Readalong: Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas

To borrow a phrase from the incomparable Georgia Nicolson, erlack a pongoes! (Seriously, she does say this but I have no idea why.) I apparently forgot how to read calendars and confirm when I'm to have certain books read by. I'm a couple days late posting about Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas, the third book in the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison and the third book in The Paper Trail Diary's Readalong.

Here's the synopsis for the third book:

Georgia Nicolson is now the girlfriend of the Sex God (aka Robbie), and things are wonderful. Except her loony parents are dragging her off to Och Aye land (aka Scotland), and the Sex God's band's chance at a record contract has left her something of a "pop widow."
Then up rears temptation in the form of old flame Dave the Laugh. Is Georgia about to become a shameless vixen? 

I've been reading these books really quickly (like...under 2 hours quickly) and I hadn't thought much of that before today. I finished Nunga-Nungas after one lunch break (30 minutes) and one workout (40 minutes on cardio aka reading machines). I'm a fast reader to begin with and these books aren't very long (under 200 pages) but that's still especially quick for a YA novel. I don't read a ton of current YA but I still think the books I do pick up are taking me longer to read and I'm not sure why. Am I reading these ones quicker because I've already read them? (Albeit 10+ years ago.) Or are they just not as deep as new YA books? I'm leaning towards the latter because, honestly, not a ton happened in this book. I'm all for quick, easy, fun reads but I don't think these books would thrill today's YA readers somehow.

Just like with the second book, I had to try really hard to remember that I was once 14 and ridiculous. I was probably unintentionally cruel to my parents and friends. But that doesn't make it easier to read. I struggle with how Georgia treats Jas, her best friend. Take this exchange for example. Jas has just told Georgia something about Tom, Jas' boyfriend:

"I nearly said, 'Who cares.' But you have to be careful with Jas because she can turn nasty if she thinks you are not interested in her." (page 26)

What Jas told her isn't particularly thrilling, I'll give you that, but I feel like a best friend shouldn't respond with "who cares" when you're talking about something of importance to you.

There were a few funny moments in this book (I was actually laughing out loud when on the bike at the gym...which got me a few weird stares). One of my all time favourite lines in the series finally showed up in this book, courtesy of, of course, Dave the Laugh. Instead of goodbye, he says, "I'm away laughing on a fast camel." My friends and I used that saying for ages after we read these books. It pretty much makes zero sense but I still love it.

I will say that I completely understand Georgia's struggle with Robbie aka the Sex God vs Dave the Laugh. Teenage girls (well...many females at any age) tend to be drawn to the popular boys - whether it's a musician like Robbie, the captain of the football team, or maybe the bad boy - even though he's not right. Georgia isn't the first girl to swoon over a good looking boy and want to date him based solely on his looks. She realizes that she acts like a bit of a loon around Robbie sometimes, but not around Dave, but, like most 15 year old girls (er...is she 15 yet? I can't remember), she doesn't realize why that matters. Snippets of maturity and self-realization are evident and it's those snippets that make me want to keep reading.

We have to talk about the whole touching of Georgia's nunga-nungas (aka basoomas aka breasts). Jess (of The Paper Trail Diary) also mentioned it in her review (read it here), and includes the full exchange between Jas and Georgia that had me cringing. Basically, a boy in Scotland (where Georgia was vacationing with her family) randomly fondled Georgia's breast. She didn't ask for it - had barely talked to the boy in question, to be honest - and despite what Jas implies, she isn't putting out any signals that makes it seem like this kind of touching would be welcome. Later in the book, Mark, a boy she dated awhile back who also touched her without her permission, makes a comment about the size of Georgia's breasts in front of his friends. I don't think I would have thought anything of this when I first read this book (likely because I had no basoomas to speak of at 15) but now? Now I feel gross reading it. (Jess used the same word and it's just the best way to describe it.) Unwanted touching and slut shaming are still things we deal with (ugh...why?) but I think (hope like hell) the conversation around these things is changing. I hope.

Overall, my thoughts on Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas are pretty mediocre. I don't love how Rennison approached a lot of things (can she stop implying being a lesbian is wrong or a reason to make fun of someone?) but I find I'm curious to see how things might change by the end of the series. Would I be as committed to finishing this readalong if the books weren't so quick and easy to read? I'm not sure. Reading time is a valuable commodity for a book blogger but curiosity is winning over the general ugh feelings I have with certain things in the books. We'll see what happens after we read Dancing in My Nuddy Pants for May 24.

Review of book one, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging.

Review of book two, On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God.

Readalong: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging

Last month the book world lost another author, Louise Rennison, the woman behind the fabulous Georgia Nicolson novels. These books were absolute favourites of mine when I was a teenager and I was so upset to hear of her death. I wasn't the only one. Jessica of The Paper Trail Diary, a friend and fellow blogger, decided we needed to reread the books in honour of Rennison. (Read more on the readalong here.) It's been years since I've read them and I never did finish the series. Book ten was published in, I think, 2009 which was when I was graduating university and not reading much YA. So, while I was sad to hear Rennison had died, I was happy to have the chance to reread her books. The goal of the readalong is to read one book every three weeks and we're discussing them on social media using #GeorgiaNicolsonReadalong, on our personal blogs, and on Goodreads in a special group.

For those of you who have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, here's the synopsis of the first book in the Georgia Nicolson series, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging:

There are six things very wrong with my life:
1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.
2. It is on my nose
3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.
4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.
5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.
6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.
In this wildly funny journal of a year in the life of Georgia Nicolson, British author Louise Rennison has perfectly captured the soaring joys and bottomless angst of being a teenager. In the spirit of Bridget Jones's Diary, this fresh, irreverent, and simply hilarious book will leave you laughing out loud. As Georgia would say, it's "Fabbity fab fab!"

I first read book number one when I was 13 or so. I don't remember exactly how I came across the books, but I did, and my best friend, her sister, and I devoured it and the rest of the books as they were published. I remember finding it hilarious at 13 and wondered if 28-almost-29 year old me would find it just as funny. Yep. I did. Of course, it was a little difficult getting into the mindset of a 14 year old again but I got there. I did kind of laugh when Georgia referred to her parents as "The Olds" because I totally would have agreed with her then but my view of my mom and step-dad is completely different now!

For the most part, I thought the story held up pretty well, considering it was first published in 1999. Teenagers really aren't that different no matter when they were growing up. I did notice, however, some issues that wouldn't fly with some teen girls today who are aware of feminist/gender issues. At one point Georgia talks about how embarrassing it is to have a dad who's emotional instead of handy. "Instead of DIY he talks about feelings and stuff. Why can't he be a real dad? It's so pathetic in a grown man." (page 17) I really hope that teen girls (and boys) these days realize that being a "real man" involves more than swinging a hammer and providing for his family. The other passage that made me cringe involved Georgia and her friend Jas walking up and down the main street in short skirts to see how many cars would honk. Teenage girls of today: Please do not do this. Wear the skirt because you like it, not because you want boys to stare at you.

The books are written in diary format so it makes it so easy to read. I blew through the first book in one day (I probably could have easily finished it in one sitting had I not had my sister staying with me for the weekend). I found myself giggling out loud and remembering how much fun it was to first read the book and talk about it with my friends. I don't think I had read many books by English authors before that point, certainly none with contemporary characters talking just like they would in England. (Let's not get into how certain books become Americanized.) I loved it because it exposed a whole new world to me - and a new vocabulary.

