De afstand tussen jou en mij

by Marina Gessner, Astrid Staartjes (Translator)

McKenna heeft alles voor elkaar: goede cijfers, een leuk vriendje en een toelating voor de universiteit op zak. Maar dat is niet wat ze wil. McKenna is van plan om de universiteit een jaar uit te stellen en samen met haar beste vriendin Courtney de Appalachian Trail te gaan lopen. 3500 kilometer door de wildernis van een van de noordelijkste staten van Amerika naar het zuiden, met alleen een backpack op haar rug. Als Courtney op het laatste moment afzegt, besluit McKenna de maandenlange tocht stiekem in haar eentje af te leggen.

Als McKenna onderweg de charismatische, mysterieuze Sam tegenkomt en besluit hem van het verharde pad af te volgen, wordt haar reis opeens veel gevaarlijker – zo gevaarlijk dat McKenna moet vechten voor zowel haar leven als dat van hem.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Travel

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2015

About the author

Marina Gessner is the pen name of Nina de Gramont. Nina is a writer, teacher, and mom, not necessarily in that order. Her work has appeared in Redbook, Harvard Review, Nerve, and Seventeen. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

So my phone AND laptop broke (i'm currently writing this from my website design class...) therefore I was able to finish this book all in one day due to my boredom. And I enjoyed it! It delivered exactly what I was anticipating: both a cutesie and interesting read about a girl and a guy hiking together. I'm not a hiker so I can't judge if this was accurate or not as far as camping procedures, but I was definitely hooked onto the action and I absolutely loved that this book was set in the wilderness! I couldn't put it down, either; I stayed up until 3:30 AM finishing it. I thought it was a bit predictable, but not in an annoying way. I would just note that it's a typical YA book, with both the romance and the adventuristic plot. Both had a bit of drama that could have been prevented if the main character had made wiser decisions, but for the most part, I actually really liked McKenna because she was very strong and resilient for an 18 year-old. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a cute book about a cross-country trek and you don't mind a typical, predictable YA romantic plot line!

[Odette Brethouwer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I noticed I'd rated this book 4* and I was like, why? I've read my review again and I was like, way? XD I love this book so much and I recommend it to a lot of people so I've changed my rating to 5* because that suits my feelings about this book better.

What a beautiful coming of age story! I like the girlpower, the doing something by yourself because you want to, no matter what other people may think about it. It is very confronting because you instantly think the same - should she go on that trip alone? And why do you think that? Because she is a girl? Would you think the same if it was a boy? This is what is wrong with society.

And than we have the story. It is not predictable, I like that. I also like the character development in this story a lot. Trying to find your inner self, staying true to it, falling back in old habbits, getting yourself back toghether and going on in the direction you want to go.

And I think the ending fits the book perfectly. I always love it when an ending suits the story. And I like it a lot that this book is like nothing I've read before, because it is about hiking.

I highly recommend this book! If it wasn't for me being a BlossomBooks ambassador this year, I don't know if I would have picked this book up. I probably would think it was nothing for me because I don't like to hike, but it turned out you don't have to like hiking to like this book. Maybe it is even better, because this book will give you the opportunity to fall in love with something new.

I will defenitly go hiking with my boyfriend when we go back to Iceland, which we will do some day, for sure. I fell in love with that country, and reading this book will only make me go back to a place so empty, so full of beauty and nothing.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hartjes! hartjes, hartjes, hartjes. Wat een heldin. Wat een verhaal. Wat een avontuur, een doorzettingsvermogen, een inspiratie.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sigh* I was really looking forward to a strong powerful girl going on an adventure and having an adventure-romance, but instead I got two dummies being dumb in the woods. The love interest was certifiably pitiful and I know that was kind of the point but holy smokes, girlfriend just wanted to go on a hike and then somehow ends up in charge of fixing all this guy's problems instead, and that's not my idea of an adventure. Sorry :(.
*also the main character talks mad shit about a boy because he asks for consent more than once. please don't punish people for wanting to make sure their partners are ok like damn.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and alright but not my favorite contemporary, mostly because it ended with the characters making STUPID MISTAKES.
I feel like the main character grew but at the same time, she didn’t. Like I was TOLD how she grew but didn’t feel a ton of that from her actual character arc.
The romance was cute and this was a really interesting backdrop for a story (hiking the Appalachian trail?) but it definitely didn’t make me want to do that. 😂
All in all an alright but forgettable contemporary

