The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (2008-05-01)

I really enjoyed this book. I accidently bought it and didn't have very high expectations for it. But really liked it and will probably read i again. Also, it was a very realistic story with an unexcepted twist. Completely recommend it!

No deep emotional read for me, just a cute, unrealistic, slightly sappy teenage romance. Wes prefers sharing feelings to trying to get laid and Macy has a deep respect for her mother. Lol, sorry but not very believable.

I read this book with high expectiations based on the rave reviews on this site. I was really disappointed, unfortunately. I thought the story was bland and predictable. From the minute Wes came into the picture I know how it was going to end. But the writing style is really enjoyable. It is easy to understand and very detailed so you're not left hanging. The author also does a good job sticking to the main theme of "nothing is perfect."

One of my biggest complaints was the fact that the author felt the need to describe Kristy's outfit EVERY SINGLE TIME Kristy came on to the scene. Examples given:

p. 61: "...a short, shiny black skirt, a white blouse with a plunging neck, tied at the waist, and thigh-high black boots with a thick heel."

p. 121: "white go-go boots, a pink shirt, and a short skirt."

p. 158: "..a black leather skirt and motorcycle boots paired with a loose white peasant blouse."

And about 100 other outfits that are mentioned. It gets so annoying! Not only that, but it portrays Kristy as somewhat of a slut/hooker when that's really not the case. I mean, who the heck still wears thigh-high boots?!?! (besides hookers) I feel the author makes a bad judgement for Kristy's choice of clothing.

When it comes to YA contemporary, Sarah Dessen is one of the reigning queens of the genre. I’ve heard great things about her novels, and so when I found an entire shelf of them at the library, I looked through them and picked up this one.

This book’s biggest strength is that it’s exactly what it claims to be: a coming-of-age tale involving catering, love, and a cast of quirky characters. However, that is also, in my opinion, this novel’s biggest weakness.

But I’ll start with the positives first here. Sarah Dessen writes Hallmark movies in book form, except her work is less cheesy and deals with deeper, realer issues. Her books are fluffy and warm, but they have heart. We see Macy and her family process the grief of losing Macy’s father, and it’s not always smooth sailing for them. In addition to learning how to help herself move on, Macy has to help her mother and step into her own, even if being true to herself means being someone other than who her mother thinks she should be. Add to that the pressure of living up to others’ expectations and trying to navigate her relationship with her sort-of boyfriend Jason (who isn’t really one for expressing affection), and you have a very real story with a ton of sticky situations and sweet moments. I laughed with Macy, hurt when she hurt, got angry when she did, and cheered for her when she attained victories. It was good to be able to connect with her.

That being said, I think one of my favorite aspects of this novel has to be all the characters of Wish Catering. Kristy and Monica and Bert and Wes and Delia are all memorable characters in their own right. Whether they’re doing catering work (where things can go wrong both quickly and hilariously), purposefully scaring each other (Bert and Wes’s antics always made me laugh), or just enjoying each other’s company, these guys are fun to read about. They’re nonjudgmental, funny, and, again, really quirky. (I loved Bert’s car. I mean, do you know anyone who has a car that used to be an ambulance?) I can see why Macy feels comfortable around them. I kind of wish they existed in real life so that I could hang out with them, too.

Now on to the not-so-positive (which, I promise, isn’t too big of a complaint): This book is predictable. If you watch any coming-of-age story, I guarantee you’ll be able to guess what’s going to happen within the next few chapters. This isn’t a problem, really, but if you’re looking for a book with some surprises, you won’t find it here. It’s just a matter of preference.

If you haven’t read Sarah Dessen yet, I would recommend this novel be your first (although I’ve only read this one and SAINT ANYTHING, so I can’t speak for some of her older, more-beloved books). It offers a sweet story about overcoming grief, taking risks, figuring out who you are, and finding out where you belong. Is it a little fluffy? Yeah. Does it wrap up a little too neatly? Sure. But it has more heart and depth than your average contemporary novel, in my opinion.

This is probably my favorite Dessen novel so far. From page one, I was drawn into the story and Macy's life.

