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Waiting For You

by Susane Colasanti (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 9,892 ratings · 549 reviews

Read Susane Colasanti's posts on the Penguin Blog.

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published May 14th 2009 by Viking Juvenile

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Nov 07, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

Marisa has had a crush on Derek for a long, long time. He's perfect: friendly, cute, popular. The only problem is that he has a girlfriend. Then there's Nash, her longtime, geeky neighbor. Sure, he's super shy, but he's also extremely sweet and smart.

So when Derek breaks up with his girlfriend and starts paying attention to Marisa, she's ecstatic. Soon it's official - Derek and Marisa, the couple of the school. But then things change between Nash and Marisa...more

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Nov 19, 2010 Nomes rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

Waiting for you is a classic coming of age novel - spanning a good year of one teen girls life. Marisa is easy to relate to. Almost too easy, taking me back to those high school days where little things (small fights with your best bud) are the big things. Marisa has recently struggled with anxiety and depression and throughout the book sometimes slips back into that place. It's handled expertly, delving straight into the mind of a teenager with a light touch, never taking the path of melodrama....more

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Aug 10, 2011 Natshane rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who wants a good curl-up-with book

It was exam week, I was not supposed to give in into temptations and read, but I did, and I did not regret it at all!
Waiting for you is a story of a girl wanting to change herself, and she has been waiting all her life for a change. From the obvious title, Waiting for you, it gives readers the impression that the protagonist, Marisa is waiting for the special someone to appear, and she is! But it also involves something more deep.
One thing about books like this, it gives you a moment of euphori...more It was exam week, I was not supposed to give in into temptations and read, but I did, and I did not regret it at all!
Waiting for you is a story of a girl wanting to change herself, and she has been waiting all her life for a change. From the obvious title, Waiting for you, it gives readers the impression that the protagonist, Marisa is waiting for the special someone to appear, and she is! But it also involves something more deep.
One thing about books like this, it gives you a moment of euphoria, and you still live by the effect later (it doesn't actually go away! I still find myself head over heels with Nash-the boy character in the story) but as usual, it's kind of cliche, not that I mind! I have my own theory for cliche-ness, no matter how typical or predictable a story might be, every story has it's own clicheness, you know what will happen, but the biggest question is the 'HOW', that's why I love reading these stories.
Now, let me sort of summarize this story to you without leaking any spoilers.
Marissa is an average girl, maybe slightly lower than average because people looked at her as if she's like a freak and she never had anyone who notices her. She has this huge crush on this hearthrob, Derek, an awesome family, a BFF Sterling (which I think it's a cool name) and a new school year with new resolution. One problem, she has anxiety disorder. Just when things were going in her way, bad things kept on happening, and she fell into depression again (not that intense but it's sad), who pulled her out of it? - Dirty Dirk (yes, I love this dude, if he's in my school, I would totally worship him. LOL)
That's all I can write without revealing something I'm not supposed to :P
For my review,
1. I love that I could predict things! It made me feel like I have psychic power or something, and my prediction did come true in the book.
-Who's Dirty Dirk? (from the very first moment!)
-What happened to Marisa's parents (oh, this is so about the 'HOW')
-Derek's character and what he would do (but he did something that suprises me though)
-The turnout of events.
Yup, that's probably the most of it, but that did not stop me from cracking over the plot and go all weepy the next second. Like I said, euphoria.
2. My mind was lost for the last couple of days (exams do that to me) and I was feeling a bit depressed because I know I'll do bad for my Biology paper that day, and Waiting for you made me feel anew. I swear it's like fate (which reminded me of Susan's other book, Something like Fate), all of a sudden, there's Dirty Dirk, and he's like...commnunicating to me. That's when I know I'm in love, :P
3. It made me go all weepy in the end, I just love a happy ending.
Waiting for you, despite the 'chick-ish' title, is something worth reading. It could be your 'curl up with' book!
(less)

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May 29, 2009 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was my first time reading Colasanti, and I really enjoyed it! She definitely has a style to her writing, it was simplistic and enjoyable. It flowed very nicely, making it a very easy read.

Waiting for You is an emotional, fun, sort of coming of age story all centered around a first love. Although I predicted whom our heroine would end up with ultimately, it didn't keep me from turning the pages at warp speed! I liked the serious elements that Colasanti presented too. It was definitely not s...more

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Jan 04, 2010 Melody rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fifteen-year-old Marisa lives in a small town in Connecticut with her parents; other than having anxiety disorder her life is pretty simple and peaceful. She often tells herself she is fortunate to have a happy and a secure family, and a best friend whom she could share all her problems and secrets with, and be there for her whenever she needs her.

