Since You've Been Gone

By Morgan Matson

A perfect summertime read for fans of John Green, Stephanie Perkins, and Sarah Dessen:

It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um... 

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list.

Who knows what she’ll find?

'Some books leave a very real mark on you and Since You’ve Been Gone is one of those utterly brilliant books' - The Guardian
'A winning blend of touching moments, memorable characters and situational humor takes readers to a surprising revelation at the story’s end.' - Kirkus Reviews
'Morgan Matson is the epitome of YA contemporary.' - Ariel Bissett, Booktuber and blogger

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Jul 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781471122675

Morgan Matson

Morgan Matson is the New York Times bestselling author of six books for teens, including Since You’ve Been Gone and Save the Date, and the middle grade novel The Firefly Summer. She lives in Los Angeles but spends part of every summer in the Pocono Mountains. Visit her at MorganMatson.com.

Reviews for Since You've Been Gone

[amalieturner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

uch a sweet contemporary story about finding yourself and the people who help us to find our way. It's a perfect summer read! I enjoyed every minute.

[howifeelaboutbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emily was a nobody until Sloane came along and picked Emily to be her best friend. For two years, Emily was able to be included just by being at Sloane’s side, but when Sloane leaves without a trace, Emily is lost. Until a list arrives in the mail, a list like those Sloane would make before Emily went on a trip. A list of dares, of things to do in a new place. Emily is intimidated by a lot of the items on the list - kiss a stranger? Skinny dip? - but is determined to complete them all, because she’s sure they’ll lead her back to Sloane. Though a lot of young adult books seem to have lists of dares involved, written by a friend who has left or died, this stands out as being very original. Matson has a great voice that makes the scenes seem realistic instead of hokey, and the ending is incredibly satisfying.

[sch_94 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Summary: Sloane and Emily are the kind of friends you never see apart. For the past two years neither one has gone anywhere without the other, and the summer they have planned involved hundreds of sleepovers, mall trips, and days spent at the beach.But the first week of summer comes and goes, and Sloane is nowhere to be found. Leaving nothing behind but a list of thirteen tasks for Emily to complete, it seems as if Sloane disappeared into thin air. Without Sloane, Emily retreats back into her shell. What is Emily supposed to do without her best friend for the summer? And where could Sloane have gone?Then it hits her: if she completes the list, she may be able to figure out where Sloane went. What if Emily doesn't have what it takes to finish the list on her own? And what if Sloane doesn't want to be found?My Thoughts: I had so much fun reading this novel. Reading any of Morgan Matson's books makes me feel like I'm being told a story by one of my closest friends. Her characters are always extremely relatable, and she always catches and holds my attention from the very first page.I loved Emily, Frank, and Collins. And as we got to know Sloane through Emily's flashbacks at the beginnings of the chapters, you realized that she wasn't all that she presented herself to be. At first glance it appears as if the friendship between Sloane and Emily is one-sided - as if Emily needs Sloane around, but Sloane is indifferent - but the more you read, the more you realize just how much both girls needed each other, even if Sloane didn't outwardly appear to rely on anyone.This novel is one to look out for this summer. The moment I started I knew I wouldn't be putting it down until I was finished, and I was right. Without a doubt, one of my favourite reads of the year so far.Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys contemporary lit and to fans who loved Amy & Roger's Epic Detour as well as Second Chance Summer. A perfect summer read!

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emily's summer plans are all thrown into disarray when her friend Sloane disappears. Emily is used to being known as Sloane's friend. Following in Sloane's wake lets her take part without having to put herself out there. Sloane is the brave one, the one who can make every day seem filled with excitement. Sloane and Emily have been friends since ninth grade. Shortly after Sloane's disappearance, Emily gets a letter from her which gives her a list of things to do. They had exchanged such lists before. But before, the lists always ended with instructions to find the other and tell them about the adventures. Emily decides to complete Sloane's list in the hopes that it will tell her something about where Sloane went. Emily never expected to find herself and her courage by doing so many things that scared her. From kissing a stranger to dancing all night, Emily has an action-packed summer. She also gets to know Frank Porter along the way. Frank is the All-American, class president, over-achiever from their high school. Emily didn't think he even knew her name. She also makes friends with the girl who works at the pizza place next to where she has her summer job and Frank's best buddy Collins too. The four of them spend the summer hanging out and checking off the items on Emily's list.This was a fast-paced wonderful story about growing up and learning who you are. I loved watching Emily face her fears and learn to face the world without Sloane breaking the trail for her. It was a great story about friendships old and new. I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful story.

[fablibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

RA cues:
Summer, best friends, new friends, becoming brave, dares.
Sarah Dessen & Jenny Han fans

[bdartnall_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

genuine main character; a book about friendships: best friends (both for guys and girls); girl/guy friends, etc.

[leahlo89 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved loved LOVED! Probably one of my favorite YA contemporary book I've read this year. Full review to come.

