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You Are Here
Emma Healy has grown used to being the only ordinary one in her rather extraordinary family. But when she finds a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, along with a death certificate dated just two days later, she realizes why she never felt quite whole. She sets off on a trip to visit her brother's grave. Peter Finnegan, her neighbor, comes along for the ride. Emma thinks they can't possibly have anything in common, but with each passing mile, they find themselves learning more and more about themselves and each other.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2009
96 people are currently reading
8335 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer E. Smith
25 books7,719 followersJennifer E. Smith is the author of nine books for young adults, including The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, both of which were recently adapted for film. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and her writing has been translated into 33 languages. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
April 16, 2014
Marketing can be a wonderful thing. Why you ask? Well I wouldn't have bumped up this book up on my to-read list if I hadn't seen the new cover. Shameful, I know! Then I made the connection this was the author coming out with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and so of course I had to proceed with the next logical step: read the book.
Emma Healy is the youngest member of her genius family. Her parents are professors for the local college and she has three older siblings who are just as or even more successful. She has always felt a bit out of place, the only "normal" or "average" person in the bunch. The summer seems to shaping up to be like any other, but she makes a discovery that will spur a need to find something, and the road trip is born. Her nerdy next door neighbor, Peter Finnegan, gets entangled on this trip. Both of them are trying to find something on this trip, and in the end they may end up with more than they thought they would.
First word I think of when I see this book is untypical. By the synopsis you think that Emma and Peter will have this spark of attraction right away and it will be filled with fun-filled antics. Nope, that is not the case. They have awkward silences, and they aren't that honest with each other at first. It *gasps* takes time for them to actually get to know each other? I know new concept right? They do have some fun stuff happen but mostly it's what a road trip would be like; kind of dull sometimes but having it's certain highlights. There is ridiculous stops, gas station food, weird sleeping arrangements, and the open road. They also have a shaggy dog as a companion, which needless to say makes things more interesting. They both take turns narrating but in third person so we get to see certain event through each of their point of views.
I fell hard for Peter because he is a person who is just so himself and though he may feel uncomfortable about it at times, he doesn't apologize about it. Now Emma on the other hand took some time to warm up to. She came off as insensitive and too self-involved at times. In time she comes around though. But she (for me at least) was what brought the book down a tad bit.
One of things I always appreciate reading about is family dynamics and even though this is mostly about the road trip, as the reader you get to see the intricacy and simplicity of family relationships. It's a hard thing to do but this author managed to do it.
The writing style isn't one I have come across too often. The author feels unbiased and I could feel the story unfold carefully. It was a cool reading experience, and one I hope to repeat with her other novels.
Emma Healy is the youngest member of her genius family. Her parents are professors for the local college and she has three older siblings who are just as or even more successful. She has always felt a bit out of place, the only "normal" or "average" person in the bunch. The summer seems to shaping up to be like any other, but she makes a discovery that will spur a need to find something, and the road trip is born. Her nerdy next door neighbor, Peter Finnegan, gets entangled on this trip. Both of them are trying to find something on this trip, and in the end they may end up with more than they thought they would.
First word I think of when I see this book is untypical. By the synopsis you think that Emma and Peter will have this spark of attraction right away and it will be filled with fun-filled antics. Nope, that is not the case. They have awkward silences, and they aren't that honest with each other at first. It *gasps* takes time for them to actually get to know each other? I know new concept right? They do have some fun stuff happen but mostly it's what a road trip would be like; kind of dull sometimes but having it's certain highlights. There is ridiculous stops, gas station food, weird sleeping arrangements, and the open road. They also have a shaggy dog as a companion, which needless to say makes things more interesting. They both take turns narrating but in third person so we get to see certain event through each of their point of views.
I fell hard for Peter because he is a person who is just so himself and though he may feel uncomfortable about it at times, he doesn't apologize about it. Now Emma on the other hand took some time to warm up to. She came off as insensitive and too self-involved at times. In time she comes around though. But she (for me at least) was what brought the book down a tad bit.
One of things I always appreciate reading about is family dynamics and even though this is mostly about the road trip, as the reader you get to see the intricacy and simplicity of family relationships. It's a hard thing to do but this author managed to do it.
The writing style isn't one I have come across too often. The author feels unbiased and I could feel the story unfold carefully. It was a cool reading experience, and one I hope to repeat with her other novels.
December 28, 2015
I was on a huge reading marathon this week and all the books that I have read so far are books that I love and most of them are rated 5 stars. Since I just finished the Archived series, I was having trouble picking up another book. After reading the Dork Diaries, I still couldn't stop thinking about the Archived series, it was crazy!
This is me while I was reading:
So I decided to pick this book up because I thought it would help me recover. But instead, it just made me really bored. I was so energetic when I started the book but while I was in the middle of the book, I was so bored, I wanted to fall asleep. It wasn't something that I enjoyed, and this might be because of the fact that I read so many contemporary road trip books. Either way, I did not enjoy this book at all and I wished I did.
This book is about a girl named Emma who discovers a birth certificate of her twin brother whom she never met before. He died two days after he was born and she never knew she had a twin brother. This made her think about going on a roadtrip to visit his grave. Along the way, Peter, her neighbor is dragged on the trip.
