Since You've Been Gone Review

Title: Since You've Been Gone
Author: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction 

*Spoilers in white. Highlight to read.*

Blurb: (from goodreads) It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um... 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what?

Me: I've been wanting to read this for a while now and I'm so glad I finally got around to doing it. 

The Ups: The friendship between Sloane and Emily was so amazing without being over the top or sappy. It felt very real, and the connection they had was crucial to the book and it made the story much more interesting. I love realistic fiction/contemporary books because I like to imagine this happening at a different place on Earth right now. I think that what makes things feel like real life are the little details, embedded here and there. This book had so many of those little things, and I adored them. The playlists that Emily and Frank would run to, the play Bug Juice, the lists that Sloane left Emily, the sharpie tattoos. All of those details added to the book. 

(and the good ole' 1D reference) 

I really like Sloane's list and how Emily followed it, and as she crossed things off, she felt herself change. I think that that was a really awesome character development, especially when Emily could feel herself becoming braver and more comfortable with other people. I would love to make to-do lists like that and stick by them...especially with a best friend. 

I really enjoy friendship stories, and all in all, the relationship between Sloane and Emily, while not portrayed directly, was very strong and I really think that both of them brought out the best in each other. 

The Downs: Frank Porter. Okay, as a character, I loved him. I really did. I think he was a great person, and he had so many interesting quirks about him. But seriously. The plot line involving him was cliche, overdone, predictable...just annoying. 

Spoilers: SERIOUSLY. He just had to leave his girlfriend. For Emily. He couldn't just be single. Nope. I'm pretty sure I've read that same plot at least 10 times. 

Overall: A great character development and friendship story, but the romance was unoriginal. 

Rating: 3 kisses!