"I don't think you don't have to do something so big to be brave. And it's the little things that are harder anyway." 
 Since You've Been Gone is a YA contemporary novel about friendship. Emily Hughes and Sloane Williams are best friends. They always have planned activities each summer and have fun with it. This summer, Sloane disappears without a word and left a list for Emily to do. Most of it are things she haven't done before or something that scares her. With this list, her adventure begins in order to find her best friend. 
 I really enjoyed this book even though it's slow paced. I like the friendship between Emily and Sloane. They have different personalities but they're so good together. Sloane is adventurous, bold, confident and carefree while Emily is laid-back, self-conscious, shy and timid. Between these two, I see myself in Emily. There are times I'm socially awkward and I just wish I'm brave enough to start a conversation. The progress of the story is fun, vibrant and refreshing and what I really like the most is Emily's character development. She breaks out of her shell and shines in her own way without being overshadowed by Sloane. 
 "But you can't help who you fall for. The heart wants what it wants." 
 I love that it doesn't really focus on romance but I have a crush on Frank Porter. I adore him with Emily. He's sweet, kind, and adorable. He is one of those people who helped Emily and he sees her simplicity. It's nice and genuine. I also adore Beckett (Em's brother) and Collins (Frank's best friend), these two are funny and witty. Dawn is a great friend as well and I like how she's honest with her feelings. She doesn't sugarcoat things. 
 Reading this makes me miss my friends and we still keep in touch every now and then. Friendships never last and the distance won't keep us apart. It's a great read and I recommend it to everyone.