Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride by: Sarah Dessen
Published: June 11,2009 by Viking Juvenile

Summary: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Review: Auden's dad and mother separated when she was little but that still doesn't hide the fact that she heard the fights they had in her mind. Thanks to those fights she stays up all night and sleeps during the day. The summer before her college year she must go down to Colby, the new town her father,her new step-mother and sister live. Colby changes Auden's schedule of studying and essays and gives her a new way of life.

This was my second Sarah Dessen book and I was thinking this is going ...more Auden's dad and mother separated when she was little but that still doesn't hide the fact that she heard the fights they had in her mind. Thanks to those fights she stays up all night and sleeps during the day. The summer before her college year she must go down to Colby, the new town her father,her new step-mother and sister live. Colby changes Auden's schedule of studying and essays and gives her a new way of life.

This was my second Sarah Dessen book and I was thinking this is going to be my 5 star book of the year for me but instead it fell a bit short. While I still loved this book and thought it was awesome I had a few problems with it.

One thing I could not stand about this book were Auden's parents. I don't think I could live if I had Auden's parents. Her mom was a cougar and kinda a bitch. Toward the ending though I did start liking the mom a bit more. Her dad was just a big douche really, any scene with him I could not stand.

I really liked Auden, sure I got a bit annoyed with her for being so judge-mental about people like her step-mother and her co-workers. Speaking of her co-workers, I really liked Maggie,Leah and Esther. I thought they nice and sometimes made me laugh out loud. I also really liked Adam and Eli (Eli was so swoon worthy!)

I thought Along for the Ride moved along a bit slowly at first but then it became fast and very hard to put down. I really did like this book. I always liked Sarah Dessen and I still do. Her writing is amazing and her characters felt so real. I know I'll be picking up more from her!

4 stars