Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: (Originally Published 11 May 2004),
this edition: 1 May 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0141322926
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about, the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it
My Review
I have never read a Sarah Desssen book before, I had seen her books on the shelves a lot and had even stopped to look at the back a few times but never taken one home. I've seen a lot of bloggers and readers in the library raving about her, but for some reason I never went for it.
A couple of weeks ago however I found a Youtube video by my favourite Video reviewer 'CassJayTuck' and she was singing Dessen's praises, the next day at the library I had a Book Group Meeting with my Teen group, I picked a random book of the shelves for each of them to read, one I thought they would like. To make it fair I let them pick one for me and since I had asked one of my readers which Dessen book I should start with they were nice and I ended up with this one.
Actual Review starts here:-----
I had to finish all my books for Book Day first so this got put back, I started to read it last weekend but then had a review book come in so had to put it down, but over the past week I found my mind kept wandering back to this one. I picked it up this evening with the intent of reading for about an hour, in the end I read for 2 and a quarter hours and finished the whole book. I just didn't want to put it down.
Macy is keeping secrets, from everyone around her, they aren't earth shattering secrets, but important to her. Her dad died 18 months ago and so far Macy has held all her feelings inside her, if anyone asks how she is she responds with an automatic answer of 'I'm fine, just fine." this keeps the questions away and keeps her from looking to closely. Her boyfriend is all about being practical, emotions are pretty much an alien concept to him, if it doesn't achieve something or help him reach his goals then it isn't relevant, at first this suits Macy fine, it saves her having to talk about her past, but now she is starting to think that there should be something more. But once something has been kept inside for so long, it's hard to get out.
I immediately liked Macy as a character, she looks strong on the outside, coping well with everything, but inside she is falling apart, I like characters with a bit of depth and she certainly is. As Macy's story unfolds, I felt like a friend, someone she was telling everything to, I felt like I was there, cheering her on, letting her know everything would be ok. The emotion in this book is quite powerful, I really felt connected to her and could feel her pain.
Kristy is a great character, full of life, not afraid to live a little but very calming at the same time. She has a great sense of loyalty and will stick up for her friends. She is like a breath of fresh air for Macy, although she has her own problems, she has learnt to face up to them and wants to help Macy do the same thing.
Wes is the heart-throb in the book, the mysterious friend, already taken so out of bounds, besides Macy has a boyfriend or had, it's complicated as they say. :D I loved watching the two develop and get to know each other. There scenes were so honest and open but also open. They seemed to just fit together, perfect for each other. Very often this sort of thing will annoy me, the couple trying to be together when you know they can't be, but here, I didn't mind it, in fact I was cheering for them and it was so well done I really enjoyed watching it grow.
They get to know each other and combat their pasts by playing "Truths" with each other. I think all relationships would be better if they could start and continue on with this principle. Maybe I should try it. :P
This story doesn't have action or adventure, or great battles or magical creatures, but it doesn't need any of that stuff. It's packed with pure discovery and emotion and full of heart. I absolutely loved this book, something about it just called out to me and touched me. I will definitely be reading other books by Sarah Dessen.
My Rating
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