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Keep Holding On

by Susane Colasanti (Goodreads Author)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 3,759 ratings · 504 reviews

A romantic and empowering book about bullying

Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk th...more

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published May 31st 2012 by Viking Juvenile

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My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

2012 YA Contemporary Challenge!

13th out of 254 books — 997 voters

2012 YA Contemporaries

42nd out of 239 books — 1,803 voters

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May 31, 2012 Giselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, contemporary

School was the most difficult time in my life. I didn't have it as bad as Noelle. I have a great family who gave me everything I needed, but my school life was terrible. I was picked on and laughed at for being little. I had a hard time approaching people to make friends. I was even bullied by a teacher who made it a point to humiliate me. I was too young to realize this back then, but I will never forgive her. This all made me lash out and act in ways that made myself unapproachable. Being from...more School was the most difficult time in my life. I didn't have it as bad as Noelle. I have a great family who gave me everything I needed, but my school life was terrible. I was picked on and laughed at for being little. I had a hard time approaching people to make friends. I was even bullied by a teacher who made it a point to humiliate me. I was too young to realize this back then, but I will never forgive her. This all made me lash out and act in ways that made myself unapproachable. Being from a very small town like Noelle, this story hit incredibly close to home. It may not be a perfect book, but it still deserves every single star I can give for the simple fact that this sends a strong message that could help people live through what may be the hardest years of their lives.

Noelle had my sympathy from the very first page. She's an immensely strong willed person to have kept herself together the way she did. She is intelligent and caring. She has a huge heart that has been trampled on, but she never gives up. I admire her will and I think a lot of people could learn from her. Her emotions are vivid. She made my heart break and gave my goosebumps by seeing her finally stand up for herself. Yes she makes some stupid decisions, yes it's obvious to us how Matt is using her, yes her reaction to others being bullied is ironic. It may be hard to understand, but when you can avoid making your life even worse, you do so. We have to realize that this girl is stifled in a life of depression and shame, her irrational decisions are due to an unconscious defense mechanism. We'd like to think someone who gets bullied would help others in the same boat, but I call that wishful thinking.

The side characters, though some more than others, have a big a role in the story as well. From her best friend to the bullies, these were plucked out from real life with real problems of their own. I also found her mother very convincing. She's a horrible parent figure, but unlike some other books I've read it didn't feel exaggerated for the sake of the story. It felt like a realistic situation where the parent is just as lost as the child. It's sad, but more often than we realize there are kids who raise themselves, do their own laundry, don't get enough to eat, etc. It's horrible. It really is.

Being a very short book it packs quite the punch; the story is packed full of emotional highs and lows. Like I said it's not perfect, some things could been fleshed out - like her friendship with Sherae, her relationship with Julian, and the ending which I felt was a bit implausible or too good to be true. In real life things don't usually turn around so quickly. Nonetheless, the story is touching. It could definitely help give some kids hope and I think this is what matters in the end.

Yes it's true, things get better. What happens in school doesn't matter when you're older. If only this was easy to believe when you're a teenager. I commend Susane for taking her experience and writing such an encouraging story. It takes courage, I know just by writing this that it IS embarrassing to admit you were bullied, but you know what? Don't ever be ashamed! This is what defines who we become, and I would not change a thing about my life today!

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Oct 23, 2011 Cara marked it as to-read

Why do I always dislike the covers for this author's books? Hopefully the story makes up for it:)

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2012 Katy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a bit heavier than I was expecting. I was prepared for a sad book that would tug at my heart, but this book was just downright depressing.

I think in a way, Colasanti does a pretty good job of showing what some kids go through in school. However, some of it was a bit too extreme. I know some kids have a really difficult life at home and in school, but I kind of wished Colasanti had made it just a tad less because it would have been more realistic. Bullies have their targets, but it...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Melannie :) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: completely-contemp-challenge-2012, read-2012, stand-alone

Very cute,but very expected. Not saying that "expected" is bad, though. The book is all about standing up for yourself and dealing with your insecurities and accepting you for who you are, weird and all.

I think it’s a great book for tweens. The writing is easy and fast-paced. Although I have some complains because this book might as well be called a series of unfortunate events because that was all it was, a range of situations in which a teen girl was bullied and the correspondent expected reac...more

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May 27, 2012 Best rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, reviewed, 2-stars, netgalley, ebook, young-adult, young-adult-contemporary, arc

THIS REVIEW ON B'S BOOK BLOG!
A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher and NetGalley for review.

