Just Listen Reviews

• Dessen's Magic Will Never Dissipate

  
  By A16BYTYYTW80R8 on 2006-04-07
  How beautifully written this book is, I cannot even begin to explain, nor would I ever do it justice. It's hard to believe that Dessen's books keep getting better and better, because I always wonder how she's going to top the last one. Somehow, she always does, and in a way that leaves you desperate for more. I have never been one to re-read books, but I absolutely cannot lay this book to rest. I want to re-live the story, because I can't bear to let the characters go.
  
  Annabel is facing the hardest school year of her life. She's dealing with a lot of family issues including her sister's severe battle with anorexia, and trying to tell her mother that she desperatly wants to quit modeling. Her ex-best friend Sophie no longer talks to her, because she thinks that Annabel slept with her boyfriend, but the truth is far deeper and the worst part is that nobody knows. Now that her friends have turned on her she has nobody until Owen Armstrong, the most unlikely person, befriends her and makes her see life in a new light.
  
  Dessen did a beautiful job of portraying family relationships and how difficult it can be when you have to sacrifice for them. You feel so much a part of this book that it's as if you are sitting at the table with them arguing, crying, screaming, laughing, talking, or holding one another. The struggle with friendships is so real and honest that I'm sure every one of us can relate in some sense to the loss of a best friend, or a misunderstanding that never was resolved that Annabel deals with on a daily basis. The pain she has to endure while desperately hiding the truth from everyone else is incredible and you feel so deeply for her that it may bring you to tears or just want to reach into the book and give her a big hug.
  
  Every young woman should read Dessen's books, but especially this one. It has so many lessons to offer girls on topics that are extremely important for them to be aware of. Everything from love and loss to anorexia and rape, this book has it all and it is so very beautifully done. I cannot express enough just how highly I reccomend this book to women of all ages, but especially to high school girls. Dessen is absolutely brilliant.
  
  

• Models, family, and bacon...

  
  By A13I6LSTSLC0BY on 2006-04-18
  Sarah Dessen's latest novel focuses on Annabel, the youngest in her family and the sweet, nice one who avoids confrontation and, ever since becoming best friends with the popular-yet-caustic Sophie, avoids standing up for herself. Her family's attention is centred around her older sister Whitney and her eating disorder, and Annabel's white lies - telling her mom she's fine, not discussing the night when she and Sophie stopped being friends - keep things going smoothly. It's not until she meets Owen Armstrong, another 'outcast' at school who quotes Anger Management phrases at her, that she becomes aware of how often she lies, and more importantly, how often she simply fails to tell the truth. This is a story about a lot of things, from complex family relationships to the world of modeling to the importance of music, but mostly it's the story of one girl finding her voice, and letting people hear the sometimes painful but always true things that she needs to say.
  
  

• Speak by LHA was better

  
  By A7LIDIIVS537P on 2006-12-21
  This book was too similar to _Speak_ by Laurie Halse Anderson. I loved _Speak_. It was fresh and original, and Anderson let us know right away that something traumatic happened to the main character. We don't know what it is, but we instantly feel sympathy for her and want to find out more. But in Annabel's case, all we know is some kind of altercation happened between her and her friend, Sophie. Annabel lets Sophie walk all over and does nothing to change the opinion of the rest of the school. This makes her seem weak and annoying. I hated her when I should have been feeling sympathy for her. The other characters didn't endear me to the story, either.
  
  The writing sometimes got in the way - this is probably the biggest problem I had with the book. The story is told from Annabel's perspective, and we're constantly reminded that she's telling it. Phrases like "I watched/saw" or "I heard/felt" run rampant, and we never get to experience Annabel's story or emotions for ourselves. Instead, she tells us what's happening and what she's feeling, and we're outsiders looking in. Personally, when I read a story I want to be the main character. I want to see what she sees, feel what she feels, hear what she hears. If the writing keeps me out, I get frustrated.
  