I know this is a pretty short review of Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging but I always find it hard to review a book I'm doing a reread of. Plus, it's 11pm on the night before I'm posting this and I'm exhausted! Coming up next for the Georgia Nicholson readalong is book two: On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God (these titles just kill me). We'll be discussing it on April 12, along with the film version of Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging (which, if you can believe it, I've never seen) (Also, why did they have to change "full-frontal" to "perfect"? Ugh.). I can't wait! Now, I'm away laughing on a fast camel (you'll get that reference in a few books!).

RIP Louise. We'll miss you.

Top Ten Tuesday: Let's Talk About Rereading

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

Last year I reread all of Sarah Dessen's novels. This year I reread the entire Harry Potter series. These are two of the best reading decisions I've made over the past couple of years. There's something awesome about going back and rereading an old favourite. Especially when it's part of a series and you can catch some of the references you didn't realize were important the first time around. Rereading is also great when you're much older than you were when you first read the book. Of course, as a blogger, I don't have a ton of spare reading time to reread books. There are so many new ones to get to (so many!) that it's hard to find the time to read something I've read before. If I had the time, the following books/series are ones that I would love to reread. What book(s) would you like to reread? Links lead to Goodreads.

Anne of Green Gables series - L.M. Montgomery
It's been ages since I've read this series and I have been wanting to reread it for the past few years. Perhaps a reason to buy new copies with gorgeous new covers?

Chronicles of Narnia series - C.S. Lewis
Technically, it'd only be a reread of the first three (or four if you put The Magician's Nephew at #1 though it was published as #6) as I've never finished this series. So clearly I need to get on this.

Something Borrowed/Something Blue - Emily Giffin
I've been wanting to reread these ones ever since the movie came out but just haven't found the time. I'm hoping I can before Something Blue is released! (Still no date on that...no IMDd page yet!)

Anna and the French Kiss/Lola and the Boy Next Door/Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins
I only just finished reading Isla a week or so ago and I already want to read them all again. I think it'd be great to read them back to back to back because I'd like to find all the little clues that will be sprinkled throughout. Again, this is an excuse to buy the pretty books...

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
I always say that I love Austen but I really want to reread her most popular novel. It's been awhile and I sometimes wonder if I'm unintentionally lying when I say that I love it!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series - Ann Brashares
I adored this series and I always think that it'd be nice to reread all five books again.

Jessica Darling series - Megan McCafferty
This was another favourite in high school and I really want to see what I think of it now, as more than ten years have passed since I read the first book.

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
This novel isn't on this list because I loved it. It's on here because I was in grade ten when I read it and I don't think I fully understood it. It's been on my mind ever since the movie was released. How much of the story did I really grasp at 15?

Little House series - Laura Ingalls Wilder
I devoured everything Laura Ingalls Wilder when I was younger (except the TV show...surprisingly, I don't think I've ever seen a full episode of the show). I still own the box set and I want to remind myself of Laura's story. And then dive into some more biographical books!

The Hunger Games series - Suzanne Collins
With the second last movie coming out, I've realized that the details of Mockingjay are fuzzy and I'd like to remind myself what actually happened in the book.

Reread: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I knew it was just a matter of time...I finally fell behind on the HP reread challenge! I'd like to blame it totally on the fact that I started a new job but, once again, I left the reading to the last minute. And that's a problem now as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire marks the start of some seriously chunky books. For more info about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post. Check out Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread if you want to follow along with us. A reminder: if you haven't read this book, or even finished the whole series, please beware of spoilers. If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books!

I know I've said it with almost all the other books, but I was looking forward to rereading book four. This book marks a turning point in the series...in a couple of ways. I know a few people who gave up reading the books once they realized how big this one was (why, people, why?). I also know that a lot of parents were worried about the violence and incredibly dark turn this novel takes. Sure, the rest of the novels are heavy and contain deaths of major characters in each of the upcoming books but...those things are necessary to tell the story properly. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I found it interesting, this time around, to notice all the teeny little hints that Rowling gave throughout this book (ok, fine, I've said that before too). But, in the case of this book, a lot of those hints actually had meaning for this particular novel instead of the series as a whole. Sometimes it was just foreshadowing or mentioning something casually that would come up again later. For example, when Harry was at The Burrow, he saw a likeness of Amos Diggory's head in the fireplace (think of it as a magical Skype). He uses that same method of communicating to talk with Sirius later on. A Portkey is used to get to the Quidditch World Cup and a Portkey is what gets Harry to Voldemort at the end of the book. Mrs. Weasley uses a Summoning Charm to get all of the cursed candies Fred and George are trying to smuggle into Hogwarts. Harry uses a Summoning Charm in the first task against the Hungarian Horntail. You see what I mean? It was nice to reread this one and notice all of those little hints throughout. You may think that would take away from the story, reading the hints and actually knowing their significance, but it doesn't!

I had said way back when I read Philosopher's Stone that I wanted to read each book in as few sittings as I could. That didn't happen with Goblet. All of a sudden the last weekend of the month was finished and I still hadn't cracked open the book. So, what resulted was reading the novel in bits and pieces over five days. Not ideal at all. I have a feeling that took away some of my enjoyment of the novel, which is too bad. To avoid this happening again I just have to make a conscious effort to set aside time during a weekend to read the next books. 

Back to the darkness. The first major death happens in this book. And, to make it even more sad, it's a student - Cedric Diggory. I was surprised when I found myself tearing up when I read the scenes when Cedric dies and then when Dumbledore honours him at the Leaving Feast. Even though I knew it was coming, it still hit me hard. Not only does this mark the beginning of many painful deaths, but it also is the beginning of Voldemort's second rise to power. Pardon my French, but that's some scary shit. And the worst and most frustrating part of it all is that the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, doesn't believe Harry or trust Dumbledore's word. Well. Won't he be sorry. 

A couple of other themes (along with the darkness) begin in this book that carry on throughout the rest of the series. First, we finally see how jealous Ron is of Harry (and rightfully so). He thinks Harry put his name in the Goblet because he was looking for more attention. Sure, that seems silly but imagine that you're the best friend of someone super popular, always getting overlooked...oh, and that you're one of many siblings and your family is very poor. You can kind of see where Ron was coming from, right? I hated reading the part where the two boys are fighting and I couldn't help but think of the last book and how a fight almost ruins their friendship forever. In this book we also get a glimpse of a not so heroic part of Harry's personality. A lot of people could tell you that Harry is a whiny, self-absorbed teen and that they don't understand why he's such a beloved character. I'm not one of those people. I can appreciate a flawed hero, even if he is a tad annoying at times (he's quite young in these books, remember). But, I found one of "Moody's" lines to be interesting. He (and by he I mean Barty Crouch Jr. as Moody) says, after wondering why Harry didn't ask everyone he knew for help with the second task, "you have a streak of pride and independence that might have ruined all." (page 588) I'm going to keep an eye on this as I read the rest of the books to see how often that part of his personality is mentioned. Finally, and more happily, this is the first book where we see a bit of an attraction between Ron and Hermione. Well, at least, Ron realizes that Hermione is a girl and has some jealousy that he doesn't know what to do with (again, they're fourteen!). 

How is it that I always manage to write more than I intend to? Amazing. I wish I could include all of the page shots I took of scenes and lines I liked but there are just too many. What I will do is include, once again, my Storify link for this edition of the #HPreread. Next...er...this month's read, Order of the Phoenix, should be a good one. I remember not really enjoying it the first time around so we'll see what I think of it this time!