I read the first of Susane Colasanti's book, When It Happens, in 2008, and I loved that book. That was the first one and I've never read any more of her books after that, but When It Happens gave me the impression that she must be quite a good writer. (Although later on when I tried to re-read the book in 2010, I got so annoyed I just gave up, and I couldn't recall why I loved it in th...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge-ccc2012

REVIEW ORIGINALLY POSTED http://hobbitsies.net/wordpress/2012/...

Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti was an unbelievably heartbreaking and moving book. I was not bullied back in high school, and I didn't really know anyone who was, so Keep Holding On was also definitely an eye opener for me.

Through out the entirety of Keep Holding On, I just could not believe what was happening. People are truly this terrible to other people in high school? It was shocking and upsetting. Keep Holding On is defin...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Skyla rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Razorbill

Shelves: books-i-own, childrens-book, bullying, arc, first-time-reading-this-author, i-love-this-love-interest, real-life-issues, won-through-razorbill, need-lots-of-tissues

A advanced reader's copy was kindly provided by the publishers via Razorbill.

There are two things at the front of this book that I would like to mention right off the bat and they are the dedication and the author's letter.

Here is the author's letter:

Dear Reader,

High school was the worst time of my life.

But surviving painful times builds strength. On your worst days, the days when it seems like everything is going wrong, please know this: I was in that dark place too. And I made it to the oth...more

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May 05, 2012 Julianna Helms rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those with a heart

Shelves: best-boys, re-read-status, recent-favorites, traded-with-awesome-people

Quick Reaction: This book was so real that it plagued me like the bubonic. A drastic comparison? Not really.

Honestly, I've been through what Noelle's been through. I still am, sometimes. But I'm more like Simon--I don't give a darn. I really don't care what others think of me. And that's what I love about this book--Noelle's character transformation is so believable and complete that I can't point out a single flaw in it.

This is the book to read if you hated high school. This is the book to read...more

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May 16, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: singles-fic, read-in-2012

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

Noelle has been the victim of bullying for awhile now. When her stepfather passed away, Noelle and her mother had to move to a small apartment and cut down on the luxuries they'd previously been used to. Living in a wealthy area, this didn't go over so well for Noelle at school - where fitting in is the key to being popular and liked. Almost everyone is the same: rich, spoiled, snobby, and dressed to the 9's in their name-brand clothin...more

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May 01, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-must-reads, 2012-ya-standalone-challenge, arc-books, apr-2012

HOLY BATMAN! A huge THANK YOU THANK YOU to Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to read this book. Man I have so much going on inside my head about this book. Lord knows I HATE BULLIES! So this book was a very refreshing read. Susane is not afraid to take a stand on a subject that is so prevalent in today's society.

Noelle is your average teenager just going to school keeping her head down and trying to remain unnoticed. The only thing is is that she really isn't average because she is bei...more HOLY BATMAN! A huge THANK YOU THANK YOU to Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to read this book. Man I have so much going on inside my head about this book. Lord knows I HATE BULLIES! So this book was a very refreshing read. Susane is not afraid to take a stand on a subject that is so prevalent in today's society.

Noelle is your average teenager just going to school keeping her head down and trying to remain unnoticed. The only thing is is that she really isn't average because she is being bullied by the school bullies. Everyday she goes to school she is bullied about her clothes and the lack of food she has. See she lives in a town where money means nothing. Everyone has money and they judge each other on how much money they have have and the kind of clothes they wear and the style of cars they drive.

Noelle dreads going to school and begins counting the days till summer begins. Then the strangest thing happens to her at school. She notices that Julia Porter is looking at her and smiling and after class he starts to talk to her. She is nervous because Julian is popular and she knows that nothing good can come from her talking to Julian because the other kids will just bully her. She likes him but she figures she is better off with her secret boyfriend Matt.

Then a tragedy hits the school and Noelle is determined to change her life and go for what she wants and stand up to the bullies. At first she is scared to death but she makes a stand and makes friends with a few people and she even ends up having a relationship with someone. She also learns that telling someone she is being bullied or harassed is okay. It is always okay to tell someone just in case someone tries to hurt you.

