Review - So Close to You

by Rachel Carter
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: July 10, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 320
source: Around the World ARC Tours

From Goodreads:

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.

When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's ever heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices--and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them . . . and herself.

I seem to be going through a time travel phase at the moment.  So Close to You is set in one place at two very different points in history: 2012, where Lydia is a high school student with a conspiracy theorist grandfather; and 1944, a year in the thick of WWII to which Lydia unwittingly travels and where she finds herself in the midst of a dangerous conspiracy.  So Close to You is a novel with clean, simple writing and an interesting plot.  With its vibrant characters and a phenomenal setting, this book completely drew me in.  Even with a few hitches, I came to enjoy So Close to You very much.

Aside from her descending into the creepy, dark underground bunker (if this were a horror movie, she would be toast), I liked Lydia pretty well.  There were some points at which her stubbornness frustrated me simply due to her refusal to consider the consequences of meddling with history.  I don't know exactly how I would react if in a similar situation, but I can say that I hope I would maintain enough common sense to be very careful of what I do.  I actually enjoyed her great aunt, Mary (a teenage girl at the time Lydia visits), even more.  She is a kind yet spunky girl with a bubbly personality and little to no guile.  As for Wes, I found him to be an enigmatic character, but I wasn't fully convinced as to why he became a love interest for Lydia.  I definitely want to find out more.

My favorite aspect of So Close to You was the setting.  The depiction of 1944 Montauk was so vivid and lively that picturing Lydia's surroundings became a pleasure.  If you need a frame of reference for the fashions mentioned in the book, The Notebook would serve as an excellent example.  Everything from the description of the town to the clothing to the social functions were fantastic.  I wanted to dive right in, myself just so I could see every single detail for myself.

Though So Close to You started out a little bit slow for me, it certainly didn't remain that way.  The premise is intriguing, the plot contains just the right amount of tension in all the right places, and the descriptions are well-rendered.  Even with their peculiar moments, the characters were portrayed fantastically and I came to enjoy learning about them.  If you enjoy time travel novels, this one is well worth trying.  It's a fun, quick read that will leave you begging for more.  There is a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end, but your curiosity will be piqued.  I know mine was!   

Buy So Close to You in the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge via Around the World ARC Tours. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.