What do you think?
Rate this book
This Lullaby
There is an alternate cover edition for this ASIN here.
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?
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?
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2002
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,527 reviews
January 25, 2010
"This Lullaby" was my first Dessen book and will probably be the last. It has nothing to do with the writing, but this kind of fairly depressing YA chick lit a la Jennifer Weiner is simply not my cup of tea.
This book is normally described as a super sweet romance, but it never felt like one to me. Rather, it was a story of a girl disillusioned in love who finally allowed herself to open herself up to an honest relationship with a man.
There was really nothing wrong with this story. The characters were very well drawn in comparison to those in many other YA novels I've read. They were compelling and understandable and their relationships with each other felt real. Dexter as the main male lead was extremely likable. Remy appeared a little harder to understand and appreciate. For her 18 years of age she was awfully negative and cynical and I found it very hard at times to remain in her head, because it seemed to me she never took any pleasure in anything, even in her short relationship with Dexter. Maybe I would have understood her better if her personality was explored more thoroughly: Why exactly was she so angry with her father, after all, he never did her any harm, he died when she was just a toddler? What made her clean up her act and abandon her promiscuous life style and drug use? Why, with all her disillusionment in love, did she keep having these 2-months romances? What exactly did she want from these relationships? I also wanted to know more about Remy's friends, especially about always in a background Jess, and about Chloe, who was as cynical as Remy, but what was her reason? And lastly, these 4 girls seemed strangely too mature and jaded for their age. Throughout the book I kept thinking that if you take the words "high school graduation" and "college" out of the story, you basically get on your hands a group of "Sex and the City" girls.
"This Lullaby" was by no means a bad book, it was a fast and engaging story, but it left me fairly unsatisfied and not really inspired to read any other books by the author.
Reading challenge: #29.
This book is normally described as a super sweet romance, but it never felt like one to me. Rather, it was a story of a girl disillusioned in love who finally allowed herself to open herself up to an honest relationship with a man.
There was really nothing wrong with this story. The characters were very well drawn in comparison to those in many other YA novels I've read. They were compelling and understandable and their relationships with each other felt real. Dexter as the main male lead was extremely likable. Remy appeared a little harder to understand and appreciate. For her 18 years of age she was awfully negative and cynical and I found it very hard at times to remain in her head, because it seemed to me she never took any pleasure in anything, even in her short relationship with Dexter. Maybe I would have understood her better if her personality was explored more thoroughly: Why exactly was she so angry with her father, after all, he never did her any harm, he died when she was just a toddler? What made her clean up her act and abandon her promiscuous life style and drug use? Why, with all her disillusionment in love, did she keep having these 2-months romances? What exactly did she want from these relationships? I also wanted to know more about Remy's friends, especially about always in a background Jess, and about Chloe, who was as cynical as Remy, but what was her reason? And lastly, these 4 girls seemed strangely too mature and jaded for their age. Throughout the book I kept thinking that if you take the words "high school graduation" and "college" out of the story, you basically get on your hands a group of "Sex and the City" girls.
"This Lullaby" was by no means a bad book, it was a fast and engaging story, but it left me fairly unsatisfied and not really inspired to read any other books by the author.
Reading challenge: #29.
October 10, 2016
To truly live life is to always make risks. I’m a living testimony to this philosophy or more like a fact of life. But to a cynic, everything has measures, standards and requirements. Things have always to be in control because a step to an unknown direction will lose the balance that one keeps or at least hopes to maintain.
To Remy, the main character in the story, her lack of faith in relationships and love is reasonably based on her own personal experiences, on what she has witnessed all through her life. Who can really blame her when her own father left her with nothing except a song and with all the marriages and re-marriages she has personally planned and arranged for her mom? But at some point, a straight road has to reach a curve and so does Remy when her path crosses with that of the imperfect, awkward, easy-going, positive-thinking Dexter.
This is my third book by Ms. Sarah Dessen and I’ve learned to be comfortable with her writing style much like I have learned to be cozy with that of Jennifer E. Smith. There isn’t really a “wow factor” in their stories, most are actually a bit predictable, the pacing kind of mellow but the messages and the themes are always relatable and significant.
But what made me appreciate this particular novel more than the others is the characterization which usually is the main thing that captures me in a story. I really liked that while Remy is flawed, “a complete bitch” as she says, she is also very smart, independent and strong-willed and her relationships with her friends and her family are quite very realistically portrayed.
Overall, it is an enjoyable (there were several lol moments), worthwhile read and of the three books I’ve read by the author, I’d probably recommend this.
P.S. Happy birthday to Ana {The Good Gif Fairy}, one of the coolest, most awesome people on Goodreads. Love yah, girly! <3
May 21, 2018
man oh man there is nothing better than a good sarah dessen binge read in the summer.
this book is Especially good, because it's pret-ty different from the typical dessen. it's a kinda bad girl protagonist!!! who knew that was even possible?? didn't we all think that the female main characters that populate sarah dessen books just came in barely-varying flavors of Vanilla.
remy is a bit o' a badass - she dates around, she smokes sometimes, she drinks underage (gasp!). basically she's a much more normal and interesting specimen. a pleasant surprise.
the group of friends in this is pretty fun too. the ever-present family drama is dramatic as ever. the unfortunately the equally-unavoidable romance is the most boring, uninteresting plotline in the history of the universe, but you win some you lose some you know?
bottom line: WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS SARAH DESSEN REREAD YEARS AGO. my god, what a blast.
this book is Especially good, because it's pret-ty different from the typical dessen. it's a kinda bad girl protagonist!!! who knew that was even possible?? didn't we all think that the female main characters that populate sarah dessen books just came in barely-varying flavors of Vanilla.
remy is a bit o' a badass - she dates around, she smokes sometimes, she drinks underage (gasp!). basically she's a much more normal and interesting specimen. a pleasant surprise.
the group of friends in this is pretty fun too. the ever-present family drama is dramatic as ever. the unfortunately the equally-unavoidable romance is the most boring, uninteresting plotline in the history of the universe, but you win some you lose some you know?
bottom line: WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS SARAH DESSEN REREAD YEARS AGO. my god, what a blast.
November 9, 2012
Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com
Sarah Dessen's THIS LULLABY is one of the best teen books I've ever read. It's the story of Remy, a girl who has no faith in love. Part of this is because her own father never even saw her, only wrote a now-famous song, called "This Lullaby," about her before he died. It certainly doesn't help that her mother has been married four times, and, at the beginning of the novel, is about to have her fifth wedding. Remy says about her mother's marriages, "She takes on husbands the way other people change their hair color: out of boredom, listlessness, or just feeling that this next one will fix everything, once and for all."
Remy likes to feel in control of things when she's got a boyfriend. She knows all about getting into relationships, the first romantic rush, and ending them before there's any emotional attachment. She's almost always the one to dump guys, not the other way around. She's got plenty of practice at it, too.
One day, at the car dealership owned by her mother's next husband, she meets a guy named Dexter. He's very determined to get to know Remy, and, at first, she thinks he's ridiculous and ignores him. Dexter, however, is persistent. When the two finally get together, everyone is shocked that Remy's staying in the relationship. Dexter is so many things Remy could never put up with. He's messy and impulsive, but, most of all, he's a musician. Until Dexter came along, Remy had a "no musician" rule, and now she's broken it.
Signs point to Remy ending this relationship and not looking back. Everyone thinks that's what will happen. Everyone except Dexter, who wants it to be more than a summer thing, who has faith in their relationship. How will it all end?
This is an amazing young adult book by a brilliant author. Sarah Dessen, author of several other books including THAT SUMMER and SOMEONE LIKE YOU, does an awesome job of keeping the reader's attention throughout THIS LULLABY. She does it with her original story, told in Remy's unique voice. It doesn't hurt that Sarah Dessen is great at creating fresh, original, believable characters. Thoughtful and powerful, this book also has its moments that will make readers laugh, which is a nice change of pace in the story. Every aspect of this novel surpasses expectations.
Sarah Dessen's THIS LULLABY is one of the best teen books I've ever read. It's the story of Remy, a girl who has no faith in love. Part of this is because her own father never even saw her, only wrote a now-famous song, called "This Lullaby," about her before he died. It certainly doesn't help that her mother has been married four times, and, at the beginning of the novel, is about to have her fifth wedding. Remy says about her mother's marriages, "She takes on husbands the way other people change their hair color: out of boredom, listlessness, or just feeling that this next one will fix everything, once and for all."
Remy likes to feel in control of things when she's got a boyfriend. She knows all about getting into relationships, the first romantic rush, and ending them before there's any emotional attachment. She's almost always the one to dump guys, not the other way around. She's got plenty of practice at it, too.
One day, at the car dealership owned by her mother's next husband, she meets a guy named Dexter. He's very determined to get to know Remy, and, at first, she thinks he's ridiculous and ignores him. Dexter, however, is persistent. When the two finally get together, everyone is shocked that Remy's staying in the relationship. Dexter is so many things Remy could never put up with. He's messy and impulsive, but, most of all, he's a musician. Until Dexter came along, Remy had a "no musician" rule, and now she's broken it.
Signs point to Remy ending this relationship and not looking back. Everyone thinks that's what will happen. Everyone except Dexter, who wants it to be more than a summer thing, who has faith in their relationship. How will it all end?
This is an amazing young adult book by a brilliant author. Sarah Dessen, author of several other books including THAT SUMMER and SOMEONE LIKE YOU, does an awesome job of keeping the reader's attention throughout THIS LULLABY. She does it with her original story, told in Remy's unique voice. It doesn't hurt that Sarah Dessen is great at creating fresh, original, believable characters. Thoughtful and powerful, this book also has its moments that will make readers laugh, which is a nice change of pace in the story. Every aspect of this novel surpasses expectations.
April 27, 2011
After Just Listen, let’s just say that I wasn’t all that impressed with Sarah Dessen. And to be honest? I just couldn’t see why she was so popular.. so with great reluctance (a month after reading Just Listen in fact,) I went ahead and read This Lullaby. Well, this review is me eating my words: Sarah Dessen deserves all the praise she has gotten/gets.