This book was different from the other road trip novels but it was so descriptive. The writing was something that I wasn't a huge fan of. Sometimes, I felt like the writing would be perfect and most of the time it was really boring and I felt like I couldn't go on. But for some reason, I felt like the story would get better.
BUT NOOOOO, it didn't. The story got worse.
I was so upset because the characters made such dumb decisions. WHY WOULD YOU THROW YOUR PHONE AWAY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME EMMA? Emma was really annoying and Peter was so quiet and Emma was taking advantage of Peter. When Peter tried to kiss Emma and she avoided him, it was so embarrassing, I felt so embarrassed for Peter. I didn't feel any connection for any of the characters other then the fact that they feel alone. But both of the characters were just so annoying and couldn't make the right decisions that it was driving me insane.
Why are they doing this to me?
The conclusion was so cliche and I was sitting there and I was like, that's it? Are you kidding me, this is the ending? This is what I was waiting for, and I thought it would get better. And I went bonkers. I just couldn't get over the fact that I wasted my time on a really boring, cliche book.
I don't recommend this book to anyone but if you want to try reading this, go right ahead. But good luck getting through it because I did not like it...
This is me while I was reading:
So I decided to pick this book up because I thought it would help me recover. But instead, it just made me really bored. I was so energetic when I started the book but while I was in the middle of the book, I was so bored, I wanted to fall asleep. It wasn't something that I enjoyed, and this might be because of the fact that I read so many contemporary road trip books. Either way, I did not enjoy this book at all and I wished I did.
This book is about a girl named Emma who discovers a birth certificate of her twin brother whom she never met before. He died two days after he was born and she never knew she had a twin brother. This made her think about going on a roadtrip to visit his grave. Along the way, Peter, her neighbor is dragged on the trip.
This book was different from the other road trip novels but it was so descriptive. The writing was something that I wasn't a huge fan of. Sometimes, I felt like the writing would be perfect and most of the time it was really boring and I felt like I couldn't go on. But for some reason, I felt like the story would get better.
BUT NOOOOO, it didn't. The story got worse.
I was so upset because the characters made such dumb decisions. WHY WOULD YOU THROW YOUR PHONE AWAY? ARE YOU KIDDING ME EMMA? Emma was really annoying and Peter was so quiet and Emma was taking advantage of Peter. When Peter tried to kiss Emma and she avoided him, it was so embarrassing, I felt so embarrassed for Peter. I didn't feel any connection for any of the characters other then the fact that they feel alone. But both of the characters were just so annoying and couldn't make the right decisions that it was driving me insane.
Why are they doing this to me?
The conclusion was so cliche and I was sitting there and I was like, that's it? Are you kidding me, this is the ending? This is what I was waiting for, and I thought it would get better. And I went bonkers. I just couldn't get over the fact that I wasted my time on a really boring, cliche book.
I don't recommend this book to anyone but if you want to try reading this, go right ahead. But good luck getting through it because I did not like it...
November 4, 2010
After Emma discovers a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, she sets out on a road trip with her neighbor, Peter, heading for North Carolina where her brother was born (and supposedly buried a few days later), hoping to find answers about this unknown part of her life. Along the way, the two of them get to know each other, and I'm pretty sure a romance develops between them, although I stopped reading before that happened.
There was nothing particularly wrong with this book; it simply wasn't gripping. Road trips may be an overdone plot in all mediums, but this can be a great plot nonetheless - lots of sights, new adventures, exploring, etc. I think the problem in this book is that it felt like nothing major happened. Emma and Peter are both fairly average kids who feel like they don't fit in with their respective families. Their conversations didn't really interest me, and I never felt really invested in their plight. I thought the writing was good, and I certainly was interested in the story when I started it, but it kinda puttered out as it went along and they simply stopped at various places they wanted to see without anything really happening. I think I read about half of it before putting it aside.
There was nothing particularly wrong with this book; it simply wasn't gripping. Road trips may be an overdone plot in all mediums, but this can be a great plot nonetheless - lots of sights, new adventures, exploring, etc. I think the problem in this book is that it felt like nothing major happened. Emma and Peter are both fairly average kids who feel like they don't fit in with their respective families. Their conversations didn't really interest me, and I never felt really invested in their plight. I thought the writing was good, and I certainly was interested in the story when I started it, but it kinda puttered out as it went along and they simply stopped at various places they wanted to see without anything really happening. I think I read about half of it before putting it aside.
May 6, 2017
A fast and light read. SUPER CUTE and fluffy. Have I mentioned I absolutely love roadtrip books? Yeah this is one of my favs!
August 26, 2017
It has been a while since I full on hated a book this much, but this book infuriated me like crazy and I barely finished it .. the story is about coping with grieve and getting to know yourself better but what I read was all about how bitchy this girl Emma is for dragging poor Peter in her pointless adventure and he has to put up with her bad temper and her lack of trying to be nice despite the fact that she actually asked him to join her !!
WTF Emma ? are you for real ? I really hated her so much .. and Peter was one of the weakest character I read about for a while .. I'm really disappointed in this book because I was so excited for it :(((
WTF Emma ? are you for real ? I really hated her so much .. and Peter was one of the weakest character I read about for a while .. I'm really disappointed in this book because I was so excited for it :(((
April 10, 2017
I don't like giving ratings lower than 4 I swear....
