Reading Group: 17+
Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Given Summary: Sydney's handsome, charismatic older brother, Peyton, has always dominated the family, demanding and receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention. And when Peyton's involvement in a drunk driving episode sends him to jail, Sydney feels increasingly rootless and invisible, worried that her parents are unconcerned about the real victim: the boy Peyton hit and seriously injured. Meanwhile, Sydney becomes friends with the Chathams, a warm, close-knit, eccentric family, and their friendship helps her understand that she is not responsible for Peyton's mistakes. Once again, the hugely popular Sarah Dessen tells an engrossing story of a girl discovering friendship, love, and herself.
Cover: The cover of this novel has the carousel that Mic finds in the woods behind his house. They only visit the carousel once in the novel and I do wish that they went a few more times because it seems like it would be more important if it's on the front cover.
My Review: I enjoyed this story because I thought it dealt with a very different scenario than any other books I've read. Sydney has to deal with the guilt that was left on her when her brother hurt a stranger and it's hard for her to admit that guilt because it would mean going against her brother and her family. She also has a mother that only likes things a certain way while Sydney just wants to be noticed. That's why she spends so much time with the Chatham family and out of her own house. The Chatham family is one that I think everyone needs in their life. The family that is "crazy" but also the family that would do anything for each other. I liked that they were all so different from each other. In this story, Sydney found out who she was and what was important to her. It's something a lot of people can relate to because we all have moments when we feel invisible and moments when we wish we were invisible, but at the same time we want to know who we are and be accepted as such. We also all need people looking out for us and Sydney found that in the Chatham family and I liked how Mic gave her the saint pendant so she had someone above looking gout for her. I think this one is one of my favorite Sarah Dessen books (I've got a huge soft spot for Just Listen) and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys Dessen's works.
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