Review: Saint Anything - Sarah Dessen

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen, published by Penguin on 5th May 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
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.

Review:
I was incredibly excited to hear about a new Sarah Dessen book.  I'm a big fan of hers and associate her with stories about summer, growing-up and relationship dramas.  'Saint Anything' ticked two out of three of those boxes.  This definitely wasn't my favourite Dessen novel, I think partly because of the characters and partly the storyline itself, but it was still pretty great and dealt with some powerful subjects. 

The book starts with the main character Sydney recounting the story of what happened to her older brother Peyton.  There's a lot of hero-worship mixed in with new feelings which have surfaced in relation to his behaviour.  I could empathise with the situation she felt in and the fact that she believed herself invisible to her parents.  They were consumed with trying to help her brother and make sense of his situation and Sydney feels pushed to the side-lines.  There's no doubt that she loves Peyton but she understandably also experiences a sense of guilt about the anger she has towards him.  The brother-sister bond is one which Dessen explores a lot in this novel and that was one of my favourite elements of the book. 

When Sydney starts at a new school, she meets Layla and her brother Mac.  Being part of their group, helps Sydney to understand where she fits in and their friendship is the catalyst for her finally starting to get her own life together.  I particularly liked Layla, especially the way she takes Sydney under her wing and the way she freely offers her hand in friendship without any strings attached.  For some reason and I can't quite put my finger on why, I wasn't as keen on Mac which is a shame because normally I love the male protagonists in Sarah Dessen's books.  He had lots of great qualities but I just didn't fall in love with him.       
A lot of heavy and serious themes are touched upon in 'Saint Anything' and I thought that these were all explored in such a way as to really make the reader think about what they would do in the same situations.  There are no right or wrong answers but it came across that everyone has to do what they personally feel is right, rather than trying to conform to what someone else thinks they should do or how they should act.

Sarah Dessen's books always feature stand-out writing and this was no exception but I found the pace a little slow at times and the romance felt a bit flat.  I would still recommend giving this one a go but there are other titles by her that I personally have enjoyed more. 

Review: The Moon and More - Sarah Dessen

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen, published by Penguin on 4th June 2013 

Goodreads synopsis:
Emaline is spending her last summer before college in her home beach town of Colby. Everything is familiar - from working for her bossy sister Margo at the family rental company to Emaline's gorgeous (and regularly shirtless) childhood sweetheart, Luke.

But when an out-of-town brash New York filmmaker, and her young assistant Theo, come to stay at one of the beach houses, everything Emaline thought she knew about herself changes.

But can her heart let go of a life she's loved for so long?

Review:
My immediate thought while I was reading 'The Moon and More' is that I want to live in a beach town like Colby.  There's a huge appeal to a place where everyone knows each other, the sea is right on the doorstep and where the tourists may go home at the end of the summer but the year round residents remain to enjoy peace and tranquillity.  I adored the setting for this book, which also features in several of Sarah Dessen's other novels and I loved the laid-back vibe that Colby has.  There's a real sense of comradeship among the people who live in the town.   

The story revolves around the main character Emaline, who has grown-up in Colby and is now anticipating the next phase of her life after graduation.  She is spending her last summer helping out with her family's business, as well as contemplating going to college and leaving everything she knows so well behind.  She came across as extremely likable and the kind of person who is a good friend, daughter and sister. 

There's a big emphasis in the book on Emaline's broken relationship with her biological father, who she interacts with mainly via email.  They don't seem to understand each other very well and they find it hard to communicate.  I enjoyed the family aspect and really liked the sweet scenes between Emaline and her younger half-brother Benji who is so cute.

I would have liked to have seen more romance throughout the story and this was a little bit of a let-down.  I instantly adored Emaline's boyfriend Luke, who seemed lovely but I wanted to see much more of him and a lot less of Theo who I never really warmed to.  Luke isn't perfect but he genuinely cares about Emaline and they share a long history which I would have enjoyed hearing more about.   

'The Moon and More' is a great summery beach read about learning who you are and embracing change.  Fans of Sarah Dessen will, I'm sure, love this new addition and will want to pick up a copy and head to the beach, to dig their toes into the sand and burrow their head into the pages of this book.        

Review: What Happened to Goodbye - Sarah Dessen

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen, published by Puffin on 2nd June 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
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?

Review:
I have a confession to make.  I've never actually read anything by Sarah Dessen before.  I have several of her books on my shelves and I've read wonderful reviews of many of them but I've just never gotten around to picking one up and reading it...until now.  I'm immediately lamenting the fact that I waited so long to discover what I have a feeling may turn out to be my new favourite author!

There are many things which I've heard are characteristic of a Sarah Dessen novel.  For starters, a realistic and relatable storyline.  Check.  Like the main character Mclean, I've often thought how perfect it would be to be able to shed one personality and create a whole new identity, enabling you to become anyone you want to be.  However, as she soon begins to learn, we are who we are and our mistakes and experiences help to form us.  It's impossible to try to be someone you're not and actually who you are may not be so bad after all.  They're also described as having incredibly well written and quirky characters.  Check.  From Mclean, to new friend Deb, to boy-next-door Dave and Mclean's food obsessive father, there were so many fantastic characters to read about.  I absolutely adored Deb who has so many hidden layers and really just needs someone to extend a hand of friendship to her.  As she gradually opens up more about herself, the real Deb gets a chance to shine.  The only thing I would have liked to have read more about, is Deb's family and her past.  I felt this could have been explored in a little more depth.  Lastly, I've heard that Dessen's books are ones that will tug at your heartstrings.  Check.  I have to admit that I did get rather teary at one point. 

Basically, they have it all, which is why Sarah Dessen is such an incredibly popular author. 

Dessen's tenth novel centres on Mclean Sweet, who lives with her father after her parents' divorce.  Her father's job means that they're continually moving around and uprooting and each time they do Mclean adopts a new identity.  She's been Beth, Eliza and Lizbeth but when she arrives in Lakeview, something tells her that it may finally be time just to try being herself.  As Mclean begins to learn about who she really is and where she belongs, she also has to confront the damage done to her by her parents' divorce and contemplate putting down roots in a town where she soon has many friends and even the possibility of a romance with next-door-neighbour Dave.

Dessen writes realistic teen fiction to a tee.  I loved the fact that everything about this book felt real and relatable.  I particularly liked the way Mclean's relationship with her father was depicted, as I haven't read many books which focus on the father-daughter bond.  Mclean has stuck by her father's side to the detriment of her relationship with her mother which has gradually fallen apart, but I enjoyed seeing the way in which she eventually does start to mend things with her mother and tear down many of the obstacles which have come between the two of them.

I also liked the fact that the friendship between Mclean and Dave was not your stereotypical teen romance.  Dave's quite an unusual character but he is one of the few people who sees Mclean for who she really is and is instrumental in her overcoming many of the issues which she's dealing with.

If like me you've never read a Sarah Dessen novel before then I implore you not to wait a minute longer.  Go and pick one up now!  You won't regret it!  And if you're already a fan of this wonderful author, then rest assured that she won't let you down.  'What Happened to Goodbye' is sure to become another firm favourite and share a spot in your Dessen collection.