She has a crush on a guy named Derek for a while, but just never muster up the courage to approach him. And then, there is another boy Nash whom she k...more Fifteen-year-old Marisa lives in a small town in Connecticut with her parents; other than having anxiety disorder her life is pretty simple and peaceful. She often tells herself she is fortunate to have a happy and a secure family, and a best friend whom she could share all her problems and secrets with, and be there for her whenever she needs her.

She has a crush on a guy named Derek for a while, but just never muster up the courage to approach him. And then, there is another boy Nash whom she knew for a long time likes her, but it is just a one-sided attraction, for Marisa thinks he is not her cup of tea since he is geeky and not as sociable, unlike Derek who is so great looking and popular.

Then, things start to change in Marisa's life in some ways when Derek begins to notice her after his break up with his girlfriend, and it is at this time that she started to notice there is a distance between her parents. Though she is thrilled that she and Derek became an item finally, there are times she felt lonely without her best friend and Nash, now that they have someone in their mind. She did not want to share her problems with Derek, thinking that no one would want someone with issues and she wants to be portrayed as the perfect girl for him anyway. But after a while, Derek's attention begins to waver as he became friends with his ex-girlfriend again, and to heighten the anxiety Marisa's parents are thinking of having a divorce and Marisa has never felt so lonely and helpless in her life. All this while, she has been seeking solace in listening to an anonymous DJ who seems to understand the problems of most of the students face in school and like others, Marisa is curious about him but he never reveals his identity.

Though awkward in the beginning, Marisa starts to hang out more with Nash. Slowly, she began to see him in a new light but would he be on a par with Derek, and that of course has to leave it to Marisa to think about and decide.

Waiting for You is a great story about friendship, connection and love that I am sure will appeal to many YA readers. While reading this book, I really sympathize with Marisa and there are times I wished she could stop fussing so much over Derek because apparently she is being over cautious of her relationship with him that she is not being herself, which made me think he might not be the right guy for her after all it is unhealthy being that way. Nevertheless, I still cheered for her and hope she would be able to see things more clearly and made the right decision eventually. Another plus point about this story is that the characters and the difficulties Marisa faces (e.g. her parents' situation, the ups and downs with her best friend, Sterling) are realistic; overall I would recommend this to any readers who enjoy the YA genre. (less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Shalin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like this book because it's easy to read, to follow through and it's real - I can relate to it.

Actually, I'm not really a fan of Marisa, no offence. I think she's a little too... Prissy? Then again, it might be because of her anxiety disorder. Then, throughout her dating with Derek, I thought it was more of a one-sided love. Other than hanging out together, I didn't really see Derek falling for her. This totally covered Sterling's point that her boyfriend doesn't really care about her.

What I l...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Pâm Gonçalves rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Em Esperando por você a história é protagonizada pela Marisa, uma garota que acaba de iniciar o segundo ano do ensino médio. Sua maior preocupação é ter amigos e um namorado. Ela acaba de passar por um momento difícil de depressão, e está pronta para um novo começo.

Se eu tenho uma dica para vocês que querem ler o livro: não leiam a sinopse da quarta-capa. Ela entrega praticamente tudo que acontece no livro. Por mais que ele seja muito e extremamente previsível, você não tem aquela certeza que é...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Blablabla Aleatório rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nubia

Marisa irá começar o segundo ano de Ensino Médio, e após o desastre que foi o ano passado, ela decide promover mudanças em sua vida. E junto com a amiga Sterling, decide se reinventar. Deixar a garota que todos acham esquisita para trás, fazer novos amigos e conseguir um namorado. E ela até já tem um em mente: o carinha tudo de bom com pinta de surfista Derek. Só que ele já tem namorada. Por outro lado, há Nash, de quem Marisa antigamente era amiga e com quem passava muito tempo, só que ela não...more Marisa irá começar o segundo ano de Ensino Médio, e após o desastre que foi o ano passado, ela decide promover mudanças em sua vida. E junto com a amiga Sterling, decide se reinventar. Deixar a garota que todos acham esquisita para trás, fazer novos amigos e conseguir um namorado. E ela até já tem um em mente: o carinha tudo de bom com pinta de surfista Derek. Só que ele já tem namorada. Por outro lado, há Nash, de quem Marisa antigamente era amiga e com quem passava muito tempo, só que ela não o considera um namorado ideal com seu cabelo despenteado, a camisa sempre amarrotada e a mania de ficar corrigindo as pessoas o tempo todo.

“É estranho como se pode viver tão perto de alguém, crescer com ele, sem de fato saber quem ele é. Talvez você o conhecesse, mas agora você e ele são como estranhos. É esquisito como o tempo é capaz de mudar algo que você achou que continuaria para sempre inalterado.”

