Just Listen

Title: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Pages: 371

YA/ Coming of age book

Basic Rating: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Setting: 3/5

Characters: 3/5 1/2

Cover: 2/5 1/2 (meaning i thought it was a good cover)

My Copy: Paper back

My Recommendation: For fans of Sarah Dessen and a story with a lot of meaning and heart.

My Thoughts: I am very much impressed. This is my second Sarah Dessen book (the first i didn't like honestly) and this is my second try at reading this book. The first time i just couldn't Finnish it, i didn't like it and i couldn't get into it. And i think at the time i wasn't ready for it. It was a little out of my depth at that moment in my life. But anyways, i am so glad that i got myself to read it again. ( i wanted to try it again because i wanted to read Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key afterwards.) I recommend this book very much. Well i will start here, i really liked how it was written. The writing style is great and how the character Annabel is described through her narrating of it is great and addicting. Annabel as a character was greatly flawed, but you just had to like her. She did many things that would just make you want to scream- "Don't Do it!" or "Do it! Please!" But i really appreciate the human factor to her and the honesty of her personality. She didn't irritate me and i loved that. She was just really well made. Owen when i first tried to read this book came off to me as just a loser. But when i read it again this time i understood more of his character and got drawn into his intense nature making him one of my favorites. I really love him and just to clear things up - i don't think he is a loser. The other characters were also great and i really like them all. They were all real and believably human. The whole characters and story really was full of expression. It was sad and emotional, it was happy and bright, and it was in the middle. So many feelings spread out through this book. I learned a lot from this book, not only some facts on life that make a good point, but also how to write a good story. I give it a I LOVED IT!, because of all the things i stated above. I am just really glad (and enthused) that i finally read it. I'm grateful i gave it another chance.

Plot: Annabel Greene is the girl who has everything. At least, that's what she portrays in her modeling shoots. But Annabel's life is far from perfect. Her friendship with Sophie ended bitterly, and her older sister's eating disorder is weighing down the entire family. Isolated and ostracized at school and at home, Annabel retreats into silent acceptance. Then she meets - Owen - intense, music-obsessed, and determined to always tell the truth. And with his guidance, Annabel learns to just listen to herself and gains the courage to speak honestly. But will she be able to tell everyone what really happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends?

A Critic - Bostan

Open Book: Just -

Open Book: Painting a smile with beautiful words and ideas. This is a bit late but i had to share these quotes. Unbelievably i found a lot in this book. It was like it was overflowing with nice words that came of easy to the ears. These are the ones that i really loved.

Title: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Page: 12

Annabel talking-

"If you could just be nice, then you wouldn't have to worry about arguments at all. But being nice wasn't as easy as it seemed, especially when the rest of the world could be so mean."

Page: 64

Annabel Talking-

"I was beginning to see, though, that the unknown wasn't always the greatest thing to fear. The people who know you the best can be riskier, because the words they say and the things they think have the potential to be not only scary but true, as well."

Page: 96

By: Owen Armstrong -

"music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common."

Pg 96-97

By: Owen Armstrong-

"Plus there's the fact," he went on, making it clear he didn't need me to reply anyway, "that music is a total constant. That's why we have such a strong visceral connection to it, you know? Because a song can take you back instantly to a moment, or a place, or even a person. No matter what else has changed in you or the world, that one song stays the same, just like that moment. Which is pretty amazing, when you actually think about it."

Pg 104

By: Owen Armstrong-

"But i think you should be responsible about what you're putting out there for people to hear. If it can be pollution or art, why wouldn't you choose art?"

Pg 338

By: Dad-

"If you don't pay attention to the past, you'll never understand the future. It's all linked together."

Thanks Bostan!

Yet To Read! The Education of Bet

Yet To read: Is about a book that i have not read before but i seriously can't wait to. This Book description is from Amazon.com and i can't wait to read it. I'm looking out for it.

Check it out!

Title: The Education of Bet

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

List Price: $16.00 Amazon online price : $10.80

Young Adult/ Period Fiction Piece

To Be released on: (July 12, 2010)

Plot:

When Will and Bet were four, tragic circumstances brought them to the same house, to be raised by a wealthy gentleman as brother and sister. Now sixteen, they’ve both enjoyed a privileged upbringing thus far. But not all is well in their household. Because she’s a girl, Bet’s world is contained within the walls of their grand home, her education limited to the rudiments of reading, writing, arithmetic, and sewing. Will’s world is much larger. He is allowed—forced, in his case—to go to school. Neither is happy.

So Bet comes up with a plan and persuades Will to give it a try: They’ll switch places. She’ll go to school as Will. Will can live as he chooses. But once Bet gets to school, she soon realizes living as a boy is going to be much more difficult than she imagined.

Why? Well it just sounded really interesting and a good read for me personally. I am looking forward to it.

To the Right ->

Just a little note, don't forget i have a poll to the right of this page. Vote on it if you like, i would appreciate it a lot. I haven't had a poll for a while now and i thought it was time for one.

Thanks BOstan!



The Question is : "What is your favorite Johnny Depp and Tim Burton Movie?"

Lost episode 8 " Ab Aeterno"

I thought this was a great episode. I really thought it did answer some questions i had about Richard. I never would have thought that was what happened to him. Very surprised. And Oh my! That's how the boat got there. Very funny. Well it felt a little shorter this week or maybe it just went by fast. That might be more logical. Well i can't wait for next week's episode and i am looking for more answers!
BOstan :)