Book Thoughts: Along for the Ride

“What defines you isn't how many times you crash but the number of times you get back.”

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It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect. -Goodreads summary

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Along for the ride is my third Sarah Dessen novel (I’ve read This Lullaby and Lock & Key, which I have yet to write a review.).  And upon reading it, I became an absolute Dessen fan.  She is definitely one of my favorite YA authors to date and along for the ride my favorite amongst her novel I have read so far.

Auden is the loner type who acts like an all-grown-up girl and is all too focused on her studies.  She’s never had a childhood as normal kids had, she didn’t have much of a social life and she rarely sleeps at night.

What happened to Auden is so endearing to read: the way she learned to make friends, have fun and let loose. I especially loved those Auden-Eli nights.  They felt so comfortable around each other.  I liked how their relationship progressed and how they helped each other grow, together. I also enjoyed her moments with Maggie, Esther, and Leah.

The thing I really like about Sarah Dessen’s novel is the way the different relationships in her story develop. I enjoyed how Auden gradually became friends with her co-workers and with Eli and how her relationship with her father, her stepmom, and her mother grew.  Also, the characterization is great. It doesn’t just focus on the main characters; all the other individuals have their own personalities and stories to share. 

Reading this novel made me wanna dive into all the other Dessen novels I haven’t read. Along for the ride is on my favorite YA books list, definitely 5 stars.

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My Along for the Ride Playlist:

• Brighter at Night - Ash Koley
• "What do we do when the sun comes down? When all that we do. We do when it's brighter at night."
• Gift of a Friend - Demi Lovato
• "You'll change inside when you realize. The world comes to life and everything's bright... when you have a friend by your side."
• Two Worlds Collide - Demi Lovato
• "You have your dreams, I have mine. You have your fears, I was fine. Showed me what I couldn't find. When two different worlds collide."