Essa amizade, pode até ter acabado há muito tempo, mas os trabalhos das aulas de ciências têm feito um bem enorme para reatar essa amizade. E no caso de Nash, fortalecer velhos sentimentos. Mas, como é por Derek que ela está interessada, ela deixa bem claro para Nash que não podem ser nada mais do que amigos. Então, porque é que mesmo depois que começa a namorar Derek, ela se sente incomodada por perceber que Nash seguiu em frente? E porque é que em vez do namorado, é o seu amigo que é seu confidente e com o qual ela passa mais tempo?

A narrativa da autora em alguns momentos chega a ser cansativa. Ela demora tanto a desenvolver alguns aspectos de sua história que é impossível não ficar entediada com o marasmo que ronda a vida de Marisa. Confesso que cheguei a ficar desanimada com o livro, e falo isso pela quantidade de vezes que interrompi a leitura porque nada me prendia às páginas. Então, foi com bastante animação que encarei as reviravoltas que finalmente injetaram ânimo na história a partir da metade do livro. Os personagens ficaram vívidos e os problemas enfrentados por eles, mais palpáveis.

Continue lendo em: http://feanari.wordpress.com/2013/03/...(less)

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Nov 13, 2012 Lucia rated it 1 of 5 stars

This young adult novel is a complete knock-off of My So Called Life (90s teen drama).

Here are the overlaps:

1. In both the book and the TV show there is a character named Jordan.
2. Both main characters are largely introspective.
3. Both main characters use the word "like" in the same voice.
4. Both main characters have annoying younger sisters, but no other siblings.
5. Both main characters are closer to their fathers than to their mothers.
6. Both main characters struggle with Geometry.
7. Both main...more

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Sep 07, 2012 VaultOfBooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

By Susane Colasanti. Grade: B+

Derek is clearly the boy Marisa has been waiting for, but there’s just one problem. He has a girlfriend. Nash, Marisa’s neighbor and childhood friend, is totally geeked out, with zero boyfriend potential. So of course Nash wants to take his friendship with Marisa to the next level.
Beyond her boy drama, Marisa is also dealing with overcoming a major problem from her past, a family that’s falling apart, and a best friend who won’t stop talking to sketchy guys online....more By Susane Colasanti. Grade: B+

Derek is clearly the boy Marisa has been waiting for, but there’s just one problem. He has a girlfriend. Nash, Marisa’s neighbor and childhood friend, is totally geeked out, with zero boyfriend potential. So of course Nash wants to take his friendship with Marisa to the next level.
Beyond her boy drama, Marisa is also dealing with overcoming a major problem from her past, a family that’s falling apart, and a best friend who won’t stop talking to sketchy guys online. Only the anonymous DJ, who has the school hooked on his underground podcasts, seems to get what Marisa’s going through. But she has no idea who he is…or does she?

This story shows us the frustration of romance life, friendships and family and how it can all turn out all right in the end. Marisa continues to be herself in the midst of these trials. She works through her problems instead of ignoring them, takes risks and just perseveres. She shows presence of mind and determination to get through the hard times.
Marisa doesn’t necessarily have a bunch of friends to call and get over these bumps with. She is like some of us who just don’t have a lot of friends but we do have real problems that need a friend’s encouragement. The friendships she does have, she keeps them strong. She puts time into the ones that would last. And when she didn’t have a friend to call, Marisa was able to pick herself up and dust off her own jacket.
The theme of this book is well formed. It’s about waiting for the perfect guy instead of just settling for one you know is not right for you. The message of the book isn’t just about the waiting for the right guy, but making a mistake and recovering from it.
When reading this book Marisa seems very desperate to get a boyfriend but she doesn’t accept any offer that comes along. And even with her filter on, she still hits some bumps in the road. ‘Waiting for You’ has a theme that is not simply, ‘I met no one but you!’ Instead it’s more like a, ‘I found you under all the others.’
The author of this book writes in a very clear way. The book wasn’t completely attention grabbing at all points of the story but you wanted to see what would happen in the end, if only for a hope that it would be a fantastic ending and worth all the reading. Susane Colasanti ends the book in a very rewarding way; a way that might make you read the book all over again.

Originally reviewed at www.vaultofbooks.com (less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Soma "Insomnia Of Books" rated it 2 of 5 stars

I guess this is it! This book is the third book of Susane Colasanti that I have read. I wasn't actually expecting much, since I didn't like her last two books much, but I still hoped that this book was a little better than them. Fortunately, it was.
Marisa is the typical teenage girl, all she wants is to have the perfect boyfriend and to be the most popular girl in school. I am beginning to hate this kind of plot, it's always the same, why are these girls always obsessed with popularity?
Anyway...more

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Jul 06, 2012 bjneary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, ya, realistic-fiction

I am working my way through reading all of Susane Colasanti's books and I really enjoyed this book!
Marisa is a 9th grader and she and her best friend Sterling think this is the year they have been waiting for! They reinvent themselves every year and this is no different, Marisa has an anxiety disorder that she keeps quiet about but she has been seeing a doctor and she can keep it under control when the warning signs start. Thanks to her wonderful, supportive family, Marisa feels she is luck sinc...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Virginia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wow, I didn't realise that it was possible to know the ending of a book before you've finished the first chapter, but... this book was, well, like that. But, in this case, that really didn't matter.

