Helpful Score: 5
After organizing her romance writer mother's fourth remarriage, recent high school graduate Remy Starr knows there is no such thing as love. She sees nothing wrong in drinking and hitting the bars with her three close friends, and having a string of boyfriends whom she lusted after but had no real attachment for. After all, she's the queen of dumping.
Then Remy meets the quirky musician Dexter. Or rather, Dexter bumps into her, literally. Dexter thinks that they have a connection. He's messy, unplanned, and, worst of all, a musician. But maybe he will be the one who thaws Remy's cold, cold heart and shows her the meaning of love. Or maybe, as Remy believes, he is just a blip in her list of past boyfriends. Whatever the answer is, that's what the summer is for.
As usual, Sarah Dessen's characterizations are brilliant and accurate. Readers will empathize for Remy despite her cynical view on love. And Dexter is a gem, a gentleman, sweetheart, and comedian rolled into one. THIS LULLABY will touch your heart and never let go.
Then Remy meets the quirky musician Dexter. Or rather, Dexter bumps into her, literally. Dexter thinks that they have a connection. He's messy, unplanned, and, worst of all, a musician. But maybe he will be the one who thaws Remy's cold, cold heart and shows her the meaning of love. Or maybe, as Remy believes, he is just a blip in her list of past boyfriends. Whatever the answer is, that's what the summer is for.
As usual, Sarah Dessen's characterizations are brilliant and accurate. Readers will empathize for Remy despite her cynical view on love. And Dexter is a gem, a gentleman, sweetheart, and comedian rolled into one. THIS LULLABY will touch your heart and never let go.
Helpful Score: 3
Unputdownable!!
Okay, I know that's not a real word, but that is the only way I could describe this book. When it started I did not like the main character, Remy, but as the book continues, you realize that she's just a control freak that gets her world jilted. Dexter is an extremely likable character and you'll feel yourself pulling for him and for Remy. Great, fast read!
Okay, I know that's not a real word, but that is the only way I could describe this book. When it started I did not like the main character, Remy, but as the book continues, you realize that she's just a control freak that gets her world jilted. Dexter is an extremely likable character and you'll feel yourself pulling for him and for Remy. Great, fast read!
Helpful Score: 2
Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com
Sarah Dessen's THIS LULLABY is one of the best teen books I've ever read. It's the story of Remy, a girl who has no faith in love. Part of this is because her own father never even saw her, only wrote a now-famous song, called "This Lullaby," about her before he died. It certainly doesn't help that her mother has been married four times, and, at the beginning of the novel, is about to have her fifth wedding. Remy says about her mother's marriages, "She takes on husbands the way other people change their hair color: out of boredom, listlessness, or just feeling that this next one will fix everything, once and for all."
Remy likes to feel in control of things when she's got a boyfriend. She knows all about getting into relationships, the first romantic rush, and ending them before there's any emotional attachment. She's almost always the one to dump guys, not the other way around. She's got plenty of practice at it, too.
One day, at the car dealership owned by her mother's next husband, she meets a guy named Dexter. He's very determined to get to know Remy, and, at first, she thinks he's ridiculous and ignores him. Dexter, however, is persistent. When the two finally get together, everyone is shocked that Remy's staying in the relationship. Dexter is so many things Remy could never put up with. He's messy and impulsive, but, most of all, he's a musician. Until Dexter came along, Remy had a "no musician" rule, and now she's broken it.
Signs point to Remy ending this relationship and not looking back. Everyone thinks that's what will happen. Everyone except Dexter, who wants it to be more than a summer thing, who has faith in their relationship. How will it all end?
This is an amazing young adult book by a brilliant author. Sarah Dessen, author of several other books including THAT SUMMER and SOMEONE LIKE YOU, does an awesome job of keeping the reader's attention throughout THIS LULLABY. She does it with her original story, told in Remy's unique voice. It doesn't hurt that Sarah Dessen is great at creating fresh, original, believable characters. Thoughtful and powerful, this book also has its moments that will make readers laugh, which is a nice change of pace in the story. Every aspect of this novel surpasses expectations.
Sarah Dessen's THIS LULLABY is one of the best teen books I've ever read. It's the story of Remy, a girl who has no faith in love. Part of this is because her own father never even saw her, only wrote a now-famous song, called "This Lullaby," about her before he died. It certainly doesn't help that her mother has been married four times, and, at the beginning of the novel, is about to have her fifth wedding. Remy says about her mother's marriages, "She takes on husbands the way other people change their hair color: out of boredom, listlessness, or just feeling that this next one will fix everything, once and for all."
