Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Title: Saint Anything
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release date: May 5th 2015
Pages: 417
Genre: Young Adult contemporary
Source: Bought
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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.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I've been reading Sarah Dessen since I was a pre-teen, and I still haven't stopped loving her. Her books always follow the same formula - and with any other author, I would consider that a bad thing and call it an overused trope. But Sarah Dessen does this type of story so well that I don't even care: her characters are always unique and lovable, and I could read her stories over and over again. Saint Anything has proven yet again why Sarah Dessen is one of my all-time favorite authors.

Sydney is a typical Sarah Dessen protagonist, and I loved her. She's pretty "ordinary" - introverted and quiet, like most YA heroines. But Sarah Dessen's writing style and strong character-driven stories make every single character come to life, and it's so easy to connect with Sydney. Layla is the quirky friend who, along with the rest of her family, changes Sydney's life - again, could be an overdone trope, but it's so well-written that it works; this is just what Sarah Dessen does.Layla is more than a trope, she's a passionate, outgoing character who fiercely cares about Sydney and french fries. 

And of course, there's Mac. I absolutely loved how slowly the romance develops - Sydney becomes friends with the entire family first, and then slowly develops a crush on Mac. Even when the romance takes off in the second half, it's not the main focus; it's just one part of Sydney's story, which I loved. Mac is the unassuming kind of perfect: he really sees Sydney, and their chemistry is more than intense. I was swooning and rooting for them for the entire novel, wishing they would just get together already but also appreciating the slow burn of their relationship.

Even though Mac was the main attraction for me, the secondary characters are great, too. I loved Eric and Irv, the other entertaining members of their friend group, and Mrs. Catham, Layla and Mac's mom, who gives Sydney some great insights. And Mr. Catham, who owns the pizza shop where large parts of the story are set - don't read this book on an empty stomach! Then there's Sydney's own family: her parents aren't as easy to love, but their dynamics are fascinating nonetheless. I especially loved seeing Sydney's relationship with Payton develop over the course of the novel; I just wish we would have gotten to see a face-to-face interaction at some point. But the way it is makes sense with the whole story, and I loved the development in their family dynamics at the end. The only story that I think was wrapped up a little too nicely is the one with Ames...

Saint Anything is such an adorable story. Just looking at the cover makes me happy because it reminds of Saint Anything (the one in the book) and the carousel. Every little detail of this story and this writing are perfect, the way it always is in Sarah Dessen's book. I don't even know what else to say - I'm just a hopeless Sarah Dessen fangirl and I will read anything she writes.

Review: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Title: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release date: June 4th 2013
Pages: 435
Genre: Young Adult contemporary
Source: Bought at Sarah Dessen's signing!
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Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.
Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.
Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?
Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I can't decide whether I should review The Moon and More as A Book or as A Sarah Dessen Book, since the second category brings with it a whole new set of expectations. As A Book, I loved it, but as A Sarah Dessen Book, I'm not sure - there's a certain scheme to Sarah Dessen's books, and Emaline's story strays from it, and I can't decide whether or not that is a good thing.

Sarah Dessen's books usually have very strong romance storylines - she writes the most swoonworthy love interests and realistic relationships. But The Moon and More... doesn't. Neither love interest brings the swoon we have come to expect; they can't even come close to Wes, Dexter, Owen, etc. Honestly, I found both Luke and Theo kind of annoying. But for the most part, I didn't mind too much, because as much as the description focuses on romance, that is definitely not the main storyline in The Moon and More; it's simply Emaline's coming-of-age story. In any other book, I would love the independence of the main character and how much the focus strays from the romance. But since this is Sarah Dessen, I can't help but be a little disappointed, too, if only because I was expecting another swoonworthy love interest.

In every aspect but the romance, though, The Moon and More is classic Dessen. Her writing is in a whole new category, and I'm sure I will love anything she writes. Emaline is another great narrator: she seems more mature than most Dessen girls, which I really appreciated. And as always, the secondary characters are amazing: I loved reading about Emaline's friends Morris and Daisy, as well as her unusual family situation.

I still can't decide whether I like the way The Moon and More strays from Sarah Dessen's trademark style - I love the message of independence, but missed the swoon we have come to expect from her novels. So The Moon and More might not be my favorite of her books, but if I disregard my special Sarah Dessen expectations, it is definitely a great novel.

Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Title: What Happened to Goodbye
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak
Release date: May 10th 2011
Pages: 402
Genre: Young Adult contemporary
Source: Bought
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Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Oh, Sarah Dessen. She really is the queen of contemporary YA. Excuse the cheesiness, but opening one of her books is like coming home - comfortable and just right. There's just something about her writing that makes it so easy to get lost in the story, to fall in love with her characters. And What Happened to Goodbye is no exception.

I love the way Sarah Dessen sets up her stories. I know that sounds vague and weird, but I just mean that she always has great scenarios that she puts her characters into, ones that are a little too crazy to actually happen to one of us, but never unrealistic. In What Happened to Goodbye, that's the family situation, which I loved. I don't even want to explain any of it because I loved discovering all of it on my own, but it's the perfect balance between out there and relatable, and I loved it. I also love how this scenario relates to the whole restaurant-thing - such a great backdrop for Mclean's story!

Mclean is a typical Dessen girl. She's easy to like and relate to, and her past is fascinating. She doesn't fall into any category easily, making it harder to figure out who she really is, but that's a big part of the reading experience. My only problem with her is that, at times, it annoyed me how reluctant she is to commit to anyone - yes, I get that's the point, and the book wouldn't have worked without it, but there were still parts where I wanted to take Mclean by the shoulders and shake her. Then again, that's what makes Dessen's characters so real.

Then there's Dave. Oh, Dave. Sarah Dessen definitely succeeded at torturing her readers with a tantalizingly slow romance. The romance never really takes center stage, which I appreciated because it works well with the story, but which also annoyed me to no end because Mclean and Dave are so freaking CUTE together. While Dave is not my favorite Dessen boy (that title will forever belong to Wes from The Truth About Forever), he definitely holds his own. What Happened to Goodbye has the perfect amount of swoon.

Another character I loved is Mclean's friend Deb - such a distinct personality! I wish we would have gotten to know the rest of her friends as well as we got to know her - Riley, Heather, and Ellis seem like they each have their own stories to tell, and I wish we could have know a little more about them.

All in all, What Happened to Goodbye is another great one from Sarah Dessen. With Dessen's trademark beautiful writing, vivid cast of characters, and great balance of wit and emotion, I enjoyed every minute of this novel. It's not my favorite of her books, but it's a solid addition to her collection of great contemporary YA novels.

Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Title: This Lullaby
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 345
Release date: May 27th 2002
Genre: Contemporary YA; romance
Source: Bought
Find out more: Amazon ; Goodreads

Goodreads description:

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

First sentence:

The name of the song is "This Lullaby."

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I love Sarah Dessen, and This Lullaby is one of my favorites of her books. What makes this one special, in my opinion, are the characters. Remy is different from the usual Sarah Dessen narrators (not that I don't love those, too) - often, they're self-conscious and shy, but Remy is pretty much the opposite; confident and cynical. If you don't like whiny, insecure characters but want to read a Sarah Dessen novel, this one would probably be the one for you. Remy, despite her cynicism and hard shell, is a lovable character, and I loved seeing what goes on in her head. Towards the end, I got annoyed by some of Remy's decisions (during the confrontation with Dexter, especially), but they still somehow made sense. I didn't agree with her, but I still loved to read about her.

Even though I love Remy, that love is nothing compared to the love I have for Dexter. Dexter is, well, perfect. Not in the too-perfect-to-be-real way - he has lots of imperfections, but those are what make him perfect. I can't even explain his character, he's just so adorable; one of my favorite fictional characters ever. He's clumsy and crazy and has such an incredibly positive attitude. I can't make him sound as amazing as he really is - just read the book, if you haven't. I couldn't imagine anyone not loving Dexter.

The romance is great. It's just so, so realistic, one of the most realistic romances I've ever read. It really annoys me when characters in books fall in love instantly, and that's not the case in This Lullaby at all. Their love develops and grows at a realistic pace. Dexter's and Remy's relationship is so much fun to read about - the way they interact is adorable (although it might just be that I love Dexter so much that it makes me think the way he treats Remy is adorable).

I love the family dynamics in This Lullaby, and how they affected Remy. Remy's relationship with her mother and brother are interesting to read about, and the love stories between her mom and Don and between Chris (her brother) and Mary Anne added another dimension to the novel.
I could talk about the writing and all the other things I love about this book, but they're all things I love about every Sarah Dessen book, so I'm not going to repeat all of that. Just know that if you haven't read a Sarah Dessen book, you are seriously missing out.

