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Not Like You
Having lived like a nomad with her alcoholic mother, fifteen-year-old Kayla has been engrossed with helping her mother with her problem to avoid going back into foster care, but after their move to New Mexico, Kayla begins to see things in a new light as she starts to think about herself and her future for the first time ever.
268 pages, Hardcover
First published July 16, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 25, 2011
The book wasn't great, but wasn't awful either. It was kind of boring. I wanted to slap Kayla's mum every single time she'd open her mouth, and I thought Kayla herself was stupid. I wasn't really fond of the other characters either.
But it was ok, I guess, since I kept on reading it and finished it.
But it was ok, I guess, since I kept on reading it and finished it.
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
Fifteen-year-old Kayla Hanes is tired of moving on a moments notice to God knows where. She's tired of having a pretend dog as her only friend. She's tired of watching her mom drink herself into a stupor. She's tired of working to pay their bills. She's tired of hoping that maybe this time her mom will be able to quit drinking for good. Essentially, Kayla is the adult in the relationship, and it's beginning to take its toll. As bad as it gets though, it's still better than having to go back into foster care.
Marilyn, Kayla's mom, swears that this time it will be different, she's turning over a new leaf - but that's what she always says. Why should this time be any different? When they get to their new home in a small town in New Mexico, Kayla's small inkling of hope disappears. Their house is a trailer, on a dirty lot, with a creepy landlord.
Kayla starts up a dog walking/training business, meets a boy (who's much too old), and even makes a few friends. Maybe this time will be different. But when Marilyn starts to drink again, and uses Kayla's hard-earned money, and everything starts to fall apart once again, this time it just might be too much.
This is a great story about how much any one person can take, and the different lengths to which they can go to escape. How much is too much? How far is too far to push someone? Where is the line between tough love and abandonment? You want Kayla to get out. You want her to punish her mom. But you end up hurting for Marilyn as much as you do for Kayla.
Maybe, the harder you try to get away from something, the closer you actually come to it. Heart wrenching and hopeful, that's what this book is, and that's what life is.
Fifteen-year-old Kayla Hanes is tired of moving on a moments notice to God knows where. She's tired of having a pretend dog as her only friend. She's tired of watching her mom drink herself into a stupor. She's tired of working to pay their bills. She's tired of hoping that maybe this time her mom will be able to quit drinking for good. Essentially, Kayla is the adult in the relationship, and it's beginning to take its toll. As bad as it gets though, it's still better than having to go back into foster care.
Marilyn, Kayla's mom, swears that this time it will be different, she's turning over a new leaf - but that's what she always says. Why should this time be any different? When they get to their new home in a small town in New Mexico, Kayla's small inkling of hope disappears. Their house is a trailer, on a dirty lot, with a creepy landlord.
Kayla starts up a dog walking/training business, meets a boy (who's much too old), and even makes a few friends. Maybe this time will be different. But when Marilyn starts to drink again, and uses Kayla's hard-earned money, and everything starts to fall apart once again, this time it just might be too much.
This is a great story about how much any one person can take, and the different lengths to which they can go to escape. How much is too much? How far is too far to push someone? Where is the line between tough love and abandonment? You want Kayla to get out. You want her to punish her mom. But you end up hurting for Marilyn as much as you do for Kayla.
Maybe, the harder you try to get away from something, the closer you actually come to it. Heart wrenching and hopeful, that's what this book is, and that's what life is.
August 1, 2024
I randomly reread this book in a few days after not having read it in years. It is a lot better than I remember. Amazing queer representation, a good amount of nuance in the difficulties of dealing with an alcoholic, and a strong plot that was interesting the entire time. If this had better reviews I might have given it a four, but I think it deserves the 5 to boost its overall rating
October 8, 2021
The book not Like you is the story of Kayla and her mom. Kayla does not like her mom because she drinks too much. They have moved around 5 times because of the living style. They don't have a lot of money because her mom uses it for her drinks.Kayla gets told that they're moving to New Mexico her mom tells her that her grandmother lives in Rio Blanco New Mexico in a nursing home. Her mom had done a lot of wrongs in her life but she wants to make amends with Kayla . Her mom ends up getting really ill and Kayla then believes her mom now has to be a responsible adult and figure out how to save her mom.
December 22, 2012
Although it is kind of obscure and not terribly vivid, this book was able to take me into a different world. I found myself being able to empathize with Kayla, although I can't personally relate to any of her familial or relationship situations.