As Macy tries to deal with a boyfriend out of town for the summer, lasting effects from a tragedy, new jobs, new friends, and a tenuous relationship with her mother, she learns, grows and ends up finding herself in ways she didn't even mean to.

I think this book shows a lot about what it means to grieve, how everyone does it differently, but how you have to really let yourself feel it in order to move on. It also teaches a bit about connecting with other people on a real level. And perhaps most importantly, it illustrates how none of us is perfect and how sometimes it's the imperfections that truly make someone beautiful.

As many teens struggle with the need and desire to be perfect and please everyone else, I feel like this book would be eye-opening to them, to see that they don't need to be perfect, simply the best version of themselves they can be. Fans of Dessen, readers of YA and contemporary fiction/romance are going to love this book.

review found at: [...]

I really like Sarah Dessen, and I really liked this story! I couldn't put it down!
Someone from my old job gave me this book because she just didn't want it. SWEET free books! who could say no to that?!

Well I read a book by Sarah Dessen before called, "Just Listen" and I loved it! I was so impressed at a hard topic and wrote a fabulous novel about it! I really felt for the characters and everything! I loved her writing!

So I happy to get this book and didn't get around to reading it till now, but I liked it a lot! Plus it was
NOT a wizard/mind-reader/necromancer/vampire/werewolf/Cornish Piskie/zombie in sight. HOO-RAH!!! Outstanding supporting cast. Food. Best friends. Good grief and real emotions. Being the person you want to be not the person they want you to be. Boys. Girls with go go boots. Running out of control. It was GREAT!

I liked how I could relate to the characters, I remember what I felt (in many aspects of Dessen's books) as a teenager trying to figure myself on in who/what I wanted to be and things I kept inside because of what I thought was best.

The only problem I have with this author's books is there is ALWAYS A LOT of drinking (or so it seems in the books I've read). I guess teenagers do it more than I thought? Whatever it makes it seem like it's what they do all the time and that it's a norm and it's ok... so that's a down-er.

Overall: really enjoyed it, would recommend to some people but not to everyone.

Language:moderate
Drug/Alcohol:heavy
Sexual Content: none
Violence: mild

Okay, I loved this book and its characters. It was an absolute perfect book to take with me on vacation, but by the end of it I knew I'd be docking a star just because Macy's mom and Jason made me so incredibly angry. I know that's part of the point, that Macy outgrows Jason so it's supposed to be a bad fit, and that her mom is still struggling through a stunted form of grief, but watching Macy just sit there and take all of their completely undeserved crap in silence filled me with such rage. Not to mention, watching Caroline go off on their mother on Macy's behalf was frustrating too in that Macy again had her voice stolen from her. In the end, I was satisfied to see Macy finally show her mom how wrong she's been and how strong Macy has become, not to mention totally ditching Jason and (finally!!) quitting the horrendous library job in possibly the most satisfying way, that I'm still walking away happy. It was an interesting way of looking at the stages of grief and how it changes people and affects other relationships, and I'm truly glad to have read it.

ALSO, I know I already said that I loved the characters, but I just have to say again that the Wish crew were everything I wanted from this book--a solid crew of supportive, loving people who are genuine and imperfect and unique. Their methodical chaos was hilarious and I adored their interactions with each other. If my least favorite part of the book was Macy's mom and Jason, then these guys were the polar opposite and put a smile on my face every time they showed up.

Cover: 3
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Writing: 5
Swoon: 3
Overall: 4.2

The 411: My first Sarah Dessen book! She has been on my radar for so long now and I am only wishing I had picked up one of her books sooner; though I did run out and buy another the day after I finished this one. <3
Macy Queen is gearing up for an uneventful summer. With her boyfriend off at summer camp, she is filling in for him at the library info desk; a job she loathes thanks to the two uninviting girls that are now her coworkers. Macy is just trying to stay in control of her life as she still grieves the unexpected loss of her father and the curveballs that this summer brings.
But during a party at Macy’s home she meets a band of unconventional and interesting people that make her wonder what she is missing. Throwing caution to the wind Macy joins their crazy catering crew. It doesn’t take long for Macy to start looking at her life in a different light.

