Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak (Penguin)
First published: May 27th, 2002
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 345

Goodreads Summary:

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?

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

First thoughts:

Craving more contemporary stories, I decided to finally pick up one of Sarah Dessen's books that were so often recommended to me. And while I definitely enjoyed This Lullaby, I felt as though all the hype surrounding her novels had raised my expectations a bit too much.

More detailed:

... the plot:

As I don't read contemporaries too often, I always find the normalcy very refreshing. Without any paranormal secrets to reveal, I know that many people can be bored by realistic fiction, but This Lullaby has enough twists, turns and heart-breaking moments to keep me interested. And even though its narration still concentrates heavily on Remy's emotions, I was never bored.

... the characters:

I couldn't help myself but feel sorry for poor Remy who just cannot make herself believe in true love because of her mother's constantly repeated pattern of wedding and divorce. Therefore she ends up being slightly cynic, but that makes her a very entertaining first person narrator. Her attitude toward relationships can be a little bit tiring though. While she realizes that the relationship with Dexter is different than what she usually prefers, I would have wished for her to change more thoroughly toward the end.

On the other hand, Dexter turned out to be a very swoon-worthy love interest whom I was very happy to meet. While he's not the type of guy Remy usually falls for, I knew from the beginning that I'd love meeting a guy like him, because he never fails to make you smile and feel good. The secondary characters of This Lullaby are very diverse and entertaining, even though I had a hard time connecting to some of them - especially Remy's mother.

... everything:

While not completely meeting my expectations for This Lullaby, it still was a very enjoyable read that makes me want to read more of Sarah Dessen's books. It was a cute but still slightly heart-breaking contemporary read that could be the perfect beach read for the upcoming summer, if you're looking for a feisty main character and a love story that is anything but conventional.

Buy this book:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Have you read any of Sarah Dessen's books? If yes, which one would you recommend me to read next?
Carina

Review + Guest Post: The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland (Blog Tour Stop)

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland
Publisher: Speak (Penguin)
First published: May 10th, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Format: eARC
Pages: 250

Goodreads Summary:

Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

First thoughts:

Dealing with the importance of following your own dreams and being the person you want to be, The Summer My Life Began is an eye-opening and surprising novel as much as a cute beach read. If you want to be taken away from your life to a summer paradise for a while, you should definitely pick this up and let Em's quest for freedom distract you.

More detailed:

The Summer My Life Began focuses on Elizabeth Margaret, Em, and the summer that changed her life. Growing up with parents who planned her whole life for her, Em is in the desperate need for some change - even if it's just for a month before getting back to life as she knew it to become a lawyer like her father.

Especially towards the end The Summer My Life Began is full of intriguing surprises that I definitely didn't expect. The secrets her family has kept from her turn Em's life upside down and force her to question many things and therefore play an important part in her way to freedom. 

While I really liked the setting and the plot, I had some problems connecting with the characters. Sometimes Em's attitude towards certain things changed too fast for me, making her a bit unpredictable. I also felt that the (very little) love triangle seemed a bit forced and at the same time I couldn't really feel the chemistry between Em and Cade. Nonetheless I liked witnessing how they become closer with every chapter.

All in all, The Summer My Life Began is a wonderful summer read with elements that are supposed and actually will make you think about how important it is to be the person you want to be instead of following other people's dreams and opinions. While it might not be one of my favorite books, I really enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to more novels by Shannon Greenland.

Challenge(s):

YA Contemporary Challenge 2012

This review is part of The Summer My Life Began's blog tour,

hosted by JKS Communications.

Guest Post: Growing Up

by Shannon Greenland

I am the first one to say I had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up. A gunslinger? A meteorologist? A chef? A spy? An accountant? A mechanic?
Hey, I applaud those of you out there who know/knew what you wanted and went after it. All I’m saying is I wasn’t one of you.
Heck, I didn’t even read my first book for enjoyment until I was in my late 20’s. I was never one of those kids hunkered down in a library gobbling up words. And now I find I am. It’s funny how things change.
I can think of no better afternoon than a good book, a great cozy chair, a cup of coffee, and some yummy snacks. Ooh, and rain, too. That would be a perfect afternoon.
I’ll tell you this much, though, once I did start reading, I couldn’t stop. My mind was suddenly filled with places and people and adventure. It was soon after I started devouring books that I began writing my teen spy series, The Specialists, filled with adventure, suspense, and romance. And now a few years later I’m trying my hand at my first teen non-spy book, The Summer My Life Began, filled with adventure, suspense, and romance (hm, do we see a trend here?).
So for those of you out there who have no clue what you want to do. No pressure! You may be 20 or 30 or 40 when you figure it out. But when you do, you’ll have the biggest grin on your face. Eureka, I know what I want to be when I grow up!

What do you think? Is The Summer My Life Began on your to-read list?
If you've already read it, what did you think about it?

What's your biggest dream?
Carina