This book is A MUST READ for all teenagers! Being bullied is NEVER EVER okay.And if you are the bullies you should stop bullying because hurting people is only a temporary fix. I HATE bullies because they are actually weak and are lashing out because someone has done it to them. In this story there were some serious issues that frightened me but also alerted me to the way people deal with bullies. Teachers overlooked Noelle and others being bullied because it served them no purpose to get involved well to those teachers I say this YOU ARE JUST AS MUCH TO BLAME as the actual bully. At least Noelle had a teacher and guidance counselor who cared about her enough to help her and counsel her.

Susane my hat goes off to you for writing such an impassioned book! (less)

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Apr 22, 2013 Rema rated it 3 of 5 stars

Keep Holding On is an inspirational teen novel about bullying and survival.

Noelle's life went downhill the day Lewis died of cancer, leaving her and her neglectful mother poor and destitute. Everyday at high school is hell and Noelle can't wait until the day she graduates and can finally leave her tormentors behind. Noelle feels she has nowhere to turn to and finds she's too ashamed to confide in her best friend, Sherae. Her life starts changing when she finds herself falling for Julian Porter,...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Nic rated it 3 of 5 stars

A 3.5, really. I admire what the author is doing in creating an eminently readable book for teens with a strong anti-bullying message. I think I was a little confused because I expected this to be a teen romance - I usually hear of Susane Colasanti as a readalike author for Sarah Dessen - but it's really an anti-bullying book with a little side of romance. Still, very readable and realistic (and, at times, disturbingly sad and upsetting), and I appreciate the happy, hopeful ending. It's nice tha...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Part of me wishes that I had this book when I was in high school, and part of me is glad that I didn’t.

“Keep Holding On” is the story of Noelle, a girl who has a pretty horrible life. When Noelle’s stepfather died, her mother was forced to move out of his gigantic house and into a small apartment. Being the only poor family in a town full of extremely wealthy families is rough, to say the least. Noelle’s mother spends all of the time she isn’t working complaining about work and how hard it is to...more Part of me wishes that I had this book when I was in high school, and part of me is glad that I didn’t.

“Keep Holding On” is the story of Noelle, a girl who has a pretty horrible life. When Noelle’s stepfather died, her mother was forced to move out of his gigantic house and into a small apartment. Being the only poor family in a town full of extremely wealthy families is rough, to say the least. Noelle’s mother spends all of the time she isn’t working complaining about work and how hard it is to be a single mom. She does not do Noelle’s laundry, buy her enough clothes, or provide enough food. Noelle has to pack mustard and mayonnaise sandwiches for her lunch at school. Life at home isn’t good, and life at school is just as bad. All of Noelle’s friends stopped hanging out with her and started bullying her when they found out she was poor. She gets called “rotten eggs” and has mashed potatoes thrown at her head. Matt, the boy she makes out with in the woods during study hall does not want anyone to know about their relationship.

Yet there are some things that make Noelle’s life worth living. Julian, the boy she has a crush on, just might have a crush on her, too. She has a friend; Sherae takes her to the mall, invites her over for snacks after school, and treats her at their favorite diner. Noelle even manages to escape the torments she receives during lunch by working on the literary magazine. Her co-editor, Simon, buys way too much for lunch everyday so that Noelle has something to eat.

There’s a suicide in “Keep Holding On,” but it is not Noelle’s; it is Ali Walsh’s. Ali Walsh’s life is worse than Noelle’s. She is teased more by Warner, Carly, and the other students. She does not have a secret boyfriend or a boy who is interested in her. Ali does not have any friends to talk to in the hallways or to hang out with after school. Noelle won’t even be friends with her. Ali might have a better home life than Noelle does, but other than that, she is completely alone. Ali does not get much—after all, this is not her story—, but she does get her own chapter: “Ali Walsh killed herself last night.”

Ali’s decision to stop holding on is what encourages Noelle to keep holding on. Noelle’s trick for making it through high school is to count down the days until she can move on and make a better life for herself. Ali’s suicide encourages Noelle to make a better life for herself right now. After Noelle’s depression and anger filled the pages of most of the book, an uplifting ending was needed, and Colasanti delivers just that.