What We Loved: One thing about this book that I loved is that many of the characters are grieving, but none are grieving in quite the same way. It is a nice reminder that everyone handles things in their own way, yet none of those ways are wrong.
I really liked seeing Macy go from uptight and censored to brash and carefree. This book gives hope for anyone struggling with a loss. And that “ah-ha” moment that you’ll find in this book brought tears to my eyes.
I really loved this book. And if you want to find out what The Truth About Forever is, you’ll have to read this book and discover it for yourself.

Um…Not So Much: Jason. Yea, that’s about it. Not a fan of his at all.

I recommend this book for anyone with a heart.

My sister actually bought this book years ago (I can't even remember how long we've had it siting in our house) but this summer I was trying to clean up the house and get rid of some old books. I was about to give this book away when something stopped me. It must've been fate! I picked up this book, started reading it, and could not put it down. It's an easy good read and I read it in about two days (if I didn't have to go to work in the evenings it would've been one day!). Immediately after finishing it, I lent it to my friend saying she had to read it ASAP because it was amazing. I also liked how it was very clean, like a young teen romance almost like falling in love for the first time.

The book starts out with Macy sending her boyfriend Jason off to "Brain Camp". After seeing her father's death, Macy believes that being perfect was the only way to be untouchable. She had to have the perfect hair, outfit, grades and boyfriend. Once her boyfriend leaves, Macy fills in Jason's position at the library where she's constantly bored but perfect for college applications. It's not until she finds Wish, a local catering company that she finds some place where she belongs, despite the chaos. Not only does she find peace in the chaos, but also a new group of friends that take her out of her comfort zone. In the end, Macy must choose between having the perfect life or choosing the unexpected and unknown.

I wish I could give a better description than that but it's such a good book that it's hard to do the book justice by writing a summary of it. It's a must read and I look forward to reading all of Sara Dessen's other books.

I love Sarah Dessen's novels, and "The Truth about Forever" was no different. Even though I am old compared to Macy's age, I identified with her immediately because we both lost our fathers at young ages. Macy stopped doing the things she loved while grieving for her dad and did everything she could to be perfect for her mom, her boyfriend and the teachers at school. A summer break from her perfect existence is exactly what she needs to come to terms with her grief and know who she is again. A special friendship with a guy dealing with his own grief opens Macy's eyes to new possibilities. A great read with believable characters.

Ugh. This book was good, but it left me unsatisfied.

I like all the messages. They’re good ones. It was just hard to read about.

It was hard seeing Macy go through so much suppression. She was holding herself back so much. While she was thinking about a lot, she was clearly not seeing or thinking about other things enough. It was hard seeing her always refraining from saying the things that matter. It was hard seeing her give in to her mom’s controlling nature. Well, she gave in to everyone for most of it. She seemed willing to let people walk over her, and refused to think that there was anything great about herself. It was hard reading about a main character with such a lack of confidence, a lack of action.

I get that that’s what this book was about- learning how to deal with things and stand up to people and be okay with change. And learning to go after what you want. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a long hard slog.

This book had some points that were very similar to a book I read recently- Since You’ve Been Gone. Some points eerily similar, yet in other points there was a stark contrast. I can really only make an umbrella statement along the lines of this: The difference was that SYBG was a happy book. This one was a sad book. It left me kind of depressed towards the end. At that point, I knew how it would end but it wouldn’t be enough for me. It wouldn’t make up for all that sadness I had to go through.

And it may be because of the ending. It wasn’t exactly like SYBG in that it stopped immediately after that big defining moment at the end- there was an epilogue of sorts. But still, it wasn’t enough closure. We got to see how some things started changing, but in the long run it didn’t feel like enough.

It’s exhausting to read about sadness. I liked the beginning. I liked when Macy initially began changing, finding a new job and friends and having fun. But then her world started shrinking and it became very difficult to handle. It’s exhausting to read about her being miserable for so many pages. I’m one of those people that gets very affected by what I read. And this book was both depressing me and making me weary. Not a good combo.