The only thing that really bothered me about the book was how Remy ultimately got branded as the jerk by Kayla (and by many readers, also). Someone unwittingly ruined it for me and let it slip that Remy would turn out to be a big jerk. So I read the second half of the book bracing myself, trying to catch the early signs of a heartbreaking prick. However, by the end, I was a little nettled that Remy was left the selfish jerk while Kayla, naive jailbait that she is, came out a vindicated woman.
Honestly, I was ready to peg Remy as a sleazeball when he asked her to borrow money or when he said he wrote that song "just for her." I was expecting him to flee the country the next day or her to stumble upon a coven of groupies backstage, or something equally as disheartening. Instead, he sent her the money he owed her, and even wrapped them in the original sheet music of the song he wrote for her! He was also unexpectedly understanding when she showed up in Denver without calling, lost his dog on the interstate, and turned out to be only 16. However, Kayla manages to gloss over all these details, since the straw that broke the camel's back for her was the fact that he was too busy recording music with his band to spend time with her after she decided to move in with his band unannounced. I couldn't internally justify this logic, but perhaps it is a testament to her naivete that she takes offense to this at all.
That was my major qualm with the book, but otherwise, it ultimately painted a tender story about struggles in a mother-and-daughter relationship. I have recommended this book to others.
The only thing that really bothered me about the book was how Remy ultimately got branded as the jerk by Kayla (and by many readers, also). Someone unwittingly ruined it for me and let it slip that Remy would turn out to be a big jerk. So I read the second half of the book bracing myself, trying to catch the early signs of a heartbreaking prick. However, by the end, I was a little nettled that Remy was left the selfish jerk while Kayla, naive jailbait that she is, came out a vindicated woman.
Honestly, I was ready to peg Remy as a sleazeball when he asked her to borrow money or when he said he wrote that song "just for her." I was expecting him to flee the country the next day or her to stumble upon a coven of groupies backstage, or something equally as disheartening. Instead, he sent her the money he owed her, and even wrapped them in the original sheet music of the song he wrote for her! He was also unexpectedly understanding when she showed up in Denver without calling, lost his dog on the interstate, and turned out to be only 16. However, Kayla manages to gloss over all these details, since the straw that broke the camel's back for her was the fact that he was too busy recording music with his band to spend time with her after she decided to move in with his band unannounced. I couldn't internally justify this logic, but perhaps it is a testament to her naivete that she takes offense to this at all.
That was my major qualm with the book, but otherwise, it ultimately painted a tender story about struggles in a mother-and-daughter relationship. I have recommended this book to others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2015
Hmm. I always find it harder to write reviews for novels I didn't absolutely love, especially when I had such high hopes for them. I loved the cover for Not Like You and assumed it would be such a heartfelt and sentimental novel.
My main complaint about Not Like You is it's lack of originality. I found many of the characters to be cookie-cutter "complex" without any new angles or plots that I hadn't already read before. It reminded me of an un-profound Deb Caletti or an Ellen Hopkins without the poetry and angst. I also felt as though there were many untouched plot points, such as why Kayla was so hesitant to trust others, the fact she missed an entire month of school, whether or not Sherrie and Shirley were gay, etc.
Despite this, Deborah Davis' writing made the novel come alive for me. The "trailer-trash" feel to the novel made me incredibly uncomfortable, especially with Deborah's descriptions of Kayla's living conditions and their financial situation. Her portrayal of Marilyn's alcoholism and how it dictated how Marilyn and Kayla's lives turn out was heartbreaking. I was torn over whether to pity her state, detest her addiction, or hope for her recovery. I also liked Luz, as there are few YA novels who depict teen pregnancy but not in first-person.
One of the only points I liked about Not Like You was how there wasn't a fairy-tale/happy ending, as realistically Kayla's life would have continued to be dictated by her mother's alcoholism. I appreciated the recurring theme of music but felt the last two pages were incredibly cliched. Overall I wish there had been another major plot point or a stronger main character to either balance out Marilyn or bring a stronger voice to the narrative.
My main complaint about Not Like You is it's lack of originality. I found many of the characters to be cookie-cutter "complex" without any new angles or plots that I hadn't already read before. It reminded me of an un-profound Deb Caletti or an Ellen Hopkins without the poetry and angst. I also felt as though there were many untouched plot points, such as why Kayla was so hesitant to trust others, the fact she missed an entire month of school, whether or not Sherrie and Shirley were gay, etc.
