Wow. Okay, so I've just finished Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I read this one on Leila from Bookshelves of Doom's recommendation. Its pretty great.

Annabel is the youngest of three sisters, all of whom have been involved in modelling. But things seem to be falling apart. Annabel is starting the new school year as a social outcast, and her middle sister has just been released from a treatment centre for annorexia.

Then Annabel meets Owen, another social misfit from school, and he draws her into his world of obscure music and extreme honesty. But Annabel has never been really honest with anyone, herself included. She's the nice one, who doesn't rock the boat.

I have to say, my favourite part about this book was the relationship between the sisters. How all of them rebelled against their 'roles' within the family. I know all families have that sort of thing going on, but I found it especially interesting because I come from a family with three sisters. I'm the oldest, and I don't think anyone in our family could be described as the 'nice one' in the same way that Annabel is, but the roles are there. And I know that those roles have caused conflict. Certainly a big part of Dessen's story is not just how people react to events, but how Annabel perceives they react to events. Which is not at all the same thing, and I know we've all been guilty of doing it.

So, run out and read this one, or, I suspect, anything else by Sarah Dessen. I know my to-be-read pile has just gotten a lot higher.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
ISBN 0670061050
371 pages