[Bookish Pengu · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5* for the message of the book. I FKN MADE IT AND I AM SO DONE AND PLEASED THAT I FINISHED IT. Although life is too short to finish books you don't like. And I was so bored. And I don't know when I will write a review. I am just so done and actually didn't enjoyed this book in any way.

[Jentry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can tell I'm turning into an actual adult because the whole time I was reading this book all I could think about was how irresponsible and stupid McKenna was being. And all for a stupid boy.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I’m not the biggest hiker. I went hiking for the first time ever this past summer, so you could say that I’m a beginner. When I found out that The Distance from Me to You is about an 18 year-old girl who attempts thru hiking through the Appalachian Trail, I was really intrigued. However, the romance fell flat for me and the characters’ choices made my eyes roll in annoyance.

INSTA-LOVE YAY!

There are primarily two characters in The Distance from Me to You because it’s a story about a hike, so there has to be a pretty narrow focus on characters. This means we follow Mckenna and the guy she meets on the trail, Sam. While the story is mostly about McKenna, the reader gets some insight about Sam’s backstory since it’s told from an omniscient third person perspective.

Mckenna and Sam fall in love pretty quickly. Even though their circumstances were different because they met on the trail, it wasn’t a dire situation or anything. They meet on the trail and just “fall in love”. Just like that. It didn’t feel real to me at all and there was no foundation for their romance.

Moreover, they had so many back-and-forth banter that led to irrational decisions. Like, annoying, unnecessary banter. I eye-rolled so many times.

INTRIGUING IDEAS

There are good and bad ideas in this story for sure. I didn’t really like how Gessner created characters who had to learn the hard way instead of following directions in the first place. I guess it’s a good lesson for rebellious teens? “Follow the rules before someone gets hurt”.

As a hiking story though, I think there’s a lot of room for self-discovery. Hiking involves a lot of introspective thinking. However, Gessner spelled it out too clearly for the reader instead of showing the reader that Mckenna went through character growth. In fact, Gessner explains all of these important lessons learned from hiking alone, but I never felt that Mckenna learned those lessons herself.

THIS HIKING STORY FELL FLAT (PUN INTENDED)

The Distance from Me to You is, ironically, not a story that peaks. The main characters were irrational and their romance didn’t make any sense. There are certain ideas in this story that are intriguing, but not particularly the most thought-provoking I’ve ever read. In any case, this hiking story is entertaining for introverts who don’t hike much and would like to experience the danger of the woods in the safety of their own bed.

Check out this review and more at Books and Other Happy Ever Afters

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how the author wrote this book, it’s descriptive and I could picture everything very clearly, from the character to the atmosphere and the setting of the book. I could easily connect to the characters because of all the character description.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 sterren. Mooi verhaal, goed geschreven en vooral boeiende thema's, leuk avontuurlijk sfeertje ook. Jammer genoeg soms een beetje te langdradig en niet zo levendig uitgewerkt als ik had gehoopt. Uitgebreide recensie: http://thebookreview.nl/recensies/con...

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Dit boek was echt veel beter dan ik had verwacht. Ik vond het verhaal erg sterk en een stuk diepgaander dan de gemiddelde YA-contemporary!

[Alja Katuin · Rating 4 out of 5]

WAAROM?! Aah het einde!

[Lotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit boek is zo leuk! Dat komt allereerst door de toffe hoofdpersoon. McKenna (dat is haar voornaam) is een meisje dat precies weet wat ze wil, niet zeurt en (bijna) nooit bang is. Je bent best wel kick-ass als je in je eentje 3.500 kilometer gaat lopen, vind ik. Daarbij lukt het Marina Gessner om de wandeltocht zo te beschrijven dat je er - ondanks alle blaren, spierpijn en vies eten - zelf heel erg zin in krijgt. De supermooie natuur, de geluiden (of de stilte) - je voelt bijna zelf het enthousiasme van McKenna als ze een lastig stuk van de route heeft voltooid, of eindelijk weer eens pizza kan eten.
En net over de helft van het boek wordt het dus ook nog eens retespannend. Er is een jongen, er is een route buiten de gebaande paden, en nou ja... Je moet het zelf maar lezen. Ik weet alleen dat ik van plan was nog een klein stukje van de drukproef te doen, en drie uur later de laatste bladzijde omsloeg omdat ik niet meer kon stoppen met lezen.
Love it.

[Indah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Nelline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wie gaat er mee de AT lopen?

[Hazel (Stay Bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ongelofelijk wat een boek, en wat krijg je zelf een zin om een lange tocht te maken. Prachtig.

[Jen (Pop! Goes The Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you find this review helpful? Find more of my reviews at Pop! Goes The Reader!

Of course Courtney didn’t think she should do it alone – nobody would. But the images were already forming in McKenna’s mind: all those miles of fabulous solitude, her body getting stronger, her mind growing wider. In preparation for this hike she’d read a mountain of books – wilderness guides, memoirs, novels. One of her favourites was by a woman who’d hiked the Pacific Crest Trail alone without even a debit card, and before iPhones and GPS. If she could do it, why not McKenna?
“Your parents will never let you,” Courtney pointed out.
McKenna threw down her chopsticks. “That’s why we’re not going to tell them,” she said.

McKenna Berney and her best friend, Courtney, had it all figured out: They would defer their college acceptances for a year and dedicate the next six months of their lives to a once-in-a-lifetime exploration of the Appalachian Trail, just as her father and his best friend had once explored the Pacific Northwest Trail. But when Courtney bails at the last minute in order to nurse her failing relationship with her faithless, on-again, off-again boyfriend, it seems as though McKenna’s long-held dream will remain just that. Unwilling to sacrifice months of meticulous planning and preparation, McKenna decides to forge ahead, deceiving her parents and striking out on the trail alone. What begins as a solo expedition quickly transforms into something else entirely, however, as McKenna spends increasing amounts of time with the mysterious and enigmatic Sam, a boy who seems to have made the trail his home. As the two continue to grow closer, Sam and McKenna will test the boundaries of their relationship and their abilities as one fateful decision forces McKenna to confront the one potentially-fatal possibility she never planned for.

As she put one foot onto the trail, excitement made her light on her feet despite the thick straps cutting into her shoulders. She had planned, she had trained. She had prepared as much as she possibly could, both mentally and physically.
She was ready.

When I was a little girl, there were few things I enjoyed more than survival stories. From Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet to Stephen King’s The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, I was endlessly fascinated with novels that explored one character’s struggle to survive under unusual circumstances in the most natural of surroundings. While I’m under no illusions as to the extent of my own abilities in a similar situation – my idea of ‘roughing it’ is more akin to being deprived of my cell phone and DVR for a week – it’s captivating to examine how characters react when faced with these often-harrowing scenarios. Marina Gessner’s The Distance From Me To You is no exception. Thoroughly researched and compulsively readable with an empowered – and empowering – heroine, The Distance From Me To You explores one girl’s journey of self-discovery and the complexity of love in a story that will inspire readers to question what it is they plan to do with this one wild and precious life.

…(She) stood with the old-fashioned phone pressed to her ear, listening to news from a million miles away. How weird that every step was taking her closer to her hometown when inside it felt like she was walking father and father away, to a place deeper inside herself.

