Nothing Like You

AMAZING READ

the tears, the joy, and the read were all terrific. I loved it from start to finish and can't wait till Lauren comes out with her next book. It was a fast read which left me wanting the sequel immediately.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Impossible to put down!

From the first chapter, I was hooked. The characters are original, but easy to relate to. The story brings up dynamics that are universal and feel familiar, but it's written so perceptively- with compassion and wry humor- that it is suspenseful and revelatory. I feel like I know the characters, and watch them learn to know themselves better as the plot progresses. The dialogue is especially great; these sound like real people: young and smart and vulnerable. It made me cry at points, but this is not a sad book. It is fun fun fun to read. Also, there's a dog. My only complaint is that the descriptions of food (which are very grounding) kept me hungry and snacking the whole time I was reading. I would recommend this to young adult readers, and to adults who are able to see beyond stereotypes of teenagers and understand how wrenching adolescent relationships can be.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Great Book!

Lauren Strasnick's debut novel, Nothing Like You, had me breathless by the end. It was just that good, no scratch that, amazing!

Holly is the girl that anyone can see a piece of herself in. Lost a parent? She has too. Hooked up with someone you really shouldn't have? Ditto. Betrayed your best friend? Same. Well, you get the picture, she was someone who was very real. Though, with saying that, I still wanted to hit her over the head at times when she continued to see Paul even though you knew he wasn't going to break up with Saskia. The other characters, such as Saskia and Nils, were the same way. They were funny, sweet, and honest which made it a toatal blast to read about them.

I loved the plot. Since, even though it was a wee bit predictable at times, it still moved in a way that made you want to keep flipping the pages to find out what happened next. Plus, Lauren Strasnick's writing was fabulous!

Sadly, the ending was what brought it down to the B+ grade for me. I had something totally different and more happy in mind for it, though Lauren took the chance to surprise which made it a bit too unhappy and open for my liking. Though, now that I think about it, I guess I do see the reason for it. Since, this novel's main message was about how time can heal anything and how you can loose someone but still be okay.

Overall, Nothing Like You is happy, sad, funny, and heartbreaking all in one, making it yet another a fablous 2009 debut! I look forward to seeing what Lauren comes up witth next.

Grade: B+

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

YES! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

IF YOU FEEL VULNERABLE BECAUSE OF A BOY & NEED SUPPORT READ THIS!
JUST READ THIS!

Nothing like you

This book was allright. I didn't like the way holly's "adventure" turned out! I liked her friend nils! I also didnt like all the inappropriateness of it all but i think its very realistic.

not all that great

nothing like you was alright... i didnt like the way it ended and it took a while to really get what the book was actually about.

heres the scoop:

i have great taste in books, ah . and i really REALLY REALLY liked this.
so im just gonna tell you once:
TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. BUY IT. READ IT. LOVE IT. THANK ME LATER:)

eh

it was actually quite realistic but waayyyyy too depressing to be an easy, fun read. if you want to think about the consequences your choices and actions can have on everyone around you, then this is the book for you.

an okay book

was alright. very sad and too many unanswered questions!

Pretty good book

i liked this book....i think it would be a good book for teen girls to read

Not completely hopeless.

The book is not completely hopeless. It was interesting to see the journey Holly had to take. The character of Holly's best friend Nils was great. Also, I can say that Lauren's writing definitely made this book easier to read. She interspersed what was going on in Holly's present with memories from her past. I like her writing style and I will definitely try her out again.

NOTHING LIKE YOU

NOTHING LIKE YOU wasn't a bad book, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite. It was interesting, but I feel let down. Holly's voice reminded me of that of a six year old, and I absolutely despised Paul, which turned out to be the way I was supposed to feel, and Saskia was amazing. But I didn't like the ending. I was disappointed, but overall it wasn't TERRIBLE.

Couldn't Put This Book Down

Originally posted at: www.aurorareviews.blogspot.com ***** Holly isn't exactly the most popular girl in school, but when she starts hooking up with uber-hot Paul Bennett, she thinks her life has turned around. Yeah, that's just the beginning of her troubles.

This book opens with Holly Hirsh and Paul Bennett hooking up in his car at the beach. It quickly gets into a hush-hush type relationship with the two as Paul is already dating a popular, gorgeous, and surprisingly nice girl, Saskia. To make matters worse, Holly is dealing, not-so-well, with the death of her Mother. It doesn't take long for Holly's best friend, Nils (the stereotypical hot boy next door) to start noticing a change in his friend.

This book is filled with very messy friendships that will leave you asking questions and searching for answers that sometimes aren't immediately known. I loved how Strasnick develops Holly as a character, and regardless of her not-so-honorable tryst with Paul, you feel sorry for her and the sticky situation her actions have thrown her into. Nils' character seemed flighty through most of the book and left me heartbroken for him in the end (once you read it, you'll understand). The only thing I wish about this book is that it was a series.

This book was easy to get into, hard to put down, and ultimately a tear jerking story that left me wanting so much more.

Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com

During her Junior year of high school, Holly lost her mom to cancer. In her Senior year, Holly loses her virginity to Paul. She assumes it's just a one-time thing, because Paul is pretty much out of her league and has a long-time girlfriend, Saskia. But after that day, Paul keeps trying to talk to Holly and pursue her further. Pretty soon, they are regularly sleeping together and Holly feels awful about it, knowing that Saskia is Paul's real girlfriend. But it's really nice to have someone show their feelings for her, even if it is only in secret. Since her mom died, she hasn't been able to feel much until now. While this is going on, Holly's best (and only) guy friend, Nils, has yet another new girlfriend. Holly thinks he has intimacy issues, but should she really be judging him when she is doing what she's doing? Everything changes for Holly when she's partnered with Saskia in class one day. She realizes that Saskia isn't the rude girl that she has always believed her to be. Soon, the two of them become great friends, and Holly is in a tough spot and knows that she has to completely end things with Paul, but how? Things get even worse when Nils and Holly start having feelings for each other.. At first I wasn't sure this book would really go anywhere, but after the first couple of chapters I realized what a pickle Holly had gotten herself into. And when she started talking to Saskia, I was basically holding my breath every page! Holly and Nil's relationship was pretty great, too. He was always there for her, trying to cheer her up and make her smile. I was rooting for them to end up together during most of the book. Paul was just a total sleazebag. I kept wanting Holly to just smack him in the face or something. If you're looking for a great contemporary story to read, then this is definitely it. I couldn't wait to get to the end of the book to find out what happened, and I'm sure you'll feel the same way, too.

Losing a Parent is Never Easy

This book was very enjoyable reading, and very moving. It's never easy to lose a parent, but when it's a young teenage girl's mother, it's really tough! Coming to terms with such a loss takes a long time, and having to deal with the added worry of breast cancer can make you do strange things. Holly is such a character. Her behaviors change. Her friendships are challenged. But .......she manages to get through a difficult year of high school.......and move on. Life goes on, and Holly comes to terms with this monumental loss.

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