But I was really bored reading this story. Maybe it's because I don't like reading in the 3rd person point of view. But this story was not fast paced and wasn't attention grabbing enough.
I did enjoy the friendship aspect but their love relationship didn't really grow even towards the end and that was such a downer for me.
Well...I'm sure others will enjoy this much better than I will, I was reading this for fun, but it seemed like a book you read for school.
But I was really bored reading this story. Maybe it's because I don't like reading in the 3rd person point of view. But this story was not fast paced and wasn't attention grabbing enough.
I did enjoy the friendship aspect but their love relationship didn't really grow even towards the end and that was such a downer for me.
Well...I'm sure others will enjoy this much better than I will, I was reading this for fun, but it seemed like a book you read for school.
June 6, 2017
But a small part of him also knew that the reason he'd never ventured anywhere was because of the worry that the reality of the world wouldn't match up to his dreams.”
Third Point of view. *cringe*
Third Point of view. *cringe*
May 21, 2022
Don't question anymore why I rate these so high.
I am crying and I am so hurting and so happy and I had so much fun and just Jennifer E. Smith knows how to write the kind of short books I need.
I am crying and I am so hurting and so happy and I had so much fun and just Jennifer E. Smith knows how to write the kind of short books I need.
June 2, 2013
ANOTHER road trip book! :P
I was surprised to find that this book was written in third person (I've gotten so used to the narrative being in first person in YA books) but I think it worked well with this story. Especially when it came to the different voices of Emma and Peter.
Both Emma and Peter are loners and both struggle with their role in family life, though for different reasons. Emma was raised in a family of odd geniuses and, being pretty average herself, has never felt like she belongs. Peter, meanwhile, has a father who doesn't understand him, who wants Peter to stay at home when his son wants to see the world and who never brings up the topic of Peter's dead mother, even though – never having known her himself – Peter craves this information.
When Emma discovers a birth and death certificate of her twin brother, she steals her older brother's car, setting out to find her twin's gravestone, hoping it will solve the puzzle of her life. But when the car breaks down, she enlists the help of Peter (her neighbour) to continue the journey. Peter gladly joins, having just - after an argument - stolen his father's car. Emma's call gives him a destination to head to and the two make the trip together.
This was a sweet, peaceful book about finding yourself and making peace with the past – as most road trip books are! Peter was definitely my favourite character, as his awkwardness was really quite adorable! Emma I still remain unsure about, though toward the end she did warm to me a bit more. Yes she didn't fit into her family, but they did care about her and at times I felt she came off as ungrateful to them – and to Peter. She did pull it together in the end though.
I would have liked to have seen more destinations in the book, I think. After Amy And Roger's Epic Detour (where they see lots of sights), I found this book was lacking in that area. They visited Emma's sisters, a battlefield that meant a lot to Peter and that was about it. I felt the book could have been longer, perhaps different places could have been added. I was also very unsure about the time period this was set over. I was sure that they had only stopped for two nights but at the end Emma mentioned that they had been traveling a week, which really confused me!
It was a really nice read. The writing flowed smoothly and was particularly lovely in places. And I loved Peter. 4 stars :)
September 13, 2012
Yep. This book was a snoozefest. And I didn't realize it soon enough to quit.
Emma and Peter are two boring teenagers. Emma is excessively needy, whiny, and demanding. Peter does whatever Emma says. They take a really boring trip all the way down the east coast without their parents' permission, and everything I didn't care about was resolved really easily.
I was overjoyed when it was over.
The end.
Emma and Peter are two boring teenagers. Emma is excessively needy, whiny, and demanding. Peter does whatever Emma says. They take a really boring trip all the way down the east coast without their parents' permission, and everything I didn't care about was resolved really easily.
I was overjoyed when it was over.
The end.
July 22, 2017
My heart is so toasty now! That was just such a sweet and heartwarming story.
This was a beautiful road trip story of two teens who felt lost, and sort of found themselves and each other. This is a quite book. It's not filled with action and adventure, but it is filled with self discovery and some really lovely moments, where the characters mourn their losses.
I smiled and shed some tears, but most of all, I felt my heart fill with joy.
This was a beautiful road trip story of two teens who felt lost, and sort of found themselves and each other. This is a quite book. It's not filled with action and adventure, but it is filled with self discovery and some really lovely moments, where the characters mourn their losses.
I smiled and shed some tears, but most of all, I felt my heart fill with joy.
January 26, 2016
While I wasn't much of a fan of Jennifer E. Smith's other books, I'm still very glad I picked this book up. It wasn't the most unique, emotional or amazing one, but it was really good and really fun, strangely enough, since this is about a girl who finds out she had a twin brother who died only two days after being born and that fact has been kept from her for all of her life. She ends up stealing her brother's car, breaking down with it and then embarking on a tour to visit her brother's grave on their birthday together with a classmate she meets along the way. It was really good, and I especially liked how much it focused on her and her family relationships and how little it focused on the inevitable romance.
May 20, 2016
This sounded way improbable and silly, and it is. And that's okay. But it didn't do as much for me as some of Smith's later books. For whatever reason, this ended up being mostly dull and not worth my time. Smith's other books, barring Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, are much more enjoyable.
September 10, 2016
You Are Here was just as I expected -- a great contemporary YA read. I've read several of Jennifer E. Smith's novels and have yet to be disappointed with any of them. I think I can say now that she is a definite favorite YA author of mine. I loved this book and cannot wait to read even more of her novels.