In fact, this book taught me something about life and love in general. About how much we really stay in the past, wishing and waiting for the right person, or the right opportunity to come along, before we realise that it may just be staring at us right in the face the entire time. It might not be in...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Haydee R rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Waiting for you” is by Susane Colasanti. The title was the main thing that caught my attraction to the book. Teens are always waiting for something or someone to come in their lives. Whether it will be a friend or a boyfriend/girlfriend. We tend not to be patient and want things right away. I wanted to read and see how someones life turns out when your patient and wait for the thing you want.

The book is about Marisa wanting to start out different for the new school year. Derek is the boy marisa...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Dina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: friendship, inspiring, romance, translate, teenlit, young-adult

I just finished read this novel.
Buku ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan wanita remaja yang berumur 15 tahun. Marisa, itu namanya. Buku Waiting for you adalah kebanyakan tentang cinta, lebih ke jenis cinta dari apa pun. Marisa Karakter utama mencari jodoh. Ketika saya pertama kali melihat judul buku, saya sangat ingin membacanya.

Depresi dia pergi melalui dieksekusi dengan baik, dan aku bisa memahaminya. Ada begitu banyak orang depresi yang tidak mengerti, bahwa orang yang depresi tidak bisa men...more I just finished read this novel.
Buku ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan wanita remaja yang berumur 15 tahun. Marisa, itu namanya. Buku Waiting for you adalah kebanyakan tentang cinta, lebih ke jenis cinta dari apa pun. Marisa Karakter utama mencari jodoh. Ketika saya pertama kali melihat judul buku, saya sangat ingin membacanya.

Depresi dia pergi melalui dieksekusi dengan baik, dan aku bisa memahaminya. Ada begitu banyak orang depresi yang tidak mengerti, bahwa orang yang depresi tidak bisa menjelaskan. Colasanti dieksplorasi tahap halus dalam pandangan seorang remaja dengan gangguan kecemasan yang memiliki masalah seperti orang lain, tapi itu hanya terjadi untuk mempengaruhi dengan cara berbeda, mungkin lebih kuat atau yang membuat efek yang lebih tahan lama dibandingkan pada orang lain.

Tapi kemudian ia keluar dari itu, dan saya senang melihat perubahan pikirannya, dia kesadaran bahwa ini ada cara untuk hidup, dan bahwa ada hal-hal di luar sana bahwa ia ingin hidup, orang yang mencintainya, dan, siapa dia mencintai kembali. Seperti ibunya, yang mengkhianatinya, dan memiliki waktu yang sulit memaafkan, tapi kemudian menyadari bahwa ibunya memiliki perasaan mendalam yang dia tidak mengerti. Seperti Sterling, sahabatnya, bahwa tidak peduli berapa banyak perkelahian mereka pergi melalui, dia selalu ada untuk Marisa pada akhirnya, dan sebaliknya. Dan Nash. Nash, yang dia dikenal sejak mereka masih muda, yang ia mulai menyadari betapa ia peduli baginya. Nash begitu manis.

I love the romance between Marisa and Nash. They were so good together.
Jujur, buku ini jauh dari ekspetasi gue. Saat gue baca buku ini, ada dimana gue merasa bosan membacanya. Tapi semua itu ditutupi dengan banyak pelajaran. Pelajaran yang gue dapet dari buku ini. Dan buku ini lengkap banget, ada percintaan, persahabatan dan tentunya kekeluargaan juga ada di sini.

Enddd I love the ending of the story (Marisa&Nash kiss actually) Nash is one of another cutest guy.. Walaupun gue mengharapkan lebih dari buku ini. But, not really bad :D (less)

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Aug 31, 2011 Diana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 12th-advisory

Waiting For You
By Susane Colasanti
Viking Juvenile 2009
320 pgs
ISBN 0670011304

As Marisa starts her sophomore year in school, she awaits for what any 15 year old teenage girl would want. She wants someone who would treat her as if she was his only, and who she wants is a boyfriend. Just as she was hoping, Mr. Popular, Derek, asks her out. Although she gets a boyfriend, not everything goes her way. Family issues and problematic issues with her best friend begins, which then causes her to question h...more