Remy likes to feel in control of things when she's got a boyfriend. She knows all about getting into relationships, the first romantic rush, and ending them before there's any emotional attachment. She's almost always the one to dump guys, not the other way around. She's got plenty of practice at it, too.
One day, at the car dealership owned by her mother's next husband, she meets a guy named Dexter. He's very determined to get to know Remy, and, at first, she thinks he's ridiculous and ignores him. Dexter, however, is persistent. When the two finally get together, everyone is shocked that Remy's staying in the relationship. Dexter is so many things Remy could never put up with. He's messy and impulsive, but, most of all, he's a musician. Until Dexter came along, Remy had a "no musician" rule, and now she's broken it.
Signs point to Remy ending this relationship and not looking back. Everyone thinks that's what will happen. Everyone except Dexter, who wants it to be more than a summer thing, who has faith in their relationship. How will it all end?
This is an amazing young adult book by a brilliant author. Sarah Dessen, author of several other books including THAT SUMMER and SOMEONE LIKE YOU, does an awesome job of keeping the reader's attention throughout THIS LULLABY. She does it with her original story, told in Remy's unique voice. It doesn't hurt that Sarah Dessen is great at creating fresh, original, believable characters. Thoughtful and powerful, this book also has its moments that will make readers laugh, which is a nice change of pace in the story. Every aspect of this novel surpasses expectations.
Helpful Score: 2
This Lullaby was beautifully written. One of Dessen's best pieces by FAR. I was in awe ; it's an absolute read.
Helpful Score: 1
I read the back of this book and thought it would be a light romance and a good beach-read. It was actually somewhat deep, with the dramatic character growth and some of the revealing conversations. It was a good book, and I did like seeing the relationships blossom between Remy and Dexter, Remy and her friends, and Remy and her mom. There are some things that anybody can relate to in this novel, but some things are definitely catered to the teenage audience, particularly the dating and party scenes that were throughout. Overall a good story, though not one I would recommend for beach-side reading.
Helpful Score: 1
I was really excited to read this book because it sounded like a cute premise and I have enjoyed other books by Sarah Dessen, but I thought that this book fell a little short. This may be due to the fact that I read "Just Listen" and "The Truth About Forever" before it, which are two of Dessen's best works, making my expectations really high. I just didn't really connect to the characters in this book. Remy just seems like she hates the world, and she spends the first half of the book hating Dexter and there was never really an obvious turning point to me. Usually Sarah Dessen does a great job of building the feelings that her characters have for each other and developing their relationship, but this book didn't do that. I finished out of loyalty, but it was a forced read, not something I couldn't put down.
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book! It was really good and well written.
Helpful Score: 1
Amazing- like all of Sarah Dessen's books. But I do wish that the ending was more promising. Oops, I hope I haven't said too much! Five stars.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a wonderful book full of a cast of unforgettable characters and heart wrenching moments. Very touching and very quick read.
Helpful Score: 1
I am an avid reader. And a teen. I've read a few other Dessen books, and both were better than this. Don't get me wrong. This is a good book, it's just not her best. It is definitly an older teen book.
Helpful Score: 1
A very cute, adoring story.
Helpful Score: 1
This is my favorite Sarah Dessen book. I guess it's because I was Remy's age when I read this book, so it was more relatable for me. I read this years ago and just recently reread it. I was surprised at how much I remembered. I read so much that sometimes information in books that are not part of a series get dumped into the same part of my brain that some books are indistinguishable. Not this one! Dessen's characters are so well developed that they're unforgettable, especially Dexter.
I've read about 3 of Sarah Dessen's books and being in my mid 40's think its odd how I can relate to these characters, maybe just taking me back to the teen years. I see that Remy is just has a tough heart, but who wouldn't after allt hose marriages her and her brother have had to live through with her mom and not having a father figure.
Dexter is wonderful.. I think there is one boy in our life that has made that kind of impression on us at some point in our lives.
I can't say this is the top book by Dessen.. but as always she pulls you in to her stories and I just want a series or sequel to pop up..
Good teen read..
Dexter is wonderful.. I think there is one boy in our life that has made that kind of impression on us at some point in our lives.
I can't say this is the top book by Dessen.. but as always she pulls you in to her stories and I just want a series or sequel to pop up..
Good teen read..
It took a bit to get into this, but once I did I enjoyed it. (Sarah Dessen's YA books are truly a guilty pleasure of mine.) Her truths are as relevant to adults as they are to her intended audience.
