Behind the Stacks: Author's Spotlight: Sarah Desson Part 2

Sarah Desson has written a total of 11 novels and I'm about to review most of them (click here if you want to see my review on her novels Dreamland and Someone Like You ) My reviews are a little different in that they will probably spoil some plot twists so if you would rather be surprised I suggest reading only the "Read This Book If" which is basically a list of whom I recommend the book too (Note: I recommend all of the books in this post for everyone but especially those I have listed)

These books I am about to review are the ones that follow what I have dubbed "Desson's formula" which is  girl's life is missing something, girl meets boy, girls life improves, girl and boy have a falling out/ misunderstanding, girl's life gets worse, girl reconciles with boy and everything turns out okay. Yet every book has different set of characters, a different internal struggle, a different set of problems as I've outlined in the review below.

Keeping the Moon

15 year old Colie goes to stay in Colby, North Carolina to stay with her aunt while her mom heads off to Europe to promote her exercise program. She arrives with a lip piercing, a botched hair job and a major attitude from being picked on at a time when she was once overweight. She gets a job working at Last Chance with the help of two coworkers Morgan and Isabel and gets to know her Aunt Mira better. Cliche though it may sound (and it does get cliche in some spots) she comes to feel comfortable in her own body- and even meets a cute boy along the way. 
Why I Recommend This Book: I had to reread this book twice to appreciate how good it was because at   first read it only seemed (how can I put this gently?) mediocre and full of cliches. A second reading reveals nuances in the characterization and the dialogue that might have been missed the first time around. Honestly, I  only recommend this book to hard-core Desson fans. If you were to pick one novel to read by her, I would not choose this one.
Read This Book If:

• You're tired of being the victim
• You want (or need) an attitude adjustment
• You don't like what you see in the mirror

                                                              Just Listen

Annabel Greene used to be one of the most popular girls at her high school. That all changes however when she is sexually assaulted by her best friend’s boyfriend, Will . When her best friend (Sophie) discovers Annabel in a compromising position with Will, Sophie ostracizes Annabel and Annabel becomes a loner. At home the Greene family is busy dealing with the eating disorder of Annabel’s older sister, Whitney so no one notices Annabel’s fall from grace. Annabel sticks to herself at school, avoiding all contact with her old friends including her other best friend Emily, until she is befriended by fellow loner Owen Armstrong. The two of them begin spending time together. Owen starts teaching Annabel about honesty and Annabel starts to realize how her silence might be hurting other people. When Emily is also sexually assaulted by Will, she goes to the police and asks Annabel to testify for the prosecution, With Owen’s help, Annabel is able to tell the court, her family and the rest of the world what really happened.

Why I Recommend This Book: This is another book that had a personal connection with me. It was the first Desson book I ever read and when I reread it I cried. Because I had something similar happen to me and I felt like this book was talking to me, telling me I was not alone. I find this to be the most powerful of Desson's novels but that is only because of my past experiences. Everyone has a book they can connect to and for me it was this one.

Read This Book If:  

• You were ever a victim of sexual assault or abuse
• You're a loner
• You're ashamed of your past
• You love music

This Lullaby

Remy is spending the summer after graduating high school watching her mother marry her fifth husband. And as usual she plans the wedding. Remy just wants to enjoy the time with her friends and leave with no strings attached. Enter Dexter, a musician like Remy's dad once was. He gives Remy what she has always been afraid to have: a real relationship. 

Why I Recommend This Book: This book was a lot of fun to read. Remy and the banter she has with her friends is so entertaining- I know every girl wishes she could find a solid group like that. Dexter and his band add a lighthearted element to the story that is contrasted by Remy's fear of commitment as a result of her mother's many failed marriages. Desson actually said herself that this was her favorite book so if you want to dive into her novels this would be a nice book to take the plunge.
Read This Book If:

• You have many short term relationships
• You don't believe that love can last or you don't think it exists
• You want to read something more on the lighthearted end of Dessen's spectrum

