Someone Like You

One of my favorite things about Sarah Dessen is how realistic she can be when it comes to how it felt to be a teenager. It's something that I think we tend to forget as adults, but reading one of her books really brings me back to how it all was. In fact, I would say that any parent to a teenage girl would be wise to pick up some Dessen as a method to better understanding their daughter.Although Scarlett's pregnancy is certainly an important part of this book, the story is shown from Halley's perspective. This gives a great insight into what it's like for a teenager going through a lot of different things - high school is hard enough when everything is as normal as possible, let alone dealing with your best friend being pregnant, and having your first relationship with a bad boy.What really struck me was that in the scheme of things, Halley could be considered the "good" one out of her and Scarlett, yet Halley's mom treats her like she's the one who has ended up pregnant. Granted, I wouldn't love the idea of my daughter breaking curfew and hanging out with a boy I didn't know, but Dessen does a great job of reminding you that...this is what being a teenager is like. Regardless of how good or bad my boyfriends were in high school, I didn't want to introduce them to my parents because it would be like giving up some independence. And honestly, breaking curfew and cutting classes is the least of the bad things a kid can be doing!I had also forgotten what life was like before cell phones - this book was written in 1998 and we so didn't have phones like the kids do now. It made for an interesting dynamic that just doesn't happen anymore, with parents having more control over when the kids can use the phone, yet less of an idea about where your kids are at when they aren't home. I loved this little reminder of what things were like back when I was in high school.This is definitely considered young adult fiction, but I loved it nonetheless. There's a lot of YA stuff out there that I read and just can't get into, but Sarah Dessen is never one of them. I feel like her books always tell a story I can identify with, even though I haven't been a teenager for quite some time. And for the record, I totally do not miss high school.

SOMEONE LIKE YOU opens on the main character Halley at "Sisterhood Camp," where she's supposed to be learning self-esteem and in turn, getting along better with her parents (read, her mom).Halley's mom is a psychologist, and prior to the start of the book the two were model parent-child relationship close. But over the summer, Halley and her best friend Scarlett have started branching out more and as a result, she's done the whole withdrawal from the parents thing.In the first chapter we learn Scarlett's love interest Michael Sherwood has been killed in a motorcycle accident and then just a few chapters later we learn Scarlett's pregnant. Sort of an interesting dilemma.Scarlett's mother encourages her to have an abortion, but when Scarlett refuses, her mom decides she'll put the baby up for adoption. Scarlett is also opposed to that.Now all of that is just the backdrop to what happens to Halley, our main character. The book follows her first love with Macon, who was also Michael's best friend.Both guys were pretty fast and loose with the ladies, and Dessen cleverly works that side of Macon into the story. The reader sees everything through Halley's eyes, so he starts out as this grief-stricken, but adventurous cute boy who often doesn't make it to school or encourages her to cut class or who drives to her house in the middle of the night.And while Halley thinks it's all romantic, the reader also begins understanding Scarlett's warnings and the cautionary tales from another girl who isn't exactly Halley's friend.The story culminates with Halley having to make a choice about who she really wants to be and how far she's going to follow Macon. Hence the title.You know me, I always seem to give Dessen's books A++s, but in this case I especially like how few if any of the characters in Someone Like You do what you'd expect.I like how Dessen works in Michael's official, model girlfriend's attitude of not really caring so much about families or doing the right thing and then contrasts it to Scarlett's choice and the subsequent fallout in public opinion. Even Macon's more than just a two-dimensional bad boy. So I highly recommend this book.Heads up to moms, the book does contain some language and scenes of alcohol and drug use, but these scenes are handled in an accurate way. I remember having the distinct thought that my daughters should read this book when they're in high school.

This has been my favorite book since I was 13, which was over 15 years ago. It is a YA novel but written so beautifully. As an adult it brings me back to my teens years. I have read this book probably 9 times. And I often give my copy to someone else so this is probably my 5th purchase of this book. The love story is sweet but the story line between the two best friends is the heart of the story. Sarah Dessen has a great writing style, which I tried to mimic as a young writer in my teens but I could not master her skill level. This is by far my favorite book of hers but her other books are good too.

I can always count on Sarah Dessen to give me a wonderful easy read. I picked this one up randomly around a holiday weekend and finally got around to finishing it! This was relatively light and easy to read, and it was fun to read from a young teen pov, which i don’t read a lot of anymore!

Who would I recommend it to? Fans of chick-lit. Best friends.Review; I enjoyed reading this book, but I am used to more happening. I'm not used to reading chick-lit, maybe that's why this book got four stars rather than five.I would have liked the author to explore the mother daughter relationship more. Actually I would have liked the author to explore all the relationships more, we hardly ever saw or heard of Halley's father. So more background information would have been nice.The motorcycle accident didn't seem realistic either.I loved Halley's relationship with Scarlett. It was a great portrait for best friends. I have had two best friend in my life time and we have been as close as that if not closer.Overall this book does teach some lessons. And it does portray a teenager in a realistic way with the parent problems and first love.I'd probably recommend it more to teens more than adults, but I know there are some adults who have enjoyed this book!

honestly im a sucker for books about friendshio. you need to write more of them! someone like you is a great book that explores the friendship of two best friends, something ive never had the pleasure of experiencing in real life. anyway great job on the book, defo hope u make more like it

Still haven't finished the book, but this is something the 10 year old me would have loved, however as an adult now, I can see how cheesy, predictable and melodramatic it is, and how blah the writing can be at times. That said, it's not a bad book, just not as good as I would like it to be.

My daughter loves Sarah dessen books did not disappoint ..

I love Sarah Dessen books, I have almost all of them! I have yet to find someone who has read her books and isn't a fan! She is so consistently good!