I am still waiting for the story about a girl like Ali. A girl who has absolutely no friends. A girl who is the only loner in her entire school. A girl who has never had a boyfriend. Susane Colasanti has written a sad yet uplifting novel about surviving high school and making the best out of life, but she has not told the story of the type of girl who needs more encouragement than anyone to make it through. Maybe I’ll have to write that one.(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-romance, e-book

Baca buku ini rasanya berat banget dan bikin capek. Capek ati. Noelle, tokoh utamanya bukan pribadi yang kuat. Karena kemiskinan keluarganya dia jadi bahan bulli di sekolahnya. Entah benar apa nggak kondisi di sekolah-sekolah sekarang, tapi kelakuan teman-temannya benar-benar sadis untuk ukuran SMA. Yang bikin 'capek' karena Noelle sendiri tidak pernah mencoba membela diri, mencari bantuan, atau mengambil sikap tegas menghadapi perlakuan itu. Dia cuma nerimo, nelongso, dan makin rendah diri. Beb...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Erika Aivazi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I chose this book because I have read Susane Colasanti's books before and I like her writing style. This book was a really sad book. Noelle lives in poverty with her mother and her mother neglects her. She lives a rough life. At school she gets made fun of and she has no friends. The only things she looks forward to is the "most amazing guy" : Julian Porter. Despite her hard life, Noelle does try to take care of herself. The plot of this story wasn't confusing at all. It was simple and easy to f...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Olivia rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a very good book its very sad and also very realistic about highschool. My opinion on why I think the authors purpose is was to tell about life as a girl in highschool and how she likes this guy but shes really quite and invisible to him. Noelle is the girls name she likes this kid name Julian Porter, he has blonde hair tall and has hazel eyes. Pretty much every girls dream who went to this school. Noelle is very poor, she doesnt have a lot of friends, she sits alone at lunch, and s...more This book is a very good book its very sad and also very realistic about highschool. My opinion on why I think the authors purpose is was to tell about life as a girl in highschool and how she likes this guy but shes really quite and invisible to him. Noelle is the girls name she likes this kid name Julian Porter, he has blonde hair tall and has hazel eyes. Pretty much every girls dream who went to this school. Noelle is very poor, she doesnt have a lot of friends, she sits alone at lunch, and she eats her lunch on a sandwhich because of that people make fun of her because whenever she buys school lunch she has to show a card to show she can receive free lunch, which is very embarrassing for her or anyone. This author is trying to say that even though Noelle isnt the prettiest or must outgoing girl she is really nice whenever people bully her she just backs down but towards the end of this book she becomes strong and stands up for herself. The theme of this book I would say would be " Dont judge somebody until you've walked in their shoes", Noelle is one of the nicest girls and people bully and judge her for no reason, she cant help that shes poor or might not have the most money but shes real and thats all that matters. You also shouldn't bully people and Noelle experienced this it broke my heart because they were so mean to her without even knowing her and they continued it. Finally Noelle stood up for herself. this book was told in desprition its telling about everyday of Noelle's highschool life with dates and days, everyday she learns to be confident in who you are not by what somebody is telling you to be, she trying to gain the confidence to talk to Julian everyday. My opinion on this book is that I really liked it, at some parts I cried because of how rude people were to Noelle and treated her like she was nothing just broke my heart you shouldnt do that to people without even getting to know them, basically, you shouldnt do it at all. Also it explained a lot of personal experiences ive had, not with the bullying but I can relate to her about being to scared to talk to a boy you really like or not having the confidence because you're afraid somebody might make fun of you. I wouldnt change anything about this book it told a lot of realistic detail on highschool and what its like to be a high schooler anybody and teenagers can relate to this book a lot. Overall this book was really good Susane Colasanti used very good detail, and relating to a person in high school. Coming from a teenager myself you should defiantly consider reading it! (less)

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Nov 30, 2012 Drea rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 2.5 stars.

I've been bullied before. It got to the point where I've been suicidal and dreaded going to school. The bullying I went through in middle school is a big reason why I suffer from social anxiety to this day, and the anxiety was so bad, it got to the point where I tried my best to remain invisible in high school, and why a lot of days I was literally afraid to go to school because I was paranoid that people would put gum in my hair or steal things from my locker or laugh at my hair and m...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Vanesa Damonte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favourite-books

Conmovedor, sincero, fresco y encantador. Creo que estos cuatro adjetivos describen al libro muy bien.

