Take Me There [Paperback]

Rhiannon has just been dumped without a reason. She's miserable beyond belief. Nicole has just dumped her boyfriend with a reason. She's confused beyond belief. And James...James would do nearly anything to get Rhiannon to stop mooning over her ex and finally notice him as more than her buddy.

Over the course of a week, many things will happen to these three friends. There will be confessed secrets, messages on sidewalks, delivered flowers, a ton of photocopied notes, one awesome speech, and lots and lots of karma.

But in the end, will they discover what they truly want?

This realistically honest book told in three different points of view will blow you away. Ms. Colasanti has such a real talent for capturing the personality of teenagers, it's like she is one herself. Her plot is unique and her attention to delivery is grabbing.

Insightful, humorous, moving, and never dull, Colasanti's characters will feel like they're your best friends by the time you have finished this delightful novel.

Reviewed by: The Compulsive Reader

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, who's ex wants her back, but she's crushing big time on someone new. We get those same three days from her POV. Then we get them from their other friend, James, who is completely in love with Rhiannon, but doesn't really see it yet. 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.

Question: Why haven't I read a Susane Colasanti book before now? (A little reference for all of y'all who haven't read this yet - P.S. Go read it now!)

Everything about Take Me There ticks all my boxes, alternative perspectives, realistic characters and wonderful writing. It's moreish and addictive and I think a perfect example of a great contemporary book. Contemporary in general is underestimated. I, like many people am guilty of underestimating it but when something like Take Me There comes along it just changes my whole perspective on the genre.

Take Me There is a far cry from most contemporary books I have read, I loved that it was set in New York which gave it a distinctly different feel (I'm sorry to say I'm a little bit bored of small towns) and I cannot recall reading one a contemporary that has been set in there.

As I mentioned before the book has alternating perspective, which is one of my favourite things, I love hearing from both sides of the story, but what was more unique about Take Me There was that it was set over one week with each character going through what happened on those days. You may be thinking that that isn't all too interesting or might slow the plot down - it doesn't, it fills in all the blanks right at the very last minute. I found myself devouring Take Me There all in one sitting. Also aesthetics wise I loved how each character's section had a different font and had a symbol, reflective of them, that was used instead of an asterisk, small style details such as this just enhance your experience as a reader.

One of the greatest things about this book is the realistic teenage voice, all three teenagers , Nicole, Rhiannon and James, had unique styles but also how the writing was less like prose and more like normal speech. I know that some people find that to be a turn off but, like I usually do, but this was different and more subtle than usual. Just little things like the characters saying `she was like' so it felt more like they were telling you the story not filtered to sound totally out of character.

Despite them sounding more like real teenagers they didn't lose some of the profoundness that characters normally have in YA, that you question to be only the writer's imaginings of teenagers - I myself hate when teenagers are dumbed down because people think they wouldn't be capable of creating a well thought out arguments or questioning more important things than the latest goings on in their favourite celebrity's life. So the look on karmic retribution was something I found really interesting; we've all wished `what comes around goes around' to be true towards our enemies.

Like I said before Take Me There is just incredibly realistic, Eames academy, their school, with it's beat up feel, lack of chairs and money for photocopies felt real and more plausible than most high school used in YA that seem only to serve as a setting in which the writer can place their characters, not much thought is usually put into it's description. Also I loved that the characters talked about and interacted with other students - another incredibly annoying thing that happens in YA is how the main protagonist only ever speaks to either one or maybe two other people. This made these secondary characters seem more than just plot devices - I found myself cheering for Danny or thinking how we all know a Jackson or a Gloria.

So I cannot stress how authentic all these touches made these characters and it was this believability that made it so enjoyable, it made me hopeful for the characters and really care what happened to them; a thoroughly realistic and enjoyable standalone that is definitely worth the read.

So in conclusion,
Question: What are you waiting for? Go read Take Me There right now!