Nothing Like You

The premise seemed so interesting but the way the actual book is executed doesn't live up to the hype. If this book had been written by another author then perhaps Holly (the main character) and Paul (the guy she gives it up to, then starts messing around with even though he has a girlfriend) would've fallen in love and he would've made her feel after her mother's death. Or she and her guy best-friend-turned-love-interest turned nothing, Nils would have made up and been together and so would her and Saskia. Instead however the book is almost unresolved.

I understand why Saskia may not have really forgiven her but Nils...I feel like that could've been fixed. If they truly were best friends, I think it would have been completely realistic for them to make up eventually. Even if it was in the novel's future that we got a brief peak at.

One of the most unrealistic parts about this book:
After spitefully being nice to his girlfriend after Paul makes her mad Holly suddenly says that she "loves Saskia" and has to chose between having a friend or being with Paul which she isn't really.

What's attractive about this book:
This book was written with a kind of raw narration that is attributed to Holly's numbness after her mother's death rather then what might have been bad writing. She narrates almost like someone keeping a journal of their activities and whereabouts.

If only, if only, if only:
I wish that we could've gotten some more emotional flashbacks of her mom, and the relationship between her and her teacher a lot more helpful then what is told (you know, the old show-don't-tell rule). And an idea of how Paul and Holly slept together in the first place.

The title is called Nothing Like You which I feel is a reference to Holly and her mom. Continuously throughout the book people say that she looks exactly like her and it's shown that she feels nothing like her because of the choices she's made throughout her senior year but this isn't really elaborated on.

All in all, don't let the premise fool you. This isn't the normal YA realism romance novel.