I loved it! (Yes, this is even despite my having come across what one reviewer calls the “the Sarah Dessen Syndrome,” of a female protagonist who is most likely troubled (either because of her family, friends or emotions,) who meets a boy (preferably crush/swoon worthy) the latter most likely helping her get over her issues.
Remy cannot wait to get away from home and be independent; her mother and her mother’s relationships have drilled into her what she doesn’t want to become. Thank gosh, she’s got a brother and friends who are more or less just as cynical as she is, and consequently, very accepting of her quirks. Quirks? From being an anything goes party girl to an almost sort of anal retentive perfectionist who requires everything in place and everything pegged. Then came Dexter; he is everything she normally wouldn’t go for- sloppy, clumsy, and without plans. Yet, they just click. Until her quirks get in the way, she just over thought everything!
One would think that it was Dexter that got me to change my mind, but nope.. it was all Remy. Her hard-ass-ness was not all there was to her. Dexter really got her and I loved that! She really was a softy, even if she tended to overreact and sometimes overanalyze things. And yeah, Dexter did in fact play a role in my becoming a Dessen fan.
I do hope her other stories live up to how good This Lullaby is.
4/5
I loved it! (Yes, this is even despite my having come across what one reviewer calls the “the Sarah Dessen Syndrome,” of a female protagonist who is most likely troubled (either because of her family, friends or emotions,) who meets a boy (preferably crush/swoon worthy) the latter most likely helping her get over her issues.
Remy cannot wait to get away from home and be independent; her mother and her mother’s relationships have drilled into her what she doesn’t want to become. Thank gosh, she’s got a brother and friends who are more or less just as cynical as she is, and consequently, very accepting of her quirks. Quirks? From being an anything goes party girl to an almost sort of anal retentive perfectionist who requires everything in place and everything pegged. Then came Dexter; he is everything she normally wouldn’t go for- sloppy, clumsy, and without plans. Yet, they just click. Until her quirks get in the way, she just over thought everything!
One would think that it was Dexter that got me to change my mind, but nope.. it was all Remy. Her hard-ass-ness was not all there was to her. Dexter really got her and I loved that! She really was a softy, even if she tended to overreact and sometimes overanalyze things. And yeah, Dexter did in fact play a role in my becoming a Dessen fan.
I do hope her other stories live up to how good This Lullaby is.
4/5
August 17, 2008
I did *not* like this book. I found the main character to be completely unsympathetic and I could not relate to her or with her to save my life. I understand WHY she was a bitch at time to Dexterbut quite honestly, I didn't really care. I just couldn't really get into it. Especially towards the end, when she flipped out on Dexter over the whole picture incident. I wanted to rip out my hair, throw my book against a wall and throw her over a bridge all at the same time..ok, well maybe the last bit is going overboard but it. drove. me. CRAZY. And then her slutty friend (don't remember her name) told her not to even apologize to Dexter? Yeah, that enraged me. Also it was annoying and got old how she would always think to herself and wonder why she felt a pang in her chest or a tug in her heart when she was dating that retarted frat boy and then would run into Dexter. I felt like screaming BECAUSE YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH HIM YOU DUMB ASS!!! I don't know the book, to me, was a hell of a lot more annoying than it was entertaining. I will say that the ending was perfect and I enjoyed it but..ugh..as a whole didn't really like it all that much.
May 21, 2017
Sarah Dessen's books always leave my heart feeling so full. I loved Remy's cynicism, Dexter's optimism, the idea of taking risks and opening up yourself to every opportunity. Such a great story!
December 4, 2007
I was 18 when I read This Lullaby, and it was the first Sarah Dessen novel that I had read. To this day, it is still my favorite book by Dessen.
The main character Remy is very relatable to many teenage girls, and even to young women who remember being the way Remy is when they were in high school. Remy's family and friends are a very loveable group of characters and their development is flawless.
There are little twists here and there that carry the book toward the end. It does start off a little slow, but Dessen has a way with words and really knows how to get into the minds of young women and tell their stories with honesty and innocence.
The main character Remy is very relatable to many teenage girls, and even to young women who remember being the way Remy is when they were in high school. Remy's family and friends are a very loveable group of characters and their development is flawless.
There are little twists here and there that carry the book toward the end. It does start off a little slow, but Dessen has a way with words and really knows how to get into the minds of young women and tell their stories with honesty and innocence.
July 14, 2009
Ah, Dexter...
July 4, 2019
Short review: FINALLY FINALLY, FINALLY I'm finished this book (Did you see the date I started and finished this novel? Life gets in the way book lovers as you know. Life and school.) but no....it's over?! No! I loved it so much! I thought I would be happy that I got it done because one more book read right and I could chat with my friend Erin, whom I buddy read this wonderful jem of a novel with? No. I wish there was more! I'm sad now but in a good way. ;-) I guess I will read another Sarah Dessen book! <3
Long review to come with time, figuring things out, (quotes (man, this book had some great ones)), and love <3 ;-) *wink ,wink* or hint, hint to those of you who have read this wonderful novel and those of you who I haven't, I definitely recommend you should! There are some great words to read and lessons to learn!
Ta ta for now!
*Buddy read with my good friend Erin. :)
Long review to come with time, figuring things out, (quotes (man, this book had some great ones)), and love <3 ;-) *wink ,wink* or hint, hint to those of you who have read this wonderful novel and those of you who I haven't, I definitely recommend you should! There are some great words to read and lessons to learn!
Ta ta for now!
*Buddy read with my good friend Erin. :)
September 14, 2014
Rating: 5 STARS
This Lullaby is my favourite Sarah Dessen book along with The Truth About Forever. There is no denying that Sarah Dessen follows a specific formula when writing a novel, a formula that doesn't change too much (if at all) from book to book. But not only does this formula work, she manages to make it work wonderfully. In my opinion, Dessen has a gift, in that she is able to turn simple plots into beautiful and deep stories that work when in the mood for an entertaining, light, fun book, but one that really leaves you with something too.
In This Lullaby, Remy has very strict rules about relationships. These rules come from the fact that her mom is currently on her fifth marriage, so it is from experience that Remy knows: relationships don't last. To avoid herself the pain she has seen her mother go through again and again she has always followed specific guidelines about dating, which -in general- have the purpose of her never getting too involved. However, one summer Remy meets Dexter and his personality starts making her change these rules, so Remy goes on an emotional journey, trying to come to terms with the fact that sometimes it's ok to take a chance.
From the description of the plot, one might think they have the story figured out, from beginning to end. In a sense, this can be correct. We know that by the end the character will have grown and there will be a happy ending. However, as I said before, Sarah Dessen manages to turn simple plots into stories that go so much deeper. This isn't just about Remy's relationship with Dexter, it's about Remy's relationships with everyone. It's about how she relates in general, how she learns to deal with people, with her feelings, with her experiences. It is about Remy learning to have a bit more freedom, to free herself from herself. I think we can all identify with this, at least I know I can. This is where the heart of the story really is, and it's where Sarah Dessen really shows her talent. She is able to develop likeable, and relatable characters. Maybe not all of us make conscious rules, like Remy, about how to relate to other people. But we all have a way of thinking, we all have a way of relating, a way we have adopted from experiences, from people we have met, from parents, since our childhood, and some of these schemes that we operate under sometimes prevent us from enjoying different ways of relating with other people. This is not a story about a girl meeting a guy, falling in love, and changing for him. This is a story about a girl growing up, learning to break out of her structured thoughts, learning to be more free, learning to stop defining herself and her life by her past experiences, or by the things her mom goes through, and in that process learning to be happy.
Remy and Dexter are both likeable characters, with flaws, they are not perfect, in fact they are far from it. Remy can be stubborn, close-minded, and cold, but she's also vulnerable and the most important thing is that she knows she has flaws, she knows the way in which she has always related to people, the shell that she has created to protect herself, is not always healthy. She wishes she wasn't like that. And that's what's beautiful about our story. I always believed that your worst enemy is always yourself. Our mind is the most powerful thing, it can have a great hold on how we act, and it can prevent us from being happy. Remy sees this, she wants to change, and she tries to... Even though she knows that by doing it she's opening herself to a huge amount of hurt. That's what makes her a great character. Dexter is outgoing, perhaps he can come on too strong, he's friendly and unafraid to speak his mind. He lives his life much more relaxed than Remy does, and so he teaches her how to let go a little and just relax. Together they are very fun to be around, I extremely enjoyed their conversations, I laughed out loud at Dexter's challenges, I continually looked forward to their interactions.
Every single character, however, no matter how minor their role might be, influences Remy in one way or another, and so in turn, they influenced me as well. They are all flawed, but they are all trying to be better people. And that's just it right? It's not about being perfect, there are no rules for perfection, it's just about being permeable to change. In one's journey towards happiness, or towards being a better person, sometimes you might get it right, and sometimes you might not. It's about being flexible, and open, and ultimately just - free.
This is what I was personally left with after reading the book. Please consider the fact that I read this when I was thirteen, nine years ago, and I remember exactly what I learned from Remy, I remember exactly how it made me feel. To think that after all this time the lesson I took still applies to my life, I constantly remind myself to stop controlling my actions so much, my thoughts, to try and stop analyzing every outcome possible to an obsessive degree, and to be a bit more free from my own mental structures, and in turn, happier... Well that's why I'm giving it five stars. I don't know if it's much of a review, maybe someone else will read this book and just see another teenage romance, but for me, at the age I read it, it was much more than that. So I thought I would share what I took away from 'This Lullaby', what makes it a worthwhile read in my opinion.
This Lullaby is my favourite Sarah Dessen book along with The Truth About Forever. There is no denying that Sarah Dessen follows a specific formula when writing a novel, a formula that doesn't change too much (if at all) from book to book. But not only does this formula work, she manages to make it work wonderfully. In my opinion, Dessen has a gift, in that she is able to turn simple plots into beautiful and deep stories that work when in the mood for an entertaining, light, fun book, but one that really leaves you with something too.
