Book: Along for the Ride

Out of all the books Sarah Dessan has wrote, there hasn’t been one that has pulled me as much as this. Dessen’s knowledge of life and love and how she puts it into words, as well as the characters she creates, are all things she carries from book to book.

            Auden has never failed, at anything. Guided by the forced love, and natural wisdom and intelligence of her mother, Auden was molded into the “perfect teenager”. When Auden goes to her father’s house for the summer to visit him, his new wife and their baby, she begins to change. She meets Eli, a loner, a broken and fallen socialite. As she learns more about this mysterious and interesting boy, she begins to realize the things that she’s been missing. She realizes that she’s failed the social aspect of her life. She has never had a childhood because she was taught that it was inconsequential. But now, as Eli helps her on her “quest” to do the things that normal teenagers do, like riding a bike and bowling, she finds a fondness and peacefulness with Eli. Will she succeed in her quest?

            This is my favorite book by Sarah Dessen, she creates a relatable character for people like Auden and unlike her. I recommend to the young as well as old. I enjoyed this book very much.