The Distance From Me To You is very much a plot-driven novel, relying far more heavily on Gessner’s evocative descriptions of the trail and McKenna’s movements than on meaningful character development. That said, both McKenna and Sam are likeable, admirable characters who readers will no doubt find interesting, if perhaps a little superficial. Smart, determined, resourceful and resilient McKenna is the more compelling of the two, reminding us that a female character need not take up arms in order to be considered ‘strong’. One element of the novel that Gessner insightfully touches upon is the dichotomy that exists between McKenna and Sam’s respective situations and their reasons for being on the trail. McKenna’s college attendance, a virtual certainty, as well as her ability to defer this for a year in order to fulfill a lifelong dream, both speak to the immense amount of privilege she possesses. McKenna also has an element of financial security, having access to and the use of her parent’s credit card while on her expedition in order to procure food, the occasional hotel room, and additional supplies. In direct contrast to this, Sam has taken to the trail out of necessity, not in a quest for self discovery or enrichment, but rather to escape unrelenting abuse at the hands of his father. His future is an indecipherable blur, an endless series of unending steps, odd jobs, faceless girls, and open wounds. While it’s true that the focus of the novel eventually shifts to include McKenna’s burgeoning romantic relationship with Sam, I never felt as though this derailed the narrative. The Distance From Me To You remains firmly rooted in McKenna’s journey, both physically and emotionally. This is further emphasized by a number of authorial choices, most notable of which is the novel’s conclusion, which is immensely satisfying and appropriate given the narrative’s overall trajectory.

Inside her chest, something blossomed. The way some moments stay with you forever: McKenna knew that for the rest of her life, rain on a tent flap would be the sound of falling in love. The new breadth of feeling rose like adrenaline. The person she became inside that shadow-filled tent was somebody that nobody else on earth – nobody but Sam – had ever seen.

While I was unable to forge as significant an emotional connection with McKenna and Sam as I would have liked, the author’s writing is not to be faulted. Expressive, vivid, and impeccably researched, Gessner writes with a clarity of vision and specificity that brings the Appalachian Trail to life, transforming it into another living, breathing entity in the novel. This, combined with the novelty of the concept itself, makes The Distance From Me To You a compulsively readable narrative that readers will find difficult to put down after turning the first page. Another aspect of the novel that’s exceptionally well-rendered is Gessner’s examination of gender politics. Many of the people McKenna encounters, including her parents and fellow hikers, question her place on the trail not because of a lack of faith in her preparedness or abilities, but solely because she’s a single woman travelling alone. This isn’t to imply that Gessner is blind to the other dangers inherent in this sort of undertaking – Fatigue, dehydration, hypothermia, giardia, isolation, and the threat of natural predators like bears and coyotes are all ever-present realities in the novel as well. Rather, the author also provides an insightful exploration and searing condemnation of what poses perhaps the largest threat of all: The reality of living as a woman in a society in which misogyny and rape culture are inherent. No matter how well-equipped or well-prepared McKenna is for her expedition, her safety is immediately at risk as she is operating within a society which is fundamentally broken, in which men are not taught not to rape, but women are instead taught to protect against it and have the onus placed largely on them.

She walked. Feeling so much stronger than that day not so long ago when she had tried to scale Katahdin. And at the same time knowing that she was drawing from the same well of strength she’d had then, deep inside her, and that the well would flourish always, as long as she was smart enough to listen to the inner voice of reason that came with it.
She was lucky.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. These words, so eloquently uttered by Henry David Thoreau in Walden, perfectly encapsulate the purpose and feeling of Marina Gessner’s 2015 debut. Although most readers will not have the time, ability, or resources to follow in McKenna’s footsteps and take to the trail tomorrow, The Distance From Me To You is a story of discovery, enrichment and love that reminds readers of the importance of remaining purposeful and present in all we do. To find that which we are most passionate about, and pursue it relentlessly. To not allow the constant pressure to remain connected and engaged with the world around us prevent us from looking inward and nurturing the most important relationship we will ever cultivate – The one with ourselves.

Please Note: All quotations included in this review have been taken from an advance reader copy and therefore might be subject to change.

[Venus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun hiking book with cute romance and vaguely unrealistic plot at times.

Pros
- Hiking parts were so fun. By that, I mean the parts specifically focused on McKenna hiking. They were definitely my favorite because she was so determined and resilient.
- Cute romance. While his initial introduction made me wish I could just get back to McKenna hiking, I did come to really like Sam and his relationship with McKenna. Some parts were a little over the top but were ultimately made up for.
- Ending. The later parts of the book were not my favorite, but the very end was perfect. McKenna was strong, realistic, and responsible, and I was actually proud of her.

