Review: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen
Release Date: April 6, 2006
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 383
Source: Bought
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Summary:  Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything" — at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.

This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong.

Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help, maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

My Favorite Line: 

“Music is a total constant. That's why we have such a strong visceral connection to it, you know? Because a song can take you back instantly to a moment, or a place, or even a person. No matter what else has changed in your or the world, that one song says the same, just like that moment.” 

“There comes a time when the world gets quiet and the only thing left is your own heart. So you'd better learn the sound of it. Otherwise you'll never understand what it's saying.” 

Why I Loved It: First off, let me say AHHHHHHH!!! One of my dearest friends informed me that the first time I picked up a Sarah Dessen book, it better be Just Listen. She, as always, was very correct. I loved, LOVED the book. I finished it about, oh one? this morning because I couldn't put it down. I figured I better review it (even though there are still some books I've read over the holiday that are awaiting my seal of approval) because all of its amazing-ness is still in my head.
It was one of those books that you finish and think, "I want to read it again. Right NOW!" 

Unfortunately, my stack of books to read is only growing so I'll have to wait on reading it again. I fell in love with Owen with not only his huge image but personality as well. Poor Annabel had me yelling at her to stop chickening out and step up. I still loved her though. Sarah Dessen did an incredible job of depicting family as what it really is. Imperfect, but perfectly fine that way. I also could relate to Annabel's confusion at all things "enlightened." Sometimes it takes me much longer to really get the meaning behind powerful forms of art.

I truly enjoyed the book. It was a fast read, and today I went through the car wash with my music playing. I'm going to return when I actually have classical music somewhere on that 2 GB iPod of mine.    There wasn't any on there this time, I'm afraid.  I miss my iPod touch.