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storieswithsoul's review
5.0
It's a great YA novel. I quite enjoyed reading it. Story is interesting and it's very well-written. Characters and places are also well-written, which makes it all the more entertaining to read. I think any YA fan would love this book, it's definitely a must read story, especially for those who enjoy novels grounded in reality.
Sienna is a teenager who is scared of the sea and planes. Her fear started when her mother's plane disappeared over the Indian ocean. She hasn't flown since then. Now that she turned seventeen her father decides that it's time for her to stop living in fear and embrace reality. Her mother is gone but they are still here, the world is still here, and it needs their help. Her father wants to go to Indonesia to help people who have suffered tremendous loss after the tsunami. Their team, which is called "Hope" will work with the orphans and help them deal with their loss. At first Sienna is not happy about the trip but when she thinks about it she decided that it is the right thing to do, most importantly it is what her mother would have done. Indonesia is an entirely different world for her. It's nothing like home, but she is here to help and she will do her best because now that she is here she can see how much these people need it.
Deni is an orphan who is not like other boys there. Sienna finds him very attractive and very interesting. Soon they start spending time together. She realizes how much she is beginning to fall in love with him. But they are not meant to be together. They have nothing in common except perhaps grief on loosing their families. She hasn't recovered from the loss of her mother so she understands how these children might feel. She hates the word orphan, however, that's who they are. When Deni finds out that someone back in his home city is looking for him he decides to go back. It could be his father and he might not be an orphan after all. It is not as simple as the teens think though because adults have different opinion and no one is willing to help Deni look for his father except Sienna. So they runaway... but will they find something worth looking for or not is another question entirely.
Sienna is a teenager who is scared of the sea and planes. Her fear started when her mother's plane disappeared over the Indian ocean. She hasn't flown since then. Now that she turned seventeen her father decides that it's time for her to stop living in fear and embrace reality. Her mother is gone but they are still here, the world is still here, and it needs their help. Her father wants to go to Indonesia to help people who have suffered tremendous loss after the tsunami. Their team, which is called "Hope" will work with the orphans and help them deal with their loss. At first Sienna is not happy about the trip but when she thinks about it she decided that it is the right thing to do, most importantly it is what her mother would have done. Indonesia is an entirely different world for her. It's nothing like home, but she is here to help and she will do her best because now that she is here she can see how much these people need it.
Deni is an orphan who is not like other boys there. Sienna finds him very attractive and very interesting. Soon they start spending time together. She realizes how much she is beginning to fall in love with him. But they are not meant to be together. They have nothing in common except perhaps grief on loosing their families. She hasn't recovered from the loss of her mother so she understands how these children might feel. She hates the word orphan, however, that's who they are. When Deni finds out that someone back in his home city is looking for him he decides to go back. It could be his father and he might not be an orphan after all. It is not as simple as the teens think though because adults have different opinion and no one is willing to help Deni look for his father except Sienna. So they runaway... but will they find something worth looking for or not is another question entirely.
diamondxgirl's review
4.0
A little reckless. A little angsty. A lot of heart. You'll fall in love with Sienna and Deni as they take on the world around them.
dani_reviews's review
5.0
Rating: 4.5 stars
In 2004, I was a resident of China, attending an American school. Like many of my teachers and classmates, I spent Christmas in South East Asia. (It was closer and therefore cheaper to go to a tropical destination than home to South Africa.) My family was lucky. We met up with my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Singapore, then headed down to an island off of El Nido, Philippines. On the 27th of December, we left, taking a boat, and then a rickety plane, and then another plane back to Singapore. It was only then that I discovered what had happened on the 26th. An enormous earthquake (magnitude 9.1-9.3) occurred in the Indian Ocean, triggering tsunamis that hit coasts all around it, killing over 200,000 people. Just after New Year's, shortly before returning to school, I learned that one of my friends was visiting Thailand, and his entire family, save his 4-year-old sister, were washed out to sea.
So you could say I had a lot of baggage going into this book, and it was difficult for me to read.