I don't really have anything more to say. Sarah Dessen is amazing, and this is my second-favorite of her books (second to The Truth About Forever), so of course I recommend it! It's got great characters and writing, and one of the most realistic romances I've ever read. If you've never read a Dessen book, what are you waiting for?

Review: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Note: I already published this review on Thursday, but Blogger deleted it (along with the comments), so here it is again!

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

Halley has always followed in the wake of her best friend, Scarlett. But when Scarlett learns that her boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and that she's carrying his baby, she's devastated. For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever.First sentence: Scarlett Thomas has been my best friend or as long as I can remember.

My rating: 4 out of 5

If you've read some of my other reviews, you probably know that I love Sarah Dessen. Her writing and characters are amazing. What I really enjoyed about this one, though, is how seamlessly she blends so many topics together. There's Halley's friendship with Scarlett, Michael's death, the pregnancy, Halley's romance with Macon, her relationship with her mother, .... Each one of these storylines is great on its own, but Sarah Dessen also managed to connect them so that they support each other and form a perfect whole.

Like I said, Sarah Dessen's writing is great - graceful, beautiful, vivid, and just enjoyable. It shows some flaws in Someone Like You that it doesn't have in some of her newer novels, but the writing is still better than most books I read. Her characters are what I like best about her novels, and those are great in Someone Like You as well. Halley is incredibly easy to relate to and feel for, and I loved the story behind her name. The supporting characters, like always, are complex and realistic, as well as their relationships. Halley's mother and her relationship with Halley is dynamic and understandable. I loved Halley's and Scarlett's friendship - of course it isn't perfect and of course they fight, but in a way, with those imperfections, it is perfect - the kind of friendship every girl wants.

Just like Halley, in the beginning I loved Macon - how he always snuck candy into her bag or pocket is just so cute. And just like Halley, later on I had the same doubts she had. Even the small characters are realistic and easy to imagine, like Marion and Steve/Vlad (I loved that whole storyline), and Michael, whom we didn't even get to "meet" as Someone Like You starts with his death (I loved the romance between Scarlett and Michael - the whole thing with the kiwis is just adorable). Even Cameron is a great character, and I would have loved to read more about him and his relationship with Scarlett. The new guy falling in love with a girl pregnant by her dead boyfriend would be really interesting to read about, and if Sarah Dessen ever did a follow-up novel (which I don't think she will, but still), that should be it.

One thing I don't quite get is the title. "Someone Like You" makes you think this is a love story, and I don't think that does this novel justice - it's so much more than that, and Halley's romance with Macon (in my opinion) isn't the most important part of the novel - her friendship with Scarlett is. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe the title refers to that friendship, and not the romance - then it'd be cute. It still makes you think of a sappy romance, though, which doesn't fit.

I don't really have that much more to say about Someone Like You - I don't want to keep repeating myself in every Sarah Dessen-review I write. She has a way of understanding and portraying teenage life perfectly and shows that again in Someone Like You, with great writing and characters. Definitely worth reading, and a must for every fan of Sarah Dessen. Still not as great as some of her newer novels, though, so if you haven't read anything by this author, you should probably start with some of her newer ones.

Review: That Summer

That Summer by Sarah Dessen
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

For fifteen-year-old Haven, there's just too much going on. First, there's her father's wedding to Lorna Queen, the local television "Weather Pet." Then her sister Ashley's wedding to boring Lewis Warsher, who doesn't seem to suit Ashley at all. And Haven can't ignore the fact that she's nearly six feet tall and still growing. Haven can barely figure out who she is anymore or where she fits in. Then Ashley's old boyfriend, Sumner Lee, shows up and sparks Haven's memories of the summer when her parents were happy, her sister was plucky and carefree, and everything was perfect...or so it seemed.

First sentence: It's funny how one summer can change everything.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I love Sarah Dessen - she's the queen of contemporary YA, my favorite genre. And over Spring Break I had nothing new to read and was bored, so I decided to reread her debut. It felt a little strange to read her earliest novel knowing all of her other work, as this one has basically the same...I'm not sure what to call it, but I guess you could say the same formular as all of her later novels, and while it's not as great as some of her other books, That Summer is definitely enjoyable.