When I was close to the end I was going to give this 4 stars. But now I’m going to have to make it 3. This is my second Sarah Dessen book, and while I wasn’t impressed by the first one I read, I was told that this was one of her best. Unfortunately this means I won’t be reading any more of hers. They are emotionally exhausting, but not in a good way, because there is no redeeming value that’s enough to compensate. However, I won’t be giving it lower than 3 stars because there are some good messages in here that, while exhausting and depressing to read about, are very relevant and ubiquitous.

See the full review on my blog, Awesome Book Assessment: http://www.awesomebookassessment.com/2015/03/the-truth-about-forever-by-sarah-dessen.html

Probably more like 4.5 stars, actually.

Macy is starting off the summer on the perfect path she's been on since a tragedy involving her father. Her brainy, extremely well-organized boyfriend is off to Brainiac Camp and she's taking over his job at the library just as her mother launches a new townhouse complex.

Only, the other two brainiac girls the library snub her. And it's boring. And her mother is stressed out all the time, and Macy realizes that it's much, much more fun helping a caterer her mother hired for a party deal with catastrophes and disasters on jobs than her own life.

So she falls in the with the caterer, and the caterer's crew who are a charming mix of cool characters. Don'teven get me started on Monotone (who answers in mono syllables) or boy-crazy Kristy, or uber-nerdy Bert.

And of course, there's Wes. He's everything a younger YA teen crush should be: a reformed bad boy, artist, and nice guy (my only quibble with this book is that Wes is really too-gentlemanly and not broken enough).

So Macy and Wes end up playing a game of Truth all summer together (like truth or dare without the daring) and Macy begins to discover truths about herself as well as the fact that people won't reject her for telling the truth about her own feelings.

This is a quiet, plot-light book with lots of the action summarized, but alot of Macy's feelings and thoughts expertly woven into a lovely book about realizing you don't have to be what others want all the time, and that life has potholes, and that the way to survive the potholes is moving forward.

The romance is younger-YA friendly (only kissing) and the characters expertly developed such that I wish there was a book about each one of the catering crew!

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: [...]

Macy is such a relatable character. It's so understandable that she got herself into this relationship with Jason after her father died, as she was craving stability and security. But it's also obvious that this relationship is in no way good for her, and I was rooting for her at each of her moments of realization about what the relationship actually is, rather than what she likes to believe it is. Her relationship with her mother is also understandable throughout the whole book. At first, it seems Macy and her mother get along really well, until Macy starts admitting to herself that she's putting on an act in hopes of maintaining peace and - again - stability. When she begins to allow herself to act the way she wants to rather than living up to her mother's idea of perfection, the true nature of the relationship reveals itself. But I love the way Macy and her mother eventually get okay with each other. It's so real, so in line with Macy's character and goals and thought processes. And it's mostly down to Macy herself.

The whole crew of Wish catering is amazing. Each of them, even Monica, nicknamed Monotone because of her expressionless three-phrase repertoire of words, is so unique and adds so much to Macy's growth. They're in sharp contrast to what Macy has been experiencing until then, and they're the perfect catalyst for Macy to wake up and take charge of her own life again.

And then there's Wes. He's perfect. So absolutely perfect. And it's not just that he's totally hot and all the girls can't stop looking at him. Yes, the reason Macy gets flutters at first is because of his looks, but his looks eventually fade and I love that Macy hardly mentions them once they really get to know each other. She doesn't hope for anything beyond friendship, though she definitely acknowledges that if things were different she'd love for that to happen. But Wes has such depth to his character, both in the serious aspects and in the fun-loving and witty aspects - and those two parts combine quite a bit in the on-going Truth game, which I love. Yes, he is "the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside-down," but he's especially good for Macy as she comes to know herself more deeply. And it's so obvious, even as Macy can't see it, that he loves her, that my heart went melting at every other word he says.

I really enjoyed this one. There was no big mystery or great romance, it was just a fun read.

Macy's father passed away a year and a half ago and ever since then she's been "fine, just fine," which is code for just barely making it. Her sister has married and moved out and her mom is avoiding her own grief by working way too much at her job. Her boyfriend Jason is an unemotional genius and Macy has nobody to talk to. Her mom needs her to be perfect and so she is. She does everything expected of her and little else. In short, she's barely living.