Despite this, Deborah Davis' writing made the novel come alive for me. The "trailer-trash" feel to the novel made me incredibly uncomfortable, especially with Deborah's descriptions of Kayla's living conditions and their financial situation. Her portrayal of Marilyn's alcoholism and how it dictated how Marilyn and Kayla's lives turn out was heartbreaking. I was torn over whether to pity her state, detest her addiction, or hope for her recovery. I also liked Luz, as there are few YA novels who depict teen pregnancy but not in first-person.
One of the only points I liked about Not Like You was how there wasn't a fairy-tale/happy ending, as realistically Kayla's life would have continued to be dictated by her mother's alcoholism. I appreciated the recurring theme of music but felt the last two pages were incredibly cliched. Overall I wish there had been another major plot point or a stronger main character to either balance out Marilyn or bring a stronger voice to the narrative.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2013
I found this book through wandering around the Internet and am glad I did. It's a realistic story that is interesting and convincing. The relationship between Kayla and her mother, who has a drinking problem, feels quite real. Although told from only Kayla's side, readers may empathize with both characters because Kayla wants so much to believe in her mother -- even when things go wrong. The writing is engaging and there's plenty of tension to keep teens reading to find out what will happen next. While Kayla shows a degree of maturity at times, she makes plenty of unwise decisions and is lucky that her life doesn't go from bad to worse. NOT LIKE YOU is unpredictable and sometimes not very dramatic, just like real life. This is a novel for teens who want to read good writing that will make them think.
March 2, 2022
I gave Not Like You by Deborah Davis four out of five stars because this book gave the readers a very new perspective of how kids feel, react, and live with parents that abuse alcohol and drugs. It gives you a good look at how a kid would feel when bouncing from place to place, meeting new people to leave them and meeting new people all over. The book was definitely written for a pre teen or teen, this doesn't make the book still very interesting. From moving into a trailer with her alcoholic mom to running away with her grown adult boyfriend and his band. I just really enjoy reading a book that doesn't always end with the perfect fairytale ending.
March 23, 2010
I received this book from Goodreads First Reads, it took me awhile to get around to reading this book but once i got started I couldn't put it down. I really liked the main character Kayla. It was easy to get involved with all of the characters, i was sad to see the book end. But at least ending was good
August 27, 2007
Well-written novel about a 15 year old girl with a troubed relationship with her mother. Quirky, yet believable characters and a satisfying story..
January 20, 2011
I do liked it. I can actually say the characters are believable and even the story. It has a bit of everything. Let's just say that its not a disappointing thing to read.
March 1, 2011
I'm glad she left Remy. He was an asshole.
November 21, 2011
Would have been better if it hadn't dragged on and on and if the main character wasn't so annoying.
March 7, 2008
it was an awesome book, i loved it.
there was so much going on in it.
there was so much going on in it.
January 10, 2010
Wonderful YA from the author who edited the outstanding, "You Look Too Young to Be a Mom"
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December 13, 2019kayla had to keep moving because of her mom. She had to keep leaving her friends behind. Kayla and her mom finally found a place in New Mexico and her mom promised to stop drinking and promised to be a good mom. But Kayla met a boy who is way older than her and she lied about her age. Kayla had a dog walking job. Once the boy moved to denver she was broken and she tried to get there. Once kayla got to denver her mom was scared and didn't know where she went.
Not Like You is just like in real life when kids run away and don't tell their parents. OR like when families have to move for jobs.
I really liked this book because after the first chapter i got really into the book and i didnt want to stop reading it. I like how at some chapter the end of it just left you hanging and then the next chapter they would change the subject
Not Like You is just like in real life when kids run away and don't tell their parents. OR like when families have to move for jobs.
I really liked this book because after the first chapter i got really into the book and i didnt want to stop reading it. I like how at some chapter the end of it just left you hanging and then the next chapter they would change the subject
August 4, 2021
I had a hard time starting the book. Not sure if it was my tendency to get distracted easily or it was because it wasn't really interesting. However, it got better as it progressed and I really enjoyed it.
It was hard reading though because I work with foster children and reading about a parent who keeps going back to old habits is frustrating and sad.
Overall a good read. The first half of the book would get 1 or 2 stars but the second half gets 4 stars. I felt satisfied with the ending.
It was hard reading though because I work with foster children and reading about a parent who keeps going back to old habits is frustrating and sad.
Overall a good read. The first half of the book would get 1 or 2 stars but the second half gets 4 stars. I felt satisfied with the ending.
September 28, 2017
This was a such a good book about a girl with an alcoholic mother struggling to take of her mom and finding herself. After moving into a new place she meets new people, tries to fix her and her moms relationship starts to think about the future. This is a good book to read if you like realistic fiction.
