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Liked It “Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com |
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“Not Like You is very similar to Sarah Dessen's books. The main character is a teenage girl with a problematic life who falls in love with some guy, blah blah blah - not much suspense involved. Nonetheless, it was a decent book.”
Kelsey C wrote this review Monday, October 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“this book was burnt sienna when i wanted magenta.”
Cassandra F wrote this review Sunday, August 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“ Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
TeensReadToo.com wrote this review Sunday, July 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Fifteen-year-old Kayla Hanes is tired of moving on a moments notice to God knows where. She's tired of having a pretend dog as her only friend. She's tired of watching her mom drink herself into a stupor. She's tired of working to pay their bills. She's tired of hoping that maybe this time her mom will be able to quit drinking for good. Essentially, Kayla is the adult in the relationship, and it's beginning to take its toll. As bad as it gets though, it's still better than having to go back into foster care.
Marilyn, Kayla's mom, swears that this time it will be different, she's turning over a new leaf - but that's what she always says. Why should this time be any different? When they get to their new home in a small town in New Mexico, Kayla's small inkling of hope disappears. Their house is a trailer, on a dirty lot, with a creepy landlord.
Kayla starts up a dog walking/training business, meets a boy (who's much too old), and even makes a few friends. Maybe this time will be different. But when Marilyn starts to drink again, and uses Kayla's hard-earned money, and everything starts to fall apart once again, this time it just might be too much.
This is a great story about how much any one person can take, and the different lengths to which they can go to escape. How much is too much? How far is too far to push someone? Where is the line between tough love and abandonment? You want Kayla to get out. You want her to punish her mom. But you end up hurting for Marilyn as much as you do for Kayla.
Maybe, the harder you try to get away from something, the closer you actually come to it. Heart wrenching and hopeful, that's what this book is, and that's what life is.”
“Not Like You is about Kayla and her time with her mother Marilyn. Her mother has always called moving, "starting a new chapter" and has always had a drink by her side. Kayla is moved to New Mexico to reunite with her grandma. But turns out that her grandma had past and so she continued her life with her mom expecting to move any minute. Kayla and her mom lives a in trailer with the landlord Redbone stopping by and always bugging Kayla. She adjust living in a trailer and got a job as a dog trainer.
lindaY wrote this review Saturday, August 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Her job is her only escape from her mother and her drinking. Also with her job she has extra money and clothing for herself. But than she falls head over heals for the owner of a dog that shes training. Everyone warns her about the older guy, Remy and how he has a history. She doesn't listen to them and finds herself getting into risky things because of him. Her mom claims that she stopped drinking and that shes going to find a stable job. But has days go by she realizes that her mom hardly wakes up in the morning and that her mom 'steals' from her. Finally Kayla decides that she had enough and thinks that she is able to take her of herself while being with Remy in Denver.
While Kayla thinks that leaving her mom is whats best for her and her mom, she doesn't realize that her mom truly cares for her. When shes at Denver spending time with her boyfriend Remy she realizes that he's not all that she thought he was and that she was doing the same thing her mom was doing, running away instead of facing her problems. So with Remy in her past, she decides to go back and face her problems and earns back her trust from people she's hurt.
I thought the book was okay and that I would recommend this book. My favorite character would be Kayla's pet rat because even though he's a rat, Kayla still loved him like she loved dogs. Even though the rat isn't a major character, I think that reading the book from its point of view would be fun. Also I would like to know if the rat survived with Kayla releasing him.”
“This book was really good. It is about a girl who lives with her mother and they move a lot. Kayla has never really had a boyfriend that likes her for herself; there was Hal, but he wanted her body. That was the case until she met Remy. Kayla and her alcoholic mother start to fight and Kayla decided to move far away with Remy and has to make the decision to stay or go home. The only thing I didn't like about the book was her decision...but I don't want to spoil it for anybody that wants to read it...”
Taylor C wrote this review Wednesday, November 19 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Violet B.
JP Jaguars wrote this review Friday, October 31 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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“I really loved this book because the story was very touching and moving. Kayla is a teenager at 15 years old who has struggled throughout her life to take care of her mother, a drunk who goes into cycles of trying to quit, restarting her alchohol addiciton, and moving whenever they can't pay their bills anymore. Kayla is tired of having to take care of her mother, and she tries to break free from her mom's needy grasp. And when she falls in Remy, a 24-year old musician, Kayla tries to let go of her mom comletely. To find out more, read the book!”
Aileen R wrote this review Thursday, October 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“TC Pic Winner 2006 - 2007
Strasburg High School Teen Council wrote this review Wednesday, November 5 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The book was a great book with predictable parts, and parts that surprise you. The ending wasn’t an ideal ending, but the book was filled with amazing details. Kayla was faced with the decision to live with her alcoholic mother, or run away to live with her boyfriend, Remy. Student Reviewer: Taylor”
“Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!
chodgens wrote this review Saturday, February 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This is definetly a book for anyone who grew up with a less than desirable mother. I found the entire plot plausible and enjoyable.
It comes down to this - her mom is a drunk and a bit of a loser who cannot get her life together. The daughter spends so much of her time taking care of her mom, and eventually she just cannot do it anymore. At the age of 15 she decides she has to take care of herself and allow her mother to sink, if that is what it takes for her to become sober.
I really enjoyed the book. I grew up with a mom quite like this, but my mom wasn't an alcoholic. Her addiction was shopping. ”
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