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Waiting for You
At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she?
In Waiting For You, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realises that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.
In Waiting For You, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realises that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2009
244 people are currently reading
20954 people want to read
About the author
Susane Colasanti
20 books3,994 followersSusane Colasanti is the bestselling author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, So Much Closer, Keep Holding On, All I Need, Now and Forever, and the City Love trilogy. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author in 2007, Susane was a high school science teacher for ten years. She lives in New York City.
You can connect with Susane on her Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
You can connect with Susane on her Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 869 reviews
May 26, 2009
What works:
1) I liked the description of the main character as being not-too-skinny, not-too-fat, unable to fit into some jeans, etc. I liked that she seemed like a real girl, although her "people say I'm pretty but I don't think so" struck me as a little coy from a first-person narrator.
2) The relationship with her best friend, Sterling, was well-developed and interesting. Sterling is somewhat ADD, obsessed with older boys, a fantastic chef, a little demanding, but loyal as hell. She was just the kind of best friend a high school girl would have -- weird, maddening, but there when you need her.
3) Whenever Nash got all know-it-ally or obnoxious, I ate it up. Maybe because he reminded me of my little brother, in a way (who is 16 and is sweet and funny but definitely a know-it-all), but also because I really enjoyed that he was by no means perfect, but still ended up being perfect for Marisa.
4) It was cool to see parents who had lives separate from their children and made mistakes but were still good parents. So often in YA novels the parents are completely absent.
What doesn't:
1) Her dialogue, with its tags of, "Sterling was all, and then I was like." It's been commented on before here, but man, did it drive me crazy. The "whatevs" and "parental units" and all that was very distracting, as well.
2) At one point, it said something about "whale on a guitar." It's wail, right? I'm not mistaken on that? I just don't see how one could "whale" on a guitar, and I know it sounds petty, but come on now. This is a professional book that's gone through who knows how many revisions, and that one got by all those people?
3) The blatant PUMP UP THE VOLUME rip off. This was my main problem with Colasanti's first book. It was so clearly inspired by SAY ANYTHING, and just because the main character references SAY ANYTHING while he holds the stereo up for his love interest doesn't make it okay to be so derivative. This one had Nash as Dirty Dirk (Christian Slater as "Hard Harry," anyone?), which just seemed a completely unnecessary plot device. We already have the burgeoning friendship between her and Nash, and their past relationship when they were kids, and so to have him ALSO be this super-hip radio show host just seemed like too much. And it works in PUMP UP THE VOLUME because Christian Slater's character (Mark)is really quiet and keeps to himself, so his alter-ego doesn't conflict with his real personality, because his real personality is deliberately keeping a low profile. But in Nash's case, we see him ALL the time interacting with Marisa, and it just doesn't seem like Dirty Dirk fits his profile at all. Dirty Dirk spouts advice about how boys don't want to talk about relationships, and boys either like you or they don't, but Nash is way more complex than that, so it doesn't make any sense why he'd adopt that persona. At the end, Marisa kisses him and he claims it's his last show, but why did he start the show in the first place? It seems really out-of-character.
4) The references. God, the references! If I read one more laudatory paragraph about MY SO-CALLED LIFE, I thought I was going to puke. Yes, it was an awesome show. TEN YEARS AGO. Do teenagers still care about it that much? And I like Jodi Picoult as much as the next person, but did we need the brief message from our sponsors as the mom gives a brief synopsis of NINETEEN MINUTES as the book she's currently reading?
5) The length. I'm biased, 'cause I'm one of those "There's no need for a director's cut of LORD OF THE RINGS, because it's plenty long enough as it is" kind of people, but it seemed like a lot from this book could've been cut. It starts with a page about summer camp, for example, and how it was "so freaking awesome" that school was starting. Why can't we just start right on the first day of school? Summer camp never comes up again. And then other things, like her relationship with Nash, develops a lot of its most important moments off the page. Suddenly she's going to his house and they're working together, but I would've liked to see more of that first awkward meeting with the interview questions. That was an interesting device, so why did Colasanti abandon it?
6) The past about the anxiety disorder, or rather, the lack of development about that past. I'm not going to lie, when I read Colasanti's acknowledgments where she thanked a Doctor for giving her insight into what it's like to have depression/anxiety, I actually laughed. Out loud. For the first time since I'd opened the book. Maybe it's just because I had anxiety and depression all throughout high school, but it seemed like with the exception of a brief, brushed-over bout of staying home a lot and not doing her homework, Marisa handled many things surprisingly well. She has lots of friends (I had trouble keeping up with Andrea and Julia and company, and started wondering why they mattered), she flips out about her boyfriend spending time with his ex in a completely reasonable way for a high-school girl, she handles her parents' separation with as much aplomb as again we can expect from a sixteen year old girl...so where does this HORRIBLE ANXIETY DISORDER come in? Where are ALL THOSE ISSUES THAT MADE EVERYONE THINK SHE WAS CRAZY? It seemed like it was thrown in there to give her a little bit of a back story, but never developed. Yeah, she's a little neurotic. But I have a hard time seeing her as having some sort of crippling social anxiety when she seems to deal with other people and many large crises just fine.
7) The transitions. Nearly every beginning of a chapter made me cringe. "Can I just say that when you're hoping things will get better but they don't, it majorly sucks?" You CAN say that, but I wish you wouldn't, as it's kind of a Captain Obvious type of thing to say. "Darius is a hard-core nerd. You know the type." At least she recognizes he's a type, I guess. "My Aunt Katie is the coolest person I know," "There's this rivalry between orchestra and band geeks," and "No matter how outrageously wrong life gets, I can always count on Sterling to make me feel better" aren't bad, necessarily, but they read like the start to a five-paragraph essay. "There are three ways my Aunt Katie is cool: first, she likes online dating, secondly, she's really young and borrows my clothes..."
8) "Capturing the Now." Not only was the constant capitalization of the "Now" really cheesy, but I'm personally just a little sick of the "main character expresses herself through photography, which she's surprisingly good at, but which only comes up when it has to" thing. It ranks right up there with me and the klutzy heroine device. Like I said, personal preference.
This book is what brought me out of hiding to sign up for GoodReads, so I guess I should thank it. But yeah, overall, to paraphrase Colasanti: "Can I just say that when you're hoping a book you spent $17.99 on will get better, but it doesn't, that it majorly sucks?"
1) I liked the description of the main character as being not-too-skinny, not-too-fat, unable to fit into some jeans, etc. I liked that she seemed like a real girl, although her "people say I'm pretty but I don't think so" struck me as a little coy from a first-person narrator.
2) The relationship with her best friend, Sterling, was well-developed and interesting. Sterling is somewhat ADD, obsessed with older boys, a fantastic chef, a little demanding, but loyal as hell. She was just the kind of best friend a high school girl would have -- weird, maddening, but there when you need her.
3) Whenever Nash got all know-it-ally or obnoxious, I ate it up. Maybe because he reminded me of my little brother, in a way (who is 16 and is sweet and funny but definitely a know-it-all), but also because I really enjoyed that he was by no means perfect, but still ended up being perfect for Marisa.
4) It was cool to see parents who had lives separate from their children and made mistakes but were still good parents. So often in YA novels the parents are completely absent.
What doesn't:
1) Her dialogue, with its tags of, "Sterling was all, and then I was like." It's been commented on before here, but man, did it drive me crazy. The "whatevs" and "parental units" and all that was very distracting, as well.
2) At one point, it said something about "whale on a guitar." It's wail, right? I'm not mistaken on that? I just don't see how one could "whale" on a guitar, and I know it sounds petty, but come on now. This is a professional book that's gone through who knows how many revisions, and that one got by all those people?
3) The blatant PUMP UP THE VOLUME rip off. This was my main problem with Colasanti's first book. It was so clearly inspired by SAY ANYTHING, and just because the main character references SAY ANYTHING while he holds the stereo up for his love interest doesn't make it okay to be so derivative. This one had Nash as Dirty Dirk (Christian Slater as "Hard Harry," anyone?), which just seemed a completely unnecessary plot device. We already have the burgeoning friendship between her and Nash, and their past relationship when they were kids, and so to have him ALSO be this super-hip radio show host just seemed like too much. And it works in PUMP UP THE VOLUME because Christian Slater's character (Mark)is really quiet and keeps to himself, so his alter-ego doesn't conflict with his real personality, because his real personality is deliberately keeping a low profile. But in Nash's case, we see him ALL the time interacting with Marisa, and it just doesn't seem like Dirty Dirk fits his profile at all. Dirty Dirk spouts advice about how boys don't want to talk about relationships, and boys either like you or they don't, but Nash is way more complex than that, so it doesn't make any sense why he'd adopt that persona. At the end, Marisa kisses him and he claims it's his last show, but why did he start the show in the first place? It seems really out-of-character.
4) The references. God, the references! If I read one more laudatory paragraph about MY SO-CALLED LIFE, I thought I was going to puke. Yes, it was an awesome show. TEN YEARS AGO. Do teenagers still care about it that much? And I like Jodi Picoult as much as the next person, but did we need the brief message from our sponsors as the mom gives a brief synopsis of NINETEEN MINUTES as the book she's currently reading?
5) The length. I'm biased, 'cause I'm one of those "There's no need for a director's cut of LORD OF THE RINGS, because it's plenty long enough as it is" kind of people, but it seemed like a lot from this book could've been cut. It starts with a page about summer camp, for example, and how it was "so freaking awesome" that school was starting. Why can't we just start right on the first day of school? Summer camp never comes up again. And then other things, like her relationship with Nash, develops a lot of its most important moments off the page. Suddenly she's going to his house and they're working together, but I would've liked to see more of that first awkward meeting with the interview questions. That was an interesting device, so why did Colasanti abandon it?
