This Lullaby

The story's protagonist, Remy Starr, is a newly graduated high school student. She has one last summer left at home before she heads off to the opposite side of the country to attend Stanford University in California. She is perpetually-and most unhappily- jaded where it comes to love and relationships, though with good reason based on her family history: her mother has been married five times and she never knew her father though he did write a one-hit-wonder song dedicated to Remy. The song, a lullaby, is the axis of the plot.There is no shortage of opportunities in the story for the character to experience mistrust coupled by feelings of alienation. When she slams into a series of emotional rock bottoms, the author, Sarah Dessen, has Remy return to the song's complicated message about love and the disappointments one sometimes must face regarding relationships. And, of course, what would a teen read be without, THE BOY: the relationship that will open Remy's eyes to the big picture, Love is the Way.Okay, pretty standard message but then again, I believe that message and I don't think it can be written, said, or spray-painted on the walls enough. Was this read revolutionary or even exciting? No. But Dessen is a good writer, knows how to move the story along well enough, and her characters are true to life. It was a decent book and probably helpful, certainly relatable, to people, kids or adults, with similar challenges regarding difficult relationships.What I'd like to say most about this book is that Dessen's honest writing regarding teen life impresses me. I think she's brave to write about the partying side of young adults. It would be much easier as a writer to play it safe and leave out the references to drinking, smoking, sex, and to drop the low-brow language. But no, she writes it so that it's believable. Remy and her group of gal pals were so familiar to me I felt like I could find them in my year book with captions under each saying, "Stay Cool" and, "We need to hang out more this summer. Call me, Bitch." I know not everyone, teens or post teens, had or are having the same experience but a lot of us did and are. Good for Dessen and for us readers who can relate. I recommend this book to anyone who has seen the down side of romantic and or family relationships one too many times and would like to have their faith revitalized.

This Lullaby is about a girl named Remy who thinks she knows everything. She's got it all figured out, you know, this relationship stuff. She works with a timeline and she cycles through guys. She thinks her method is keeping her safe from heartbreak and with a mother like her's who's on her fifth marriage (after Remy's dad died who wrote and dedicated "This Lullaby" to her), can you really blame the girl? Her and her brother Chris use to be a team, they thought the same way about all this love-marriage-love crap but then he met his girlfriend and he started to change and Remy didn't like it (I think it was mentioned that she was named after the drink Remy Martin and I thought it was cool cause that's my favorite -- and only favorite -- drink lol).While waiting for Don, her soon-to-be fifth step-father to discuss wedding plans she (literally) runs into Dexter. Who is everything she's not looking for in a boyfriend. But he's persistent (and I love persistence in my books) and eventually she warms up to him. Everything after that would be a spoiler :).I love this book. If it wasn't obvious already. I love how strong the characters were, their personalities were strong and while you were reading Remy's mom's novel, it felt like Remy was in the room reading it with you. The plot was strong and it had a lot of unexpected turns. I didn't feel like there was enough scenes with Remy's mom, but I did love the times where there were scenes of her mom. I loved how adorable Dexter's character was. He wasn't perfect or swoon worthy but I loved how sweet he was to Remy all the time even when she obviously made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. And it made me kind of mad how mean she was to him but I loved how he just kept coming back. I loved the panic in Remy as soon as she started to notice the change and I loved the girl talks between her and her friends.If you haven't already read this book, I highly suggest you do!

I really enjoyed reading this book by Sarah Dessen. Would love to see a sequel one this one.

Much like the lullaby of the title is a typical over-played sappy song, Remy's story begins as a typical teen story (girl with messed-up family struggles to come to terms with love). However, both have the makings of something deeper and more meaningful in the hands where they eventually fall. Remy doesn't know what to think of the singer/songwriter father who died before she met him. She knows exactly what to think of her artsy-flighty mom, at least until a new marriage begins to change her. She used to know what to think of her brother until his girlfriend started teaching him to wear shirts with collars and *iron them*! Her gal pals all have comfortable roles in their friendship and she knows what they expect from her. But as high school ends, things are changing. Relationships end both as expected and unexpectedly, so new opportunities open. Should you take a chance on a feeling that flashes through you in a second? Should you stand by the logic you've spent years developing? What happens if neither choice leaves you happy?This outshines some of Dessen's other teen stories and has the courage to give readers an unconventional ending. As an adult reader, it's 4 or 4.5 stars for me, but the teens in my classes think it is much more of a 5 (or, according to one, a 6!) This is a good shelf selection for grades 8-12. Although Remy has been a wild child and continues to use her fake ID to purchase drinks, she is changing, so the book isn't likely to bother parents too much.

After reading and loving Sarah Dessens other novel The Truth About Forever, I immediatley bought This Lullaby and I have to say, was majorly dissapointed. This book is a shadow of the greatness that is  The Truth About Forever  I didn't love any of the characters, Dexter seemed like he had so much more to say, I was dying to find out some more back story about his character in particular his family history but time and time again he was thwarted by filler scenes and fluff. More often than not many of his moments are viewed retrospectively by the narrator, Remy.It's hard to connect to a scene or character emotionally when it feels like you are looking through a lens.Still, he was the best of the lot.Remy and her friends acted like a cynical bunch of much older women, how did a group of 17 year olds get so jaded? All the interaction between them had a Sex the City vibe, it didn't feel right and I don't think it worked.The Truth About Forever is up there amongst some of the best I have read, this falls way short. The Truth About Forever

This is my first Sarah Desssen. Cute. I enjoyed it.I'm all about the geeky, quirky boys! I did think there was too much teen drinking, but I guess that's just me. I didn't do those things in high school. But, I know I'm a rarity. I enjoyed Dexter the most. I loved his character. I could picture him and I felt like I knew him and knew what he was going to do next. He felt like a friend. Remy was a puzzle to me. I kept wondering what she was going to do next. Why was she feeling a certain way or acting a certain way. I loved all the music lyrics. Made me wish I could hear the music that went with them!I did enjoy it. I'll be picking up another Dessen book! What should I read?Quote:"Holding people away from you, and denying yourself love, that doesn't make you strong. if anything, it makes you weaker. Because you're doing it out of fear."

I've had this book on my shelves for years , since I. Was a teenager , and maybe I would have liked it then ( and that is a big maybe ). But reading it now in my 20's it was just kill d of horrific and painful . I was hopefully that it "might" be one of those books that crosses over to be enjoyed by adults and contained some deeper more keen full context, but unfortunately it wasnt

New author I foundReally enjoyed the book

I have to be honest I am half way through reading this book. I am a big Paige Toon fan as her romance novels are easy and well thought through.This story line doesnt progress. The way the main character thinks is stagnated and pointless. The book doesnt flow but i appreciate what the writer is trying to achieve.