Took a while but I loved the ending!

SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE was actually my first Morgan Matson book (yes, yes, I know)! I had purchased the audio a few weeks prior to reading it and when it was time to for a new audiobook and I happened to be in a contemporary mood, the timing was right to start SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE!

I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Having never read one of her books before, I was going in a little blind with no knowledge of Morgan Matson’s writing style or what might pass for a typical character or concept. All I knew was that she’s a fan-favorite and I felt a lot of pressure to enjoy the book (especially seeing it has a 4.21 rating on Goodreads which is pretty high), so when I started listening to the book and found myself struggling, I really started to worry.

I really thought I was going to be the black sheep on this book. I had a really hard time with the beginning, especially with the characters. I never made it to the point where I thought I would put the book down, but it was really just a middle-of-the-road contemporary read for about the entire first half. I really had a hard time with Emily and how awkward she was and I found her actions cringe-worthy to witness. Other characters didn’t quite click for me either. Emily’s parents seemed silly and like characterizations rather than real people. Collins was goofy and seemed like a bit too much for me and I really didn’t care for him either. And even though Sloane wasn’t physically present in the book at the time, the flashbacks to her interactions with Emily bothered me as well. The writing just didn’t work well for me throughout the first half and scenes felt forced instead of just playing out naturally. BUT the good thing was that I had plenty of friends who had enjoyed the book and promised me it would get better so despite my hesitations, I was ready for the book to improve!

And those friends turned out to be right! I finally found some cute moments between Emily and Frank about halfway through and really started to enjoy their friendship and whatever might be developing between them… then I started to enjoy their relationship even more and before I knew it, the whole book was finally taking shape. Characters really started to feel real instead of just a collection of traits on a page. Relationships were really blossoming — not just between Emily and Frank. I loved the new friendships that Emily was forming in Sloane’s absence and really all of the characters grew quite a bit. I was really impressed with how much each one had changed and felt so much more realistic, but I was sad that I had felt so disconnected from them in beginning. I felt like the growth was exponential but I had that lingering memory of how much they had annoyed me in the first half of the book.

I did enjoy the second half of the book but I just wish I had been able to feel those things in the beginning! Not to mention I felt like one scene was directly out of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS (although it’s not that like scene hasn’t happened anywhere else… but I’m so ANNA-obsessed that I couldn’t NOT see it) and a bit of a stunt there at the end that was totally insane for someone Emily’s age (I wonder if there were any consequences for that…) but I just let it go and rolled with it.

I was very on the fence with how I felt about Emily and Sloane’s friendship. I honestly don’t really think I’ve had a friendship like that. A lot of my close friendships were a group of three of us (or more) and I feel like I didn’t have ONE best friend that I spent all of time with who was just MY best friend. Sometimes their friendship felt too clingy for me (mostly likely because I didn’t have the same experience so I didn’t quite relate) and I also didn’t like how Sloane felt so much more dominant than Emily (although I totally understand that). I felt like their friendship has some great moments and other times, I didn’t like it at all.

I guess you could say it was an interesting read for me! I actually kind of liked that my opinion on the book didn’t seem to align with so many others because I was able to have my own take on the book. Sometimes when I love the same book that everyone else loves, it isn’t that the book doesn’t deserve it but sometimes I feel like my opinion isn’t unique so it was fun to bounce my reactions off of other people and see how our feelings differed. I was hesitant in the beginning but upon finishing, I’m excited to read those other Matson books that I have on my shelves! I’m not sure they’re high-priority or that I will love them like everyone else loves her work but I’m also open to leaving my expectations at the door and seeing where the books take me!

9 people found this helpful

Enjoyed more than I anticipated!

Needing to familiarize myself with young adult contemporary realistic fiction, I chose Matson's Since You've Been Gone. Although well -crafted and tastefully done, occasional references to alcohol, nudity, and attraction make this book not suited for younger readers. The story follows 17 year old Emily in an unusual quest through which she finds herself challenged to step out of her comfort zone. Ultimately, this journey becomes a path for developing into her true self. Great!

2 people found this helpful

Not bad

The Narrator had a bit of a twang and it took me back to my time in Virginia. Instead of saying "didn't," she pronounced it as "di-unt." It's not a problem, it's just personal preference. It bugged me at first, but I got used to it. The story was alright, but I sometimes got confused when there was a flashback and forgot what was going on. I was kind of disappointed with the ending, but it made sense.

3 people found this helpful

Adorable book.

If you could sum up Since You've Been Gone in three words, what would they be?

Sweet. Good kids.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Since You've Been Gone?

Hard to say. Maybe when she kissed the stranger in the pantry?

Any additional comments?

I just loved this book.

1 person found this helpful

Perfect summer reading!

I started and just couldn't stop!

I don't know why I was so immersed...maybe it was the characters, the story, the narration or all of it together but I just
had to keep listening.

It was cute and sweet and fun, and filled with that amazing nostalgic feeling of summers during high school. I miss that feeling, and would love to read more books that capture that.

So this one is a definite two thumbs up!

3 people found this helpful

Good

Love it . This book is one of my must read books . It's about two girl and their friendship . I enjoyed it so mush
The beginning not that good but the end really good

1 person found this helpful

a must read for you friend loving /romantics

I couldn't stop smiling and laughing the whole way through it . I wish there was a sequel ☹️

Excellent teen read!

Most teens will enjoy the themes that surface while figuring out where the friend has gone.

Ok

Grade: C-
My Enjoyment: D-
Quality of the book: B-

When Emily returns home from vacation, she discovers her best friend Sloan and her family are gone, their house vacant. Sloan, who isn't answering her phone or returning email, leaves behind a list of challenges for Emily to complete. The list includes everything from kissing a Jamie to going skinny dipping. But, where is Sloan?

SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE is a better book than my enjoyment of this novel. From the blurb, I assumed Sloan had runaway or been kidnapped, but her whole family is gone so I then assumed they had moved as her family often relocated. So much for my mystery. As Emily completed parts of the list, she came out of her shell, so her character experienced some growth from Sloan's shadow to realizing her power as an individual. Blah. I'm older than the average YA reader, so the story might be better received by teenagers. Morgan Matson wrote Emily's with a quirky, sometimes humorous voice. I like her writing style, but the plot leaves a lot to be desired. I thought the ending felt completely flat.

THEMES: friendship, identity, shyness, family dynamics, coming of age

I'm so glad I got this book on a one day Amazon sale for $1.99. I can't recommend SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE, but I do think there is an audience who might enjoy this coming of age story.

I’m so glad I gave this book a try. It’s one of the best books I’ve read all year.

Ok, I’m in my mid 50s and I found this book to be charming. Some reviews mention it’s for junior high kids and I don’t disagree, however, I think anyone who wants to remember their adolescent days would find this book entertaining. It offers some basic life lessons, with no sex beyond kissing and no crude language. Not that it would bother me, but it might be of concern to other readers. It’s simply an endearing story about one summer between junior and senior which allows the main characters to see things differently and thereby grow. I read it during and after having a series of traumatic events happen to me and it was one of the few things which made me forget my overwhelmed state of mind. Morgan Matson’s writing made me look forward to reading it whenever I could. Her writing style is easy and very engaging. She has a strong attention to detail. I’ve never listened anything Suzy Jackson has narrated before, but she impressed me. She was able to change her voices just enough for each of the characters, including the males, make make me feel like it was really them. I hope Ms. Matson write a sequel because, although they’re is a definitive ending, more could be done with her delightful characters. This was her debut book, but I’ll definitely be on the look out for any future books she has published.