A bind up of Someone Like You and That Summer.

I very much enjoyed Someone Like You, it’s the story of Halley finding her footing beyond her mother’s reach, helping her best friend through a huge change in her life, and falling in love.

I loved that Halley and Scarlett’s bond plays a big role in the book, the way Halley doesn’t get preachy or pushy with Scarlett and instead gives her friend the space she needs followed by support, and the same for Scarlett, even after Halley in an emotional state, says something regrettable, Scarlett is there for her no question, it’s a really positive example of female friendship.

With a dad who wants nothing more than to duck out of the fray, an overly involved mom struggling to loosen the reins, and another mom more accustomed to being the child in her relationship with her daughter, I really appreciated that this book had some parents in the mix as that isn’t always the case with YA novels, here the adults are varied, dimensional and believable, the author striking just the right balance of folding them into the story without their presence taking it over.

As for the romance, some may find aspects of it a bit disappointing, but I liked it a lot, the chemistry’s strong and it felt realistic in its ups and downs, very Angela Chase and Jordan Catalano (if you’ve ever watched My So-Called Life). Halley has been fairly quiet for most of her life, not really one to push boundaries, closely tied to her mom, she’s only just now starting to break away into being her own person, and this boy who doesn’t live by any rules at all, it’s so easy to understand his appeal to Halley in that moment of her life and how she gets so wrapped up in the rush she feels when he’s near her that she kind of ignores the warning bells, the things he doesn’t tell her, the subjects he shies away from, how elusive he can be.

That Summer isn’t quite as layered as Someone Like You, it’s angst over weddings, angst over an ever changing family dynamic and the joys and disappointments in nostalgia. If you’re a reader who craves eventful plots this one might bore you, but there’s something so engaging about Sarah Dessen’s writing style and the honest everyday sort of emotional territory she chooses to mine that I found myself fairly content to just spend time in this little slice of life she’s created, not so much minding that there wasn’t a lot going on.

The secondary characters and the friendship aren’t as developed as those in Someone Like You, however, the heroine, Haven, is thoughtfully crafted, the way she feels about her height (and how others make her feel about it), the way as the story opens she prides herself on not reacting dramatically like her mother and sister to do, only for all the hurt, the frustrations, and the massive changes in her life to build and build inside her to the point of implosion. It’s perhaps a quieter story arc than many readers are looking for but the ending still has an impact. ( )

Someone Like You:

Someone Like You is a fun, coming of age novel by one of the queens of Teen Lit, Sarah Dessen. It follows the story of Halley and Scarlett and the trials and tribulations of their junior year in high school. From Halley's first love to Scarlett's surprise pregnancy, this year will be one to remember!

I have read this novel several times now, and I love it more every time. The one thing that changes, however, is that the older I get, the more insufferable I believe Mason, Halley's boyfriend, to be. He gets under my skin more and more, but it always leaves me rooting more for Halley than I did the last time I read the novel.

I'd definitely recommend this to teen girls who want something to read that is neither preachy nor age inappropriate. I'd also recommend it to twentysomethings like myself who enjoy light, fluffy reads they can breeze through at the pool or on a cold evening at home. Four stars.

That Summer:

I love Sarah Dessen, I do. But That Summer is dull, dull, dull! Luckily, this is only her first book, and as someone who has read some of her other works, she definitely gets better from here!

This novel is very short and is more an exploration of Haven experiencing events that really force her to grow up. I can see why this was smushed together with Someone Like You because this couldn't have stood alone as a movie. There just isn't enough action or drama in this one. It's over too fast and doesn't really dive deep enough to justify its own film or, in my opinion, more than two stars.

I'd definitely just recommend this one for Sarah Dessen fans who want to read her whole body of work. If you are looking for a really quick, mindless summer read, this could also work well. If you are looking for a bit more substance, I'd pick up one of her other books instead. It's not a bad novel, it is just not as good as everything else she has written. I'd skip it and go for something else if you aren't a hardcore Dessen fan! ( )

How to Deal
By: Alison Janney
Fiction

The main characters in How To Deal would be Halley, Scarlett, and Macon. Halley is the main character when she was little she was always very shy, always known for the “good girl”, her best friend is Scarlett they’ve been friends since they were little. One Summer Halley got out her shell she started focusing more on boys and things teenagers would, this cause many conflicts with her mother. That summer Scarlett’s boyfriend dies, and it was a horrible tragedy. Halley was there for her as much as she could be... Scarlett was pregnant. The outcome of Michael Sherwood (Scarlett’s Boyfriend) lead Halley to meet Macon, Macon was Michael’s best friend and became Halley’s boyfriend. Macon was very different from Halley, so she tried to blend in with him. On New Years Eve she wanted to spend time with him, but her mother wasn’t permitting it, that leads her to sneak around. Macon and Halley went to a party there she was under the pressure to smoke, drink, and to have sex. But she didn’t have intercourse with Macon instead she felt sick and ran out. Macon was taking her home driving recklessly and a car hits on Halley’s Side. She ends up in the hospital, with out Macon by her side, Scarlett was there and her parents very upset. She didn’t see Macon for a couple of weeks she grew to have a strong hatred feeling toward him. Once he starts coming around she ignores him and finally blows him off, for leaving her alone instead of being there for her.
I would recommend this book, because some problems Halley and Scarlett face are things most teenagers well face with boys, party, and pee pressure. I had fun reading this book, and every single time I read I got more excited to see the movie. ( )

http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/jan08.html#dessensly ( )

2 stories- relatable /someone like you. feels unfinished
That Summer-how a family deals with re-marriage ( )