Thursday, April 30, 2009

Just Listen By: Sarah Dessen


Summary: When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend-the popular and exciting Sophie-she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. But then she meets Owen-a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. With Owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt? (Summary by Amazon)


Review: I really liked this book. Sarah Dessen does a wonderful job of writing books. She has this way of captivating the reader's heart in a way that makes them not want to put the book down. This book is easy to relate to. Everyone has at one point or another had friend troubles. Some of these troubles are deeper than others.


I also thought it was fitting to show that all families are not perfect. Every family has some issues, whether it is a sick sibling or a parent who pushes you into an activity. Dessen also showed the disagreements between siblings. Whether you have one or five siblings, we all have fights. Just Listen also showed how sisters can form bonds that have been broken. Families are all very different and the book showed this.


One of the other story lines that I liked was Annabell and Owen. It was not the typical boy meets girl and then they fall in love scenario. They became friends who could learn lessons from one another. These lessons came from music and family dramas. It was nice to see a fresh take on a relationship.


Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I suggest it to those who have or have not read Sarah Dessen before. I guarantee you will like it. Dessen has this way of writing that will leave you wanting more.

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