#95- This Lullaby By Sarah Dessen

#95- This Lullaby

Rating-8/10

After re-reading the Sarah Dessen book The Truth About Forever earlier this week I was inspired to re-read all of her other books on the list (she has four on the list, and several others that I think should be on there... not the point though) so I chose this one and read it all in one night, thats my favorite part about her books, they are typically between 200-300 pages and a really easy read.

This Lullaby is about a girl named Remy, her three best friends; Chloe, Lissa, and Jess, and the adventures that they have the summer after graduation. Remy likes to call this period, the in-between period, and the goal of this period is to have as much fun as possible, while having no boyfriend to tie her down. She sets out on the day of graduation to end things with her short-term boyfriend. She figures that since school is starting in the fall and she will be moving to CA to go to Stanford anyways that she might as well have her fun during this summer. As she goes to break up with him, she finds out that he had been cheating on her. Not a huge surprise since Remy doesnt really believe in love anyways. Her mother, world famous romance novelist Barbara Starr, was already divorced from her father by the time she was pregnant. Her father was a musician, who on the day of her birth, wrote his one hit wonder, 'This Lullaby'. He died two years later, leaving Remy with only bitter feelings and the song that became his namesake.

As with all Sarah Dessen books (which i'm totally a sucker for) the main character is likely to change her ways when a mysterious stranger shows up for the summer and wants to know the girl behind the facade. This novel, Remy meets a boy named Dexter, he is clumsy, gangly, and lead singer of a band. Someone that Remy would never go for, he doesnt follow her six week date and dump script. But Dexter is relentless, and he makes this one summer that Remy and her friends are sure to remember forever.

I wouldn't say that this is my favorite of all of the Dessen books, I dont personally connect with the character as much as others and because of this while it was a great story, I didnt feel moved or affected when it was over. Just a nice distraction and a good read. That being said, its still totally worth reading and I would suggest it to anyone who feels like a bit of romantic reading with a side of alcohol and band groupies. 

“Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there.” 

#64 The Truth About Forever By Sarah Dessen

#64- The Truth About Forever

Rating- 9/10

I have been reading Sarah Dessen books for about as long as I can remember, and having read this one a while back I decided to re-read it while on my trip this week in order to make a better review.

The Truth About Forever follows a girl named Macy and her struggle after losing her father. Macy and her father have always bonded over their shared love of running, all of hat changes when one morning he wakes her up bright and early and she turns over and is too sleepy to go as usual. About five minutes later she changes her mind, slips on her shoes and heads out the door. She never expected that when she caught up to him he would be lying on the sidewalk getting CPR from a helpful passerby. Despite the best of efforts, her father dies that day.

The book starts nearly a year and a half after that day, we are introduced to Macy's boyfriend Jason within the first chapter. Jason is perfect in every sense of the word, he is on student council, wins all of his academic debates and decathlons, maintains a perfect GPA and works part time at the library information desk. To Macy he signifies order and perfection in her world of chaos. 

That is until summer rolls around, Jason leaves for brain camp (as Macy calls it, on the packing list includes calculators and laptops so I imagine its very smart) and sends an email a week later saying that they need to take a break and see whether their futures have the same ideas. (He's a very calculated person, sending an unemotional email and freaking out because Macy told him he loved him after a year and a half of dating. Seems like a dud to me, Macy obviously doesnt feel the same way)

The night of the email Macy works for her mother at an event and meets the people that will change her life, Wish catering company. Delia, the very pregnant owner with child in tow is having an awful night, her workers are being efficient enough and shes flustered, Macy comes to the rescue and ends up working the event with them.

After that night, she somehow gets roped into working for the catering company even more, meeting Kristy; a beautiful girl whose life was almost taken in a car crash as a child, although she has scars on her face she thinks of everything in life in the most optimistic of ways. Monica; Kristy's sister who is very soft-spoken and has the nickname of monotone. Bert; Delia's nephew who believes in armagedon and the idea of crazy things. Then there is Wes; Delia's oldest nephew, after some run-ins with the law he was sent to a reform school and when he returns his spirit is changed, choosing artistic means to get his feelings out.

Working in the chaos of the catering company helps Macy come to terms with both growing up and growing over her grief. While also making new friendships and a bit of romance along the way.

I really enjoyed this book, I started it in the airport before my flight and finished it by the time I landed back in California. Only a few hours later. It was a quick easy read and I really felt the characters emotions throughout the novel. At first I was under the impression that this was the kind of book where the boyfriend goes to camp and the girl falls in love with the mysterious stranger she meets over the summer and I was pissed, in fact I almost stopped at page 37... then she got the email from Jason about the break and I immediately felt better about it. Thanks to Dessen for not being too cliche and helping people think that cheating was okay! (thats my hugest book pet peeve, love is not an excuse to cheat. sorry)

Overall this book was a treat, one that I was able to gobble up very quickly.

“It's just that...I just think that some things are meant to be broken. Imperfect. Chaotic. It's the universe's way of providing contrast, you know? There have to be a few holes in the road. It's how life is.”