Mini-Review: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Title: Susane Colasanti
Author: Susane Colasanti
Publication date: May 31st 2012
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
My rating: 2 of 5 Stars

SUMMARY (from Goodreads)
Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.

MY THOUGHTS

After reading the blurb I was expecting an intense and emotional story. The blurb said: "A romantic and empowering book about bullying". I found Keep Holding On rather boring and annoying. I wanted a storm of emotions, but I felt nothing. You know about showing and not telling? Susane Colasanti shows little and tells too much.

It was really hard for me to connect with Noelle; I never felt much for her. No, that’s not truth, she annoyed me a lot.

Bullying and abuse are very serious themes; unfortunately Keep Holding On fails to deliver emotions. I think Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan and Heart on a Chain by Cindy C. Bennett is much better.