Ten Years Later... The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Anyone who has followed my blog for some time has more than likely heard my gush about The Truth About Forever on more than one occasion. I read this book at fifteen. I was a sophomore in high school and life felt so... hard.

I'd previously read Just Listen on a whim and at this time my story searching went as far as the bookstore shelves. I read TTAF next and it was the first time I'd ever stayed up all night reading a book. I still remember the awe I felt, closing the pages at five in the morning, school looming in two hours... I was so caught up in the story that I felt as if I was still in a daze.

Now its been twelve years later and life gets so out of control. From high school, to college, and then to working full time things get difficult. Life becomes harder and harder to juggle until you lose yourself and have to remember the things you enjoy.

Reading The Truth About Forever was my way of remembering me, and I hope each of you has a favorite book that draws you back every time.

The Truth About Forever 

By: Sarah Dessen 

Macy’s summer stretches before her, carefully planned and outlined. She will spend her days sitting at the library information desk. She will spend her evenings studying for the SATs. Spare time will be used to help her obsessive mother prepare for the big opening of the townhouse section of her luxury development. But Macy’s plans don’t anticipate a surprising and chaotic job with Wish Catering, a motley crew of new friends, or … Wes. Tattooed, artistic, anything-but-expected Wes. He doesn’t fit Macy’s life at all–so why does she feel so comfortable with him? So … happy? What is it about him that makes her let down her guard and finally talk about how much she misses her father, who died before her eyes the year before? Sarah Dessen delivers a page-turning novel that carries readers on a roller coaster of denial, grief, comfort, and love as we watch a broken but resilient girl pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together.

On my third re-read of The Truth About Forever, I stayed up until 3am, with work looming the following morning WHEN I ALREADY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED. To me there is no higher praise. 

Macy Queen is completely ordinary, but longing for the ellusive idea of perfection and the badge of approval. 

What I love most about TTAF is the amount of things happening. We have Macy's library day job, the chaos of Wish, the memories of her father, her mother's townhouse development, and each storyline is tied together perfectly. 

Wish catering is my favorite reminder that perfection isn't all it's chalked up to be. I long to work for Wish, to serve meat balls to over eager guests and ride in the Bert-mobile. I love the backdrop of catering to contrast Macy's otherwise search for perfection. While striving to be perfect amongst her mother, her library job, and her complicated relationship with Jason, Wish catering becomes our chaos. 

The slow build between Wes and Macy is one of the sweetest build ups I've ever experienced. Each time I've become swept into it their game of Truth and the development of their story. The relationship they build based on trust, truth and a true understanding of the other person for who they really are. 

The Truth About Forever is every bit as perfect as it was twelve years ago. Upon this re-read I was reminded of my fifteen year old heart, and reintroduced to friends who have always stayed with me, if only on the page. 

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen [Book Review]

Title: Saint Anything
Author: Sarah Dessen
ISBN: 0451474708
Release Date: May 5th 
Source: From Publisher for honest review.

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans. 

It's no secret that I adore Sarah Dessen. I don't think there is a Sarah Dessen book that I've met that I didn't like. It's gotten to the point where it's just a thing, Sarah Dessen writes something and I love it. It's cause and effect, and it just makes sense. Saint Anything was no different it has cemented this fact in my mind even more.

This title has been labeled as dark for Dessen, and while I understand this comparison, I don't think it can be labeled as "dark" because it isn't... at least not really. This title deals with some tough issues, but I don't think it is any darker than Dreamland or Just Listen. It feels more adult in the handling, but it is still very much a fantastic contemporary YA.

Saint Anything focuses around our heroine, Sydney and the life she lives after her older brother, Peyton, gets sent to prison. Sydney is incredibly relatable, anyone who has ever felt alone will experience some degree of Sydney's emotions. While Sydney attempts to maneuver her way into a new school and new life she is faced with problems that no high schooler should experience, but most do. Sydney feels alone, and that her parents aren't don't understand her, or rather fail to see her at all.

Sydney's story grips you from page one; I loved her world and I wanted to spend more time with her. Sydney's emotions are expressed so wonderfully in this book that I felt as if I was a part of her story, or I had experienced her story before. And maybe to some degree I had. Maybe to some degree we all have.

This book focuses less on the romantic aspect than some of Dessen's other titles, but the romance is still there. I actually appreciated the focus on Sydney's story rather than the focus on Sydney's relationship status. The relationship between Sydney and her family was enthralling and I found it to be pretty powerful.

The new friends Sydney experiences act as a release from her life at home -- something that reminded me a lot of The Truth About Forever and Wish Catering. Just as i enjoyed the people of Wish, the people at Seaside Pizza were pretty great.

This book was very layered, with various themes and focuses, and in the end it was another example of Sarah Dessen's fantastic storytelling skills.

Overall: Saint Anything is wonderful. If you're a fan of Sarah Dessen's previous books or of contemporaries, this book cannot be missed. The ending left me hoping and happy, and in the end that's the most important thing. For anyone who has ever felt alone, this book is for you.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen [Review]

Date Released: April 6th, 2006
Publisher: Viking
Rating: 5 keys
Source: Bought.
ISBN:9780670061051

Summary:

Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends.

