Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Penguin
Year published: 2004
How I got this book: I read Someone Like you by Sarah, and really liked it so I wanted to read another book by her
Why I read this book: Same as above
My rating: 4 stars
Goodreads synopsis:
A long, hot summer...That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evening will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.
But sometimes, unexpected things can happen - things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder. Is it really better to be safe than sorry?
My thoughts:
I was a little unsure when I started this because I hadn't read contemporary in a long time, but immediately liked it when I got into it. I worried about how much focus there would be on romance in this book, and was pleasantly surprised. The focus was on Macy as a person, and how she matured over the summer, and not just about her having feelings for a boy.
The characters in this book were wonderful, and I liked them all. Macy's mother annoyed me at times, but I felt so invested in them that I didn't mind. All of the characters were so developed, and it was clear that even though we didn't get to read the backstory of them all, Dessen knew about it and had it all planned out.
I realized that about halfway into the book I started to really care bout Macy, and I kept giving her advice in my head and wishing that she would listen to me. Normally, I don't get that invested with characters when it's a stand alone, because I don't spent that much time with them, but this book was so amazing. And while something really tragic happened in this book, it wasn't depressing and sad to read. I've read too many books that are sad and depressing through and through, and it was nice that this book wasn't like that.
I found the plot in this book to be very realistic, and the characters as well. The dialogues didn't seem unnatural - as they do one too many times - and the relationship between the characters also developed realistically.
As a whole, I really liked this book and I would definitely recommend it to people, especially people around my age. There were many times that I could see myself in Macy. And yesterday I was actually only a little over halfway through it when I went to bed, but I didn't want to stop reading it and told myself "Okay, just one more chapter" and before I knew it, it was 1 AM and I had school the next day. But at least I finished it.
Have you read The Truth About Forever, or any other books by Sarah Dessen? If so, which do you recommend?
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