YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Noella and I will be reading Someone Like You starting the 14th if anyone would like to join us!

I will be joining!

I am in!

I am in!

Yay!

Yay! More people to read and discuss! :)

The more the better!

Definitely.

I'm in!

Awesome! Have you read any other books by her?

Just Lock and Key.I really enjoyed it, and have been wanting to read more of her books.

Lock and Key was the only one I had read too! I'm reading Dreamland now. Not liking it as much, but it's alright. Glad you're reading with us. :)

Uh oh I just finished That Summer and I didn't enjoy it. After reading Dreamland and That Summer this month, I'm apprehensive about reading this book because I've noticed a formula to the author's books. Hopefully this book will bring something new to the table.

I'm nearly fi finished with That Summer and I agree. I'm really hoping I like this one more. I enjoyed Lock and Key much more than the other two.

In reading reviews on That Summer, I think this one will be a lot better. From what I can tell that was her first book, anyways it can't be any worse.

That's true.

I like Dessen, but That Summer just wasn't there for me. I think Lock and Key and Someone Like You are definitely better.

I went ahead and started this today. I've only read the first chapter so far, but I'm already liking it a lot more than That Summer. (view spoiler)[It's a best friend this time, not a sister. And Halley and her mom have an interesting relationship. I hope we get to see more of her family life in this one. (hide spoiler)]

I think I'm going to start this right now. Try to finish it tonight, that's the goal anyway :-)

Chapter 2
(view spoiler)[It was a bit strange seeing Macon in Scarlett's room but since the blurb gave away that Scarlett is carrying Michael's baby I dismissed anything that may have gone between Macon and Scarlett. It's devastating what Scarlett must be going through. She seems so calm about it like she's bottling up all her emotions. (hide spoiler)]

Definitely this is off to a better start than That Summer! Once again they are working at 15 :-)

Lol XD

Chapter 4
(view spoiler)[Hailey and Scarlett's moms couldn't be more different. H's mom is a responsible while S's mom acts like a teenager! I can see why H is drifting from her mom. I can understand her mom means well but as H grows up, she wants more freedom and more spontaneity in her life! (hide spoiler)]

In North/South Carolina you can work at 15, it's just limited hours. And not during school times obviously.

(view spoiler)[I'm to part two now and I'm enjoying this much more than That Summer. The story is much more involved and the characters aren't as selfish. They seem more grown up, but not too old for their years. And the relationships are definitely more of a focus. I feel like something has to happen with Macon, not sure what. And Noah...there's no way he's just a good kid. He has to be being set up for something. (hide spoiler)]

Is that where this takes place? That would explain it, it must be a state to state law. I just finished part one,

(view spoiler)[ I think this is off to a cute start, I like both girls and their friendship. Obviously Scarlet is going to end up pregnant, because that was in the blurb on the back of the book, I hate when they do that! And of course nothing is sexier than a guy that can mow your lawn ;-) I mean no double entendre there BTW! (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, I think they are set in NC. That's where Dessen lives and they've mentioned Myrtle Beach and such in some of the books.

I hadn't noticed the references, but now I probably will ;-) I'm on chapter 7

(view spoiler)[ what a horrible mother, she finds out her teenager is pregnant, and goes on a date. Then when heard same teenage daughter has an abortion, she leaves her there. I don't think Haley's mom is all that bad, she is just a mom, and moms tend to irritate there teenage daughters. Although I have to say grounding her for a month is a bit harsh! (hide spoiler)]

It is set in a fictional town in North Carolina. The town is loosely based off of Chapel Hill.

@Berit
(view spoiler)[Yeah Marion is a terrible mother. When Scarlett first told her, she should have stayed with her daughter to make sure she was alright instead of rushing out the door for that date! (hide spoiler)]

I am only on the forever long chapter 3 and I will be busy most of today

Chapter 14
(view spoiler)[Disliking Macon more and more. It's disappointing when he meant spending New year's eve with Halley he meant bringing her to a foreign place, being different to how she knew him and trying to get her in pants in someone else's filthy bedroom. It doesn't exactly make a girl feel safe when she's already insecure about losing her virginity to him! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17
(view spoiler)[Macon is such a coward. If he really cared and loved Halley he would show his face even if Halley's parents are there. After all, he was responsible for the accident! I'm so angry at him!!! (hide spoiler)]

End
(view spoiler)[ I admire Scarlett and Halley's friendship. Halley was a good friend through all the tough times Scarlett endured and although Scarlett was busy handling her pregnancy, she had time for Halley and gave her advice when it came to Macon.
I was happy Halley realised she was trying to make it work with Macon but it just didn't work. When he started going out with a number of girls soon after Halley told him they weren't working, I was disgusted!

