Along for the Ride
By Sarah Dessen
Published by Viking Juvenile
383 Pages
ISBN: 0670011940 (isbn13: 9780670011940)
Book Description: 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.
A Quick Synopsis: Studious Auden goes to live with her father, his new wife and brand new baby sister for the summer before starting her first year of college. Breaking free from her academically demanding mother and the expectations of others, Auden learns to enjoy and live life to the fullest and learns how to be herself.
The General Review: A well written, coming of age story about a girl learning who she really is. Overcoming family, personal and social conflicts, the protagonist experiences a summer of new experiences with the most unlikely of friends. Sarah Dessen captivates her audience again with a story of self-discovery.
Likes: The author has a way with words that suck you in to the story. Her descriptions are very detailed. Sarah Dessen is an amazing story teller and has a talent for capturing teenage emotions.
Dislikes: My only dislike is that the storyline is very similar to other Sarah Dessen novels. But there is enough of a difference to keep the reader intrigued.
Judging a Book by its Cover: I’m not a big fan of the cover. I think its too cutesy to accurately portray the storyline.
The Cast: The characters are complex and believable. Even minor characters are memorable and well developed. If you’re familiar with Dessen’s other books, characters from other books usually make cameo’s. This book is no exception.
Closing Comments: Overall I enjoyed this book. I recommend Along for the Ride for anyone looking for a light, fun easy read.
Sounds like a good read! I've never read a Sarah Dessen novel so I might like this one. By the way we've got an award for you here!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any books By Sarah Dessen, I might have to try her. I agree, though, that when I look at the cover I would think it's a fun(cutesy) sort of book...
ReplyDeleteCrystal -
ReplyDeleteI have come by to initiate you in a meme.
Its called Whats on your desk Wednesday - you take a picture of desk without cleaning it then put it in post on your blog and tag 5 other people like Krista ;). Here is the link to my post for the directions. post link
No pressure - have fun and take care!
I haven't read any of her work. I've heard she's good, it's just that I tend to go for the urban fantasy rather than the realistic stuff. But with so many people (like you) singing her praises, I may have to take the leap!
ReplyDelete