Just Listen

This book.It’s not your typical romance or YA but you must read it.Annabel is extremely passive heroin through most of the book but she’s exceptionally relatableOwen isn’t the typical Prince Charming and even a bit annoying. His not even that important in the book, but his lack of sparkleContribute so much more to the main plot.It describes perfectly well Relationships without Hollywood endings but leaves so much room for hope and comfort.

How many white lies do you tell in a day? And why do you feel you need to lie to your friends, your family? Why say "I'm fine" when your really breaking apart inside? This is what this book addresses.Annabel is a girl who's stuck in the middle. She has a terrible secret which she desperately needs to tell, but she doesn't know how to. When her sister gets anorexic, Annabel needs to be the strong one. She needs to continue doing something she's beginning to despise to keep her mother happy and from falling apart. But Annabel realises that she is the one that is threatening to fall apart.When something terrible happens, she becomes an outcast at school. She's the hot topic among everyone around her, and those she thought she could trust are the ones running the rumour mill.But when Annabel starts talking to Owen, a music-obsessed, completely honest outcast like herself, Annabel begins to see the light. Don't think or judge, just listen. And Owen slowly but surely helps Annabel confront her fears and face the light, holding her hand along the way.This is a very sweet, very light read. If you're looking for something to read that isn't part of a series and doesn't have any complicated plot or characters, this is the book to read. however I would recommend it to a younger age, maybe 13-14-15, as I did find that it was a little too young for me (19), but again, it was something I still enjoyed.

Sarah Dessen has done it again. She has created a world of realistic characters in a genre where often times the protagonists are silly, vapid, and vain. As an English teacher of middle school students I constantly recommend Dessen's books to my female students because she writes such strong women. From Keeping the Moon to The Truth About Forever to Just Listen Dessen has not missed a step. Her characters have depth, they grow, and are sincere. She also creates solid secondary characters.In Just Listen, the heroine, Annabel has a hard time telling the truth. Or more correctly, she has a hard time telling everyone around her, including her family and herself, how she feels. She holds tight to some dark secrets and puts her life on hold while her family deals with her mother's depression and her sister's bout with anorexia. Annabel, like many young women of today, feels that to make everyone happy she needs to keep her mouth shut. She loses herself in the noise of the every day world.It isn't until she meets Owen, a loner like herself, that she is finally able to stop, and just listen...finally to herself and her inner voice.

The first Dessen book I read was about four years ago (in high school) when I picked up The Truth About Forever. It instantly became my favorite book of all time. However, I didn't feel like picking up another Dessen book because they were all about teenagers in high school and I already started reading more "mature" books about 20-30 year olds that just seemed more interesting than reading about teen angst and insecurity issues. Now, four years later, I'm in college, and I've decided to put this book on my summer reading list. Let me just say, I am so glad I did because it certainly touched me in more ways than one. I didn't think I would even enjoy it as much because it's a bit weird reading about people who are at younger stages than you in their lives (there's a lot of revisiting familiar feelings when your hormones are at its craziest). However, I will admit that it didn't "wow" me as much as The Truth About Forever. There are some parts of the book that dragged on a little bit longer than it should have, and unfortunately I also have to admit that there were points in the story when I became annoyed with the main character (which is the worst thing that can happen in my book). But overall, it was a good book, and I would definitely recommend it if asked. (BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER FIRST! AND YOU WOULDNT EVEN HAVE TO ASK!! SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!)

Sarah dessen is a great author. Every single book I read is amazing. This one especially was amazing. I did not expect anything

There are some books aimed at teenagers which can be enjoyed by adults, this isn't one of them. I really wanted to read Laurie Halse Anderson's 'Speak' (which sadly doesn't seem to be available on kindle) and settled for this one instead which turned out to be a very poor substitute. Dessen doesn't have a fraction of LHA's talent and the book is dull and pedestrian. I had very little sympathy with Annabel the heroine who is utterly ineffectual and seems to be reduced to the position of a spectator to her own life. She let's a longstanding friendship lapse when she gets friendly with a bossy more fashionable girl and later when she is accused of betraying this second friendship she hasn't got the gumption to speak up and defend herself (more of this in comments). Too much of the story is devoted to her budding relationship with an 'outsider' boy who actually sounds like the hottest boy in school who should have been the focus of intense female competition and the trajectory of this storyline is predictable to say the least. With all the problems in the world are we supposed to fret that this rich pretty girl wants to quit modelling and doesn't know how to tell her mom? (who actually seems pretty gormless since her obsession with this profession has already driven one daughter to anorexia). The expression 'first world problems' hardly seems o cover it …

To begin with I honestly thought that I would not enjoy this book, something seemed a little lacking in the first few pages and normally I’m totally intrigued within the first page. However after a moment and deciding to push forwards, I found myself smiling at one moment and bawling it in the next. It’s approach to many serious and gut-wrenching topics were perfectly thought out, from the sisters eating disorder to her own sexual abuse, it does not skip out on the importance of these two things. The relationship she builds with not only Owen but herself, is really inspiring, she finally let herself know that it’s ok to let people in, that it’s ok not to be ok. It felt as though she thought she had to hold herself together for her family, whilst in reality, she had to do it for her, to make life “normal”.Written with deep understanding, the narrative engages and entrap the audience with its knowledge and acceptance of abuse and depicts how life really is for someone who has been assulted. It’s not easy, you can’t just make it go away and this story proves that whilst you may try to ignore it, it will always be with you unless you make the choice, the choice to stand and to fight and to be freed from what has happened. Not matter what, no matter who says you’re pathetic or weak, just remember you are doing it for you, just remember you are strong. You are STRONG.

I read this book the first time when I was 15. I think I was too young then and whilst the impact of the book and the lessons in it, I knew were important, now reading as an adult I realise that, like the main character, I did not fully understand what was going on. Now, I can safely say that whilst harrowing and a difficult read at times, this book is brilliant. An all-time favourite.

This is, and always will be, not only my favorite Sarah Dessen book but one of my favorite books of all time (despite being 12 the first time I read it and now being 20). This is one of those books, along with Looking for Alaska, that will stick with you after you finish it and for me it is something I will always come back to because I adore it. The story is light but at the same time grounded in a darker reality, making it a far more realistic story of life than some other YA books, and the characters are dynamic. There is no struggle getting in to this book, and it is really just a great read.

Just wasn't for me, fell a little flat all the time I couldn't remember what I had read in the last chapter and that shows I didn't enjoy it. But its had 4.5 stars so don't let my review stop you from buying/reading it, it just wasn't for me and I personally didn't enjoy this.