Taylor Monson

Dear Sarah Dessen,

Life is an ugly, awful place not to have a best friend. When I saw the back of your book, Someone Like You, I knew it was the book written for me. Those words alone mean so much because without your best friend in life, it's almost meaningless. If you live without a best friend, the good times are worthless and the bad times are more painful than they should be.

When I read this book, I felt a connection with Halley. She was quiet and reserved, almost invisible. Until Scarlett moved to town, Halley was stuck with a miserable childhood of little girls on their pink bikes chasing her through the neighborhood. On the contrary, Scarlett is a lot like my best friend. She's outgoing and always ready to listen to my problems. That's one of the many reasons this book has become one of my favorites. It's almost like a reflection of my life. I had an instant connection.

Reading this book changed me in many ways. I've struggled with the same things that Halley struggles with. Right and wrong choices, fights with her mom, and I could keep going. When Halley fought with her mother, I could relate to her because it seems like my mom's constantly telling me what I'm doing wrong. You understood me, and it was like you were reaching out to tell me it's ok. The teenage years aren't easy, and I related to Halley right then.

One of the things that hit me hardest right from the beginning was Michael Sherwood's death. I couldn't imagine losing a boyfriend the way Scarlett did. Se stayed extremely strong though, and I admired her for that. When I read about Michael's funeral, I strongly disliked the way Ginny and Elizabeth were acting. They were trying to be drama queens and attract attention, and it really drove me insane! Scarlett was the one who should've been mourning, and it really shows that some people are really self centered and can only think of themselves.

Scarlett's pregnancy was also a huge point for me. I would never want myself in that position, and I wouldn't want to be in Halley's place either. It would be hard enough to be pregnant, but I think it would be equally as hard to be the best friend. Halley was really brave, a trait I wish I possessed. She was there for moral support for every steps of the way. She stuck with Scarlett from the beginning to the end and that showed me that even through the terrible times, there is a friend out there for you somewhere.

I laughed and cried throughout this book. I felt every emotion and every feeling come out in this book. There's so much love between Scarlett and Halley. The power of friendship speaks out louder than anything that happens to them. Heartbreak strikes them both hard, but they pick themselves back up.

A best friend is a promise in life. It's a promise that you will be there forever. Thinking back on life, the big things don't matter. The most important thing you can ever learn in life is to love and be loved in return. It you don't have love, you have nothing. That's what I've taken from this book. But most importantly, thank you. Thank you for giving me this book.