6) The past about the anxiety disorder, or rather, the lack of development about that past. I'm not going to lie, when I read Colasanti's acknowledgments where she thanked a Doctor for giving her insight into what it's like to have depression/anxiety, I actually laughed. Out loud. For the first time since I'd opened the book. Maybe it's just because I had anxiety and depression all throughout high school, but it seemed like with the exception of a brief, brushed-over bout of staying home a lot and not doing her homework, Marisa handled many things surprisingly well. She has lots of friends (I had trouble keeping up with Andrea and Julia and company, and started wondering why they mattered), she flips out about her boyfriend spending time with his ex in a completely reasonable way for a high-school girl, she handles her parents' separation with as much aplomb as again we can expect from a sixteen year old girl...so where does this HORRIBLE ANXIETY DISORDER come in? Where are ALL THOSE ISSUES THAT MADE EVERYONE THINK SHE WAS CRAZY? It seemed like it was thrown in there to give her a little bit of a back story, but never developed. Yeah, she's a little neurotic. But I have a hard time seeing her as having some sort of crippling social anxiety when she seems to deal with other people and many large crises just fine.
7) The transitions. Nearly every beginning of a chapter made me cringe. "Can I just say that when you're hoping things will get better but they don't, it majorly sucks?" You CAN say that, but I wish you wouldn't, as it's kind of a Captain Obvious type of thing to say. "Darius is a hard-core nerd. You know the type." At least she recognizes he's a type, I guess. "My Aunt Katie is the coolest person I know," "There's this rivalry between orchestra and band geeks," and "No matter how outrageously wrong life gets, I can always count on Sterling to make me feel better" aren't bad, necessarily, but they read like the start to a five-paragraph essay. "There are three ways my Aunt Katie is cool: first, she likes online dating, secondly, she's really young and borrows my clothes..."
8) "Capturing the Now." Not only was the constant capitalization of the "Now" really cheesy, but I'm personally just a little sick of the "main character expresses herself through photography, which she's surprisingly good at, but which only comes up when it has to" thing. It ranks right up there with me and the klutzy heroine device. Like I said, personal preference.
This book is what brought me out of hiding to sign up for GoodReads, so I guess I should thank it. But yeah, overall, to paraphrase Colasanti: "Can I just say that when you're hoping a book you spent $17.99 on will get better, but it doesn't, that it majorly sucks?"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2010
Waiting for you is a classic coming of age novel - spanning a good year of one teen girls life. Marisa is easy to relate to. Almost too easy, taking me back to those high school days where little things (small fights with your best bud) are the big things. Marisa has recently struggled with anxiety and depression and throughout the book sometimes slips back into that place. It's handled expertly, delving straight into the mind of a teenager with a light touch, never taking the path of melodrama.
Likewise, family issues in the novel are tackled well, as Marisa comes to terms with the image of the family she thought she had and the reality of her parents separation - there's anger, hurt, resentment, disappointment and a yearning to make sense of it all.
The romance. It's a complicated one. There's two boys in the picture and a mysterious third guy. There's juggling of boyfriends and best friends. There's daydreaming and hope and longing and a little bit of kissing too. There's crushing on a best friend, finally getting with the hot guy and romance in her parents, Aunt's and best friends life.
Waiting for you concludes with a powerful message: showing the messy side of relationships and the real side of anxiety, the complications in friendships and the way you can be the difference in your own life - working out who you want to be and how to get there and learning to be happy with who you are. (note: it's done subtlely - no preaching :)
Confession time:
I struggled to initially engage with this novel. Once I got past the first hump (I'll say about 80 pages in) it was a surprisingly addictive and swift little read. I'm glad I settled into the read as by the end I found a lot to admire with how Colasanti handled everything.
The dialogue tags and slang in this alienated me and thumped me out of the book. At first, they grated, then they amused (I'm pretty sure amusement was not the intention). Here's a taste:
He goes, 'What?'
And I'm like 'Seriously'
'Get out!' she's like.
etc.
At times they jumped out at me and other times they slipped by as I was more caught up in the story. Still, I'm not really a fan...
And now I will bombard you with quotes which can give you a feel for the heart-beat of the novel :)
I wish it could stay like this forever, with the anticipation of everything.
I know what it’s like when you just need to be alone for a while and block out the world.
It’s weird how time can change something you thought would always stay the same.
When everyone expects you to be a certain way, it’s really hard to escape that image. It’s like once everyone decides who you are, you’re locked into their version of you and that’s it.
I love the beginning of the year. It’s all about renewal and reinventing yourself, becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.
But we also need to realize that we all have the power to make those changes for ourselves. We all can change the way things are. Maybe not as much as we want to, but we can at least make things better.
I probably just didn’t try hard enough to be happy. But it doesn’t mean that I can’t try harder now.
You can’t go someplace that doesn’t exist anymore.
Failure is not an option. If your life sucks now, it can only improve later. We all feel alone. We all feel desperate. Know that we’re all in this together. You’re not alone, no matter what. Remember that.
Recommended: It's a bit of a rainy day comfort read that many teens will easily relate too. It's an easy book to read, with clean prose, which makes it a good choice for a reluctant reader. I would particularly suggest this title to teens who may struggle with depression/anxiety - it's an uplifting read that brings a comforting and powerful message. This book is written brilliantly for a teenage audience but I'm not sure it will have wide appeal beyond that :)
It's also a lovely PG - no swearing, sex, drugs or violence - mature middle grade readers may be interested in checking it out.
Likewise, family issues in the novel are tackled well, as Marisa comes to terms with the image of the family she thought she had and the reality of her parents separation - there's anger, hurt, resentment, disappointment and a yearning to make sense of it all.
The romance. It's a complicated one. There's two boys in the picture and a mysterious third guy. There's juggling of boyfriends and best friends. There's daydreaming and hope and longing and a little bit of kissing too. There's crushing on a best friend, finally getting with the hot guy and romance in her parents, Aunt's and best friends life.
Waiting for you concludes with a powerful message: showing the messy side of relationships and the real side of anxiety, the complications in friendships and the way you can be the difference in your own life - working out who you want to be and how to get there and learning to be happy with who you are. (note: it's done subtlely - no preaching :)
Confession time:
I struggled to initially engage with this novel. Once I got past the first hump (I'll say about 80 pages in) it was a surprisingly addictive and swift little read. I'm glad I settled into the read as by the end I found a lot to admire with how Colasanti handled everything.
The dialogue tags and slang in this alienated me and thumped me out of the book. At first, they grated, then they amused (I'm pretty sure amusement was not the intention). Here's a taste:
He goes, 'What?'
And I'm like 'Seriously'
'Get out!' she's like.
etc.
At times they jumped out at me and other times they slipped by as I was more caught up in the story. Still, I'm not really a fan...
And now I will bombard you with quotes which can give you a feel for the heart-beat of the novel :)
I wish it could stay like this forever, with the anticipation of everything.
I know what it’s like when you just need to be alone for a while and block out the world.
It’s weird how time can change something you thought would always stay the same.
When everyone expects you to be a certain way, it’s really hard to escape that image. It’s like once everyone decides who you are, you’re locked into their version of you and that’s it.
I love the beginning of the year. It’s all about renewal and reinventing yourself, becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.
But we also need to realize that we all have the power to make those changes for ourselves. We all can change the way things are. Maybe not as much as we want to, but we can at least make things better.
I probably just didn’t try hard enough to be happy. But it doesn’t mean that I can’t try harder now.
You can’t go someplace that doesn’t exist anymore.
Failure is not an option. If your life sucks now, it can only improve later. We all feel alone. We all feel desperate. Know that we’re all in this together. You’re not alone, no matter what. Remember that.
Recommended: It's a bit of a rainy day comfort read that many teens will easily relate too. It's an easy book to read, with clean prose, which makes it a good choice for a reluctant reader. I would particularly suggest this title to teens who may struggle with depression/anxiety - it's an uplifting read that brings a comforting and powerful message. This book is written brilliantly for a teenage audience but I'm not sure it will have wide appeal beyond that :)
It's also a lovely PG - no swearing, sex, drugs or violence - mature middle grade readers may be interested in checking it out.
July 10, 2020
2.5 Stars
I didn't really enjoy this one as much as the other Colasanti book that I read. And I think a lot of it had to do with the MC and her family.
Marissa is determined to make changes in her life. After a summer away at camp, she decides that this year will be her year. And number one on that list is get a boyfriend. Enter the typical high school bro, Derek. Yeah, I didn't like him right away. For starters, he was flirting with Marissa while having a girlfriend. So yeah, no. But Marissa gets so wrapped up in him that she loses focus on every other aspect of her life, becoming that girl who can't function without a guy.
Then there's her childhood friend, Nash. Who is constantly described as a nerd who can't dress. I'm not kidding, Marissa's narrative puts him down so much in her mind. Which is why it pisses me off how she acts towards him when she finds out his crush is not on her. Like you don't want him, but you don't want him to like anyone else but you? That just rubbed me the wrong way. And Nash was a really good guy. Pretty much the star of this show.
There's also a side storyline about this mysterious podcast host who I bet you can guess who it is immediately, cause predictable this book is.
One thing I did really like and I'm glad that YA books are focusing on is mental health. Marissa suffers from severe anxiety and had depression. We get to go through the motions with her as her world falls apart and she seems to be sinking back into those days. I would have liked to have delved more into it, but I think the author wanted to keep this book a little lighter. I really wanted a real talk between Marissa and her mother (who was horrible, BTW). But alas, we can't always get what we want.
I didn't really enjoy this one as much as the other Colasanti book that I read. And I think a lot of it had to do with the MC and her family.
Marissa is determined to make changes in her life. After a summer away at camp, she decides that this year will be her year. And number one on that list is get a boyfriend. Enter the typical high school bro, Derek. Yeah, I didn't like him right away. For starters, he was flirting with Marissa while having a girlfriend. So yeah, no. But Marissa gets so wrapped up in him that she loses focus on every other aspect of her life, becoming that girl who can't function without a guy.
Then there's her childhood friend, Nash. Who is constantly described as a nerd who can't dress. I'm not kidding, Marissa's narrative puts him down so much in her mind. Which is why it pisses me off how she acts towards him when she finds out his crush is not on her. Like you don't want him, but you don't want him to like anyone else but you? That just rubbed me the wrong way. And Nash was a really good guy. Pretty much the star of this show.
