You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School

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You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School

3.21 of 5 stars 3.21 · rating details · 720 ratings · 106 reviews

Josie is independent and fierce. She may flirt with boys or kiss them, but it doesn't mean anything, not even with Michael, who's more like a friend-with-benefits. So how can she explain what happens when Carson Gold goes after her? Carson Gold, the hottest senior, the one everyone secretly watches. . . .

Maybe it's the same thing that causes all the girls to stare as he wa...more

Paperback, 224 pages

Published June 26th 2007 by HarperCollins (first published April 25th 2006)

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Jun 23, 2012 Cinthia rated it 1 of 5 stars

1.5 STARS

THE ENDING, REALLY?? I HAD HOPED IF ALL ELSE FAILED THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER WOULD HAVE DIGNITY IN THE END, WHEN SHE DISCOVERED 'CARSON' & HIS TRUE SELF....BUT THE WAY SHE ACTED MADE ME CRINGE..DO GIRLS REALLY DO THAT?? C'MON HAVE SELF-PRIDE..PLEASE..IN THE BEGINNING SHE WAS ALL ABOUT NOT BEING A HALF-COUPLE AND SELF WORTH BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH THE ENDING RUINED HER CHARACTER FOR ME... I UNDERSTAND SHE FELL FOR THE WRONG GUY EVEN IF HE SCREAMED DANGER AND ''DO NOT'' TRUST ME ALL OVER...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Aleigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I personally thought that this was an amazing book. It was a suspenseful book. There were many times when I couldn't stop reading because I really wanted to find out what happened in the next chapter. I think that I liked this book so much because it is a romantic book, but it also doesn't have the ending you think that it will. The ending is actually the exact opposite of what I thought it would be. Although this book did not have the ending I wanted it to, I loved how the main character's att...more I personally thought that this was an amazing book. It was a suspenseful book. There were many times when I couldn't stop reading because I really wanted to find out what happened in the next chapter. I think that I liked this book so much because it is a romantic book, but it also doesn't have the ending you think that it will. The ending is actually the exact opposite of what I thought it would be. Although this book did not have the ending I wanted it to, I loved how the main character's attitude towards everything was. Her name is Josie. There is this boy named Carson Gold, that everyone in the whole school except for Josie is completely in love with. Carson takes an interest in Josie, but at first Josie doesn't care. She doesn't want any part of the whole loving Carson Gold thing. Carson and Josie fooled around every other day at first, but then it became an everyday thing. Carson swept Josie off of her feet, and let her fall in love with him, even when he knew he didn't love her but was still in love with his ex, Emilena.

The whole story line is about Carson and Josie, Carson and Emilena, and Micheal (Josie's best friend) and Josie. Micheal loves Josie, Josie loves Carson, and Carson loves Emilena. Josie was supposed to go to Micheal's house to watch movies with him all day for his sixteenth birthday, but instead wants to go to Carsons football party. Micheal decides that he is going to tell Josie that he loves her, but Josie also decided to tell Micheal that her and Carson are dating. Micheal and Josie get into a huge fight and are no longer friends. Josie starts separating herself from her other two best friends for Carson. When Carson breaks Josie's heart her real friends are there for her. In the end Micheal is still in love with Josie, and Josie is still in love with Carson, but thinks she might love Micheal when they start getting closer again.

I gave this book five out of five stars because i love the way that Rachel Vail writes it. All the characters emotions are so much like real teenagers today. They think they love someone and that person loves them back, but they don't, and then they become obsessed with trying to get that person to feel the same way to them and they do to that person. I believe that Rachel Vail really captured the everyday lives of high school students from being pressured to do sexual things to thinking your in love so you want to do sexual things. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read romance books, and who like twisted endings. My favorite part of this book is when Carson first sweeps Josie off of her feet, but my least favorite part was when Carson told Josie he doesn't love her and when Josie and Micheal get in the big fight. (less)