When Jason goes away to summer camp for the insufferably smart, she takes over his job at the public library, which will look perfect on her college application. But she's miserable there, not that anybody cared to ask.

While being a perfect daughter at an event her mother is hosting, she meets the motley crew of the WISH catering company. During a surprising bout of rebellion, she does something totally out of character and ends up working for WISH. But maybe she'll end up learning a lot more than how to make meatballs...

This was an easy read and it sped along at a rapid pace. Dessen did a great job of conveying Macy's grief at the loss of her father and her and her mother's flawed attempts to overcome it.

I loved the characters, especially the WISH staff. They were people I could be friends with. I loved how they interacted with each other, just like a second family. Most of the characters were full, though I felt Jason could have used some more fleshing out (he reminded me of what Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory might have been like as a teenager). The tension between Macy and her mother was very well-written, you could really feel all of the unsaid things between them.

Every once in a while, there was some standalone phrase that seemed like something you would see on one of those motivational posters, which I thought was kind of hokey. This is my first Dessen book, so maybe this is a common thing with her, but I didn't think they added anything.

There was very little romance, but what was there was sweet and fresh.

The dialogue was lively and fun, with great give and take between everyone. I especially loved how Kristy (one of the WISH crew) said whatever she felt like, no matter what. It was nice to see people react to that.

The Sum Up: The Truth About Forever is a fun book that drew me in and was entertaining but won't stay with me for long.

"As reviewed by The Busy Bibliophile."

This book was for me. Totally. In like...every aspect you can think of. It was perfect.
I usually grab a Sarah Dessen novel at times when I just don't feel good about myself and if something's really wrong in my life and I just want to see other people figuring out difficult stages of adolescence. And usually, I get what I want. Which is good, but not that 3-smarties kind of great/amazing/wonderful.
It is different for me with "The Truth about forever".

From the first page I fell in love with the characters and when I say characters I mean every single one. Macy was that kind of a girl that you want to befriend immediately and Macy's family - although her mom might be a bit difficult - is just so amazing.
The catering-crew, of course, is fantastic, too. They are all so happy and they present a really healthy way of taking life as it is and making the best out of everything.

The way the story went was not that surprising - in my opinion, but I find that with almost every contemporary novel you can guess the ending by the synopsis. There just won't suddenly appear a pack of werewolves from behind the garbage container.

What I liked about this Dessen - novel better than in some others of her works was the story telling and the way Macy's situation and emotions were described. Macy and I do share some similarities, but even if one doesn't I think it would be very easy for him or her to identify with the protagonist.

I could continue praising this novel pretty much forever, but I'm gonna stop now by encouraging every single teenage/young adult girl/ grown up woman out there to read this book :)

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

For the last few weeks, I have had a monstrous craving for Sarah Dessen books. I'm not completely sure what triggered it, but I believe it had something to do with most of her books getting new covers. Luckily enough for me (and thankfully enough for my family, who would have otherwise seen me crawling up the wall and begging for a Dessen book), I had one of her novels--one of her most well-received novel, it appears--sitting in my stack of unread books. Even though there are a few books sitting in my pile that are a little more urgent, I put them all aside to read The Truth About Forever.

I see why Dessen is such a hit with readers. Her sense of characterization is fabulous and she has the ability to write fulfilling character arcs that drive the story in the absence of a plot. Macy sometimes got on my nerves because she tended to be passive, but I had a deep understanding of her and in the end, she's only human. I wanted to reach through the pages multiple times and give her a hug, a pat on the back, or a big cheer. The supporting characters like her sister Caroline and the Wish catering crew were just as well-written. I think my favorite moment of the novel had to be her sister Caroline calling out their mother. None of the moments between Macy and Wes had any hope of topping that.

Not that I disliked how their relationship developed. In fact, I loved it. As their friendship develops at a leisurely pace and they took small steps closer to one another, the romance it will eventually transform into becomes more and more plausible--and more anticipated. It takes almost the entire novel for them to finally give in and get together, but once it happens, it's so, so worth the wait. I was definitely happy about Macy's final decision when it came to her boyfriend Jason. He was just... Ugh!

