Along for the Ride

Title: Along for the Ride

Author: Sarah Dessen

Pages: 383

Rating: *****

Summary (from Goodreads): When Auden impulsively goes to stay with her father, stepmother, and new baby sister the summer before she starts college, all the trauma of her parents' divorce is revived, even as she is making new friends and having new experiences such as learning to ride a bike and dating.

Review: I am a huge, huge, huge Sarah Dessen fan. I love all of her books, and Along for the Ride is no different. I can relate somewhat to Auden's focus on school, but I know nothing of her social awkwardness. However, Sarah Dessen makes it relatable and believable. I enjoyed Auden's narration and I loved Heidi, Maggie, and Eli. Maggie was the perfect girlfriend. Colby is the perfect vacation town.

This is Auden's summer away. I wish every summer that I could go somewhere and have everything change, which is exactly what happens for Auden. She decides at the last minute to go stay with her father and stepmother for the summer, and her whole life turns upside down. She makes friends, and she has to finally step away from her mother's expectations of her. The one thing that doesn't change is her insomnia. It was very interesting to hear about the "night life"--I myself have only pulled four all-nighters. I really enjoyed how Sarah ended the book, but I won't go into detail for obvious reasons.

Sarah's writing was superb, the characters were people I wish I had in my life, and the plot was interesting and never dulled. My favorite thing about Sarah Dessen's books is how she makes it more than a love story--it isn't run of the mill chick lit. She makes it about something bigger, something deeper. She makes it seem as if this is just a normal girl's life--she's simply documenting it. Sarah Dessen=my idol.

I read this book when it first came out last June, but I just finished the audiobook. The quality of the audiobook is probably a 3.5. There were some gaps that didn't belong, but I liked the reader.

Recommended for: anyone who dreams for a summer that changes everyone; anyone who was robbed of a childhood; anyone! middle/high school age+

Now I must get back to the Olympics! Who else is addicted to them?