Without You

Oh teens

2,5 *

Oh uh how should I start?

Not a good choice in the narrator... bad, bad. Well maybe the reading material wasn't interesting enough... Let me explain. It took me more time to understand the story, it was like the characters were just bored to death... and that's so bad for the book.

I missed out on emotion, a very important part for an audiobook, right?

I was struggling to read it to the end.

Another bad thing for me, maybe I'm not used to it, but, repeating every character's name in the same sentence, easy to get lost in the words.

Ariana did this, Lucas said that... All I know is that Ariana doesn' t stop talking about college.
And it's all I know, not so much for the details, some kind of plot... was it a plot? It wasn't captivating me.

High school drama felt like middle school drama. What to expect from a teenage love?

Girl meets boy. Some highs and lows. Girl loses boy. Then live happily ever after. The end.

Nothing special or different, maybe I was expecting more?

I feel bad reviewing this, maybe if I read it instead of listening to it I would be more enthusiast now.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Without You

Any additional comments?

I had a hard time finishing this book. I had to listen in spurts. Nothing really happens in the story. Nothing. Except typical high school things. I kept waiting for something to happen. The last half hour of the book has the most excitement of the whole book.

The beginning stages of a relationship and the feelings most young girls feel. The insecurities, the hope, the excitement, the whole range of emotions. Then the changing emotions and stronger bond that evolves when a relationship grows. The struggles of a long distance relationship. The heartbreak and the eventual HEA.

Actually they are in high school for most of the book but at times it reads like they are in middle school. The characters just act too immature and naïve. It's summer, they are 18 and have graduated high school and their parents still dictate when they can see each other alone or in a group. This is just not realistic.

There is to much time spent on describing meaningless things like food, her inner dialogue of thought, everyday mundane things like where she likes to sit on a bus just to name a few.

Ramona Master does an okay job with the narration. Pleasant voice that fits the character's age. She has some good character voices. She has a voice that could be great for audiobooks with a little work. Her inflection is on the wrong words this effects the flow of the story. The narration does not flow smoothly, it's choppy. She's reading the sentence and then pauses awkwardly at the end of a sentence when she has to move her eyes down the page to the next line.

If I had purchased the book I would have returned it.

This audiobook was voluntarily provided by the author, narrator or publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Life's challenging for these characters

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It was probably one of the most honest portrayals of how life isn't always what you think it will be

What was one of the most memorable moments of Without You?

The part when Lucas did a selfless deed by letting things go.

What about Ramona Master’s performance did you like?

She did a great job, her voice for Ariana perfectly and she does great showing the emotions of the characters. Her male voice needs work though.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The entire story had emotionally moving moments. It was a very real subject and definitely a situation that many people have faced.

Any additional comments?

I loved the story, it was realistically portrayed for the most part. It had some angsty parts, but nothing that was over the top dramatic. My only hang up is the last few chapters. They skip a head in time a number of years, and while time has passed there is no significant marking of the characters having changed or rather grown up some in that time. They still speak like teens and not so much like newly minted adults. Otherwise it was a great listen and good for the age group of a YA reader/listener. I received this audiobook from audiobook boom for free for my unbiased review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

FUN STORY!!

FUN STORY, Cute little story!! I love the little snippets in Spanish! I bumped the narration speed up to 1.10 It helped cause it seemed like the her voice was a bit slow but that fixed it!! I will definitely read/Listen to the next book!! 1 THING I WISH IS THE 4 YEARS OF COLLEGE SHOULD'VE HAD MORE WRITTEN I FEEL LIKE SOME PARTS WERE A BIT DRAGGED OUT LIKE DESCRIBING ALL THE FOOD BUT THEN SKIPPING YEARS AT A TIME!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

CUTE LOVE STORY!

I liked it enough that I will continue the journey with book two. It is a cute love story.

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobookboom”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Amazing sound

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Of course, when you read the book, not always able to submit before the end of the emotions and feelings of the characters. Ramona was perfectly able to transfer them. So far I am impressed.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the parallel love lines. Emotionality, which could fill a book. This is incredible!

Which scene was your favorite?

A lot of memorable scenes. I will allocate one of the favorite when Ariana and Lucas were talking in a Mexican café.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Of course! The book captures!

Any additional comments?

I want to wish success to the author. We look forward to the continued cooperation of such talented people.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

NA Rom w Logical Characters That Aren't Sex Obsess

I'm really impressed with the way this worked out and ended. It's very reasonable and mature and you just don't see this kind of thing in books often. <3.

-- The jeolous ex plot line doesn't ramp up like the prequel thankfully. TW more for bullying than violence.
-- Brother & BFF are aborbs. Love the flipped dynamic and definitely want to read their story.
--The sexual activity is mostly PG13 with one tasteful, safer scene that feels like a fade to black.
--I love her family and his. Her family is more traditional and middle class but college is still a huge question mark unfortunately. (Free education is so needed!)
--His working poor struggle is so common and the community is under served and seen in real life and fiction.
--it's the same narrator from the prequel, which I'm thankful for the continuity. It feel more natural and felt better? I don't know how to describe it exactly but my gut vibed better with it. (how's that for vague and subjective! Lol)

Now you're probably wondering why the 4 stars. Honestly, the first half with the ex and the second half about the collage felt a bit disjointed and the ex just evaporated but felt like a loose end. Overall, it just didn't feel like a 5 star, ya know? Close but not quite and it's hard to pi point why. Sorry.

Anyways, this is perfect if you like every day teens dealing with romance and exes and families and collage and just being normal. It's so refreshing!

Loved it!

Another amazing book by Yesenia Vargas. It drew me straight in. I didn't want it to end.

Sweet and enjoyable story

I am loving these characters and the storyline. The narrator is doing wonderful in narrating these characters and the story.

High School Reflection

Without You is about Ariana's senior year. After having a bad relationship with Carlos, Ariana didn't want to make the same mistakes with her parents and with Lucas who has shown some interest in her. With Lucas' ex in the background, Ariana has allowed Lucas' ex to get under her skin and ended up going to detention before it dawned on her, it might be a blight into being accepted to University of Georgia, Athens (UGA).

Ariana is also facing that she and Lucas might have to have a long distance relationship since Lucas cannot abandon taking care of his mother and two younger sisters. She is scared that she and Lucas might not be together forever.

She is also facing a dilemma of trying to finance her college education. Her parents can't pay her entire college education and the only way, Ariana can pay her way is through scholarships or go to a community college.

Without You is a story of decisions that every high school students will be experiencing and will be making as they prepare for life after high school. Some will be leaving for college, Some will be getting their first job. Some will be hoping that the boy/girl, they are dating will come with them. This would either be a beginning or an end to their relationship as they know it. Some would hope that if they are meant to be, they will come full circle when the time is right.

This story also address of trying to pay for college and knowing that financially, you can't afford to go to the top university that you want. This book address everything from dating to family to coming back home full circle and to see how you have define life. It is about hopes and dreams of a better life.

I recommend that every high school students should read this. Without You captures everything that a high school students will have to deal with when leaving home for college.

However, the relationship of Ariana and Mia seemed strange. I have thought that Ariana and Mia are senior but since Mia is left behind, I have to concluded that Mia is a junior. It is kind of strange to be best friend with a junior in high school. I could also conclude that either Mia failed a grade and have to repeated it. It would be interesting to see when Ariana's brother, Jimmy and Mia's relationship would go in the next book.

I have received this audiobook from the author. I have volunteer to write an unbiased review for the book. I was not compensated and influenced in any way for writing this review.