In all of Sarah Dessen's novels, the writing is beautiful and vivid. I always feel like I'm right there along with the main character, and her metaphors are always great and memorable. While the writing in That Summer had some flaws and you could definitely see that she's grown as a writer since, it has all the elements I love about Sarah Dessen's writing and is still better than your average YA novel.

What I love most about Sarah Dessen are her characters. She's just so talented at creating relatable but interesting characters you can't help but feel for. Haven's view is always understandable and I felt all of her feelings along with her. The secondary characters in That Summer are great as well. I absolutely loved Sumner and Gwendolyn, and most of them are fully developed. I would have liked to know a little more about the mom and about Haven's best friend, Casey, though.

Character development is another thing Sarah Dessen excels at, but in my opinion, that was lacking a bit in this novel. Haven definitely grows as a person, but I would have liked the developments at the end to be elaborated on more, as they are a little too quick to be realistic, in my opinion. That's one aspect where Sarah Dessen has definitely grown a lot with her newer novels.

One thing I appreciated was that there is no real love interest in  That Summer. I'm not sure, but I think all of her other novels include a romance-storyline (correct me if I'm wrong). While I love romance, I appreciated she left it out of this one, as it was great to see how Haven dealt with her problems on her own, without the clichéd boy-comes-to-the-rescue storyline. Haley's struggle was portrayed really well that way.

While this is not Sarah Dessen's best work (obviously, as it's her debut), it's definitely worth reading - it includes everything Sarah Dessen-fans love about her novels. If you haven't read anything by this author yet, though, you should probably start with one of her newer novels (my personal favorites are This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever).

Review: Lock and Key

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
(Amazon / Goodreads)

 Goodreads description:

 "Ruby, where is your mother?" Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future—it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?


My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about Sarah Dessen’s writing. Even if the story were lacking, I would probably love it anyways, just because her writing is so incredibly beautiful. And Lock and Key showed me again why Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors. Actually, now that I think about it, if I had to choose only one favorite author, it would probably be her.

What I love most about Sarah Dessen’s books, along with the absolutely beautiful writing, are her characters. The main characters are always so relatable and normal, without ever being boring. That was the case with Ruby, too. While I don’t agree with her negative way of thinking at all, it was effortless for me to relate to her, and I understood each of her thoughts and decisions. I liked some of the other main characters from Sarah Dessen's other books better, though, just because they were more similar to me and therefore even easier to relate to.

The other characters were great, too – Sarah Dessen always manages to make each of her characters, even the minor ones, so deep and complex. I liked Nate  and thought his storyline was very well-done. I also thought Cora and her relationship with Ruby were realistic, and I loved Jamie – he’s just so cute, possibly even more so than Nate, which is kind of strange.  The Harriet-subplot and the parallels between her character and Ruby I liked as well, along with the scenes at the jewelry store.

Another thing I love about Sarah Dessen’s books is how they’re all somehow connected and how characters from other stories reappear – I love finding out what happens to them after we leave their story. For example, Cora, Jamie and Nate live in Wildflower Ridge, the neighborhood Macy’s mom from The Truth About Forever designed, and Ruby’s sort-of-boyfriend’s roommate is Rogerson from Dreamland. There were more, of course, which I can’t remember right now, but I love finding those connections. The imagery was great, too, like always – I loved the story to the key, the fish, Laney’s run, etc.

I had a problem with the storyline of the family, though, which was a big part of the plot. While I liked hearing all those different definitions for Ruby’s project, I thought Ruby’s mom’s character was underdeveloped. The reader never got to know why a mother would lie to and abandon her daughter like that, which made that part of the novel hard for me to understand. The idea to look for their father was never elaborated, either.
I was a bit disappointed by the ending - I don't want to spoil it to anyone, but it lacked explanation, in my opinion. I would have liked to read more about Nate's new life and about Ruby's decision.

All in all, this book is definitely worth reading, just like all of Sarah Dessen’s novels. The writing and the characters are amazing, even if the mother is underdeveloped. My favorite Dessen-novel remains The Truth About Forever, but that might just be because I sort of possibly maybe have a literary crush on Wes, who is, well, the perfect guy. Anyways, I recommend this book for any fan of Sarah Dessen, but if you haven't read any of her other books yet, I'd recommend reading some of her other ones first.