Rereading Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility

Last year I decided I wanted to read, or reread, all of Jane Austen's novels. I knew it would be a massive undertaking but I wanted to do it. You can read all about that in my post about the reread-a-long here. January flew by and I thought, "That's ok, I have all of February to read the first book." Well, February seemed to disappear too and before I knew it it was the 22nd and I still hadn't picked up Sense and Sensibility. Uh oh! I got it done though, in four days, and finally have my thoughts to share with you all!

The one thing I knew going into this challenge was that these books were not going to be easy to read. They were going to take away time that could be devoted to other review books and they would take me awhile to get through. Don't get me wrong, I still love Austen but the way she writes is much different than today's authors. Mostly it's a language thing. Of course books from the 1800s would be written differently than a book in the 2000s. So, sometimes there was a bit of translation, shall we say, that needed to be done before it could totally make sense in my head.

Once you get past the language, though, there's also the way the story is told. People may think Austen is a romantic but there's not really a lot of romance in her stories. In fact, in Sense and Sensibility, we don't even get to read about the actual engagement between (er...spoiler alert) Edward and Elinor. He came to the cottage with the mind to propose and this is how Austen shares it with us:

"How soon he had walked himself into the proper resolution, however, how soon an opportunity of exercising it occurred, in what manner he expressed himself, and how he was received, need not be particularly told. This only need be said; - that when they all sat down to table at four o'clock, about three hours after his arrival, he had secured his lady, engaged her mother's consent, and was not only in the rapturous profession of a lover, but in the reality of reason and truth, one of the happiest of men."
- page 348

There is a sweetness there, knowing that Edward is "one of the happiest of men" but would any author writing a similar story (think women's fiction) get away with not writing the actual engagement of her main characters? Interesting to note how things have changed and how Austen approaches these romantic matters.

One of the other things I knew I'd have to deal with during this challenge is separating the original novel from all other adaptations and retellings. When I was reading this book I couldn't get the 1995 Sense and Sensibility movie out of my head. Elinor was Emma Thompson, Edward was Hugh Grant, Marianne was Kate Winslet, Colonel Brandon was Alan Rickman, and Mr. Palmer was Hugh Laurie. I'll write a post (or two) about adaptations later on in the year (especially since I found my fourth year film essay that talked all about Austen adaptations) but I had to briefly touch on it in this post because the movie was all I could think about when reading this book. And that kind of frustrated me. Is that silly? I've seen the movie more than I've read the book so I suppose it makes sense but as a book lover I would rather have the books at the front of my mind when I'm rereading. Final note about the adaptation aspect: I couldn't get over the age difference between the characters in the book versus the actors' ages in the movie. I know why it had to be done but there were some massive gaps. For example, Mrs. Jennings is assumed to be about 50 (if that). The actress who played her, the late Elizabeth Spriggs, was 68 when the movie was released.

The cover of my edition.

So what did I actually think about the story this time around? Well...I didn't adore it, which I had a feeling would happen. I wasn't in love with Elinor or Marianne so their stories were not as interesting as, say, the Bennet's. I did like reading about how Elinor had to be the responsible one in the family after their father passed away. That sounds sort of odd, doesn't it? I didn't like that she had to look after every little thing but it was interesting to see how she dealt with the issues as an unmarried woman in the 1800s. Marianne was much too flighty and emotional for my taste (she would translate well to a contemporary YA novel, I think!) but I found myself hurting when she was (curse you, Willoughby!) and wished the pages would somehow change and she'd realize earlier on that Brandon was the man for her.

Fun fact: had my bunny been a boy I would have named her Willoughby, I think! But, she is a girl and I named her Tonks instead :)

I probably haven't added much to your overall opinion or knowledge of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility but I wanted to keep you all updated on my challenge progress. So far it's been a good experiment and I'm really looking forward to next month's reread, Pride and Prejudice. This is the Austen novel that a lot of people say is their favourite, myself included, but I'm interested to see if my reread holds up against the story I have in my head (thanks to those movie adaptations). I also wonder if Persuasion, will take over as favourite by the end of the year! Stay tuned for my next challenge "review" in April. I'll also likely have another fun Austen post later this month.

Happy reading :)

Reread: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

A few months ago a bunch of Toronto area bloggers got together for an event and they got to talking about how they all wanted to do a reread of the Harry Potter series. It turns out there are a lot of people who want to revisit the world J.K Rowling created! Michele of Just a Lil' Lost put together a sign up post and opened it up to other readers and bloggers. As of mid-January there were 25 people signed up, which is pretty cool. It's a very casual readalong as you can read at your own pace as there aren't any prompts or anything. We're all staying connected by posting on Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread. The goal is to read a book a month. My goal is to put up some sort of post after every reread but I haven't really decided how each month will look. Some may be longer than others and some may be more rambling. They definitely won't be "true" reviews because, hello, almost everyone has read these books. Though I'd recommend not reading each post unless you've read the entire series. It's all up in the air at this point so we'll see how the year goes! First up, my thoughts on my reread of book number one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Before starting the book I was trying to remember how old I was when I first came across Harry Potter. I know I was still in elementary school and I'm 95% certain only the first three books were released. A friend of the family, who had a daughter the same age as my younger sister, told my mom about these awesome magical books and said we had to read them too. I am so thankful for that recommendation! Goodreads tells me that Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire were both released in 1999 so that must have been the year we read them meaning my sister was 9 and I was 12. So, assuming that's correct, Harry Potter has been part of my life for about fifteen years. That's over half my life. Kind of crazy, no?

I wasn't sure what to expect with this reread. It's been a long time since I've reread all the books (at least four years but probably closer to five or even six) and I wondered if the magic would still be there for me. I knew exactly what was going to happen after all (the last time I reread them the final book had yet to be released). On a Saturday morning I settled myself on my couch, under a blanket and with a cup of tea, and found that I was amazed at how happy it made me to be rereading a favourite book. I had been having a crap week and everything seemed better after I started reading. Amazing what books can do, isn't it?

I was really looking forward to seeing what I had missed the first few times I read the series. Rowling does such an awesome job of hiding seemingly innocent details in the story that you don't realize until later how extremely important they are. The jinxed broom during the Quidditch match and the Mirror of Erised are important parts of this story and I liked rereading those scenes to see what I missed the very first time I read the book. I also found the detention scene very interesting. Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Neville have to go into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid and Fang and at one point Hagrid says, "There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang." (page 183) Is that a bit of foreshadowing, particularly with the spiders in Chamber? I had also forgotten that Hagrid gives Harry a photo album full of pictures of his family but I did consciously notice this time around that Harry had never seen his parents until he looked in the Mirror of Erised. I can't imagine what that would have been like. Something else that I had never noticed before was this exchange between Dumbledore and Harry at the end of the book when Harry is recovering from meeting Voldemort. Harry asks why Voldemort would want to kill him and this is Dumbledore's reply, "Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day...put it from our mind for now, Harry. When you are older...I know you hate to hear this...when you are ready, you will know." (page 216) Had anyone else recalled that exchange? It takes so long for Harry to finally realize the reason Voldemort wants him dead that I didn't think about what Dumbledore told him in the first book.