There's also a side storyline about this mysterious podcast host who I bet you can guess who it is immediately, cause predictable this book is.
One thing I did really like and I'm glad that YA books are focusing on is mental health. Marissa suffers from severe anxiety and had depression. We get to go through the motions with her as her world falls apart and she seems to be sinking back into those days. I would have liked to have delved more into it, but I think the author wanted to keep this book a little lighter. I really wanted a real talk between Marissa and her mother (who was horrible, BTW). But alas, we can't always get what we want.
April 19, 2011
I just finished this book, and I’m in love. The ending was so sweet, and perfect, it made me smile, and sigh inside. Waiting For You was a cute, light novel, but it took me on a meaningful journey of love, and acceptance, finding who you are, and how much the people you love really mean to you. This wasn’t an earth shattering novel, it's kind of predictable, but something in it just clicked with me.
The characters were all so very real, especially Marisa. I loved Marisa, I loved her voice, I loved seeing through her eyes and living with her as she lived her trying teenage life, where she experiences pain, and depression, and uncertainty, and fights. But interspersed in her life was love and friendship and dawning light. The things she goes through is stuff teenagers go through all the time. Crushing on that cute guy, dating, having fun with your friend, fighting with your friend, trouble with parents, sibling quarrels, first love, first kiss. I loved how real this novel was. Colasanti really captured the thoughts and worries of teenagers so well. I really felt Marisa’s feelings and emotions.
The depression she went through was executed well, and I could understand it. There is so much to depression that people don’t understand, that the depressed person can’t explain. Colasanti explored this delicate stage in the view of a teenager with an anxiety disorder who has problems like everyone else, but that just happen to affect her differently, perhaps more strongly or that leaves a more lasting effect than on other people. But then she gets out of it, and I loved seeing her change of mind, her realization that this is no way to live, and that there are things out there that she wants to live for, people who love her, and, who she loves back. Like her mother, who betrayed her, and had a difficult time forgiving her, but then realizing that her mother has deep feelings that she doesn‘t understand. Like Sterling, her best friend, that no matter how many fights they go through, she’s always there for Marisa in the end, and vice versa. And Nash. Nash, who she’s known since they were young, who she’s beginning to realize how much she cares for him. Nash was so sweet. I really liked him. He starts out as a shy, kind of dorky guy who’s really smart and is always correcting people and likes robots and bells, but then he transforms into a cool, swoon worthy guy, yet still retaining that sweetness.
The romance was nice. I loved the moments with Marisa and Nash. They were so good together, he listened to her, he cared about her. He didn’t let Marisa’s rejection shatter him or make him bitter against her. He continued being her friend, which was important as Marisa started to spiral down into her depression.
I really didn’t expect to love this book so much. But I can say I was pleasantly surprised with it. It isn’t the best written. The writing is pretty simple, but I guess it just felt right, it matched with Marisa, and the feel of the novel. It flowed nicely. I also loved how clean it was, it has a few swear words but there’s nothing sexual. Not everyone who reads this will love it like I did, but I hope you at least like it and find something meaningful in it. In any case, I’m so glad I bought this book, it was well worth it.
The characters were all so very real, especially Marisa. I loved Marisa, I loved her voice, I loved seeing through her eyes and living with her as she lived her trying teenage life, where she experiences pain, and depression, and uncertainty, and fights. But interspersed in her life was love and friendship and dawning light. The things she goes through is stuff teenagers go through all the time. Crushing on that cute guy, dating, having fun with your friend, fighting with your friend, trouble with parents, sibling quarrels, first love, first kiss. I loved how real this novel was. Colasanti really captured the thoughts and worries of teenagers so well. I really felt Marisa’s feelings and emotions.
The depression she went through was executed well, and I could understand it. There is so much to depression that people don’t understand, that the depressed person can’t explain. Colasanti explored this delicate stage in the view of a teenager with an anxiety disorder who has problems like everyone else, but that just happen to affect her differently, perhaps more strongly or that leaves a more lasting effect than on other people. But then she gets out of it, and I loved seeing her change of mind, her realization that this is no way to live, and that there are things out there that she wants to live for, people who love her, and, who she loves back. Like her mother, who betrayed her, and had a difficult time forgiving her, but then realizing that her mother has deep feelings that she doesn‘t understand. Like Sterling, her best friend, that no matter how many fights they go through, she’s always there for Marisa in the end, and vice versa. And Nash. Nash, who she’s known since they were young, who she’s beginning to realize how much she cares for him. Nash was so sweet. I really liked him. He starts out as a shy, kind of dorky guy who’s really smart and is always correcting people and likes robots and bells, but then he transforms into a cool, swoon worthy guy, yet still retaining that sweetness.
The romance was nice. I loved the moments with Marisa and Nash. They were so good together, he listened to her, he cared about her. He didn’t let Marisa’s rejection shatter him or make him bitter against her. He continued being her friend, which was important as Marisa started to spiral down into her depression.
I really didn’t expect to love this book so much. But I can say I was pleasantly surprised with it. It isn’t the best written. The writing is pretty simple, but I guess it just felt right, it matched with Marisa, and the feel of the novel. It flowed nicely. I also loved how clean it was, it has a few swear words but there’s nothing sexual. Not everyone who reads this will love it like I did, but I hope you at least like it and find something meaningful in it. In any case, I’m so glad I bought this book, it was well worth it.
August 13, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Update: reread May 25, 2016
A cute, short, easy read that only took me 2.5 hours to re-read. I completely forgot about some of the elements in this book, and I really enjoyed experiencing them again.
Update: reread May 25, 2016
A cute, short, easy read that only took me 2.5 hours to re-read. I completely forgot about some of the elements in this book, and I really enjoyed experiencing them again.
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com
Marisa has had a crush on Derek for a long, long time. He's perfect: friendly, cute, popular. The only problem is that he has a girlfriend. Then there's Nash, her longtime, geeky neighbor. Sure, he's super shy, but he's also extremely sweet and smart.
So when Derek breaks up with his girlfriend and starts paying attention to Marisa, she's ecstatic. Soon it's official - Derek and Marisa, the couple of the school. But then things change between Nash and Marisa. They start to talk more and find themselves becoming good friends. And then there's the fact that the once geeky Nash isn't so geeky anymore. In fact, he seems to have gotten...a style!
When Marisa has Derek, the guy she's always wanted, doesn't that mean she should be happy? And when she's not happy, does this mean that maybe she and Derek aren't meant to be?
Susane Colasanti writes a must-read for all teens. Not only does this book delve into young love, but it also deals with family life and the problems that are common today. This book is a rite of passage for all teens going through the dramas of high school: family problems, friend drama, crazy siblings, cute boys, and surprising finds.
WAITING FOR YOU, the third teen read from Colasanti, is recommended to all. This book will bring laughs, tears, and awkward moments that will be sure to please everyone who reads it.
Marisa has had a crush on Derek for a long, long time. He's perfect: friendly, cute, popular. The only problem is that he has a girlfriend. Then there's Nash, her longtime, geeky neighbor. Sure, he's super shy, but he's also extremely sweet and smart.
So when Derek breaks up with his girlfriend and starts paying attention to Marisa, she's ecstatic. Soon it's official - Derek and Marisa, the couple of the school. But then things change between Nash and Marisa. They start to talk more and find themselves becoming good friends. And then there's the fact that the once geeky Nash isn't so geeky anymore. In fact, he seems to have gotten...a style!
When Marisa has Derek, the guy she's always wanted, doesn't that mean she should be happy? And when she's not happy, does this mean that maybe she and Derek aren't meant to be?
Susane Colasanti writes a must-read for all teens. Not only does this book delve into young love, but it also deals with family life and the problems that are common today. This book is a rite of passage for all teens going through the dramas of high school: family problems, friend drama, crazy siblings, cute boys, and surprising finds.
WAITING FOR YOU, the third teen read from Colasanti, is recommended to all. This book will bring laughs, tears, and awkward moments that will be sure to please everyone who reads it.
May 30, 2009
This was my first time reading Colasanti, and I really enjoyed it! She definitely has a style to her writing, it was simplistic and enjoyable. It flowed very nicely, making it a very easy read.
Waiting for You is an emotional, fun, sort of coming of age story all centered around a first love. Although I predicted whom our heroine would end up with ultimately, it didn't keep me from turning the pages at warp speed! I liked the serious elements that Colasanti presented too. It was definitely not something I was expecting, but I think it really added to the overall prose of the story.
To me the characters were a little clichéd, not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but it didn't make them stand out amongst the throngs of awesome YA characters.
I'm going to have to pick up a copy of her other novels, probably When It Happens, I've heard great things about that one. Colasanti will be an author I'll pick up in the future.
Waiting for You is an emotional, fun, sort of coming of age story all centered around a first love. Although I predicted whom our heroine would end up with ultimately, it didn't keep me from turning the pages at warp speed! I liked the serious elements that Colasanti presented too. It was definitely not something I was expecting, but I think it really added to the overall prose of the story.
To me the characters were a little clichéd, not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but it didn't make them stand out amongst the throngs of awesome YA characters.
I'm going to have to pick up a copy of her other novels, probably When It Happens, I've heard great things about that one. Colasanti will be an author I'll pick up in the future.
August 11, 2011
It was exam week, I was not supposed to give in into temptations and read, but I did, and I did not regret it at all!
Waiting for you is a story of a girl wanting to change herself, and she has been waiting all her life for a change. From the obvious title, Waiting for you, it gives readers the impression that the protagonist, Marisa is waiting for the special someone to appear, and she is! But it also involves something more deep.
One thing about books like this, it gives you a moment of euphoria, and you still live by the effect later (it doesn't actually go away! I still find myself head over heels with Nash-the boy character in the story) but as usual, it's kind of cliche, not that I mind! I have my own theory for cliche-ness, no matter how typical or predictable a story might be, every story has it's own clicheness, you know what will happen, but the biggest question is the 'HOW', that's why I love reading these stories.
Now, let me sort of summarize this story to you without leaking any spoilers.