In This Lullaby, Remy has very strict rules about relationships. These rules come from the fact that her mom is currently on her fifth marriage, so it is from experience that Remy knows: relationships don't last. To avoid herself the pain she has seen her mother go through again and again she has always followed specific guidelines about dating, which -in general- have the purpose of her never getting too involved. However, one summer Remy meets Dexter and his personality starts making her change these rules, so Remy goes on an emotional journey, trying to come to terms with the fact that sometimes it's ok to take a chance.
From the description of the plot, one might think they have the story figured out, from beginning to end. In a sense, this can be correct. We know that by the end the character will have grown and there will be a happy ending. However, as I said before, Sarah Dessen manages to turn simple plots into stories that go so much deeper. This isn't just about Remy's relationship with Dexter, it's about Remy's relationships with everyone. It's about how she relates in general, how she learns to deal with people, with her feelings, with her experiences. It is about Remy learning to have a bit more freedom, to free herself from herself. I think we can all identify with this, at least I know I can. This is where the heart of the story really is, and it's where Sarah Dessen really shows her talent. She is able to develop likeable, and relatable characters. Maybe not all of us make conscious rules, like Remy, about how to relate to other people. But we all have a way of thinking, we all have a way of relating, a way we have adopted from experiences, from people we have met, from parents, since our childhood, and some of these schemes that we operate under sometimes prevent us from enjoying different ways of relating with other people. This is not a story about a girl meeting a guy, falling in love, and changing for him. This is a story about a girl growing up, learning to break out of her structured thoughts, learning to be more free, learning to stop defining herself and her life by her past experiences, or by the things her mom goes through, and in that process learning to be happy.
Remy and Dexter are both likeable characters, with flaws, they are not perfect, in fact they are far from it. Remy can be stubborn, close-minded, and cold, but she's also vulnerable and the most important thing is that she knows she has flaws, she knows the way in which she has always related to people, the shell that she has created to protect herself, is not always healthy. She wishes she wasn't like that. And that's what's beautiful about our story. I always believed that your worst enemy is always yourself. Our mind is the most powerful thing, it can have a great hold on how we act, and it can prevent us from being happy. Remy sees this, she wants to change, and she tries to... Even though she knows that by doing it she's opening herself to a huge amount of hurt. That's what makes her a great character. Dexter is outgoing, perhaps he can come on too strong, he's friendly and unafraid to speak his mind. He lives his life much more relaxed than Remy does, and so he teaches her how to let go a little and just relax. Together they are very fun to be around, I extremely enjoyed their conversations, I laughed out loud at Dexter's challenges, I continually looked forward to their interactions.
Every single character, however, no matter how minor their role might be, influences Remy in one way or another, and so in turn, they influenced me as well. They are all flawed, but they are all trying to be better people. And that's just it right? It's not about being perfect, there are no rules for perfection, it's just about being permeable to change. In one's journey towards happiness, or towards being a better person, sometimes you might get it right, and sometimes you might not. It's about being flexible, and open, and ultimately just - free.
This is what I was personally left with after reading the book. Please consider the fact that I read this when I was thirteen, nine years ago, and I remember exactly what I learned from Remy, I remember exactly how it made me feel. To think that after all this time the lesson I took still applies to my life, I constantly remind myself to stop controlling my actions so much, my thoughts, to try and stop analyzing every outcome possible to an obsessive degree, and to be a bit more free from my own mental structures, and in turn, happier... Well that's why I'm giving it five stars. I don't know if it's much of a review, maybe someone else will read this book and just see another teenage romance, but for me, at the age I read it, it was much more than that. So I thought I would share what I took away from 'This Lullaby', what makes it a worthwhile read in my opinion.
November 11, 2009
Let me begin yet another Dessen review on a high note: Remy Starr is officially my favorite Dessen girl, hands down. She actually actively took part in what happened around her, making her mistakes big and bold and beautiful. Her cynical rants immediately captured my heart and her wit and vulnerability sealed the deal. I just got her.
I also fell in love with Dexter from the moment he appeared on the page. His charm and all around adorable-ness made me want to reach into the story and pull him out. The way him and Remy clicked was somehow both magical and real and their playful interactions had me smiling and laughing out loud. The book in general was a perfect blend of laughter and tears; most scenes had me in one or the other.
Sure, the break-up-then-quick-make-up was alive and kicking, but either it simply worked better here because I was already smitten with the love story, or I'm just becoming immune to Dessen's signature moves.
Either way, the novel was sweet and enjoyable and my one complaint is that the actual plot surrounding the characters and their greatness was slightly lacking. And of course there can never be enough Remy/Dexter. This will most likely not stop me from picking up yet another Dessen book in the future.
I also fell in love with Dexter from the moment he appeared on the page. His charm and all around adorable-ness made me want to reach into the story and pull him out. The way him and Remy clicked was somehow both magical and real and their playful interactions had me smiling and laughing out loud. The book in general was a perfect blend of laughter and tears; most scenes had me in one or the other.
Sure, the break-up-then-quick-make-up was alive and kicking, but either it simply worked better here because I was already smitten with the love story, or I'm just becoming immune to Dessen's signature moves.
Either way, the novel was sweet and enjoyable and my one complaint is that the actual plot surrounding the characters and their greatness was slightly lacking. And of course there can never be enough Remy/Dexter. This will most likely not stop me from picking up yet another Dessen book in the future.
July 29, 2021
“I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed.”
Book two in my Sarah Dessen binge-read unfortunately didn’t go as well as book one. I think that going into This Lullaby I had been comparing it too heavily to The Truth About Forever and was therefore let down by the fact that this book wasn’t able to make me feel the same was that one did.
⇢The Plot
One of my more significant reasons for not enjoying this book as much as I could have was the lack of a solid plot. The story essentially followed Remy’s growth (concerning her perspectives on love and relationships) over the course of a single summer which I guess in and of itself isn’t an uninteresting concept, but wasn’t one I really enjoyed because rarely felt relatable and met of the time I was just wondering why Remy was so stubborn.
The setup with Remy’s mother being the reason she had so little faith in love made sense, but it just wasn’t enough to convince me that we needed EIGHTEEN CHAPTERS of Remy refusing to open up, especially considering that Dexter had gone through a similar experience and come out unscathed.
I would have appreciated the book a lot more if there had been some other message or moral or conflict, but there wasn’t really, and my lack of investment in Remy’s decision meant that I wasn’t invested in any part of the plot.
⇢Remy and Dexter
I’m lukewarm about this couple. On the one hand, they weren’t nearly as well written as Wes and Macy, but on the other hand, they were basically the best part of the book. I enjoyed their relationship but once again, I think that Sarah Dessen doesn’t develop the romance in her novels enough for me to really be satisfied with the way the romance ends up. It was a bit different this time considering Remy and Dexter broke up and got back together but I still wanted more closure for them at the end of the book rather than that open-ended chapter.
“Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there.”
As characters, Remy and Dexter were both good. Not fantastic, but still compelling and interesting. Remy was actually a pretty great protagonist, and even if I didn’t relate to many of her struggles I was able to appreciate how strong she was in the face of adversity and the way she dealt with the cards she was given. On the other hand, her pure stubbornness annoyed me basically every other page to the point where I didn’t even care about her arc happening slowly and just wanted her to wake up and realize how dumb she was acting. Overall: a good character, though.
Moving onto Dexter. First of all, WHY did Sarah Dessen name him Dexter of all things? Not that it’s a bad name or anything, but I don’t think it suited him one bit. Obviously I’m not gonna judge his character over his name but it just weirded me out.
Anyway, he wasn’t a bad character but I think he wasn’t developed as well as he should have been. In The Truth About Forever (I’m sorry I need to keep comparing this book to that one because it’s the only reference point I have) Wes was supposed to be mysterious and detached but that wasn’t the direction Dexter’s character was going in and I think we as readers could have benefitted fro getting to know him a little bit better. As much as I wanted Remy to wake up and believe in relationships, did I really care about her waking up for the purpose of dating Dexter? Eh. Because I was never convinced that they would make that great of a couple, BECAUSE I BARELY KNEW DEXTER?? EVEN NOW?? Now I’m just working myself up more so I’m gonna stop writing, but I just think Dexter’s character was a missed opportunity.
⇢The Side Characters
Honestly, not much to say about the side characters in this book, because they weren’t as solid as I had wanted them to be, so I can’t rave about them like I did last time. The band members were fun and all but just like Dexter we didn’t learn enough about them, and even Remy’s friends needed more screen time. The only side characters I think really added to the story were Remy’s family members, and I was actually pretty invested in all of them, which was nice.
. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ❦ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .
MY LINKTREE ❦
April 23, 2013
It feels almost sacrilegious to run a Young Adult blog without having read Sarah Dessen. She's one of the biggest names in YA with a massive, devoted following. I wasn't sure where to start but when Anna suggested This Lullaby and threw in Veronica Mars as a selling point, I couldn't resist.
This book definitely surprised me. I expected Dessen to be light and fluffy. However, instead of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, I got The Sisterhood of the Traveling Diet Zip and Cigarettes. I know it's chic to be geek right now, but I love that Remy, the main character, drinks, smokes, cusses and has sex. And she still got into Stanford! She's not the girl standing in the corner hoping that the boy will notice her. She's the girl guys crash into hoping she will notice them. Believe me, I was not that girl, but there were other elements of her personality I related to, like when she says,
This Lullaby starts right after Remy graduates from high school and right before her mother's fifth wedding. While waiting at her soon-to-be stepfather's car dealership, a guy named Dexter clumsily enters her life.
I really liked Dessen's portrayal of family and friendship, but with all the dramatic exits and declarations and breakups, it felt more like a romance book. It was like a YA version of a Kristan Higgins book, aka Type A Bitches Deserve Love Too. (Not that there's anything wrong with being Type A. Or a bitch.) There's even a dog! Dexter was so sweet and rumpled and lovable and his dog, Monkey, just killed me, but there was such a quick turnaround from first meeting to True Love. A lot of issues are brought up and not really explored. It was all very dramatic -- and very high school. Sometimes, like with Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty, it works for me. Sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Sarah Dessen, I liked This Lullaby and can see her appeal, but I'm okay with being one and done.