  I realize the author was trying to make a point - that you can't really know someone based on appearances. That is a fantastic idea, and worth pursuing. But I think it didn't translate well into this story - it came off as preachy and unoriginal. There is no explanation for why Annabel doesn't tell anyone about what happened to her. I understand part of the author's point, that it's extremely difficult to speak about these kinds of things, but it doesn't work in this situation. Mostly because a crowd of kids saw the aftermath, and charged emotions and such would make Annabel say things she ordinarily might not say. She's not protesting much, or insisting the other person be punished - which I think most girls would do in this situation. Her actions don't inspire sympathy. They make her seem weak and not too smart. Which is a shame, because this story had great potential.
  
  Based on the reviews here, I don't expect many to agree with me. But that's okay. Diverse opinions are what make the world interesting. :)
  
  

• Courtesy of Teens Read Too

  
  By A2TX179XAT5GRP on 2006-04-16
  Up until now, The Truth About Forever has always been my favorite Sarah Dessen book. Now that I've read JUST LISTEN, however, I think there's a tie! The characters of this latest release are so honestly real, their dialogue perfectly placed, that you can't help but be pulled into the life and times of Annabel Greene.
  
  Of course everyone thinks that Annabel has the perfect life. She's a model who has been in television commercials, in print ads, and in fashion shows at the local mall. She's popular at school, even if it is mostly because she's best friends with Sophie, the high school girl who demands attention. Her father is an architect who designed their house of glass; her mother lives for Annabel's modeling; she has two older sisters, Kirsten and Whitney, who are both former models themselves.
  
  Under all of that perfection, of course, lies the real Annabel. The one who suffered from something so horrible at the end of the last school year that she's lost not only her best friend, but her self-respect. Her family is so consumed with Whitney's eating disorder, with Kirsten's college life far away in New York, with keeping everything under control that Annabel doesn't tell them what's happened--the things that are still happening every day she goes to school just dreading the day. She doesn't want to add more problems to the mix; in fact, she lies by omission, simply avoiding the truth rather than shattering her family's illusions.
  
  But then Annabel meets Owen Armstrong, a boy she once watched punch out another student, then calmly walk away. Owen keeps to himself, never seems to be without his iPod, and doesn't appear to need any friends. But after he reaches out a hand to her, literally, after she's sick outside of school one day, a budding relationship of friendship begins to build between the guy who never lies, no matter what--and the girl who lies to protect other's feelings, namely her own.
  
  I loved JUST LISTEN. Owen is a character that will immediately grab your interest, especially with lines like "...for me, not saying how I feel when I feel it is a bad move. So I don't do it. Look at it this way: I might be saying you're fat, but at least I'm not punching you in the face." As for Annabel, the things she's holding inside are tearing her apart, and, in the end, it's the strength of her sisters that gets her to ask for help.
  
  The characters of Kirsten and Whitney are complicated and complex, and I have to admit that there's a part near the end of the book in which the sisters come together that had me crying like a baby. As for Annabel, it's not all about telling the truth, but about listening, not just to others, but mostly to that voice inside of her:
  
  "...this is what happens when you try to run from the past. It doesn't just catch up: it overtakes, blotting out the future, the landscape, the very sky, until there is no path left except that which leads through it, the only one that can ever get you home."
  
  
  

• Not Dessen's Best

  
  By on 2006-05-08
  Sarah Dessen's one of my favorite writers. I loved "This Lullaby" and "The Truth About Forever". I also loved "Dreamland". "Just Listen" didn't measure up though. I'm not saying it was bad, becasue it wasn't. It wasn't great either though.
  
  Annabel is a junior in highschool with two older sisters, one in college and one who had an eating disorder (anorexia). When something happens between her and her best friend Sophie last summmer, she finds herself an oucast at school. Owen, another outcast, befriends her. She becomes fasinated by Owen who never lies, and surrounds himself with music. She becomes increasingly aware of everything she's holding in. She doesn't even have the guts to tell her mother that she wants to quit modeling. As the lies start to stack up, it becomes harder and harder to keep them all in. Will she finally get the courage to tell them?
  
  (I think you know the answer to that). The cool part is there's a very subtle hint to characters from one book, as well as an obvious reference to characters from a different book. Make sure you've read all of Dessen's other books...
  