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May 16, 2011 Niratisaya Niratisaya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Waiting For You adalah karya kedua Colasanti yg saya baca. Berusaha menangkap impian remaja yg menginginkan kesempurnaan dalam hidupnya, Colasanti menceritakan kehidupan Marisa. Seorang remaja berusia limabelas tahun yg berjuang melawan kecenderungannya unt selalu merasa cemas pada segala sesuatu. Tentang bagaimana dia merasa nyaman dalam keluarganya yg aneh: ibu yg sering memaksa mereka berkumpul unt makan malam, ayah yg sering tenggelam dalam pekerjaannya, serta adik yg gemar berdebat. Namun s...more Waiting For You adalah karya kedua Colasanti yg saya baca. Berusaha menangkap impian remaja yg menginginkan kesempurnaan dalam hidupnya, Colasanti menceritakan kehidupan Marisa. Seorang remaja berusia limabelas tahun yg berjuang melawan kecenderungannya unt selalu merasa cemas pada segala sesuatu. Tentang bagaimana dia merasa nyaman dalam keluarganya yg aneh: ibu yg sering memaksa mereka berkumpul unt makan malam, ayah yg sering tenggelam dalam pekerjaannya, serta adik yg gemar berdebat. Namun semua itu tidak membuatnya cemas, karena Marisa tahu, mereka menyayanginya. Dan dia memiliki seorang teman yg terobsesi pada masakan, serta cinta pertama yg tak mampu digapainya. Sampai satu ketika Marisa mendapati kenyataan bahwa orangtuanya bercerai.

Kecemasan Marisa mulai menjadi-jadi. Dia tidak bisa menebak, siapa di antara orangtuanya yg mengakibatkan keretakan dalam keluarganya. Dia mengambil jarak dari keluarganya. Bahkan kehadiran Derek tak mampu meredakan problem kejiwaan Marisa. Anehnya, Nash bisa melenyapkannya. Setiap kali Marisa berada di sekitar Nash, dia bisa merasakan kedamaian. Padahal Nash sama sekali bukan cowok yg diimpikannya. Dia tidak memiliki sifat ramah seperti Derek, bahkan cenderung suka menggurui. Dia tidak berpenampilan keren seperti Derek, dia bahkan tidak perduli pada kemejanya yg tidak disetrika. Bersama Nash bukanlah hal yg diimpikan oleh Marisa. Atau cewek manapun. Maka ketika Nash menunjukkan gelagat dia menyukainya, Marisa menarik jarak. Hanya saja dia tidak bisa tidak berada di samping Nash. Bagaimana tanggapan Nash? Masihkah dia mau mendengarkan setiap keluhan Marisa? Lalu bagaimana dengan Derek, bukankah dia cowok impian Marisa?
Satu yang pasti dalam kehidupan Marisa. Dengan perpisahan kedua orangtuanya, Marisa belajar tentang cinta dan memaafkan.

Sebuah tema yg sederhana ttg keluarga dan pertemanan, di mana akan selalu ada unsur cinta. Hanya saja, bagaimana kita bisa mengenali cinta. Membedakannya dengan impian dan obsesi kita terhadap sesuatu, yg kita kira sempurna untuk kita? Untuk mereka yg menginginkan lebih dari sekedar cerita cinta. Kau harus membacanya. Another good work of Colasanti :)(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 Jess - The Tales Compendium rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

I have mixed opinions about this book. My initial thoughts were that I didn't like the style of writing. There is a lot of teen-speak such as the number of times 'like' is said and how all the verbs are annoyingly repetitive.

For example:
"What?" Stirling goes.
"I'm just saying,"Andrea goes.
Sterling's like, "Could it be any hotter?"

It's as bad as saying he said or she said after every sentence. Keep in mind these are not all in the same paragraph, although they are from the same page, but they are...more I have mixed opinions about this book. My initial thoughts were that I didn't like the style of writing. There is a lot of teen-speak such as the number of times 'like' is said and how all the verbs are annoyingly repetitive.

For example:
"What?" Stirling goes.
"I'm just saying,"Andrea goes.
Sterling's like, "Could it be any hotter?"

It's as bad as saying he said or she said after every sentence. Keep in mind these are not all in the same paragraph, although they are from the same page, but they are a small example of the language I found irritating. I'm not sure if this is because I'm Australian or because I am no longer a teen but either way it was annoying. The story itself was predictable. I was able to pick the ending within the first few pages.

What I did like was that our main character Marisa suffers from anxiety and depression. I don't think these are subjects that get discussed a lot in YA literature, especially anxiety. Marisa has her highs and lows and we as the reader get to experience these with her. We also see how she pulls herself out of her slumps and how those around her effect her moods.

Other issues Marisa has to deal with include her parents' surprise separation, her best friends' online boyfriend who may be a creepy old man, an old friendship rekindled and a new relationship with her crush. Marisa's journey comes full circle when she learns to live in the now and stop waiting.

