Someone Like You

Terrific story although I wish it focused more on Scarlett and Macon. I love sarah dessen so much. This is only my 3rd book Ive read by her theyre all amazing. Finished in only a couple of days although I never wanted it to end. Macon was a total jerk, although i wish there was closure for him and halley. I also love the idea of halleys name from her grandmother and halleys comet. great plot and character development. This might be my fav book by sarah.

Halley's life was always pretty normal. She got along fabulously with her parents and her best friend, Scarlett, lived across the street. The girls were inseparable and Halley shared every thought and feeling with her mother and with Scarlett. But things all changed the summer before she turned sixteen.

Suddenly, Halley's mother's presence is intrusive instead of comforting. She seems to want to be in on every little aspect of Halley's life, and Halley finds herself resenting that. And Scarlett is dating Michael, a boy she lusted after for a long time. Halley feels distant from everything in her life.

At the end of the summer, though, Michael dies in a horrible accident, leaving Scarlett devastated--and pregnant, she soon finds out. She needs all of the help Halley can give in order to get through her pregnancy, after she backs out of the abortion her mother wanted her to have.

Things are even more confusing for Halley when Michael's best friend Macon starts spending a lot of time with her. He isn't the type of person Halley would usually spend time with; he is dangerously wild and Halley is more wild than usual when she is with him. But with her mother pushing her to drop him, Halley becomes reluctant to let him go.

I liked the relationship between Scarlett and Halley, and the ways they supported each other. I really liked Cameron, especially the images of him cooking for Scarlett and taking care of her. I also liked that Scarlett's pregnancy wasn't glamorized; she had all of the awful symptoms she could have had.

I didn't like Halley's mother right from the beginning of the book; I couldn't believe how long it took for Halley to finally get tired of her. I also didn't like the ending of the book. It was too inconclusive for me.

This is my favorite book for many reasons. Mainly, because it was VERY well written and the characters are so... believable. When you read this book, you don't want it to end. It's a story of Halley and Scarlett, who have been best friends since they've met. One day, while Halley is at camp, she gets a call from Scarlett saying that her boyfriend, Michael died. Halley makes her mom come and pick her up, even though her mom doesn't want to. See, Halley and her mom were best friends until the summer before and they have slowly been drifting apart. So, they fight a lot, and don't agree on basically anything. Later in the book, Scarlett discovers that she is pregnant with Michael's baby. I won't say anything more, since I don't want to give it away, but a page turner, VERY GOOD. I recommend this book for 11 and up. Oh yea, even though the book was good, the movie, How To Deal, which was based on the book, sucked. Watch it if you want, but it's really not that good... if you don't believe me, read some of the other ones, they say it too!

I love the storyline for this book. Lots of Young Adult books have done the teenage pregnancy plot before, but how many of them have the father of the baby die in the first page of the book? That makes it more difficult for the pregnant Scarlett, the best friend of the narrator Halley, to decide to have an abortion or give the baby up for adoption, like her mother wants her to. She feels that by keeping the baby, she will, in a way, also keep the boyfriend she lost.
One of the side plots is Halley finding herself in a new relationship with the best friend of Scarlett's deceased boyfriend. The other one is Halley's continuously deteriorating relationship with her mother.
The first half of this book is incredibly written; totally unique and original. The second half, while not quite as good, is still noteworthy. One complaint, however, is the males in this story are either non-existant (like Scarlett's dead boyfriend) or aren't very strong characters. Halley's father is just a radio DJ who makes milkshakes and we don't even get a good idea of who Macon, Halley's boyfriend, really is.
Not quite as good as "Dreamland", but far better than "Keeping the Moon" or even "That Summer". If you've never read a Sarah Dessen book before, this is a great one to start with.

Scarlett and Halley have been friends forever, sharing everything. Scarlett is known as the popular, exciting one, and Halley is her quiet sidekick. Then, both of their lives change, forever. Scarlett's boyfriend Michael dies in a freak accident, and Scarlett discovers she is carrying his child.

For the first time in Scarlett's life, she realizes how much she needs Halley, and they realize how strong their friendship is; it may bend, but it will never break.

Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You is a heart-warming story of love and friendship. I loved it from the first page. It is told from Halley's perspective, and I was easily able to put myself in her place. I could really feel for her. But all the characters are funny, nice, realistic, and lovable.

Sarah Dessen is an amazing author, especially for teenagers. She captures the emotions and thoughts of teenage girls and shapes them into realistic characters readers will grow to love, just as I did.

There has never been an author like Sarah Dessen. She is extremely talented. I can tell after reading just this one book; I haven't even read the others yet (though I have them all on hold at the library).
Someone Like You is the story of two best friends, Halley (after the comet) and Scarlet. It follows Halley's life: her shaky relationship with her mother, her destructive relationship with her boyfriend Macon, and her very tight bond with Scarlet as she helps Scarlet through her pregnancy.
This book is very realistic and thought-provoking. The characters were real and I bet lots of us girls can relate to Halley's feelings about the dangerous, mysterious Macon. Haven't we all had a boy like that in our lives? The party scenes ring true. THIS is what teenagers really act like.
Some reviewer below said this book taught that teenage sex only brought bad consequenses (pregnancy, accidents). What on earth is wrong with an author trying to portray teen sex as a not-so-good idea? It's NOT always good. There are bad consequences. Too many teen girls are getting pregnant. I admired Halley for sticking to her guns when Macon tried to pressure her. Scarlet taught her what could happen.
This book is a worthwhile read and I wish every teen would read it. I'm not a teen but I consider this now one of my very favorite books. I can hardly wait to read the rest. Ms. Dessen has a huge future with her unique writing talent.
I still think about these characters long after I read the book. That's what a good book and a good writer is all about.