Onto a happier note, I loved how the book ended with the classmates and Steve and his medieval cosplaying friends cheering for Scarlett's baby. (hide spoiler)]

I'm about halfway now. Hopefully I can finish today. So far I'm enjoying it. It's got to be hard, dealing with all of the things Scarlett and Halley are after everything that's happened. And the people they go to school with drive me crazy.

I fell asleep reading this last night, not that it's bad, actually am liking it. I'm going to try to finish it right now, I have a super busy day ahead of me. Yes, they have a lot to deal with especially with questionable mothers! I am a single mother of three teenagers so, I tend to judge the parenting and all these books. It really can irritate me, I am a big Advocator of communication. My kids are definitely not perfect, they do all the things teenagers do. I realize I am fairly lenient, but I choose to listen to them and not to judge. This is the time in your life to make mistakes, and my job as parents is to make sure you don't have to pay for those mistakes for the rest of your life.. Sorry, I will get off my soapbox right now, I just need to say something :-)

I have less than a hundred pages left now. (view spoiler)[I love how Scarlett gives Halley advice and it's obvious she's thought about all of the decisions she's made that led her to this point. I wish that Halley and her mom would just talk and figure out how to communicate with each other! But I know that's not as easy as it sounds when you're reading a book. And Macon. Not sure how to feel about Macon. (hide spoiler)]

I am done! Definitely a better book than That Summer, she has redeemed herself. I think I did like Lock and Key better though.

(view spoiler)[ I can't believe Scarlet's mom wasn't even in the delivery room, she's busy dressing up in mid evil clothing, whatever! I think the friendship between the girls was great throughout the book. I'm glad Haley made the decision she made, I think it was the right one, and she made it by herself. Her mother needs to give her a little more breathing room. I've always told my kids I would give them enough rope to hang themselves with, and then there would be consequences. Hailey needs some more rope. But in her mom's defense she was there when she was needed. A follow-up to this would be interesting, being a teen mom is no joke! (hide spoiler)]

Lock and key and the truth about forever are two of my favorite books by her

I finished this a while ago. It was definitely better than That Summer. Lock and Key is my favorite of the four Dessen novels I've read so far.

(view spoiler)[I knew that Noah couldn't be as fantastic as everyone thought. And I was glad that Halley got broke up with Macon. I liked him, but he needed to figure out his life before he could be what she or any other girl needed. I was happy with the conclusion and thought that the scenes in the hospital were really sweet. I'm glad that Halley and her mom finally talked and started to figure things out, at least a little bit. And Cameron was adorable. I loved his character. I was also glad that Steve wasn't some wackjob. I mean sure, he had some odd hobbies (that I thought were really cool), but I think he was kind of good for their situation. (hide spoiler)]

@Courtney
(view spoiler)[For a moment I did think that the author would try to make Noah the back-up plan but was relieved he wasn't! (hide spoiler)]

Noella wrote: "@Courtney
[spoilers removed]"

Exactly! I was worried about that too.

starting this tonight. the description sounds very interesting.

I've started this.

Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[I like how the relationships are being developed from past to present and back again because it makes them have more of an authentic feel. I also like how Dessen is creating not just Halley's relationships, but also how everyone gets along.
How could the mom be so callus toward Michael's death! (hide spoiler)]

Courtney wrote: "I went ahead and started this today. I've only read the first chapter so far, but I'm already liking it a lot more than That Summer. [spoilers removed]"

It's definitely better. (view spoiler)[What I like about Dessen is how she creates relationships with friends and sisters. Yes, maybe the relationships between sisters don't work so well for her, but she can still pull them of, and not many authors can do that. (hide spoiler)]

Noella wrote: "Chapter 2
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think you've touched on a good point there. I think Scarlet hides her feelings because she's always had to be the mature person taking care of her mother that she doesn't know how to let go. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4: I really like all the relationships here. (view spoiler)[I think Dessen is giving great background on why Halley and her mom don't get along and how the separation came to be. Honestly, I don't blame Halley because her mom's being too overbearing. (hide spoiler)]

It is a really good best friend book. It is the true definition of what a best friend should be. There didn't seem to be any jealousy between the girls.

This book starts out kind of slow to me. Hopefully it gets better.

The book is getting better. It is kind of like the old after school specials that came on tv. (view spoiler)[ From what I see of Macon so far he is a horrible boyfriend with no respect. I love how Halley is in Scarlet's corner with the pregnancy. She's helping Scarlet stay positive and educating herself about being pregnant. I agree that Halley's mom is far too protective which usually leads to rebellion. (hide spoiler)]