Book Review: Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

Book Review: Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

Thursday, 7 September 2017

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Reading books written by Sarah Dessen is a massive part of me and my growing up process. I think I was about 14 when I first discovered Sarah’s books and since then her novels have been pivotal aspects of my summer reading list. Finding out that a new Sarah Dessen book is going to be published makes for an exciting point in my calendar and this year’s publication was, of course, absolutely no exception. 

Having pre-ordered the book months in advance, its arrival was a bit of a surprise for me. A pleasant surprise, of course, but a surprise nonetheless. I got well and truly stuck into it straight away- how could I resist after waiting so long for its release? - and I’m happy to report that once again, I was not disappointed.

First off, I’m going to start that I absolutely LOVE the entire storyline behind this book. Who doesn’t love a good wedding? A book centred around weddings and wedding planning? FAB NEWS. I love going to weddings and found the dilemmas that the characters had to deal with-runaway brother five minutes before the ceremony beginning, for one- really humorous. I also LOVED Louna’s name- a lovely and unique twist on the name we love so much from Harry Potter- and typical of Sarah Dessen’s style when choosing her characters’ names. The quirkier the better, I say.

The book was a perfect read and was everything I look for in contemporary YA fiction- it had a lovely central character that I adored from the offset, a charming man who she inevitably falls for and secondary characters that just bring the whole thing together. It was a charming, romantic and lovely story with a lot of substance. I loved the relationship formed between serious yet heartbroken Louna and the less-serious, less-romance-inclined Ambrose. I loved how Sarah dipped into the devastating story behind Louna’s heartbreak and touched on the sensitive topic in a beautiful way. I loved the cockiness of Ambrose and the deal the two of them made. The story was predictable but that’s part of the fun around a Sarah Dessen novel- everything comes together in the end and there’s a happy ending for everyone involved. I’m a sucker for a happy ending so to be honest, this is perfectly fine with me.

Sarah has a habit of making her stories be centred around life lessons and her books are always full of inspirational and thoughtful quotes that really do make you think. Once and For All is absolutely no exception to this.

An absolute must read for romance and YA readers alike.

Book Review: Saint Anything- Sarah Dessen

Book Review: Saint Anything- Sarah Dessen

Sunday, 19 July 2015

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I’ve been reading Sarah Dessen’s novels for longer than I can remember. I’ve read each and every one of them, own a number of them in a number of languages and I will always have a soft spot for everything she writes. This is quite a late review, considering I read Saint Anything the day after it was released on 5th May, but I really wanted to review this one, especially since I loved it so much. 

I read a lot of YA novels and a lot of contemporary fiction as well, so I have particularly high expectations as far as these categories are concerned. I must admit I’m ridiculously biased as far as Sarah Dessen is concerned because she is everything I aspire to be as a writer and as a human being, but I’m happy to report that once again her book has not disappointed.

In brief, Sydney, the protagonist, has lived most of her life following in the footsteps of her reckless (but perfect) older brother, Peyton. A terrible accident occurs and Peyton is imprisoned, leaving Sydney to pick up the pieces at home, all while trying to get through high school. Her brother’s recklessness has significantly restricted her own life and her friendships have ultimately suffered as a result. When she meets the Chatham family, her life starts tor return to the normality she has always craved and from there onwards everything starts to look up. I’m going to stop with my explanation of the novel here as I really don’t want to spoil it, but in true Sarah Dessen style there is romance, philosophy and a whole lot of junk food cravings (this time; pizza and fries.) 

Sarah Dessen is arguably one of the Queens of teen romance. She knows how to tell a story in the most subtle and moving ways, turning friendship into relationships with ease. I love how she manages to tie all of her novels together in subtle ways (with Mac introduced wearing an Anger Management radio station t-shirt à la Owen from my ultimate Dessen novel Just Listen). I love how easily she allows you to connect with the characters, and here it is particularly easy to find something in common with one of them, whether it be Sydney herself, or Lola with her boyfriend problems. I also love that she discusses and focuses on the importance of suffering consequences, as well as the idea that a parent will love their child no matter what! 

I thoroughly recommend this book and if you haven’t already, and I also recommend reading the rest of Sarah’s collection. She's an asset to the YA genre and I am proud to have her on my shelves. 

5/5.