Aimee

I read a few reviews before picking up this book. There seemed to have been quite a few mixed ones out there. Some didn't like it, it didn't hold the same Dessen story that people were used to. But I have to disagree with this. From what I have read so far from this amazing writer is that she takes real issues and writes about them. Not so much sunshine, rainbows and rubber duckies as writing about hard issues.

Writing about a girl with a flaky mom who spends her time moving around so much and trying to take care of her flighty mom. And then having to deal with the fact that her mom just up and left. No word, no goodbye. Just left. The story of Cora and Ruby was another fantastic show of writing. It seems they were both affected by the actions of their mother. Both learn to overcome it and it is beautiful.

Dessen has a way of throwing her characters into a situation totally opposite of where they come from. In this instance, she throws Ruby in with Jamie, Cora's husband. Who had a great childhood, a large family and where people didn't run away but instead talked through what was bothering them.

I'm convinced that Sarah Dessen is a true master of the pen. Or keyboard. However you want to think about it.