  The main thing that bugged me was how it was so similar to "Speak". It's almost as if Dessen stole the idea and changed it to her style of writing.
  
  Despite what I've just said, "Just Listen" is a pretty good read, and if you're a fan of Dessen, then you should still read it.
  
  
• Dessen does it again...
  By A2DO4XHOHW3FNM on 2006-04-29
  Sarah Dessen has done it again. She has created a world of realistic characters in a genre where often times the protagonists are silly, vapid, and vain. As an English teacher of middle school students I constantly recommend Dessen's books to my female students because she writes such strong women. From Keeping the Moon to The Truth About Forever to Just Listen Dessen has not missed a step. Her characters have depth, they grow, and are sincere. She also creates solid secondary characters.
  
  In Just Listen, the heroine, Annabel has a hard time telling the truth. Or more correctly, she has a hard time telling everyone around her, including her family and herself, how she feels. She holds tight to some dark secrets and puts her life on hold while her family deals with her mother's depression and her sister's bout with anorexia. Annabel, like many young women of today, feels that to make everyone happy she needs to keep her mouth shut. She loses herself in the noise of the every day world.
  
  It isn't until she meets Owen, a loner like herself, that she is finally able to stop, and just listen...finally to herself and her inner voice.
  
  
• Just Listen
  By on 2006-10-15
  Just Listen
  Sarah Dessen
  
  Genre: Realistic Fiction
  
  Annabel Greene plays a girl who has everything in the commercial for Kopf's Department Store: she is the top student, popular cheerleader, dazzling prom queen surrounded by friends. In real life though, Annabel Greene is the total opposite. She has no best friend anymore because of Sophie, who ended up spreading rumors about Annabel after one little mistake that wasn't even Annabel's fault. Not only that, but Annabel has to deal with the awkward times at home with her sister's eating disorder, and Annabel not being comfortable about life and speaking her mind at all.
  Then she meets a guy named Owen Armstrong, who isn't your usual Romeo, but Annabel learns something very valuable from him... truth. Owen Armstrong is a high schooler who is never parted with his ipod or CD player. Before Annabel was rejected by all of her friends, she had heard that Owen was a freak.Annabel had wondered what he was always listening to. When they become friends, he amazes her with his honesty and confidence. Soon, Annabel is telling Owen all of her feelings that she has wanted to get out for a long time, and they become close until she makes a big mistake-again.
  I highly recommend this book for readers who like people like Meg Cabot and similar authors.Sarah Dessen has a way that keeps me interested in her story. If you have read certain books by Sarah Dessen too, you can recognise some of the characters in this story that is brought back from a different point of veiw which I thought was very cool.
  I enjoyed reading this book because I was able to put myself into Annabel's shoes, and I wanted to just jump into the book and be her!
  
  
• Maybe Dessen's worst?
  By A3N38ZHNGFIU0K on 2006-05-30
  I absolutely LOVE Someone Like You and This Lullaby but this book was horrible! I thought it was never going to end, the plot was just stupid and the characters were developed poorly and there wasn't really any relationships formed. It was a waste of time and money!
  
  
• A Bit Unfair...
  By A11TR7E9AQ109O on 2007-02-27
  I only rated two stars because the book started out soooooo agonizingly slow. I am a HUGE fan of Dessen, don't get me wrong. But I read about the first eighth of the book and learned so little about the character and the plot that I tossed it aside. Dessen's other books do a pretty good job of tossing you into the story and getting you into it quickly, but this one wasn't up to the test.
  
  
• not appropriate for pre-teens or young teens
  By ADMFO72V0ZC0S on 2008-06-03
  My 12 year old daughter was loaned this book from a friend and asked me (Al's wife) to check it out after she started it because of some foul language. I read the first chapter, last chapter, and skimmed through the others chapters half reading to find the main climax to the mystery of her "rift with her best friend". Throughout the book (just the parts I read) I read so many foul words my daughter already has to hear on the bus and at school...now Dessen is helping young girls think it's normal and OK to use this language...maybe her best friend calling her a b___ch is to make a point...but s___t, f___k, w___e, sl__t, and many others constantly throughout the book are unnecessary. Also when I read the rape relived... less detail is necessary to get the point across. I find it hard to believe that a girl who is brave enough to start a friendship with a new and unfriendly person would keep quiet if that girl's boyfriend raped her and the friend mistook it as her fault and trying to "steal her boyfriend". This could have been a good book for teens to be aware of "date rape" incidents and how to avoid or deal with them... but Dessen sunk to low standards to "shock and awe" young girls with unnecessary details and foul language. Won't recommend this book or any other by this author for my daughter or others.
  