Sarah Dessen does a beautiful job of pulling you into the book immediately from the first page. I may be 17, but I still read young adult books because of their action packed nature. This book is definetely one of the best.
The way the story circles around Scarlett's pregnancy (which, I must say, is written without a single melodramatic line) draws you into the story head on. The only thing that could have been improved upon was how the "romance" with Macon (cool name!) didn't begin until a substantial portion of the book was read. Because of this, however, that particular plot line jumped out at me, and I became just as excited about him as Halley was.
Another thing I liked was the number of characters involved. It was almost more like a extremely well done soap opera because just when you were getting a little bored with the book's current events, another character would jump into the foreground and twist the story around into something new and exciting.
To be frank, I finished the book and immediately started looking for more Sarah Dessen novels. And trust me, she will NEVER disapoint you.

I bought this book with another book by Sarah Dessen, That Summer in a combonation with the cover "how to deal" starring mandy moore. I actually bought the book thinking it was a light teen read that I could laugh over. I was wrong--and it turned out great for me.
Someone Like You opened my eyes to world and taught me to appreciate everything I have. Halley is a smart, sure, teen until suddenly her best friend's boyfriend dies while she is at camp. Her life is turned upside down and she starts to have her own serious relationship with her bestfriend's deceased boyfriend's best friend, who is known for being shady and not your typical good-boy image. Halley also finds out that Scarlett(her bestfriend) is pregnant with her old boyfriend's baby. Scarlett has to decide whether to have an abortion, put the baby up for adoption, or just keep her. To find out what happens, read the book!
This book taught me to not let my life go by too fast and to appreciate my parents, my friends, and love every minute of life.
I would reccomend this book to ages 12-up. It deals with some mature issues that aren't okay for younger kids to read about.
This book is AWESOME!

Hailey and Scarlet have been best friends ever since the day Scarlet moved next door. They shared everything with each other, and were always going to each others houses. The story starts off when Hailey is at a camp during the summer, and Scarlet calls revealing a dramatic incident. Scarlet's boyfriend died in a car accident. Hailey returns home, and after the funeral things basically blow over, and Scarlet somewhat forgets about her dead boyfriend until....she finds out she is pregnant..
They must help each other through tough times and be able to restore the happy friendship they once had. Will they ever be the same? I loved this book and recomend it to any teen out there. It also teaches about true love, and how to deal with it. The reason I gave it only 4 stars was because at some points in the book it seemed alittle boring, but all the good parts definetly make up for it!

*sigh* Sarah Dessen is just about one of the greatest fiction authors today. Her books are just so amazing and real... and this one, Someone Like You, was no exception.

15 year old Halley has been best friends with Scarlett Thomas ever since she moved into the neighborhood during elementary school. And since then, they have been inseparable. Halley also used to be really close to her therapist mother. But the summer before Halley's junior year, things begin to change. She begins to break away and rebel against her mother. Scarlett's boyfriend dies suddenly in a motorcycle accident, and she discovers she is carrying his baby. And to top it all off, Halley begins her first serious relationship that could prove even more difficult than she thought it would be.

What I loved about this book (and every other Dessen novel, for that matter) is how she captures the reality of a teenage girl and how difficult it can be! And the relationships portrayed here were just amazing. I was completely sucked into this book and I could not put it down.

For Dessen fans, you will be excited to read this one and add it to your collection. For those who haven't read anything by her, pick this one up! You won't regret it!

This book, "Someone Like You", is one of the best books I have ever read. It tells the story of two best friends, Halley and Scarlett during their junior year experiencing many difficult times as well as happy ones. At the beginning of the year, Scarlett discovers something that will change her life forever, and Halley is the only person that will stick with her throughout it all even though she is experiencing problems of her own, such as, her mother, her dad's embarrassing stories, her dying grandmother and her reckless boyfriend. The book is definitely worth reading, and its one of those books that once u pick up u can't put it back down! I loved it from the first page to the last and I can't wait to read other books by Sarah Dessen. So read "Someone Like You" and I'm positive you WON'T be dissappointed! Enjoy!