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Dec 13, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Independent Novel Review
Advanced English
Have you ever read a book where you want to scream at it no don’t! Well that is exactly how Rachel Vail makes you feel in the book You Maybe. This book is a good read for girls who want to read a realistic fiction novel with a romantic twist. It is also a good book for readers who like romantic fiction books set in a high school setting.
The reason this book is so good is Vail makes it sound and as if it is your life or your best friend’s life. She has th...more Independent Novel Review
Advanced English
Have you ever read a book where you want to scream at it no don’t! Well that is exactly how Rachel Vail makes you feel in the book You Maybe. This book is a good read for girls who want to read a realistic fiction novel with a romantic twist. It is also a good book for readers who like romantic fiction books set in a high school setting.
The reason this book is so good is Vail makes it sound and as if it is your life or your best friend’s life. She has the social outcast girl who becomes popular when she is suddenly liked by the “cool” senior boy. Her friends of course object and so does she but who can say no? This book is a typical romance novel but it has a twist you can’t resist!
The main characters in this book are Carson gold the “it, cool, and popular senior boy, Josie who is the outcast girl that goes to crash parties with her two best friends Zandra and Tru. An example of crashing the people’s parties and is this one of the first nights Carson Gold notices her, “As soon as we rounded the corner I realized it was a mistake to crash, but it was too late to stop………we had scored seats. We sat back pulled off our mittens and looked around “Besides crashing parties Josie and her friends like to debate thing with each other things like is chocolate or books the most important thing in life? This trio has a knack for gossiping about Carson Gold the “it” Boy at school. Carson is a senior who just broke up with a girl he had been dating for a long time and many girls in school wanted him to be their next boyfriend but one Josie. And who would he pick of course Josie. Who really resists him and wants nothing to do with him and the cool crowd, but will she resist his “spell” long enough for him to give up on her?
This book overall will be an easy, and fun read for any high school girl. Vail has a way of jumping right in to the story but not too fast that you don’t get an okay picture of what was happening before the main conflict. One thing that she fails to do by jumping right in is that the reader doesn’t get Josie’s sense of normalcy in her life besides it being explained in the first chapter. I think if she gave more time to the beginning, although it was very good for jumping right in to it, it would have been an improvement, and grabbed my attention sooner in the book.
This book has a great story line but jumps into the story a little too fast. But the characters setting family members and friends are perfect for they story. So if you are a teenage girl who likes books set in a typical high school setting and can put some clues to the main characters life before the actual problem in the book happened this is a good book for you.
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Jan 17, 2012 Chandni rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, reviewed

Josie is a 15 year old girl who doesn’t idolize the hottest senior on campus, Carson Gold. While every other girl her age is smitten with him, her friends included, she doesn’t see the appeal and is embarrassed when other girls throw fits after being dumped by him. She believes that in high school, people should hook up and move on. Of course, as young adult novels go, Carson and Josie start hooking up, it’s great for a while, and then things end.
Carson Gold knew all the right things to say to g...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Cheyenne Current rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-book-to-learn-from

This book was a bit of a dissapointment, story wise. I was hoping for a whole lot more with the plot and the characters. I have a problem with a quite a lot of things in this book. First, the Carson character I knew was trouble before I even read the first page. His character was really into himself and bi-polar at times. His character is very hypocritical and even though it is portrayed as subtle, it was really quite obvious. His character was snobbish and thought that if anybody ever didn't d...more This book was a bit of a dissapointment, story wise. I was hoping for a whole lot more with the plot and the characters. I have a problem with a quite a lot of things in this book. First, the Carson character I knew was trouble before I even read the first page. His character was really into himself and bi-polar at times. His character is very hypocritical and even though it is portrayed as subtle, it was really quite obvious. His character was snobbish and thought that if anybody ever didn't do what he wanted that they didn't "Love" or care about him. He just needed Josie as a distraction from his past girlfriend and he knew how to use her weaknesses against her. He completly called out all of her issues with self-image and used her "causual relationship" ways as an excuse to twist her mind and make her want to be even closer to him.
I must say I was hoping that Josie would pull through in the end when the relationship inevitably died out, you know, be tough and not let him hurt her as much as he did with everyone else who was ever in her position. The events of the story were forshadowed in the first chapter and it was obvious how the ending would turn out. I just wanted to rant about my obvious hatred for the Carson character.

