Did I like it? Definitely.
You'll love it if you liked: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler
Aura: Realistic,Heartwrenching
Read If: You're looking for something that deals with reality and everyday struggles
Narration: First Person
Main Character: Kayla Hanes, 15 year old female
Themes: Mother-daughter relationship, Moving, Loneliness
Plot: 9.25/10
Narration: 8.5/10
Characterization: 9.5/10
Overall: 9.25/10
Did I get bored anywhere? Nope. It was a very enticing read.
Did any part confuse me? No.
Line/ Page Skippability: 0.75/5. Not much, really.
Writing Style: Average Sentences, Informal, Expressive.
Uniqueness: 8/10
Predictability: 2/10
Imagery: 8.5/10
Song(s) to go with book: She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5, Home Improvement by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
Favourite Quotes: "I almost said no just to see if she would react. I could raise the bar, or the hoop. Light it on fire. Build up a higher wall of flames. Jump, Mom. Jump. She was waiting. I bent down, pretending to scratch my knee. 'Okay.'"
Cover: 8/10
Ending: Hopeful, Realistic, Satisfying Closure.
Reading Priority: Definitely Read
Reading duration: Fast readers-Approx. 4.5 hours, Slow readers- Approx 8 days.
Synopsis:
“Starting a new chapter” is how Kayla’s mother, Marilyn, has always referred to their abrupt moves—five in the past two years. But what Kayla hates even more than moving is Marilyn’s drinking. It once landed Kayla in foster care, so she’ll do whatever it takes to keep her mother from falling apart again. Just until she turns eighteen, less than three years away.
Now Marilyn has moved them to New Mexico, and promised, yet again, to quit booze for good. Kayla knows better than to believe her, but something about this move does feel different. Kayla is putting down roots, earning money as a dog walker, and spending time with Remy, a twenty-four-year-old musician. He’s her refuge from Marilyn’s daily struggle to stay sober. And after years of taking care of her mother, Kayla is starting to think of herself and who she wants to be. She knows for sure who she doesn’t want to be. But is she willing to do whatever it takes to create her own life—even if it means leaving her mother behind?
Sharply honest and beautifully written, Deborah Davis’s powerful novel is about loving someone else enough to stay with her through anything—and loving yourself enough to let her go.

WordVore Prod's Review:
Not Like You was a pleasant surprise. From the description on the back, I thought the novel would be packed with instances when Kayla would go off to get busy with Remy, the 24 year old musician but that was definitely not the case. The story flowed like a poignant ballad of two hermits lost and stranded even from each other. I loved the conveying of emotions in this book—it was raw and heart wrenching. Characterization was extremely well done—each character had its fair share of flaws but depth of actions. The struggle to keep relationships standing was beautifully portrayed—falter, then get up again. The development of Kayla’s character was very smooth and polished. She is someone you would root for, yet someone whose actions you will disapprove of at times. The plot had a strong grounding and moved at a balanced pace. The themes of mother-daughter relationship and everyday struggles were addressed with great sensitivity. It took them a lot of hard work and weathering to meet halfway, but they did. Even the secondary characters had voices of their own—they had their own lives and own identities. Tough issues like drinking and teen pregnancy were approached not in a preachy but realistic way. I was impressed by the way the story could communicate to me and make me build a personal attachment to it.
What got on my nerves was Kayla’s mother’s dependence on her. Sometimes when she kept on doing it, I felt like shaking her by the shoulders and tell her to grow independent. Even though at times this stagnancy will annoy you, in the end it is made clear that Kayla’s mother is just another soul lost amidst the complexities of the planet.
Not Like You is reality in its purest form. Happiness, sadness, hope and redemption are all mingled and intertwined so well that sometimes it’s scary how real the whole thing can feel. Added to that was a good enough imagery mechanism and voila! I am definitely looking forward to more of Deborah Davis’ works—Not Like You was such a captivating and recommendable read.

Labels: Adaptation, Deborah Davis, Mother-Daughter, Moving, Not Like You, Relationships, WorDissection