Along for the Ride

by Sarah Dessen

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Along for the Ride is a captivating young adult novel from New York Times Number One bestseller Sarah Dessen, about learning to let go and enjoy life.

Auden has always felt like the odd one out.

Since her parents' divorce she's shied away, studying lots and staying out of the party scene.

But now Auden's realized there must be something more and, just like that, she changes everything. Moving to her dad's house opens up a whole new whole of beach parties, food fights - and simply having fun.

As she gets to know herself - and a secretive boy with dark, brooding eyes - can Auden begin to let go and finally feel like she truly belongs?

Acclaim for Sarah Dessen:

'Unputdownable' MIZZ

'A poignant coming-of-age story' Big Issue

'A compelling story and beautifully written' Time Out

Sarah Dessen is the author of six stunning teen novels: Just Listen, The Truth about Forever, Lock and Key, That Summer and What Happened to Goodbye. She lives in the countryside in North Carolina with her daughter, husband, some lizards and two very spoilt dogs - read her once and fall in love.

• ISBN10: 0141327480
• ISBN13: 9780141327488
• Publish Date: 4 February 2010 (first published 16 June 2009)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[Bianca]

You couldn't just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn't like a light switch, easy to shut on or off. If you were in, you were in. Out, you were out.

[pagingserenity]

I really liked the story Along for the Ride has to tell. It is so much more than just a cutesy romance novel. It’s full other themes like family, friendship, and identity. I loved the relatable characters along with the character development. And the romance was super cute and well done! Still, I want more!

[mary]

Though I do enjoy YA novels, I tend to shy away from YA contemporary. I know, but surprisingly a long time ago I did read a majority of Sarah Dessen's novels. This one I never got around to though.

This is a typical romance plot which is sort of given away by the light and airy cover. So I would have been disappointed with anything else.

For the most part, I liked Auden. I related to her. Though not to the same degree. I am also sometimes baffled by "girl things" - vapid chattering about boys, details regarding makeup, hair, nail polish, or clothes, and certain social conventions regarding other people.

There are just some things I didn't understand about Auden, especially surrounding those events that occur in the beginning of the book (don't want any spoilers). Mostly her actions seemed so contradictory to her character. So I was confused.

Also I would like a contemporary book where being completely stupid and illegal isn't advocated... I understand it's realistic but it sort of makes a point of how geeky teens do not participate in such activities, which isn't always the case. Sorry I just don't enjoy that aspect of most contemporary YA.

Mostly I was just irritated with the main character. Frustrated with her decisions. But I do recognize that dysfunction is really hard to see from within the dysfunctional unit, but I still feel like it took Auden forever to realize that her family is seriously screwed up.

It may seem like I'm being awfully harsh on this book, but that's only because of my tastes and expectations. I do enjoy more fantasy/dystopian novels when it comes to YA literature. I enjoy more exciting, complex characters, and try to avoid most cliches.

This is not Sarah Dessen's best contemporary romance novel.
But it was good. It was light. It was fluffy. It deserves to stay on the summer reading list, but may not be the first Dessen book I recommend to others

[Sam@WLABB]

I am not going to lie, this one left me warm and fuzzy. I am a sucker for a good coming-of-age-self-realization story. I really appreciate the last chapter. Thank you, Sarah Dessen.

Auden is determined to spend the summer before she goes to college differently than her previous summers. So, she accepts an invitation to spend the summer with her father, step-mother and new-born sister at the beach. What she found, was waaaay more than she expected. This is a story of second chances and do-overs for many of the characters involved. It is about taking risks and falling, but getting back up. It is about challenging ideas that have been ingrained in you for so long and believing that people can change.

In a word -- delightful!

[lizarodz]

I loved this book! I have never read a book by Sarah Dessen that I didn't like. Her stories are always bitter sweet, but for the most part they have a happy ending. I loved both Auden and Eli and of course all the secondary characters. I liked that Auden was open to friendship and love, to change and to learn in one short summer that she was missing a lot by isolating herself from others. The characters were flawed and perfect at the same time. I'm eagerly waiting for her next book!

[Joni Reads]

Good old Sarah Dessen. Have I mentioned how much I love her books? Well for those new to the blog, let me just tell you that you will never hear me say one bad thing about Sarah Dessen. She is amazing and I dread the day when she retires from writing. She has such unique concepts in her books and Along for the Ride is an amazing example of that fact.
Auden, our main character, is an insomniac. Ever since she was little and before her parent’s divorce she would lay awake and hear her parents fighting late into the night. Even after the divorce staying up was a habit she just could not break. Now 16, she has a nightly routine set up, driving around, all night diners, the works. Her mom has always treated Auden as an adult and never much cared what she did as long as she stayed out of trouble. But Auden is stuck in a rut. Then comes an email from her stepmom who invited Auden to visit her dad for the summer and spend time with her newborn little sister, Thisby. On a whim, Auden agrees to go.
When she arrives at her dad's she finds her stepmom completely overwhelmed with colicy Thisby who never seems to stop crying and finds her dad holed up in his study writing the same novel he has been working on for years. To escape the madness Auden agrees to become her streomom’s unofficial accountant for her clothing boutique on the beach. But being in a different town doesn't stop Auden's insomniatic tendencies. On her nightly adventures she meets Eli, fellow insomniac who shows her how to do the nighttime right. From secret pie shops to shopping for anything and everything at the 24 hour superstore. But Eli is a mystery unto himself and when Auden learns that he suffered a tragic loss and doesn't talk to anyone in town but her she's unsure how to react. A great love story of where the characters don't realize they are in love till the very end.