[hawaiianmermaid701 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would've given this book 4 stars, but I had one issue with it-the way things were wrapped up (or not wrapped up) with Dawn. No spoilers, but I wanted a little something more from that plot line.I LOVED the list and how Emily grew to be a braver person through the list. Will someone please make me a list of things to do this summer? The overall story was everything I was looking for in a great summer read.I need a Frank Porter in my life!!Happy reading!

[dkgarner95 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun read about friendship, love, and learning to stand on your own. My favorite quote:"Look at Obi-Wan and Luke. Look at Dumbledore and Harry. Look at Gandalf and Frodo. They all have these people. They have to learn from them. But then they have to find their own strength and go it alone."

[thenewbooktimes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Note: This was more of a 4.5 for me, but because I was pretty aware of some of this books faults, I rounded it down to a 4. Honestly, this book was exactly what I was hoping it would be: a fun summer read. I was a bit wary because of all of the hype surrounding it, but I needed a new summer read to distract myself with, and VOILA. And the book itself, for lack of better words, is quite charming. I don't read very much contemporary, but when I do read the genre, this is the type of book I usually look for. There isn't any ridiculous drama or overblown angst, but Emily's struggle to find her personal identity after her best friend Sloane leaves are relatable and lends itself to some great character development. I also really liked the characters, which was, obviously, a plus. With contemporaries, I often end up sort of despising the main character, which probably isn't the right reaction. Either the protagnist has no personality, is too whiny, is too unrelatble, is too... With this book, I didn't struggle to understand Emily's actions. (Also, Frank Porter, also know as Emily's Love Interest. And yes, the CAPS are needed. I hate the name but honestly cannot bring myself to hate the character. Everyone needs a Frank Porter) I felt that some of the secondary characters weren't quite as well developed or sympathetic. For example, although I didn't hate her, I didn't really think Dawn got the character development she deserved. I understood what led to her actions near the end of the book (in fact, I felt much the same way), but even at that point, I didn't know enough about Dawn to really care, as bad as that sounds. However, I did also have an irrational love for Gideon (Emily's sort-of ex-boyfriend), which was strange because I also have an irrational love for Frank. I don't know, but for some strange, unexplained reason, Gideon was one of my favorite characters. Finally, I seriously loved Emily's character development. At the beginning of the book, she was withdrawn and used to living in the shadow of her more gregarious friend Sloane, and it really showed. She was really a very pathetic character at the beginning, and it just shows how much she grew as a person that by the end of the book I felt she was honestly a really strong protagonist. My only gripe with this book was that it was a little slow at points. I am fine with long books because that usually just means more awesome stuff to read about, but I did feel that a bit of the content in the book was drawn-out/unnecessary. For example, I felt that the side-plot with Sam (Sloane's ex-boyfriend) and Gideon wasn't that important. Although I still love Gideon. Oh, Gideon. Oh, and I really wanted the conflict with Dawn and Collins to be at least addressed at the end of the book, which it wasn't. That was also a bit disappointing. Still, I really enjoyed this book. The character development was amazing, and I loved the playlists included in some of the chapters as an accompaniment. The book also managed to dodge most of the big shortcomings of what I think are contemporary books: unrelatable protagonists, prolonged angst, etc. If you're looking for a summer read, this is definitely a book you should pick up. Even if you're not necessarily a fan of contemporary. I'm looking forward to reading more of Morgan Matson's books.I am now on a quest to get Amy and Roger's Epic Detour from the library.