Still, there's a certain stylistic quality to Dessen's writing that makes her books difficult for me to read for long stretches of time. There are moments where the prose smacks me in the face and I think, "Wow, this is fantastic writing," but it's more often a slog to get through. I have no trouble sitting and reading for hours at a time, but it as a challenge to read this book for more than an hour straight solely because of the prose.

I have read only one of Dessen's other novels (This Lullaby) and that was all the way back in May 2010. I liked it well enough, but I had the same issue with that novel as I had with The Truth About Forever: the prose. I hate I have this problem because it means I will have the same issue with all of her books. I doubt she will correct her natural style when that is part of what fans love about her works.

I will be back for more, that's for sure. My personal issues with the author's writing style are a little bit troublesome, but I still want more! One book is not enough to satisfy a craving of this magnitude.

The Truth about Forever is my second Dessen book, and I'm falling more and more in love with her writing, if possible. Seriously. If I were stranded on a deserted island and could only pick one author's works to take with me, I'd choose Sarah Dessen, no question.

Ever since Macy found her father dead in the middle of the street, she's been afraid of opening herself to others. She doesn't have many friends, but she doesn't care because she has Jason. In fact, she relies upon her boyfriend Jason for the stability that he provides in her life. Then she comes across Wish, a small catering business. Wish is the opposite of Macy's life: chaotic and filled with vitality. In seeking escape, Macy finds herself working for Wish at night while keeping it secret from her workaholic mother.

As much as we'd like to see her do so, Macy doesn't change overnight. She works for Wish, but she doesn't join the others outside of work at first, opting to return home and study for her SATs instead. When she does finally party with the others, she mostly bonds with Wes, who is also suffering from both a parent's death and an uncertain relationship. Their relationship progresses so slowly that you'll want to yell at the two of them for not getting a move on, and yet you can't help appreciating how realistic it all is.

Wes is a dream guy. Sure, he's served time, but his offenses against the law aren't anything major, and he's learned his lesson. Wes has both his serious and his goofy sides, and he knows more about Macy than anyone else thanks to their game of Truth. If I could have a love interest as cool as Wes, I would be set for life. Dessen really knows how to make her male leads!

Still, Macy's life doesn't just center on her romantic interests. Dessen builds her characters three-dimensionally. While we know that Macy's world revolves around Jason and the controlling figure that she so desperately needs, Jason himself plays a small role in the book. We know that he exists, but he's off at Brain Camp. Even Wes isn't there the entire time. Not only do we see Macy open up while working with Wish, we see Macy grow as an individual and finally admit that she isn't perfect. We see her broken family heal and come to remember the good memories with Macy's dad rather than try and protect themselves from loving again.

The Truth about Forever is about learning to trust yourself and taking control of your life. It is about family and love, about the significance of opening ourselves to the people around us. It is about heartbreak and learning to overcome our weaknesses. I recommend this book to all girls looking for a realistic, heart-touching contemporary read.

So many have said that The Truth About Forever is one of Dessen's best books, and after getting to know Macy, watching her befriend THE BEST PEOPLE ever, and fall for the funny, artistic Will whom she can just be herself with, I am one of those people. I believe in my review for Along for the Ride, I said that I was officially a fan. Now, I'm beyond hooked. There's just something fabulous about Dessen's detailed, yet uncomplicated writing, about her stories that are always fastened with hilarity and meaning, that keeps me going back for more of her work! I don't think I'll stop, either, until I've read all of her books. Donneven try to stop me.

It's evident that Dessen has a true grip on what is to be a teenager, especially when I get beautiful characters like Macy to tag along with, like Kristy and Monica and Bert to form friendships with, and Wes to fall in love with. They are some of the best group of characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading - Macy with her insecurities and underlying depth and sorrow, Kristy with her straightforwardness and cheer, Monica with her comical monotone responses and blank state, and Bert with his oh-so-adorable geekish ways. On top of that, I loved getting to know Wes, all his quirks and secrets and pains. As Macy and Wes got to know each other, I couldn't help but fall for Wes right along with Macy.