This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
--
Okay, Anna, you've convinced me to try my first Dessen:
This book definitely surprised me. I expected Dessen to be light and fluffy. However, instead of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, I got The Sisterhood of the Traveling Diet Zip and Cigarettes. I know it's chic to be geek right now, but I love that Remy, the main character, drinks, smokes, cusses and has sex. And she still got into Stanford! She's not the girl standing in the corner hoping that the boy will notice her. She's the girl guys crash into hoping she will notice them. Believe me, I was not that girl, but there were other elements of her personality I related to, like when she says,
"The only I can't stand more than seeing something done wrong is seeing it done slowly."Preach! She also does her crosswords in ink. Basically, she's a Type A personality. This is what got her into Stanford while her mother flitted from husband to husband. She also has Chloe, Jess, and Lissa, her core group of friends. Though they are all friends, they don't necessarily all get along.
This Lullaby starts right after Remy graduates from high school and right before her mother's fifth wedding. While waiting at her soon-to-be stepfather's car dealership, a guy named Dexter clumsily enters her life.
I really liked Dessen's portrayal of family and friendship, but with all the dramatic exits and declarations and breakups, it felt more like a romance book. It was like a YA version of a Kristan Higgins book, aka Type A Bitches Deserve Love Too. (Not that there's anything wrong with being Type A. Or a bitch.) There's even a dog! Dexter was so sweet and rumpled and lovable and his dog, Monkey, just killed me, but there was such a quick turnaround from first meeting to True Love. A lot of issues are brought up and not really explored. It was all very dramatic -- and very high school. Sometimes, like with Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty, it works for me. Sometimes it doesn't. In the case of Sarah Dessen, I liked This Lullaby and can see her appeal, but I'm okay with being one and done.
This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.
--
Okay, Anna, you've convinced me to try my first Dessen:
"My all-time favorite Dessen book is This Lullaby. It’s sweet and lovely and main character Remy has a semi-Veronica Mars “I’m independent and smart and sarcastic and kind of really angry so while I wait to get out of town and head to Stanford, I’m going to pretend I’m not emotionally vulnerable even though really, I’m a marshmallow” vibe."
October 10, 2015
“Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.”
I really enjoyed this book, I feel like it was much better compared to The Moon and More. My marathon for Sarah Dessen books is going really great and I haven't been in a Reading Slump so I am really happy! I loved this book although I was expecting more for the ending. So many people recommended that I should read this or Just Listen and those two are my favorites, along with Along for the Ride and What Happened to Goodbye.
“I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed.”
Remy doesn't believe in long relationships and love. After all, her mother is marrying for the fifth time. Remy believes that relationships with boys last only a few months. She has a set of rules for her relationships and if anyone messes with those rules, she wont have them in her life anymore. But then she meets Dexter, a guy in a band. One of her rules was for her not to date a musician, but for some reason, she broke that rule. Is Remy starting to understand the real meaning to relationships and love?
“You know, when it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs.”
I know that Remy is so cold-hearted at times but people didn't understand the fact that she thought of this because of her mother. Her mother kept marry men and then divorcing them, I mean, what was Remy supposed to think? Although I didn't agree with some of her choices, I believed that she was living in an environment that made her think this. And it was really sad because I could relate to Remy in so many ways. And I understood how she felt because of the fact that it was so easy to relate to her.
“Everything, in the end, comes down to timing. One second, one minute, one hour could make all the difference.”
All her friends were so funny but at times, I didn't like how they would force Remy to do things. They would keep bothering her to do something in order for them to get their way. But I like how Remy, Chloe, Jess, and Lissa have each other's back. I love the diet coke thing that they do, it is hilarious. The way their friendship works is really nice and they all have a good understanding about each other.
“I just thought to my self, all of a sudden, that we had something in common. A natural chemistry, if you will. And I had a feeling that something big was going to happen. To both of us. That we were, in fact, meant to be together.”
Dexter was probably my favorite part of the story, he was just so funny and straight-forward. I really liked his personality and he was so different. He listens to everything you have to say and is honest with you. Even though he could be pushy at times, it's not in a negative way like Theo from The Moon and More. He was the more funny, pushy type who would make you laugh. And the bonding between Remy and him was so nice and sweet. Monkey and Dexter's relationship was the best! Monkey is the best fictional dog ever, I wish I could meet Monkey in real life. And not to mention John Miller's relationship with Dexter. I loved the scene where they were all like "HUFFAH"!
I feel like Dexter would look like Dexter from Ever After High without glasses. :)
The plot of this book was another thing I liked about this book. I loved Remy's mom and I didn't like Don at all. The pacing of the book was fast-paced and I got through it in one sitting. It was just so good, I couldn't stop reading! That's another thing I love about Sarah Dessen, she makes the book easy to relate to and fast-paced.
“Right now, though, I wanted not to think forward or backward, but only to lose myself in the words.”
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading Sarah Dessen's book. You should start on this one because it might be my second favorite book by her. Or, it you have read a Sarah Dessen book, I highly recommend you pick this book up, it's hilarious.
“The fate of your heart is your choice and no one else gets a vote”
I really enjoyed this book, I feel like it was much better compared to The Moon and More. My marathon for Sarah Dessen books is going really great and I haven't been in a Reading Slump so I am really happy! I loved this book although I was expecting more for the ending. So many people recommended that I should read this or Just Listen and those two are my favorites, along with Along for the Ride and What Happened to Goodbye.
“I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed.”
Remy doesn't believe in long relationships and love. After all, her mother is marrying for the fifth time. Remy believes that relationships with boys last only a few months. She has a set of rules for her relationships and if anyone messes with those rules, she wont have them in her life anymore. But then she meets Dexter, a guy in a band. One of her rules was for her not to date a musician, but for some reason, she broke that rule. Is Remy starting to understand the real meaning to relationships and love?
“You know, when it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs.”
I know that Remy is so cold-hearted at times but people didn't understand the fact that she thought of this because of her mother. Her mother kept marry men and then divorcing them, I mean, what was Remy supposed to think? Although I didn't agree with some of her choices, I believed that she was living in an environment that made her think this. And it was really sad because I could relate to Remy in so many ways. And I understood how she felt because of the fact that it was so easy to relate to her.
“Everything, in the end, comes down to timing. One second, one minute, one hour could make all the difference.”
All her friends were so funny but at times, I didn't like how they would force Remy to do things. They would keep bothering her to do something in order for them to get their way. But I like how Remy, Chloe, Jess, and Lissa have each other's back. I love the diet coke thing that they do, it is hilarious. The way their friendship works is really nice and they all have a good understanding about each other.
“I just thought to my self, all of a sudden, that we had something in common. A natural chemistry, if you will. And I had a feeling that something big was going to happen. To both of us. That we were, in fact, meant to be together.”
Dexter was probably my favorite part of the story, he was just so funny and straight-forward. I really liked his personality and he was so different. He listens to everything you have to say and is honest with you. Even though he could be pushy at times, it's not in a negative way like Theo from The Moon and More. He was the more funny, pushy type who would make you laugh. And the bonding between Remy and him was so nice and sweet. Monkey and Dexter's relationship was the best! Monkey is the best fictional dog ever, I wish I could meet Monkey in real life. And not to mention John Miller's relationship with Dexter. I loved the scene where they were all like "HUFFAH"!
I feel like Dexter would look like Dexter from Ever After High without glasses. :)
The plot of this book was another thing I liked about this book. I loved Remy's mom and I didn't like Don at all. The pacing of the book was fast-paced and I got through it in one sitting. It was just so good, I couldn't stop reading! That's another thing I love about Sarah Dessen, she makes the book easy to relate to and fast-paced.
“Right now, though, I wanted not to think forward or backward, but only to lose myself in the words.”
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading Sarah Dessen's book. You should start on this one because it might be my second favorite book by her. Or, it you have read a Sarah Dessen book, I highly recommend you pick this book up, it's hilarious.
“The fate of your heart is your choice and no one else gets a vote”
October 10, 2016
“Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there.”
Most people did not like reading about Remy, the heroine in this book mostly because she’s so cynical about relationships that she’s actually keeping tables and graph to when a relationship is going to end. I mean you can’t blame her for losing faith in love since her mother have had that share of love and misadventures, married too many times and somehow she felt the need to protect herself from that kind of pain and save herself from unnecessary heartaches. What’s funny about reading her character is that she’s also relate-able. Sometimes girls can be a clean freak and likes everything to be in order but Remy just takes it up a notch. I completely understand where her obsessive-compulsive behavior is coming from and I hope you can see that as you read along. I really enjoyed reading about her plus the banters going on between her friends made me crack.
Dexter on the other hand is the complete opposite of her personality, happens to be bold, enjoys taking risk and just this happy-go-lucky guy. Him being in a band was not too appealing, and it’s funny because musicians should somewhat have that appeal but Dexter was so average but I had a few laughs about his straight-from-the-book cheesy lines he’s dropping when he was professing his love and admiration. His tenacity was so cute that even thru so many eye balls rolling he still managed to get through my heart.
I hope he does the same to you too! *wink*
Most people did not like reading about Remy, the heroine in this book mostly because she’s so cynical about relationships that she’s actually keeping tables and graph to when a relationship is going to end. I mean you can’t blame her for losing faith in love since her mother have had that share of love and misadventures, married too many times and somehow she felt the need to protect herself from that kind of pain and save herself from unnecessary heartaches. What’s funny about reading her character is that she’s also relate-able. Sometimes girls can be a clean freak and likes everything to be in order but Remy just takes it up a notch. I completely understand where her obsessive-compulsive behavior is coming from and I hope you can see that as you read along. I really enjoyed reading about her plus the banters going on between her friends made me crack.