August 31, 2019
author is Mike's friend Dwight's ex-wife so I read it and was not disappointed. Good description of a teenager with an alcoholic mother. no real sex except for the first 2 pages - the rest os Twilight sex, ie lots of longing and touches but a cautionary tale for girls. students will like it
June 30, 2017
I found this book really good and really under-rated.
October 16, 2022
A really good start to the story. I I found about 3/4 into it I was kind of getting bored. Predictable ending.
October 27, 2025
It was a good story, but the two main characters were just so unlikable. The daughter had such a miserable life
May 9, 2018
Okay, I’m going to be honest: I’m an amateur at writing reviews, but here I go.
I found this book on the shelf of a local library. It interested me, and I almost didn’t check it out, but I decided to.
The book is told in the first-person POV (point of view) by Kayla Hanes, the main character. I personally didn’t like how the book started out, with her in the back of Hal’s truck. Actually, now that I think about, it would still be a good book without it. (I’m just sick of teen books featuring ‘scenes.’ We really don’t need them.) (First few paragraphs…that’s all.)
In my opinion, this is a very well written book. The start of the story is set at a good time, just before Kayla and her mom leave for New Mexico. And the details are amazing. I could really picture their (Kayla’s and her mom’s) road trip, and when ‘Kayla’ described packing up their things, it painted a picture in my head. And I read this when there was still snow on the ground here, and I could see the desert and heat. That’s good writing when an author’s able to go that. Something I hope I’m able to do.
And I liked how the author didn’t have Remy come in within the first few chapters. He’s one of those tricky characters you have to have come in at just the right time. It was great timing in this book, here. I'm using this in a story I'm working, because of this.
Speaking of Remy, I may have already seen this mentioned here, but, very deep down, he may have cared a lot about Kayla. He just was too focused on his music and making his band big to really care about anything else.
While I’m talking about characters, I must say I didn’t see that coming with Sherrie & Shirley. I didn’t think anything until the line “something like that” when Kayla said something (it was more like a question) about them being roommates.
I’m going to skip right to the end here, and say I liked it. It was one of those ‘happy endings’ where everything works out, but it was one where while you didn’t know if everything was going to be fine, it show it had a chance at turning out okay. BUT I had one complaint: I didn’t like what happened to Elvis. That little rat had grown on me. ;-)
That ends my review here. Hope it made since. =)
Rating: 4.5/5. Half star taken from because of ‘scene’ at the beginning.
I found this book on the shelf of a local library. It interested me, and I almost didn’t check it out, but I decided to.
The book is told in the first-person POV (point of view) by Kayla Hanes, the main character. I personally didn’t like how the book started out, with her in the back of Hal’s truck. Actually, now that I think about, it would still be a good book without it. (I’m just sick of teen books featuring ‘scenes.’ We really don’t need them.) (First few paragraphs…that’s all.)
In my opinion, this is a very well written book. The start of the story is set at a good time, just before Kayla and her mom leave for New Mexico. And the details are amazing. I could really picture their (Kayla’s and her mom’s) road trip, and when ‘Kayla’ described packing up their things, it painted a picture in my head. And I read this when there was still snow on the ground here, and I could see the desert and heat. That’s good writing when an author’s able to go that. Something I hope I’m able to do.
And I liked how the author didn’t have Remy come in within the first few chapters. He’s one of those tricky characters you have to have come in at just the right time. It was great timing in this book, here. I'm using this in a story I'm working, because of this.
Speaking of Remy, I may have already seen this mentioned here, but, very deep down, he may have cared a lot about Kayla. He just was too focused on his music and making his band big to really care about anything else.
While I’m talking about characters, I must say I didn’t see that coming with Sherrie & Shirley. I didn’t think anything until the line “something like that” when Kayla said something (it was more like a question) about them being roommates.
I’m going to skip right to the end here, and say I liked it. It was one of those ‘happy endings’ where everything works out, but it was one where while you didn’t know if everything was going to be fine, it show it had a chance at turning out okay. BUT I had one complaint: I didn’t like what happened to Elvis. That little rat had grown on me. ;-)
That ends my review here. Hope it made since. =)
Rating: 4.5/5. Half star taken from because of ‘scene’ at the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 7, 2017I read “Not Like You” by Deborah Davis, and I would have to say that I didn’t absolutely love it, but it made me think a lot. It was about this girl, Kayla, and her alcoholic mother, Marilyn. Her mom was struggling to stop drinking, though she didn’t really try to stop most of the time. She always moved around with Kayla to try and start over-- and this time they move to New Mexico. Kayla is upset about moving, since she had begun to build a life at the place they lived before, but she does her best to settle into this new place, while her mom tries to get her stuff together. She spends her time doing her job that she gets for herself, taking care of her mother, and talking to this 24-year-old guy named Remy, who is also in a band. While doing all of this, she’s trying to figure out who she is and what she wants from the people around her, and more importantly, life.