  
• GREAT!
  By A1EAAC08ZXVEJC on 2006-03-16
  I got this book as a ARC today, read it in one day and I loved it. I'm not going to tell you what happens except that in the book you get to see some of the old characters in one of her books and that you'll be completely happy with who you get to see!
  
  
• Just Listen
  By A18E0V2F73X593 on 2006-04-28
  To me, a good teen book is a book where I can start reading and say "Oh MY GOD I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!" (Or something like that.) And Sarah Dessen did not fail to deliver.
  It was honestly something I couldn't put down. I walked to work or to a friend's house, I was reading. It took me two days to finish it, and I was so happy with the ending.
  Personally, I was just waiting for Sarah Dessen to publish a book like this. A book that's not all based on a first love, or something like that. I was really happy. Sarah Dessen lovers, this book is for you!
  
  
• Shy Narrator
  By AZW80DUZ60EVB on 2007-01-24
  I liked the Lullaby (another book by Dessen) better than this one, but it was still a good read. It's impressive the way a shy girl with a fairly normal life manages to be so interesting. (In my opinion bold women more often are central narrators) It starts out with the main character being betrayed, as the reader bites their nails and waits as Annabel keeps her mouth shut and does nothing to remedy her ruined reputation. Instead of speaking up, Annabel lets people think the worst. She falls for an unpopular, bacon-eating, violent, music-obsessed boy who "ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS!!" says what he thinks. (I didn't really like this character as much; he sort of grates on the nerves but..) since Annabel has virtually nobody else in her life she forms an unlikely bond with this guy.
  Things that I did not like- a couple of things were unclear about Annabel. For example.
  1) how did Annabel handle popularity when she seemed to unsure of herself and needed somebody as overbearing as Sophie to lead the way?
  and
  2). Annabel never gets bitter despite the fact that everybody believes something she didn't do and makes her the outcast for it. What made her so immune to all the typical high school b.s?
  
  
• Great Book!!
  By A2ZS76HAKW4NC2 on 2006-04-07
  Even though I got this today, I read it in about four hours! It was good and profound but I'm not going to say it was my favorite Dessen book. It's one of my favorites among many. I still love The Truth About Forever but it had deep meaning to it. I liked it. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of love stories/overcoming the obstacles type of books. It's sort of reminded me about the Truth About Forever since Macy is trying so hard to speak her mind but having difficulties since she was afraid that people wouldn't accept the truth. Annabell, in Just Listen, is the same way. In the beginning she'd rather stay quiet than voice her mind. But, I don't want to ruin the book, so you have to read it to find out what happens next!! Loved the book, though.
  
  
• pretty good...
  By A169TBJUB1BR6M on 2006-04-21
  I never would have thought that I'd be rating this book four out of five stars, but its what Just Listen deserves. overall, the book was pretty good...I liked how sarah dessen added some characters from her previous book into Just Listen. Some of the ideas that Sarah Dessen wrote about were very funny and clever, just like they were in her other books. But, to be honest, Just Listen was sort of a letdown. I expected a lot more but it didn't give me much. I guess the fact that the book was very predictable led it down the drain. maybe its just me though because I like to read suspenseful novels that keep me guessing. In the end, Just Listen was still a great book, but it doesn't even compare to The Truth About Forever and some of Dessen's other novels.
  
  
• Life changes
  By ALFTIURP8PWM2 on 2006-05-04
  This is the charming, thought-provoking and thoroughly engaging tale of Annabel Greene, a teenager caught in the middle - between her parents and her sisters, between people she thought were her friends, and between finding out who she is and who other people want her to be. When she gets to know Owen Armstrong, a loner who is obsessed with music - and with
  telling the truth - she starts learning to deal with the issues in her life.
  