The book "Someone Like You" by Sarah Dessen is an amazing book for young adults. The cover is a picture of a couple on the beach, you can only see their feet but you can assume that they are kissing. There is also a pair of pink flower printed flip flops along with a heart drawn in the sand. This type of cover would most likely draw in the crowd of teenage to young female adults. With this cover the publisher can draw in buyers without even knowing anything about the book and or the author.
This book was published back in 1998 but is still a really good story even with no mention of modern day technology. It is very popular among teens and young adults today with its young love story line. It is a fictional romance novel with a fairly simple story that includes a friendship that bond closer when one of the girl's boyfriends dies. Later to be realized that the girl is pregnant with her deceased boyfriend's baby. It is a very traumatic story that immediately draws in the attention of the reader with interesting names, characters and scenes.
If you were to glance at the back cover, you would notice the bright colors, large swift font of the summary, and the bright pink box that contains information about the author. You would be drawn in to the story and want to know more, for instance, you would want to know what happens to the main characters, Halley and Scarlett, and find out how they bond together more and get through the tough times that they are going through. Also while looking at the back cover; you would see the author summary and the awards that the book has gotten. You would be more likely to buy the book because it has won awards. The author, Sarah Dessen, is a very well respected author. She is known for writing fictional romance novels often about young love. I have read quite a few of her books and I really like how she repeats names of characters and places such as a restaurant or town name. It seems to tie all her books together even though they are not related and are not a series.
Over all I would probably give this book four out of five stars. It is very well written and I do enjoy her books, however they do seem to be the typical sappy romance book that has young love laced in tragedy. I would not suggest this book to people who dislikes romance novels. But if you do, I would suggest that you read this book for yourself and enjoy the beautifully crafted language of Sarah Dessen. She does a very good job of creating the story and making it unique.

Halley and Scarlett have been best friends since they were little. Then tragedy strikes when
Scarlett’s boyfriend Michael dies in a motorcycle accident. While getting ready to attend his funeral
Halley meets Michael’s best friend, Macon. She is attracted to him because of his mysteriousness; then
her and Macon end up dating. Then Scarlett finds out she is pregnant with her deceased boyfriend’s
baby. Scarlett really needs Halley, and now Halley has to learn to be the brave one and not let Scarlett
down which won’t be easy. Now Halley has to balance helping Scarlett, spending time with Macon,
and trying to keep her mother happy while hiding Macon from her.
In my opinion, the point of the book was to basically say that life is an ugly place to not have a best
friend and your family around. And that you shouldn’t really worry about relationships while in high
school, yeah it can be nice knowing that a guy/girl loves and cares about you but there is plenty of time
for that. All you should really be worried about is school, family and friends. And if you have time then
have a relationship. But if you do have a relationship don’t keep it from your parents unless you want to
cause trouble.
I thought this book was alright. I like how the book everything that Halley has to do in order to
try and manage helping her best friend, mom and spending time with her boyfriend. I also like how
Halley and Scarlett try to balance everything such as figuring out how Scarlett is going to take care of her
child, the emotional stress of her boyfriend dying, and how Halley wants to be with her boyfriend and
still support and be there for Scarlett when she needs Halley. I don’t like how the book ended. I think
there should have been more like what do Scarlett and Halley do after going through everything they
have. What happens to Macon? There are so many questions I have and details that were never really
explained or answered.
I would personally recommend this book to either teenage girls or young single moms that like
drama and enjoy reading stories about young love with some tragedy in it. Or I would
recommend this book to anyone (most likely girls) who can sort of relate to the problems Halley
and Scarlett encounter in this book such as boy problems, arguing with parents, maybe lost a
friend that was close to them.

Halley and Scarlett have been best friends since they were little. Then tragedy strikes when
Scarlett’s boyfriend Michael dies in a motorcycle accident. While getting ready to attend his funeral
Halley meets Michael’s best friend, Macon. She is attracted to him because of his mysteriousness; then
her and Macon end up dating. Then Scarlett finds out she is pregnant with her deceased boyfriend’s
baby. Scarlett really needs Halley, and now Halley has to learn to be the brave one and not let Scarlett
down which won’t be easy. Now Halley has to balance helping Scarlett, spending time with Macon,
and trying to keep her mother happy while hiding Macon from her.
In my opinion, the point of the book was to basically say that life is an ugly place to not have a best
friend and your family around. And that you shouldn’t really worry about relationships while in high
school, yeah it can be nice knowing that a guy/girl loves and cares about you but there is plenty of time
for that. All you should really be worried about is school, family and friends. And if you have time then
have a relationship. But if you do have a relationship don’t keep it from your parents unless you want to
cause trouble.
I thought this book was alright. I like how the book everything that Halley has to do in order to
try and manage helping her best friend, mom and spending time with her boyfriend. I also like how
Halley and Scarlett try to balance everything such as figuring out how Scarlett is going to take care of her
child, the emotional stress of her boyfriend dying, and how Halley wants to be with her boyfriend and
still support and be there for Scarlett when she needs Halley. I don’t like how the book ended. I think
there should have been more like what do Scarlett and Halley do after going through everything they
have. What happens to Macon? There are so many questions I have and details that were never really
explained or answered.
I would personally recommend this book to either teenage girls or young single moms that like
drama and enjoy reading stories about young love with some tragedy in it. Or I would
recommend this book to anyone (most likely girls) who can sort of relate to the problems Halley
and Scarlett encounter in this book such as boy problems, arguing with parents, maybe lost a
friend that was close to them.

Having read all books now, but one, the newest one, "That Lullaby", I can easily say that Sarah Dessen is a groundbreaking, utterly amazing writer. I just finished "Someone like you", and while there is so much I could say, I'd rather just say this:
Every topic in the story of Halley Cooke's coming of age is covered in a vast array of novels for the genre. It is Dessen's approach and style that make it her own. Everything flows like a smooth brook of crystal clear water. She sucks you in and breathes life into all her characters. I just want to sit and read until I finish every last page every time I read any of her books.
I'm just sad there were no writers like her around when I was a teenager back in the 80's.
Enough said. Now go check this book out!!!