I liked the Josie character although I did hope for more strength on her part. She was all about "Not being a half of a couple" in the beggining and with her realtionship with her best friend, Michael, and then she completly went under for Carson. I don't blame her, I mean, that happens to everyone, but I wish she had been more precausious from the start. Her personality was very funny though, I enjoyed her witty comentary and banter but that faded out once she became obsessed.
This book is a good lesson for a lot of girls AND guys out there. Don't just jump head first into a reltaionship without knowledge of what might happen and to know your boundaries. It was an okay book and story but with a great message. So, if you don't want to read it for the lack of romance at least read it to learn about the great life lesson.(less)

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Mar 12, 2011 Sophia rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Dec 21, 2009 Douglaseng04 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alexandra Leroux 205

1. What did you think the book was about?

The book “You Maybe” is about love. How you can think you don’t like someone but once they start liking you, you start falling for them. Josie an unpopular sophomore is the only girl in the school who doesn’t like Carson Gold, “the golden boy”. He is the most popular boy in school, the president of every club, the captain of every team and he’s a senior. When he starts like Josie no one can believe it, even she can’t believe it. When h...more

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Oct 04, 2009 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: senior-year

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 14, 2009 Lynleigh added it

Shelves: q42009

Any teenage girl can tell you about that one guy. The one that makes you turn your world upside down and change everything and everyone in your life. Since the beginning of time there have been those boys that talk you into something you never thought you would poosibly try or do. For Josie this boy is Carson, the popular suave one that everyone wants. Josie is the typical teenager just keeping herself happy and never worrying about the guys or how they feel about her. It's always been easy to j...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Michelle. Tsunami. rated it 3 of 5 stars

OK... I really liked the book but the ending really was disappointing. She became exactly what she though was so horrible. I wish at the end she got together with Michael.
Anyways, I really started to hate her character as the book progressed. When she blew off Michael, that was when I really hated her. Carsen is so UUUGHGHHHHHH! and I knew that he still loved Emalina and he would get back together with her in the end. I just had a feeling and it was true.
I love Michael. I really hate how Josie...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was really enjoying this book up until the last couple of chapters. I liked Josie and all her little quirks that made her unique. I loved how she didn't care what anyone thought of her and how she just went through her day being 100% her. I liked her friends and I liked Michael. I even liked the romance that was beginning with the popular boy. And her parents made me laugh out loud when they embarrassed her with typical things a 15 year old would find embarrassing in their parents. But she jus...more

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Oct 02, 2010 Miss Kate Reads added it

Shelves: stays-with-you, surprisingly-meaningful, literature-according-to-me

I'm not ready to rate this book with stars. Its not that it wasn't good, just the opposite - it is truly excellent young adult literature that I wish I had read when I was fifteen (like our heroine in the book). The problem for me was that I went into reading it thinking that it was a light fluffy teen romance. I was having a really stressful week and I wanted to read something that would help me relax, unwind, and just generally get me out of my own head for a little while. This is not a book f...more

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Feb 18, 2009 Sanum rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Jan 18, 2012 ɴᴀᴛᴀʟɪᴇ ᴀᴅᴏʀᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ♥ rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had very, very high hopes for this one. I know it's not good to start off a book with high hopes but I have my own story that follows a similar storyline.

