Proud Professional Reader
Sunday 19 May 2013
Author: Sarah Dessen
Release Date: June 16, 2009
Grade: B+
Goodreads Summary: 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.
Review: Knowing my love for YA contemporary and romance, you guys would be surprised to hear that this is only my third attempt at a Dessen novel. I really enjoyed reading this book and gobbled it very quickly because Sarah Dessen has a knack of creating vivid imagery of locations and characters that make it hard to resist her books.
Along For The Ride has a similar premise to most of her books. A relatable narrator, a family issue, a cute male character, and an overall light feel. This book was exactly what I was looking for for all those reasons. Reading Along For The Ride, I could feel myself smiling at certain scenes, tearing up, and swooning (for Eli).
Dessen has a fabulous gift of developing stories that draw readers in. Much like Auden, I anticipated the nights she and Eli spent together making memories that Auden lacked during her rushed childhood. I also found myself very annoyed with Auden's parents. They both rubbed me the wrong way, and though they may have redeemed themselves slightly by the end, Dessen did an excellent job of portraying the uncaring parents in her story.
If you're looking for a good read to start off your summer, this one would be a good one to start with. Though it was not my favourite novel of hers (some parts of the story did bore me a bit), Sarah Dessen is a great storyteller nevertheless, and you would not be disappointed with experiencing Auden's story.
Happy reading!
~SARINA
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