Overall, this story is a good read if you’re looking to waste time. It offers a different perspective on life, especially for a teenager who may have it easier at home than Kayla does in this book. It makes you wonder what you would do in her situation. It makes you think about the choices you make now and the choices you might make in the future for yourself.
While I had to space out the amount I read in one sitting, and while it wasn’t totally amazing, it still made me think about things, and that’s ultimately what a book is supposed to do. I would recommend it to teens-- especially teens who would relate to the kind of thing Kayla has going on-- because while it didn’t necessarily help me a lot, it still offers a lot of insight that some people could find comforting or helpful. And to the teens with a lot of free time-- I would recommend it to them.
Overall, this story is a good read if you’re looking to waste time. It offers a different perspective on life, especially for a teenager who may have it easier at home than Kayla does in this book. It makes you wonder what you would do in her situation. It makes you think about the choices you make now and the choices you might make in the future for yourself.
While I had to space out the amount I read in one sitting, and while it wasn’t totally amazing, it still made me think about things, and that’s ultimately what a book is supposed to do. I would recommend it to teens-- especially teens who would relate to the kind of thing Kayla has going on-- because while it didn’t necessarily help me a lot, it still offers a lot of insight that some people could find comforting or helpful. And to the teens with a lot of free time-- I would recommend it to them.
December 10, 2009
Kayla has never met her father, Desmond, and she lives with her alcoholic mother, Marilyn. They've resided in many different places and now Kayla has to leave her boyfriend because her mom is ready to pick up and move again. Marilyn had her reasons for leaving Dallas and heading for New Mexico, but things didn't turn out the way she planned. Still, she decided to stick around a while, so she and Kayla made a little run down trailer their home.
So-called relationships with certain guys helped Kayla to distance herself from the world she lived in and alcohol was her mother's escape. Once Marilyn settled in New Mexico, though, she did her best to make choices that would help her become a better person, took steps to improve her life, but Kayla wouldn't give her mother a chance. This girl was so hurt by what had happened in the past and the fear of it happening again made her suspicious of her mother's every move. Kayla did have to do things her mother should have been responsible for and that wasn't right. And, yes, Marilyn did slip as far as the drinking was concerned, but Kayla was too hard on her mother. She could have been more supportive, but she chose to hold her mother's mistakes against her and give her a hard time every chance she got. I understood Kayla's fears but I didn't like how disrespectful she was. Marilyn, a woman with her own issues, was trying to be a good mother (maybe she would have known how if her own mother would have treated her right) and it was obvious she loved her daughter. Kayla and Marilyn both made mistakes - like people do - and they both learned from their bad choices. This was a good story.
So-called relationships with certain guys helped Kayla to distance herself from the world she lived in and alcohol was her mother's escape. Once Marilyn settled in New Mexico, though, she did her best to make choices that would help her become a better person, took steps to improve her life, but Kayla wouldn't give her mother a chance. This girl was so hurt by what had happened in the past and the fear of it happening again made her suspicious of her mother's every move. Kayla did have to do things her mother should have been responsible for and that wasn't right. And, yes, Marilyn did slip as far as the drinking was concerned, but Kayla was too hard on her mother. She could have been more supportive, but she chose to hold her mother's mistakes against her and give her a hard time every chance she got. I understood Kayla's fears but I didn't like how disrespectful she was. Marilyn, a woman with her own issues, was trying to be a good mother (maybe she would have known how if her own mother would have treated her right) and it was obvious she loved her daughter. Kayla and Marilyn both made mistakes - like people do - and they both learned from their bad choices. This was a good story.
