Review: SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE // relatable feelings and adorable-ness

Title: Since You’ve Been Gone
Author: Morgan Matson
Page count: 449
Date published: 6 May 2014
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
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?

Did I just consume this book in under 24 hours? Why yes, yes I did. And boy oh boy did I have a great time!

I totally picked this up on a whim. I’d only read one of Morgan Matson’s books and was a bit disappointed but now I just want to read ALL HER BOOKS. Ahhh it was so freaking good.

• I totally loved and related to the main character Emily
• I kinda have mixed feelings about Sloane: it was not right of her to disappear but she also was a good friend to Emily before that?
• The plot is so unique and I loved how certain things tied together
• The chapter names were so cool! Each of being one of the items on the list that was going to be completed that chapter which was cool because they never started out as that task to be completed
• The list was actually pretty awesome
• The character and relationship development in this book is awesome
• I loved the playlists in the chapters
• Frank is so sweet and I loved him
• Can you tell I loved this book?

• Emily’s parents: They write plays and sometimes are almost completely non-existent and I find that so wrong that they basically disappear from their kids’ lives? Like who does that?
• Collins: I quite liked his character and how he helped Emily with her list (he’s Frank’s best friend btw)
• Dawn: I really loved her and how she just started hanging out with the group and being a cool friend, even though she was a bit mean at the end?
• Beckett: Awww I loved him! He was such a cute brother to Emily!!
• Sloane: I really loved the flashbacks of her and how she encouraged Emily to be different but also its kind of horrible of her to disappear like that so mixed feelings with her.
• Frank: As I said, he was adorable and I really loved him and how he always wanted to hang out with Emily. I was also silently shipping them and seeing the chemistry, but loved how it wasn’t always there, just small titbits. Ahh I loved him
• Emily: Let me tell you how much I related to her. She’s such an awesome character. I loved how she grew comfortable with herself on her own and how she grew as a character.

I was so hooked from page one and I’ve just missed that feeling!

At first, it’s all a bit awkward. Like the conversations were hard to ‘watch’ and you just wonder where Sloane is but then the story kind of gets its jazz.
I loved how Morgan Matson like wove everything together. The first thing Emily lands up doing is the apple picking and Frank and Collin have mentioned so you like to know that she’ll land up hanging out with them. There are more such instances and I just really liked that.
As I mentioned, Emily’s parents like what?? How does one basically abandon them and think it’ll be cool for them to get along by themselves? That’s just off for me.
I loved how we were introduced to Dawn and after that, her and Emily just basically started hanging out all the time. I also was waiting for something to happen with Collin because you could tell they liked each other.
Okay, so Sloane. I get vibes that she’s a bit shallow and that Emily is always putting the effort, which I relate to A LOT, so she’s just so mysterious throughout the book. I genuinely didn’t know how the story was going to turn out or what had happened. But she was a cool friend at times so like I’m so confused?? By the end, I landed up liking her and that she came to senses that it was horrible of her to do that so Emily. I really liked how they sorted it out and that they were going to talk to each other because I understand Sloane and that she thinks they’ll grow apart because people fall out of touch. Anyways she’s such a complex character which I did enjoy and it added to the story so well.
I loved Frank so much. I loved how at first he was just there and the awkward conversations were just great. At first, I was kind of wondering why now all of a sudden he wanted to spend time with Emily so that threw me off but he really is such a sweet guy. Also is it just me or does the name Frank kind of not fit him? I loved the tent scene! And the like angsty scenes, you know the ones that when they want to admit to feelings but they’re also so frustrated? I LOVE THOSE SO MUCH! SO GOOD.
I loved Emily as a character so much! I can relate to her on so many levels. Like feeling that you don’t belong and are not appreciated. Having an extrovert best friend and feeling so alone that you want to scream because I’ve felt like that and I just loved her. I loved how she grew into herself and by the end how she felt comfortable. I felt so bad when all her friends weren’t talking to her, my heart reached out to her. I just loved how the story came to an end. I just loved it all. I loved how she made her own friends and became relaxed. SHE’S JUST SUCH A GREAT CHARACTER AND I’M SO PROUD!!

In a well-ordered universe, YOU SHOULD READ THIS AND LOVE IT!

I totally adored this book and loved basically all the characters and I really need to read Morgan’s other books!

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? DID YOU LOVE IT? WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTERS? LET ME KNOW!

xo