My first Caletti book, and by the reviews I guess I picked the best. Scarlet, our hero, is just about really believable,especially when she describes the incredible, ineffable sensation of being in love. Caletti nailed it, and 'tho the reader feels such pain on Scarlet's behalf, the whole situation is handled with such truth, and such kindness, that the reader knows that everything will be right and healthy with this family after all.

Loved it. ( )

Seventeen year old Scarlet Ellis lives on Parrish Island with her mother. She is known for being the “designated listener” at school, and spends much of her time observing people and finding ways to be useful to them. One day, Scarlet’s older sister, Juliet, comes home from Portland, where she has been working as a hotel singer, pregnant, and with her new husband (neither Scarlet or her mother were aware of this) and his big furry dog named Zeus in tow. All this happens in the first fifteen pages.

As the book progresses, readers begin to understand her need to be useful and make a difference in people’s lives. Scarlet describes her friends and the romance-in-progress between her friend Nichole and the boy she has yet to speak with, and notes her attempts to bridge the two. She also begins to notice and worry about the connection she has with Juliet’s young husband, Hayden, as well as observing and fretting over her mother’s relationship with the obsessive-compulsive Dean.

Introverts and those who worry a little more than they should will appreciate Scarlet’s story. She is an eloquent and observant narrator who often refers to psychology texts and concerns herself with the well-being of those around her. Readers will enjoy Scarlet’s growth as she learns how trying to fix everyone’s problems can create some of her own. Fans of Sarah Dessen will enjoy Deb Caletti’s books. ( )

I love Deb Caletti's writing. She has a way of making the simple and ordinary interesting. ( )

Deb Caletti knows Scarlet inside out and writes about her with such fondness and perceptiveness that you'd swear you know her too. Scarlet's thoughtful and generous but not used to putting herself first. When multiple things in her life falls apart, it's a view she's forced to reexamine, an examination which gives her new insights about family members and others close to her.

A book with heart and depth. I highly recommend it.

I am actually somewhat new to the YA genre. I first got introduced when I found that I was running out of audio books to listen to at my local library, so the librarian pointed out some in the YA section. She said that even though they were YA, she thought that I might find some of them pretty good. Well...I started out with one by Sarah Dessen, and was quite impressed with her writing. So, this time when I returned my books, I decided to look for something to read from the YA section. I found The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti. This is also my first experience reading her books. I immediately got attached to the main character, Scarlet Hughes. She is a teenager who spends her time trying to take care of other people. She tries to play match maker for her depressed neighbor "Goth Girl" to hook up with the school loner, "Bomb Boy"; she watches over her other neighbors, an older couple that are being scammed on the internet regarding a cocoa plantation, and then tries to brighten the days of another neighbor, a retired postal worker who is becoming more senile by the day, as he goes to the mailbox in search of mail that is never there. Then we have the return of her older sister Juliet, who arrives newly married and pregnant with husband Hayden and his dog Zeus in tow.
I fell in love with mostly every character in this book...well, except Juliet....I wasn't too thrilled with her. But, the story kept me interested, and the whole book was a sweet coming-of-age tale. If you enjoy Sarah Dessen, I believe that you will equally love Deb Caletti. This book brought a smile to my face as it took me back to those "teenage angst" years. I am definitely looking for other books by this author. ( )