Marissa is an average girl, maybe slightly lower than average because people looked at her as if she's like a freak and she never had anyone who notices her. She has this huge crush on this hearthrob, Derek, an awesome family, a BFF Sterling (which I think it's a cool name) and a new school year with new resolution. One problem, she has anxiety disorder. Just when things were going in her way, bad things kept on happening, and she fell into depression again (not that intense but it's sad), who pulled her out of it? - Dirty Dirk (yes, I love this dude, if he's in my school, I would totally worship him. LOL)
That's all I can write without revealing something I'm not supposed to :P
For my review,
1. I love that I could predict things! It made me feel like I have psychic power or something, and my prediction did come true in the book.
-Who's Dirty Dirk? (from the very first moment!)
-What happened to Marisa's parents (oh, this is so about the 'HOW')
-Derek's character and what he would do (but he did something that suprises me though)
-The turnout of events.
Yup, that's probably the most of it, but that did not stop me from cracking over the plot and go all weepy the next second. Like I said, euphoria.
2. My mind was lost for the last couple of days (exams do that to me) and I was feeling a bit depressed because I know I'll do bad for my Biology paper that day, and Waiting for you made me feel anew. I swear it's like fate (which reminded me of Susan's other book, Something like Fate), all of a sudden, there's Dirty Dirk, and he's like...commnunicating to me. That's when I know I'm in love, :P
3. It made me go all weepy in the end, I just love a happy ending.
Waiting for you, despite the 'chick-ish' title, is something worth reading. It could be your 'curl up with' book!
Waiting for you is a story of a girl wanting to change herself, and she has been waiting all her life for a change. From the obvious title, Waiting for you, it gives readers the impression that the protagonist, Marisa is waiting for the special someone to appear, and she is! But it also involves something more deep.
One thing about books like this, it gives you a moment of euphoria, and you still live by the effect later (it doesn't actually go away! I still find myself head over heels with Nash-the boy character in the story) but as usual, it's kind of cliche, not that I mind! I have my own theory for cliche-ness, no matter how typical or predictable a story might be, every story has it's own clicheness, you know what will happen, but the biggest question is the 'HOW', that's why I love reading these stories.
Now, let me sort of summarize this story to you without leaking any spoilers.
Marissa is an average girl, maybe slightly lower than average because people looked at her as if she's like a freak and she never had anyone who notices her. She has this huge crush on this hearthrob, Derek, an awesome family, a BFF Sterling (which I think it's a cool name) and a new school year with new resolution. One problem, she has anxiety disorder. Just when things were going in her way, bad things kept on happening, and she fell into depression again (not that intense but it's sad), who pulled her out of it? - Dirty Dirk (yes, I love this dude, if he's in my school, I would totally worship him. LOL)
That's all I can write without revealing something I'm not supposed to :P
For my review,
1. I love that I could predict things! It made me feel like I have psychic power or something, and my prediction did come true in the book.
-Who's Dirty Dirk? (from the very first moment!)
-What happened to Marisa's parents (oh, this is so about the 'HOW')
-Derek's character and what he would do (but he did something that suprises me though)
-The turnout of events.
Yup, that's probably the most of it, but that did not stop me from cracking over the plot and go all weepy the next second. Like I said, euphoria.
2. My mind was lost for the last couple of days (exams do that to me) and I was feeling a bit depressed because I know I'll do bad for my Biology paper that day, and Waiting for you made me feel anew. I swear it's like fate (which reminded me of Susan's other book, Something like Fate), all of a sudden, there's Dirty Dirk, and he's like...commnunicating to me. That's when I know I'm in love, :P
3. It made me go all weepy in the end, I just love a happy ending.
Waiting for you, despite the 'chick-ish' title, is something worth reading. It could be your 'curl up with' book!
September 5, 2018
So this book is bad. Like really bad. It was an easy read. I read it in a couple hours but I couldn’t even tell you the MC name even.
She was immature, annoying, and there was almost too much self dialogue going on. The writing was seriously terrible.
See for yourself;
“Nash has a new shirt. News like this would normally seem so uneventful that it wouldn’t even be classified as news. But with Nash, it’s a whole different story.”
“How can Derek be friends with her? Didn’t she break up with him? So then why would he still want to associate with her? And why would she still want to talk to him?”
“I brought my camera. Every time I go bowling I’m like, I have to bring my camera next time , and then I always forget. But this time, I remembered.”
For being 15 the characters were super childish, super annoying. Like holy hell am I glad that book is over….
She was immature, annoying, and there was almost too much self dialogue going on. The writing was seriously terrible.
See for yourself;
“Nash has a new shirt. News like this would normally seem so uneventful that it wouldn’t even be classified as news. But with Nash, it’s a whole different story.”
“How can Derek be friends with her? Didn’t she break up with him? So then why would he still want to associate with her? And why would she still want to talk to him?”
“I brought my camera. Every time I go bowling I’m like, I have to bring my camera next time , and then I always forget. But this time, I remembered.”
For being 15 the characters were super childish, super annoying. Like holy hell am I glad that book is over….
December 23, 2009
I read about 30 pages of this book and had to quit, abandon and return to the library where it'll rightfully find the hands of a 13 year old girl looking for a Hannah Montana episode on pages.
I quote this horrendous book:
"I'm just saying," Andrea goes.
"Yeah, well I'm just saying that Dan is seriously hot," Sterling says "Can you introduce me?"
Andrea scrunches her face up.
"What?" Sterling goes.
Andrea's all, "Forget it"
Sterling's like, "Could it be any hotter?"
I go, "In hell maybe".
I swear that's how it keeps on going till you get a migraine. Mostly all (meaning about 75% of the book) is made up of dumb, boring and long dialogue made by superficial, immature and very dumb girls.
I quote this horrendous book:
"I'm just saying," Andrea goes.
"Yeah, well I'm just saying that Dan is seriously hot," Sterling says "Can you introduce me?"
Andrea scrunches her face up.
"What?" Sterling goes.
Andrea's all, "Forget it"
Sterling's like, "Could it be any hotter?"
I go, "In hell maybe".
I swear that's how it keeps on going till you get a migraine. Mostly all (meaning about 75% of the book) is made up of dumb, boring and long dialogue made by superficial, immature and very dumb girls.
May 13, 2009
Girl likes "cool" boy. "Nerdy" boy likes girl. Girl has family problems/issues. Girl, to her shock, ends up dating the "cool" boy.
Guess whose problems/issues are resolved by the end of the book? Guess which boy the girl ends up with?
Waiting For You is utterly obvious from the first chapter and Colasanti's writing isn't strong enough to sustain interest. You know exactly what's going to happen about ten chapters before it happens, and the character are caricatures. So much so that I can't actually remember the names of any of the main characters in the book and I finished it yesterday.
I loved Colasanti's first novel, When It Happens, but this one is even more cliched-filled than her second, Take Me There, and in addition to the lack of characterization, Waiting For You has barely enough plot for about a hundred pages. The remaining two hundred plus are scenes of the same thing over and over and over again.
Guess whose problems/issues are resolved by the end of the book? Guess which boy the girl ends up with?
Waiting For You is utterly obvious from the first chapter and Colasanti's writing isn't strong enough to sustain interest. You know exactly what's going to happen about ten chapters before it happens, and the character are caricatures. So much so that I can't actually remember the names of any of the main characters in the book and I finished it yesterday.
I loved Colasanti's first novel, When It Happens, but this one is even more cliched-filled than her second, Take Me There, and in addition to the lack of characterization, Waiting For You has barely enough plot for about a hundred pages. The remaining two hundred plus are scenes of the same thing over and over and over again.
December 14, 2012
No Susane, I was waiting for YOU to actually get me interested in the story.
November 16, 2015
So apparently I went two for two on young adult reads this weekend.
Told in the first person, we have Marisa ready to start her sophomore year in high school. Marisa had a bad year as a freshman when she suffered from depression and anxiety. Now she is happy to start a new year where she can wipe the slate clean and finally find a boyfriend to fall in love with.
I thought that honestly way too many serious things that were going on were just ignored so we could focus on Marisa being obsessed with a boy she wasn't even dating. When Marisa finally gets the romantic entanglement she wants, the rest of the book is her feeling dissatisfied with it (the grass is always greener) and doing things that 100 percent labeled her a stage five clinger.
There was sadly no development of any other characters in this book either. We get Marisa's best friend Sterling, her sister, her mother and father, her aunt, and the boy next door, Nash.
There was a lot going on in this book which sadly led to not everything being treated with equal weight and me personally feeling bored by focusing most of the story on Marisa's search for her soulmate. It didn't help that the author included a similar plot-line to the movie, Pump Up the Volume that just did not work for this book at all. I think I was supposed to be all amazed by what the mysterious podcaster was saying about being a teenager. Christian Slater was there first ladies and gentlemen, you are never touching that.
I seriously at one point just kind of laughed, because I used to watch this movie at least once every couple of weeks when I was a teenager and there were a lot of references to things this mysterious character (not really) was saying that were similar to Christian Slater's movie character.
The writing was okay but the flow was pretty bad from beginning to end. There were serious things happening in Marisa's life that would be referred to chapters later.
When the ending happened I guess I was supposed to be all hip hip hooray but I just rolled my eyes. Oh high school, when you sat and thought that every guy/girl was the one.
Told in the first person, we have Marisa ready to start her sophomore year in high school. Marisa had a bad year as a freshman when she suffered from depression and anxiety. Now she is happy to start a new year where she can wipe the slate clean and finally find a boyfriend to fall in love with.
I thought that honestly way too many serious things that were going on were just ignored so we could focus on Marisa being obsessed with a boy she wasn't even dating. When Marisa finally gets the romantic entanglement she wants, the rest of the book is her feeling dissatisfied with it (the grass is always greener) and doing things that 100 percent labeled her a stage five clinger.
There was sadly no development of any other characters in this book either. We get Marisa's best friend Sterling, her sister, her mother and father, her aunt, and the boy next door, Nash.
There was a lot going on in this book which sadly led to not everything being treated with equal weight and me personally feeling bored by focusing most of the story on Marisa's search for her soulmate. It didn't help that the author included a similar plot-line to the movie, Pump Up the Volume that just did not work for this book at all. I think I was supposed to be all amazed by what the mysterious podcaster was saying about being a teenager. Christian Slater was there first ladies and gentlemen, you are never touching that.