Plot-wise, another of the best aspects of Dessen's writing is her way with character-driven plots. Her books sway toward self-discovery and the mending of a dysfunctional family. I felt terrible for Macy and all that she's been through. I can't imagine having been close to someone, only to have that someone be torn away from me. Especially someone within my own family, someone whom I love. It broke my heart to watch Macy struggle to suppress these feelings, to be unable to reach her mother, who is also still grieving their collective loss in her own way. I thought Macy's sister brave, for being willing to feel, for trying to improve the circumstances between herself and her mom and Macy. I couldn't help but want to reach out to these people! I felt myself getting teary-eyed a few times...

Overall I'm happy with the result of everything that happened. The way Macy and Wes's deep friendship eventually shifted to something much more, to something that was there all along. The closeness that developed between the most unlikely trio of girls. I loved submersing myself into something beautiful and heart-wrenching and funny. It felt wonderful to read a such a... normal story, something that's emotional, that I can relate to and that I can connect with. The Truth About Forever is far from a dull and plain and insignificant read. Instead, it's a powerful story that brought to me my newest favorite characters! Sarah Dessen, keep up the awesomeness!

Recommended for?

Of course if you're a Dessen fan and enjoyed some of her other works, you will love The Truth About Forever! Also Sarah Ockler fans, especially those who loved Twenty Boy Summer, could enjoy this one as well. If you've already read this one, you should give Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere a chance!

In true Sarah Dessen fashion, The Truth about Forever involves a teenage girl who comes to certain realizations about her life and her family. Macy is a great main character, although I do wish that her strength of character would come through more. Many people in real life react to situations like Macy, allowing people to take advantage, to ridicule, and to berate them, simply to not make waves. Some of the plot was weak and the characters over the top, but the book overall was a good read. Well narrated, The Truth about Forever is a book I would recommend to readers who enjoy YA romance and realistic fiction.

"What would you do, if you could do anything?"*

Out of all of Dessen's novels to date, my copy of The Truth about Forever is the one bearing the marks of a well-loved book that has been reread time and time again. Macy begins the story as the girl-who-tries-to-be-perfect, a coping mechanism after Macy loses her father. Yet, as the story goes on and Macy becomes closer to the Wish Catering crew, that perfect façade fades. In its place, Macy begins to shine as a lively girl with a great personality that has to come to terms with her life, who she is, and what she wants.

Each character is alive: Delia, a chaotic, kind, pregnant mother who's in charge of the crew; artistic and modest Wes; apocalypse-obsessed Bert; fashionable and straight-forward Kristy; monotone Monica; and finally Macy as the newest addition. The more time you spend flipping through the pages, the more you grow to love them all and the subtle knowledge they impart onto Macy as she breaks through her shell. One chaotic catering crew, one broken family needing repair, one girl's chance to find happiness, one shot at love, and only one summer to figure it all out in The Truth about Forever.

HIGHLIGHTS: Dessen excels when it comes to writing realistic characters and situations - there's a sense of honesty to her characters. The games "Truth" and "Gotcha" provided some of my favorite moments of the novel. And Wes** was, of course, the best. Honestly, I could go on for days about why this novel is amazing. If you haven't read it, check it out. It's worth it.

LOWLIGHTS: There's no sequel? Glimpses of these characters in other Dessen books is not enough for me!

ALLUSIONS: Lorna the weather girl from That Summer(?); the lovely beach town of Colby & a reference to Last Chance café from Keeping the Moon; and likely more that I forgot to jot down.

* pg. 370 - This scene gets me every time. *sighs happily*
** The boy that originated the term "swoonworthy". *swoons*

I absolutely adore Sarah Dessen's books. I think this is my fifth or sixth one, and I haven't come across I haven't loved yet! I'm never really impressed by the summaries on the back covers [I have no idea why!] but the characters, the dialouge, the funny little quirks that make the book unique, all add up to something amazing and memorable.

Truthfully, I wanted to bop Macy on the head sometimes and tell her what she was doing wrong with her life. Sure, I was rooting for her the entire time, but she understandably has a hard time making life choices.

