She's not sure if he feels it too - but even if he does, he's off limits. Lani's determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than hurt her best friend. Then Erin goes away for the summer - and Jason seems to appear everywhere Lani turns. How long can she keep running from the guy who might just be the love of her life?"

I've read 2 of Susane Colasanti's previous books, When It Happens and Take Me There, both of which I really enjoyed. So I was looking forward to this one and hoping I'd love it as well. Sadly didn't happen. Honestly I didn't enjoy this book too much at all. The premise is fine, the plotting and pacing is fine, but I just didn't really like any of the three main characters.

Lani and Erin are supposed to be best friends. The forever kind having survived an traumatic accident together as kids. They've drifted of late, but they both still say they're best friends, still spend a lot of time hanging out. But from my view as a reader, there is little left there between them. Lani is a bug believer in fate and following her horoscopes, but when it comes to standing up for herself, to Erin, Jason, her parents and other friends, she's far too passive. She won't share her real feelings or she'll go with what someone else says because she feels its better to please them. I think she completely mishandles the situations she finds herself in and while I can understand her guilt getting the better of her, it just annoyed me.

Erin is one of the popular girls, she likes having people around her and being the center of attention. There was little about her behaviour, towards Lani and others, to like to start with. But when she, inevitably, finds out about Jason and Lani's feelings, she doesn't even attempt to hear out her 'best friend' she just tears her apart. Again, I understand why she's angry and why she feels the need to lash out, but the extent of her selfishness about it did nothing but irritate me. Not sure how she didn't notice the feelings between Jason and Lani from the start either to be honest, it was pretty obvious and that didn't help her credibility. And there just wasn't enough to Jason at all for me to form a particularly good or bad opinion of him. I wasn't impressed with how he handled his feelings for either girl, but there wasn't really anything to seriously dislike about him either.

My favourite part of this book was actually the subplot going on with Lani's other best friend, Blake. He held my interest and sympathy. I found myself getting really involved with his story, even though there was very little to it. I wanted more of him and his issues and less of the main story. I was surprised how much I ended up caring what happened to him and how impressed I was with how he dealt with the things thrown at him.

Overall it wasn't really a bad book. The initial plot, best friends both interested in one guy and trying to deal with it, is fine. But without likable characters, or at least being able to relate to them somehow, it just falls flat for me. Won't put me off Susane's other books, like I said at the start I've already really enjoyed a couple of hers, but this one just didn't work for me. Had it's moments, particularly with Blake, but that was it really. The ending wasn't great either, not really wrapping things up enough just kind of...stopping. Shame, I wanted to like this book. 5/10

Take Me There by Susane Colasanti

"The ups and downs of love and friendship.

Rhiannon is devastated after the break up with her boyfriend and wants him back. But love comes easy for Nicole. Her ex is still in the picture, but she has a new crush. Then there's James, hopelessly in love with Rhiannon, who doesn't see that their friendship can be more. Just when things couldn't get more complicated, the school's resident mean girl decides to ruin everyone's life. James, Nicole, and Rhiannon won't let this slide, but will taking down the mean girl bring these friends what they want?"

Set over the course of a week, this book tells the story of three friends, from each of their perspectives. We start off with Rhiannon, who is devastated at having been dumped by her boyfriend Steve, and desperate to have him back. We follow her story through til the middle of the week, then switch to her best friend Nicole and get those same three days from her POV. Then we get them from their other friend, James. Repeat for the second half of the week/book.

Now, that may make it sound repetitive or boring, or maybe just frustrating because you're going over the same things and obviously these three characters interact a lot. But it actually really works! I loved this book and really struggled to put it down. Yes, stepping back in time means the story stops before moving on, but it's so worth it. You get more of the story from each person, learning more about them, and the other characters. There are three main stories going on, one for Rhiannan, Nicole and James, but there are side stories going on as well. There are bits of information gained via each of the three narrators about other students in the school who also have a story to tell, even if it doesn't take center stage.

The set up works really well because each of the three main characters has a strong voice and something to show. It also means the book doesn't center on a single person, or a couple even. And the added side stories show that these three students are not the only ones in that high school with problems and issues, which I love. I wanted more of some of the side stories as much as I wanted more of Rhiannon, Nicole and James. There was a lot of emotion and feeling, with some surprises to go with the side stories.