  
  
• Just Listen-
  By A3QPWA9VF29NB1 on 2006-05-07
  This book was beautifully written, just as you have read in every other review here. The book was very good. It started out with almost a slow, apathetic tone, but this just ultimately adds to the power of the forth quarter of the book. This book is classic Sarah Dessen, save one area. There was a very depressing lack of chemistry between Annabelle and Owen. Both characters (Annabelle esp.) were very much like other characters from Sarah's books, but the didnt clique together with the perfect intensity as all the other characters always have. This review is coming out more negative than i intended it to because it still was a great book. Chameos by characters from the other novels including wes,macy,remy, dexter and the rest of truth squad were lots of fun
  
  
• This ROCKED!!
  By on 2006-05-31
  Oh my gosh. I just got done reading this book, and it is AMAZING!!! I had to stay up till 1:00 in the morning reading it because I didn't want to put it down. It will make you think , or at least it did that to me. I'll give a brief summary, because I have nothing better to do:
  17-year-old Annabel Greene seems to have the perfect life. Or does she? The youngest in her family, she struggles with her sister's eating disorder, while trying to keep from her parents that her best friend and her are no longer. And why? Over the summer, she was caught in a bedroom with Sophie (her ex-best friend)' s boyfriend, Will Cash. Without letting Annabel tell her side of the story (that she was raped), Sophie repeatedly calls her a slut, bitch, whore, and a whole long list of mean names. After a nasty fight with Sophie in front of the entire school, she then meets Owen Armstrong, the school's most notorious loner, and a huge music-lover. Over time, they become somewhat friends, bonding first over music(Owen's favorite subject), and finally over just plain fate. Now, another girl at Annabel's school is getting the same reputation she had, (the whole Will Cash thing)and Annabel freaks out. I'll leave the rest up to you, because I don't want to give away the ending.
  
  
• Never Tired
  By A3O3D78XX6PF0Y on 2006-06-01
  I love how you never get bored of Sarah Dessen's books. I've read all her books and I'm not even close to being bored yet. I love how her writing keeps you reading until your eyes hurt. Dessen's books are always great, they're always the ones that I read the quickest. Definitely recommended for people who have read her other novels.
  
  
• Dessen, once again, does not disappoint.
  By on 2006-06-22
  Dessen creates a strong story, told in 1st-person narrative by the main character, junior Annabel Greene. She is a model who has a secret, which has been hanging on her for so long now. As a result, her whole life is affected-- friends, family, personality. Once she meets Owen Armstrong, who loves music, she learns so much-- about music as well as herself.
  Her family also has its dilemmas, resulting in drama-- eating disorders, sisterly arguments. Read this book for the full affect. Hightly recommended for those of you in high school, and for those whole enjoyed Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and all other Sarah Dessen books.
  
  
• Sarah Dessen is God
  By ATPWUPUC4Q3HX on 2006-07-06
  In Dessen's newest novel,Just Listen, protagonist Annabel Greene has a dark secret that she is afraid to tell anyone, but wants to. Annabel who is not a fan of confrontation, has a sister who has anorexia, so is worried to tell her family of what happened that night at the party. She does not want to affect anyone so is willing to put on a facade for everybody around her.
  
  Then Annabel meets Owen Armstrong, the angriest boy in school, who is also a loner. He sees past Annabel, the blonde haired blue eyed model. Music obsessed Owen always tells the truth and tries to get Annabel to reveal her secrets, because he will listen. He introduces Annabel to the world of music."Don't think or judge just listen," says Owen. Annabel finally gets the courage to tell what happened that night.
  
  I am a big fan of Sarah Dessen's work. She is such a great author and her books speak to teenage girls everywhere. Just Listen is such a good book, and I love how music is one of the cental themes in this book. Some old characters-Dexter and Remy-showed up which I loved. Anyone, not just teens, will enjoy this book so read it!
  