Review:

There is a truth universally acknowledged* that I adore Sarah Dessen. In reality, all of Sarah Dessen's books are amazing, but I have never reviewed Just Listen, and I feel it is time I do so.

Just Listen was the first book by Sarah Dessen that I ever read and because of that it will always hold a special place in my heart, but it is not just because it introduced me to her that I love this book. Just listen is just amazing in general.

I'm afraid that any review of a Dessen book I do won't be the average review because of how amazing I feel they all are, they're almost in a separate category in my mind that goes from, Okay, Good, Great, Sarah Dessen, I really feel that is an example of how my brain works half of the time, but I digress.

Annabell's story is amazing and in Just Listen Dessen really hits on the issues of perfection and the entire girl who has everything idea. Nobody's life is perfect even if it seems that way and in Just Listen we get to experience that through Annabell.

There are so many different things going on in Just Listen, there is a concept of family dynamics, the idea of friendship, perfection, and eventually just getting it right.

Owen is one of my favorite boys in the world, and he still is to this day having read this book 4 years ago. Owen is completely misunderstood and the person he is now in no way reflects the person he might have been in the past which is itself is a powerful message. He is never without his Ipod and the music he loves, which is at times, not even considered music, is one of my favorite aspects of the novel.

Annabell's story is powerful and if you haven't read Just Listen yet, I can't even express how much you are missing out.

Don't think or Judge. Just Listen.

*Thank you Jane Austen for lending me part of that line.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen [Cover]

So, I'm sure you all have probably seen by now, but Sarah Dessen's latest cover is finally here!

What Happened to Goodbye is about a high school senior who, after her parents’ divorce, has taken up the practice of assuming a new identity in each of the four towns she’s lived in.

I'm so excited! Sarah Dessen is probably my favorite author and I LOVE this cover!

It's due out May 10th!

Waiting on Wednesday [1]

Along for the Ride

by Sarah Dessen

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.
In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

Honestly though - who doesn't want this book? Now I will say that Sarah Dessen is my favorite author and this book...just fits me perfectly.

It's funny how that has happened with her last books. With Lock and Key I was transitioning, and moving (away from my mom as a matter of fact) as I read it, and now...I have officially been diagnosed with Insomnia due to stress from my parents divorce.

Amazing huh? When I read the description I freaked out. I just love it when I can relate :]

But anyway. It just looks so good, and this may be my favorite of her covers - which is saying something because they're all cute!

Here's hoping I can make it till June!

By Christina :]

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen. :P

Keeping The Moon
by : Sarah Dessen

This book is one of Sarah Dessen's best, and that is saying something. Sarah Dessen is a very popular writer for Teen's and this one deals with subjects that are no less pressing, or

entertaining then her other's.

Keeping The Moon is the story of Colie, who has a image problem.
She is the daughter of a recent Exercise enthusiast (seriously...she's famous) and is struggling to switch her lifestyle, from that of an overweight girl living with her ecentric overweight mother, to the new thin Colie who's mother is famous for her weight loss.

So what happens? Her mother goes on a tour and she must go live with her Aunt Mira who is just as ecentric as her mom, but is someone totally different as well. She doesn't care what other's think of her and doesn't let rumors bother her.

So Colie gets a job working at the last Chance Cafe where she gets to know Norman, the artist/cook/her aunt's tenant. She comes into herself here, learning how to truly become herself and to live her life without worry of other's oppions.

This book by Sarah Dessen is special. I don't know why but this one was special to me. The story of Colie and her struggle with self-esteem helped me with my own struggle with this very issue.
This is something most teenagers deal with and I couldn't think of any book that sums it up better. 10.

This book can be found at Books-A-Million, Borders, Barnes and Noble, pretty much any book store you can think of, and of course...Amazon.com :]

Reviewed by CHRISTINA :]

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever

by: Sarah Dessen

The book The Truth About Forever is one of those rare books that take you from the very first page and forces you to love the characters and care about the outcome of the story. The writing is personal and in some cases beautiful and the characters feel real and by the end are more like your friends then fiction.

The book takes place, as most of Dessen's books do in her classic area based on her home town in North Carolina. For those who have read Dessen before they may recognize some places and common themes in the book.

The book's focus is this girl named Macy who struggles with perfection and has recently had to deal with the death of her father. The book opens up with Macy packing with her close to perfect boyfriend Jason who is going off too what she calls "Brain Camp" for the summer. We see from early on that Macy is a very complex character but she struggles not to be. She has feelings and issues that she hides and overall has a need to be perfect, and this need to be and feel perfect is a main theme throughout the book.

But what happens when Macy begins to feel the weight of perfection? When she joins the Wish cattering group and starts spending time with Wes, who finds flaws good rather then bad she finally begins to see what she's missing from life and discover the person who she has been trying to become.

Its an exceptional book that will not be forgotten easily.
It remains to be a book that I find myself looking for and constantly wanting to read certain sections over and over. On a scale from one to ten. It is a perfect 10.

It is available at most books stores (including Wal-Mart) and online at Amazon.com