One of the interesting and sort of unimportant things I noted included the realization that Lily, Harry's mother, and Petunia, his aunt, are both named after flowers. I also found myself wondering what it would have been like had there been a magical sort of Google available to the students. You know how much easier it would have been for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to find Nicholas Flamel if they were just able to pop it into a search engine? Actually, now that I think about it, I bet that sort of thing would have been banned from the school and students would still be made to use the library!

Next, let's talk about the feelings. I found myself getting increasingly excited as Harry received his first letter, went off to Diagon Alley (love love love that part of the book), and finally traveled to Hogwarts. I love that we learn about the magical world right along with Harry and I wonder if that's what makes it so easy to relate to. This boy is also learning all these new things like we are but he's accepting them so we should too. Interesting thought. I was filled with mixed emotions whenever Draco showed up because, while he's a horrible boy in the first books, he eventually comes into his own, in a positive way, in the very end. Same goes for Snape. I really liked reading the parts with him because of what we learn at the end of the series. I was also reminded how much I love the chess scene near the end of the story. Ron has always been my favourite and I realized how important this scene is in setting the stage for his and Harry's friendship. He takes control of the giant chess game and Harry allows that because he realizes he can't do it alone (sure, he struggles with that eventually but let's not worry about that now). The same goes for Hermione and the potions but for some reason the chess scene stands out more for me. Finally, and most importantly, I got goosebumps during Dumbledore's end of year speech as he awarded Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville points and explained why he was doing so. I was surprised by that because I knew what was coming but I was still completely affected by it.

I tweeted 15 times while doing the reread. I liked this because I know I would like to read tweets from people as they reread Harry Potter and it allows others doing the reread know that I'm working my way through the book. On the other hand, it took away from the solid reading time I had set aside. Every once and awhile I would stop, pick up my phone, tweet something funny/interesting/emotional and then go back to reading again. It sort of took me out of the story too much and I wonder if I'll tweet as much as I read the other novels. I used Storify to create a compilation of all my #HPreread tweets so use this link to check 'em all out if you missed them the first time around.

The Harry Potter movies have become such a huge part of the whole universe Rowling created and I found it hard to remember how I pictured the characters when I first read the books. All I see and hear in my head now are the actors' faces and voices. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but it reminds me why I love reading so much. I love being able to create my own little picture of the characters and world in my head.

Finally, I realized what I love about this series, and the first book in particular. It's the world building Rowling does. I adore the magical world of Harry Potter and I'm able to really understand what's in it because of the way Rowling writes. She has every little bit of information about the world - even if it's not in the book - so we, the reader, know why things are the way they are, like how many Knuts are in a Sickle (It's 29 for those who forgot. 17 Sickles to a Galleon). Speaking of which, can we have that Harry Potter encyclopedia already? :)

So there we have it. My thoughts and feels and reactions to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I am surprised by how much I desperately want to move onto Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets even though it's not my favourite. I'm definitely looking forward to February!

What I've learned from this month's reread and what I'll continue to do going forward:

• I'm definitely setting aside a solid chunk of uninterrupted time to read each book. Right now I'm not working so I can read it whenever I want but eventually I'll have a job (she says hopefully) and I'll only have a lot of open reading time on the weekends. These books are meant to be savoured and that means doing a lot of reading at one time.
• I really wanted to dive right into book two so I'm hoping I can restrain myself for the rest of the year. I think it'll get easier as the months go on because I'll have time to digest each book on it's own instead of reading the series as one huge book.
• I also really wanted to watch the movie right away but I'm going to wait to watch them until the end. And will probably bingewatch all eight over a weekend!

Rereading Sarah Dessen: Keeping the Moon

Another month, another I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge read! Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. October had my BFF Sandy and I rereading Keeping the Moon. This was one of Dessen's novels that I really couldn't remember much about so having the chance to reread it was great. Overall thoughts: I liked it but didn't love it but Sandy plans on recommending it to all customers at the bookstore where she works.

Synopsis:

Colie expects the worst when she's sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt Mira while her mother, queen of the television infomercial, tours Europe. Always an outcast -- first for being fat and then for being "easy" -- Colie has no friends at home and doesn't expect to find any in Colby, North Carolina. But then she lands a job at the Last Chance Cafe and meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel, best friends with a loving yet volatile relationship. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see herself in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along.

About the Story

Main  Character: Nicole "Colie" Sparks

Age: 15

School Year or Summer?: Summer.

Boy: Norman

First description of the boy: "...a guy with shoulder-length brown hair, a tie-dyed T-shirt, cutoff army shorts, and Birkenstocks. He had about a million of those Deadhead hippie bracelets on his wrist and he was wearing sunglasses with blue frames." (page 8)

Crushable?: Sort of...in a way that sneaks up on you.

Big Secret?: Not really.

Heavy Storyline?: Yes.

Parents Together?: No. Colie's never met her father.
Sibling(s)?: No.

Takes Place In: Colby.

Cameos: Definitely The Last Chance, but I'm having a hard time nailing down which novels it pops up in. I also think the big pot hole Colie's aunt Mira mentions on their road features in, I think, The Truth About Forever.

About the Book

Released: 1999

Epigraph?: No.

Format (of the copy I read): Paperback

Own?: Yes.

Signed?: No.

Read or Reread: Reread.

Age when first read: Oh boy..15? 16?

New cover vs older cover: New. The jean shorts and bare midriff are all wrong for Colie, even if the sunglasses fit in. The new one features fireworks, which play into the story.

My Thoughts
I can't quite decide what made me not love Keeping the Moon. It's still a really great story and a fabulous one for young girls because Colie's growth is so well defined and shows what can happen when you really start to believe in yourself and learn that other peoples' opinions don't really matter all that much. In a non-hokey way. Promise. There's still the depth and realness in this book that I love in Dessen's work.
Something Sandy and I have talked about before was the fact that the name of the restaurant that comes up frequently in Dessen's books has changed over the years. In this novel, it's the Last Chance Bar and Grill. At some point over the years, Dessen changed it to Last Chance Cafe and, in fact, it's changed in the synopsis and on her website on the Keeping the Moon page. Why did this happen? A simple oversight or the fact that a "bar and grill" isn't the best or most glamourous place for teens to be hanging out?
Looking back, I know I was pretty lucky in high school. I didn't have to deal with the crap that Colie did with her weight. I was actually more like Morgan as she says, "I was so skinny you could see my collarbone from a mile off. ... Plus I was ten feet taller than any of the boys. And since my mom never wanted to buy me any new clothes and I kept growing, all my skirts and pants were too short. My nickname was Highwater." (Page 133) Yep, I was that girl with the too short pants. Not because my mom wouldn't buy me clothes but because we couldn't find any that fit me. This is a problem that still haunts me today!
Anyway...even with all of the problems in her life, or perhaps because of them, Colie is a strong girl, deep down, as all Dessen's characters are - even if she doesn't realize it at first. It was so amazing watching her "become a butterfly" (if you read the book that makes sense!). I think it was even better watching her transform because she was so young. She was learning some great lessons at just fifteen and I'm confident that the last couple of years of high school will turn out ok for her (as ok as high school can be!).
For those wondering about the romance, it's there in this story but it is by no means the central story (which is true for most of Dessen's books). This story is about Colie finding herself, true, but I think the other reason the romance doesn't play a huge part is because she's only fifteen. Norman isn't your typical leading man and, as I stated earlier, his charm and personality sneak up on you and you eventually realize that he's an incredibly decent guy.
Would I still recommend Keeping the Moon even though I didn't loooove it? Absolutely. I think this is a great one for younger teens both because of the age of Colie and the overall story and themes. I liked it and I'd definitely still recommend it.