I had an initial wobble with the book at the start. I think this was due to a mismatch of expectations and reality, so I'll save you the trouble. This is a bit more realistic and serious than your typical YA contemporary from Entangled. I should have known this; I would have probably been a bit offended in the long run if the author trivialised the aftermath of the tsunami. But it's more than just the experience of people in Indonesia. Sienna, the MC, had her own troubles to deal with, a lingering grief and PTSD after losing her mother years before. Add to that changes to her friendships over the years, plus watching her dad move on, and she's got a pretty tough adolescence. All of her issues are laid out in the first chapter, and this is probably why I stumbled. I wasn't prepared for the emotions, especially when I was already nervous about how I would feel once she got to Indonesia.
Aside from a few bits that I thought were iffy, I appreciated the exploration of all the complicated feelings and experiences the Indonesians – and Sienna – were going through. While this was a romance, it was more than just your typical fluffy story. Sienna and Deni helped each other tackle their respective problems, helped each other to begin healing. And it was more than just that still. The book was filled with so much culture. Having been to Indonesia and having some friends from there, it was nice to return to the country via this book, even if it was through the eyes of an American going over to save people. And it also brought even more nostalgia because I, too, volunteered at an orphanage, except in Cambodia, and those children gave me so much life.
It took me a while to get through this book because of the start and my own feelings, but it was an interesting and unexpected adventure. But I want others to read this, mostly because I want people to remember that this tsunami happened, and that it had such a devastating effect on soooo many people. The ending was perfect, and it made me well up. There's a sequel coming, and I need more of this soul medicine!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In 2004, I was a resident of China, attending an American school. Like many of my teachers and classmates, I spent Christmas in South East Asia. (It was closer and therefore cheaper to go to a tropical destination than home to South Africa.) My family was lucky. We met up with my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Singapore, then headed down to an island off of El Nido, Philippines. On the 27th of December, we left, taking a boat, and then a rickety plane, and then another plane back to Singapore. It was only then that I discovered what had happened on the 26th. An enormous earthquake (magnitude 9.1-9.3) occurred in the Indian Ocean, triggering tsunamis that hit coasts all around it, killing over 200,000 people. Just after New Year's, shortly before returning to school, I learned that one of my friends was visiting Thailand, and his entire family, save his 4-year-old sister, were washed out to sea.
So you could say I had a lot of baggage going into this book, and it was difficult for me to read.
I had an initial wobble with the book at the start. I think this was due to a mismatch of expectations and reality, so I'll save you the trouble. This is a bit more realistic and serious than your typical YA contemporary from Entangled. I should have known this; I would have probably been a bit offended in the long run if the author trivialised the aftermath of the tsunami. But it's more than just the experience of people in Indonesia. Sienna, the MC, had her own troubles to deal with, a lingering grief and PTSD after losing her mother years before. Add to that changes to her friendships over the years, plus watching her dad move on, and she's got a pretty tough adolescence. All of her issues are laid out in the first chapter, and this is probably why I stumbled. I wasn't prepared for the emotions, especially when I was already nervous about how I would feel once she got to Indonesia.
Aside from a few bits that I thought were iffy, I appreciated the exploration of all the complicated feelings and experiences the Indonesians – and Sienna – were going through. While this was a romance, it was more than just your typical fluffy story. Sienna and Deni helped each other tackle their respective problems, helped each other to begin healing. And it was more than just that still. The book was filled with so much culture. Having been to Indonesia and having some friends from there, it was nice to return to the country via this book, even if it was through the eyes of an American going over to save people. And it also brought even more nostalgia because I, too, volunteered at an orphanage, except in Cambodia, and those children gave me so much life.
It took me a while to get through this book because of the start and my own feelings, but it was an interesting and unexpected adventure. But I want others to read this, mostly because I want people to remember that this tsunami happened, and that it had such a devastating effect on soooo many people. The ending was perfect, and it made me well up. There's a sequel coming, and I need more of this soul medicine!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
hoffnungswolke's review
4.0
First things first: I received this book through NetGalley.