Cons
- Sometimes McKenna was so dumb I questioned how she had made it so far without dying.
- The aforementioned later parts of the book excluding the ending. I was genuinely shocked at the level of their stupidity. And then they just kept being stupid. Again. And Again. And Again. Then, suddenly, there was a random fix-it in the form of a stray dog leading her to safety and some quasi-mythological man helping her and feeding her pancakes.

Favorite Quote
"'What about all the I love yous?' Sam said, his voice flat.

'They’re exactly why I’m doing this,' she said. Her voice came out in such a whisper, for a moment she wasn’t sure he’d heard her. But then there was a gesture, almost imperceptible, a slight movement in his jaw, as if he was thinking about nodding.

'It’s too soon to plan our lives around each other right now.'"

Final Thoughts
Definitely a good read. Minor problems but nothing that seriously takes away from enjoyment of the story. Plus a fantastic ending!

[Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars
IT WAS REALLY ENJOYABLE! I think this book is a way too underhyped. It's a contemporary, which isn't my favourite genre, but it is a cute book. It brought me out of my reading slump, thank God! It also has strong feminism in it and some really good life lessons.
If you love contemporary or just need a good book (like I did), go read it!

It actually isn't that original. McKenna is about to hike the Appalan Trial, when her best friend cancels it. She decides to go alone, but she doesn't tell her parents that Courtney isn't going with her. On the AT, she meets Sam, a guy who hikes the AT as well. Now, you probably know what will happen. Yes, they fall in love. But then they're seperated when something big happens (not gonna tell what).

McKenna is the defenition of a feminist! It's actually the first feminist character I've read.
Sam is not my kind of boy. I don't like him very much. I don't get why McKenna stays with him? She's so much better than him?

[Book_freak · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was pretty lame.
The good writing style was the only thing bearable about it.
Everything else was "meh".
The protagonist was bearable, and likable in parts. The other characters, especially the second lead / romantic interest- dull & cardboard-like.
The plot was just "uhhhhg" but the hiking experience was bearable, interesting at times.
Had to force myself to not DNF it so I wouldn't recommend it.

[Jaime Arkin]

This just wasn't for me. I struggled to get into the story and it was really slow going. I decided not to continue after 32%. womp womp.

Though please note that others have enjoyed this - give it a try if a slower moving story is your thing.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ge-wel-dig inspirerend boek! Zoals op de achterkant staat: als je dit boek uit hebt wil je niets liever dan net als McKenna 3500 kilometer gaan lopen. Ik heb elke letter met zoveel plezier gelezen en wil echt vaker dit soort boeken lezen!!

[Brittany S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Impressions 10/11/15: 3.75 stars
Whew, finally finished! I don't know why that took me so long.
Anyway! THE DISTANCE FROM ME TO YOU was... good. It never really captured me but I also was never really actively turned off though there were teases of both where I thought I could really get into it or I thought I was going to be turned off by something. I've always loved camping and since I met my now-husband, we actually do a lot more and even remote/primitive camping. I've read a few books about it now and I think it's something that's just more exciting for me to experience than to read.
The first half of the book was slow for me. It felt very... narrated. Saying what McKenna did, how she spent her time on the trail, etc. I didn't feel too involved in the action and I didn't feel too invested in McKenna. It wasn't until about halfway through the book and a little after I met Sam that I finally started to feel things pick up a bit, and actually not because of the romance. I didn't totally swoon and I almost would have liked them to be a bit more platonic. I'm all for the romantic feelings and there were some super cute moments (I especially liked how the ending was handled for their relationship), but some parts of the book felt super awkward for me and either forced or rushed, though I can't decide which is more accurate for my feelings.
The ending was much better for me. Much more action, some interesting ideas, and a nice resolution. I liked McKenna's spirit and determination towards the end.
Overall it was just a "good" book for me. I wish I had been so much more invested!