Sandy's Thoughts

Keeping the Moon is one of the first novels by Sarah Dessen that I ever read. As with every one of her novels the characters are strong and vivid. From the moment you start reading you are transported into Colie’s world and into the summer that transforms her.

We are introduced to Colie after she has changed her outward image from fat and frumpy to skinny and obscured. She is still trying to figure out who she is on the inside and how to show the world that girl. After an adolescence of shameful hiding she is used to being alone or being treated as the punch line. When she arrives in Colby she finds an aunt who is treated much the same way. She assumes that Mira is just like her, the fat girl who internalizes all of the insults thrown her way. Mira is different; she focuses on the good in her life and not the bad. She finds good in everything around her and that positive attitude begins to change the way Colie sees herself and the people around her.

After years of abuse from the stereotypical mean girls Colie is hesitant to let anyone in. This makes her apprehensive about every new person she meets even the ones who take her in at the Last Chance Café. Morgan, Isabel and Norman are all quirky in their own ways but not afraid to show their true selves to anyone who might be looking. Morgan is emotional, Isabel is bitchy and Norman is artsy. Colie makes snap judgements about all of them and is taught a valuable lesson. No one is perfect, no character or heroine in any Sarah Dessen novel is, and like all people they have flaws. It is these flaws that allow the reader to identify or sympathize with the character and cheer for them to have a happy ending. In life the flaws about a person are often what you end up liking most. (Blogger note: YES! This is exactly what I was thinking but just couldn't express.)

Sarah Dessen explores a very interesting topic in this novel. She focuses on the very real existence of girls bullying girls. Colie is mercilessly teased for no reason. No one in any of the schools she has attended takes the time to get to know her, they just judge her based on her looks. That is every teenage girl’s greatest fear. The problem is that there will always be bullies, people who believe they are better than others and use put downs and insults as a way to show it. When you grow up you learn that all that matters is what you believe about yourself. It is important not to let the negative voices be the ones telling you who you are. It takes a summer and a lot of personal discovery but Colie is eventually able to stand up to her tormentors. Every girl bully is a pro at dishing out the insults but once confronted they have no higher ground to stand on and judge. Also, the old tale about strength in numbers is valuable by today’s standards. If a bully sees that you have people who could care less about what they say about you, it takes away a lot of their power as well.

As I was reading the parts that described what Colie’s school life was like I couldn’t help wishing that she had come to my public school. New kids were so rare in our little community that everyone wanted to be friends with them, or at least get to know them, in our grade anyway. It is cruel for kids be so mean to someone, just like them, who already feels awkward and left out. I was so happy when Morgan and Isabel took her under their tutelage and showed her what is was like to have real friends. Confidence comes from having a network of support that you can count on. A group of people who believe in you and accept you the way you are is essential during all points of time. Friends are the best support group for any girl from nine to ninety.

I find Mira’s philosophy to be the perfect antidote to self-shame or misjudgements. She tells Colie that “perfect is a lot to expect from something… we all have our faults.” And “ If something doesn’t work exactly right, or maybe needs some special treatment, you don’t just throw it away…Sometimes we need to have the patience to give something the little nudge it needs.”( Page 118/119) Mira is a wise woman. Everything, everyone has a use, has a purpose and we all deserve to be seen as worthy. Tweaking is necessary to life and to appliances. But everyone has the right to be useful and feel wanted.

Keeping the Moon is a fabulous guide to gaining confidence for young girls. You can be bullied and feel like a loser because of it, but you are only what you believe. Somewhere out there is the perfect set of friends for you, the people you belong with and they know the real person you truly are. Finding them helps you to find yourself and create a bastion against the harshness of life by having people to share in life’s goodness.

Next month
We're getting near the end! November's Dessen novel is What Happened to Goodbye. I didn't love this one as much as I had expected and I'm hoping I like it more this time around.

Rereading Sarah Dessen: Someone Like You

Welcome this month's edition of the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge! Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. This month my best friend Sandy and I reread Someone Like You, Dessen's second novel. This one has a soft spot in my heart because it was the first one I read. I found it randomly while working at the library when I was in high school. I was shelf reading, thought the title sounded interesting, read it, told Sandy to read it, and a love affair was born.

Synopsis:

Halley has always followed in the wake of her best friend, Scarlett. But when Scarlett learns that her boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and that she's carrying his baby, she's devastated. For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever.

About the Story

Main  Character: Halley Cooke

Age: 16 (fun fact: Halley would now be 33...we know she was born in 1980)

School Year or Summer?: Both...the novel starts with two weeks of summer left but the majority takes place during the school year.

Boy: Macon Faulkner

First description of the boy: "His blond hair, cut short over his ears, stuck up in tiny cowlicks. In one ear was a row of three silver hoops." (page 30) "He was in a white T-shirt ripped along the hem and dark blue shorts, those clunky boots on his feet. He was tall and wiry, and tan from a summer working landscaping." (page 32)

Crushable?: Maybe...if you like the bad boys.

Big Secret?: In a way, yes.

Heavy Storyline?: Yes.

Parents Together?: Yes.
Sibling(s)?: No.

Takes Place In: Lakeview.

Cameos: None that I could tell. This was her second book, after all.

About the Book

Released: 1998

Epigraph?: No.

Format (of the copy I read): Paperback

Own?: Yes.

Signed?: Yes.

Read or Reread: Reread.

Age when first read: Oh man...15? 16? 

New cover vs older cover: I'm actually torn. I don't get the jar and butterflies but at the same time I don't get the sand, flip flops, and drawn heart. 

My Thoughts
Just as I remembered, Someone Like You is pretty heavy. Right away we learn that a classmate of Halley's, Michael, has died and that her best friend Scarlett had been dating him. Then we find out that Scarlett is pregnant with his baby. Around this time Halley, a quiet good girl, has also started hanging out with Macon, Michael's best friend, who has quite the reputation. It's a lot to deal with and I think Halley gets through it all the way most sixteen year old girls would - by shutting out her mother, confiding only in her best friend, and continuing to date the bad boy.
It was really hard to read as Halley fell in deeper with Macon - especially since I knew what was going to happen. Since I've got ten years on her, it was like watching your little sister or niece date a loser or jerk who you know is no good for her but you can't say or do anything. You just have to wait until she figures it out for herself and be there when she needs you. In the book, Halley has Scarlett who is trying to be the voice of reason. She tells her to be careful but, of course, Halley's not listening. Being a true best friend, Scarlett helps her through the inevitable mess near the end of the book.
As I'm writing this I'm realizing that I think I liked Scarlett more than Halley. Not that I disliked Halley. She is a great character and I loved reading her story. Maybe it goes back to what Halley says about feeling like she's an outline of herself and is just waiting for the colours to be filled in. Scarlett already has most of her outline filled in - with reds and golds - so you can't help be drawn to her just a little bit more. She's got a good head on her shoulders (even though she did end up getting pregnant...but "it came off"!) and is a great secondary character and an even better best friend.
I know it's been a long time since I had read this book (at least ten years, I'd say) but I had completely forgotten Cameron, the new kid, existed. He shows up about halfway through the book (and school year). Halley is hanging out with Macon more and more but Scarlett's pregnancy is moving along and she needs someone to be there for her. Cameron comes along at just the right moment. He has a few sweet scenes where it's clear he cares for Scarlett but we don't get to know how much and I'm left feeling like their story is unfinished. I just wish things had been a little clearer with the two of them.
I'm glad I got the chance to reread this one because I always get confused due to the movie How to Deal, which combined That Summer and Someone Like You. The movie really softens both the relationship between Halley and Macon, and his personality. While I like that better, I think the book version is, sadly, a lot more realistic. Is this one of my favourite Dessen books? No, not really. But I do think it's worth the read. It's a fabulous young adult novel.
I'll finish with a quote that really stuck out for me:

"Because life is an ugly, awful place to not have a best friend." (page 23)

I completely agree. I'd be lost without my best friends!