Scarlett and Halley have been best friends since the day Scarlett moved in across the street. Though they seem to be drifting apart somewhat through the summer, one rare moment brings them closer together than ever.

Scarlett's boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and now she knows she is carrying his baby. Scarlett has always been the stronger and more outgoing friend, but now it's Halley's responsibility to be brave for her friend. Not only does Hally have to be strong for Scarlett, but for herself as well, now that she has a pressuring boyfriend, Macon.

---

This novel is a fantastic book for teens, because it shows you the reality of friendship. You need to be there for each other, and this book expresses just that. I highly recommend it, though be careful because it may bring a few tears to the eyes of some. This novel is heartwarming, and it truly shows you the importance of friendship. Even if you don't read this book, don't take your friends for granted!

This book tells the story of Halley and Scarlett, who have been best friends since they were eleven. Throughout their junior year, they experience many difficult times, as well as happy ones. At the beginning of the year, Scarlett discovers something that will change her life forever. She figures out that she's pregnant, and decides to keep the baby. The father of this baby, Michael, is killed in a car accident, leaving Scarlett all alone. Halley is the only person that will stick by Scarlett's side, and help her through it all. Halley is also experiencing problems of her own. Her mother, her dad's embarrassing stories, her dying grandmother, and her reckless boyfriend all make Halley's life even more hectic. After reading just the first few pages, I couldn't put this book down! I thought it was very well written, and overall really enjoyed it!

The novel 'Someone Like You' (by Sarah Dessen)is a fiction story about two best friends named Halley and Scarlet. I enjoyed this novel,and I would recommend it. The novel has to deal with real life situations. There are some shocking moments in the novel. There are some twists and turns in the novel dealing with Halley and Scarlet's friendship. Scarlet and Halley are seniors in high school. Scarlet finds out she is pregnet. Then soon after her boyfriend dies in a fatal motorcycle accident. Halley meets a boy named Macon. Through out the story your opinion of Macon changes greatly when you see what he does to Halley. In the end I think 'Someone Like You' is a very intresting novel.

February 14, 2013
Someone Like You In The Eyes of Me
By Savannah Mangum
Someone Like You
By Sarah Dessen
280 pages, Penguin Group, $7.99, Teenager

The book Someone Like You written by Sarah Dessen is a fabulous young adult novel that explains the struggles of love and typical high school conflicts. Teens in high school can highly relate to Someone Like You. Halley and her best friend, Scarlett, face several relatable challenges throughout their high school experience. Dessen is the queen of teenage drama novels. Her books hit home for many people and easily attract high school girls.

Scarlett has been Halley's best friend since "as long as [she] can remember" (3). Halley is able to recognize what's wrong with Halley "just by her voice on the other end of the line" (3). Halley was at Summer Camp when she found out the awful news about Scarlett. Not only did Scarlett's boyfriend die, she also figured out she was pregnant with his baby. Halley and her mother had always been tight until Haley fell in love with Macon Faulkner. Macon is a bad boy. Halley's mother did not approve of Macon. Halley "had to sit downstairs" and wait for her parents to decide her punishment (117). Halley's worst fear was to be banned from Macon. She was in love with him. Halley's mother banned her from seeing Macon. Halley claims that "you can't just turn your heart off like a faucet; you have to go the source and dry it out, drop by drop" (241). Halley's mother did exactly that. She cut off all contact with someone that her daughter was in love with. Scarlett needed Halley more than ever during this time and Halley was very busy with Macon issues. The book explains the struggles that both Halley and Scarlett face with the two terrible problems.

Dessen's Someone Like You takes place in modern day in suburbia. Scarlett and Halley live in Lakeview. There is a "new airport three miles away, which meant a constant stream of airplanes taking off and landing" and a large amount of noise at all hours of the day (6). Scarlett had gotten used to the noise along with everyone else that lives in the neighborhood.

Someone Like You is told first person by Halley Cooke. Halley is sixteen years old and her narrative is peppered with some of the frustrations and opinions of a teenage girl. The reader has to look past the opinions of Halley in order to comprehend the meaning behind the story. Halley is very opinionated about her mother's thoughts of Macon even though her mother is probably making the right decision.

"All the way home I stared out the window, watching the houses slip past and thinking back to the Grand Canyon, vast and uncrossable, like so many things were now" (171). The Grand Canyon is a symbol used throughout the book. Halley's family took a trip to the Grand Canyon when she was younger, and before Halley's rebelliousness began to show. Halley uses the Grand Canyon throughout the book to describe the obstacles that she faces.

No matter what the obstacle may be, Halley and Scarlett tried their very best to remain friends. They face many challenges and struggles and may veer off from each other some, but they never give up on their friendship. Halley and Scarlett are both great friends to each other throughout the entire book. The theme; "life is an ugly, awful place not to have a best friend," is represented throughout the book. Halley and Scarlett needed each other throughout the whole book and they couldn't without their friendship.

I recommend this book to teenagers, parents of teens, or anyone else who is interested in seeing how she faces obstacles of pregnancy, death, relationships, parenting, and drama!

Savannah Mangum is a tenth grade student at Voyager Academy. She is active in the dance company at Nina's School of Dance.