A recurring theme is the age-old don't judge someone before you get to know them. You never know what may be happening in their life or why they act the way they do. This is universal and such an important message.

By the end, I felt the language had changed a bit, or maybe I just wasn't noticing it anymore, but it was easier for me to read without getting annoyed. The story finished just how I predicted it would but somehow that was ok with me because Marisa grew as a person and there were lots of important messages that got addressed. This is very much a teen read and I do not think it will be enjoyed by those who have finished high school.(less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Rachel Harris rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love the variety of styles within the YA community. Some books are deep and dark, others light and fun. Some are lyrical, others conversational. Susane Colasanti is a YA Contemporary Romance author who has an ability to draw you in one page one, weaving a tale as comfortable as if you are sitting in a coffee house with a friend as she tells you her story.

In WAITING FOR YOU, Marisa is that friend.

This is my third foray into Colasanti’s writing, and is just as delightful as the others. Susane...more I love the variety of styles within the YA community. Some books are deep and dark, others light and fun. Some are lyrical, others conversational. Susane Colasanti is a YA Contemporary Romance author who has an ability to draw you in one page one, weaving a tale as comfortable as if you are sitting in a coffee house with a friend as she tells you her story.

In WAITING FOR YOU, Marisa is that friend.

This is my third foray into Colasanti’s writing, and is just as delightful as the others. Susane is a former high school science teacher, and her prose clearly shows she ‘gets’ teens today. Her books are best enjoyed in comfortable pajama pants, hair up in a bun or ponytail, with a warm blanket over you. They are just that familiar and cozy.

I loved the pop culture references in this book. From John Mayer, to one of my favorite movies (Pump Up The Volume), to the best teen drama ever (My So Called Life), this book took me back to my own teen years. Relationships are so important in this stage, and they are at the heart of this novel. Marisa’s best friend Sterling is quirky and unique, their friendship authentic and fun. Her relationship with her flawed parents is spot-on, as is her sweet relationship with her aunt. And her relationship with her little sister is complex, growing throughout the book, and refrains from falling into flat, clichéd territory.

But of course, my favorite relationships are with the guys.

Marisa is waiting for her life to begin and ready to fall in love. She gets two chances, with two very different kinds of guys. While predictable, and definitely easy for the reader to tell which boy Marisa should really be with, the plot is fun. Her journey to finding the right one is believable—what teen girl wouldn’t go for the obvious hottie first?—and the ending is sweet.

The author does not shy away from heavy topics in this story, but they never manage to influence the tone of hope that laces Marisa’s narrative. Her mother has an affair, her parents split up, her heart is broken, she fights with her best friend, and she fights her depression . . . but that’s just it—she fights it. Teenage depression is a very real problem, but through Colasanti’s pages, teens can see that it isn’t the end of the road. Like Marisa, they can battle back and make smart, healthy decisions to stay better. Depression is manageable.

Is the story predictable? Yes. But it is well worth the read. It transports you back to your own teenage years, complete with all the anxiety, worries, and questions that stage of life brings, along with the excitement and newness of first love.

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Jan 15, 2011 Michelle. Tsunami. rated it 4 of 5 stars

One thing I wanna say is that...
~It is so OBVIOUS who Marisa is going to end up with.
~It is so OBVIOUS who Dirty Dirk is.
~It is so OBVIOUS who likes who(really).
~It is so OBVIOUS who cheated on who.
~It is so OBVIOUS who dislikes who.
~Etc, etc, etc and more obvious stuff.......

The story is kinda one of those normal love stories where thinds happen that changes the main character in some major way.

I dunno why, but I really hate Sierra. Not because she is still likes him, but it's like, natural hat...more

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Nov 19, 2010 Kalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about a girl named Marissa. She is a sophomore in high school and has the daily troubles of a teenage girl. Then suddenly everything starts to go bad in her life. She finds out that her mother is having an affair with another man. Her parents have been together almost twenty years when they find this out. Marissa used to suffer from depression, and when the whole situation with her parents happen, she starts to get back into a depression again. She finds this boy who she really like...more This book is about a girl named Marissa. She is a sophomore in high school and has the daily troubles of a teenage girl. Then suddenly everything starts to go bad in her life. She finds out that her mother is having an affair with another man. Her parents have been together almost twenty years when they find this out. Marissa used to suffer from depression, and when the whole situation with her parents happen, she starts to get back into a depression again. She finds this boy who she really likes named Derek. They end up liking each other and start dating. For a while everything is great, but Marissa still isn't very happy because of her parents. While this is happening, she also gets in a fight with her best friend named Sterling. Her other best friend, who is also her neighbor, named Nash, used to like her. He try's to make a move on her but she doesn't like him at the time. They stay friends and Nash helps her through a lot of her problems. In the end, Derek and Marissa end up breaking up. Sterling forgives her, Nash and Marissa end up together, and she ends up accepting that her mother is in love with someone else.

