Haily Kreger, Period 2, Someone Like You

Blog by Haily Kreger
Period 2

Someone Like You
By Sarah Dessen

4 stars 
I give this book 4 stars because it has a really good intro, which never got boring like most books. It's not slow paced, and of course it's by Sarah Dessen, one of my favorite authors. I would have given it 5 stars, but i haven't read the whole book to give it a full rating, but for as far as I've gotten, it is a 4.

Setting:
Like many of Sarah Dessen's books, it takes place in a fictional town called Lakeview. In the book, Lakeview is in North Carolina. It takes place in modern time, since they are using electronics (phones, TVs, computers, etc) and cars.

Main Characters:

Halley: 
Halley is the protagonist, shes a 16 (15 at the beginning of the book) year old girl who has long thick hair and a perfect tan. She is very shy, and often gets nervous very easily. If it weren't for her best friend Scarlett being so outgoing, they probably never would have met. Throughout the story she struggles with her relationship with her mom, and to support her pregnant best friend. Normally, she's used to having Scarlett for emotional support, but this time, it's reversed and Halley has no clue what to do.

Scarlett: 
Scarlett is Halley's best friend since childhood. She's the strong outgoing friend, who is always there for Halley. She has auburn red hair and pale skin. Scarlett was quietly dating Michael Sherwood, only a few people knew. However, at the beginning of the book he died in a car accident. Scarlett struggles to be strong and outgoing now, and her grief takes over. Later on, she finds out she is pregnant with Michael's child, and doesn't know how to handle it, and leans on Halley for support.

Main Plot Events:

• At the beginning of the book, Halley gets a phone call from her best friend Scarlett, who is very distraught. Scarlett struggles to say what's up, but after some pushing from Halley, she tells her that Michael Sherwood had got in an accident and died. Halley then leaves her camp early to go support her best friend.
• Halley explains her history with Scarlett/Scarlett's personality, and tells of things that have happened in the past. Once Scarlett came to her house in the middle of the night because her mom was passed out drunk on the porch, Halley and her parents then carry Scarlett's mom to her room as Scarlett continues to take care of her mom.
• Scarlett pulls Halley aside after the funeral, and tells her that she is pregnant with Michael Sherwood's baby. Halley then ponders how to be there for her friend, and truly struggles on what to do from then on.

Conflicts:

Internal Conflict: Halley struggles to help her friend Scarlett after the loss of her boyfriend, and continues to debates on how to help and thinks about their past. (Man VS Self)

Internal Conflict: Scarlett struggles to handle the grief of losing her boyfriend in a car accident, and doesn't know how to deal with the fact she's pregnant with his baby. (Man VS Self)

External Conflict: Halley has trouble getting along and communicating with her mom after their family vacation to the Grand Canyon. (Man VS Man)

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for anyone who likes young adult fiction books. This book really has a way of catching the readers' attention, and doesn't start off slow like so many other books, it goes straight into the conflict and catches you on a hook.