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if theres one thing i know for certain, its that i wish i had sarah dessen novels in my teens. this book came out when i was in high school, so it makes me a little regretful that its taken me nearly a decade to read it. there is just something about her stories that i know teenage me would have greatly valued.

this story in particular deals with a much heavier topic than im used to from SD, but im glad for it. (view spoiler)[rape and sexual assault (hide spoiler)] are things that need to be openly talked about so that girls (especially teenage girls) are aware and can know that their voices are important. and i loved how the heart of this book is listening to your own voice, because sometimes thats the hardest one to acknowledge.

heaviness aside, this is still a classic SD story. its the same old formulaic structure with interchangeable characters and predictable endings. however, i have come to rely on these things over time. its sort of become a comfort to know exactly what i am going to get when i pick up one of her books. and this was no exception.

� 3.5 stars