Along For the Ride

Ten teen novels are currently at the top of my reading list, as I prepare for "Books for the Beast" a discussion on young adult literature held at Margaret Edwards Day Roland Park School in Baltimore, Maryland. This discussion is attended by librarians, teens, and the authors of the books. It's on Saturday, October 22. I'm really looking forward to it!

The first book that I have read is Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen. Auden, our heroine, truly seems to be "along for the ride" in her own life instead of in control of it. If you're familiar with the Volkswagen commercial .... "There are passengers in life and then there are drivers." Well, Auden is a passenger. She has spent her life studying and her brother, Hollis, has spent his life traveling. Auden suffers from insomnia.

One summer, she decides to visit her father, her stepmother Heidi, and her stepsister, Thisbe. That's when everything in her life changes. She meets Eli, a handsome mysterious boy with his own secret. Auden and Eli decide to go on a "quest" in search of Auden's lost childhood. Auden learns how to ride a bike and sees her self-absorbed father as he really is - both good and bad. This is a beautiful coming of age story that was a delight to read.

Girls in White Dresses

I absolutely loved this book! While I read this book, I was also reliving my twenties at the same time. Jennifer Close does a great job of capturing the experience. If you've ever lived on your own and/or kissed a lot of frogs, then this is the book for you.

The book follows the lives of three main characters, Isabella, Mary, and Lauren. The books starts when all of the main characters are in their twenties and trying to make sense of their lives, as well as trying to figure out what they will do when they "grow up." While they are living in New York City, they experience first jobs, dead end jobs, and deadbeat boyfriends. Throughout the course of the book, all of the characters make progress in both their careers and love lives. But this book doesn't have a happily ever after ending for all of the characters. The end of the book is not wrapped up in a neat little bow. This book is more like nonfiction and true to real life. There really isn't a plot per se, you are reading about the characters' lives and experiences. If you can relate to the characters (and oh boy could I!) this will be enough for you. But if you can't relate to them, it probably won't be enough.

Sometimes I felt like there were too many characters and too many stories and it was hard to keep track of all of the details. That is my only complaint about the book.

This is a book that you will either love or hate. I hope you love it as much as I did!