For me Someone Like You referred to the Grammy winning Adele song so it was a surprise to find a Sarah Dessen novel of the same name at the Barnes and Noble. I have read other works by Dessen but had somehow missed this one. This is even more surprising considering the fact that the author has been quoted as saying that this book has the "biggest legion of fans" of all her books. Sarah Dessen is a North Carolina writer who has published 10 novels and is generally considered to be a Young Adult author. Someone Like You is her second novel.
Someone Like You tells the story of Scarlett and Halley, two teenage girls who live across the street from one another. They are best friends and share almost everything. The plot takes place over the course of a year starting in the summer before their senior year in high school and culminating on the night of their senior prom. It tracks the dramatic events that directly affect Scarlett but in my mind is more about Halley growing up and stepping out from behind Scarlett's shadow.
At the beginning of the novel Scarlett is the alpha female dating Michael Sherwood. Michael is a catch who had recently broken up with cheerleader Elizabeth Gunderson. It is Michael who wants Scarlett to keep their relationship a secret. While Halley is at camp Michael is killed and Scarlett desperately needs Halley to come home to support her. Shortly thereafter Scarlett realizes she is pregnant with Michael's baby. Again it is Halley who is there to help and support Scarlett. Scarlett's mother Marion, a former teen mother, immediately arranges for an abortion. Scarlett reluctantly agrees but in the end is not able to go through with it.
At this same time Halley has begun to date the mysterious Macon; Michael's former best friend. It is Macon who drives Halley and Scarlett home from the clinic. And it is Halley and her mother who work out a plan for Scarlett to keep the baby. Halley and Macon have an exciting but tumultuous relationship. Macon continually pressures Halley for sex but Halley doesn't feel ready. Finally she decides she needs to have sex with Macon to keep him and plans for it at a New Year's Eve party. This leads to a big fight between Scarlett and Halley as Scarlett strongly urges Halley not to proceed. Despite Halley's decision she feels she has to get drunk to proceed. This leads to her getting sick and leaving the party; Macon concludes that Halley is a tease and he is furious with her. As he drives her home they have a traffic accident. Scarlett is hurt, Macon tells her he loves her but after she gets out of the hospital they break up.
In the end the Prom is a disaster, Halley's date is drunk and she tears her dress. Scarlett goes into labor and Scarlett and Halley need to have Macon who is now with Elizabeth take them to the hospital. Scarlett gives birth to a beautiful girl and names her after Halley. Halley is revitalized and excited about the future and her relationship with Scarlet and now with Scarlet's daughter Grace Halley Thomas.
Someone Like You is probably not a great novel but I found that it really spoke to me and other teenage girls. Sarah Dressen writes stories of teenagers that are familiar to me and are easy to relate too. They think and sound like people I know. In addition they deal with problems that I find real and believable. Her characters do not have perfect lives. They fight with their parents. They don't understand each other even though they try. Halley and Scarlett are great friends but their friendship is not always smooth. They fight and at times resent each other. They don't always listen to each other and sometimes they are selfish. But in the end they have each other. In the end Scarlett has Halley and Halley has Scarlett and that allows them to make their way through teenage trials and tragedies that thankfully are much worse than anything I have had to endure. In summary, Someone Like You is a novel that details friendship and high school in a way that is entertaining, believable. I highly recommend it for teenagers and adults who are trying to understand teenagers.

This book was magnificent! I loved it so much. It was about a girl named Scarlette who has just found a great boyfriend. Not so long after they met her boyfriend gets into a motor cycle accident. Not so long after his death Scarlette finds out that she is pregnet with his baby. Now scarlette needs major help from her best friend. I really enjoyed reading this book because it had alot of emotions in it and the auther just explained everything so well. I defentaly recomend this to all girls it was defentaly my favorite book ever! Sarah Dessen has also written other great books that I have loved. She has written, This Lullaby, Dreamland, The Truth about Forever, and That summer. I have loved all of these but I liked someone like you the most.

I was scanning the young adult section of the library and came across this. I enjoyed some of Dessen's books in the past, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It sucked me in big time. It was a refreshingly real look at the struggle that teen girls face dealing with pressure from guys, pressure to drink, and pressure to be who their parents want them to be. I was tempted to knock some sense into Halley partially through the book, luckily Scarlett did it for me. Encouraging book, complete with happy ending, but I'm not going to lie and say the whole story was happy. Life's struggles aren't happy. Definitely worth reading though.

Well this book was a little different than I thought it would be. It is more of a story of best friends and growing and learning. Not one of my favorite Dessen books. But I really like this authors portrayal of teens and high school life. It is very realistic and true without being crude or too descriptive. This book deals with drugs, teen pregnancy, underage drinking and teen sex. The author writes in a way that it is ok for older teens to read not too descriptive and they might actually come away from these books a little smarter.