Lock and Key

Ruby goes to stay with her sister Cora and her husband after she is found to have been abandoned by her mother. Suddenly she trades in a cockroach infested house for one with a fish pond in the yard and a drug ridden public school for an elite private one. Not only that but she's become good friends with her neighbor, Nate. Preppy, smart, athletic..and mysterious. Could it be that there is alot more to Nate's life than meets the eye?                                                                                                                                                     Why I Recommend This Book: This book deals with the heartbreaking issue of child abuse. As with all her other books, Desson manages to write about a sensitive topic in a realistic, powerful way. I particularly like the contrast between Ruby's two different "worlds" as well as the relationship between Ruby and Cora which I think is the core relationship of the novel (even more so than the relationship between Ruby and Nate) The book also explores the question of forgiveness. How can we forgive someone who has damaged us emotionally and/or physically? And should we even want to?                                                                     Read This Book:

• You have been a victim of abuse or know someone who has been a victim of abuse
• You've recently had a dramatic life change
• You're angry at the world

The Truth About Forever

Macy has a simple goal: perfection. She wants to be perfect for her boyfriend, Jason, classic overachiever in almost every area. She wants to be perfect for her mom, who is a workaholic completely dedicated to her job in real estate. She wants to be perfect so she can forget the death of her father several years before. However, the summer starts off on a not-so-perfect note when Jason leaves for camp, and Macy takes a position at the library information desk which is tedious and lonely.  But then Macy takes a second job at a catering company where she meets fun loving Kristy, "monotone" Monica, handsome Wes and eccentric Bert. With their help, Macy learns much more than serving hors d'oeuvres and balancing cheese platters. She learns that perfection is not only impossible, but that sometimes imperfection is a lot more fun. 
Why I Recommend This Book: It has some great characters (all of Desson's books make me want to go out and get a job just to see if I could meet people as cool as this) but more importantly it has a theme alot of  girls can relate to. Perfection. Whether it's the highest score on the SATS or an immaculate string of A's on our report cards, we work ourselves to the bone striving for the impossible. This book serves as a gentle reminder that we can't be perfect- and we don't have to be. 
Read This Book If:

• You are out of touch with your own emotions
• You find it difficult to express your feelings
• You have lost a parent or someone close to you
• You put alot of pressure on yourself
• You feel like you need to be perfect

Along for the Ride

Auden, tired of the disparaging comments from her overly critical mother, decides to pack her bags and stay with her dad, her step mom and her new baby step-sister. A new place, a new social scene, a chance to reinvent herself. With the help of some coworkers (what would summer be without a job?) and a mysterious boy named Eli, she begins to loosen up and engage in activities that she never had a chance to enjoy (like riding a bike) As she witnesses, her father make the same mistakes in his second marriage, Auden also comes to terms with her parent's divorce and accepts that it was not her fault.

Why I Recommend This Book: Auden suffers from what I call the "little adult" syndrome which basically means she never had all that much of a childhood. While watching Auden discover what it truly means to be a kid (or in this case a teenager) the reader learns that it's never too late to break out of our boxes and try new things.
Read This Book If:

• You blame yourself for your parents divorce (or your parent's disagreements)
• You suffer from "little adult" syndrome
• You want to make a fresh start

What Happened to Goodbye?

16 year old McLean isn't sure who she is. The preppy, the goth, the cheerleader- these are all personalities she has donned before at past schools. And each time she has left without so much as a goodbye. But this time around McLean decides to be the one person she hasn't been in a long time: herself.  When her dad gets transferred to Hawaii, will she hold on to the friendships that she's made? Or will she flee without so much as a goodbye?

Why I Recommend This Book: Whereas a lot of Desseo's books deal with traumatic issues (abuse, rape, death) this book, the primary issues of this book is something every teenager can relate to. Nothing like a good ole' identity crisis.

Read This Book If:

• You have no clue who you are (pretty much every teenager)

Quick Note: I haven't reviewed Desson's latest book (The Moon and More) because I haven't read it yet. It's actually sitting on my dresser waiting to go. I'm going to review it in the next batch of books I cover (Recent Young Adult Fiction)

I think I've spent longer on this post than any of them so far. And that's okay. Because Sarah Desson is one of the authors who inspires me to keep writing. And not just to keep writing but also to keep going in general. And that's why I shone the spotlight on her in this special post. Leave a comment if you liked this post and please check in for future posts.