Where, oh where, do I start. I wasn't prepared for all the emotions that I would go through while reading this story. But I loved it. I truly loved the story and I loved that I got to feel all the feels.
Summary: After her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean, seventeen-year-old Sienna Jones gave up everything she loved about living in California. No more surfing. No more swimming. No more ocean, period. Playing it safe, hiding from the world, is the best call.
Until her dad throws down the challenge of a lifetime: spend the summer with his humanitarian team in Indonesia, working with orphans who lost everything in a massive tsunami.
The day they arrive, Sienna meets a mysterious boy named Deni, whose dark, intense eyes make her heart race. Their stolen nights force her to open up and live in a way she thought she couldn't anymore. When she’s with Deni, she remembers the girl she used to be… and starts to feel like the woman he sees in her.
A woman he wants for his own.
Gulp.
But when Deni’s past comes looking for him, Sienna’s faced with losing another person she loves. She can’t do it. Not again.
Fortunately, this time, she has a plan.
**
I mean, the summary of the book pretty much tells you, that this won't be a cute read full of rainbows and unicorns. So I should have known. I didn't.
First of all, I loved the setting. This is the first time I ever read a story that is st around the work of a humanitarian team and the work they do for a country after a natural disaster hit. I loved the writing, it was real and didn't sugar coat anything, whilst also really bringing us (well, at least me) closer to a different culture. I loved that element of the book so much.
I loved the characters. Sienna, the main character. She's one of those characters, that I read a few lines about and that I love right away. Not saying, I was okay with all her decisions and okay with everything she was doing. Her backstory with her mother, the effects all of this still had on her, gave me all the feels right away. I pretty much loved everyone in this book, there wasn't one character that I just felt meh about whenever they showed up. I even really liked Vera, who maybe didn't seem as likeable from Sienna's point of view.
But let me tell you, the other character besides Sienna, that I loved the most, was Elli. Little Elli stole my heart in a matter of a few seconds. I loved her relationship with Sienna. I just loved that little girl so much. She deserves the world and all the happiness in it.
Of course there was this whole thing with Deni and Sienna and their relationship. I didn't care much for that and at the same time, I loved it. I love the non romantic part of their relationship, them talking to each other and getting to say things that they can't tell anyone else. Them, helping each other out, getting over things and moving on, even if it's tough as hell. I liked that part. I'm a bitter old lady at this point in my life, I don't get excited anymore about people getting together and being head over heels in love in the span of such a short period of time. I'm not saying it's not possible but you know, I don't feel it. I don't connect with that.
But I loved, LOVED, the story and would totally read it again, which is a feeling that I love. There is also going to be a second book coming out this year and I'm really excited for that.
Where, oh where, do I start. I wasn't prepared for all the emotions that I would go through while reading this story. But I loved it. I truly loved the story and I loved that I got to feel all the feels.
Summary: After her mother's plane went missing over the Indian Ocean, seventeen-year-old Sienna Jones gave up everything she loved about living in California. No more surfing. No more swimming. No more ocean, period. Playing it safe, hiding from the world, is the best call.
Until her dad throws down the challenge of a lifetime: spend the summer with his humanitarian team in Indonesia, working with orphans who lost everything in a massive tsunami.
The day they arrive, Sienna meets a mysterious boy named Deni, whose dark, intense eyes make her heart race. Their stolen nights force her to open up and live in a way she thought she couldn't anymore. When she’s with Deni, she remembers the girl she used to be… and starts to feel like the woman he sees in her.
A woman he wants for his own.
Gulp.
But when Deni’s past comes looking for him, Sienna’s faced with losing another person she loves. She can’t do it. Not again.
Fortunately, this time, she has a plan.
**
I mean, the summary of the book pretty much tells you, that this won't be a cute read full of rainbows and unicorns. So I should have known. I didn't.
First of all, I loved the setting. This is the first time I ever read a story that is st around the work of a humanitarian team and the work they do for a country after a natural disaster hit. I loved the writing, it was real and didn't sugar coat anything, whilst also really bringing us (well, at least me) closer to a different culture. I loved that element of the book so much.