[sennebec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emily was a herd animal before the day she was running and Sloane stopped her because she was locked out of her house. For the next two years, they were joined at the hip with daring Sloan leading quiet Emily into adventures and helping her to experience life as she's wanted to.Two weeks ago while Emily was away, Sloan vanished. Her house is empty and all Emily's calls go right to voice mail. Em is lost without her because she's not used to doing things without Sloan's daring to push her. When a letter arrives, written in Sloan's unique mix of block and cursive, Emily pounces on it because she's more than lost now that her college instructor parents have fallen into that dread frenetic space where nothing exists except the two of them writing a new play.However, instead of a letter, Emily receives a list of thirteen tasks: Kiss a stranger, go skinny dipping, steal something, break something, Penelope, ride a dern horse, ya cowpoke, 55 S. Ave, ask for Mona, the backless dress and somewhere to wear it, dance until dawn, share some secrets in the dark, hug a Jamie, apple picking at night, sleep under the stars.At first Em is intimidated, but the more she thinks about the secret connotations inherent in some of the tasks, the more she realizes completing them might lead her to wherever Sloan has gone. She starts with a simple one, apple picking after she overhears super hot and oh, so successful class president Frank Sloane mention a party in the abandoned apple orchard in town.As Emily works her way through the tasks, she lands a job, makes new friends, realizes her parents are pretty cool, and learns that accomplishing these things is really more about her becoming a confident young woman than finding Sloan. Even when she misinterprets what Frank is trying to tell her near the end of the book, it manages to work out in some amazing ways.I bought this after reading a short description and when it arrived last night, I sat down to read a bit of it. At 4 this morning I finished and all I can say is Wow. This is an elegant story that will appeal to teens and mature tweens who like a coming of age tale that has a bit of mystery and a great love story mixed in.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sarah Dessen may have some competition with love stories, in the form of Morgan Matson. SinceYouSince You’ve Been Gone is Matson’s latest book. And while the premise reminds me a bit of Maureen Johnson’s Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes (having a list of things to do that takes you out of your comfort zone), Since You’ve Been Gone stands on its own as an enjoyable read.Emily’s best friend, Sloane, has disappeared. Emily came back from vacation to find no one home at Sloane’s house. She doesn’t return texts or phone calls. A week goes by. Two weeks. No Sloane. Emily and Sloane were a team. They talked/texted constantly. They went everywhere together. Emily was the shy one and Sloane the outgoing one. They complemented each other. What is Emily without her?Then one day her mother tells her she got mail. It’s a letter from Sloane, or rather a list of 13 things Emily must do. Such things as skinny dip, hug a Jamie, steal something. The first thing she tries is going to the Orchard, a former orchard which has become a hangout. Usually she’d go with Sloane. But now she’s got to go alone. There she sees Frank Porter.Frank. The senior class president. In the running for valedictorian. Boyfriend to Lissa. When she finds she is out of gas, Frank takes her to a local gas station. In return for the favor, he asks Emily to teach him how to long-distance run, since she’s on the cross country team. Thinking it’ll never happen, she agrees.But of course, Frank keeps turning up. While Emily’s jogging. At the drive in. At the Orchard. What’s going on? They ultimately become friends and spend a lot of time together, especially since Lissa is in Princeton for a summer program.I’m sure you can guess the rest, but even if you can, it’s the journey, not the destination that’s fun. And…what about Sloane?Since You’ve Been Gone is a great summer romance read.P.S. I also liked Second Chance Summer, so give that one a try as well.

[thereserose5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A cute read!

[sarah220-732610 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall I liked it quite a lot. A shy girl has to figure out how to exist without her more outgoing best friend (after she moves away without notice or keeping in contact). The end felt a bit contrived and undeserved but the majority was quite entertaining.

[bostonterrio-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Love when a book surprises me as this one did! Initially I felt the story would revolve around "the list" but it was so much more. It was about a girl discovering herself after her best friend leaves town without any notice. It was a story of growth and growing pains and how young people foster and cultivate friendships.

[kayis813-163108 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Went on a major reading binge this weekend and finally finished this book! I really liked it. It didn't wrap everything up quite as nice as I would have liked but I loved the characters and the story was super cute. This was the first book where I actually identified with the main character so much which really meant a lot to me. The three month wait to be able to read this book was definitely worth it.

[SaraCCS · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The way it makes you feel and the how it teaches you important life lessons while also telling a story that will leave you wanting to turn to the next page immediately. Also, the development of the main character, Emily Hughes, from shy and sad to who she really was all alone was amazing.

[baileymm-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely adore this!!! I had one problem with Since You've Been Gone, and that was I want more!!! I want more Emily, Frank, Sloane, Dawn, and Collins!!!This is the perfect summer read!! I got this book at the end of last summer and I have waited until now to read, and I am so sad about that! I wish I would have read this earlier because it is now one of my favorite books!So Emily's best friend, Sloane, disappears leaving only a list of 13 things for Emily to do. As the summer continues Emily makes her way through the list with help from her 3 new friends.I love how Matson perfectly balances friendships and romantic relationships. I love how it's a story root in friendship. It starts off as a story of best friends, but it transforms. Emily opens herself up to more opportunities and that changes the relationships.Now for the spoiler section [Okay what happens with Dawn? That is my main issue with the end. Does Dawn forgive her. You can kind of tell that Frank and Lisa's relationship wasn't good. I honestly thought the reason she didn't go to the party was that they broke up, but Frank just didn't tell them yet. Yes they kissed while he was still with Lisa but that relationship seemed over.I really just want more. I want to see Frank and Emily's relationship. I also want to know that Emily and Sloane stay friends. I want them to visit each other all the time!! I want them to give each other lists to do when they can't be with each other!Also I thought it was fitting that James helped her figure out where Sloane was. If he hadn't of pointed out that sticker she might not of found her and I thought that was adorable!

[fatimareadsbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

[4.5 stars]Since You've Been Gone is one of the best YA Lit books I've read in a while. Morgan Matson totally outdone herself once again. This book kept me awake until 10:30 a.m. because I just HAD to finish it. It even had me cracking up in the morning while everyone was asleep. Yep, it was that good. I saw so much of myself reflected in the main character, Emily, and her friends reminded me of my friends. The writing was fantastic and just flowed so smoothly. Maybe the ending was supposed to be left open, but I couldn't help but wish that the author had wrapped things up with Dawn and Collins. I just really loved their little group and I didn't want it break apart - I've gotten very attached to the characters. Overall, this is definitely one of my favorite books now. If you haven't read this yet, then you're missing out!