Just Listen

Reader reviewed by Alexandra

Last year Annabel Greene was "the girl who had everything" -- or at least her character in a department store back-to-school commercial was. Now, Annabel considers herself the girl who has nothing. She has no best friend, no lunch table group, no happy family since her sister became anorexic, nothing. Nothing except the weight of an enormous secret as to exactly why she has no best friend, about what happened the night she went from the girl who had everything to the girl who had nothing. Then she meets Owen Armstrong, a tall, dark, imposing force who sits on her wall at lunch. Owen is a reformed bad boy who is music-obsessed and who always tells the truth. Annabel needs a friend, and Owen could be the perfect person to make her less afraid of herself, the world, and what really happened that night. This novel from renown author Sarah Dessen is impossible to put down, and has moments of both fluff and heaviness-- the perfect combination.

Reader reviewed by Ria

Annabel Greene, a model, starred in one commercial as a girl who has everything. The irony is that she is, in fact, a loner. Annabel was once best friends with Sophie, the most popular girl in school. But something happened that caused them to separate. But Annabel doesn't like to think about that night.

That's not the only problem she has to deal with. Her sister, Whitney, has an eating disorder and that fact is what started a fight between Kirsten, her oldest sister, and Whitney. Her mother tends to be unstable in dealing with problems. And Annabel wants to quit modeling but doesn't know how to tell her mother.

When Annabel meets Owen, she gets a whole new outlook on life. Through music, he helps her deal with her problems and shows her how to confront them.

I thought this book was even better than previous Darah Dessen books. I could not put this book down until the very last sentence. I think that every girl can relate to this book in some way. She really was able to take serious issues and put them together to make a novel that wasn't too heavy, yet got it's point across. The hints of romance were nice to break up the seriousness of the novel. I highly recommend this novel and I will be looking forward to Sarah Dessen's next book!

i think this book was an amazing read short and sweet type. romance is in the air after the populars drop her its like all she can do but sit back and listen to all the drama that goes on around her.

Reader reviewed by sara

Last year Annabel Greene was "the girl who had everything" Now, Annabel is the girl who has nothing. no best friend, no lunch group, no happy family.all because her sister became anorexic. The only thing she has is the weight of an enormous secret. Dealing with why she has no best friend. Read it and find out what the secret is.

Reader reviewed by Leah



Annabelle Greene has always lived her life to make others happy. She models for the sanity of her mother, was friends with Sophie because she couldn't say no, and lets everyone treat her like dirt because she's too afraid to make Sophie mad. When her friendship with Sophie ends after a terrible secret, Annabelle is left with no one. When she makes friends with Owen, another friendless classmate, he encourages her to do what she wants and speak out.

Sarah Dessen once again creates new complex characters and takes us through a story that not only changes the lives of her characters, but the readers as well.

Reader reviewed by katie

When I went to the library I saw this book and thought "Oh well this is going to be one of those girlie dramas, but I'll give it a shot." There was in fact a lot of drama but not so much to a point where it was overwhelming just to read it. Annabelle Annabelle Annabelle Greene (a joke) a model, actress, with a perfect life...on the outside. At home she struggles with her sister's eating disorder, at school drama with a girl (ex-friend) who thinks Annabelle slept with her boyfriend, as well as the (ex-BFF) other girl who all over the summer and for most of the semester Annabelle thinks hates her.Juggling all this plus a new friendship with Owen Armstrong the mysterious boy who always has his headphones on. As this friendship blooms into love, Annabelle will have to open up and discuss what really happened the night at the party that led to the fight and all the drama. Annabelle will find herself and discover that even though it may hurt, honesty is the best policy.

i really loved this book and i think everyone should read it

Reader reviewed by Yazmin

Just Listen is about a girl who has no friends because of an incident and a sister who is bulimic. She meets this guy Owen, that loves music and helps her with her problems, tells her the truth even if it will her hurt fellings. Like any other book if Sarah Dessen you will get hooked on it.

Reader reviewed by Adriana

This is my second Dessen book, and I will definitely be reading more. Annabel is the youngest of three sisters who are all or were teen models. But now Annabel is dealing with one of her sister's eating disorders, and the other sister being away in New York pursuing a film making career. But what is really eating Annabel up inside is something that happened at an end-of-the-year party that led to her best friend Sophie hating her. The beginning of the book shows how her and Sophie's friendship evolved, and frankly I was glad that Annabel was rid of her. Sophie is shown as one of those girls who takes on friends that are convenient to her and pretty much thinks only of herself. Along the way of their friendship, Annabel loses a couple more friends because of how Sophie treated them. Once Annabel returns to school she pretty much has no one, until she meets Owen who is the loner that wears his earphones all the time. But behind his quiet exterior, Annabel finds the truth and she finds music. All this leads to her dealing with everything from her own personal trauma, to her sister's anorexia, to her desire to leave modeling behind. The title definitely resonates with the themes in the novel, the language is very authentic, and the problems are unfortunately issues that many teens and families have to deal with. Great read.

Reader reviewed by MssJos

I have been hearing about Sarah Dessen non-stop lately so despite my preconceived notions that her novels were full of mushy fluff aimed at pre-teens, I picked up Just Listen on my last library visit. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the novel and the severity of the topics covered.

Annabel Greene is in a particulary difficult situation that many young adults may find themselves in during middle and/or high school. Due to a misunderstanding with a friend, Annabel has gone from a popular girl to an outcast instantly.

While Annabel may appear to have it all, a successful modeling career, two beautiful sisters, and some quirky adolescents that look up to her, she is suffering silently inside. (Note-Annabel literally lives in a glass house, which was a little Dessen-esque from what I hear) Annabel is selfless to a fault. Readers learn towards the end of the novel that Annabel has had an extremely traumatic experience, but is keeping quiet to keep from upsetting her (ex)friends and family. Determined to keep the peace at home despite her older sister's life-threatening eating disorder, Annabel consistently places her own needs last. Annabel struggles throughout the novel with the concepts of honesty, courage, and expressing her emotions. Fortunately, she receives help from some unlikely sources, one being Owen Armstrong, a mysterious music-obsessed male classmate with anger management issues.

After carrying the world on her shoulders, Annabel must learn to stand up for herself by confronting some of her deepest, darkest feelings. Through Owen and Annabel's encounters, Dessen reminds adolescents that sometimes honesty really is the best policy, and when you feel trapped with no alternatives, only the truth will set you free.