Do(n't) Date Musicians
I am officially moved back into the dorms! I start my sophomore year of college next week, and I couldn't be more excited. But in the midst of all this excitement, it was nice to read a simple, easy read. I just finished This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. It's one of her most popular books, and I liked it quite a lot!
Remy Starr has had four stepfathers, and is about to have a fifth one. Her mother, famous romance novelist Barbara Starr, has flitted from husband to husband for Remy's whole life. With high school finally over, Remy is anxiously awaiting August, when she can escape to Stanford and a new life, away from her mother's writing quirks, her brother's lizards, and a long string of boyfriends. Remy knows boys- to her, they're formulaic, a set pattern that she can always predict. All are kept at arm's length, not seeing the real Remy under her fabricated exterior. And she likes it that way. You see, Remy doesn't believe in love. She's watched her mother's marriages fail time after time, and knows that love is nothing but an illusion. Out of the blue, a gangly, messy, disaster in the form of a boy named Dexter crashes into her life and makes her question everything. Dexter checks absolutely nothing on her standard "list". His shoes are never tied; he can barely do laundry; he's in a band! But will all these fallacies show Remy what she's been missing, or will she just have her heart broken?
Sarah Dessen is an author with a very specific niche. With over ten published books, all of her heroines still fall within the same spectrum. Smart, messy family lives, possibly misunderstood and/or lonely in some way. Then they meet a boy and "their lives change forever". I'm not saying this trope is bad in any way. If anything, it's comforting, because you always know you'll end up with a happy ending. Her heroines are relatable. I've always considered Dessen's books "ultimate reality". Like, they're technically possible, but they're also a bit more than real life. They're hope-bombs. Dessen has a way of painting a world that has a little bit more possibility and serendipity.
This Lullaby is a great example of Dessen's work- lighthearted, centered around family, simple, with a happy ending guaranteed. Dexter is a highlight- he's one of my favorite of Dessen's leading men. An excellent summer read overall.
Plot: B+
Characters: B
Book Overall: B+
P.S. remember to check out my Instagram! @ nerdybirdbooknook
Remy Starr has had four stepfathers, and is about to have a fifth one. Her mother, famous romance novelist Barbara Starr, has flitted from husband to husband for Remy's whole life. With high school finally over, Remy is anxiously awaiting August, when she can escape to Stanford and a new life, away from her mother's writing quirks, her brother's lizards, and a long string of boyfriends. Remy knows boys- to her, they're formulaic, a set pattern that she can always predict. All are kept at arm's length, not seeing the real Remy under her fabricated exterior. And she likes it that way. You see, Remy doesn't believe in love. She's watched her mother's marriages fail time after time, and knows that love is nothing but an illusion. Out of the blue, a gangly, messy, disaster in the form of a boy named Dexter crashes into her life and makes her question everything. Dexter checks absolutely nothing on her standard "list". His shoes are never tied; he can barely do laundry; he's in a band! But will all these fallacies show Remy what she's been missing, or will she just have her heart broken?
Sarah Dessen is an author with a very specific niche. With over ten published books, all of her heroines still fall within the same spectrum. Smart, messy family lives, possibly misunderstood and/or lonely in some way. Then they meet a boy and "their lives change forever". I'm not saying this trope is bad in any way. If anything, it's comforting, because you always know you'll end up with a happy ending. Her heroines are relatable. I've always considered Dessen's books "ultimate reality". Like, they're technically possible, but they're also a bit more than real life. They're hope-bombs. Dessen has a way of painting a world that has a little bit more possibility and serendipity.
This Lullaby is a great example of Dessen's work- lighthearted, centered around family, simple, with a happy ending guaranteed. Dexter is a highlight- he's one of my favorite of Dessen's leading men. An excellent summer read overall.
Plot: B+
Characters: B
Book Overall: B+
P.S. remember to check out my Instagram! @ nerdybirdbooknook
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