This book sort of reminded me of what I'll see logging in wattpad or logging into websites where you can read things online. It moved too fast, had no real storyline, the ending was abrupt, the characters barely had any substance. I could totally see this being popular on the writing portion of this website - perfect length and everything. B...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about a girl named Josie who, at the beginning of the book, didn't want to fall in-love with, the all time good-looking senior, Carson. Later on she finds herself talking to him and ends up with him. Carson is a boy who gets everything he likes, and I mean everything. Other than being known as good looking, he is also known for the big fight he had when his long term girlfriend broke up with him. Ever since then, he been going from girl to girl. Being with Josie makes him happy but...more

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Jun 05, 2007 Jill rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who has experienced heartbreak

Shelves: ya

With a pretty unsatisfying ending, and weak storyline throughout there's not much exciting to offer here. Might be exactly what someone surviving a recent break-up is looking for....but I'm not even sure about that.

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Aug 26, 2011 Alex rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, didn-t-live-up-to-the-hype, book-fail, teen-ya

The Deal: Josie is neither popular nor unpopular high school junior; she has two best friends, and a boy who could maybe be more than a friend... and she's possibly the only girl in the school not in love with Carson Gold - the post popular guy at school.

That's until Carson notices her and suddenly, after a couple of after school hook ups, they are an item, and Josie finds herself on half of the IT couple, with all the good and bad it entails.

My Thoughts: I'm sorry to say "You Maybe" was a bit o...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Lynn C rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is highly recommended for teenagers that enjoy reading typical, cliche, and highschool romance books. It is about a sophmore girl bamed Josie and she dates the most popular senior, Carson. They start off thinking that they are experiencing real love. However, as time flies by, Josie starts being used and Carson starts liking his ex-girlfriend again. The ending is an ending that many people will have different thoughts on. This book is a great book that will show that young teenagers wi...more

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Apr 05, 2010 Vivian Tran rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 14, 2012 Merary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: backstabbing-fun, chick-lit, ya

It happens to everyone.
You get swapped off your feet by Mr. Wrong, then you get into deep and your heart gets broken out of nowhere.
This happened to Josie.

She swore to never be like those annoying, clingy girls desperate for a second chance. But it happened. Carson Gold, one of the BPs(Beautiful People) asked her out and the rest was history.
Josie fell so hard for him, that she changed her personality and the way she looks.

What Josie didn't know was that she was only Carson's little project to m...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-site

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

WARNING THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. THEY ARE NOT MARKED. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Well. That was dumb. I don't think that I can even summarize this book without making it sound ridiculously stupid...grr. My reading slump has become part of life, people. It sucks. Big time. So, I just have a few things to say about this book. *glances at watch* First: I spent three hours on this book, and I don't...no. Just no. How could....never mind.

I'll start off with this: Josie sucked. In the beginning I was all for her, because she did seem, (to quote the book jacket) independent and fierce. She seemed really awesome. She had her own opinions, and she wasn't afraid to express them. She was completely unique, (she was a clown!) she was funny, and I really liked her. For the first three pages. Then she started talking about how "Nobody dates anymore, they just hook up." "I've hooked up a lot. I like it. I'm fifteen." Then I was like, no. No freaking way. I don't think I'll like you, Josie.

You're kind of ditzy. And worse yet, she doesn't want a serious relationship. She just wants to hang out and hook up! And she does, with two different guys at once! (Because that's so realistic.) And then, lo and behold, I want to be exclusive with Carson, the school's golden boy, who everyone likes. But I'm gonna tease him first. I'm gonna be a jerk, then maybe he'll like me! *DITZY*

I shall date him, because he wants me so very much! He loves me! Why don't I love him? NEWSFLASH GIRL, HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU. He likes you. Big difference there. I know, that's very hard to believe. I'll change everything about myself, just so he'll like me! FLASHING NEON SIGN: DON'T DO IT, SERIOUSLY.

She does it. She changes everything about herself to make him happy, and then he's a total freaking jerk, tells her that he doesn't love her (do you see my point??) and dumps her, then starts dating someone else. Plus, the ending was ridiculous.