The characters in this story were great and I loved the dog (felt so bad when it got injured!).
The characters in this story were great and I loved the dog (felt so bad when it got injured!).
August 3, 2017
Wow. I never expected to actually like this. This is one of those coming of age stories that is damnably relatable. During our teenage years, we try to do silly or rebellious things - whether the sense of curiosity is too high or you just want an escape of the mundane everyday life. In this story, our protagonists embark on a roadtrip without telling their parents. Along the way, they got to know each other better as even if they were neighbors for 8 years, their relationship has never reached anything more than being acquaintances. Despite their misunderstandings and mutual disagreements, the two have grown mature individually, which made me sigh in relief. I'm really glad to see the character development.
The novel also captured the essence of a family. That we are all in this together, in sadness and in joy. That there are different kinds of families and issues but one thing is certain: our family is irreplaceable. Yes, the ending was really sentimental that it made me shed a tear or two. Lastly, on the romance aspect, I guess it just met my expectations. If you're looking for a book so you can feel giddy, I think you might want to stay away from this.
The novel also captured the essence of a family. That we are all in this together, in sadness and in joy. That there are different kinds of families and issues but one thing is certain: our family is irreplaceable. Yes, the ending was really sentimental that it made me shed a tear or two. Lastly, on the romance aspect, I guess it just met my expectations. If you're looking for a book so you can feel giddy, I think you might want to stay away from this.
July 31, 2017
Well obviously it was a good easy read because I finished it in about 4 hours. 8-) Good story though, and not really all that juvenile for a post that is considered YA. Has some good things to say and while I only picked it up for a challenge I am glad I read it.
February 28, 2018
2.5
This book had a lot of potential to be a 5 stars for me but it was boring... the last half of the book was WAY better than the first! The dog was amazing tho!
This book had a lot of potential to be a 5 stars for me but it was boring... the last half of the book was WAY better than the first! The dog was amazing tho!
March 16, 2018
I would have liked this book a lot better if it hadn’t been for Emma. I just didn’t like her a lot, even though there were parts of her personality that I liked.
Read
August 28, 2015Yeah, another J. Smith!
Be ready to be taken on a roadtrip!
To go on a trip is something, to go on a trip alone is another thing, but to go on a trip alone in a stolen car with the company of a stray dog is completely a different thing, not to mention scary, specially when you’re just 16-turning-17. But to Emma Healy, it’s something that she needed right now, something that might take her to find the missing piece in her life.
Peter Finnegan on the other hand, just wanted to get away from home (a home that never felt like home to him), to cool down things between him and his father probably, and to visit some historical places. But when he got a call from Emma, his next door neighbor needing a ride, the trip somehow became purposeful and exciting.
Emma, Peter, and the stray dog Emma found on the way, altogether they wander the path going to North Carolina in a convertible car Peter had stolen for his getaway trip, stopping only when they need a sleep or food.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
The story is more than just a trip to some historical battlefields. It’s a tale of someone who feels incomplete, different, and alone. She / he searches for that missing piece only to find out that that last piece of the puzzle is within her already. It only needs your courage and spontaneity to come out.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Emma Healy - she felt so different from her intellectual family who very much enjoy the company of books and knowledge of science & math. I think I understand how she feels. It’s hard to feel that something isn’t right about you, that something is missing, that somehow you don’t belong in this world, that no one understands you. But there’s just something different about her situation. She has a twin that she never seen and never known, not until she discovered it herself one week before her 17th birthday. I am starting to believe that part of her situation, is because of that mysterious twin brother. They were together when they were born, shared a lot of common things even physical features and identical DNAs. So probably because she hasn’t seen or known her twin brother that it affected her life. Maybe her life will never be complete but it’s not the reason to feel unhappy and alone.
Sometimes, I hate her moodiness and direct attitude and harsh tune, especially toward Peter who went all the way to her and gave her a ride, not to mention his company.
Peter Finnegan – Like Emma, he felt that something is missing in his life too. Someone he never seen or knew except in a photograph and a few information from his father. It’s his mother, who died just after he was born. I pity Peter for the whole trip because, it seems like the people he cares for doesn’t feel the same way about him. His father never bothered sitting in the living room and have chitchat with him. Emma is absorbed with her own misery that she doesn’t seem to see Peter more than just a next door neighbor she happened to know. Then there’s Emma’s parents who Peter loves to talk to because of their welcoming attitude and their wide range of knowledge about the world. But when he learned that Emma has a twin brother, he somehow began thinking that maybe her parents treated him well because they can see in him the son taken so early from them. But I liked Peter. Actually beneath his glasses and alarmingly Civil war aficionado spirit, lies an amazing good-natured guy who appreciate simple things and who’s really good at places. He could be an excellent tour guide.
. . . . . . . . . . .
In conclusion, I liked the story. Sure it’s not romantic or thrilling but that’s not the story’s theme. It’s all about finding the missing piece or realizing that you have it already in you, you just need to dig deeper. It’s also a family story. It shows how a little but important thing when kept a secret could drive the family away from each other. But what’s important is no matter what happen, when you need help coping with a difficult situation, you can see that your family is always there for you. :)
Happy Family Day Everyone! :) ( this is for everyday of your life with your family)
Be ready to be taken on a roadtrip!