Review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 11/11/15: I don’t know if I’d go as far as saying I’m a nature girl but I’m definitely a camping girl! I used to go all the time with my family and now my husband and I go camping several times a year, always enjoying backwoods/primitive camping. When I heard about THE DISTANCE FROM ME TO YOU and how it took place on the Appalachian Trail, I knew I had to pick it up! Thanks to Penguin Teen, I obtained a review copy and immediately tore in!

THE DISTANCE FROM ME TO YOU was a really interesting book and it really made me think back on what kind of person I was at McKenna’s age. I definitely didn’t have the determination to do something like make a full hike from Maine to Georgia on the Appalachian Trail and I really didn’t have her drive. (I also wonder if I even have that drive as an adult.) It was so great to see McKenna’s determination to achieve her goals and I really admired how much it meant to her! That being said, I also think it’s kind of crazy to allow two seventeen-year-old girls to make that trip much less witnessing McKenna doing it by herself… Though I guess that was a serious point the book was making!

Many people along the trail wrote McKenna off as too young or because she was a girl hiking the trail alone and immediately assumed she needed help or couldn’t do it on her own. It was a really interesting thing to think about. If that was my kid, there’s no way I would allow them to go on that trip at seventeen — with or without a friend, male or female. I remember how I was at seventeen and I don’t think I was immature but I think that’s a really, really big thing for a teenager to take on. Like, I don’t know if I’d be ready for that now. We go camping and it’s a pretty big deal to make sure we make the proper preparations for possibly injuries, encounters with animals, and having enough food and drink. Having some of that knowledge already made it hard at times to see McKenna flounder or flub when it came to some camping and/or survival basics. Then again, she’s also pretty much staying on a trail and not venturing off into the woods so chances are that she wouldn’t run into too many actual survival situations.

Aside from experience in the wilderness, the book also addressed McKenna taking this trip as a young female on her own. I am all for girl power and McKenna taking this trip head on by herself and I loved how empowering it was too… But I wouldn’t want anyone to go on this trip alone. That’s a very long way and a very long time to be away from home if something happens — whether that’s animal or human encounter — and you open yourself up to those dangers by where you are and what you’re doing, it’s incredibly important to have someone by your side (and again, male or female, I don’t care. It’s always best to do things like this with a buddy, especially if you don’t have that experience yet). It just really made me put myself in that situation and wonder how I would do and what I might encounter. It was a great experience to put myself in McKenna’s shoes!

The book was in third person but focused strongly on McKenna for a few chapters until Sam’s POV popped into the book about 50 pages in! I was surprised and a little thrown to have a new focus but also excited because sometimes multiple POVs really bring something special to a book. I was really glad to have gotten to know Sam throughout the book from his perspective and I think that really helped me connect to him as a character!

The book overall was a good read for me but never quite hit amazing like I had hoped. The first quarter of the book felt like a lot of telling. There were a lot of details about McKenna on the trail but nothing was quite happening yet. Things started to pick up once Sam came onto the scene and then there was more of a dialogue going instead of just McKenna’s actions and thoughts. I felt like the book had a steady pace from then on and really started to take off after the first hundred pages. It took a while for me to warm up to it but I really enjoyed the second half and the ending quite a bit!

I was very on and off with the romance. I was really excited for McKenna and Sam to meet and I really enjoyed watching them get to know each other. Being two people hiking the trail solo, the ended up spending a lot of time together once they joined up but it also felt a bit awkward how quickly things escalated. I suppose being out there on your own and only having one other person as a constant companion really can do that for you but as much as I love camping and hiking, it’s not very sexy as you’re living it so it didn’t feel like a sexy situation when things started to heat up.

I really, really enjoyed how the book ended and it really pulled everything together for me. I wasn’t sure how everything was going to conclude (after a very suspenseful few chapters, I might add!) and how these two people from very different places would stay together… or drift apart. I was trying to think of a happy ending that allowed both characters to pursue their dreams, continue on with life, and not separate at the end of this journey, leaving me (and probably other readers) on a sad note. I won’t reveal how it wraps up but I really thought Marina Gessner did a great job tying it all together! I was very impressed.

THE DISTANCE FROM ME TO YOU didn’t quite pan out like I had expected but it was good read overall! Some things didn’t quite live up to what I was hoping and others exceeded my expectations to even out to an overall good book. I think a problem I have with books taking place in the wilderness/camping is a personal issue — it’s more fun for me to live it than read it! — so as much as I love it, maybe it’s not a subject I should continue to seek out in my reading. I hope readers enjoy McKenna’s journey as much as I did! I thought it was well-done and it really made me reflect on my own experiences all throughout the book.

[_sniper.force_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

~~~Review to come~~~
*I'm going to do the review later because I have 10 books that are due to the library that I need to return. It takes me a long time to write a review. So I'm going to first finish the books then write the reviews.*

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waarom ik zo lang heb gewacht met het lezen van dit boek, is mij een raadsel. Wat een prachtverhaal! En eindelijk eens een verstandige hoofdpersoon als het gaat om relaties...

[Miniikaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5

Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...

“La distancia entre tú y yo” es una novela juvenil con su buena dosis de romance y emotividad, pero el eje central es ese viaje a lo largo de montañas, campos y estados que trasformará a los personajes, es un viaje de autodescubrimiento y superación, de sueños, esperanzas y futuro y está muy bien hilado todo. Es cierto que el ritmo es algo pausado, porque hay poco diálogo y sin embargo cuenta con bastantes reflexiones de los personajes y descripciones de los paisajes o hazañas de los protagonistas, pero no se hace pesado en ningún momento y atrapa desde la primera página, porque tiene ese “algo” especial que capta la atención y te deja calentito por dentro, esa es la sensación que he tenido durante toda la lectura.


Los personajes principales son McKenna y Sam, ambos son narradores y conocemos sus pensamientos, su pasado y sus sentimientos. He conectado mucho con ambos (aunque a veces Sam me desesperaba) y su relación me ha encantado, se va forjando poco a poco, cambiando y evolucionando según van transitando juntos el sendero. Están bien construidos y todo resulta de lo más bonito y sencillo, me ha encantado la historia de ambos por separado y juntos.

Superación, supervivencia y amor en una novela emotiva y auténtica.

[Laura (Booksforbreakfast) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised with this book. I thought that it was different than other YA novels out there, so I went in with a lower expectation because I hadn’t heard much about it and YA contemporary is usually a pretty big risk for me. Lucky for me, I couldn’t put it down.

I thought the characters were good and developed, McKenna bored me at first but as the story unfolded I started to really like her and admire her for the strength she had. Sam fell a bit flat for me, he was very traditional and cookie cutter for his backstory and didn’t stick out much.

I felt the love story was a bit instalove-y, and it annoyed me when McKenna was thinking herself to be this strong and independent woman and she goes and makes some very stupid decisions all over a boy she’d barely met. This book is sex positive though, and that’s always a plus for me.

The writing was good and kept me engaged. I loved hearing about ‘hiking etiquette’ and I really felt like I was in the woods with them. I am a huge lover of camping and the outdoors so this appealed to me as well.

I really liked the ending, very different than how must YA books finish. I ended up loving McKenna’s strong spirit and her reserve. I found myself flipping through the pages with my heart pounding and wondering what was going to happen.

This was a great debut novel with a strong heroine and good plot. Sam made me a bit stabby and I would’ve enjoyed the story just as much if not more if he wasn’t in it and it was just McKenna finding herself. Totally worth a try though if you’re into YA contemporary and looking for something new!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik heb echt van dit boek genoten. Zelf maak ik ook graag wandelingen in Engeland en het lijkt mij echt geweldig om ook zulke tochten te maken, al weet ik zeker dat ik niet zo dapper zou zijn als McKenna. Al was het einde niet waarop ik hoopte, vond ik het toch een heel gaaf boek wat lekker snel weglas.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toevallig las ik dit boek nadat ik Wild van Cheryl Strayed las zonder te weten dat deze twee boeken een gemeenschappelijk thema hebben. Toch was ik meer fan van Wild.