Just Listen

amazing book. faveorite book ever.

Reader reviewed by Adriana

This is my second Dessen book, and I will definitely be reading more. Annabel is the youngest of three sisters who are all or were teen models. But now Annabel is dealing with one of her sister's eating disorders, and the other sister being away in New York pursuing a film making career. But what is really eating Annabel up inside is something that happened at an end-of-the-year party that led to her best friend Sophie hating her. The beginning of the book shows how her and Sophie's friendship evolved, and frankly I was glad that Annabel was rid of her. Sophie is shown as one of those girls who takes on friends that are convenient to her and pretty much thinks only of herself. Along the way of their friendship, Annabel loses a couple more friends because of how Sophie treated them. Once Annabel returns to school she pretty much has no one, until she meets Owen who is the loner that wears his earphones all the time. But behind his quiet exterior, Annabel finds the truth and she finds music. All this leads to her dealing with everything from her own personal trauma, to her sister's anorexia, to her desire to leave modeling behind. The title definitely resonates with the themes in the novel, the language is very authentic, and the problems are unfortunately issues that many teens and families have to deal with. Great read.

Reader reviewed by Laura

Hmm this book had the perfect ending, The girl macy has been through so much, death of her dad and she thinks she's complete with a perfect boy friend who guys to summer math camp. While he's there she takes over his job at a library where the girls who work there don't like her much. Then she meets this guy who i guess who changes her a little. You'll have to read the book for the rest of the details because then i'll spoil it for you.

Reader reviewed by Stacey

In Just Listen Annabel Greene, the main character, struggles to hold in a what really happened to destroyed her reputation. Annabel's
ex-best friend, Sophie, spread a bunch of rumors about her and Sophie's
boyfriend. Annabel went from the girl with everything and being very
popular to a nobody, no one wanted anything to do with her. Annabel
feels that no one will listen and that she would never be able to tell
the truth about what really happened over the summer until she meets
Owen. Owen makes her feel like she finally wants to tell someone the
truth.

I thought this book was really good, once I started reading it I didn't
want to put it down. I just loved how I could sort of relate to how
Annabel feels at parts in the book, like when she feels no one will
care or understand and how she felt about the rumors. I also liked how
descriptive the book was on the characters because it helped me get a
mental picture of what they might be like.

Reader reviewed by MssJos

I have been hearing about Sarah Dessen non-stop lately so despite my preconceived notions that her novels were full of mushy fluff aimed at pre-teens, I picked up Just Listen on my last library visit. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the novel and the severity of the topics covered.

Annabel Greene is in a particulary difficult situation that many young adults may find themselves in during middle and/or high school. Due to a misunderstanding with a friend, Annabel has gone from a popular girl to an outcast instantly.

While Annabel may appear to have it all, a successful modeling career, two beautiful sisters, and some quirky adolescents that look up to her, she is suffering silently inside. (Note-Annabel literally lives in a glass house, which was a little Dessen-esque from what I hear) Annabel is selfless to a fault. Readers learn towards the end of the novel that Annabel has had an extremely traumatic experience, but is keeping quiet to keep from upsetting her (ex)friends and family. Determined to keep the peace at home despite her older sister's life-threatening eating disorder, Annabel consistently places her own needs last. Annabel struggles throughout the novel with the concepts of honesty, courage, and expressing her emotions. Fortunately, she receives help from some unlikely sources, one being Owen Armstrong, a mysterious music-obsessed male classmate with anger management issues.

After carrying the world on her shoulders, Annabel must learn to stand up for herself by confronting some of her deepest, darkest feelings. Through Owen and Annabel's encounters, Dessen reminds adolescents that sometimes honesty really is the best policy, and when you feel trapped with no alternatives, only the truth will set you free.

Reader reviewed by Lori (End)

WARNING; This review may be consisting of one gushing fan girl (i.e. me) still smiling over finishing the book Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. First, may I mention, I have searched, and searched, (and can you believe searched) to find a book coming in close with my love for Stephenie Meyer's creation Twilight and of course it's sequels New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. So to pick up her book, on my day at chapters, assuming it to be just another book, with just another character, about just another "Once upon a time" and "happily ever after" love tale. Then reading it, from cover to cover in a day (simply because I couldn't even start to put it down, It was at my side the WHOLE day) and finding I had a new love, a new passion, a new insanity, was a blessed surprise. I immediately fell for the characters (cough, Owen) and Dessen's style of writing. The way she wrote the words, I felt as if you could almost read between the lines, as it were. Like there were always more then one way to look at it, it could easily be taken literally, still making a full amount of sense, or take it just as easily, metaphorically, still, making sense. It was .."profound" I guess you could more simply say. I've read it three time since, each time needing more of the relationship between Owen and Annabel. Each time wanting to be the protagonist. Each time, feeling Whitney's pain, or grinning at Kristen's bubbly-ness. Laughing at Rolly (who, by the way, is an amazing character, I couldn't get enough of him, not to mention his lovable behavior) or wanting everyone to understand what it was really like for Annabel Greene ; The one who has it all, yet nothing she needs.