Of the three narrators, I'd have to say my least favourite was Rhiannon. I liked her a lot, but for whatever reason I found James and Nicole a little easier to get on with and more likable. But even so, I very much enjoyed all of their sections. The story deepened with each new voice, each new perspective because is showed more of the narrators we'd already seen, but from an outside perspective. It showed a wider world consisting of more than any one person, it showed different aspects to side stories, side characters, and opened up a whole new host of possibilities.

This is not a simple love story, though yes romance has a strong hold in it. But it's as much a coming of age book, of the strength of friendships, of learning who you are and what you're capable of. And how the past changes you, even if you're trying not to let it. Running only gets you so far.

Overall, it was an excellent read. I loved learning more from each character, the new hints at things and how they all learnt over the course of this one week. It shows how little things, or big things, have an impact and how life can change really quickly. The whole story unfolds slowly and carefully, gathering pace towards the end. I found my emotions rising and falling along with Rhiannon, Nicole and James. There are some surprising moments through this book, and while you can see a lot of things coming, it's still done in a way that still left me feeling the impact of the events. This is another author who I've fallen for because she doesn't talk down to readers. Her characters are real and relateable, screwing up, making fools of themselves, learning, they have dreams and ambitions, strength, thoughts, feelings, and they could be any teen in any high school anywhere. Loved this book completely and I can't wait to read the rest of Susane's books. 9/10

When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

"A boy, a girl, and the possibility of something real...

Seniors in high school, Sara and Tobey couldn't be more different. She wants to get into her first-choice college; he wants to win Battle of the Bands. Sara's other goal is to find true love, so when popular Dave asks her out, she's thrilled. But Tobey always creeps into her thoughts. Lucky for Sara, one of Tobey's goals is also to make her fall in love with him."

I've not read anything by Susane Colasanti before, but I've had a couple of her books on my wish list for a while. I did something I rarely do with an author I've not tried before, and actually ordered 2 of her books together, this one and 'Take Me There'. I started with this one and was very happy with what I found, and glad I took the chance and ordered two of her books.

Sara is smart, like, really smart and she doesn't go for slackers. But she's a romantic as well and searching for a serious love, something that will last, someone who can be her everything. Tobey is a slacker, he doesn't work at anything but still manages to do okay in his exams. He's determined not to go to college and to make it on the music scene with his band anyway. But he's also in love with Sara. He's certain they'll be perfect together and that one of the most popular guys in school, who's just asked her out, isn't nearly good enough for her. When Tobey starts making his interest clear, sparks start to fly.

Okay, so I admit this is a fairly predictable, slightly fluffy, young adult romance, but I really enjoyed it. It's told in alternating POV's from Tobey and Sara, and we get to see the same events through both eyes at times. Which to start with, took a little getting used to as it meant it kept jumping back a little to go forward. But it does work, really well. And it makes for a good way to tell the story of these characters who were easy to like and easy to relate to. The whole high school dynamic, the geeks, the jocks, the popular girls, was all there. It wasn't softened, ignored, or over used. It was just 'this is high school' and could easily be any high school.

The way Sara and Tobey thought, the way they see things, felt very realistic. And without giving anything away, the different male/female attitudes towards sex. And while I did really like both characters, there were times I didn't like them completely. Which for me, is a good thing. Makes them more real, because you never like someone, even someone you love, every second of every day, of every year. It just doesn't happen. I love characters I can get behind and get mad at and forgive. It makes them more real, makes them more interesting and makes for a better book.

I did mention that this book is a little fluffy at times. But that doesn't mean romance is all there is and it doesn't mean it doesn't come with some problems. There are a some little twists, things that could easily happen to anyone, that raise issues they have to deal with. The development of both characters over the course of the book is aided by their friends as well. Both of them have two best friends, and the relationships between them all add to the depth of the book, but also show how friendships can affect things as well. There are little side stories with the friends that we get to see parts of as well, which I liked. It meant they had more purpose than simply 'best friend of...'

Overall, it was a really enjoyable read, and one I struggled to put down. I was rooting for Sara and Tobey separately and together, hoping they'd grow and learn from everything going on and that they'd get what they were looking for. However, the last quarter of the book or so did feel a little rushed. Not badly, but it didn't feel like it quite had the depth the earlier part did. The timeline jumps got bigger and somethings seemed like they got skipped over a little. But the ending did tie things up nicely and satisfied me. It's not a huge issue, but it did let it down just slightly for me. Still a really good read, and exactly the type of book I wanted to read at that moment. Will be getting the rest of Susane's backlist very soon! 8/10