  
  
• Well written
  By A3OHCC4YHOI00X on 2006-07-14
  I really enjoyed this but parts of it reminded me too much of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. A more fleshed out story but the whole "incident" and friends ignoring/being nasty to friends things was really similar. Not that this turned me off the book, I enjoyed the characters and plot quite a bit. I wish they had young adult books like this when I was in high school, but at 26, it is still worth a read.
  
  
• how can you not?
  By A6YWW1J9QKEE3 on 2006-08-25
  The more that Sarah Dessen writes, the more her writing matures. Her books have become more polished and developed as time has passed. In this novel,the character Annabel is someone that is easy to relate to. Most people feel at some point that there is no categoery that they really fit into.
  
  Music plays a huge role in this book and there is even a guest appearance from favorite characters from another Dessen book which caught me totally by surprise.
  
  The one thing that dissapointed me a bit was that this book follows a pattern which was shown both in "the truth about forever" and "this lullaby". There is the boy who goes after the main character, they get together, they have a falling out and then the probelm gets resolved. Of course we all love a happy ending, who wants it to end in heartbreak? And every novel needs a conflict and climax but it is a little dissapointing that the novels have begun to follow the same pattern.
  
  Furthermore, the probelm in the beginning of the book and the unresolved fallout with her friend Sophie was a bit obvious to me from the beginning, but that may be because I have read "Speak" a few too many times.
  
  All in all, though, it was a great read. The characters were real, as well as the problems they faced. Whatever faults I found in it were pushed aside by the great writing of this book. Another romance and coming of age story that was hard to put down.
  
  
  
  
• it sounds like this
  By A3J7VCB2EHJ52P on 2006-10-17
  Here's the thing about Sarah Dessen. She lets us in. Into these lives of characters who share their pain with us so intensely it's like you already know them. And you want to help them finally be the people they want to be, even if they don't know it yet.
  
  In JUST LISTEN, the way Annabel suffers in quiet desperation is heartbreaking. But then she changes from a girl who doesn't really think about turning on the stereo into someone who can't live without music. All of a sudden, the silence is too loud to handle. So she creates this new world in which music helps her connect with emotions that have been suppressed for way too long. Because she realizes that, through music, she can begin the long process of healing her pain. And she can understand what having a true connection with someone else really means.
  
  This book is for anyone who has ever felt lonely or misunderstood...or has waited for someone to save them. Which means this book is for everyone, really.
  
  
• cant put it down
  By A2ZL9J18RCLW5V on 2006-11-03
  I started reading this book at work and couldnt put it down!
  Annabel is facing every sixteen year olds worst nightmare, school with no friends. She enters the eleventh grade as a social outcast, forced to sit on the wall away from the rest of her schoolmates. Formerly popular Annabel Greene is shunned by her classmates for an unexplained reason (we find out later why). Not only is life tough at school but also at home. Through the help of Owen, Annabel is able to talk about what has happened and learn to speak honestly about her feelings.
  This novel truly explains what it is like to be a sixteen-year-old girl. Every woman can relate to the main character, from conflicting emotions to unspeakable tragedy. This book is applicable to all young women whether they have experienced eating disorders, attempted rape or not. The reader becomes part of the family through the small details expressed by Dessen. This book should be read by women and girls everywhere, the author helps to show women that life moves on and that hope emerges even in the midst of adversity. Enjoy!
  
  
• I Couldn't Put The Book Down
  By on 2007-02-03
  Just Listen was an amazing book and on of my favorites. ( Only recommended for people 12 and up) The writer Sarah Dessen takes you on a wild ride into Annabel's life a normal teenager whose world gets turned upside down over the summer. When her sister starts an eating-disorder and Annabel has other things on her mind she turns to Owen Armstrong, a kid with a bad reputation. As Annabel gets to know him better she begins to see who he really is. He is a boy who always tells the truth and cannot lie no matter what. When Annabel is ready to speak the truth about what happened that summer, she turns to Owen and at the same time ends up finding out who she really is inside instead of who people want her to be. This book really relates to teenagers and how they feel when they come into a new school or do not have any friends. Just listen helps you realize what the world is about and how to overcome the bad things in it, by just speaking the truth and Just Listening to the people who do.
  
