Review: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Title: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
Published: May 31, 2012 by Viking
Pages: 224
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey

Chew.
Swallow.
Chew.
Swallow.
Don’t look up.

Lunch is the worst, but there’s no safe place at school for Noelle. Keeping her mortifying home life a secret and trying to ignore the kids who make her life miserable are Noelle’s survival strategies. Her emotionally distant boyfriend, Matt, isn’t the one she really wants to be with. But there’s no way she could ever be with Julian Porter.

When Julian starts talking to her, Noelle is terrified. It seems safer to stay with Matt than risk a broken heart. But when the bullying of a friend goes too far, Noelle realizes it’s time to stand up for herself—and for everything that makes her keep holding on.  

***

Note: I read this book within around four hours. I loved it that much.

I noticed one thing about this book instantly: and it was not focused solely around a guy. Sure, we were introduced to both Julian and Matt soon into the book (and the cover has a couple on it) but it was mainly focused on her being neglected at home and bullied at school.

In middle school, I was bullied a lot. Sometimes I still am, but it was mainly just middle and junior high, before I moved to North Carolina. I was bullied because of the fact that I was on food stamps and I was poor. So I knew going into this book exactly what to expect. I do have both of my parents, but one of my closest friends has one mom and I practically live at her house so I understand that aspect a little.

Colasanti was spot on with the bullying. It's never been that bad for me, mainly because it was in junior high, but to the point where it was physical. It was all rumors and talk. But reading that scene with Carly and Noelle, my heart was beating so fast. And it broke my heart at some points because I felt the same way she did.

I loved Keep Holding On. I loved that she wasn't focused on boys in this novel and that she focused on something that is really going around and could hurt people. It send out a great message and tells everyone that they need hope. They need to keep holding on. They need to take control of their life and want to make it better. And they need to never, ever give up (Susane Colasanti tweeted me that when she read my personal blog once!) Definitely a 4.5 stars.