Nothing Like You

October 1, 2009
Gr 9 Up-High school senior Holly Hirsh knows little about Paul Bennett beyond the fact that he is good-looking, popular, and has a "cool and put together" girlfriend. Seeking to fill the emotional void left by her mother's death, Holly loses her virginity to him and continues to see him. He demands that she keep their relationship secret, which exacerbates the complicated feelings she has toward her longtime best friend, Nils. When a school project provides a means for Holly to get to know Paul's girlfriend, her sense of betrayal becomes even deeper. The bare-bones plot elements seem soapy, yet first-time novelist Strasnick does a commendable job of tempering the dramatics down to a realistic portrayal of a teen needing to feel wanted, secure, and loved. Because of this characterization, regardless of Holly's mistakes and her excuses for Paul's caddish behavior, readers will find it easy to empathize with her."Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2009
Grades 8-10 Holly cant believe that her relationship with Paul has turned into more than a one-night stand. After all, he is popular, with a gorgeous blonde girlfriend, Saskia, and she is just Holly, with nerd-friend Nils and a father doing his best after her mother died six months earlier. Yet here Paul is, two or three times a week, throwing pebbles at her window and joining her for the rest of the night, only to blatantly ignore her in school the next day. Complicating matters, Holly is becoming friends with Saskia, gradually enjoying their friendship more than Pauls amorous attentions. First-time novelist Strasnick reveals the all-too-frequent scenario of a boy using a girl for sex and a girl trading sex for a semblance of love. While inevitably didactic, the books complex characters and realistic ending will intrigue teen readers and may serve as a none-too-subtle object lesson for future relationships.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)