Sandy's Thoughts

My first impression of Someone Like You is the movie it helped spawn in the early 2000’s (How to Deal, starring Mandy Moore). The first time I read it was after I was already in love with the movie. It interests me how the movie powers that be decide which parts of a book make the movie cut and which don’t. All book fans wish that the entire book could become the film adaptation but that is rarely so. There are always changes. How to Deal combines the pregnant best friend (Scarlett), Halley, and Macon of Someone Like You with the main character parents and sister with a wedding of That Summer. I have always wondered why the script was divided in this way. Of course to me every Sarah Dessen book should be a movie, so I am not the most objective critic.

I do, however, have the ability to separate book and movie and love them equally if not differently if they are both good. The one thing I can’t stand is killing off a character in a movie who does not die in the book (ie. In The Bourne Supremacy Marie dies in the movie but not in Robert Ludlum’s novel). So enough ranting and onto Someone Like You proper.

Someone Like You is a fantastic example of a strong teen angst coming of age novel. It showcases the typical friction between a mother and daughter that have been close until the dreaded teenage years. Halley and her mom are practically twins until she begins to resent the way her mother is constantly controlling her life and her decisions. Growing means becoming your own person, an entity outside of your parents desires. The resentment gets stronger throughout the book and reaches the point where Halley feels that everything her mother says has a double meaning, a condescending one. It takes years of future maturing to realize that not everything your parents say is a slight against you. Some advice is granted out of the pure need to protect you, some is to keep you from repeating their mistakes, and some is just to test you. Halley begins to realize this and take the pieces of her mother’s advice that suit her.

Sarah Dessen introduces an interesting theory at the very beginning of the book. On page 23 she tells us, “…life is an ugly, awful place to not have a best friend.” This is a wonderful quote and I could not agree more. (Blogger note: We did not coordinate our reviews! Clearly Sandy and I are BFFs!) Adolescence is scary enough to experience without the added benefit of someone going through it with you. Halley and Scarlett fall into their friendship and never look back. Each has their own uniqueness that helps the other during different difficult times of their lives. Scarlett can make friends with anyone, she is outgoing and strong but Halley is sympathetic and loyal enough to stand by a friend no matter what the consequences in her own life may be. There is a certain peace to having a best friend and knowing that they understand you and you belong with them.

It helps you develop a better sense of self. For example, when Halley is considering having sex with Macon she is aware that he is being persistent and a little pushy and she stands up to him. When she wavers and reconsiders it is Scarlett that reminds her that girls like them do not have sex without saying I love you first (page 202). This point stays in the back of Halley’s mind and helps to guide her to the right decision for herself. That is what a best friend is for. To help you see things differently and be there when you stumble anyway. Scarlett and Halley are there or each other no matter what. Even an unplanned pregnancy cannot divide them, though Halley’s mother would like to try.

I think that this novel is a wonderful divergence from the usual teen pregnancy story line. Scarlett and Halley are the goody-goodies of their high school. No one expects Scarlett to become pregnant, not even Scarlett, but it happens and she deals with it in a rational and very adult like manner (no doubt because of having to raise her own mother). Scarlett stays in school, keeps her baby and adapts her future. The loss of Michael is too great to lose his child as well.  In many other tales, especially television shows, the pregnant teen becomes such because she was at risk in the first place. Sarah Dessen throws a twist into the regularly used plot by taking the father of the child out of the picture in such a tragic manner that the reader sympathizes with Scarlett’s decision to keep the child. Much like Halley, the reader never questions the decision again. 

This novel is an excellent “role model” for teen girls in my opinion. I know that seems strange due to Scarlett’s pregnancy but it is the strength of the characters that I admire.

Halley knows her own mind when dealing with Macon after the honeymoon period is over. She knows what he wants and what it will take to keep him but she also knows that she is not ready to give in. By the end of the book she realizes what someone like her deserves because she realizes who she is. We all deserve to be ourselves and be loved for it, if not by a guy or our friends then we deserve to be loved by ourselves. Halley realizes that and it helps to make her life a little more peaceful. 

Next month

October's book of choice is Keeping the Moon. I don't really remember much about this one so I'm interested to see what I think about it now.

Rereading Sarah Dessen: Dreamland

Hosted by I Eat Words

Welcome to month three of the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge! Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. This month we read Dreamland, a novel that I didn't really like when I first read it. Would my opinion change with this reread? Read on for the thoughts of myself and my best friend, Sandy.

Synopsis:

Wake up, Caitlin
Ever since she started going out with Rogerson Biscoe, Caitlin seems to have fallen into a semiconscious dreamland where nothing is quite real. Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. He's magnetic. He's compelling. He's dangerous. Being with him makes Caitlin forget about everything else--her missing sister, her withdrawn mother, her lackluster life. But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him?

About the Story

Main  Character: Caitlin O’Koren

Age: 16 (It’s her birthday when the story starts)

School Year or Summer?: School year

Boy: Rogerson Biscoe

First description of boy: “He was standing next to the black BMW, arms crossed, looking down at the car.  He was in a short-sleeved shirt with a kind of tribal print, and old khaki pants with worn cuffs. His hair was brown , a mass of curls, thick enough that they were almost like dreadlocks, and he had a dark, olive complexion. He wore a leather cord necklace around his neck and penny loafers with no socks on his feet.” (page 50)

Crushable?: No. Not to me. But the sad fact is that guys like him are crushable to so many girls and women.

Big Secret?:  Oh yeah.

Heavy Storyline?: Yes.

Parents Together?: Yes.

Siblings: One sister, two years older.

Takes Place In: Lakeview

Cameos: None that I could find.

About the Book

Released: 2000 (which I got from the copyright page, everywhere online says 2004)

Epigraph?: No.

Format (of the copy I read): Paperback (new cover)

Own?: Yes (as of a few weeks ago!)

Signed?: No.

Read or Reread: Reread

Age when first read: Probably 15. This was a catch up on, I think, as when I discovered Dessen, she had already published this one.

New cover vs older cover: I think I like the new cover more, which is good. I wouldn’t have bought it if I hadn’t liked the cover!