I loved the characters. Sienna, the main character. She's one of those characters, that I read a few lines about and that I love right away. Not saying, I was okay with all her decisions and okay with everything she was doing. Her backstory with her mother, the effects all of this still had on her, gave me all the feels right away. I pretty much loved everyone in this book, there wasn't one character that I just felt meh about whenever they showed up. I even really liked Vera, who maybe didn't seem as likeable from Sienna's point of view.
But let me tell you, the other character besides Sienna, that I loved the most, was Elli. Little Elli stole my heart in a matter of a few seconds. I loved her relationship with Sienna. I just loved that little girl so much. She deserves the world and all the happiness in it.
Of course there was this whole thing with Deni and Sienna and their relationship. I didn't care much for that and at the same time, I loved it. I love the non romantic part of their relationship, them talking to each other and getting to say things that they can't tell anyone else. Them, helping each other out, getting over things and moving on, even if it's tough as hell. I liked that part. I'm a bitter old lady at this point in my life, I don't get excited anymore about people getting together and being head over heels in love in the span of such a short period of time. I'm not saying it's not possible but you know, I don't feel it. I don't connect with that.
But I loved, LOVED, the story and would totally read it again, which is a feeling that I love. There is also going to be a second book coming out this year and I'm really excited for that.
marshmallowpudding's review
5.0
this was so good, i literally could not put it down and ended up finishing it in one sitting. review to come :)
hollymbryan's review against another edition
4.0
Where I Found You is a reprint of Heidi’s first novel, Sea, which was published by Penguin in 2010. I’m not sure how much has changed, since I didn’t read it in its original incarnation, but I’m thrilled about the fact that there is going to be a sequel to the story coming out in April 2018. You certainly could read this book and be done with the story, but I have a feeling I’m not alone in clamoring to hear more from Sienna and Deni!
This is a sweet contemporary and a quick, easy read. At the same time, you do learn a lot about Indonesia, particularly after the devastating tsunami that ravaged the country’s Indian Ocean coast in the Aceh province in 2004. (Side note: I was stunned to realize it has been almost exactly 13 years since this event; I remember so vividly seeing it on television, and it definitely doesn’t feel like it’s been 13 years.) Heidi gave us a portrayal of some of the “Aceh orphans” that was compassionate and empathetic without being maudlin or patronizing, which I imagine was no easy feat. Back to what I said about it being an “easy read,” though, I never felt like Heidi was trying to make a point about the Western response to the tsunami or anything like that. She just gives us a straightforward portrayal of people who lost everything in the tragedy and yet persevered. Deni and the other orphans, including his friends Azmi and Sitti, are great characters with whom it’s easy to fall in love.
The end of this book ... phew! I bet I’m not the only one who was a mess as this ended! At the same time, it’s one of those where you feel hopeful even as you are bawling. Like I said, you could comfortably stop at the end of this story and be satisfied that you’ve gotten a full story. But I have no doubt that most of you, like me, will be anxious to get your hands on the sequel come April! I can’t wait to hear more from Deni and Sienna and see the directions their lives have gone. I highly recommend Where I Found You, especially for those who love contemporaries and folks who enjoy reading books located in places other than the United States. I dare you to maintain dry eyes at the end, though!
Rating: 4 stars!
**Thank you to Entangled Teen for the advance copy of this book for purposes of the blog tour. This is my honest and voluntary rating and review. Thanks also to YAReads for including me in the tour.
This is a sweet contemporary and a quick, easy read. At the same time, you do learn a lot about Indonesia, particularly after the devastating tsunami that ravaged the country’s Indian Ocean coast in the Aceh province in 2004. (Side note: I was stunned to realize it has been almost exactly 13 years since this event; I remember so vividly seeing it on television, and it definitely doesn’t feel like it’s been 13 years.) Heidi gave us a portrayal of some of the “Aceh orphans” that was compassionate and empathetic without being maudlin or patronizing, which I imagine was no easy feat. Back to what I said about it being an “easy read,” though, I never felt like Heidi was trying to make a point about the Western response to the tsunami or anything like that. She just gives us a straightforward portrayal of people who lost everything in the tragedy and yet persevered. Deni and the other orphans, including his friends Azmi and Sitti, are great characters with whom it’s easy to fall in love.