  
  
• A Stressing Life...
  By AIUMGQQ1GLC6X on 2007-02-05
  Just listen is great! It deserves more than five stars , actually.
  It is something you don't read every day and you can get into it without putting it down once.
  
  Just Listen is about Annabel ( a part-time model) who has a tough life. Her two sisters were also models. They have always been better than her. She was always the plain one. The one that never over-exceeded her sisters.
  But, her life turns stressful quickly. First , one of her sisters gives up modeling for a good college were she finds everything that she needs although, her family may disagree with her decision. Then her oldest sister seceretly developes an exetreme eating disorder ,but no one except Annabel seems to notice or help. Annabel used to have friends but a while back her ex-best friend framed her for stealing her boyfriend. Then rumors started about Annabel and everyone starts to slowly hate her. Her mom suffers from a great loss and won't act like her normal self. the only thing that brings Annabel's mom joy is Annabel modeling and Snnabel doesn't want to model anymore. She has no clue how to tell her mom.
  
  Then Annabel meets Owen. Owen is music-crazy. Everywhere he goes he is sure to have his ipod. He is also freindless. Rumors have started about him too. Terrible ones. Owen has anger-managment problems and beleives deeply in the trueth and nothing but it.
  
  Annabel goes through so many things with Owen and its tough for her to be around someone who is so truethful when she really isn't. But, she learns so much throughout the book and the reader does too.
  It made me cry once but i smiled throughout the rest of the book. It is such an inspiraring book. It is meant for any girl anywhere at any age 14 and up!
  
  
• Just Listen
  By on 2007-03-11
  Annabel Greene is the girl who has everything. Annabel doesn't notice but that's who she plays in the commercial for Kopf's Department Store:top student, popular cheerleader, dazzling prom queen surrounded by friends. In her real life, Annabel is the girl who has nothing.She doesn't have a best friend anymore. Her friendship with mean Sophie ended with awful rumors flying. She has a bad life at home because her older sister has an eating dissorder. The whole family pays attention to her sister. Annabel can't tell anyone whats going on.
  When Annabel meets Owen Armstrong everything changes. Owen is intense, obssesed with music, and wants to always tell the truth.
  Annabel hates being on the spot.
  Annabel resolves all of her problems. Her sister gets better. She is not friends with Sophie anymore. And she still dates Owen. Her family life improves. Annabel has had a challenging life.
  I really liked the book but at some parts through out the story it was really slow. It started getting exciting in the middle of the book. I think the book could have been a lot shorter and more exciting but the story was a fun story to read.
  
  
  
• Good, But Annoying...
  By A3KYON4OAQH3SB on 2007-05-16
  I thought this was going to be a love story and have a traumatic event in it like the summary suggests. Unfortunately, that's not what this is. Owen and Annabel's relationship is covered in the form of one kiss and we are supposed to guess that the future holds a relationship for the two of them. That could have gone into more depth. But, if your looking for a romance this is not one. Owen the boy of the book, isn't exactly what I excpected either. He's sort of annoying. It seems like what he and Annabel have together is strictly limited to music. That's just about the ONLY thing they talk about. I'm not even kidding either. But the other parts of the book are great. I would have liked more closure with her and Sophie but the ending was still okay. Overall if you want to read another version of speak but with good side stories, then read this.
  
  
• Just Listen = Speak?
  By A2WOK85G6IKOQN on 2007-11-08
  While I am a fan of Sarah Dessen's novels, and I enjoyed reading this book, I found it to be remarkably similar to the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. There are clear differences between the two novels, but I feel that the basic pretext was the same. This frustrated me because I have found all of Sarah Dessen's previous books to be incredibly unique and well-written. Just Listen, however, drew too many similarities to Anderson's Speak to be as enjoyable as her other novels. It may be a personal bias, though, because Speak is one of my favorite YA novels. Despite a lot of similar aspects to Speak, I still think Just Listen is still a very good book. I hope Lock and Key will be more original, though, since I am really looking forward to its release.
  
  

• The Truth About Forever
• This Lullaby
• That Summer
• Lock and Key
• Dreamland (reissue)