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Reviews for So Close to You

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  • Review from Esther's Ever After3

    Brenna Staats So Close to You is one of those book I didn't have any expectations about, because the description painted such a vague and mysterious description of the story. That didn't deter me at all though, and actually made me more curious to find out what the book was about by reading it because I was just so intrigued.

    Unfortunately I don't think that worked as well as it could have, because the story ended up underwhelming me from a creative standpoint, although it still managed to be an entertaining read that has a more fascinating plot than other similar books to it have had.

    Reasons to Read:

    1. A fun, VINTAGE setting:

    I love that such a unique setting was included in the story, as it related to Lydia's ancestors and Rachel included so many little details that I felt helped to set the atmosphere for the era. It's a lot of fun without actually being a historical fiction read, and I think this makes it really stand out from other YA books. It's definitely something I'd love to see more of in the future from upcoming releases!

    2. Strong familial relationships:

    I really liked that a lot of emphasis was put on Lydia's relationships with various members of her family, especially her parents and grandfather. But it becomes increasingly apparent how close-knit this family is when other members make their appearance and you see them interact with one another. This is an absolute breath of fresh air and for me, it made Lydia and her family instantly likable characters and something I could really relate to. And I appreciate that it provides a lot of motivation for the choices she makes during this first book.

    But I suppose I was just a tad too disappointed with some of the big reveals in the book, and I'm not very keen on the direction it seems to be heading in. It seems like there are a lot of questions regarding the background of the world and Lydia's situation, and too many ideas felt like they were thrown together somewhat haphazardly to really mesh well. And I'm really not sold on the romantic aspect either, which just feels too forced for my liking.

    It's still a very quick read that presents a number of interesting ideas and has some very strong non-romantic relationships. And I think it is creative from one perspective, just not in the way I had hoped it would be. So the problem here may have been my expectations (as few as they may have been) rather than the story itself.

    ARC won in Epic Reads giveaway. by Brenna Staats

  • A Very Cool Story For Those Who Love Time Travel4

    Andrea Thompson SO CLOSE TO YOU caught me so off guard. Based on the synopsis, I thought the main character, Lydia would travel to an alternate dimension, as in another world. So as I read along, struggling to become immersed in the story, I was so happy when I learned that Lydia was not traveling to another world, but to another time. If I had known that prior to beginning, I would have been way more excited to jump into the story.

    As you might have guessed, I found the opening paragraphs to be a bit slow going. Lydia was a nice enough character, but I think I just had a hard time with the setting, or the tone. It felt a bit depressing, learning about her grandfather, and it just seemed to drag. I know that makes me seem like a whiner because the story picks up not too far in, around page seventy. I've found I'm a bit into immediate gratification when it comes to books these days.

    I want to talk about Lydia's journey to the past, but I don't want to spoil the story. The era involved happens to be one of my favorites. Author Rachel Carter did a wonderful job of immersing Lydia, and the reader, in the past. The culture, the thought of the people from that time... every aspect felt authentic. This was my favorite aspect of SO CLOSE TO YOU.

    I never really thought about it before, but it seems I really love time travel stories. The psychological aspect, the fact that any choice can change the entire future, fascinates me. This is what Lydia faces in the story. While she wants to make things right, she must weigh that against her own existence. While reading SO CLOSE TO YOU, I was reminded many times of other great stories involving time travel such as BACK TO THE FUTURE and FREQUENCY.

    Like I said before, SO CLOSE TO YOU surprised me, in a great way. A story that I read purely by chance, even though I didn't expect to enjoy it, became a story that a really liked a lot. I didn't love everything about it, such as the dreary opening, and the very end confused me. But it also intrigued me. I will absolutely be reading the next book in the series.


    Favorite Quote:

    " I hope that Wes is spying on me, because right now care if we've been doomed from the start. I want, for just one night, to close the distance that always seem to separate us. (ARC, pg 233) by Andrea Thompson

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