To go on a trip is something, to go on a trip alone is another thing, but to go on a trip alone in a stolen car with the company of a stray dog is completely a different thing, not to mention scary, specially when you’re just 16-turning-17. But to Emma Healy, it’s something that she needed right now, something that might take her to find the missing piece in her life.
Peter Finnegan on the other hand, just wanted to get away from home (a home that never felt like home to him), to cool down things between him and his father probably, and to visit some historical places. But when he got a call from Emma, his next door neighbor needing a ride, the trip somehow became purposeful and exciting.
Emma, Peter, and the stray dog Emma found on the way, altogether they wander the path going to North Carolina in a convertible car Peter had stolen for his getaway trip, stopping only when they need a sleep or food.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
The story is more than just a trip to some historical battlefields. It’s a tale of someone who feels incomplete, different, and alone. She / he searches for that missing piece only to find out that that last piece of the puzzle is within her already. It only needs your courage and spontaneity to come out.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Emma Healy - she felt so different from her intellectual family who very much enjoy the company of books and knowledge of science & math. I think I understand how she feels. It’s hard to feel that something isn’t right about you, that something is missing, that somehow you don’t belong in this world, that no one understands you. But there’s just something different about her situation. She has a twin that she never seen and never known, not until she discovered it herself one week before her 17th birthday. I am starting to believe that part of her situation, is because of that mysterious twin brother. They were together when they were born, shared a lot of common things even physical features and identical DNAs. So probably because she hasn’t seen or known her twin brother that it affected her life. Maybe her life will never be complete but it’s not the reason to feel unhappy and alone.
Sometimes, I hate her moodiness and direct attitude and harsh tune, especially toward Peter who went all the way to her and gave her a ride, not to mention his company.
Peter Finnegan – Like Emma, he felt that something is missing in his life too. Someone he never seen or knew except in a photograph and a few information from his father. It’s his mother, who died just after he was born. I pity Peter for the whole trip because, it seems like the people he cares for doesn’t feel the same way about him. His father never bothered sitting in the living room and have chitchat with him. Emma is absorbed with her own misery that she doesn’t seem to see Peter more than just a next door neighbor she happened to know. Then there’s Emma’s parents who Peter loves to talk to because of their welcoming attitude and their wide range of knowledge about the world. But when he learned that Emma has a twin brother, he somehow began thinking that maybe her parents treated him well because they can see in him the son taken so early from them. But I liked Peter. Actually beneath his glasses and alarmingly Civil war aficionado spirit, lies an amazing good-natured guy who appreciate simple things and who’s really good at places. He could be an excellent tour guide.
. . . . . . . . . . .
In conclusion, I liked the story. Sure it’s not romantic or thrilling but that’s not the story’s theme. It’s all about finding the missing piece or realizing that you have it already in you, you just need to dig deeper. It’s also a family story. It shows how a little but important thing when kept a secret could drive the family away from each other. But what’s important is no matter what happen, when you need help coping with a difficult situation, you can see that your family is always there for you. :)
Happy Family Day Everyone! :) ( this is for everyday of your life with your family)
September 5, 2016
“And for the first time in his life Peter understood what the opposite of lost was: that it had nothing to do with maps or directions or staying on course; that it was, in fact, nothing more than being found.”
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10
Overall Thoughts: Jennifer E. Smith’s books are always a nice break from the tension and seriousness a lot of other books and series have. It’s always nice being able to pick up one of her books noncommittally, thinking “I’m going to feel something while reading this, and it’s going to be great, and then my life will go on a little bit better because of this good thing.” That was no different with this book. While I liked the characters a little less than some of the other books of hers, I still really enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of the writing style that purposely tries to mean something, and succeeds, this book, and her books in general, are definitely a thing for you.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I always love the language of Smith’s books, and how the metaphors and sentences so easily make me feel something, and feel as if I completely know where these characters are coming from, and that I too am a part in their story. I also love the growth and change we actually see take course over these couple days in Emma and Peter’s lives, as they accept the people around them a bit more, and learn how to better be themselves, accepting that as well.
The Bad: There were so many times I hated Emma, for the things she said that she shouldn’t have, and for the things she didn’t say when she should’ve. While we do see this change, it made some scenes a tad less enjoyable. I’m also upset we never got a name for that dog >:(
The Characters: There was a pretty broad cast of characters in this one. We saw basically a switcheroo of families and kids, Emma not fitting into hers, and Peter not fitting into his. We see them grow in understand through their road trip, which is definitely the best part. They start appreciating what they have, now that they have put it all on the line,
The Plot: While I guess there wasn’t much in the way of this, I did still enjoy it. From the road trip(always have had a thing for those, especially after Paper Towns), to seeing how all the little pieces came into play, the plot was still there enough to keep me enraptured in the emotional story that was taking place at the same time.
The Favorite Character: Peter
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress....