I love Delia's chaos-on-wheels, Wes's "dark and mysterious, tortured artist" look he's got working for him, Burt's end of the world fascination, Monotone's "Mmmhmm"s and "Doneven"s, and Caroline's fanatic fascination with Wes's artwork. These little components all work together to create a great whole, which happens with every Sarah Dessen book. It's one of the reasons I love these.

Everyone has speed bumps in their lifetime, like a death in the family. Macy has to deal with her father's death, and I think anyone can take something away from this. We all have different ways of grieving, but some people just need a little help along the way.

After reading Along For The Ride I became an automatic fan of Sarah Dessen. The only down side to this is that the bar was set really high, as Along For The Ride became a favorite. While The Truth About Forever is a wonderful book it unfortunately does not meet the bar I set. That being said, however, I fell in love with Sarah Dessen and her writing all over again.

Macy Queen's journey is a heart breaking yet joyful journey to go through. After loosing her father Macy's goal in life is perfection, a goal that is unattainable by all. But what else is she supposed to do? Her mother overworks and her sister has gotten married, leaving Macy to her own devices. The only way Macy is able to deal is to be perfect at everything. But this can only last for so long. Macy then meets a unique bunch of caterers, who she is drawn to unexplainable. Through this group Macy finds truths and answers to many questions, finding along the way that she is perfect already the way she is.

Sarah Dessen has superbly created unique characters, each with their own importance to Macy and the overall story. Even a character that may seem unimportant ends up being a main ingredient to this book's success. Jason is overbearing, over critical, but grows into his own in a way by the end. Bert (love Bert!) is a character all his own (I would love to see a book written about him) in his Apocalyptic theories, not caring what others think about him or his Bert-mobile. Kristy, wearing her past literally everyday in her scars, knows what believes in, proves to be the friend that Macy needs the most. Then you have Wes - the love interest. Who doesn't love the mysterious artist. And of course it helps that he is gorgeous! With every character, including Macy, there is more than meets the eye, which Sarah Dessen shows us perfectly.

Once again Sarah Dessen has shown how character development is done right. Instead of jumping right into Macy's love interests, Sarah Dessen shows us Macy's true character through her own thoughts. Furthermore, she shows us reality in how relationships are developed, both friendships and love interests. Wes and Macy build their relationship through friendship and over time. And while not every relationship is built over time, this is the case for most of us. Sarah Dessen's writing is real. There is nothing more to it - this reality makes her books relateable, enjoyable, believable, natural, and perfect!

Dear Sarah Dessen,

Where have you been my whole life??!!

Seriously, this is one of those "it's not you, it was me" situations. I've spent the last several years reading almost only young adult/adult paranormal books. I thought a Contemporary Young Adult book couldn't possibly hold my attention. I needed the fang, the venom, the curses and spells and, well, you know what I mean, right?

But after years of looking at your books and thinking "Looks good, too bad it's not my type", I took what thousands have been saying about your books to heart, and I took a chance. I am so happy I finally wised up. I loved each and every character in this book: Bert, and Kristy, and Delia and Monica (Donneven), Macy and Wes. The Truth About Forever was beautiful, wistful, poignant, life-affirming... I could keep going, but you've heard all of this before. You're Sarah-freaking-Dessen!

If your other books are half as brilliant as The Truth About Forever, consider me a fan for life. I'm buying all of your books ASAP. Thank you. Thank you for writing books about endearing, slightly broken, charming, wonderful characters. Books that I will be so happy to share with my daughter one day (b/c really, I am not letting her read the Night Huntress books, uh-uh).

I guess what I'm trying to say, in my own rambling way, is The Truth About Forever was amazing.

Thank you,
Andrea, a passionate reader

Favorite Quote:

"We sat there, looking at each other. It was warm out, the fireflies sparkling around us, and he was
close to me, his knee and mine only inches apart. I had a flash of how his hand had felt earlier, his
fingers closing over mine, and for one crazy second I thought everything could change, right now, if
only I could let it. If he'd been any other boy, and this was any other world, I would have kissed him.
Nothing would have stopped me." ~pg. 246