Sarah Dessen's "Someone like you" is an amazing story of two best friends. Scarlett is pretty and popular while Halley is the quiet shy girl known as "Scarletts friend." Halley gets a call to come home when she hears about the tragic accident that killed Scarlett's boyfriend. Halley goes home immediately to be there and comfort Scarlett. She's there for her at the most important time, when Scarlett really needed her.
Their life goes back to normal when they go back to school for their junior year. Halley, never noticed before, is now known around school to be seen with Macon Faulkner, the rebellious bad boy. Her third period gym class with Macon is all she ever thinks about anymore. Her conversations with Scarlett are now filled with stories of gym. Then things make a strange twist when Halley finds out Scarlett's pregnant. But that's not the only thing that is changing. Halley and her parents aren't as close as they use to be and they are suspicious of this new boy Macon. But no guy has ever been like Macon and Halley finds him mysterious. She begins to break away from her strict life, controlled by her mother. As Halley is balancing helping Scarlett through her pregnancy she continues this secret life, full of lies to her family, to continue to see this guy that is changing Halley and taking her away from her family. Not only is her home life a mess, her grandma is very sick and only after a horrible incident makes Halley realize what's important to her.
Sarah Dessen brings all the hard problems teen's face into this story. This story also shows the power of love and friendship. After the incident Halley realizes who really cares for her and she turns to her best friend, who has always been there for her. Throughout everything they know their friendship will never break and best friends are always there for each other. If any girl has experienced a first love they will be able to relate to this story. All the issues faced are real life problems teenage girls deal with so the book is guaranteed to keep you interested. I recommend this book to any girl who's growing up because its all seems realistic and we all face some of these issues growing up.

Halley and Scarlett are best friends- forever. When Scarlett's boyfriend dies, and she finds out that she is carrying his child, their friendship still remains strong. Through thick and thin, this book is from Halley's point of view. She describes how Scarlett acts, how much she loves this boy, and how hard it is to let go of the small girl inside, that longs to be with her mother. I think that this was a w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l book. I read that book in about 6 hours. I loved every word of it. I have let all of my friends know about this book, and I think that they all got hooked on the book too.

I love this book especially because it can relate to the real world of teenagers. The friendship between Halley and Scarlett seems so real, just like me and my best friend. I can relate to Halley and her parents and Halley and Scarlett. I especially love the quote "Life is an ugly awful place not to have a best friend". And I found that true. Sarah Dessen creates a little world of Halley were I can go and see myself from another point of view. It is beautifully written. And it just says that although someone is just a quiet sidekick, it doesn't mean that they're not happy.

i relly liked this book because i can actually relate to how halley's character is written and how people would want to take a walk on the wild side.

i think this book shows you how strong a persons friendship can become and in the twists and turns in life the still are really close.

me having a best friend and having a steady boyfriend i can tell that it is really hard to balance everyone out equally, but at the end i'm always able to see what i'de be like without my best friend.

AsSweetAsHoney xxxx

i really enjoyed reading the book and i really hope that there are more books out in the same lines.

The book I choose to critique is Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. It is a young adult literature book. Since it is young adult and the main character is in high school I would say the ideal audience for this book would be teenagers. It is an easy read so it would be geared toward younger teens. However, mid-late teens would also be able to get something out of this book.
I found this book to have a very interesting plot. It deals with a girl who is more or less discovering herself. At the beginning of the book her best friend's boyfriend dies. She is used to her best friend being the strong one and taking care of her, and now the roles are reversed. Shortly in, she ends up meeting a boy named Macon who was the best friend of Michael (her best friend's ex-boyfriend). Macon is somewhat of a rebel and gets her into trouble. When with him she ends up skipping school, going to parties, trying drugs, and lying to her parents constantly. Through all of this she ends up finding out her best friend, Scarlett, is pregnant with her ex-boyfriend's baby. Once again she has to be strong and help her friend deal with the dramatic changes in her life.
Even though the book had an interesting plot I think it could have been written better. Throughout the book certain parts are very detailed while others are slightly vague. One main part was eventually she breaks things off with Macon but there are no reasons given why. One minute she's in love with him and the next she suddenly decides to listen to her parents and friends when they tell her he's bad news. This part particularly confused me. Also after that part whenever his name was mentioned she was suddenly over him. I just thought this part was somewhat dramatized, and she changed too suddenly for it to be believable.
Most teens can relate to this book however. It deals with issues most teens today deal with too, such as drugs, drinking, sex, and pregnancy. These are all pressures today's teen must deal with. In this book the main character almost has sex with Macon but decides it's not the right time for her. I think this could give a lot of teens strength to realize that you are the one who has to feel comfortable with sex. And that you shouldn't be doing it just because your partner wants to. I enjoyed this book for the most part and most teens will enjoy it too.

Halley was named for her grandmother, who was named for the comet. Scarlett, across the street, was named for you-know-who. Both are "onlies," just turning sixteen, and have been best friends, almost-sisters since they were eleven. Then Michael, the boy to whom Scarlett lost her virginity only the night before, is killed in a car wreck and -- you guessed it -- she's pregnant. Her mother also had gotten pregnant in high school and (fortunately for Scarlett) had kept the baby, and now she decides to do the same. Meanwhile, Halley is getting more and more involved with Macon, Michael's dangerous buddy, who wants more than she's ultimately willing to give. The nine months of Scarlett's pregnancy is the backdrop for a very well-written story about love and sex and real friendship and dealing with parents. And the final scene, in the hospital waiting room, is very cinematic. This is a terrific book for teenagers, but it's also simply a very, very well done novel.

This is an amazing book about teen love and friendship. Anyone who liked some of Sarah Dessen's other books should read this book ASAP for more of her great writing. It's also a book about the pressures of having sex as a teen and the realitys of "love" at such a young and naive age. Halley's story telling draws you into the story and makes it a book worth every penny you spend on it. I suggest that everyone reads this book, and if you don't, you're really missing out on a wonderful piece of writing!

