Book Review: Take Me There

Title Take Me There
Author Susane Colasanti
Genre YA Commercial Fiction
Rating D+

Summary A story of friendship, love, and healing told through three POV's (two girls and one guy) that occurs within a six-day time span. Two narrators--Rhiannon and her friend James--deal with breakups and take a close look at their relationship; the other narrator--Nicole--breaks up with her charismatic boyfriend (Danny), nurses a serious crush on their teacher (who may act somewhat inappropriately), deals with some serious stuff, and then starts to heal from it all.

First Line "My life could not possibly suck any more than it does right now." (Rhiannon)

Review I hard-core liked Colasanti's first book, When It Happens, which had similar themes and was told in alternating POVs between the two main characters in the primary relationship in the book. At the end of that book they put in the first portion of each narrator from this book, which I read, and enjoyed a little (but was probably just still riding my When It Happens high). Now having read the entire thing, I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much.

For one thing, the narrators didn't switch back and forth; instead, it was Rhiannon's first three days, Nicole's first three days, and then Josh's perspective on the first three days, rinse, and repeat with the second three days in question. One of the big reasons I didn't like this, as opposed to the alternating that Colasanti did in When It Happens, is that it made it more boring to read. I, personally, couldn't stand the character of Rhiannon (who was kind of poorly drawn in my opinion--an organized obsessor who's thought stream seems like she had ADD) and I got tired of it. The only thing that kept me going was knowing that it would eventually end--I wouldn't have finished the whole thing if it had all been in her voice. I enjoyed Nicole's voice a medium amount, and really loved Josh's perspective. I would have much more preferred to have read in Danny's POV (Danny was Nicole's charasmatic boyfriend whom she dumped after the first time they had sex--it happens before the book starts).

The one thing I did like is that there is a complex story line with Nicole about why she dumped Danny that uses her crush on the teacher pretty nicely--a good little curve ball that Colasanti threw in (with a red herring that doesn't get fully displayed until about half-way through the book).

Unfortunately for me, Colasanti's publishers know what they're doing because the put the first chapter of her third book, Waiting for You, in the back of this one, which I read, and I'll probably get it when it's released in paper back. What's my problem?

Recommendation People who enjoy teen romance stories can probably get some enjoyment out of this (go in knowing it won't be as good as When It Happens). The setting is New York City, so that's something else to consider--Do you typically enjoy those types of non-traditional schools and all the name-dropping of places?