Dexter on the other hand is the complete opposite of her personality, happens to be bold, enjoys taking risk and just this happy-go-lucky guy. Him being in a band was not too appealing, and it’s funny because musicians should somewhat have that appeal but Dexter was so average but I had a few laughs about his straight-from-the-book cheesy lines he’s dropping when he was professing his love and admiration. His tenacity was so cute that even thru so many eye balls rolling he still managed to get through my heart.
I hope he does the same to you too! *wink*
July 2, 2014
This lullaby is only a few words
A simple run of chords
Quiet here in this spare room
But you can hear it, hear it
Wherever you may go
I will let you down
But this lullaby plays
Remy doesn’t believe in love. Her mother’s fifth marriage only encourages her to stop believing in the nonsense. To her, love means having fun with guys, making sure that they know the relationship won’t last long, and leaving before things get complicated. No worries. No entanglements. The no-strings-attached rule has worked well for Remy, until her encounter with Dexter. Dexter is the only exception from the long list of Remy’s perfect exes. He’s messy, hyperactive, and a musician with seemingly no future. Remy has vowed to herself to think of Dexter only as a summer boyfriend, but what if Dexter wants more? What if their relationship means something more than just summer fling?
This is official: Sarah Dessen is the best when it comes to contemporary YA. Her books may follow similar path, but each of it remains unique and special. Some people may find the slow pacing in her stories boring, but I think that’s what makes her books amazing. The progress in the relationship between the main characters is very subtle. There are so much deeper meanings in the sweet little things they do. I really like it that what starts the relationship is always offer of kindness and friendship.
In the last part of the book, it’s always the heroine who takes the important action to alter their story. I think that’s very crucial, because then it means there is no magical salvation or something like that. Dexter may help Remy to believe in love, but he can’t fix Remy’s problem with her mother or her sarcastic attitude toward people around her. Remy has to be the one who takes the last step if she wants to change herself.
I think my most favorite part of this book is the time when Remy thinking to buy plastic ware for Dexter. Dexter is living with his band mates in a house where the only dish-ware consists of one ceramic plate, a few mismatched forks and knives, gas-station freebie coffee mugs, and some paper goods. Remy, being a neat freak and perfectionist girl, wants to buy plastic ware for Dexter but she is afraid that the gesture means so much more. This is her first time she is tempted to buy something more permanent than a Zip Coke for his boyfriend. It is very cute to watch her struggling whether or not to buy Dexter plastic ware. I have no idea that something as simple as forks and spoons can be a really romantic thing in a book.
Remy is one wonderful character I warmed throughout the story. I really like her rational thinking and how she is very protective of people she loves. Dexter might not be my favorite Sarah Dessen hero, but he is certainly very funny and sweet! The songs he writes, like The Potato Song, are simply ridiculous but somehow, it makes him even more adorable. I would recommend you to read This Lullaby during summer time because then you can also experience the humid, hot summer nights when Remy and Dexter fall with each other.
And so, while the rest of the world went on unaware, drinking their coffee, reading the sports page, and picking up their dry cleaning, I leaned forward and kissed Dexter, making a choice that would change everything. Maybe somewhere there was a ripple, a bit of a jump, some small shift in the universe, barely noticeable.
I didn't feel it then. I felt only him kissing me back, easing me into the sunlight as I lost myself in the taste of him and felt the world go on, just as it always had, all around us.
Read other reviews in my blog! :)
Catch the Lune
A simple run of chords
Quiet here in this spare room
But you can hear it, hear it
Wherever you may go
I will let you down
But this lullaby plays
Remy doesn’t believe in love. Her mother’s fifth marriage only encourages her to stop believing in the nonsense. To her, love means having fun with guys, making sure that they know the relationship won’t last long, and leaving before things get complicated. No worries. No entanglements. The no-strings-attached rule has worked well for Remy, until her encounter with Dexter. Dexter is the only exception from the long list of Remy’s perfect exes. He’s messy, hyperactive, and a musician with seemingly no future. Remy has vowed to herself to think of Dexter only as a summer boyfriend, but what if Dexter wants more? What if their relationship means something more than just summer fling?
This is official: Sarah Dessen is the best when it comes to contemporary YA. Her books may follow similar path, but each of it remains unique and special. Some people may find the slow pacing in her stories boring, but I think that’s what makes her books amazing. The progress in the relationship between the main characters is very subtle. There are so much deeper meanings in the sweet little things they do. I really like it that what starts the relationship is always offer of kindness and friendship.
In the last part of the book, it’s always the heroine who takes the important action to alter their story. I think that’s very crucial, because then it means there is no magical salvation or something like that. Dexter may help Remy to believe in love, but he can’t fix Remy’s problem with her mother or her sarcastic attitude toward people around her. Remy has to be the one who takes the last step if she wants to change herself.
I think my most favorite part of this book is the time when Remy thinking to buy plastic ware for Dexter. Dexter is living with his band mates in a house where the only dish-ware consists of one ceramic plate, a few mismatched forks and knives, gas-station freebie coffee mugs, and some paper goods. Remy, being a neat freak and perfectionist girl, wants to buy plastic ware for Dexter but she is afraid that the gesture means so much more. This is her first time she is tempted to buy something more permanent than a Zip Coke for his boyfriend. It is very cute to watch her struggling whether or not to buy Dexter plastic ware. I have no idea that something as simple as forks and spoons can be a really romantic thing in a book.
Remy is one wonderful character I warmed throughout the story. I really like her rational thinking and how she is very protective of people she loves. Dexter might not be my favorite Sarah Dessen hero, but he is certainly very funny and sweet! The songs he writes, like The Potato Song, are simply ridiculous but somehow, it makes him even more adorable. I would recommend you to read This Lullaby during summer time because then you can also experience the humid, hot summer nights when Remy and Dexter fall with each other.
And so, while the rest of the world went on unaware, drinking their coffee, reading the sports page, and picking up their dry cleaning, I leaned forward and kissed Dexter, making a choice that would change everything. Maybe somewhere there was a ripple, a bit of a jump, some small shift in the universe, barely noticeable.
I didn't feel it then. I felt only him kissing me back, easing me into the sunlight as I lost myself in the taste of him and felt the world go on, just as it always had, all around us.
Read other reviews in my blog! :)
Catch the Lune
October 22, 2010
Original post at One More Page
Note: Just this once, I'm trying a different way of reviewing. This may get a bit personal, but I hope you'll ride it out with me -- I just really need to try this out. :) A short, yet proper review will be at the end of the post.
* * *
Dear Future Tina,
I'm not sure when you'll read this again, or if you'll even be able to ever read this again in a few years or decades from now. I don't know if this blog will still exist, or if this entry will exist because you can always delete and re-write this sometime in the future. But let's assume that you won't do any of the two things I said above and you will eventually read this again, with a surprised smile on your face.
Your brother got married exactly a week ago, and that was the very reason why you picked up This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen once again. This was a so-so book during your first read, probably because you read it during the New Year and you weren't really feeling the characters nor the situation back then. If you need a reminder on why you picked this up, it's because all the mushiness in the wedding put you in the mood to read something that had a little of romance in it, and not the paranormal kind.
You are not like Remy. You are not like her at all. Okay, maybe in some ways you are, particularly in the way you are both so obssessive-compulsive with everything (but she is more OC than you are)...but in other aspects, you are not. Let's state the most obvious: Remy is a dating machine. You are definitely not.
I think that's one of the reasons why you didn't relate to her when you first read it. You can't understand how someone can do what Remy does: date a guy for a while, be sweet and all, sleep with him and then when the relationship heads for some semblance of seriousness, break it off. I don't really understand it either, but I know we know some people who are like that. And I know both of us wonder: how could they do that? How could they jump from one guy to another and not feel exhausted at all the emotional trauma? How could they even attract so many guys when you can't seem to attract some?
But Remy has her own reasons, of course. I guess when you see your mother get divorced and married for more than five times, you'd think the same thing: love is a joke. It's not real, and if you fall for it, you lose. Remy said it very well: "The fate of your heart is your choice, and no one else gets a vote...I just think that you have to protect yourself...you can't just give yourself away." (p. 265)
You know what's strange, though? As different as we are to Remy with regards to how you date (or not date), we're pretty much the same with how you handle your heart. True, Remy has much more experience than us, but we both handle our hearts in the same way: closely guarded, and walls up, and no one could get in close enough to really hurt us. Not that we have been really hurt before (of course I'm not sure about when you read this, but as of this writing, we're both single since birth and there's still no one on the horizon -- but only God knows what's in store for the future), but we've definitely seen enough people get hurt so much that we don't want to experience that, ever.
But remember your brother's wedding? Remember the feeling you had as you watched your brother tear up and how your sister-in-law looked so happy and beautiful? Remember all the love in the air as everyone celebrated their blessed union? I know you know in your heart that you wanted the same thing. I know that despite all the fear of getting hurt, despite everything that you've seen, heard and read, that you still want to experience the kind of love that would make you see the reason for all those love songs.
I hope that we both find an ending similar to Remy's in This Lullaby. There are no guarantees, really, but there is an assurance that everything will be okay. Yeah, it's fiction, but hey, there's nothing wrong with hoping, right? If in case you haven't found our Dexter yet when you read this letter sometime in the future, I hope that we will find him sometime soon. Or he'll find us, just as he found Remy in the book. :)
Don't lose hope, my future self. Remember what Dexter said: When it works, love is pretty amazing. :)
Yours (well, you are me, anyway),
Tina
* * *
The proper review:
Suffice to say, I liked this book more the second time around. Perhaps it's because I understood it a little bit better, and related to it more despite my differences with Remy. Dessen is very good with writing stories that resonate well with the target audience, and as always, I like her strong characters, especially the minor ones who still manage to leave a big mark in the story.
This isn't my favorite Dessen, but I see why people love it so much. This book left me witha goofy grin on my face after, and a hopeful feeling that someday, my own Dexter would come. :">
Although personally, I still prefer a Wes (Sa-woon!). ;)
Note: Just this once, I'm trying a different way of reviewing. This may get a bit personal, but I hope you'll ride it out with me -- I just really need to try this out. :) A short, yet proper review will be at the end of the post.
