Ya Quick Reviews- Someone Like You and That Summer by Sarah Dessen

I picked up this movie tie in book about a year ago at Half Price Books since I had never read anything by Sarah Dessen and this was a two for one deal. The movie was based on Dessen's books Someone Like You and That Summer. After reading the two and reading the description of the movie I don't see how it could have been any good. With so much going on in both books, why not just use one book? 
Anyway, this is not about the movie this review is about the books. 


Someone Like You
Halley and Scarlett, friends since childhood, have to deal with death, pregnancy and family drama. Halley comes home from summer camp to be with Scarlett after her summer love is killed in a car accident. The year after is filled with surprises and changes in relationships. Scarlett and Halley's friendship is portrayed very realistically, as are the teen problems that are dealt with. I really enjoyed reading this one and felt very invested in the characters and their lives.
4/5
That Summer
Haven's summer begins with a wedding and ends with another. Her father marries the weather girl he had an affair with while married to Haven's mother. Then the rest of the summer is spent preparing for her sister's wedding. Haven spends a lot of this time thinking about her sister's past boyfriends. One of them, Sumner, who Haven has the best memories of, returns that summer and strikes up a friendship with Haven. I didn't enjoy this one as much. It seemed too focused on the past and not much happens in the present. The characters just didn't capture me as much as those in Someone Like You.
2.5/5



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