NOTE: I have nothing against this author, and I'm sorry if this rant has upset anyone. I guess I've just been in a ranting mood lately...sorry guys. :(
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Jan 24, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

"You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School" is a fascinating book about a girl named Josie, who is a sophomore in high school. Josie is the type of girl who never falls in love easily. She prefers to just flirt with guys, especially with her best friend Michael. One day, when she finds out that Carson Gold, a senior at her school, likes her, she can't believe it and neither can anybody else. When Carson asks Josie to be his girlfriend, she actually starts falling for him, or so s...more

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May 08, 2010 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, updated, library

This is a great book about a first love and how confusing it can be, especially in high school. First of all, Josie is a great protagonist. She is funny, sarcastic, and very likeable. Especially toward the beginning of the book, I found myself laughing at some of the things she said. Of course, she has flaws too, which makes her relatable. Whether it was struggling with insecurity, or fighting with her parents, I felt like I knew where she was coming from.

However, throughout the book, she starts...more

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May 13, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Cayla Carhart for TeensReadToo.com

YOU, MAYBE is a great book about high school romance. This book really captures how romance in high school can be confusing and heartbreaking, but can also be fun. This book is a page-turner; it keeps you wondering what could possibly happen next.

Josie is a fifteen-year-old girl who is very independent and has never wanted to be anybody's girlfriend. She believes that when you become a couple, you yourself are only half of something and not whole. S...more

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May 05, 2008 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

this book was okay at first and i do think this book is good but i was not really satisfied with the ending. This book talks about how the main character is a player and she messes around with guys abd dont really go out wiht them and one day the hottest guy in school asks to hang with him during lunch time and they went to her home and they made out a bit. He all of a sudden said that he really loved her and he wanted to go out with her but she wasnt sure why. She later falls deeply for him and...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

No. Just no. Okay, on the up side - definitely true to life. I remember myself acting stupid over boys. But this girl was REALLY stupid, especially since she was supposed to be a smart, funny, original girl. So as I'm plodding through all the stupidity, my hope, my guiding light is that I am sure her smart originality will finally come through and she'll realize what she should do and there will be a smart, funny, original resolution that will leave me smiling and satisfied. Nope.

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Aug 04, 2011 Dee rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 30, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Arden:)

You, Maybe by Rachel Vail, was actually a really great book. I really enjoyed the controversy between Michael and Carson. It had a lot of suspense and action, which kept the book interesting. I read the book in one day because I could hardly put it down! Although, I do have one suggestion for anyone who reads the book; the book does not end well. It leaves a lot of loose endings, that leave the book hard to comprehend the ending. Otherwise it's a good book.

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Sep 19, 2011 Jacquelin Garcia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought this book was amazing. I was about to put it down but i couldnt because i wanted to know what would happen with josie and Carson. The ending was not what i wanted i thought they were goin to end up at first but then i saw emelina come in the picture and im like man shes ganna steal him from Josie and she did. Micheal though i wonder what happened to him? overall i thought this book is really good and intresting for anyone intrested in high school romance.

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Mar 02, 2009 Damon Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-books

This book is about a girl and her friends who aren't so popular who all swear that if the most popular/good-looking guy in school asks them out, they wouldn't fall for him. But Josie, the main character gets asked out on dates by the popular guy and ends up falling in love with him. When he breaks up with her to get back with his ex (because josie was the rebound all along), josie goes crazy. Then end is too juicy. Read the book, it's really good!!!

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About Rachel Vail

Birth
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)

Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contempo...more

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Quotes from You, Maybe: The Profou...

“You planning top kill me with a Wiffle bat?" [Carson asked]
"Yeah."
"Why?" he asked.
The bat was shaking in my tight grip. "Because I don't have my Minnie Mouse pillow.” — 10 people liked it

“I smashed his hand as hard as I could with the Wiffle bat.
"Ow!" he screamed.
Carson was rubbing his red palm, inspecting it for damage. "That hurt," he shrieked. "You really hurt me."
"Right back at you," I said. "Good-bye Carson."
He frowned, massaging his hand, the big baby. "I just wanted to end this nicely."
"Yeah?" I cocked the bat up to hit him again. "Well, this time you don't get what you want.” — 9 people liked it

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