I seriously at one point just kind of laughed, because I used to watch this movie at least once every couple of weeks when I was a teenager and there were a lot of references to things this mysterious character (not really) was saying that were similar to Christian Slater's movie character.
The writing was okay but the flow was pretty bad from beginning to end. There were serious things happening in Marisa's life that would be referred to chapters later.
When the ending happened I guess I was supposed to be all hip hip hooray but I just rolled my eyes. Oh high school, when you sat and thought that every guy/girl was the one.
November 27, 2019
Whoa. Okay, first of all-
This book. Is awful.
I got it because it was clean (except for a few minor swear words), except it WASN'T.
What the heck are you trying to get across here, Susane? This is so wrong to try to be teaching people this, and I can't even understand how such a book can even be published. Not to mention it was a pretty boring storyline, considering you could tell what was going on with her so-called love life from the very start. Oooh, who was the mysterious dude that no one knows on the podcast? Is it *gasp* Derek, the dreamy guy EVERY lady falls for? Or is it *Gee, idk* Geeky Nash, who actually has a heart? Hmm, hard thinking here. I think I'll go lie down until I can muster the brain capacity to work this toughie out, gosh dang it.
This book. Is awful.
I got it because it was clean (except for a few minor swear words), except it WASN'T.
What the heck are you trying to get across here, Susane? This is so wrong to try to be teaching people this, and I can't even understand how such a book can even be published. Not to mention it was a pretty boring storyline, considering you could tell what was going on with her so-called love life from the very start. Oooh, who was the mysterious dude that no one knows on the podcast? Is it *gasp* Derek, the dreamy guy EVERY lady falls for? Or is it *Gee, idk* Geeky Nash, who actually has a heart? Hmm, hard thinking here. I think I'll go lie down until I can muster the brain capacity to work this toughie out, gosh dang it.
August 28, 2011
Ada Apa Dengan John Mayer, wahai para wanita?
Summary
Aku, Marisa, bersedia menunggu sampai datang cowok impian yang akan membuatku bahagia. Selama apa pun itu. Tapi, dalam masa penantian itu, aku tak akan menyia-nyiakan hidupku. Ada keluarga yang selalu mencintaiku, Mom, Dad, dan si bossy Sandra, adikku. Lalu ada pula dua sobat terbaikku, Nash dan Sterling. Pada saat tertentu, aku merasa Derek, cowok paling oke di sekolahan, adalah cowok impian yang kutunggu-tunggu itu. Betapa tidak, dia adalah gambaran cowok too good to be true, but he’s true saying that he loves me. Aww, don’t be jealous. Dia memang bilang cinta padaku. Tapi, kenapa belakangan ini aku sering curiga pada Derek, ya? Terus, kenapa pula Nash mencoba menciumku? Dan, kenapa orang tuaku harus bercerai? Oh, John Mayer, save my life, please!
Ada apa dengan John Mayer? Apakah dia sekeren itu? Apakah lagu-lagunya benar-benar membiusmu, wahai para wanita?
Aku memang telah meyakinkan diri sebagai seorang pecandu chart-topper. Apa pun yang masuk dalam top list, bakal kucari. Termasuk lagu-lagu. Dan, John Mayer pernah masuk dalam top list. Sering, malah. Meskipun begitu aku men-donwload lagunya (segala album, single, dan videonya) aku jarang lagi mendengarkannya. Tapi, aku jadi makin penasaran sama penyanyi ini ketika banyak sekali novel, terutama romens, yang selalu ngebawa-bawa nama JM di novelnya. Entah, ketertarikan personal pengarangnya ataukah hanya sekadar upaya si pengarang untuk memperkuat karakter para tokohnya saja. Yang jelas, aku berkesimpulan, banyak cewek klepek-klepek pada pesona John Mayer. Pada orangnya atau pada lagunya? I have no idea.
Oke, back to laptop. Soal buku ini. Hmm, one word: klise. Another word: standar. Tapi: manis, legit, cerah, dan terkadang renyah. Wahh? Typically teen lit biasa yang sudah banyak beredar. Cinta segitiga. Secret admirer. Dan, sahabat jadi cinta. Ups. Lucky i’m in love with my best friend, kata Jason Mraz dan Colbie Caillat (song: Lucky). Bumbu penyedap ceritanya juga sudah biasa banget. So, aku sekadar menikmati bulir-bulir romansa remaja racikan Susane dan mencoba mencari keunikan dari gaya menulis pengarangnya. Hasilnya: not bad. It’s cute writing, by the way.
Beberapa lines yang kusuka dari novel ini:
“How can things go away and feelings change so drasticlly just because some time passed by? How can time change what happened?” (pg: 149) Ouch, this is sooo...me! aku sering bertanya dalam hati: kenapa seseorang yang katanya cinta mati seseorang, begitu putus tak lama kemudikan bilang cinta mati lagi pada orang lain? Segampang itu?
“I should grateful for what I have.” (pg: 161) nah, ini juga sangat inspiratif, mengingatkan kita untuk selalu bersyukur. Jangan selalu “memandang kehijauan rumput tetangga” cobalah untuk menikmati rumputmu sendiri.
Tak banyak yang bisa kukomentari dari buku ini selain dari segi ceritanya. secara aku baca ebook version-nya jadilah aku nggak bisa melacak typo-nya. Hahaha. Oh, I love it’s cover, by the way. More than the Indonesian version. Yang terjemahan Elex memang seide tapi kurang click dengan hanya menampilkan sesosok cewek instead of sepasang cewek dan cowok seperti di cover aslinya.
Yang jelas sih, aku suka dengan gaya menulis Susane, so, next...aku akan membaca buku-bukunya yang lain. Saat ini aku memang sedang terobsesi untuk membaca seluruh karya dari: Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, dan Susane Colasanti ini.
Selamat membaca, kawan!
Summary
Aku, Marisa, bersedia menunggu sampai datang cowok impian yang akan membuatku bahagia. Selama apa pun itu. Tapi, dalam masa penantian itu, aku tak akan menyia-nyiakan hidupku. Ada keluarga yang selalu mencintaiku, Mom, Dad, dan si bossy Sandra, adikku. Lalu ada pula dua sobat terbaikku, Nash dan Sterling. Pada saat tertentu, aku merasa Derek, cowok paling oke di sekolahan, adalah cowok impian yang kutunggu-tunggu itu. Betapa tidak, dia adalah gambaran cowok too good to be true, but he’s true saying that he loves me. Aww, don’t be jealous. Dia memang bilang cinta padaku. Tapi, kenapa belakangan ini aku sering curiga pada Derek, ya? Terus, kenapa pula Nash mencoba menciumku? Dan, kenapa orang tuaku harus bercerai? Oh, John Mayer, save my life, please!
Ada apa dengan John Mayer? Apakah dia sekeren itu? Apakah lagu-lagunya benar-benar membiusmu, wahai para wanita?
Aku memang telah meyakinkan diri sebagai seorang pecandu chart-topper. Apa pun yang masuk dalam top list, bakal kucari. Termasuk lagu-lagu. Dan, John Mayer pernah masuk dalam top list. Sering, malah. Meskipun begitu aku men-donwload lagunya (segala album, single, dan videonya) aku jarang lagi mendengarkannya. Tapi, aku jadi makin penasaran sama penyanyi ini ketika banyak sekali novel, terutama romens, yang selalu ngebawa-bawa nama JM di novelnya. Entah, ketertarikan personal pengarangnya ataukah hanya sekadar upaya si pengarang untuk memperkuat karakter para tokohnya saja. Yang jelas, aku berkesimpulan, banyak cewek klepek-klepek pada pesona John Mayer. Pada orangnya atau pada lagunya? I have no idea.
Oke, back to laptop. Soal buku ini. Hmm, one word: klise. Another word: standar. Tapi: manis, legit, cerah, dan terkadang renyah. Wahh? Typically teen lit biasa yang sudah banyak beredar. Cinta segitiga. Secret admirer. Dan, sahabat jadi cinta. Ups. Lucky i’m in love with my best friend, kata Jason Mraz dan Colbie Caillat (song: Lucky). Bumbu penyedap ceritanya juga sudah biasa banget. So, aku sekadar menikmati bulir-bulir romansa remaja racikan Susane dan mencoba mencari keunikan dari gaya menulis pengarangnya. Hasilnya: not bad. It’s cute writing, by the way.
Beberapa lines yang kusuka dari novel ini:
“How can things go away and feelings change so drasticlly just because some time passed by? How can time change what happened?” (pg: 149) Ouch, this is sooo...me! aku sering bertanya dalam hati: kenapa seseorang yang katanya cinta mati seseorang, begitu putus tak lama kemudikan bilang cinta mati lagi pada orang lain? Segampang itu?
“I should grateful for what I have.” (pg: 161) nah, ini juga sangat inspiratif, mengingatkan kita untuk selalu bersyukur. Jangan selalu “memandang kehijauan rumput tetangga” cobalah untuk menikmati rumputmu sendiri.
Tak banyak yang bisa kukomentari dari buku ini selain dari segi ceritanya. secara aku baca ebook version-nya jadilah aku nggak bisa melacak typo-nya. Hahaha. Oh, I love it’s cover, by the way. More than the Indonesian version. Yang terjemahan Elex memang seide tapi kurang click dengan hanya menampilkan sesosok cewek instead of sepasang cewek dan cowok seperti di cover aslinya.
Yang jelas sih, aku suka dengan gaya menulis Susane, so, next...aku akan membaca buku-bukunya yang lain. Saat ini aku memang sedang terobsesi untuk membaca seluruh karya dari: Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, dan Susane Colasanti ini.
Selamat membaca, kawan!
December 21, 2015
This book was worse than I expected, and that is saying something.
June 24, 2025
A quick, somewhat childish read from my high school bookshelf, but appreciated the focus into mental health.
