Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

CITATION: Dessen, S. (1998). Someone like you. New York: Puffin Books
IDENTIFYING #: ISBN 0141302690
CLASSIFICATION: Fiction
GENRE: Realistic Fiction
CALL #: FIC DESSEN
RECOMMENDED AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Young Adult
RATING: 3

Annotation: High school junior, Halley is thrown into a tailspin when, in the midst of her own problems, the person she's always relied on, her best friend Scarlett, needs to rely on her.

Summary: Scarlett and Michael are in love, and when they decide to have sex for the first time, they use protection. The condom comes off, however, and in a bizarrely tragic twist, Michael is killed in a motorcycle accident the next day. Soon after, Scarlett learns she's pregnant and calls her best friend, Halley. Halley desperately wants to be a good friend to Scarlett. After all, Scarlett has always been there for her. Although Halley feels out of her depth, and is having her own issues that include a forbidden new "badboy" boyfriend, and a now-strained relationship with the mother she's always been close to.

Neither Scarlett and Halley feel they can confde in their mothers; Scarlett's mother tried to force her into an abortion, and although Halley's mother is a celebrated author and teen therapist, she has disappointed Halley by telling her who to date, or rather, who not to. Feeling unsupported in their decisions, Scarlett and Halley rely on their friendship more than ever, but will it be enough to get them through their toughest times ever?

Notes: This book deals with relevant teen issues, and gives an authentic portrayal of the challenges and rewards true friendship offers. Some events however, seem highly improbable, almost to the point of silliness. Scarlett has sex with her first love ONCE, he's killed the very next day, and shortly after, she's pregnant! --I KNOW! How unlucky and tragic can one person be, right?! The end of the book is a bit abrupt, and here again, a bit over-the-top in drama. I highly recommend Sarah Dessen as an author teen girls will love. This particular book however, was for me, only okay.