ganseylynch 's review for:

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

5.0

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I come back to this book so often, it feels like home. Just Listen is a thoroughly enjoyable digest of a read from its first line, to its last. It follows the story of Annabel, a teenage girl valiantly seeking a reprieve from a past event that has left her shaken, changing her entire world-view in the blink of an eye. Annabel struggles with so many themes in this novel, including her self-identity in an ever-shifting family and social dynamic. What makes Annabel captivating is the life that Dessen managed to breathe into her character, expertly voiced and including one wonderful aspect - human flaws. This book is so human, in a raw sort of manner, that I cannot quite encapsulate it with words. Rating: 5/5. Would recommend, with the trigger warning of past SA/R*pe being heavily involved in chapters! Please read with care, and enjoy!