* * *
Dear Future Tina,
I'm not sure when you'll read this again, or if you'll even be able to ever read this again in a few years or decades from now. I don't know if this blog will still exist, or if this entry will exist because you can always delete and re-write this sometime in the future. But let's assume that you won't do any of the two things I said above and you will eventually read this again, with a surprised smile on your face.
Your brother got married exactly a week ago, and that was the very reason why you picked up This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen once again. This was a so-so book during your first read, probably because you read it during the New Year and you weren't really feeling the characters nor the situation back then. If you need a reminder on why you picked this up, it's because all the mushiness in the wedding put you in the mood to read something that had a little of romance in it, and not the paranormal kind.
You are not like Remy. You are not like her at all. Okay, maybe in some ways you are, particularly in the way you are both so obssessive-compulsive with everything (but she is more OC than you are)...but in other aspects, you are not. Let's state the most obvious: Remy is a dating machine. You are definitely not.
I think that's one of the reasons why you didn't relate to her when you first read it. You can't understand how someone can do what Remy does: date a guy for a while, be sweet and all, sleep with him and then when the relationship heads for some semblance of seriousness, break it off. I don't really understand it either, but I know we know some people who are like that. And I know both of us wonder: how could they do that? How could they jump from one guy to another and not feel exhausted at all the emotional trauma? How could they even attract so many guys when you can't seem to attract some?
But Remy has her own reasons, of course. I guess when you see your mother get divorced and married for more than five times, you'd think the same thing: love is a joke. It's not real, and if you fall for it, you lose. Remy said it very well: "The fate of your heart is your choice, and no one else gets a vote...I just think that you have to protect yourself...you can't just give yourself away." (p. 265)
You know what's strange, though? As different as we are to Remy with regards to how you date (or not date), we're pretty much the same with how you handle your heart. True, Remy has much more experience than us, but we both handle our hearts in the same way: closely guarded, and walls up, and no one could get in close enough to really hurt us. Not that we have been really hurt before (of course I'm not sure about when you read this, but as of this writing, we're both single since birth and there's still no one on the horizon -- but only God knows what's in store for the future), but we've definitely seen enough people get hurt so much that we don't want to experience that, ever.
But remember your brother's wedding? Remember the feeling you had as you watched your brother tear up and how your sister-in-law looked so happy and beautiful? Remember all the love in the air as everyone celebrated their blessed union? I know you know in your heart that you wanted the same thing. I know that despite all the fear of getting hurt, despite everything that you've seen, heard and read, that you still want to experience the kind of love that would make you see the reason for all those love songs.
I hope that we both find an ending similar to Remy's in This Lullaby. There are no guarantees, really, but there is an assurance that everything will be okay. Yeah, it's fiction, but hey, there's nothing wrong with hoping, right? If in case you haven't found our Dexter yet when you read this letter sometime in the future, I hope that we will find him sometime soon. Or he'll find us, just as he found Remy in the book. :)
Don't lose hope, my future self. Remember what Dexter said: When it works, love is pretty amazing. :)
Yours (well, you are me, anyway),
Tina
* * *
The proper review:
Suffice to say, I liked this book more the second time around. Perhaps it's because I understood it a little bit better, and related to it more despite my differences with Remy. Dessen is very good with writing stories that resonate well with the target audience, and as always, I like her strong characters, especially the minor ones who still manage to leave a big mark in the story.
This isn't my favorite Dessen, but I see why people love it so much. This book left me witha goofy grin on my face after, and a hopeful feeling that someday, my own Dexter would come. :">
Although personally, I still prefer a Wes (Sa-woon!). ;)
June 24, 2015
Edit May 2015: Still one of the best contemporary books I've ever read.
---------------------------------------------------
MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE SARAH DESSEN BOOK!
Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.
I totally love love love this story! If you haven't read This Lullaby yet, stop what you're doing right now and freaking read it!! It's that good!
I first read this probably like a year ago and have reread it a few times since. It's one of those books I pick up when I need a story that makes me laugh or when I just feel the urge to meet Remy again! She's one of my favorite heroines ever. Especially since she isn't at all like Dessen's other heroines. Most of them are shy, insecure, troubled girls with huge family issues. Well, the latter applies to Remy, but she's definitely not shy. She knows exactly what she wants, is independent, has a temper and always says what's on her mind. Oh, and she doesn't believe in love. At all. Based on the model of her mother (who is busy with husband number five in the beginning of the book), Remy has a lot of boyfriends. In fact, she's sort of a slut. She has tight dating rules and dumps the boyfriend when things get too hard or too serious.
Despite her issues I totally loved her sassy, confident self. Remy is just awesome.
The other main character is as awesome as Remy. I completely adored and swooned over Dexter. There was none of the usual annoying talk about how hot, handsome and perfect the hero is because Dexter appeared in fact real. He was just as mess. Literally. Untied shoelaces and clumsy - that pretty much describes Dexter. But also cheerful and really funny. Anyway, I loved him. It was so cute how he was so persistent and determined that he and Remy should be together. Even though she turned him down for a while and was usually icy and sort of mean towards him. I thought they were awesome together.
So yeah, that's Dexter when he first meets Remy and (literally) bumps into her. I loved how he was always cheerful and in a good mood while Remy was the total opposite. I felt they completed each other perfectly.
“Plastic ware," he said slowly, "like knives and forks and spoons?"
I brushed a bit of dirt off the back of my car—was that a scratch?—and said casually,
"Yeah, I guess. Just the basics, you know."
"Did you need plastic ware?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"Because," he went on, and I fought the urge to squirm, "it's so funny, because I need
plastic ware. Badly."
"Can we go inside, please?" I asked, slamming the trunk shut. "It's hot out here."
He looked at the bag again, then at me. And then, slowly, the smile I knew and
dreaded crept across his
face. "You bought me plastic ware," he said. "Didn't you?'
"No," I growled, picking at my license plate.
"You did!" he hooted, laughing out loud. "You bought me some forks. And knives.
And spoons.
Because—"
"No," I said loudly.
"—you love me!" He grinned, as if he'd solved the puzzler for all time, as I felt a flush
creep across my
face. Stupid Lissa. I could have killed her.
"It was on sale," I told him again, as if this was some kind of an excuse.
"You love me," he said simply, taking the bag and adding it to the others.
"Only seven bucks," I added, but he was already walking away, so sure of himself. "It
was on clearance,
for God's sake."
"Love me," he called out over his shoulder, in a singsong voice. "You. Love. Me.”
...aaand that was Remy breaking one of her dating rules! 'Never buy your boyfriend something that lasts'. Like ... plastic ware!! :D
"This Lullaby is only a few words, a simple run of chords, quiet here in this spare room, but you can hear it, hear it, wherever you may go, even if I let you down, this lullaby plays on...”
For more of my reviews, please visit:
---------------------------------------------------
MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE SARAH DESSEN BOOK!
Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.
I totally love love love this story! If you haven't read This Lullaby yet, stop what you're doing right now and freaking read it!! It's that good!
I first read this probably like a year ago and have reread it a few times since. It's one of those books I pick up when I need a story that makes me laugh or when I just feel the urge to meet Remy again! She's one of my favorite heroines ever. Especially since she isn't at all like Dessen's other heroines. Most of them are shy, insecure, troubled girls with huge family issues. Well, the latter applies to Remy, but she's definitely not shy. She knows exactly what she wants, is independent, has a temper and always says what's on her mind. Oh, and she doesn't believe in love. At all. Based on the model of her mother (who is busy with husband number five in the beginning of the book), Remy has a lot of boyfriends. In fact, she's sort of a slut. She has tight dating rules and dumps the boyfriend when things get too hard or too serious.
Despite her issues I totally loved her sassy, confident self. Remy is just awesome.
“Love is an excuse to put up with the shit that you shouldn't. That's how it gets you. It throws off the scales so that things that should weigh heavily don't seem to. It's a crock. A trap.” - Yep, that's Remy!
The other main character is as awesome as Remy. I completely adored and swooned over Dexter. There was none of the usual annoying talk about how hot, handsome and perfect the hero is because Dexter appeared in fact real. He was just as mess. Literally. Untied shoelaces and clumsy - that pretty much describes Dexter. But also cheerful and really funny. Anyway, I loved him. It was so cute how he was so persistent and determined that he and Remy should be together. Even though she turned him down for a while and was usually icy and sort of mean towards him. I thought they were awesome together.
“I just thought to my self, all of a sudden, that we had something in common. A natural chemistry, if you will. And I had a feeling that something big was going to happen. To both of us. That we were, in fact, meant to be together.” - Dexter
So yeah, that's Dexter when he first meets Remy and (literally) bumps into her. I loved how he was always cheerful and in a good mood while Remy was the total opposite. I felt they completed each other perfectly.
“Plastic ware," he said slowly, "like knives and forks and spoons?"
I brushed a bit of dirt off the back of my car—was that a scratch?—and said casually,
"Yeah, I guess. Just the basics, you know."
"Did you need plastic ware?" he asked.
I shrugged.
"Because," he went on, and I fought the urge to squirm, "it's so funny, because I need
plastic ware. Badly."
"Can we go inside, please?" I asked, slamming the trunk shut. "It's hot out here."
He looked at the bag again, then at me. And then, slowly, the smile I knew and
dreaded crept across his
face. "You bought me plastic ware," he said. "Didn't you?'
"No," I growled, picking at my license plate.
"You did!" he hooted, laughing out loud. "You bought me some forks. And knives.
And spoons.
Because—"
"No," I said loudly.
"—you love me!" He grinned, as if he'd solved the puzzler for all time, as I felt a flush
creep across my
face. Stupid Lissa. I could have killed her.
"It was on sale," I told him again, as if this was some kind of an excuse.
"You love me," he said simply, taking the bag and adding it to the others.
"Only seven bucks," I added, but he was already walking away, so sure of himself. "It
was on clearance,
for God's sake."
"Love me," he called out over his shoulder, in a singsong voice. "You. Love. Me.”
