Anyone But You

ANYONE BUT YOU was a great read. It is a fast paced novel set in the beginning of summer in Deleware. The two narrators Seattle (Sea) and Critter are both funny and a bit broken. Sea was abandoned by her father and left with Layla, Sea's almost stepmother. Throughout the summer Sea and Critter find themselves growing apart, when they've always been close. The main reason being Critter found a girl he likes named Sarah and likewise with Sea named Scott. Critter also starts to realize his "sister's" body, and even fantasizes about it. Sea's dad also comes back into the picture which Sea does not like. This novel told in two voices is powerful and is quite a coming of age story. I loved the characters and all of their quirks-Sea being a tough skater chick with a shaved head, Critter being a Rod Stewart loving man, Jesse being the "father of the house" at only 15. I highly recommend this novel-its a quick read-and cannot wait to read what Zeises has in store for us next.

Ok so I really hope there ends up being at least a sequel to this book. I am hooked and I want to know what happens next. The book had a great ending, but I really wanted more story. I would have been happy having a bunch more pages filled with how things continued on. PLEASE write another one!

This book is about the lives of a "mixed" family. Sea is a girl that is taken in by her father's ex-wife when he leaves. The story is based on the interchanging of lives between Sea, and her 2 step-brothers; Critter and Jessie. They are all at an age of trying to figure out who they are and where they are going in life. When Sea feels threatened by a new person in Critter's life, she becomes withdrawen and looks for other ways to fill her time. She meets up with a boy named Scott, who shares her interest in skateboarding. During the summer the couples learn that life is not easy, no matter whether you are a boy or a girl. Eventually Sea's father comes back into the picture after many years, and that is when Sea turns to Critter. During the course of this Sea finds herself drawn to Critter as more then just a brother. The book leads to a conclusion that is both understandable due to the closeness of the family, but also that sometimes love is where you least expect it... The book is very well written and goes at a good pace, you look forward to the next page to see what happens between the characters. I could see from the beginning that Sea and Critter where heading down the path that led them to each other. It's just a matter of reading the book to follow the growth of that relationship. Both their hearts have to be broken before they realize that they have each other both as friends and companions. I would have likes to have had Jessie play a bigger role in the story. Also, the relationship between Critter and Sarah, was much more developed story line then that of Sea and Scott, when it seems that teenage girls go through alot more emotions when it is the beginning of a relationship. I would have liked to have read more on their relationship. Overall the story was well written and all the characters belonged where they were written in. I liked the dynamics of the varying relationships and how they twisted and turned throughout the story. Reviewed by Flamingnet Book Reviews www.flamingnet.com Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations

Okay - first the bad news. The author, at this time, has no plans to write a sequel to this book. Sigh. But maybe I can talk her into it, 'cause I'm dying to know what happens to the characters next. Seattle has an unconventional family. Her father had dated Layla for a while, and then he'd cut out on them, leaving the young girl behind. Layla, a truly wonderful woman, took in Seattle as her own and raised her alongside her two sons: Critter (yeah, he's probably got a 'real' name, but heck if I can remember what it is and Critter fits him anyway) and Jesse. Critter is not only like Seattle's brother, he's also her best friend. It's summer vacation and it's beyond hot. It's too hot to study (which is what Layla would like Seattle and Critter to do), too hot - not to mention bo-ring! - to get a job like Jesse, too hot to even skate. So Seattle gets the bright idea to try and sneak into a local swimming pool by having Critter chat up the girl lifeguard. It works out a little too well and soon the plot twists with some romance: Critter's got a thing for the preppie lifeguard and Sea's met a genius skater boy on the rebound from his girlfriend. But mix that in with them also suddenly coming aware of each other in a non-brotherly-sisterly way, and you've got some tension. Then toss in the reappearance of Frank, Sea's dad... I really enjoyed this one and all the characters. They've got bite and sass, not to mention some interesting fashion sense. Told in alternating view points (Critter and Sea), you get a glimpse into both sides of the story. I recommend this one for readers aged 14 and up. --Kimberly Pauley, YA Books Goddess

Anyone But You is a perfect teen read- and completely rare in its ability to appeal to both of the sexes. The relationships are real, the dialogue authentic and the ending, complex- just like real life. Months after reading the book I still wonder what Critter and Seattle are up to and wish I could just plop down on the stoop with them. If you haven't yet discovered Zeises' books then start here and read them all. Now.