Stars (Out of 10): 9/10
Overall Thoughts: Jennifer E. Smith’s books are always a nice break from the tension and seriousness a lot of other books and series have. It’s always nice being able to pick up one of her books noncommittally, thinking “I’m going to feel something while reading this, and it’s going to be great, and then my life will go on a little bit better because of this good thing.” That was no different with this book. While I liked the characters a little less than some of the other books of hers, I still really enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of the writing style that purposely tries to mean something, and succeeds, this book, and her books in general, are definitely a thing for you.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: I always love the language of Smith’s books, and how the metaphors and sentences so easily make me feel something, and feel as if I completely know where these characters are coming from, and that I too am a part in their story. I also love the growth and change we actually see take course over these couple days in Emma and Peter’s lives, as they accept the people around them a bit more, and learn how to better be themselves, accepting that as well.
The Bad: There were so many times I hated Emma, for the things she said that she shouldn’t have, and for the things she didn’t say when she should’ve. While we do see this change, it made some scenes a tad less enjoyable. I’m also upset we never got a name for that dog >:(
The Characters: There was a pretty broad cast of characters in this one. We saw basically a switcheroo of families and kids, Emma not fitting into hers, and Peter not fitting into his. We see them grow in understand through their road trip, which is definitely the best part. They start appreciating what they have, now that they have put it all on the line,
The Plot: While I guess there wasn’t much in the way of this, I did still enjoy it. From the road trip(always have had a thing for those, especially after Paper Towns), to seeing how all the little pieces came into play, the plot was still there enough to keep me enraptured in the emotional story that was taking place at the same time.
The Favorite Character: Peter
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: Buy it
This review can also be found on my blog: https://paragraphsandpages.wordpress....
August 31, 2016
I don't know what to say other than that this was really really boring.
I didn’t expect much out of this because, well, it’s written by Jennifer E. Smith. The Comeback Season was a DNF for me and I only sort of liked The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Even if I never read any books written by her, I’d still be hesitant to start because it doesn’t seem like a book I’d like. The main reason I wanted to read this was because Emma and Peter go on a road trip. I’ve never actually been on a road trip before, so reading about one is more exciting than it normally would be.
I was so close to just giving up on this book. I feel like nothing happened. At all. When I finally finished reading, I spent a good minute just staring down at it and thinking, “What?” The ending was nice, I guess, but incomplete. Then again, that’s how the whole book felt.
Emma and Peter have to be two of the least exciting characters ever. When characters—the main characters, at that—are boring, most of the time the book will be too. I mean, they’re pretty much the center of everything. And this so applies to You Are Here. All these chapters, pages, words—they all form a big cloud of nothing. Road trips are supposed to be fun. The one Emma and Peter go on was interesting, sure, but not that entertaining. The best part was probably the dog. He’s cute. :3
I did a lot of skim reading to get through this. Just one page went on forever. I had to put the book down many times because I seriously couldn’t read more than a few chapters a day. At least it got somewhat better—when I first started reading, I wasn’t able to get through more than a few pages. Towards the end, I didn’t even skim! :D
A small part of me was hoping You Are Here would improve at least a little bit. Even if it was on the very last page. Guess what? That part of me died.
I tried.
I didn’t expect much out of this because, well, it’s written by Jennifer E. Smith. The Comeback Season was a DNF for me and I only sort of liked The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Even if I never read any books written by her, I’d still be hesitant to start because it doesn’t seem like a book I’d like. The main reason I wanted to read this was because Emma and Peter go on a road trip. I’ve never actually been on a road trip before, so reading about one is more exciting than it normally would be.
I was so close to just giving up on this book. I feel like nothing happened. At all. When I finally finished reading, I spent a good minute just staring down at it and thinking, “What?” The ending was nice, I guess, but incomplete. Then again, that’s how the whole book felt.
Emma and Peter have to be two of the least exciting characters ever. When characters—the main characters, at that—are boring, most of the time the book will be too. I mean, they’re pretty much the center of everything. And this so applies to You Are Here. All these chapters, pages, words—they all form a big cloud of nothing. Road trips are supposed to be fun. The one Emma and Peter go on was interesting, sure, but not that entertaining. The best part was probably the dog. He’s cute. :3
I did a lot of skim reading to get through this. Just one page went on forever. I had to put the book down many times because I seriously couldn’t read more than a few chapters a day. At least it got somewhat better—when I first started reading, I wasn’t able to get through more than a few pages. Towards the end, I didn’t even skim! :D
A small part of me was hoping You Are Here would improve at least a little bit. Even if it was on the very last page. Guess what? That part of me died.
I tried.
December 3, 2015
(Review originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)
There is nothing as lovely to me as a beautifully written book, and You Are Here is definitely a prime example. I was eager to start another book by Jennifer E. Smith and this was the first one I stumbled across in the library, so I took the opportunity to read it. I'm glad I did, as this book features some of my favorite things - road trips, self-discovery and a little romance.
I adore road trip books. This one is pretty special because it picks out states that I've actually been to - like Virginia and New Jersey. The whole trip is pretty awesome, as they take a pretty unique car and just go on the trip. There's not much planning at all, and the whole aspect of them simply winging it appealed to me so much.
Emma and Peter are both characters that I could see parts of myself in, and that's probably why I clicked with them as soon as I started reading the book. I could understand how Emma felt out of place in her family, which prompted her to search for clues to her true identity (in terms of where she belongs). On the other hand, Peter's quirky fascination with maps and traveling definitely reminded me of myself and the budding wanderlust in my heart.
There are so many quotes that I wanted to remember from this book, as well as moments that I just felt like savoring. The writing flowed beautifully, but moved at a slower pace that I'm used to because of how descriptive it was. This didn't make the story any less enjoyable; in fact, it increased my enjoyment of the story.