...aaand that was Remy breaking one of her dating rules! 'Never buy your boyfriend something that lasts'. Like ... plastic ware!! :D
"This Lullaby is only a few words, a simple run of chords, quiet here in this spare room, but you can hear it, hear it, wherever you may go, even if I let you down, this lullaby plays on...”
For more of my reviews, please visit:
July 18, 2018
I kind of feel tired after finishing this.
I love Sarah Dessen. Even with her novels which I didn't particularly like or connected with, like this one, I still feel well and satisfied with her stories. Her writing is so good, her characters always really well developed and I love that she always has a family portrayal - even if one of the parents is absent, they are still a big part of the story.
What happened here, I feel, is that Remy wasn't actually that well developed. We see her, we hear her but... we don't actually get to know her. Why is she the way she is? Why is she THAT salty and dismissive of her father if she never met him? Why is cynical to the point where it really starts to make the readers, like it happened with me, exhausted to read about her? And, if she's that cynical why is she constantly in relationships? Two months, two months, it's still longer than any relationship I've been in. Dexter got sucked into this mess and honestly I don't think he was treated properly even after she realized her mistakes. He just blindly accepted everything which made me really sad.
The family portrayal and her relationship with her mom was the thing that kept me reading the most, the thing that sucked me into the story. Her mom is such a great character and I loved reading about the two of them together. Overall, a really nice summer read, but far from Dessen's best work in my opinion obviously.
I love Sarah Dessen. Even with her novels which I didn't particularly like or connected with, like this one, I still feel well and satisfied with her stories. Her writing is so good, her characters always really well developed and I love that she always has a family portrayal - even if one of the parents is absent, they are still a big part of the story.
What happened here, I feel, is that Remy wasn't actually that well developed. We see her, we hear her but... we don't actually get to know her. Why is she the way she is? Why is she THAT salty and dismissive of her father if she never met him? Why is cynical to the point where it really starts to make the readers, like it happened with me, exhausted to read about her? And, if she's that cynical why is she constantly in relationships? Two months, two months, it's still longer than any relationship I've been in. Dexter got sucked into this mess and honestly I don't think he was treated properly even after she realized her mistakes. He just blindly accepted everything which made me really sad.
The family portrayal and her relationship with her mom was the thing that kept me reading the most, the thing that sucked me into the story. Her mom is such a great character and I loved reading about the two of them together. Overall, a really nice summer read, but far from Dessen's best work in my opinion obviously.
December 27, 2018
Rating: 5 stars :)
Original Rating: 4 stars
Originally read: May 2014
Reread: July 2016
I bought this book on a whim at a secondhand bookstore and re-read it in one day. I just adore this wonderful book. Even though it semi-follows Dessen's signature plot line, it was also written early enough in her career that there were enough elements to differentiate it from the bunch.
When it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs.
Remy has been through a lot in her life, but she's lucky enough to have friends that can get through her thick, stubborn skull and call her out. Truth Squad, of course is just as quirky and disfunctionally perfect as any band starting out, and I love them with all my heart. And who can forget about the cast and customers of Joie's? Ah, salons.
As always, the side characters were just as interesting and dynamic and lovable as the main character(s).
Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.
I would love to talk to Sarah Dessen about the character of Remy's mother, the dramatic romance writer Barbara Starr, and her life as an author. I'm so curious! Does Barbara's author life mirror Dessen's? Or are there a couple elements that do? Or maybe Barbara Starr is the writer Dessen always made fun of- the stereotypical author Dessen loves to mock. So many questions!
The fate of your heart is your choice, and no one else gets a vote.
As always, Dessen managed to wrap up the book in a way so that everything, characters, plot, etc., had come full circle. Maybe the pacakge didn't have a cute little bow, but at least it was wrapped. And isn't that all us readers ever want?
Oh, and one last thing -
HATE SPINNERBAIT.
Reread: December 2018
My gods, this is an adorable book. I just love all of the characters, and I wish I lived in a reality where I could meet them all and tell them how awesome they are. A fantastic book! A wonderful, easy, read for a lazy winter break :)
Original Rating: 4 stars
Originally read: May 2014
Reread: July 2016
I bought this book on a whim at a secondhand bookstore and re-read it in one day. I just adore this wonderful book. Even though it semi-follows Dessen's signature plot line, it was also written early enough in her career that there were enough elements to differentiate it from the bunch.
When it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs.
Remy has been through a lot in her life, but she's lucky enough to have friends that can get through her thick, stubborn skull and call her out. Truth Squad, of course is just as quirky and disfunctionally perfect as any band starting out, and I love them with all my heart. And who can forget about the cast and customers of Joie's? Ah, salons.
As always, the side characters were just as interesting and dynamic and lovable as the main character(s).
Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.
I would love to talk to Sarah Dessen about the character of Remy's mother, the dramatic romance writer Barbara Starr, and her life as an author. I'm so curious! Does Barbara's author life mirror Dessen's? Or are there a couple elements that do? Or maybe Barbara Starr is the writer Dessen always made fun of- the stereotypical author Dessen loves to mock. So many questions!
The fate of your heart is your choice, and no one else gets a vote.
As always, Dessen managed to wrap up the book in a way so that everything, characters, plot, etc., had come full circle. Maybe the pacakge didn't have a cute little bow, but at least it was wrapped. And isn't that all us readers ever want?
Oh, and one last thing -
HATE SPINNERBAIT.
Reread: December 2018
My gods, this is an adorable book. I just love all of the characters, and I wish I lived in a reality where I could meet them all and tell them how awesome they are. A fantastic book! A wonderful, easy, read for a lazy winter break :)
July 16, 2013
“You know, when it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs.”
__________________________________________
I love Sarah Dessen, and out of all of her books that I've read ("The Truth About Forever", "Along for the Ride", "Just Listen" and "The Lullaby"), this one is my absolute favorite. <3
"This Lullaby" is so funny and sweet. I love Dexter. (He's in a band, you guys. And they write songs about potatoes.)
There were so many scenes that made me laugh out loud, and I have more than 50 quotes from this book highlighted on my kindle.
This is definitely one of my all-time favorite summer books. I absolutely recommend it!
__________________________________________
I love Sarah Dessen, and out of all of her books that I've read ("The Truth About Forever", "Along for the Ride", "Just Listen" and "The Lullaby"), this one is my absolute favorite. <3
"This Lullaby" is so funny and sweet. I love Dexter. (He's in a band, you guys. And they write songs about potatoes.)
There were so many scenes that made me laugh out loud, and I have more than 50 quotes from this book highlighted on my kindle.
This is definitely one of my all-time favorite summer books. I absolutely recommend it!
Shelved as 'dnf-disliked-could-not-continue'
September 26, 2023It was a DNF on page 206. I should've called it quits sooner. I guess I thought the story would improve but it only got worse. This was not a good book in my opinion and I hated it.
February 15, 2018
Definitely not my favorite Sarah Dessen book, but I still enjoyed, especially the second half. It was a light and fun read, with an easy to read writing style.
The story follows Remy. She just finished school and is going to collage in the fall, so she isn't looking for a serious relationship. Her mother has been married countless times, so Remy doesn't believe in love anymore, seeing how her mother's marriages fail every time. Then she meets Dexter. He is the total opposite of every guy she has dated before.
I still liked this book, but the main reason I loved some of the other Sarah Dessen books was that I found them really relatable. With Along for the ride I could relate and that's what made the story so special to me. This book was and sweet, but without being able to relate, I couldn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted to.
The characters were fun. I liked Dexter, apart from the beginning, when I found him a bit creepy. Overall he was really sweet and I liked his friend group. The potato song might have been a bit ridiculous, but it was fun.
Overall it was a really entertaining and cute read. I can't wait to read other books by her.
The story follows Remy. She just finished school and is going to collage in the fall, so she isn't looking for a serious relationship. Her mother has been married countless times, so Remy doesn't believe in love anymore, seeing how her mother's marriages fail every time. Then she meets Dexter. He is the total opposite of every guy she has dated before.
I still liked this book, but the main reason I loved some of the other Sarah Dessen books was that I found them really relatable. With Along for the ride I could relate and that's what made the story so special to me. This book was and sweet, but without being able to relate, I couldn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted to.
The characters were fun. I liked Dexter, apart from the beginning, when I found him a bit creepy. Overall he was really sweet and I liked his friend group. The potato song might have been a bit ridiculous, but it was fun.
Overall it was a really entertaining and cute read. I can't wait to read other books by her.
August 23, 2016
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/08...
To be honest This Lullaby took me a bit of time to read. To start off I really haven't been in the mood for this genre. I decided to make it my pool read for a while and so I read it pretty slowly. Even though I read it slowly and I wasn't really in the mood for it, I still enjoyed it a lot once I got into it.
#ItsMeNotYou
I love how Remy and Dexter are so different, but they fit together really well. I love their romance and also I can relate to Remy in some ways. She's a bit of a hard ass on the outside and a little bit anal, but she's secretly a softie!! Dexter is very flawed, but he's super sweet and I love that accepts Remy for who she is. I just really enjoyed reading a book about a guy that can see through a girl's bitchy facade and into her heart. I love how Dexter could see that Remy has gone through things in her life and she's just trying to protect herself. It reminded me a little bit of my hubby and myself when we first got together actually. I'm sure that's part of why I like the romance so much.
#AwwwSweetRomance
Overall I really like This Lullaby quite a bit. It's not my favorite book ever, but that's okay they all can't be favorites. Plus it was a struggle to get through at times because I wasn't in the mood the genre. However, I found it to be very relatable and I love when I can connect to the characters. Also, the romance is top notch! This is the second Sarah Dessen book that I've read and it certainly won't be the last!
#RelatableAndEnjoyable
I recommend This Lullaby for YA Romance fans looking for a great pool/beach read!!
#QuickToThePoolBeforeSummerIsOver!
To be honest This Lullaby took me a bit of time to read. To start off I really haven't been in the mood for this genre. I decided to make it my pool read for a while and so I read it pretty slowly. Even though I read it slowly and I wasn't really in the mood for it, I still enjoyed it a lot once I got into it.