My Thoughts
This is probably Dessen's heaviest novel. Just Listen (which we've already read and reviewed) comes close but I think Dreamland "wins" because we actually see the abuse taking place. (I didn't want to give that away but I feel like I need to to really give a good review.) I remember not really liking this one when I first read it. I wonder now if it's because I just didn't get it. Part of that may be because I was so naive but maybe I also just didn't get why Caitlin, or anyone, would want to stay with an abusive guy. I think Dessen did a good job of showing the realities without glamourizing it (is that even a word? We'll say it is.)
I found that there were some things in this book that show up in slightly different ways in later novels. For example, Caitlin doesn't understand how her older sister can be in love. She just doesn't get it. That's quite similar to Remy in This Lullaby (Dessen's next novel) but, unlike Remy, I think it's just because she's young. Also, Caitlin loves Top 40 pop music and Rogerson hates it. He likes bizarre music that features wailing and chimes. Does this sound familiar? Yep, kind of like Owen and Annabel from Just Listen (published two novels later.) Interesting to note.
Once again, I found myself playing the big sister role when reading this book. I'm a decade older than Caitlin and I wished that I could protect her. There's one quote that stuck with me so much that I snapped a picture of it. I wanted to be the one to save her.

I'm really glad I gave Dreamland a second chance. I don't think it'll make the top of the favourites list but I can see how this is one of those novels that makes YA so important. Talking about real issues in a real way is important and I think Dessen did a great job of this. Keeping that in mind, if you're thinking of recommending this to a teen girl you know, make sure she's old enough and mature enough to handle the subject matter.

Sandy's Thoughts

Dreamland was this month’s book of choice and I was once again a little leery of  re-reading. I work in a bookstore and Sarah Dessen is always my first recommendation for teen girls. However, I am always hesitant to recommend Dreamland because of its intense subject matter. After reading it for the second time I realize that in the end the message this novel shares is one of strength. Strength of heart, choice and mind. Caitlin feels weak but to others she is strong and she pulls through, even offering strength to others when needed. She is a survivor and that is an important lesson for teenage girls.

After her sister Cass leaves, Caitlin becomes transient. She focuses on being the opposite of her sister so she doesn’t have to acknowledge the loss of that sister in her life. She tries not to do what people expect of her and she loses herself in a boy, Rogerson, and the lifestyle he introduces her to. Almost from the start she gives in to what he wants her to be. By doing so she doesn’t have to deal with missing her sister and filling the void Cass left at home for their parents. Caitlin escapes into Rogerson’s world and becomes a girl she believes her sister would barely recognize.

But the bond between sisters is stronger than that and Cass makes her presence known in the Dreamland their mother taught them about. She leaves behind a journal into which Caitlin exorcises the demons that she comes across in her sister’s absence. Though Cass is living a new life she is never far from Caitlin’s thoughts.

Caitlin uses Cass’s journal and Dreamland as an escape from her reality. She spends most of the novel searching the dream spaces of her life for Rogerson, for Cass, and most importantly, herself.  From the time Cass leaves, Caitlin tries to be anybody but who she really is. She becomes a cheerleader, a druggie, and a slacker in school. When she meets Rogerson it seems like he will finally be the one to bring her out of the shadows but he just creates new ones for her to hide in.  The only good thing he brings her is Corinna, who acts like a substitute for Cass in Caitlin’s new world. For Caitlin, losing her sister means losing herself. Cass was her guidepost and throughout the novel it is through Cass’s eyes that Caitlin defines herself. In finding Rogerson and living his life she sees a different side of herself that Cass would not approve of. Cass leaving and Rogerson appearing help Caitlin find her identity, but at a price.

Dreamland is a novel that showcases the meaning of “to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In the case of Caitlin, her sister leaving equals a romance with Rogerson and the consequences that relationship brings her as well. One event can impact a life drastically; it can take someone down a path they never imagined could happen. Life can become a mirage, an illusion or even a dream. Cailtin is woken up but many others never are. 

Rereading Sarah Dessen: This Lullaby

I'm taking part in the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge this year and it's already month two! Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. This month we read This Lullaby. This has long been my favourite Dessen novel and I must say that I was terrified that I wouldn't love it as much as I used to. Read on for the thoughts of myself and my best friend, Sandy.

Here's the synopsis:

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

About the Story

Main  Character: Remy Starr
Age: 18
School Year or Summer?: Summer
Boy: Dexter
First description of boy: Not a good first impression as Dexter falls into a chair and knocks Remy into a wall. She’s less than impressed and ends up calling him an asshole. “It was a guy with black curly hair, around my age, wearing a bright orange T-shirt. And for some reason he was smiling.”
Crushable?: Yes. He’s funny and sweet (without being annoying), and a musician to boot.
Big Secret?: No. Remy has enough drama without having to hide something. Though someone else is hiding something (part of a minor storyline).
Heavy Storyline?: Sort of. Remy doesn’t believe in love because she’s watched her mother remarry over and over again. This has messed her up more than she, or anyone else, realized.
Parents Together?: No.
Siblings: One brother, older.
Takes Place In: Lakeview

Cameos: Yes, a newly realized one for me. Scarlett from Someone Like You is the manager of the coffee place where one of Dexter’s band mate’s works.

About the Book
Released: May 2002
Epigraph?: Yes, two. "In the depth of winter, / I have finally learned that / within me there lay / an invincible summer." – Camus. “She’ll be back soon. / She’s just writing.” – Caroline
Format (of the copy I read): Paperback (which is starting to show its wear!)
Own?: Yes.
Signed?: Yes.
Read or Reread: Reread
Age when first read: Likely 15 but possibly 16

New cover vs older cover: I really love the new cover!

My Thoughts

Remy is a great character and I think she's the reason why this This Lullaby will stay near the top of my favourite books list. She had to take on some more responsibilities than she should have when she was younger. Nothing too drastic, but her mom always seemed to need an extra push or helping hand - like with planning yet another wedding. Remy is incredibly organized. In fact, calling her anal would not be out of line. She's an 18 year old girl who is desperate to move on to the next stage in her life - college - and trying her hardest to keep love out of her life. She's strong, smart, and terrified of love. Dexter (literally) crashes into her just when she needs it and he does his best to convince her that he (and love) is worth a shot.

This is one of Dessen's novels that has a lot to do with the romance but it's not really the love story that is the point. Remy needs to work on herself and her belief that love is a sham and anyone who falls for it gets their heart broken. What I like about her novels is that the romance is there and lovely but not in an "in your face" kind of way.
So, the big question is...is this still my favourite Dessen? Honestly, I'm not sure. I think it was my favourite because it was what I needed to read at the time. I was a little bit like Remy in high school and dated and had crushes on lots of boys (it was all quite innocent, I assure you) and didn't really know what a successful relationship looked like. I still love this one but I think I will reserve judgement on my "favourite" until the end of the year.

Sandy's Thoughts
This Lullaby is the basic tale of teenage love with a twist. The main character Remy Starr does not want to be in love, she doesn’t believe in it. That is until Dexter literally crashes into her life and forces her to break all of her rules and forego her checklists.

Remy is a strong female character, one of Dessen’s strongest. She is no nonsense, cynical and not afraid to speak her mind. But like all characters she is flawed. Her inability to believe that love lasts turns her into a control freak and a bitter bitch as she describes herself.

Dexter is her total opposite. He is impulsive, optimistic and a deep-seated romantic. Once she allows herself to give in to his persistence she opens her mind and her heart to the question of love. She wonders what it would be like to love so strongly that you can’t control yourself or your actions. (page 161) She reluctantly gives in and by doing so only half gives herself over to the idea that she could fall in love. She never truly understands how to do such a thing. To her love is chaotic, it means impatience, disorder and an inevitable ending with heartbreak for those caught unawares.

Dexter ultimately has to be the one to prove that love is worth it and in the end that will take nothing but time.