In short (if you had the patience to read all that) I LOVED the book, I think if you want an enticing read, and if you loved her other works (as both Remy/Dexter and Macy/Wes make an appearance) you'll fall head over heals with this book.

Reader reviewed by Hillary

Annabell's best friend now hates her. And now she's got no one, all she's got is her modeling. But then there's Owen. So at first he totally scares her to death, but then she gets to know him. They're an unlikely couple...actually, they're totally abnormal. They become friends. But she has this problem, she doesn't seem to be able to tell people anything. If it has the possibility of causing a conflict then she'll keep it to herself, even if it makes them hate her. Owen is the complete opposite. But in the end, will she finally be able to tell her ex-best friend what happened that night, or maybe even everybody? Will she be able to tell Owen the truth? Will it all work out?

I think that this book is my favorite of all of Sarah Dessen's books. I love them all but I think that this one was wonderful. Maybe that's just because I read it last but it was great either way.

I would recommend any of her books to anyone looking for a great book to read. You really get attached to the characters. Like if a character wasn't mentioned for a chapter I would actually miss them...weird. And it just cane out in paperback.

Also, the new Sarah Dessen book, Lock and Key, is coming out in April! So be sure to get that one too!

Reader reviewed by clarice

I have read every book by this author and this is amazing also. Not as good as some of her others in my opinion but it is still a really good book. A girl who models has to deal with losing her best friends, having a sister with an eating disorder, not wanting to model and being a complete outcast at school, when she meets another outcast he learns a lot and fixes her past mistakes.

Reader reviewed by Yazmin

Just Listen is about a girl who has no friends because of an incident and a sister who is bulimic. She meets this guy Owen, that loves music and helps her with her problems, tells her the truth even if it will her hurt fellings. Like any other book if Sarah Dessen you will get hooked on it.

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Over the course of just one summer before her junior year of high school, Annabel Greene has managed to lose all her friends. Always the quiet, nice one, a misunderstanding at an end-of-school party results in Annabel losing her gregarious best friend, Sophie, a complicated go-getter with many mood swings and only two sides to friendship. Youre either her friend, or youre her enemy. Being Sophies friend has caused the nice Annabel to lose several of her old friends as well, including her former best friend, Clarke, whom Sophie indirectly deemed nerdy and thus dropped like a hot potato.

Suddenly, Annabel finds herself all alone. She sits on the wall at lunch next to Owen, the loner boy who exudes an aura of intimidation for his gigantic stature and the omnipresence of earphones in his ear. Meanwhile, Annabels situation at home is not too great either. The past year was focused mostly on middle sister Whitneys eating disorder, and Whitney and eldest Kirstens constant clashes and subsequent falling-out in the face of Whitneys anorexia/bulimia.

Now, Whitneys at home and slowly recovering, but shes still taking up most of their parents attention. Thus, Annabel feels unable to tell her mother that she wants to quit modeling, something that all of her sisters have done and grown out of. Annabel is the last one left, and as a result, she feels pressured to stay on it in order to make her mother happy.

In the middle of Sophies attacks, her mothers inattention, and Whitneys glowers, Annabel strikes up an unexpected friendship with Owen. Turns out Owen is obsessed with musicand telling the truth all the time. With him, Annabel feels like a different person, one who can say what she wants to say all the time, instead of holding everything back like she usually does.

That is, until her past catches up to her. By trying to suppress all horrible memories of what happened to her that night at the party, Annabel is gradually but steadily ruining her future, including a possible romance with Owen. She must first admit to herself the truth before she can tell others and start on the path to recovery.

Like all of Sarah Dessens books, JUST LISTEN is chock full of important lessons. There are parallels between Annabel and Whitneys predicaments, as well as symbolism in the form of the Greenes glass house. While I did not find this novel to be as good as her other ones, I nevertheless could not put it down both times I read it. I recommend taking this novel in short breaths, instead of devouring it as you will most likely want to do. Just read&then go back and look for the deeper messages. JUST LISTEN will grow with you.