#ItsMeNotYou
I love how Remy and Dexter are so different, but they fit together really well. I love their romance and also I can relate to Remy in some ways. She's a bit of a hard ass on the outside and a little bit anal, but she's secretly a softie!! Dexter is very flawed, but he's super sweet and I love that accepts Remy for who she is. I just really enjoyed reading a book about a guy that can see through a girl's bitchy facade and into her heart. I love how Dexter could see that Remy has gone through things in her life and she's just trying to protect herself. It reminded me a little bit of my hubby and myself when we first got together actually. I'm sure that's part of why I like the romance so much.
#AwwwSweetRomance
Overall I really like This Lullaby quite a bit. It's not my favorite book ever, but that's okay they all can't be favorites. Plus it was a struggle to get through at times because I wasn't in the mood the genre. However, I found it to be very relatable and I love when I can connect to the characters. Also, the romance is top notch! This is the second Sarah Dessen book that I've read and it certainly won't be the last!
#RelatableAndEnjoyable
I recommend This Lullaby for YA Romance fans looking for a great pool/beach read!!
#QuickToThePoolBeforeSummerIsOver!
January 29, 2010
Remy Starr doesn't understand love. To her, a relationship is basically one huge analytical equation. The process she uses is finding a cute guy, hooking up, spending some time together, and breaking up before things get too serious. Although this makes Remy sound like a class A "vixen", it's hard to blame her callous treatment of others hearts when her own dad died when she was barely a child, and her mother has recently announced her fifth wedding. She is looking forward to getting away from it all by attending Stanford on the other side of the country once summer is over. What she doesn't plan on is meeting a singer (musicians are specifically on her no date list) named Dexter that just might be able to sway her heart in another direction.
Sarah Dessen is such a talented author. It becomes quite apparent after reading only three of her novels that she seems to be utilizing the same plot over and over with different characters, but somehow, some way, she makes it work. This Lullaby was a bit melodramatic at times, going a little bit overboard with the theme "unbreakable girl with the cold heart", but Dessen managed to capture what true love is really about and how it can take your breath away in just an instant. Also, all of her characters are beautifully developed and makes you care about what happens to them and how they deal with the crises in their lives. A job well done, or rather, a novel well written.
Sarah Dessen is such a talented author. It becomes quite apparent after reading only three of her novels that she seems to be utilizing the same plot over and over with different characters, but somehow, some way, she makes it work. This Lullaby was a bit melodramatic at times, going a little bit overboard with the theme "unbreakable girl with the cold heart", but Dessen managed to capture what true love is really about and how it can take your breath away in just an instant. Also, all of her characters are beautifully developed and makes you care about what happens to them and how they deal with the crises in their lives. A job well done, or rather, a novel well written.
April 13, 2017
I actually wasn't going to write a review for this book but I simply cannot leave my thoughts for it uncovered. I cried three times while reading the book and that is a rarity. Big time. The story was so believable and the characters were just as believable and inspiring. Also, Sarah Dessen has a way of words that leaves you speechless. No one could 'philosophize' about life and love and family the way she does. I immediately realized how modest and incredible she is as an author and I hope to read many many many more books by her in the future. If you are looking for contemporary books that are equally as gripping as Thrillers but in a different way, then Sarah Dessen is your author and I would highly recommend you to pick this one up!
July 2, 2007
Probably my favorite Dessen novel. Remy is cynical about love, but she's looking forward to heading off to Stanford with no boyfriend attached. There's just one problem: Remy's latest guy, Dexter, isn't buying into her plan. Not only is he a violation of her "no musicians" rule, he's also intent on sticking around.
I like teen novels that don't focus on a central romance at the expense of everything else. Remy has friends and family, and they're as much a part of the story as Dexter is.
In many ways this is a conventional teen story, but it's one that's done really, really well.
I like teen novels that don't focus on a central romance at the expense of everything else. Remy has friends and family, and they're as much a part of the story as Dexter is.
In many ways this is a conventional teen story, but it's one that's done really, really well.
September 6, 2017
I´m a romantic person so reading 300pages about someone who doesn´t believe in love is a bit depressing.
January 7, 2016
I don't know, I just didn't like this book. I mean, it was pretty well written I guess, just not my thing. I could NOT relate to Remy in the slightest. She was extremely unlikable, and a compelte bitch, and, for the record, admitting you're a bitch doesn't redeem you. The way she went from guy to guy, dumping them on a schedule, treating them as numbers on a chart and not as human beings...was frankly disgusting. She supposedly has an excuse, because her mom remarried four times. Big deal. You'd have to live under a rock to think treating people like such crap is actually okay.
Don't even get me started on Remy's supposed "friends." Seriously, what the hell was up with Chloe? That girl is more like an enemy than a friend. The others were all right, but not interesting or likable at all. The ONLY likable character in the entire book was Dexter, and Remy treated him like crap on the bottom of her shoe throughout the entire book. Even when she realizes she actually really did LIKE him, she broke up with JUST so she could break up with him. I'm sorry, I know I was supposed to feel so bad for Remy, but really?? Why? She's a bitch, a slut, and totally selfish. It's not like her life was THAT bad. Big deal, she had a few stepfathers. At least she had a mother and brother.
And knowing that some relationships don't last is hardly an excuse for treating a really nice guy who loved her like he was her freaking "Ken doll."
Yes, the book was funny, and I couldn't put it down, but that was mostly because I wanted to know if Remy ever stopped being evil. I don't know, I just think Dexter was wasted on this stupid book. Maybe I'm cold, but I felt no sympathy for Remy. I just couldn't. She spends the whole book boo-hooing about how she lost her virginity to someone she did't like. Well, who the heck cares? It's not like she was raped. She CHOSE to do that. She KNEW what she was doing, and did it anyway.
Oh, and the way she was complaining about having Dexter pursue her was SO annoying. Oh, poor me, an awesome guy likes me. What did I ever do to deserve such hardships? Plus the way she saw all of his characteristics as flaws just pissed me off. Well, he's clumsy and messy and doesn't tie his shoes, so he can't possibly ever be a husband. Um, how do those specific traits equate to such an extreme? What's so bad about being clumsy, anyway? I think it's freakin' adorable. I mean, when she called him a freaking shoelace to be tied, I wanted to jump into the book and throttle her. AND she never apologized for insulting him, and of course he was too nice to ask. Remy wouldn't lower herself to apologize to him. Not even after she falsely accused him at the end. No, she couldn't possibly say sorry. She'll just have to kiss him, because he's not worhty of an apology.
Okay, so it's obvious now that I just hate Remy.
Plus, this books was SO predictable. The second they mentioned the secretary at the beginning during the wedding, I knew what was going to happen/had been happening. It couldn't have been more obvious had she come right out and said it.
And this is just my personal opinion, but I hate authors that use charcters as nothing more than tools. Like every single one of Remy's boyfriends AND friends was a plot tool, nothing more.
That being said, I can't say I didn't LIKE the book, because I did, though it was majorly depressing (though it is supposedly uplifting?? But how??). Mostly, I just liked Dexter. I AM in the minority here, though, because apparently this is Dessen's best book. Well...I'm on my second of hers right now, and I already like it better than this one, so maybe I'm just weird.
Who knows. Maybe I'll ask Remy for some advice on how to be a heartless bitch, that way I'll be able to understand her better. :D
Don't even get me started on Remy's supposed "friends." Seriously, what the hell was up with Chloe? That girl is more like an enemy than a friend. The others were all right, but not interesting or likable at all. The ONLY likable character in the entire book was Dexter, and Remy treated him like crap on the bottom of her shoe throughout the entire book. Even when she realizes she actually really did LIKE him, she broke up with JUST so she could break up with him. I'm sorry, I know I was supposed to feel so bad for Remy, but really?? Why? She's a bitch, a slut, and totally selfish. It's not like her life was THAT bad. Big deal, she had a few stepfathers. At least she had a mother and brother.
And knowing that some relationships don't last is hardly an excuse for treating a really nice guy who loved her like he was her freaking "Ken doll."
Yes, the book was funny, and I couldn't put it down, but that was mostly because I wanted to know if Remy ever stopped being evil. I don't know, I just think Dexter was wasted on this stupid book. Maybe I'm cold, but I felt no sympathy for Remy. I just couldn't. She spends the whole book boo-hooing about how she lost her virginity to someone she did't like. Well, who the heck cares? It's not like she was raped. She CHOSE to do that. She KNEW what she was doing, and did it anyway.
Oh, and the way she was complaining about having Dexter pursue her was SO annoying. Oh, poor me, an awesome guy likes me. What did I ever do to deserve such hardships? Plus the way she saw all of his characteristics as flaws just pissed me off. Well, he's clumsy and messy and doesn't tie his shoes, so he can't possibly ever be a husband. Um, how do those specific traits equate to such an extreme? What's so bad about being clumsy, anyway? I think it's freakin' adorable. I mean, when she called him a freaking shoelace to be tied, I wanted to jump into the book and throttle her. AND she never apologized for insulting him, and of course he was too nice to ask. Remy wouldn't lower herself to apologize to him. Not even after she falsely accused him at the end. No, she couldn't possibly say sorry. She'll just have to kiss him, because he's not worhty of an apology.
Okay, so it's obvious now that I just hate Remy.
Plus, this books was SO predictable. The second they mentioned the secretary at the beginning during the wedding, I knew what was going to happen/had been happening. It couldn't have been more obvious had she come right out and said it.
And this is just my personal opinion, but I hate authors that use charcters as nothing more than tools. Like every single one of Remy's boyfriends AND friends was a plot tool, nothing more.
That being said, I can't say I didn't LIKE the book, because I did, though it was majorly depressing (though it is supposedly uplifting?? But how??). Mostly, I just liked Dexter. I AM in the minority here, though, because apparently this is Dessen's best book. Well...I'm on my second of hers right now, and I already like it better than this one, so maybe I'm just weird.
Who knows. Maybe I'll ask Remy for some advice on how to be a heartless bitch, that way I'll be able to understand her better. :D
Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,527 reviews