The theme behind this story is timing. Everything has its own time and place in love and in life. The story begins with the ending of one time and the beginning of another, it takes place in what Dessen calls the in between. Timing begins the story of Remy and Dexter. Timing is a factor in bringing them together and tearing them apart. Decisions or actions that may seem minor or insignificant shape life on a daily basis and play a big role in all types of relationships

Dessen shows us that at the right time, with the right person Remy is able to break down the wall that her parents helped to build and find the love that she deserves. Her father may have created the precedent of men leaving while her mother reinforced it with her revolving door of husbands but Dexter can see through it because his own mother has had six husbands. He breaks down her wall by breaking all her rules. He gets involved in her life in a way no other boy has by being a determined and stable presence with a little bit of quirk for good measure.

“This Lullaby”, the song her father left her is another constant, one she has lived with all her life. When Dexter plays it that first time it freaks her out enough to end their relationship before it gets too serious. It scares her into hiding once again. “This Lullaby” becomes the soundtrack of her life, especially when she deals with men who barely know her and relationships that can never last. By the end of the book she has made peace with the song and with its meaning. Dexter has become her constant and “This Lullaby” itself has taken on a new meaning, that of hope for the unknown future.

Next month...Dreamland. I'm looking forward to this one because I don't really remember much of it, other than it's one of Dessen's heavier novels.

Rereading Sarah Dessen: Just Listen

As you may know, I'm taking part in the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge this year. Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. I've decided to do something a little different with my reviews for these books, just for fun. Also, my best friend Sandy will be sharing her thoughts along with me every month. Sandy is an aspiring author and we've been obsessed with Dessen for about as long as we've been BFFs (that would be almost 12 years, for you curious folk). Since she doesn't have her own blog, I thought it'd be great for her to join in on here. I hope you enjoy our thoughts!

Let's start off with the synopsis for Just Listen:

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.
This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.
Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Now for the different part...I'm going to do a sort of list/stats sheet before giving my thoughts on the book. My actual review won't be too long, unless I have something epic to discuss. Those who have read Dessen before will know why I'm highlighting certain things because there are some similarities in all of her books. As it's been awhile since I've read a lot of these, I'm sure I'll come up with a longer list by the time the year is over!

About the Story
Main  Character: Annabel Green
Age: 16
School Year or Summer?: School Year
Boy: Owen Armstrong
First description of boy: "...he was tall and muscular, with broad shoulders and thick biceps. And he always wore boots with thick rubber soles that made him seem even bigger, his steps heavier. His hair was dark and cut short, spiking up a bit at the top, and I've never once seen him without his iPod and earphones..."
Crushable?: Definitely. He's mysterious with a bit of a bad boy edge.
Big Secret?: Yes. We're not too sure what exactly happened between Annabel and Sophie.
Heavy Storyline?: Yes. Anorexia and sexual assault are both main topics of the novel.
Parents Together?: Yes.
Siblings: Two sisters, both older.
Cameos: At least one - Remy and Dex from This Lullaby show up at a concert Owen and Annabel attend.

About the Book
Released: April 2006
Epigraph?: Yes. "The best way out is always through." - Robert Frost
Format (of my copy): Paperback
Own?: Yes. (My second copy...first went missing when I loaned it to someone...stupid me.)
Signed?: No.
Read or Reread: Reread
Age when first read: 18 (probably...I would have read it as soon as it was released...unless I got it for my 19th birthday the next month).

My Thoughts
Oh, man. This book was a lot heavier than I remembered, which is surprising as I was an older teen when I read it for the first time. My stomach was all twisted in knots as I reread what happened to her and again when she was trying to decide if she should share her story with Owen, her family, and the police. She goes through something that no girl should have to deal with, simply because some guy was an asshole. I hate that she felt like she shouldn't or couldn't tell anyone about what happened. No girl or woman should ever have that feeling.
I think the last time I read it I probably thought of myself as one of her friends but this time around, since I'm almost a decade older than Annabel, I felt more like her big sister. Which was definitely not a bad thing. It sort of gave me a new perspective - both with Annabel's story and the stories of her sisters. I paid more attention to what Whitney and Kirsten were going through and how their lives impacted Annabel's.
I was worried about rereading these books and how I'd feel about the romance aspect of the story. As I mentioned, I'm quite a bit older than Annabel now and the relationship I'm in is vastly different than the crush she has on Owen. I don't know why I was worried. Dessen's main characters are always mature, down to earth, and...well, not annoying (you won't find any of them excited to see a sparkly immortal being watching them sleep in their bedrooms, that's for sure). Dessen's romances are almost never about trying to get the boy. Instead, the boy and girl are thrown together for some reason and feelings grow from there.
Now, I've just read over what Sandy has written and there is no way I can compete with her thoughts. They're awesome. I'll end my mini review here and let you read Sandy's opinion on Just Listen. Enjoy!

Sandy's Thoughts
I want to start off by saying that I love Sarah Dessen’s books. I started reading them in high school on recommendation from Kaley and at 25 I continue to wait anxiously for each new novel she writes. However, in the last ten years I have never reread a single one of them. When Kaley shared this challenge with me I was immediately on board.
Diving into Just Listen this month gave me a different kind of feeling while reading a Sarah Dessen book. Usually the characters and events are unknown to me and unfold gradually with each sentence and chapter. Having already read Just Listen when it first came out I remembered the storyline of Annabel’s assault and Owen coming to her aid, but I had forgotten about Whitney, Clarke, Rolly even Mallory. Reading about Annabel and her family a second time allowed me to focus on the intricate details that sometimes get lost in the rest of the drama. The first time I was interested in the relationship between Annabel and Owen. I have to say that Owen Armstrong is one of my favourite male characters in a Sarah Dessen book. She has a way of writing people that you want to meet. Even minor characters have such life and personality that draw you further into the world she is creating. Owen is a character that I can picture knowing in high school. He’s tall and threatening to see but in the end he is caring and compassionate enough to help a strange girl when she is down. He is the guy that every teenage girl (and every woman they become) wishes would have befriended her in high school because he pays attention, asks about feelings and doesn’t hold his thoughts to himself. All any woman wants is to be understood and accepted; Owen gives that to Annabel.

My focus this time shifted from that bond Owen creates between himself and Annabel and onto the bond within the Greene household. There is an inherent ebb and flow to any relationship that stretches over time. Everyone changes and the people around them, especially family, adapt to that change through acceptance or dismissal. Annabel errs on the side of dismissal when she feels change happening in the case of Clarke and Sophie. When a rift occurs she believes that is the end, there is no going back because change is an ending and not just a transition. Over time an ending is really just a beginning. By the end of the novel the Greene family has started a new beginning with each other.

The Greene’s adapt and change to support Annabel’s mother when her own mother dies then Whitney when her eating disorder is discovered and finally Annabel when she tells them about the assault. The year that passes in the pages of Just Listen sees a family in flux gathering around each member that needs help, love and above all support. Annabel realizes this when she tells the reader that she only has to ask to be brought back in to her family to be safe and immersed again. (Pg 353) I love the message that Sarah Dessen shares with us: family dynamics change but family itself is forever.

There is so much more going on in Just Listen than another teen love story. It is about connections between friends and family that are about honesty and acceptance. It is about being honest, above all, with yourself in order to control life around you. By the end of the book all of the characters have found a new kind of normal. Nothing is exactly the way it was but now everyone feels in control of the life they are living. The good and bad of life passes and the day to day is what we are left with.

Up next month...This Lullaby. My favourite!