October 10, 2018
Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti is a remarkable read for any high schooler who is, or has, experienced having a crush or two. I loved this book because the way she wrote was easy to read without making me feel like I’m reading a book for a child. Also, the storyline of the book was very plausible for a high school student because I feel like the way many love stories end are more like fairytales and not real life. It was nice to be able to relate to a book I was reading.
In Waiting for You, Marisa, the main character, is trying to balance a crush, the separation of her parents, and an awkward friendship. Throughout the book, Marisa learns that sometimes the people that love you the most are right in front of you. She also learns that just because someone seems a certain way on the outside, like the way they hold themselves or how they dress, doesn’t always mean that’s how they are on the inside. Many of the issues Marisa and her friends go through in Waiting For You are things numerous teenagers go through on a daily basis. So, if you’re a teenager who needs something to show them that eventually, everything is going to be okay, this book is for you.
In Waiting for You, Marisa, the main character, is trying to balance a crush, the separation of her parents, and an awkward friendship. Throughout the book, Marisa learns that sometimes the people that love you the most are right in front of you. She also learns that just because someone seems a certain way on the outside, like the way they hold themselves or how they dress, doesn’t always mean that’s how they are on the inside. Many of the issues Marisa and her friends go through in Waiting For You are things numerous teenagers go through on a daily basis. So, if you’re a teenager who needs something to show them that eventually, everything is going to be okay, this book is for you.
December 31, 2014
Sophomore Year.
This should be a fresh start according to Marissa. After a series of anxiety attacks, she is ready to take on a new start on things at school and more importantly ready to take it to the next level and have a boyfriend.
Derek is one of the handomest guy at Marissa's school. Ever girl loves him and Emma fails to escape that charisma of him. She has been in love with him for a long time now and the only thing that is stopping her from telling him is the fact that he has a grilfriend. So when the news that Derek and her girlfriend broke up and he asks her out, Marissa thinks her long wait for happiness is over.
Nash, on the other hand, is Marissa's nerdy next door neighbor. Nash and Marissa are good friends during their childhood but a time came when neither of them talk to each other. They guess they just outgrew each other. Nash has been in love with Marissa for awhile now, but Marissa doen't feel the same way or does she?
Then, there is the mysterious guy with a name of Dirty Dirk who runs a late night radio show. No one knows who he is, yet, he seems to know everything that is happening around town.
Though things might seem to work out for Marissa, there are still bumps along the road that she takes - her parent's cold shoulder with each other, a fight with her bestfriend, and a great dissapointment with her current relationship. These bumps tests Marissa's ability to maintain her new outlook in her life. Marisa learns how to live within the moment and realizes that the love she's been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.
I've already read all of Susane Colasanti's books and this is the last one i've left yet to read, and i could say, it was another beautifully written book. A very funny, cute and emotional novel. It gives us a good look at what high school mean for a girl who is battling with anxiety and depression and other life's trials. The characters in this book are also well written and each of them has a say on this story. They help build the character of each other.
This novel is about taking in charge of your own life. Like Marissa, she feels as if she has been waiting her whole life, waiting to fit in, waiting to be noticed and waiting for that special someone. It shows us that waiting is not always the answer, sometimes we need to let go of our fears and inhibitions and reach out to the people around us to find what we really want.
A typical Colasant book, it seems to be very true. The characters and plot seemed so real and i know a lot could relate to this. So, i definitely recommend this book. Everyone could surely relate to this.
PS. Be sure to check out other books by Susane Colasanti. They would never fail you. :)
This should be a fresh start according to Marissa. After a series of anxiety attacks, she is ready to take on a new start on things at school and more importantly ready to take it to the next level and have a boyfriend.
Derek is one of the handomest guy at Marissa's school. Ever girl loves him and Emma fails to escape that charisma of him. She has been in love with him for a long time now and the only thing that is stopping her from telling him is the fact that he has a grilfriend. So when the news that Derek and her girlfriend broke up and he asks her out, Marissa thinks her long wait for happiness is over.
Nash, on the other hand, is Marissa's nerdy next door neighbor. Nash and Marissa are good friends during their childhood but a time came when neither of them talk to each other. They guess they just outgrew each other. Nash has been in love with Marissa for awhile now, but Marissa doen't feel the same way or does she?
Then, there is the mysterious guy with a name of Dirty Dirk who runs a late night radio show. No one knows who he is, yet, he seems to know everything that is happening around town.
Though things might seem to work out for Marissa, there are still bumps along the road that she takes - her parent's cold shoulder with each other, a fight with her bestfriend, and a great dissapointment with her current relationship. These bumps tests Marissa's ability to maintain her new outlook in her life. Marisa learns how to live within the moment and realizes that the love she's been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.
I've already read all of Susane Colasanti's books and this is the last one i've left yet to read, and i could say, it was another beautifully written book. A very funny, cute and emotional novel. It gives us a good look at what high school mean for a girl who is battling with anxiety and depression and other life's trials. The characters in this book are also well written and each of them has a say on this story. They help build the character of each other.
This novel is about taking in charge of your own life. Like Marissa, she feels as if she has been waiting her whole life, waiting to fit in, waiting to be noticed and waiting for that special someone. It shows us that waiting is not always the answer, sometimes we need to let go of our fears and inhibitions and reach out to the people around us to find what we really want.
A typical Colasant book, it seems to be very true. The characters and plot seemed so real and i know a lot could relate to this. So, i definitely recommend this book. Everyone could surely relate to this.
PS. Be sure to check out other books by Susane Colasanti. They would never fail you. :)
January 22, 2010
I almost gave up on this book for several reasons, which I'll get to in a sec, but overall I’m glad I stuck with it. It turned out to be a good story about two friends that have been waiting for something special when it was there in front of them all along.
I really liked the main characters of this story, especially Dirty Dirk. What a great and clever addition to the story line. His advice and disguise was classic to say the least. However, I must say, I did have my suspicions of him all along.
Nash and Marisa are a great pair. I love their dialog and their easy going relationship. It was perfect. Marisa is endearing, regardless of her "noisy brain" and her John Mayer fixation. I loved her idea of calling in sad to work. LOL I might try that sometime. :) Dirty Dirk's All Talk and No Action advice was clever and endearing, and I wish I had someone like him in my life when I was a teen…he was full of awesomeness.
However, I had to take away a couple of stars for a few reasons. First being the dialog starters. What a mistake on the part of the author and the editors! They were absolutely annoying and distracting to say the least. I know many teens, and myself included at times, use the saying… "she goes" "he's like" but please! I'm reading a 300+ page book and I couldn’t take it. The dialog was great, but the starters killed it. If I decide to read any more of Colasanti's books, I'll be sure to peruse through the content to make sure I don’t have to torture myself with that annoying technique. Second, it took Colasanti a while to introduce the POV. For a significant amount of pages, I was wondering who was narrating the story and what the character's name was… again… a bit annoying. The author should have offered that information up front. Lastly, it took about 100 pages for the story to take off, and most readers don’t have that much patience. However, I'm glad I did because in the end, it was worth it.
Overall, I enjoyed Waiting for You, as the relationship and genuine friendship between Marisa and Nash was nice to read and experience. Good read if you're into YA romance.
I really liked the main characters of this story, especially Dirty Dirk. What a great and clever addition to the story line. His advice and disguise was classic to say the least. However, I must say, I did have my suspicions of him all along.
Nash and Marisa are a great pair. I love their dialog and their easy going relationship. It was perfect. Marisa is endearing, regardless of her "noisy brain" and her John Mayer fixation. I loved her idea of calling in sad to work. LOL I might try that sometime. :) Dirty Dirk's All Talk and No Action advice was clever and endearing, and I wish I had someone like him in my life when I was a teen…he was full of awesomeness.
However, I had to take away a couple of stars for a few reasons. First being the dialog starters. What a mistake on the part of the author and the editors! They were absolutely annoying and distracting to say the least. I know many teens, and myself included at times, use the saying… "she goes" "he's like" but please! I'm reading a 300+ page book and I couldn’t take it. The dialog was great, but the starters killed it. If I decide to read any more of Colasanti's books, I'll be sure to peruse through the content to make sure I don’t have to torture myself with that annoying technique. Second, it took Colasanti a while to introduce the POV. For a significant amount of pages, I was wondering who was narrating the story and what the character's name was… again… a bit annoying. The author should have offered that information up front. Lastly, it took about 100 pages for the story to take off, and most readers don’t have that much patience. However, I'm glad I did because in the end, it was worth it.
Overall, I enjoyed Waiting for You, as the relationship and genuine friendship between Marisa and Nash was nice to read and experience. Good read if you're into YA romance.
August 20, 2013
This book was a major disappointment.
If you're interested in books about stereotypical teenagers who whine about not having a boyfriend, then this is the perfect book for you. I'm not one of those people.
Marisa (who's name I didn't learn until chapter 12--I counted) just striked me as a very annoying teenage girl. She's supposed to have anxiety (that somehow never appears), and when it did, it felt like the author only put it in because she felt bad for not doing it earlier.
She also says that Marisa was depressed last year, and this year she has thoughts about killing herself again, but only because her not-greatly-illustrated boyfriend was flirting with other girls, she was in a petty fight with her best friend, and her parents were separating, even though they both tried equally hard to communicate with her and she was the one pushing them away.
Besides that, her voice sounded like an adult trying to sound like a teenager. Expressions like "I'm psyched!", "Totally!", and "Far out!" were used way too much, annoying you instead of connecting with the main character.
Overall, a pretty unoriginal book with a bad narrator. 2 stars.
If you're interested in books about stereotypical teenagers who whine about not having a boyfriend, then this is the perfect book for you. I'm not one of those people.
Marisa (who's name I didn't learn until chapter 12--I counted) just striked me as a very annoying teenage girl. She's supposed to have anxiety (that somehow never appears), and when it did, it felt like the author only put it in because she felt bad for not doing it earlier.
She also says that Marisa was depressed last year, and this year she has thoughts about killing herself again, but only because her not-greatly-illustrated boyfriend was flirting with other girls, she was in a petty fight with her best friend, and her parents were separating, even though they both tried equally hard to communicate with her and she was the one pushing them away.