My favorite part of this book was the climax and the ending. During the climax, it seems like everything is going wrong for her. The author makes it seem like there is no hope for her life to get any better. But when she finds out about Nash, everything seems to be better. He helps her realize that she needs to be kind to her mom and accept the fact that she is in love with someone else. In the end of the book, she finally is happy. I didn't think it would turn out this way, but I liked the ending a lot. It surprised me. The only thing that I didn't like was the slow beginning. It took me a little while to get interested in the book.

I would reccomend this book to any high school or middle school girl. I think it has a good life lesson in it. You can learn that there will be hard times in your life and easy times. But in the end you can always make it through with the help of a good friend.(less)

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Oct 09, 2010 Jessica Lawlor rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2009

Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti tells the story of Marisa, Derek and Nash. Marisa is a sophomore in high school who has a serious crush on the popular Derek. When he finally begins paying attention to her, she is thrilled. At the same time, Marisa is good friends with Nash, her neighbor and chemistry lab partner. Nash has a crush on Marisa, but Marisa pays him no attention.

Throughout the book, Marisa finds out who is true and who is not. After a little cheating situation, Marisa is forced to...more

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Oct 08, 2010 Shxrxn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love the beginning of the year. It’s all about renewal and reinventing yourself, becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be.
- Marisa
I have a theory that the answers to all of life’s major questions can be found in a John Mayer song.
- Marisa
The problem with the last few days of summer? Is that you can’t hold on to them. They zoom by way too fast. You live through them in a dream until they’re over. And then everything slows down to a glacial pace again.
- Marisa
Control your thoughts to contr...more

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Sep 14, 2010 Emilie added it

Shelves: young-adult, own, reviewed

This was my first time reading something by Susane Colasanti and after reading the book, I can say that it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed Waiting For You, it makes a really good summer read. It’s light, enjoyable and a quick read. Had I not been so busy, I would have probably read it all in one sitting. I thought it was the perfect summer read, I just relaxed and enjoyed it the whole time I was reading it.

Marisa has been waiting for a boyfriend for a long time. She has an idea of who she wan...more This was my first time reading something by Susane Colasanti and after reading the book, I can say that it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed Waiting For You, it makes a really good summer read. It’s light, enjoyable and a quick read. Had I not been so busy, I would have probably read it all in one sitting. I thought it was the perfect summer read, I just relaxed and enjoyed it the whole time I was reading it.

Marisa has been waiting for a boyfriend for a long time. She has an idea of who she wants him to be: Derek. But Derek has a girlfriend and doesn’t seem to know that Marisa exists. In the meantime, Marisa spends time with Sterling, her best friend who is an amazing cook, and Nash the geeky boy who lives a few houses down. And all of a sudden, Derek breaks up with his girlfriend and starts showing interest in Marisa, who couldn’t be happier. And then there’s Dirk, the late night radio broadcaster who seems to know exactly how Marisa feels, the only problem is she doesn’t know who he is.

Marisa was a great character but I have to admit I would sometimes get annoyed with her. Almost from the start we know she has an anxiety disorder and can sometimes make a bigger deal out of things than she needs to. But then there were other times when I just wanted to tell her to stop over analyzing and over exaggerating everything. Besides that I really liked Marisa, you can tell that she actually wants to get the bigger hand over her problem and actually improve her condition. It wasn’t only about seeing her evolved, but about her being the reason for her evolution and forcing it. Let’s just say I liked her better in the second half of the book because of this.

Nash was such a sweetheart. Right from the beginning you could tell he was in love with Marisa but he was afraid to admit it to her...until he did. The whole length of the book I was rooting for him. I really wanted Marisa to figure out that he’s the one she’s supposed to be with and get over her whole obsession with Derek. I really liked Nash and just like Marisa you really see him evolve and the whole time his motivation is really obvious...and there just may be more to him than meets the eye.

The story was great, I liked how it was divided into the different seasons and how with each season came a different Marisa...or maybe I’m just over interpreting this thanks to having taken so many literature classes. The way it was divided gave it a sort of pace, everything was evenly spaced and the timeline made sense. The story was easy to follow and at times I could predict some of what would happen but at other times I really didn’t see them coming. It was really enjoyable...but that might not mean anything considering most of what I read.

