'The Truth About Forever' by Sarah Dessen

So I'm a few years behind on the phenomenon that is Sarah Dessen. She is one of the most popular YA Fiction authors and has several bestsellers on the shelves of your local bookstore. I was introduced to Sarah through reading her newest work, Along for the Ride and fell in love with her writing style and her ability to create dynamic characters. I've had Dessen novels on my shelves for several years, but have only had a few of my girls pick them up to read. I haven't promoted them very well, but that trend will soon change!


I took home her 2004 hit novel, The Truth About Forever over the weekend, and couldn't stop reading it! I've yet to read a book with so many thoroughly developed and lovable characters. If you love well-crafted love stories that lack the cheese factor, then give Sarah Dessen a try. Her books involve much more than teen romance, as they are true-to-form, coming-of-age novels that any of us who have passed through the awkward (and emotional) teen years can identify with and appreciate. Here is a synopsis of the novel from Sarah Dessen's website.

Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic,insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in awhole new way, and really start living it.

I can see why The Truth About Forever is an ALA 2005 Teen's Top Ten pick and the New York Public Library Book For the Teen Age 2005 . Check it out and see for yourself!