October 2, 2015
I read the book Not Like You, and I thought that it was kinda boring, and kinda interesting at the same time. It had a lot of parts to it where you were like this is never going to end, or your like get to the point. And others times it had you thinking about what is going on in this teenage girls life. This book is about how a teen age girl named Kayla is aways being moved around the country and how her mom has a drinking problem, and how they are trying to fix every problem in their life like reconnecting with family and things like that. It gets more interesting as you read it, but like I said it takes a while to get into the book. Its an ok book for a red dot reading assignment, but I wouldn't read it on my own time for entertainment. My favorite part of the book is probably the funniest part of the book. It is when Kayla and her mother go to see there grandmother and they get to the nursing home and the people there said she has no relatives, and they are mistaken. Then they tell them how this lady died a couple days earlier, so they go and see her and this lady has a big birth mark on her arm. They see her and the mom says its not her, but when they get in the car she admits to her daughter that it was her, she just didn't care because she said she had no relatives, and she didn't want to pay the funeral bill. There are some points in the book that are pretty good like this one, but I wouldn't read it again because everything is drag out for so long and it get boring.
February 18, 2014
This book was about Kayla and her mom. Kayla is a 15 year old girl who has to be the responsable person in the house most of the time. Why? Her mom drinks. A lot! The drinking has caused them to have to move 4 or 5 times because of lack of money for rent or a nasty boyfriend. One day Kayla comes home to find out they are moving to New Mexico. Why there? She finds out that her grandmother lives in Rio Blanco New Mexico in a nursing home. Her mom wants to make amends and start a new life. Kayla doesn't believe that it will happen she knows her mom too well. She may not be drinking now but she will soon enough and they'll be using the money that Kayla earns to pay all the bills because her mom won't be able to hold down a job! Her mom does try to change. She soon finds out that her mother is deceased and didn't even list her as next of kin. She goes to check the morgue but doesn't claim the body because her mother has lots of bills and she doesn't want to be stuck paying them.
This is a good story about a mother and daughter trying to get along in there lives. Kayla finally realizes that her mother has begun drinking again and she really doesn't want to deal with it anymore. What happens when she makes this realization? What does Kayla do to make her situation better? Check out the book it's good!
This is a good story about a mother and daughter trying to get along in there lives. Kayla finally realizes that her mother has begun drinking again and she really doesn't want to deal with it anymore. What happens when she makes this realization? What does Kayla do to make her situation better? Check out the book it's good!
Currently reading
January 5, 2011i haven't really gotten into the book so i'm not really sure wat i think about it!? ummmmmm... and i really haven't been reading it, but wat i do know is that the girl in the story does not wat to turn out to be like her mother who is a drunk at the time and has no life or dreams to chase after! waht i also know is that the girl in the story has dreams and is hoping to make them come alive because she dose not want to turn out to be like her mother and, the girl is now thinking about leaving her mother to go off and follow her dreams! I think that is very wrong to leave ur mother. Because if that were me i would find a way to take care of my mothre and follow my dreams and i also think that the girl in the story will do what i just said because that would be the right thing to do than pick her things up and leave!
THE PARAGRAPH FROM THE BOOK!
Sure, she was trying, maybe harder than ever, but it didn't matter, it would never be enough, i would just keep raising the bar. Jump, Mom. Higher. Higher. Even though it won't make a bit of difference. You can jump all the way to the moon, Mom, but you can never, ever give me back what i've lost.
THE PARAGRAPH FROM THE BOOK!
Sure, she was trying, maybe harder than ever, but it didn't matter, it would never be enough, i would just keep raising the bar. Jump, Mom. Higher. Higher. Even though it won't make a bit of difference. You can jump all the way to the moon, Mom, but you can never, ever give me back what i've lost.
September 30, 2014
Not like you by Deborah Davis, is a great book. Its about this sixteen year old girl named Kayla who lives with her mom Marilyn, but Kayla she feels like she lives by herself most of the time. Marilyn makes them move a lot. Kayla thinks its because of Marilyns drinking and constant break ups. They end up moving to New Mexico where Kayla haves to start her life over again but its always the same thing with her mom. Kayla gets tired of her moms drinking and leaves to go with her boyfriend and his band to Denver. Kayla haves a crazy journey you just have to read the book to find all the exciting drama.
March 12, 2015
I got so mad at this narrator sometimes! She very believably, but very frustratingly, made terrible decisions, especially about boys. However, I liked the portrayal of dealing with her alcoholic-in-recovery mother and trying to make money with her dog-walking business.
I read this with the intention of sharing with my middle-school students, so the adult content at the very beginning disappointed me and made me less likely to recommend this book whole-heartedly to tweens. The funny thing is that the incident in the very beginning of the book is one of the only scenes that would be inappropriate for school.
I read this with the intention of sharing with my middle-school students, so the adult content at the very beginning disappointed me and made me less likely to recommend this book whole-heartedly to tweens. The funny thing is that the incident in the very beginning of the book is one of the only scenes that would be inappropriate for school.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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