The end of this book ... phew! I bet I’m not the only one who was a mess as this ended! At the same time, it’s one of those where you feel hopeful even as you are bawling. Like I said, you could comfortably stop at the end of this story and be satisfied that you’ve gotten a full story. But I have no doubt that most of you, like me, will be anxious to get your hands on the sequel come April! I can’t wait to hear more from Deni and Sienna and see the directions their lives have gone. I highly recommend Where I Found You, especially for those who love contemporaries and folks who enjoy reading books located in places other than the United States. I dare you to maintain dry eyes at the end, though!
Rating: 4 stars!
**Thank you to Entangled Teen for the advance copy of this book for purposes of the blog tour. This is my honest and voluntary rating and review. Thanks also to YAReads for including me in the tour.
doyoudogear's review
3.0
"I wanted to tell him that you can meet someone and they can change your life forever, even if you have only known them for a short while, that when you leave, you’re a different person than before you met them…"
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, the quote I used may have changed or been altered in some way, I am just quoting from what I received.
I wish the book had been longer! I feel like a lot happens in too few pages. I would have enjoyed seeing more of the orphanage, or pesantren, and spent more time with the children there. The art and group therapy were interesting, and I would have liked for it to have been expanded on. It was eye-opening listening to them recall their memories of the tsunami, and seeing how far they had come after such a traumatic experience.
It's a sweet story with a whirlwind romance. I wouldn't really call what they had an insta-love, it was more like an insta-attraction. I like that Sienna wasn't afraid to act on her feelings, and that she trusted herself and Deni. Their feelings did grow rapidly, but don't all new relationships start off that way? They were both in a unique situation, and they never forgot that their time together was temporary. They wanted to enjoy what they had and live in the moment.
Deni is still a mystery to me. His entire life before Sienna and the tsunami is still unknown, and something else I wanted to know more about. I also felt like the information about her friends at home, Bev and Spider, was limited. I had hoped to learn a little more about them, too.
Oh, and Bapak? Deni made a lot of serious accusations against him that were never investigated. I feel like someone should have either verified his claims, or at least looked into them. I really love the story and the concept for this book, I just wish there had been more.
Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on December 12, 2017
http://www.doyoudog-ear.com/2017/12/where-i-found-you-sea-1-by-heidi-r-kling.html
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, the quote I used may have changed or been altered in some way, I am just quoting from what I received.
I wish the book had been longer! I feel like a lot happens in too few pages. I would have enjoyed seeing more of the orphanage, or pesantren, and spent more time with the children there. The art and group therapy were interesting, and I would have liked for it to have been expanded on. It was eye-opening listening to them recall their memories of the tsunami, and seeing how far they had come after such a traumatic experience.
It's a sweet story with a whirlwind romance. I wouldn't really call what they had an insta-love, it was more like an insta-attraction. I like that Sienna wasn't afraid to act on her feelings, and that she trusted herself and Deni. Their feelings did grow rapidly, but don't all new relationships start off that way? They were both in a unique situation, and they never forgot that their time together was temporary. They wanted to enjoy what they had and live in the moment.
Deni is still a mystery to me. His entire life before Sienna and the tsunami is still unknown, and something else I wanted to know more about. I also felt like the information about her friends at home, Bev and Spider, was limited. I had hoped to learn a little more about them, too.
Oh, and Bapak? Deni made a lot of serious accusations against him that were never investigated. I feel like someone should have either verified his claims, or at least looked into them. I really love the story and the concept for this book, I just wish there had been more.
Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on December 12, 2017
http://www.doyoudog-ear.com/2017/12/where-i-found-you-sea-1-by-heidi-r-kling.html
melissayabookshelf's review
I first read this book about seven years ago after I saw tons of buzz about it on Twitter and through contests. There was a lot of hype, and as often happens to me, hype sometimes can ruin a book. Re-reading this now re-edited version with a new ending was a very different experience. A lot of it was familiar, but with the seven year gap, I didn't know what was going to happen next at any point. And that was a great thing.