This is an amazing book about teen love and friendship. Anyone who liked some of Sarah Dessen's other books should read this book ASAP for more of her great writing. It's also a book about the pressures of having sex as a teen and the realitys of "love" at such a young and naive age. Halley's story telling draws you into the story and makes it a book worth every penny you spend on it. I suggest that everyone reads this book, and if you don't, you're really missing out on a wonderful piece of writing!

Someone Like You, was overall a very heartwarming story of two best friends and their trip their adolescence. Halley and Scarlett had been friends forever, and in this story they realized how much they really needed each other as they got older. One night when Halley is away at camp for the summer she gets a call from Scarlett wanting her to come home because Scarlett's boyfriend Michael had passed away in a motorcycle accident. After Halley begs her mother to come get her from camp, she gets to Scarlett. Soon after the incident Scarlett finds out that she is pregnant with Michael's baby. While Halley is trying to be there for Scarlett she also gets in with the wrong crowd of people, and has to realize her new friend Macon isn't the right person for her to be with. It takes a dramatic car wreck for Halley to let Macon know that they can't be with each other. Halley and Scarlett spend their summer working at a grocery store as they move down an ongoing path of surprises. I was not able put this book down, I always wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I recommend anyone who likes stories about friendship to read Someone Like You.

Can a friendship help teens get through the hardest times of their lives? Someone Like You by Sarah Desson shows how a friendship can pull a teen through tough times. Scarlett and Halley became best friends at a young age. They helped each other for the hardest part of their lives. Scarlett's boyfriend, Michael, had an accident and dies. Later, Scarlett finds out she's pregnant with his baby. Halley meets a boy and starts to have a serious relationship with him, even though he is not good for her. Someone Like You holds the readers attention all the way through the story. Sarah Desson's writing style creates a very realistic setting. The characters she used also made the story very entertaining and dramatic. This book tells the trials that teenagers go through in high school. This is a very good book to read for anyone who attends high school. It tells very true situation of teenage pregnancy and friendships. Reading this book can show teenagers the drama behind a teenage pregnancy and about the people who really are there to help, like your best friends. "Life is an ugly awful place not to have a best friend."

While one of her earlier books, Sarah Dessen does not disappoint readers in conveying teen angst, young love, and the growth of mothers, daughters, and best friends. "Someone Like You" tells of two best friends who have known each other, and exactly where they fit, since they were young - Halley the shy, dependent one and Scarlet, the brave, outgoing one. After Scarlet's boyfriend dies suddenly in a motorcycle accident, she discovers she is pregnant with his baby. At the same time that Halley is growing away from her mother (partially because of her own latest boyfriend), Scarlet is growing closer to becoming a mother herself. Sarah Dessen illustrates the difficulties and benefits of friendship, while exploring the world of teenagers. The image of "cool" has evolved from what it was when this book was published, but the main fundamentals of teenhood will never change. "Someone Like You" is most definitely not Dessen's best, but the read is lively and entertaining. Readers who have previously enjoyed Dessen's teen romance novels will find the same satisfaction here. For readers new to Sarah Dessen, it is not advised to start her off with this book.

I read the book Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen. I enjoyed the book a lot and thought it was great. I think any teenage girl should read the book because it has so many important lessons to learn from it. It talked all about a young girl getting pregnant and the struggles and battles that she went through during her pregnancy. Scarlett was only 16 years old when she becomes pregnant and losses her boyfriend in a motercylce accident. Haley is Scarlett's best friend and tries to be there for her whenever she needs her, but at the same time is dealing with her mother and first real boyfriend. Both the girls go through many changes from young girls to mature women. Anybody reading this book will truly understand the pain she went through by making one mistake. I do not enjoy reading too much but this was one of the best books that I have ever read. I loved reading it and trying to find out what would happen next. It is a book that is very realistic and the things talked about could happen to any young girl like it did to Scarlett. The book was somewhat easy to read and could be read by kids a lot younger then me. There were not to many vocabulary words throughout the book either. Although the book was not as challenging as I thought it would be, I found it very interesting. I would recommend this book to many people. Not only young teenage girls but also mothers with teenage daughters.

I picked this book because from the back decription it seemed good. I figured by reading it I might learn a little bit about my self. I also thought it would give my male partner the chance to learn more about his female friends. I really enjoyed this book even though the whole time of reading it my partner Chuck was telling me "I hate this book, it?s gonna suck." But after I convinced him it would be good, we started reading.
I felt it was like an immediate reaction to him to fall in love with it by the first paragraph. Now don't get him wrong, boys would really like this book too. It gives them a chance to get to know their inner feelings. I really enjoyed this book it started out a little slow but it really picked up near the middle. I think it will teach young girls a good life lesson. For one it tells you that sex can wait a not to totally disobey your mom and dad to such an extent that it could result in hurting your self. Like what the Halley dose in the start of the book you see Halley as the "perfect daughter," but when she turns 16 she breaks away from the rules of her mother by going on a date with Macon. Macon is a wild, dangerous boy who takes her where she's never been. Should she have sex with him? No not until she finds out if he really loves her and now that her best friend Scarlett is pregnant with her dead boyfriends baby what will she do?