Es un libro rápido de leer, pero no sólo porque posee pocas páginas (incluso terminarás deseando que tuviese más), sino porque una vez que comienzas a leerlo no podrás dejar de hacerlo. Los personajes son encantadores y sensibles, y - personalmente- hacía mucho tiempo que una protagonista no me caía tan bien como lo hizo Noelle.

Es prácticamente un viaje emocional, especialmente para aquellas per...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ellereads

This is the first book that i have read from Susane Colasanti and i'm certainly not disappointed, her writing style certainly appealed to the entire feel of the story.

The story begins with Noelle's inner monologue regarding the things in her surroundings, mainly one Julian who she has been crushing on. With this kind of start, you'd think Julian would have more impact on the story than what was presented but, in all honestly i'm kind of glad that it didn't. I'm glad that focused a little less o...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Kieli rated it 3 of 5 stars

For some reason, although I strongly dislike the way this book was written, (jumping around from one thing to the next, inserting random things that had nothing to do with anything) I couldn't put this book down. I think it was just the way some of the events hit me. And how I wanted to see what would happen next. But all in all, this story was really, really, sad. I actually cried during some parts. I've only read two other books by this author (Something Like Fate and So Much Closer) and neith...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Delaney rated it 5 of 5 stars

"For kids stuck in small towns everywhere who feel like you'll never escape, i hear you, We are all connected, were all in this together, you are not alone. No matter what happens, never give up. Happiness is not limited, There is enough for everyone, You can start right now, today, to move toward a happier life. Your life is shaped by your choices. Make ones that will help you get where you want to go. Fine your place to belong. It may not be a physical place. At least not yet. Maybe your place...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Lakota rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was not the greatest in literary terms; it was very much a YA novel. I find that this is true of most of Colasanti's novels, and often the plot lines are a bit on the unrealistic side for me, the characters a little too close to perfect, and so on and so forth until all ya novel stereotypes have been exhausted.
However, I love her novels. They are very personal and heartfelt and the characters are usually likeable, despite their slight sue-ness. This novel especially was very personal....more

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Oct 21, 2012 Tamikia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Noelle is the victim of teen bullying. Kids harass and pick on her on a daily basis about everything from her clothes to her lunches. Her mom is very neglectful and selfish. Her only friend is her best friend Sherae and a guy named Julian who likes her despite her clothes and even they don't know the full story of her home life.
This is a book that every teen should read. It's really sad and you can't help feeling sorry for Noelle even though I will admit at times she seemed a bit whiny. The sad...more

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Oct 09, 2012 7kuchler_libby rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 16, 2012 Esther Shaindel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...

Noelle is such a strong character. Even when she's doing nothing to stop the bullying, she has such strength, just to keep going, to "keep holding on," in the face of such terrible trials. But her self-doubt creeps in as a result of all of it, and she almost destroys her chance at actual happiness because she feels she isn't worthy, when Julian asks her out. To complicate things, she has such low self-esteem that she doesn...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Liz Cope rated it 3 of 5 stars

For most of this novel I thought I would be giving it 4 stars but sadly towards the end the book lost its way. The plus side is the characters are relatable and pretty awesome even the villains, the situations horrifying but somewhat sadly familiar, and the writing was eloquent and the author knew her audience. Now what do I have to complain about? The main male love interest for one, I felt that their relationship just suddenly came together and she at one point says he saved her but really he...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Sheryl Lhei Cruz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I turned out liking this book a lot than I expected. It’s hard to put down, Keep Holding On is amazing. I didn’t know I was into these kind of stories. Noelle’s life was miserable, if there is one adjective that can describe it. She gets bullied in her school immensely, and she was afraid to open up to anyone. Not to her best friend, not even to her own mother. Her mother is heartless. She was neglecting her daughter, and won’t even look at her in her eyes like she was her foster daughter that...more I turned out liking this book a lot than I expected. It’s hard to put down, Keep Holding On is amazing. I didn’t know I was into these kind of stories. Noelle’s life was miserable, if there is one adjective that can describe it. She gets bullied in her school immensely, and she was afraid to open up to anyone. Not to her best friend, not even to her own mother. Her mother is heartless. She was neglecting her daughter, and won’t even look at her in her eyes like she was her foster daughter that she’d been blaming for her husband’s death. She treats her like nothing. How worse could situations be to Noelle’s life? But as they say when life gets tough, you ought to be tougher. or maybe it forces you to be tougher.

