Monthly Review

1. If you've read other books by this same author, how does this one compare? (You don't need to decide which one is better, although you can.)
2. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analyze a relationship between two different characters. 
3. For what audience(s) is this book intended, and how can you tell? (In other words, for whom would you recommend this book?) 

    In the compelling teen fiction, This Lullaby, Sarah Dessen unfolds yet another best selling teen romance novel. The story opens with Remy, the cynical protagonist, fresh out of high school and bound for Standford in the fall. She lives with her mother, a carefree harebrained author, her step-dad, currently the 5th husband who works at a car dealership, and her lizard obsessed brother who seems to be under going a drastic metamorphosis into a more courteous person in the time he has been dating Jennifer Anne. Remy finds out she has been cheated on by her latest boyfriend, but she doesn't mind too much because she was meaning to to break up with him anyways. She has always been a very independent girl since her dad left and died with nothing but a famous song dedicated to her, telling her the he will always let her down. After her recent breakup, she doesn't want to be tied down by another summer fling, not the she can even hold down a boyfriend for over a month because of her obsession on finding Mr. Right. She just wants to make the best of the "in-between" time with her friends before the all leave for college, that is... until she runs into Dexter. She did not think much of him at first. I mean, he was ALL WRONG. He was tall, but lanky with an awkward walk. His shoes laces were never tied and he was in a band, which goes against her "no musicians" rule. However, with a bit of luck and a twist of faith, something sparks.
    The relationship Remy has with her mother is an interesting one. They are both really close because of the fact that the father figure is not around. Remy and her brother support most of her mother's decisions and do not interfere with her multiple marriages and crazy antics as an author. Nevertheless, Remy does not understand why her mother always jumps into one marriage after another when she has had heart broken so many times. They both contain completely different takes on love. Remy is cynical and believes that "nothing is forever" and "true love" does not exist. On the other hand, her mother is a big believer in "love at first sight" and such. Remy's perspective on love and relationships has been affected and molded into such a negative take from watching all her mother's past marriages. Her mother, the one that leaps blindly into marriages, believes that it takes determination to find just the right one so you should just take the chance. Although they are mother and daughter, both has different outlooks on the topic.
    This, actually, was not my first Sarah Dessen novel. In the start of the school year, I heard about a popular fiction novel by Dessen called "Just Listen" and picked it up at the media center during one of our trips there. As I dug my way through the book, I perceived that it was a teen romantic novel. Usually, I do not read books of this genre, but in the end, I decided, why not? Sarah Dessen was famous for leaving her mark in the history of young adult romance novels that ranks her up there with the likes of Stephenie Meyer and Nicolas Sparks. Mostly, she is well known for her works on the typical, sappy, teenage love stories that prepubescent twilight fan girls love so much, or so I thought. In both these books, the "setting up" of the story outline and back round took a while, at least 50 pages, and I still wasn't hooked. Nonetheless, the morals and lessons in the end of the novels were eye openiners and provided a deeper, realer insight on life.

"I was beginning to see, though, that the unknown wasn't always the greatest thing to fear. The people who know you best can be riskier, because the words they say and things they think have the potential to be not only scary but true, as well." Just Listen- Sarah Dessen

    This was ONE of the many quotes that stood out to me in Just Listen. Sure, it is a bit typical and everyone knows this in the back of our minds, but the fact that she brought those thoughts out and put them into words that make it real and true is what is really made it stand out to me.

"But I think, personally, that it would be worse to have been alone all that time. Sure, maybe I would have protected my heart from some things, but would that really have been better? To hold myself apart because I was too scared that something might not be forever?" This Lullaby- Sarah Dessen

    Remy was always a pessimist about love and was always into the short-term, no commitment, kinds of relationships because of her mother and all the failed marriages. These words were spoken by Remy's mother sharing some insight to Remy after she had just found out that her latest husband had cheated on her and yet another marriage was down the drains. Remy was always one to end a relationship after a certain period of time because subconsciously, she did not want to end up hurt like her mother, and so she put up all these walls to prevent anyone from getting in. However, after Dexter and the talk with her mother, she realizes that she was the weak link in the relationship because of the fact that was afraid of commitment. Her mother basically tells her that it is okay and it is better to love and be hurt than to never have loved at all. Both of these books were good eyeopeners and I would definitely read more from Dessen.
    Like I stated in the opening, this is a novel for young adults, probably ranging anywhere from 12 and up. The reason why I choose to read this book is because I have heard many good things about it, so I figured, why not give it a try. I mean, it cannot be worse than Twilight. The story line did not live up to expectations, but I did thoroughly enjoy reading this because of the great insights and realizations about things I never gave much thought about. This would seemly be a book preferred by woman, however, guys can read it too. In fact, my Lit. Circle partner is a guy reading this and from what I have heard, he likes the book just as much as I do, showing it does not matter what gender you are, a good book is open to all and worth the read.