Honestly, I will warn you that it did take me a while to really get into this one, but I think that might have more to do with the timing of when I actually read it. It was a lovely story, and it ended perfectly, with important realizations for both Emma and Peter. You Are Here is quite a lovely story, and I'd encourage you to read it when you can really take your time with it.
There is nothing as lovely to me as a beautifully written book, and You Are Here is definitely a prime example. I was eager to start another book by Jennifer E. Smith and this was the first one I stumbled across in the library, so I took the opportunity to read it. I'm glad I did, as this book features some of my favorite things - road trips, self-discovery and a little romance.
I adore road trip books. This one is pretty special because it picks out states that I've actually been to - like Virginia and New Jersey. The whole trip is pretty awesome, as they take a pretty unique car and just go on the trip. There's not much planning at all, and the whole aspect of them simply winging it appealed to me so much.
Emma and Peter are both characters that I could see parts of myself in, and that's probably why I clicked with them as soon as I started reading the book. I could understand how Emma felt out of place in her family, which prompted her to search for clues to her true identity (in terms of where she belongs). On the other hand, Peter's quirky fascination with maps and traveling definitely reminded me of myself and the budding wanderlust in my heart.
There are so many quotes that I wanted to remember from this book, as well as moments that I just felt like savoring. The writing flowed beautifully, but moved at a slower pace that I'm used to because of how descriptive it was. This didn't make the story any less enjoyable; in fact, it increased my enjoyment of the story.
Honestly, I will warn you that it did take me a while to really get into this one, but I think that might have more to do with the timing of when I actually read it. It was a lovely story, and it ended perfectly, with important realizations for both Emma and Peter. You Are Here is quite a lovely story, and I'd encourage you to read it when you can really take your time with it.
November 25, 2017
I latched on to both main characters (and their families. and houses. and awesome small college town. even their getaway car) as soon as they were introduced, which really surprised me with Peter, because male narrators in YA are not known for being awesome. I came for the road trip, and I quite enjoyed it despite its general lack of planning beyond the endpoint, but it actually became secondary beneath how much I loved just seeing these two quiet, withdrawn loners reflect on their lives and spend time in each other's company (along with the best hitchhiker anyone has ever picked up: a big white dog).
May 17, 2020
So apparently I read this back in 2013, but I remember absolutely nothing. I’m sticking with the original 3 star rating. I enjoy Jennifer E. Smith’s books, and this one, quick and sweet and just a little sad, was just what I was looking for this weekend.
It’s interesting to read road trip books while in quarantine...
It’s interesting to read road trip books while in quarantine...
February 5, 2017
This book was a pretty fast read and I enjoyed it, a lot.
See my full review here ; http://bellathebibliophile.blogspot.c...
See my full review here ; http://bellathebibliophile.blogspot.c...
November 25, 2017
This may be an amazing book. At least my friend, Krista liked it a lot. I‘ll never know, because I couldn’t get past the wretched prose. Renni Browne has ruined me forever for authors who overuse the present participle. (I used to LOVE Brandon Mull!)
Back to “You Are Here.”
I’ll try not to say anything about her name. But if my parents had called me Michael Johnson or something equally forgettable you better believe I’d be using a pen name.
Would you rather read a book by John Jones or Jolt Beckencragg? I can’t think of a name more overused than Jennifer Smith. I really tried.
But the prose....
I don’t understand. This was published in 2009. Was that before Simon & Schuster knew about present participles tendency to weaken writing and make it sound amateur and passive?
Here are a few examples, from the first 3 pages:
While lying on the couch, watching the numbers... she sat now, regarding...trying to figure out....trying to fix...sputtering....she’d said, traipsing down...he said, thumping the hood....he’d said, looking off toward...he said, giving the tire a little kick...parades were making their way...displaying fading Greek letters.
I’m not even gonna try to catalogue all the passive uses of was. Where was her editor?! I’m not trying to be pretentious or snotty. I just really can’t stand reading books my subconscious is constantly trying to edit. Way too many cringes in 3 pages. And the attempts at humor seemed like 1st draft stuff.
Also: ornery? Is this author over 60?
And that first sentence?! : “Still somewhat to her surprise, Emma Healy had started off...”
Apologies to Ms. Smith. It’s really not her fault that the writing is so bad. Her publisher is to blame. They spend enough on editors that drivel like this should’ve been stamped out in the first round of copy edits.
To be fair, I found this in the airport, and don’t like Contemporary YA. But I’m always willing to give a new author a try. Often to their detriment.
Back to “You Are Here.”
I’ll try not to say anything about her name. But if my parents had called me Michael Johnson or something equally forgettable you better believe I’d be using a pen name.
Would you rather read a book by John Jones or Jolt Beckencragg? I can’t think of a name more overused than Jennifer Smith. I really tried.
But the prose....
I don’t understand. This was published in 2009. Was that before Simon & Schuster knew about present participles tendency to weaken writing and make it sound amateur and passive?
Here are a few examples, from the first 3 pages:
While lying on the couch, watching the numbers... she sat now, regarding...trying to figure out....trying to fix...sputtering....she’d said, traipsing down...he said, thumping the hood....he’d said, looking off toward...he said, giving the tire a little kick...parades were making their way...displaying fading Greek letters.