Waiting for You was a great summer read. It doesn’t actually take place in the summer but just how the story is and how it’s written makes it feel like it should be summer the whole length of the book. If you’re looking for a light summer read you should definitely pick up a copy of this book.(less)

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Jun 03, 2010 Bellaforbiddenedward (Stephanie Nan) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stephanie Nan 807 Waiting for You by Susanne Colasanti This book is about a girl named Marisa, who is at the start of her sophomore year in high school. She has been waiting forever for her true love, and hopes she will find him this year. Marisa has an anxiety disorder, and is isolated and alone in her school,because people think that she is a freak, except for her best friend, Sterling. She hopes that she could go out with the most popular guy in school, Derek. But she also has mixed feelings...more Stephanie Nan 807 Waiting for You by Susanne Colasanti This book is about a girl named Marisa, who is at the start of her sophomore year in high school. She has been waiting forever for her true love, and hopes she will find him this year. Marisa has an anxiety disorder, and is isolated and alone in her school,because people think that she is a freak, except for her best friend, Sterling. She hopes that she could go out with the most popular guy in school, Derek. But she also has mixed feelings for Nash, her childhood best friend. Marisa is waiting for someone who will understand her, and feel the same way about her. I thought that this book would be boring, since the first few pages weren't that good. I just picked up this book and told myself that I would pretend to read it at Project REAL. This book really changed my opinions about finding true love and how to find it. As Marisa says in the book, "you can find love in many different places", it really made me think about how you don't have to wait for the perfect person,you should just take a chance and go for it. And if it doesn't work out, it doesn't matter, since you can always find love in many shapes and sizes. Even though Marisa dated Derek in this book, he kept her away from her best friend, and went out with his ex- girlfriend at the same time. At the end of the book, Marisa finds love with her friends, instead of waiting around. Wat I found confusing about tis book was tat Susane Colasanti separates te book into different sections, like May-July, November to January, and mentions tings tat aren't described in previous sections. But what i liked about this style of writing is that she lets readers infer what is going to happen and lets you keep guessing; she mentioned things from previous events in Marisa's lifetime, and lets you guess what happened. This was the first book I have ever read about someone who I could really relate to, I can relate to Marisa because I don't have many friends, and I am waiting for the day my life changes, and something wonderful happens, only, not necessarily with a guy. Almost all the books I read are about girls with alot of friends,pretty, popular people, people who are "perfect". I have read quite alot of books about people who are the opposite, but this book made me really look at life in a different way, and take a chance in life. (less)

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May 04, 2010 kari rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya

This book was sort of hard for me to get through, not sure why exactly. Maybe I felt that Waiting For You was kind of waiting for the story to take off.
Marisa was a nice character and I felt such sympathy for her, dealing with anxiety and depression. I did like that the plot was more complicated than she is just sad because of a boy. The sub-plot with the break-up of her parent's what she always thought of as happy marriage added a nice element.
Have to add, though, that I didn't care for the c...more

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Apr 22, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow. There's a lot to say about this book. First of all, it spoke to me. The character of Marisa is basically me. Some of the coincidences were just scary, actually--the violin playing, the love of all the same books and TV shows, the writing obsession, the hyperactive best friend... At times it was weird, but I felt like I was reading my own diary. THe only reason I gave this four stars is because I felt like... oh, I've already experienced this, it's kinda boring. But the great thing about fic...more

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Mar 05, 2010 Rachel Aviado rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story of Marisa's sophmore year in high school about waiting and searching for her ultimate soulmate is cute, charming, and predictable. From her new struggles on friendship, the popular handsome Derek dating her, and her parents' sudden separation, Marisa's life isn't coming out so great. On the bright side of her problems, she finds that running to the newly discovered anonymous DJ has helped her make a connection to make her feel better; therefore, possibly finding the absolute, not neces...more

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Jul 21, 2009 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars

Waiting for You is an extremely cute read. It has nice, simple writing that flows easily and goes quickly. The characters are cute and well done. They seem like actual teens with many flaws. They're quirky and different and especially easy to relate to.

On the other hand, the book can be awfully annoying. There were just little things that bugged me, like the fact that Marisa said "whatev" instead of "whatever". It's used almost a dozen times and each time I just felt like banging my head on a wa...more

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May 27, 2009 thebookblogger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Susane Colasanti has again written another incredible young adult novel. If you haven't read her previous works I suggest you do, they're just as amazing as this one.

Waiting for You is a compelling novel involving a teenager with a seemingly perfect family, a perfect relationship with a great guy, and an enjoyable friendship between her and her best friend. Until all of this changes.

Her boyfriend doesn't seem so perfect anymore, and neither does her now broken family. She's troubled and nothing...more

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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 Waiting For You

“If a girl starts out all casual with a guy and she doesn't tell him that she wants a relationship, it will never become a relationship. If you give the guy the impression that casual is okay with you, that's all he'll ever want. Be straight with him from the start. If he gets scared and runs away, he wasn't right for you.” — 891 people liked it

“I'd rather be weird and happy than normal and miserable.” — 304 people liked it

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