YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

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.

24% (view spoiler)[ I really don't like Sophie, she seems like such trouble and Annabelle needs to not be involved with her. It is so sad about Whitney and her eating disorder!! (hide spoiler)]

34% (view spoiler)[ wow Sophie sleeps with Will!!! (hide spoiler)]

Shae wrote: "24% [spoilers removed]"

Yeah I really hate Sophie! Why do people like that think it's okay??

(view spoiler)[I really wanna know why Whitney felt she had to. I love Kiersten for bringing it up and being persistent. I think she handled the parents very well. (hide spoiler)]

Shae wrote: "34% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah XD How old was she back then??

I'm getting a little confused with the time jumps :/ (hide spoiler)]

65% (view spoiler)[Holy shit Emily just slept with Will too! Sophie must've ripped into her!

It's getting really good, the kiss in the car wash! I'm so happy they have heated debates too XD It's so much fun to listen to! I really despise Mallory though. Such a bitch! (hide spoiler)]

Maddison wrote: "Shae wrote: "24% [spoilers removed]"

Yeah I really hate Sophie! Why do people like that think it's okay??

[spoilers removed]"(view spoiler)[ yes I love how Kiersten brought it up, it was unfair how Whitney hated her after as she was doing it because she cared. (hide spoiler)]

Maddison wrote: "Shae wrote: "34% [spoilers removed]"

Yeah XD How old was she back then??

I'm getting a little confused with the time jumps :/"

(view spoiler)[ I don’t know, but they talk of them driving around to girls houses when they were dating so I’m assuming old enough to drive haha (hide spoiler)]

I thought you couldn’t listen till tomorrow? Your flying through now!

Ah true haha. But that's 16 I think for most people. So that's the legal age.

I'll finish tomorrow. I'm at Auckland now.

Maddison wrote: "Ah true haha. But that's 16 I think for most people. So that's the legal age.

I'll finish tomorrow. I'm at Auckland now."

Oh wow that’s gone quick since you said you were going!

60% (view spoiler)[ ahh she nearly kissed Owen! I like them as a couple! I love their references to 70s rock bands! (hide spoiler)]

65% (view spoiler)[ yay they kissed 😍 (hide spoiler)]

Haha it took me around an hour longer than normal coz traffic...

Shae wrote: "60% [spoilers removed]"

I don't know any of them XD But I'm loving their story. SO easy

70% (view spoiler)[ oh my god!! Will tries to rape Annabelle! And Sophie walks in and they blame Annabelle! Far out this is intense! (hide spoiler)]

Almost read that spoiler XD

You listen to so much audio! I don't know how!

If you finish today that's 6hr of audio...

Maddison wrote: "Almost read that spoiler XD

You listen to so much audio! I don't know how!"

Because I’m always busy so audio accompanies that :P

How can you focus so much though?

Maddison wrote: "How can you focus so much though?"

What do you mean?

Like if you listen all day that means you're able to focus on the audio all day without getting distracted

Maddison wrote: "Like if you listen all day that means you're able to focus on the audio all day without getting distracted"

I don’t listen all day, I listen when I’m driving, doing housework, making dinner, putting Albee to bed, if I have a free period at work and my work for that free is focused on laminating/ cutting or mindless stuff then I will listen. Definitely don’t listen all day, just in the times I am doing adult stuff where I don’t have to think.

You have so much motivation XD

Shae wrote: "70% [spoilers removed]"

I know I felt soooo much freaking anger at this!! And she seemed completely shocked to find out about what Emily did. Like it really isn't that surprising, just common sense to do that?

Chapter 1-5: Its been a long time since I've read this book and I'm excited to read it again! (view spoiler)[ So it seems like Annabel was raped by that asshole but people think they had consensual sex. Thats terrible :( it looks like Annabel has PTSD from what happened and she hasn't told anyone the truth. I hope she can get some new friends that she can talk to (hide spoiler)]

Yeah its so good!!

