Waiting for You

Reader reviewed by Katie

Marissa wants to re-invent herself. Last year she was quiet and people
believed she was a "freak". This year she wants to shed that image and
even find the perfect guy. She believes that guy is Derek and has her
friends Nash and Sterling help her snag him. The entire story is
basically Marissa finding out who she is.

I agree with the
synopsis from amazon.com, it gets tiresome. The story is extremely
predictable and it wasn't able to keep my attention. Marissa has an
anxiety disorder, but I wouldn't have even known if she hadn't said it a
couple times.

Susane
Colasanti has written two other books before this and both were,
bland. She makes believable characters, but her plots aren't anything
special. Once you've read one Colasanti, you've read them all.

I
recommend reading one of her books, but after that don't bother reading
the others. I did appreciate the fact that in this book she didn't use
the f-bomb ridiculously like one of her past books.

*I
recommend Something
Like Fate by Susane Colasanti. I would give it 4 stars.

Reader reviewed by Erica

Waiting For You
Susane Colsanti
Release Date: May 14, 2009
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 336

4 Stars

Derek
Friendly and popular
Style: Cali surfer boy
Awesome at flirting
Future career: landscape architect
Boyfriend potential: high

Nash
Shy but sweet
Style: totally geeked out
Only talks to girls when absolutely necessary
Future career: robotics engineer
Boyfriend potential: none

Derek is clearly the boy Marisa's been waiting for, but there's just one problem. He has a girlfriend. Nash is wrong for Marisa, but he wants to take care of her. As if life wasn't complicated enough, Marisa's also dealing with overcoming a major problem from her past, a family that's falling apart, and a best friend who won't stop talking to sketchy guys online. Only the anonymous DJ, who has the school's ear with his underground podcasts, seems to get what Marisa's going through. But she has no idea who he is - or does she?

Another great Susane Colasanti book! When I heard about Waiting For You, I was really excited, as I absolutely love When It Happens (there actually happens to be a quote from it on the walls of my school in the English department) and Take Me There is a favorite as well. This was a fun read that kept me reading rather quickly. I predicted the ending right away, but it was still a lot of fun to read how it would come to that conclusion.

I really liked Marissa's character, I felt she had elements that relate to all sorts of people which draws you in even more if you connect with the character. Nash was another really well written character, he was just so sweet. Some of the others characters I felt where a little too true to stereotypes.

The setting was another thing that really drew you into the story, the setting of the high school was actually believable. In some books with high school settings, you think, "That's not what high schools really like." Plus the message sent is really cute, which is you should appreciate what you have rather than hoping for the next "thing" which if it happens, may not surpass what you had to begin with.

I love the cover, it's perfect for the plot of the book.

This is definately a great summer read!

Reader reviewed by Library Lounge Lizard

Derek's clearly the love Marisa's
been waiting for, but there's just one problem: he has a girlfriend.
Nash is clearly wrong for Marisa, but he's crushing on her. And, as if
life wasn't complicated enough, Marisa's also contending with a best
friend who won't stop falling for older guys, a family that's acting
totally bizarre, and a secret crush on a guy whose identity is a
mystery - even to her.

It's the beginning of Sophomore
year and Marisa has just got back from two months of summer camp. She
and her best friend Sterling have decided they are going to reinvent
themselves, especially after Marisa's breakdown the previous year due
to her anxiety disorder. Her first goal is to find a boyfriend and she
is totally head over heals for Derek who unfortunately is head over
heals for Sierra...or is he? Marisa first notices Derek smiling at her
whenever she steals a glance at him in school. Then one day in art
class he sits by her and starts up a conversion. Maybe, just maybe he
does like her!

Meanwhile, Marisa has rekindled her childhood
friendship with Nash her geeky, brainy neighbor who she feels she can
talk to about anything. Things get complicated when Nash admits he
likes Marisa but he is still there for her when she needs him. BFF
Sterling is also causing complications for Marisa with her aspirations
of finding an online boyfriend in addition to getting mad whenever she
feels Marisa isn't spending enough time with her.

Colasantis'
easy flowing prose made this book an enjoyable easy read. At first I
felt like Marisa was saddled with what seemed like an overload of
stresses until I really thought about all the issues that kids are
dealing with today. Although Marisa is also dealing with her anxiety
disorder everything else was pretty much what EVERY kid deals with.
Dating, friends, school, family and self-image issues just to name a
few.

I totally recommend this book for middle schoolers, high
schoolers and beyond. I left a few of the subplots out of the review
but they are just bonuses to this sweet, sensitive coming-of-age story.