Book Review - Someone Like You

Title: Someone Like You
Author: Sarah Dessen 
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Release Date: 7 May 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0340997482

Synopsis
Quiet Halley and popular Scarlett have been friends for years, balancing each other perfectly - until the summer of their 16th birthdays. Scarlett's boyfriend is killed in a motorbike accident, just before she discovers she is carrying his baby. Now, for the first time, Scarlett really needs Halley at the same time as Halley needs her. Halley is caught up in the spell of first love, and the pressure to lose her virginity...Each with their own problems, can this friendship survive the strain of support that both Halley and Scarlett expect from each other?  


My Review
I wanted a fairly quick read and was digging through my piles of books and I've got onto a bit of a Sarah Dessen kick so I decided to pick this one up. The storyline sounded quite simple but effective so I figured it would be good.
The story jumps straight into the action, with Halley receiving the call from Scarlett informing her of Michaels death. It all moves on from them.
Although this book is about friendship, it's also about self discovery.
Scarlett and Halley sort of change places in the books the popular confident one becomes the scared, hurt one and Halley has to take charge. The friends go through a lot together, first boyfriends, school tests, family issues and of course the pregnancy. Dessen really researched the whole pregnancy things and it's really well informed and well represented. Just enough information to make it seem real but not too much. (I'm quite squeamish!)
Self-discovery wise, the changes in the friendship makes Halley re-assess who she is, and as other things change over the summer, she notices herself changing and has to decide if she likes what she is becoming and try to stay true to herself.
The writing as usual is well paced and easy to read, I started and finished this book in about 2 hours. Was a really quick read. Not my favourite by this author, there wasn't as much to it as some of her other books but I did like it.
There were a couple of occasions where the next chapter would start somewhere completely different or with the introduction of a new character and it would take me a second to realise what was happening, but it was a minor flaw. I did wonder why Cameron was in the book, yes he offers a bit of tension relief for Scarlett and could be her new boyfriend, he doesn't feature enough or do enough to actually make him vital, if he wasn't there I don't think we would miss him. But then he was a nice change from Macon who is Halley's love interest - he is just an ass! I would love to kick him so hard. 

Overall perfect for a quick read and fans of Dessen will always love it, but not her best.

My Rating