Chapter 6-10 (view spoiler)[ awh, Owen likes her. He even has a playlist for her, that's so cute. I'm happy she spent time with Whitney also. She needs to start speaking up about how she feels and what she wants. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11-15 (view spoiler)[ I feel so bad for Owen right now. He got blown off and now Annabel is avoiding him. He's such a good guy. I hope Annabel can pull herself together and start taking back her life soon. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I'm so happy Annabel told people about what happened to her and that asshole got sentenced. I bet that was empowering. And she got back with Owen and she's friends with Clarke again. All happy :) (hide spoiler)]

I know I loved the book XD

Just started!

Chapter 1 - 3 (view spoiler)[ I love it so far. I haven't been reading YA books lately but damn... this is good. I wish I've read it during my teenage years. Tackling about mental illnesses. Annabel's parents are unaware about Whitney's eating disorder and it's sad because it could have been detected earlier. The signs and symptoms of anorexia were evident. They should've listened to Kirsten.

I hate Sophie. Something was fishy about her. (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Chapter 1-5: Its been a long time since I've read this book and I'm excited to read it again! [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ The asshole you've been talking about was the one waiting by his car??? This Will boy?? smh I knew something was fishy about him... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4 - 5 (view spoiler)[ Sophie was such a bitch. Slut shamer. 🙄 (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 6 - 10 (view spoiler)[ Annabel and Owen bonded greatly through music. Quite an eccentric choice for Owen but it depends on the person which type of music they like and I think it's therapeutic.

So happy Whitney is feeling better.. Music will definitely help her on reducing stress. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11-15 (view spoiler)[ Mallory was so hilarious! She's sassy and cute. Modeling industry would love to have her. Annabel has been sexually assaulted by Will Cash. That piece of shit needs to be punished. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 16 - 20 (End) (view spoiler)[ The story was simply fantastic. Justice has been served, Rekindling of friendships and romances. I love it. Most importantly, the lessons it left behind. It's beautifully written. This is by far my favorite Sarah Dessen book (I've only read The Truth About Forever and Someone Like You) (hide spoiler)]

Yeah I really liked it too! I'm about to start Keeping the Moon which is apparently really bad..

Maddison wrote: "Yeah I really liked it too! I'm about to start Keeping the Moon which is apparently really bad.."

I'm gonna skip that one. Have you read This Lullaby? I heard fantastic things about it. :P

Nope I haven't.

It's alright so far.

Can I join this? Im finally reading a sarah dessen book!!!

Yeah!!

Chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ That’s really too bad with Kirsten and Whitney. I feel bad for Whitney. It’s a long road to recovery. I can’t believe neither of her parents went to New York when Whitney was hospitalized. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ Omg Owen is adorable and so is his sister. I love the whole music nerd he has going on. It reminds me of how I feel about books. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ I think I know what happened to Annabel or I have a suspicion of it. I really doubt that Emily hooked up with Will by choice. If anything, she seems more innocent than Annabel. Sophie must really want to be most popular girl in school if she’s willing to stay with Will even if she’s always chasing him around and stopping him from cheating on her. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ Is it weird that this chapter made me cry? I felt for Annabel. She didn’t really get a chance to cry or even deal with what happened to her. But someone finally acknowledged it and believed it. So she cried and I cried too. This chapter was just so perfect. (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ Wow! Just wow. This was incredible. I loved it and hated it but of course I loved it. I only hated it because it’s so real. I loved the theme of Owen teaching Annabel to speak her truth and say what she actually wants to say. Everything that happened to Annabel, including what was happening with her family was so well depicted. But yeah just wow. (hide spoiler)]

I agree, it was amazing right! Keeping the Moon was so bad though.

Beatrice wrote: "Chapter 16 - 20 (End) [spoilers removed]"

I agree! This book had many life lessons in it and they were all so beautifully depicted.

Maddison wrote: "I agree, it was amazing right! Keeping the Moon was so bad though."

Really? I was looking forward to that one. But I might read the Truth About Forever next.

I'm not sure what one I'll read next. I'm keen for more Kasie West

But I'll get through Clockwork Prince.