I appreciated this novel so much more this time around. Whether that's because of the changes to the novel or something else is unclear. Maybe it's just because I was more ready for the kind of book that it was, a story about an unimaginable disaster and how it helps Sienna not only connect with her long lost mother and heal from her loss, but also to learn so much more about the world around her. It's also great that the Indonesian kids and teens were able to slowly or feel slightly better due to the the strategies that Team Hope gave them, and the reader is left feeling hopeful that those improvements will continue going forward.
Like Sienna, I've become more aware of Islam and Muslim culture than I was back when I first read this book, and the cultural information that Heidi R. Kling disseminates about that and Indonesian customs never felt forced or heavy handed. Just real.
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking novel about the love that can develop between people of different cultures and a whole lot more. I can't wait to read the sequel to see what happens with Sienna and Deni.
I appreciated this novel so much more this time around. Whether that's because of the changes to the novel or something else is unclear. Maybe it's just because I was more ready for the kind of book that it was, a story about an unimaginable disaster and how it helps Sienna not only connect with her long lost mother and heal from her loss, but also to learn so much more about the world around her. It's also great that the Indonesian kids and teens were able to slowly or feel slightly better due to the the strategies that Team Hope gave them, and the reader is left feeling hopeful that those improvements will continue going forward.
Like Sienna, I've become more aware of Islam and Muslim culture than I was back when I first read this book, and the cultural information that Heidi R. Kling disseminates about that and Indonesian customs never felt forced or heavy handed. Just real.
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking novel about the love that can develop between people of different cultures and a whole lot more. I can't wait to read the sequel to see what happens with Sienna and Deni.
mariekesbooks's review
2.0
Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.
Yes, eerste boek van het jaar!
De eerste helft van dit boek was erg traag. Ik kwam er maar niet doorheen en dat frustreerde me echt heel erg. Daarom las ik ook allemaal andere boeken ondertussen en stelde ik deze steeds maar uit. Toch wilde ik deze ook uitlezen, dus ik ging er vandaag eens voor zitten. En de tweede helft was zó veel beter!
Naast het langzame begin, ergerde ik me ook aan de instalove die in dit boek voorkomt. Het was totaal niet realistisch en ik vond het verschrikkelijk. Uiteindelijk zijn ze zelfs al verloofd, uhhh excuse me, misschien wat te snel?! Jullie kennen elkaar net 2 weken. Wat ik ook niet realistisch vind, is dat Sienna toch gaat vliegen.. Haar moeders vliegtuig is verdwenen en hoogstwaarschijnlijk in de zee gestort en Sienna durft dus niet meer te vliegen of te surfen. Heel logisch natuurlijk. Maar zodra haar beste vriendin haar ook maar heel even heeft gesproken, bedenkt ze zich meteen en gaat gewoon vliegen? Uhhh, waar is je angst? Tuurlijk kwam deze angst nog wel even terug toen ze in het vliegtuig zat, maar ik vond het totaal niet realistisch.
Leuk boek voor even tussendoor en goed algemeen onderwerp. Maar de uitwerking vond ik echt niks, totaal geen boek voor mij..
Yes, eerste boek van het jaar!
De eerste helft van dit boek was erg traag. Ik kwam er maar niet doorheen en dat frustreerde me echt heel erg. Daarom las ik ook allemaal andere boeken ondertussen en stelde ik deze steeds maar uit. Toch wilde ik deze ook uitlezen, dus ik ging er vandaag eens voor zitten. En de tweede helft was zó veel beter!
Naast het langzame begin, ergerde ik me ook aan de instalove die in dit boek voorkomt. Het was totaal niet realistisch en ik vond het verschrikkelijk.
Leuk boek voor even tussendoor en goed algemeen onderwerp. Maar de uitwerking vond ik echt niks, totaal geen boek voor mij..
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