Besides that, her voice sounded like an adult trying to sound like a teenager. Expressions like "I'm psyched!", "Totally!", and "Far out!" were used way too much, annoying you instead of connecting with the main character.
Overall, a pretty unoriginal book with a bad narrator. 2 stars.
October 8, 2018
Personally it's no longer my sort of book, however, i was having a clear out and decided to reread some books that I couldn't remember before I sent them on their way. This book is a sweet coming of age story, and I know younger me enjoyed it because it touches on more realistic themes that I think are more relatable. It deals with mental health, such as depression and anxiety disorders in a way that isn't romanticised or portrays them as being end all, awful diseases you can never over come. It also deals with relationships, with both parents and teenagers, to show that some relationships will work out, but other don't and that's okay. Overall, just think this is a nice YA novel that deals with a lot of important topics that are pretty common in society, and so it's worth a read, especially if you're a young adult yourself, or you just enjoy these types of books.
January 13, 2010
This is one of those books I knew was going to have a happy ending, but I didn't know exactly how it was going to happen (or with whom).
Marisa is a bit hard to like in the beginning because she has this anxiety disorder thing that makes her depressed and a worry-wart. She dwells on everything to the point of insanity (and that's coming from the girl who does the exact same thing!).
It's also a story with a serious message and I liked how everything unfolded. You really do start to like her and you can relate to everything she wants to do and does. I mean, haven't we all been waiting for that someone who's perfect for us and thinking we'll never find him? I don't want to say much more for fear of giving something away. Just know this has my stamp of approval.
Marisa is a bit hard to like in the beginning because she has this anxiety disorder thing that makes her depressed and a worry-wart. She dwells on everything to the point of insanity (and that's coming from the girl who does the exact same thing!).
It's also a story with a serious message and I liked how everything unfolded. You really do start to like her and you can relate to everything she wants to do and does. I mean, haven't we all been waiting for that someone who's perfect for us and thinking we'll never find him? I don't want to say much more for fear of giving something away. Just know this has my stamp of approval.
October 2, 2018
It was a very good reading. That's the first book of Susane Colasanti that I read and I really enjoyed it. Her written is very easy and fun, you don't want to stop reading until you finish the book. The book is not about a 'love triangle', it's about family, love yourself and of course teenage love. Very good book.
August 4, 2023
Really good book! I think it's written in a way in which I got to connect with the main character and the author managed to convey the feelings in a way that I didn't want to leave the book staying up until 4am reading it!
September 4, 2011
I LOVE THIS :)))
And I also like to leave a review about this but unfortunately, things came up. And sooooo.... LATER ;)
And I also like to leave a review about this but unfortunately, things came up. And sooooo.... LATER ;)
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September 20, 2019Personal response
The book Waiting For You is a very good book. I really enjoy reading books from Susane Colasanti. I think she writes really good books. There also are a lot of plot twists during the story.
Plot summary
During sophomore year Marisa goes through a lot. She dates her first boyfriend named Derek. Nash, her childhood best friend, becomes closer to Marisa during Chemistry class. She has her first breakup with Derek and loses her friend, Sterling. Eventually, she dates Nash and becomes friends with Sterling again. During her struggling sophomore year, she finds out that her parents are getting divorced.
Derek and Sierra at the beginning of the school year. When Derek breaks up with Sierra, he talks to Marisa more during a class they share. Eventually, Derek asks Marisa on a date. After a few weeks of dating, Marisa has a hard time figuring out why Derek becomes friends with Sierra again and starts hanging out with her all the time. During the time of Marisa and Derek dating, both Nash and Sterling distance themselves away from Marisa.
Marisa realizes that she needs to get her life back when she and Derek break up and when she hears about her parent's divorce. She goes to Sterling's house and talks things out with her. She finds Nash on their childhood dock and makes amends with him as well. Eventually, Marisa realizes that Nash has been there the whole time. She realizes that he may not be the perfect hot guy she wants to be with, but he is an amazing guy who treats her well. They officially start dating and have the times of their lives.
Characterization
Marisa is the main character. She thinks life is the most perfect thing out there. During her sophomore, she hits rock bottom and completely hates life. After getting her life together, she realizes that everything happens for a reason and is a happier person. She realizes people come and go out of her life; they never stay.
Nash is also the main character as well. He is absolutely in love with Marisa. When he finds out that Marisa does not feel the same way, he slowly distances himself away from her. During that time, he and Marisa start dating other people. When the relationships end, they become friends again and he becomes happier than before. He ends up dating Marisa and continues to be happy.
Setting
Waiting For You takes place in a small town on the beach during modern times. The settings are important in the story because it makes it more relatable. With Nash and Marisa being friends and living super close and going to the same school helps their situation. If they did not go to the same school and have the same class, they would not have become close again. Spending time together helps Marisa realize Nash is the one.
Theme
I think the theme of Waiting for You is to never give up on love. No matter how much someone wants to give up, it is important not to. Marisa has always wanted to be in love with someone. When she and Derek break up, she wants to give up on love. Nash has been there all along, but Marisa does not realize it until later. Just when she is about to give up on love, Nash changes her point of view on love.
Recommendations
I recommend this book to eighth-graders and beyond. It is a very easy and enjoyable read. I recommend this to boys or girls as they might go through the things Marisa and Nash and Sterling go through.
The book Waiting For You is a very good book. I really enjoy reading books from Susane Colasanti. I think she writes really good books. There also are a lot of plot twists during the story.
Plot summary
During sophomore year Marisa goes through a lot. She dates her first boyfriend named Derek. Nash, her childhood best friend, becomes closer to Marisa during Chemistry class. She has her first breakup with Derek and loses her friend, Sterling. Eventually, she dates Nash and becomes friends with Sterling again. During her struggling sophomore year, she finds out that her parents are getting divorced.
Derek and Sierra at the beginning of the school year. When Derek breaks up with Sierra, he talks to Marisa more during a class they share. Eventually, Derek asks Marisa on a date. After a few weeks of dating, Marisa has a hard time figuring out why Derek becomes friends with Sierra again and starts hanging out with her all the time. During the time of Marisa and Derek dating, both Nash and Sterling distance themselves away from Marisa.
Marisa realizes that she needs to get her life back when she and Derek break up and when she hears about her parent's divorce. She goes to Sterling's house and talks things out with her. She finds Nash on their childhood dock and makes amends with him as well. Eventually, Marisa realizes that Nash has been there the whole time. She realizes that he may not be the perfect hot guy she wants to be with, but he is an amazing guy who treats her well. They officially start dating and have the times of their lives.
Characterization
Marisa is the main character. She thinks life is the most perfect thing out there. During her sophomore, she hits rock bottom and completely hates life. After getting her life together, she realizes that everything happens for a reason and is a happier person. She realizes people come and go out of her life; they never stay.
Nash is also the main character as well. He is absolutely in love with Marisa. When he finds out that Marisa does not feel the same way, he slowly distances himself away from her. During that time, he and Marisa start dating other people. When the relationships end, they become friends again and he becomes happier than before. He ends up dating Marisa and continues to be happy.
Setting
Waiting For You takes place in a small town on the beach during modern times. The settings are important in the story because it makes it more relatable. With Nash and Marisa being friends and living super close and going to the same school helps their situation. If they did not go to the same school and have the same class, they would not have become close again. Spending time together helps Marisa realize Nash is the one.
Theme
I think the theme of Waiting for You is to never give up on love. No matter how much someone wants to give up, it is important not to. Marisa has always wanted to be in love with someone. When she and Derek break up, she wants to give up on love. Nash has been there all along, but Marisa does not realize it until later. Just when she is about to give up on love, Nash changes her point of view on love.
Recommendations
I recommend this book to eighth-graders and beyond. It is a very easy and enjoyable read. I recommend this to boys or girls as they might go through the things Marisa and Nash and Sterling go through.
October 8, 2010
I love the beginning of the year. It’s all about renewal and reinventing yourself, becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.
- Marisa
I have a theory that the answers to all of life’s major questions can be found in a John Mayer song.
- Marisa
The problem with the last few days of summer? Is that you can’t hold on to them. They zoom by way too fast. You live through them in a dream until they’re over. And then everything slows down to a glacial pace again.
- Marisa
Control your thoughts to control your actions.
- Marisa
I wish it could stay like this forever, with the anticipation of everything.
- Marisa
I know what it’s like when you just need to be alone for a while and block out the world.
- Marisa
It’s weird how time can change something you thought would always stay the same.
- Marisa
When everyone expects you to be a certain way, it’s really hard to escape that image. It’s like once everyone decides who you are, you’re locked into their version of you and that’s it.
- Marisa
There’s always a part of you that stays the same, no matter how many other things change or how drastically you try to reinvent yourself?
- Marisa
His brain is like this industrial sponge that sucks everything in and keeps it trapped there forever. You can ask him anything and he’ll totally know.
- Marisa
I’m here. Just waiting for him to find me. Waiting for him to find out that I’m real.
- Marisa
There are some things I can’t control and that’s just the way it is.
- Marisa
We’re all bored and desperate and waiting for something to happen. Waiting for life to get better. Waiting for things to change. Waiting for that one person to finally notice us. We’re all waiting.
- Marisa
But we also need to realize that we all have the power to make those changes for ourselves. We all can change the way things are. Maybe not as much as we want to, but we can at least make things better.
- Dirty Dirk
You think I’m going to bust out my best material in the preliminary round?
- Nash
You can’t force yourself to feel something you don’t, right?
- Marisa
I probably just didn’t try hard enough to be happy. But it doesn’t mean that I can’t try harder now.
- Marisa
You can’t go someplace that doesn’t exist anymore.
- Nash
It’s amazing how much your life can improve in only a few minutes.
- Marisa
I just want to live in the Now and not worry about the rest.
- Marisa
Comfort food is always the answer.
- Sterling
I once read that time doesn’t really exist. It’s just a concept invented by humans. And how quickly time passes depends on the way we’re perceiving it.
- Marisa
The point of learning about history is so we can improve the future.
- Kevin
Still hiding and afraid to let go. Waiting for you to find me, uncover me and show me the way.