I’m not even gonna try to catalogue all the passive uses of was. Where was her editor?! I’m not trying to be pretentious or snotty. I just really can’t stand reading books my subconscious is constantly trying to edit. Way too many cringes in 3 pages. And the attempts at humor seemed like 1st draft stuff.
Also: ornery? Is this author over 60?
And that first sentence?! : “Still somewhat to her surprise, Emma Healy had started off...”
Apologies to Ms. Smith. It’s really not her fault that the writing is so bad. Her publisher is to blame. They spend enough on editors that drivel like this should’ve been stamped out in the first round of copy edits.
To be fair, I found this in the airport, and don’t like Contemporary YA. But I’m always willing to give a new author a try. Often to their detriment.
June 30, 2017
This is by no means my favorite of Jennifer's books, however, it did have me getting teary-eyed and smiling at the ending. Jennifer is a master of weaving geography and travelling into her books. You Are Here is no exception. I loved Peter's obsession with maps and how he wanted so badly to just go SOMEWHERE. I get the travel bug so often that I can imagine reading about so many places just to feel like I've been there.
My issues with this book were the ways Emma siblings just happened to live conveniently in a perfect path back to her childhood home. Also, I find it hard to believe that a family would completely erase a child they had lost. There would have to be pictures or something around the house. I also did not like the way Peter and Emma were somewhat thrown together at the end, after there being little to no romance between them the entire book. Definitely not my favorite bookish couple.
I did love the last couple scenes between Emma and her family, and also Peter and his Dad. It was nice closure which I wasn't sure we would get. I think Patrick was my favorite of the siblings, he was hilarious and always had a witty remark on hand. Overall, this was an alright read, still good but not great.
My issues with this book were the ways Emma siblings just happened to live conveniently in a perfect path back to her childhood home. Also, I find it hard to believe that a family would completely erase a child they had lost. There would have to be pictures or something around the house. I also did not like the way Peter and Emma were somewhat thrown together at the end, after there being little to no romance between them the entire book. Definitely not my favorite bookish couple.
I did love the last couple scenes between Emma and her family, and also Peter and his Dad. It was nice closure which I wasn't sure we would get. I think Patrick was my favorite of the siblings, he was hilarious and always had a witty remark on hand. Overall, this was an alright read, still good but not great.
June 22, 2017
Emma comes from a family of high achievers but has always felt lost.
Peter has his alcoholic police sheriff whilst being a high achiever.
Emma concocts a plan to travel to North Carolina arriving just about on her seventeenth birthday as she wants to find out about a brother she never knew, Thomas her twin.
After a break down and a pick up, Emma and Peter become travel buddies along with their companion of a stray three legged dog. As the two travel to Gettysburg, have a run in with the police, make it to the cemetery where she feels closer than ever to her whole self and find her family waiting for her after realizing what she uncovered and maybe things can finally get better between the family at last.
I read this book in an hour and a half before bed and it was obviously that good! I really enjoyed the journey though the family size did make me mix up a few characteristics of characters with similar names but that was just me otherwise the story was fun despite the edge of sadness.
Peter has his alcoholic police sheriff whilst being a high achiever.
Emma concocts a plan to travel to North Carolina arriving just about on her seventeenth birthday as she wants to find out about a brother she never knew, Thomas her twin.
After a break down and a pick up, Emma and Peter become travel buddies along with their companion of a stray three legged dog. As the two travel to Gettysburg, have a run in with the police, make it to the cemetery where she feels closer than ever to her whole self and find her family waiting for her after realizing what she uncovered and maybe things can finally get better between the family at last.
I read this book in an hour and a half before bed and it was obviously that good! I really enjoyed the journey though the family size did make me mix up a few characteristics of characters with similar names but that was just me otherwise the story was fun despite the edge of sadness.
February 16, 2019
This was such a cute book. I was not expecting how emotional and deep this was, I loved the conversation about family and not feeling like you fit in. I cried while reading this, for sure they were happy tears... I was then immediately very frustrated by Emma which was slightly annoying. This was so captivating and the level of nerdiness that Peter has for History is very adorable and cute. The dog quickly became of my favorite characters of the book, he was such a sweetheart and for a dog lover like me, it made me really happy to see him along the journey. I also really enjoyed seeing little snippets of their childhoods through their separate perspectives, it was very touching. The ending was amazing and wrapped things up while still leaving enough to the reader's decision it was just wonderful.
July 22, 2017
"Some of the most interesting people I know are a little bit nuts."
Having read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight I expected a fun, quick read but instead I was surprised to get an engaging story that touched upon some important issues. Sure, it had some romance elements and the two main characters had their ups and downs, but I related to certain aspects on a personal level, so I connected to the story really quickly and enjoyed it. The side characters were as well written as main ones and the family dynamics felt very realistic. I like that instead of only focusing on the romance, it was more of a self discovery story.
Having read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight I expected a fun, quick read but instead I was surprised to get an engaging story that touched upon some important issues. Sure, it had some romance elements and the two main characters had their ups and downs, but I related to certain aspects on a personal level, so I connected to the story really quickly and enjoyed it. The side characters were as well written as main ones and the family dynamics felt very realistic. I like that instead of only focusing on the romance, it was more of a self discovery story.
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