Standing By is an excellent teen/ya novel that’s great for any age! It’s told in alternating points of view (like a lot of ya novels), but I found that I could really relate to these characters with some of the things they go through with their friends, family, and their emotions.
Like Eric, I myself am a skeptic of relationships and I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day, but like Julie, I can sometimes not notice when things and people around me are changing because of my laser focus on whatever goal I’m working toward in that point in time.
Eric, Julie, and their friends are all characters I can imagine walking into a classroom in my high school days – that’s how real they felt. The story pacing was great, nothing happened too quickly or went on for too long. There were even some surprises thrown into the story that caught me off-guard!
Though this seems to be a stand-alone novel, I am hoping for a continuation or at least a spin-off with some of these characters. That’s how much I enjoyed them!
Favorite Quotes:
“It’s like when you’re learning to ride a bike. You’re going to fall and you might get hurt, but you get back up on the bike and try again. And even when you get the hang of it there’s still going to be bumps in the road, but you just keep riding.” – Rachel, page 138
“But if my life were to be a movie, it most definitely would not be a romantic comedy – more like a dramatic comedy. A dramedy.” – Eric, page 39
“Julie Williams was determined to break my defense.” – Eric, page 1
“Then don’t think. Let your heart take control for once.” – Julie, page 226
Rating: 5/5 stars