It’s sad because it’s like we wait for something to happen before we take actions on these things that most of the time barely get noticed. you know? like the government..

I really liked this quote from the book. “I had this realization about intertia. In physics, we learned that an object remains at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. But now I realize that the force can come from inside. If you feel stuck, you have the power to unstuck yourself. Although… when you think about it, the inner force I gained did come from outside forces. So I guess Newton was right after all.”

We had times that we think being socially unaccepted should be something we should be worrying about. That if we’re different from most people, we’re afraid they won’t accept us because we’re not like them. You’re not alone. But just be yourself at all times and never ever give up, because the truth is, there are people who cares about you, even when you never think there are. There are people who notice you, and would always be there for you. So keep your heads up, keep holding on! :)

PS: (What makes this book way more awesome is because the author of this amazing novel, Susane Colasanti, its her own experiences with bullying inspired her to write this book. She’s very impressive)

I’m planning to read all of her books before school starts. Absolutely I’m giving this ✰✰✰✰✰ :)

Oh. and before I forget, the characters were amazing! I love Noelle for being a tough person despite all the hardships in her life. Sharae, her best friend that never leaves her side, for best and for worst. I wanted to have a friend like her someday. Julian, the boy who loved and accepted Noelle for who she was. Oh gosh, why does boy fictional characters barely exist in real life? and lastly Simon, for being a very generous friend to Noelle. She knows what’s been happening to her that’s why she always share his food with her, and Noelle didn’t know that he noticed too. (He’s also humble too, despite that his family is very rich)

I didn't notice I've made this review this far already. But this book rocks. (less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Penny Lane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Un libro sobre bullying. Me anime a leerlo y debo decir que me gusto mucho. Es algo lento en partes, es lineal pero yo le doy cinco estrellas mas que nada por el mensaje que da. Personalmente, yo sufrí bullying no al extremo que Noelle pero si igual de horrible.
Hay una escena cuando esta en la enfermería donde le curan los moretones ella dice: "desearía que los moretones emocionales sanaran como los físicos". Esa frase debería ser enmarcada en oro. Aunque el dolor físico este mal y horrible; el...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Katie G rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-book-list

I wanted to like this book. I was never really bullied in school, but I know what it's like to have no friends and sit alone at lunch, so I had high hopes for this book, even if I hadn't enjoyed the last one that I read by Colasanti. I will give her credit for not having the same romantic plotline as in the last two books that I read. There were also some parts of the book that I enjoyed.

As a whole, though, I felt like this book was lacking. The first three quarters of the book is practically n...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Bethany rated it 3 of 5 stars

I feel like this review is similar to Tod Strasser's Give a Boy a Gun. I didn't particularly like either book but I feel that the topics addressed in each are important enough to give it a better rating than the writing deserves.

Colasanti's writing always seems stilted to me and this book was no different. I just don't care for her style and flow (or lack of). Writing a book about bullying is a difficult task. The main character has to toe the line of being a victim but not a dead weight that pu...more

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Q&A with Susa...: We Are Here	27	113	Sep 28, 2012 12:05pm
Q&A with Susa...: Writing the Book	78	127	Sep 25, 2012 11:06am
Q&A with Susa...: Keep Holding On	46	150	Jul 23, 2012 07:05am
Q&A with Susa...: Never Give Up	6	50	May 18, 2012 12:35pm

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Young Adult

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Contemporary

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Romance

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Realistic Fiction

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Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

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Young Adult > Young Adult Contemporary

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Young Adult > High School

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Drama

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Young Adult > Teen

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Sociology > Abuse

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About Susane Colasanti

Susane Colasanti is the bestselling author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, So Much Closer, and Keep Holding On. 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. As a teenage Jersey girl, she felt...more

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Quotes from Keep Holding On

“Life would be so much easier if fictional boys were real.” — 134 people liked it

“If you see someone being bullied, make it stop. Why is that so hard for us to do?” — 54 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12075886-keep-holding-on?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319236713l/12075886.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12075886-keep-holding-on?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti[/url]

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