Book Review: All I Need by Susane Colasanti
May 16, 2013 in Book Reviews, Young Adult
ALL I NEED
Series?: No
Publisher: Viking Juvenile/Penguin
Genre: Young Adult; Contemporary
Format: ARC
Release Date: May 21st 2013
Links: Goodreads | Amazon
Source: LibraryThing Synopsis:
The last night of summer is only the beginning.
Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?
Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever
3.5/5
Rounded to 4 Stars on Goodreads
All I Need, as mentioned in the synopsis, is a light contemporary read with a theme that gravitates around love at first sight and serendipity. Skye and Seth meet one summer night, and from that first encounter, fall deeply in love with each other. However things go a miss when Seth leaves for college without exchanging information with Skye, leading them to long for each other and very briefly question whether what they felt was real and not just something in the heat of the moment. Then, fate allows them to meet again and continue their summer romance and explore the depth of their connection with each other.
This was my first time reading a novel by Susane Colasanti, but I have seen her novels on many occasions in book stores for years and have always been interested. There is truth in the praise some readers have given the author, because I can tell she can craft one heck of a cute, contemporary read. However, I felt that this novel was all this was. Cute. Lacking a real plot or story to progress the story, or that special je ne sais quoi to give the book depth.
The novel is a little rushed, which is both a great and not so great thing. Great in the sense that it makes for a quick, on a plane/train, beach read, but not so great in that it skips too much and forfeits any chances at building up the characters into their own unique personas. Which I felt was needed, since the characters came off a little flat, or KOAD (kind of a dick) to their boyfriends/girlfriends because they were still hung up on one another.
While short, sweet, and fluffy, the book has a hard time of having a lasting impression. Having said that, I am still interested in reading other books by Susane Colasanti, as I do believe she is a talented writer with excellent ideas, settings, and voices. I would recommend this book to those who are in search of a quick, cute read about love at first sight, or those who are already fans of the author’s work.
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