Restricted Section Book Club discussion

Here's where you should discuss the first 6 chapters of Since You've Been Gone! First impressions? Fav character? Thoughts for what's going to happen next?

I wasn't making much progress with this book but somehow I've found myself at the end of chapter 6. It's been pleasant enough to read but hasn't really grabbed my full attention yet.

Emily is probably my favourite character so far. She seems like a decent person who has been in Sloane's shadow too long. I'm not sure that working through a list of tasks that Sloane devised is the best way to escape that though.

I'm struggling with the Frank Porter character. I think the combination of the dream home, the family troubles and the chiselled abs just took him into caricature territory for me. Hopefully he acquires some more flaws as the book goes on (in addition to his sub-par secret keeping abilities).

Not sure where this book is going next but more independence from Emily would be welcome. There's not a lot of progress in exchanging Sloane's shadow for Frank's

It took me a super long time to get into this book because the first two chapters seemed like they would never end. I found them hard to get through because I have been exactly where Emily is - overshadowed by a friend, lose that friend, have to force yourself to have your own life. It wasn't pleasant for me, and I felt really bad to see that she had to go through it. We're both better off in the long run, though.
So far, my favorite character is Collins. I love him. He is just so full of life and eccentric and inclusive of everyone. I love that he calls Beckett Bucket. I just... so much love for Collins.
Since I'm farther than chapter six, I will just say that I am happy with what comes after these select chapters.

I'm getting a very Paper Towns vibe from this book. "Person goes on summer adventures after their mysterious friend disappears and leaves them a set of tasks"

I think my favorite character is Dawn and I really hope we see more of her. I can't decide how I feel about the chapter titles telling us which item she will cross off. It just feels kind of spoilery to me.

I thought the beginning was really slow. It seemed to really drag on. Minor thing that caught my attention was Emily's playlists on her ipod. I missed a free Luke Bryan concert last week because I was called into work and it just set me off and made me upset all over again! Haha.

Towards the end of the 6th chapter, I liked how Emily is finally coming out of her "shell" but I feel like Frank is being all shady with the texting.

Mary wrote: "I'm getting a very Paper Towns vibe from this book. "Person goes on summer adventures after their mysterious friend disappears and leaves them a set of tasks"

I think my favorite character is Dawn..."

Now that you mention it, it does feel a bit a bit like Paper Towns. And I completely agree about the chapter titles! The chapter will start off with the intent of crossing off a certain task, but you know Emily won't complete that one because the title says otherwise.

This is going a bit slow for me, as some others have mentioned. I hope it picks up a bit. It's a fun read, but just not enough... conflict maybe? Other than the missing friend and an interesting summer experience, I'm not really sure where we're going with this book. I agree that the chapter titles can be spoilery.

I haven't read a lot of YA in the last few years as I can't really relate anymore (turning 25 this June). However, I worked at a frozen yogurt place in high school and tend to be shy and reserved so I saw a lot of my younger self in Emily. I definitely know how it feels to go alone to a social gathering, walk around for a bit and then leave because mingling feels too forced and awkward.

I really like Sloane's character. Her absence is felt and I think that's what made the first part of the book so slow. But as we learn more about her and the ways she helped Emily become more confident, the story has picked up. Something rubs me the wrong way about Sloane's boyfriend though...hmmm. I also don't love the Frank/Emily love connection. Frank is nice enough, he just seems a bit dull.

Mary wrote: " I can't decide how I feel about the chapter titles telling us which item she will cross off. It just feels kind of spoilery to me. ..."

I actually really like the chapter titles. It give the book more of a format, and it's exciting to think about how Emily will complete the task. Like, "Kiss a stranger," I was waiting for her to maybe kiss somebody in the play, but she ended up kissing Collins' cousin, instead. I just really liked that turn and it made reading more fun for me.

I don't really have a favorite character, yet. I can kind of relate to Emily, but I find her kind of annoying at the same time. Frank seems too perfect to be true, very stereotypical, and it's hard for me to read about his friendship with Emily, knowing that his girlfriend is out of town. Collins again seems to be very stereotypical, like every other high school douche I've read about. Dawn seems nice enough, but not very fleshed out--I'm not a fan of her entire story line being about her boyfriend cheating on her, and I'd like to see her not attached to that situation. I like Sloane, but then again, we haven't really met her yet. I kind of really just want to know what happened to her.

This may be completely off and morbid of me, but does anybody else think that Sloane is dead? I don't know why, but I've just been getting that feeling a lot. Maybe it's from reading a lot of fantasy where everybody dies? Maybe, maybe not...

I've been really enjoying this book, even though it seems like the chapters are a little long. I definitely relate to Emily. My best friend and I were attached at the hip for almost 11 years, and when we ended up going our separate ways I had to discover who I was without him. As the story progresses Emily seems to be moving away from Sloane and closer to Frank. Is it a crime that I'm rooting for them to be a couple? Can't wait to read more!

This book is definitely not in the running to become my new favourite book. Not yet at least. It's decent enough I suppose, just a little slow and I'm not attached enough to any of the characters to be desperate to find out what happens next.
It's a shame because the plot is quite intriguing what with Sloane having vanished with no explanation and a list which I know there is absolutely no way I would ever finish. I just hope it picks up a bit in the next section.

This book is definitely not in the running to become my new favourite book. Not yet at least. It's decent enough I suppose, just a little slow and I'm not attached enough to any of the characters to be desperate to find out what happens next.
It's a shame because the plot is quite intriguing what with Sloane having vanished with no explanation and a list which I know there is absolutely no way I would ever finish. I just hope it picks up a bit in the next section.

I'm actually really enjoying this book so far. Honestly, I was good to go after the first chapter. Chapter one was just torture, but I think it has significantly improved. Just some of the awkward situations Emily gets herself into cracks me up because I have certainly been in similar situations although i do feel like she can be a bit annoying with how terrified she is with certain tasks and telling people things.

I don't know, I like Frank. I feel kind of bad for him. I get the feeling Lissa is ignoring him and he's catching the feels for Emily.

It isn't the most complex story in the world but I'm definitely liking it.

I am really struggling to get into this book, an am wracked with guilt that I haven't made much progress on it. I see a lot of you felt it started slow as well though, so I will push on.

I'm on chapter 6 now, and I still in love with this book. Now I can see there's gonna be a romance, I'm not crazy about it but it's okay, as long it doesn't overshadow the rest of the story