- Marisa
Guys are not that complicated. We’re pretty simple animals. We like to sleep and eat and game. We like attention from the ladies, or from the dudes if you swing that way—it’s all good. But too much attention is a turnoff. No one wants to feel crowded. Think about it like this: Does a wild animal like to be trapped in a cage? Yeah, we’re tame. But we still have the same needs.
- Dirty Dirk
How Guys Really Are, by Dirty Dirk
1. You can’t convince a guy to like you. We either feel it or we don’t. This is pretty self-explanatory. There’s no way you can change our minds. Basically, if we like you, you’ll know. And if you don’t—
2. We hate big emotional talks. We will do anything to avoid any type of serious talk, especially when the talk is ‘about the relationship.
3. Just because a girl is feeling it all seriously on her end doesn’t mean the guy wants anything more than a casual hookup. Don’t assume interest means interest in anything beyond your body.
4. If a girl starts out all casual with a guy and she doesn’t tell him that she wants a relationship, it will never become a relationship. If you give a guy the impression that casual is okay with you, that’s all he’ll ever want. Be straight with him from the start. If he gets scared and runs away, he wasn’t right for you.
5. No guy wants to watch a girl cry. No guy wants to be yelled at for being an asshole. So when girls think we’re scum for dumping them or completely avoiding the breakup talk altogether, it’s actually that we’re preventing torture for everyone involved. We see it like this: By avoiding an emotionally traumatic confrontation, you’ll feel better and so will we.
6. When a guy is dumping a girl, all he wants to do is say ‘it’s over,’ and then get the hell out of there. He doesn’t want the girl dragging it out for three hours.
When someone rips your heart out, there’s nothing you can do to change how you feel about them. You just have to keep feeling that way until it goes away. Unless it never does.
- Marisa
Would you rather rule the world for one day or get to do whatever you want for a month?
- Nash
It's about how you're like a lighthouse, always searching far into the distance. But the thing you're looking for is usually close to you and always has been. That's why you have to look within yourself to find answers instead of searching beyond.
- Marisa
Move on and forgive people and be healthy and happy. It seems like an easy thing to do in my head. But it’s not so easy when you try it in real life.
- Marisa
It's just like John Mayer says in "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". When it's this bad, you have to get out or you'll get burned.
- Marisa
It’s so unfair. You can be absent if you’re sick, but what about if you’re sad?
- Marisa
The only boy who deserves me is the one who realizes that I’m the best person he could possibly be with. Not that I know who that boy is yet. But I’ll never stop waiting for him to get here.
- Marisa
I only answer questions that are worth answering.
- Marisa
It’s amazing how little things can make a person so happy, when they were just feeling so sad. I’m trying to pay more attention to the little things that matter to me here in the Now. It helps to have these bits of magic to protect me when I’m depressed. Reminders that things can always get better.
- Marisa
Forgiving her can’t be forced if it’s going to mean something. It just has to happen when the time is right. Same with getting over someone. I wish you could instantly forget about them the second you break up. But waiting for time to heal you can be the hardest thing ever.
- Marisa
Having a bunch of friends means nothing. It’s the ones who are always there for you that count.
- Marisa
Maybe it’s just hard to see what’s right in front of you while you’re frantically searching for it.
- Marisa
Failure is not an option. If your life sucks now, it can only improve later. We all feel alone. We all feel desperate. Know that we’re all in this together. You’re not alone, no matter what. Remember that.
- Nash
Relationships are never as simple as they appear. And they’re hard to maintain for a long time. Or at least, everything’s constantly changing and you have to adjust to unexpected twists and turns. But one thing we all have in common is that we want to be happy. That will never change.
- Marisa
It’s kind of scary to think about how things might change. But you can’t get to the place you most want to be without taking a chance.
- Marisa
It’s like Derek was the perfect picture, but Nash is the real experience.
- Marisa
- Marisa
I have a theory that the answers to all of life’s major questions can be found in a John Mayer song.
- Marisa
The problem with the last few days of summer? Is that you can’t hold on to them. They zoom by way too fast. You live through them in a dream until they’re over. And then everything slows down to a glacial pace again.
- Marisa
Control your thoughts to control your actions.
- Marisa
I wish it could stay like this forever, with the anticipation of everything.
- Marisa
I know what it’s like when you just need to be alone for a while and block out the world.
- Marisa
It’s weird how time can change something you thought would always stay the same.
- Marisa
When everyone expects you to be a certain way, it’s really hard to escape that image. It’s like once everyone decides who you are, you’re locked into their version of you and that’s it.
- Marisa
There’s always a part of you that stays the same, no matter how many other things change or how drastically you try to reinvent yourself?
- Marisa
His brain is like this industrial sponge that sucks everything in and keeps it trapped there forever. You can ask him anything and he’ll totally know.
- Marisa
I’m here. Just waiting for him to find me. Waiting for him to find out that I’m real.
- Marisa
There are some things I can’t control and that’s just the way it is.
- Marisa
We’re all bored and desperate and waiting for something to happen. Waiting for life to get better. Waiting for things to change. Waiting for that one person to finally notice us. We’re all waiting.
- Marisa
But we also need to realize that we all have the power to make those changes for ourselves. We all can change the way things are. Maybe not as much as we want to, but we can at least make things better.
- Dirty Dirk
You think I’m going to bust out my best material in the preliminary round?
- Nash
You can’t force yourself to feel something you don’t, right?
- Marisa
I probably just didn’t try hard enough to be happy. But it doesn’t mean that I can’t try harder now.
- Marisa
You can’t go someplace that doesn’t exist anymore.
- Nash
It’s amazing how much your life can improve in only a few minutes.
- Marisa
I just want to live in the Now and not worry about the rest.
- Marisa
Comfort food is always the answer.
- Sterling
I once read that time doesn’t really exist. It’s just a concept invented by humans. And how quickly time passes depends on the way we’re perceiving it.
- Marisa
The point of learning about history is so we can improve the future.
- Kevin
Still hiding and afraid to let go. Waiting for you to find me, uncover me and show me the way.
- Marisa
Guys are not that complicated. We’re pretty simple animals. We like to sleep and eat and game. We like attention from the ladies, or from the dudes if you swing that way—it’s all good. But too much attention is a turnoff. No one wants to feel crowded. Think about it like this: Does a wild animal like to be trapped in a cage? Yeah, we’re tame. But we still have the same needs.
- Dirty Dirk
How Guys Really Are, by Dirty Dirk
1. You can’t convince a guy to like you. We either feel it or we don’t. This is pretty self-explanatory. There’s no way you can change our minds. Basically, if we like you, you’ll know. And if you don’t—
2. We hate big emotional talks. We will do anything to avoid any type of serious talk, especially when the talk is ‘about the relationship.
3. Just because a girl is feeling it all seriously on her end doesn’t mean the guy wants anything more than a casual hookup. Don’t assume interest means interest in anything beyond your body.
4. If a girl starts out all casual with a guy and she doesn’t tell him that she wants a relationship, it will never become a relationship. If you give a guy the impression that casual is okay with you, that’s all he’ll ever want. Be straight with him from the start. If he gets scared and runs away, he wasn’t right for you.
5. No guy wants to watch a girl cry. No guy wants to be yelled at for being an asshole. So when girls think we’re scum for dumping them or completely avoiding the breakup talk altogether, it’s actually that we’re preventing torture for everyone involved. We see it like this: By avoiding an emotionally traumatic confrontation, you’ll feel better and so will we.
6. When a guy is dumping a girl, all he wants to do is say ‘it’s over,’ and then get the hell out of there. He doesn’t want the girl dragging it out for three hours.
When someone rips your heart out, there’s nothing you can do to change how you feel about them. You just have to keep feeling that way until it goes away. Unless it never does.
- Marisa
Would you rather rule the world for one day or get to do whatever you want for a month?
- Nash
It's about how you're like a lighthouse, always searching far into the distance. But the thing you're looking for is usually close to you and always has been. That's why you have to look within yourself to find answers instead of searching beyond.
- Marisa
Move on and forgive people and be healthy and happy. It seems like an easy thing to do in my head. But it’s not so easy when you try it in real life.
- Marisa
It's just like John Mayer says in "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". When it's this bad, you have to get out or you'll get burned.
- Marisa
It’s so unfair. You can be absent if you’re sick, but what about if you’re sad?
- Marisa
The only boy who deserves me is the one who realizes that I’m the best person he could possibly be with. Not that I know who that boy is yet. But I’ll never stop waiting for him to get here.
- Marisa
I only answer questions that are worth answering.
- Marisa
It’s amazing how little things can make a person so happy, when they were just feeling so sad. I’m trying to pay more attention to the little things that matter to me here in the Now. It helps to have these bits of magic to protect me when I’m depressed. Reminders that things can always get better.
- Marisa
Forgiving her can’t be forced if it’s going to mean something. It just has to happen when the time is right. Same with getting over someone. I wish you could instantly forget about them the second you break up. But waiting for time to heal you can be the hardest thing ever.
- Marisa
Having a bunch of friends means nothing. It’s the ones who are always there for you that count.
- Marisa
Maybe it’s just hard to see what’s right in front of you while you’re frantically searching for it.
- Marisa
Failure is not an option. If your life sucks now, it can only improve later. We all feel alone. We all feel desperate. Know that we’re all in this together. You’re not alone, no matter what. Remember that.
- Nash
Relationships are never as simple as they appear. And they’re hard to maintain for a long time. Or at least, everything’s constantly changing and you have to adjust to unexpected twists and turns. But one thing we all have in common is that we want to be happy. That will never change.
- Marisa
It’s kind of scary to think about how things might change. But you can’t get to the place you most want to be without taking a chance.
- Marisa
It’s like Derek was the perfect picture, but Nash is the real experience.
- Marisa
October 13, 2017
This book was definitely a page turner. It goes from these people to the next set of people and gets you thinking. The family emergencies and heart breaks make you never want to stop reading it. It may seem a little slow at first, but never does it stop after that. It keeps you thinking whats going to happen next.
June 2, 2017
Brought back a lot of memories from my middle/high school years. Sweet book :)
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