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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Super cute, as usual, although the story kind of sputtered out at the end.
2 1/2 stars, rounding up because it is cute even though it was massively predictable. This is only my second Sarah Dessen book and I think I have her formula down already.
1 teenage girl from a broken home, 1 identity crisis, lots of bad assumptions and misunderstandings on her part
1 cute boy next door, friendship with boy next door who wants more, and eventually gets it in the end
1 small, side plot adult "friendship" that ultimately blooms into a relationship
1 slightly eccentric, high stress, over caffeinated character
at least 1 dramatic event caused by main character making said bad assumptions
and a not-super-sweet happy ending or concrete finish to the characters stories that makes you want to strangle the author
I'm hoping not all her novels are as similar in plot and character development. I pretty much had this one figured out after chapter 3. (Though, I did expect Dad to stay and help run the restaurant and not actually take the other job.)
1 teenage girl from a broken home, 1 identity crisis, lots of bad assumptions and misunderstandings on her part
1 cute boy next door, friendship with boy next door who wants more, and eventually gets it in the end
1 small, side plot adult "friendship" that ultimately blooms into a relationship
1 slightly eccentric, high stress, over caffeinated character
at least 1 dramatic event caused by main character making said bad assumptions
and a not-super-sweet happy ending or concrete finish to the characters stories that makes you want to strangle the author
I'm hoping not all her novels are as similar in plot and character development. I pretty much had this one figured out after chapter 3. (Though, I did expect Dad to stay and help run the restaurant and not actually take the other job.)
this is more of a 3.5 but sadly this site doesn't let you do half stars... (they need to fix that!)
but anyway this is the first Sarah Dessen book I've finished and it was an interesting read, its nice to relax every once in awhile with a kinda mindless contemporary book that you don't really need to put a lot of thought into and is in most cases a stand alone
that being said I enjoyed this book it not my favorite contemporary I've read while it was interesting enough to keep me reading I just could't really connect to the story or characters that much but it did have it's moments where I really felt some empathy for them but otherwise i was really indifferent to what was happening in the story
also the plot was just a little to predictable at times for my taste and I'm also not sure if I liked the ending not that it was a bad ending it was good just not sure if it's ending I wanted for that story
over all it was an enjoyable read and I may check out more of Sarah Dessen work soon
but anyway this is the first Sarah Dessen book I've finished and it was an interesting read, its nice to relax every once in awhile with a kinda mindless contemporary book that you don't really need to put a lot of thought into and is in most cases a stand alone
that being said I enjoyed this book it not my favorite contemporary I've read while it was interesting enough to keep me reading I just could't really connect to the story or characters that much but it did have it's moments where I really felt some empathy for them but otherwise i was really indifferent to what was happening in the story
also the plot was just a little to predictable at times for my taste and I'm also not sure if I liked the ending not that it was a bad ending it was good just not sure if it's ending I wanted for that story
over all it was an enjoyable read and I may check out more of Sarah Dessen work soon
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is the first time I have ever read a Sarah Dessen book. Honestly, I loved the book. The entire story builds up as you get to know the main character, McLean, pretty intimately as you are watching her grow as a person as well. I think that the overall message was inspiring, it shows change and that it’s okay to accept that.
Personally, I do wish that the ending would have been more drawn out. No spoilers, but, I feel like the whole story was laid out so clear. We were constantly seeing updates from a day to day basis and the growth in the character. However, at the end, it felt like the part that had been building up the whole book was just pushed at the very very end. Skipping some of the very important conversations and situations that I would have loved to hear about that showed where she ended up.
That being said, I would absolutely read it again. Regardless if the ending felt rushed, it was a good ending that felt hopeful and promising. Definitely would recommend especially if you are looking for growth/independence/loving yourself for who you are, even if you don’t know exactly who are yet.
Personally, I do wish that the ending would have been more drawn out. No spoilers, but, I feel like the whole story was laid out so clear. We were constantly seeing updates from a day to day basis and the growth in the character. However, at the end, it felt like the part that had been building up the whole book was just pushed at the very very end. Skipping some of the very important conversations and situations that I would have loved to hear about that showed where she ended up.
That being said, I would absolutely read it again. Regardless if the ending felt rushed, it was a good ending that felt hopeful and promising. Definitely would recommend especially if you are looking for growth/independence/loving yourself for who you are, even if you don’t know exactly who are yet.
Oh my god when I realized Jason was *Jason* I was like OMG. Actually I kind of swore but we won't get into that.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As far as I can tell Sarah Dessen doesn't have a bad book in her. Sure I like some better then others, but there isn't one I'd call a dud. No surprise that I enjoyed her newest.
McLean Sweet's family fell apart and she's still trying to recover her footing. Her parent's divorce left her angry with her mother and protective of her dad. She wants to escape her mother and her hometown, so McLean goes on the road with her dad. He is a consultant brought in to save (or sometimes close) failing restaurants. Because of his job, McLean has lived in 3 towns, going on a 4th, in 2 years. In each new place McLean reinvents herself. In one town she is Liz Sweet, another she is Eliza and she's even been a Lizbet. Now with her arrival in Lakeview she is all set to become "Beth" and re-create herself once more when a funny thing happens. She gets tagged as McLean and suddenly she has to stop and figure out who the real McLean is at this point.
Sarah Dessen has a true gift in being able to create fully-fleshed out characters and McLean and her parents are evidence of that craft. Though the story is told in the first person from McLean's point of view, each of the family members has their say (so to speak). So if McLean's mother is initially shown to be clueless about her daughter's anger (at least from McLean's frame of reference), she is much more then that. Same goes for the dad.
If there was one character who wasn't as fully drawn as the others it has to be Dave, McLean's new neighbor and potential love interest. He isn't bad, he just doesn't jump off the page in any way. He's a little absent.
But if the worst thing you can say about a Sarah Dessen book is that it doesn't quite top others she's written, then you've still got a powerful read. Dessen like Meg Cabot excels at creating strong, likable, smart, and still realistic teen heroines and I thank her for it.
McLean Sweet's family fell apart and she's still trying to recover her footing. Her parent's divorce left her angry with her mother and protective of her dad. She wants to escape her mother and her hometown, so McLean goes on the road with her dad. He is a consultant brought in to save (or sometimes close) failing restaurants. Because of his job, McLean has lived in 3 towns, going on a 4th, in 2 years. In each new place McLean reinvents herself. In one town she is Liz Sweet, another she is Eliza and she's even been a Lizbet. Now with her arrival in Lakeview she is all set to become "Beth" and re-create herself once more when a funny thing happens. She gets tagged as McLean and suddenly she has to stop and figure out who the real McLean is at this point.
Sarah Dessen has a true gift in being able to create fully-fleshed out characters and McLean and her parents are evidence of that craft. Though the story is told in the first person from McLean's point of view, each of the family members has their say (so to speak). So if McLean's mother is initially shown to be clueless about her daughter's anger (at least from McLean's frame of reference), she is much more then that. Same goes for the dad.
If there was one character who wasn't as fully drawn as the others it has to be Dave, McLean's new neighbor and potential love interest. He isn't bad, he just doesn't jump off the page in any way. He's a little absent.
But if the worst thing you can say about a Sarah Dessen book is that it doesn't quite top others she's written, then you've still got a powerful read. Dessen like Meg Cabot excels at creating strong, likable, smart, and still realistic teen heroines and I thank her for it.