The science of breaking up...
Remy alwasy knows when to give a guy "the speech"---right after the initial romantic rush, but before anything gets to serious. She's had her fair share of boyfriends, and she's learned all there is to learn from her mother, who's currently working on husband number 5. So why is it that Remy can't seem to dump Dexter? It can't be his name. it can't be that he is messy and disorganized. And it certainly isn't that he is a musician --- just like Remy's father, a man she never kneew because he left before she was born. Could it be that Remy's romantic rules to live by don't apply anymore
Remy alwasy knows when to give a guy "the speech"---right after the initial romantic rush, but before anything gets to serious. She's had her fair share of boyfriends, and she's learned all there is to learn from her mother, who's currently working on husband number 5. So why is it that Remy can't seem to dump Dexter? It can't be his name. it can't be that he is messy and disorganized. And it certainly isn't that he is a musician --- just like Remy's father, a man she never kneew because he left before she was born. Could it be that Remy's romantic rules to live by don't apply anymore
I have read all of Sarah Dessn's books and this is by far the best. love it and would read it again in a heartbeat!
A few years ago my friend let me borrow one of her books, it was a Sarah Dessen book. From then on I've LOVED everything she's written. I'm always buying them. But when I read this one, I was not satisfied. I found myself slogging through the beginning and struggling to finish it. I didn't enjoy how cynical the character Remy was. If Dessen thought she'd be original by making her lead girl a reformed slut, I wasn't impressed. I feel bad that I hated this book. Dessen just really could have done better.
This is one of my favorite books. Great narration. Plenty of laughs. Dexter is such a lovable character. I love its theme of meeting people by chance....
Even though this book is YA (young adult), I thought I would like it, I mean I liked Twilight and Harry Potter. I have spent the last week reading this book and trying to get in to it, but I just couldn't.
I hardly ever quit a book, but I had so many good ones to read on my bookshelf that I just couldn't justfy wasting my time on it if I didn't enjoy it.
I still have a few of her other books, so maybe I will give her another try at a later date, but as for this one...it was too slow and simple and just did not pull me in.
I hardly ever quit a book, but I had so many good ones to read on my bookshelf that I just couldn't justfy wasting my time on it if I didn't enjoy it.
I still have a few of her other books, so maybe I will give her another try at a later date, but as for this one...it was too slow and simple and just did not pull me in.
To start, I've already read two of Dessen's-- Someone Like You and Dreamland. I had high hopes for this one, as most of the people I knew who'd read Sarah Dessen named this as their favorite. However, for some reasons, this one disappointed me.
First, I never did quite see what Remy saw in Dexter. Granted, lately, my literary crushes have been of the Mr. Darcy/Jay Gatsby type, but I wanted to like Dexter. I did. And did I? I actually thought he was plain annoying, for the most part. I felt that there weren't enough scenes of them as a couple to really convince the reader they had something.
Second, some critical reviews call the family and friends of Remy and Dexter well-fleshed out and such. Are they really? In the end, Don is just a jerk, Remy's mother magically no longer needs Remy, and the bandmates just... complain. A lot.
Third, everything was wrapped up a bit too conveniently. Two major events in Remy's family just *happen* to happen on the same day, leading to an epiphany.
There were some things I liked about this book. One of them was the character cameo from another of Dessen's books, and my personal favorite. Another was the occasional bits of humor. But I couldn't sympathize with Remy, and overall I just didn't relate to any of the characters.
I know I'm bucking the trend and knocking a fan favorite, but this one didn't exactly hit the mark for me, sadly.
First, I never did quite see what Remy saw in Dexter. Granted, lately, my literary crushes have been of the Mr. Darcy/Jay Gatsby type, but I wanted to like Dexter. I did. And did I? I actually thought he was plain annoying, for the most part. I felt that there weren't enough scenes of them as a couple to really convince the reader they had something.
Second, some critical reviews call the family and friends of Remy and Dexter well-fleshed out and such. Are they really? In the end, Don is just a jerk, Remy's mother magically no longer needs Remy, and the bandmates just... complain. A lot.
Third, everything was wrapped up a bit too conveniently. Two major events in Remy's family just *happen* to happen on the same day, leading to an epiphany.
There were some things I liked about this book. One of them was the character cameo from another of Dessen's books, and my personal favorite. Another was the occasional bits of humor. But I couldn't sympathize with Remy, and overall I just didn't relate to any of the characters.
I know I'm bucking the trend and knocking a fan favorite, but this one didn't exactly hit the mark for me, sadly.
Very good book