In the beginning Scarlett's boyfriend is killed, and later finds out that she's pregnant with his baby. Going through a stressful time, Scarlett has her best friend Halley to help her out. But Halley has her own troubles to deal with including her new boyfriend and her parents. I liked the format of this book, but I thought some parts of the book dragged on for to long. I recommend this book to anyone who likes loves stories and if you like wondering what's going to happen next. The author really keeps you guessing and wondering whats going to happen next.

Sarah Dessen stirkes again with this tear-jerking novel about two best friends' journey through one's pregnancy, while the other goes through the ups and downs of having a new boyfriend....a troublemaker at that. It keeps any reader hooked up to the very last word! Dessen is one of my favorite authors, and I highly suggest that if you have read this book and liked it, to read her other books as well. They are all just as good as the next! Two-thumbs up for Sarah Dessen's "Someone Like You".

This book is and always will be my favorite book. I know that I have a lot of reading ahead of me to say that, but it is true. This book is about 2 girls who lives go tumbling out of control when Scarlet's boy friend, Michael, is killed in a car crash. A few weeks later Scarlet finds out that she is prgnant with Michael's child. While getting ready for the baby, Scarlet and Halley grow closer as friends. This is a wonderful book that I am sure, captured many hearts.

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen is 281 pages long and published by The Penguin Group in 1998. This is a realistic fiction novel told through the eyes of Halley, the main character, as she travels through the hardships in her junior year of high school. Other characters that play an important role in the storey are Scarlet, her best friend, Macon, her boyfriend, and her parents.

In Someone Like You Halley is trying to find herself and break free of the hold her mother has on her life along with trying to stay strong for Scarlet who seems to be having even bigger problems. Scarlet finds out she's pregnant with the child of her boyfriend who died in a motorcycle accident. Halley meets Macon who pressures her to do things she doesn't feel comfortable doing and leads her down some bad paths, separating her even more from her parents.

I absolutely love this book. It had a lot of life lessons on love, friends, and family. I liked how realistic the story, the people, and the pressures they face are, and how it can be related to any teenagers' life. The writing is very descriptive and Sarah Dessen does a great job giving detail to the characters so it's like you really know them and feel what they're feeling.

I could hardly put the book down at night. I recommend this book to everyone who likes Realistic Fiction even just a little bit.

Being a teenager, Halley Cooke has normal teenage problems, but for the most part she is smart and sure of herself, always having her best friend, Scarlett Thomas to lean on whenever she needs her. Not long after school starts, Halley begins to go out with Macon Faulkner. Macon's best friend was Scarlett's summer-long boyfriend, Michael Sherwood who died in a tragic motorcycle accident a couple of weeks before school started.
While working at Milton's, the local grocery store, Scarlett reveals shocking news to Halley; that she is pregnant, and Michael is the father. Although no one takes the news well, Scarlett decides to keep her baby. Through Scarlett's pregnancy, and Halley's tough break-up with her boyfriend, the two best friends have each other through thick and thin. Together, they learn How To Deal.
I definitely recommend Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen for all and any. This remarkable book not only teaches you how to appreciate the life you have, but to think before you make your decisions; may you be making the most important decision you've ever made in your life, or choosing what to wear to the next school dance. No matter how big or how small, everything you do is important.

I read the book "Someone Like You" by Sarah Dessen. "Someone Like You" is about two girls, Halley and Scarlett. They have been best friends since they met the day that Scarlett moved in across the street. Halley is quiet and Scarlett is braver and more outgoing. Halley always has turned to Scarlett for help when she's having a hard time with something because Scarlett has always known what to do. But one day while Halley is at camp she gets a call in the middle of the night it's Scarlett, she was crying a scared and now Halley had to help her, and didn't know what to do. Scarlett tells Halley that Michael, Scarlett's boyfriend, had died in a motorcycle accident. Then a few weeks later Scarlett starts getting sick in the mornings, only to find out that she is carrying his baby, and Scarlett needs Halley's help more than anything.

I liked this book very much. The book proves to you that "Life is an ugly, awful place to not have a best friend." As quoted from the book, it shows how to give and recieve when people need it most. I learned a lot from this book, on many different things. I would recommend it to any girl.

Sarah Dessen has done a WONDERFUL job on this book. It is an excellent story about two friends(Haley and Scarlette)And their friendship during high school. The story is beautifuly written,and the characters seem so real. Sarah makes you feel like you are actually experiancing the events from Haley's new boyfriend to Scralette's baby. I have to praise Sarah Dessen for a Outstanding job on SOMEONE LIKE YOU. This is definatly one of my favorites!

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen is about Halley and Scarlett. They have been best friends for a very long time. They spend all the time they can together. This was going to be the first summer they have every spent apart. Halley was going off to a summer camp hours away. She is sitting in her cabin one night and at a late hour she gets a phone call from Scarlett. Usually they aren't able to get phone calls, but this one was an emergency. Halley gets on the phone and hears Scarlett sobbing, her boyfriend Michael got in a motorcycle accident and died that day. Scarlett really needs Halley to be there for her, so she calls her mom and asks for her to pick her up. Her mom is not sure if it is a good idea because this is a building character camp and she wants her to stay there for as long as she can, finally Halley persuades her mom to pick her up that next morning. Halley gets a boyfriend and Scarlett finds out she's pregnant it will always keep you wanting to read more.

This book is really good, it's a big attention grabber it will make you want to keep reading it. Anyone could be interested in it mostly teenagers. You'll never know what might happens in life, but you'll always have a best friend for life.