Just Listen by: Sarah Dessen

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Published: April 6, 2006 by: Viking Books
Pages: 383
Rating: 2/5 stars

Annabel used to have it all. A model for Kopf's department store, her life was a series of glitz, glam and popularity. That is, until a tragic lie makes her best friend turn on her, her sister cripples under an eating disorder, and Annabel is stuck friendless and hopeless. That is, until she meets Owen, and music-loving boy who is willing to help her be happy again. Can he do it?

This book was okay. I found it to be not very climactic, and I was kind of bored. There were some aspects that I liked, but cons outweighed the pros.

I did love the character development of this book. We start off with a sad and lonely Annabel, but by the end of the book she is able to blossom out of her shell, reveal the secret that's been haunting her, and start loving life again. I felt for her, in how sad she must have been and how horrible people were to her. Owen was such an amazing male lead. He was kind, thoughtful and protective over Annabel. I loved how he had a strong interest in music, and he was so cute.

The plot of this book was pretty much non-existent. I didn't find much interest in it until the end, when everything got better. I just found a lot of the book to be pointless, uneventful and not go anywhere. I couldn't connect, and I didn't think this book was anything special.

This is only the second Sarah Dessen book I've read, and I am looking forward to reading more from her, but this one was a disappointment. It just didn't have enough rising action for me.

Overall, I loved the characters, but the plot left me wanting a bit more. That is why this book got 2 stars.

Have you read Just Listen? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess