You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School [BARGAIN PRICE] (Library Binding)

by Rachel Vail (Author)
Key Phrases: seventh period, Carson Gold, Tallulah the Clown, Golden Boy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 8 Up–Josie is an independent, self-assured sophomore who doesn't care what anyone thinks about her–until Carson Gold, senior and hottest guy around, suddenly shows an interest. Neither Josie nor her best friends quite understand why she tentatively indulges his attention. At first, she makes out with both Carson and Michael, her neighbor and longtime best friend, following her own philosophy of not getting too involved with one person. Though her friends discourage the relationship, pointing to Carson's fame as a heartbreaker, Josie still finds herself falling for him and his lifestyle. She begins to dress to impress and alters her behavior to fit in with the Beautiful People. Pleased to see Josie taking an interest in her appearance, and also impressed by Carson, her mother approves Josie's request to go on a trip with him and his friends. Several traumatic events during the weekend lead Josie to rediscover what is really important to her. Ultimately, she proves that she is the bright, secure person her friends have always admired. Throughout her first-person narrative, confident vs. insecure Josie argues with herself about all of her relationships, giving readers a true glimpse of her confusion. Her friends are realistically portrayed and their reactions to her romance add to the story's development. Josie shows what often happens to a smart, young woman when a charismatic young man starts paying attention to her. This cautionary tale begs to be read by girls everywhere, before, during, and after they fall in love.–Linda L. Plevak, Saint Mary's Hall, San Antonio, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
Gr. 8-11. As always with Vail's books, it's the voice that takes precedence. Here, it belongs to independent sophomore Josie, who earns money working as a clown at children's parties. Thinking she's immune to the charms of golden-boy senior Carson, she hooks up with him a couple of times. But when Carson declares he has feelings for her, she's caught as surely as a fish on a hook. Josie is a profoundly appealing character, although the rest of the story is hard to believe: Would Josie really ever catch Carson's eye? Would his love for her grow when she shows up for a party at his house wearing her clown suit? As Josie slowly loses herself to Carson, Carson withdraws his "love," finally returning to an old girlfriend as Josie begs him not to leave. There's something depressing about this--the casual hookups (second base), Josie's pathetic unwinding. But, perhaps that's part of the point of this morality tale, which concludes with babbling Josie uttering lines such as, "You were my first love, Carson." No one wants to end up like that. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Library Binding: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; library bound hardcover edition (April 25, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 0060569182
• ASIN: B001G8WHOC
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,282,345 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story any young woman can relate to, June 20, 2006

By	Teenreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School (Hardcover)

"Love is a brat," Josie's new crush, Carson, tells her. "Whatever you don't love, loves you. But whatever you love kicks your butt." Carson Gold isn't just any crush. He's a hot senior who had a very public breakup with his longtime girlfriend, Emelina. He then ran through several girls who Josie scorns as she sees them begging him to take them back at the parties she and her friends crash on weekends.

Josie doesn't believe in love. She's happy hanging out with her two best gal pals, Zandra and Tru, and her longtime best friend Michael. She even enjoys running little kids' birthday parties, doing magic tricks dressed as Tallulah the Clown. Her life is full and uncomplicated. It is true that she and Michael make out frequently, but they're still just friends, she believes.

Things get complicated though when Carson starts noticing Josie. She discovers that even she is not immune to his many charms. Things start out with secret makeout sessions during their free seventh periods. She continues to write songs and make out with Michael, which begins to feel weird.

Carson doesn't call her and they don't really go out. But then he starts getting serious, asking her to be his girlfriend and to stop being with Michael. After some convincing, Josie agrees. She scraps plans for Michael's birthday and starts hanging out with Carson and his popular crowd, which includes his ex-girlfriend.

Soon Josie is changing how she dresses, how she acts, and canceling birthday party gigs to go spend a weekend with Carson at his ex's cabin. Josie tells him about how much she loves him and is even thinking about having sex with Carson, who is pushing her farther than she has ever gone during makeout sessions.

It is during this cabin adventure that Josie is forced to see that these changes are not good and that Carson has not changed from the fickle person she thought she knew. A near tragedy in her family brings Michael back, and she sees him for the valuable friend he is as well.

YOU, MAYBE is for everyone who has had their head turned by the wrong guy.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best book ever about falling in love, April 26, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School (Hardcover)

I absolutely loved this book. It is deep but also funny and so intense. It is about Josie, who has always been strong and smart and comfortable with herself, and how she falls in love with gorgeous, charming Carson -- and throws away everything important to her, trying to keep him. ACK!!!! I know exactly how she feels! Rachel Vail absolutely captures the feelings (fantastic AND devastating) you have when the most important thing in your life is this one special relationship, and even when you KNOW you shouldn't do stuff (call him constantly, IM him, ask him what's wrong, cry in front of him) you just can't help it, you are nuts and obsessed and lost all track of who you used to be. I love Josie. I love this book. It just came out yesterday and my mom got it for me and I read it last night without looking up from it once! I couldn't stop! I just had to find out what happened... and now I can't wait to read it again.

4.0 out of 5 stars You, Maybe, July 14, 2009

By	Allison (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School (Paperback)

Joise is an independent, unique sophomore who doesn't really understand love or relationships at all. Her belief is that when you are in a relationship, you are only half of something and never whole. That is, until Carson Gold, a BP (Beautiful Person), suddenly starts showing an interest in her. Josie has sworn she would never fall for Carson the way every other girl has, but Carson is persistent... how long can she resist?

This is a great book about a first love and how confusing it can be, especially in high school. First of all, Josie is a great protagonist. She is funny, sarcastic, and very likeable. Especially toward the beginning of the book, I found myself laughing at some of the things she said. Of course, she has flaws too, which makes her relatable. Whether it was struggling with insecurity, or fighting with her parents, I felt like I knew where she was coming from.

However, throughout the book, she starts to change and mold into what she thinks Carson wants her to be. It really showed how being caught up in a relationship can change a person, especially someone as unsuspecting as Josie.

The secondary characters were all very realistic in my opinion. Michael, her friend-with-benefits, Zandra and Tru, her best friends, and even her parents were all well-drawn characters that I could understand.

As for the ending of the book, it's a love-it or hate-it type of thing. Personally, I loved it. But, at the same time, I can see where it would be disappointing for other people. I don't want to give too much away, so I think I'll stop there.

The only think I didn't get (and I don't know if I missed something) was the timeline. I couldn't really figure how long Josie and Carson had known each other, or how much time there was in between certain events. It didn't particularly bother me, but it was just something I thought about.

All in all, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute romance that has some depth to it. It's a great summer book, so check your local library!

Four stars! :)