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The summer before she starts college, overachiever Auden West makes the unexpected decision to spend her vacation with her father, stepmother Heidi and newborn baby sister Thisbe in their beachside town of Colby. Since her parents’ divorce two years ago, Auden has thrown herself completely into education and ignored any pull at having a social life. Without friends and tired of trying to get the attention of her intense mother, a well-respected college professor, Auden decides to get on “beach time.”

But any hope she’d had of spending time with her father — a once-successful novelist — are thwarted as Robert West holes himself up in his office daily, trying to grind out chapters of a new book which will catapult him back into literary stardom. And there’s another problem bringing down the walls of the West beach home: baby Thisbe just can’t stop screaming. Ever. Overworked, exhausted and at her wit’s end, Heidi comes to rely upon Auden for assistance in navigating the troubled waters of new motherhood and a tense relationship with Auden’s dad. She can only do so much, though — and when she meets Eli, a fellow insomniac who also wanders the town’s sleepy streets late at night, Auden begins to see just how much she have missed while spending her life trying (in vain) to gain her parents’ approval and attention.

What I loved about Along For The Ride — and all of Dessen’s works — is her uncanny ability to blend family stories with romance, friendship and, in many cases, a larger “social issue.” In this novel we’re talking about the children of divorce — and I think she explores that well without it ever becoming treacly. For me, Dessen’s works feature characters about as authentic as they come. I loved watching Auden change, trying more and more of what she never thought she could do, or would be interested in — and watching her friendships develop with Maggie, Leah and Esther. Life with Eli seemed very real, too, and though I knew ultimately what would probably work out between them, I was still excited to get there. The novel didn’t focus exclusively on family dynamics — nor did it talk about the love interest nonstop. Everything was in balance, producing a fun, thoughtful read.

While I have to admit that Along For The Ride lacked the emotional resonance of some of Dessen’s other works — like Just Listen, my personal favorite — I read it very quickly and really felt for many of the characters, especially Heidi. And the ending was perfect! Definitely recommend her work to anyone looking for a great read with very memorable characters.

4 out of 5!

ISBN: 0670011940 ♥ Purchase from Amazon ♥ Author Website
Personal copy purchased by Meg

Before!

I can’t begin to say how ecstatic I am over my new bookcase — a piece of pure genius from none other than IKEA! With the help of my charming and insistent sister, I spent Saturday evening cleaning out my bedroom and getting rid of stuff I’ve probably had sitting on shelves for, oh, 15 years or so (I only wish that were an exaggeration).

The impetus for all of this? The fact that the stacks of books I’ve accumulated since the fall had really begun to take over the entire space. At one point I could contain them to sitting in front of another bookcase I had — that one already being full, of course — but the disease quickly spread . . . and my literature started to close in on me! Not to mention anyone lightly brushing against any of the books was likely to have them all fall on their foot in one big avalanche.

But now? The room is organized, Dad and I made a spur-of-the-moment trek up to College Park, Md. to get my giant Billy Bookcase and my library is tidy, neat and in order! I feel so excited just looking at everything in a row. I’ve never been entirely OCD, but I didn’t realize how bad the situation had become until it was being remedied. And now I can breathe easy, knowing that everything has a place! I can’t even remember the last time I felt so together. This is all very great news! I even have a small shelf completely dedicated to the books I’m due to review in the coming months.

A few shots of my new bookcase . . . isn’t Billy grand?

After!

Still need to rearrange some, but much better

New review/borrowed book shelf

Fresh out of Columbia and facing the “where-is-my-life-going” question so many 20-somethings must tackle, Jessica Darling is living in New York City after finally reuniting with her best friend, Hope Weaver. Though things are tangled, complicated and tricky as Jess navigates post-grad life and tries (mostly in vain) to find a job, the matter weighing most heavily on her heart is whether or not to accept a very unexpected proposal from — who else? — Marcus Flutie, her first love and on- and off-again boyfriend.

Jess’s journal entries in the week immediately following the proposal make up Fourth Comings, the penultimate book in the Jessica Darling series. And while this installment lacked the action of the first three books, I think it was definitely an important “chapter” in the overall story of not only Marcus and Jess, but Jessica and Hope, Jessica and Marin, Jessica and her parents, etc.

To be honest, I’m a little bit in love with Marcus . . . and the fact that Jessica is so undecided about him — regardless of the fact that I can see where she’s coming from — is frustrating. I just keep wondering how long she’s going to wonder about him, holding him at arm’s length as she overanalyzes every step that could take her closer or farther away from the man she so obviously adores. But the real question here is the same one many must face before they make “the leap”: With far more differences than similarities between them, is love really enough?

But I adore her quote about falling in love that conveniently is eluding me right now — how first we fall so completely and obsessively for another person before the inevitable cool down that brings us into an easy, comfortable give-and-take relationship. Jessica says her problem with Marcus is that she’s always falling for him — falling, and falling, and falling, without ever hitting the bottom. And while she’s continuously sailing through this love affair, Marcus is reinventing himself time and time again, turning into someone completely different as he grapples with all of the changes life brings him.

Another quote I felt so perfectly sums up so many tangled feelings on love? As Jessica explains in her journal to Marcus:

I thought about you if only because I wondered how long it would take me to stop thinking about you. I thought about you, and how I might never be able to forgive you for all the girls who came before me, nor myself for all the men who would come after you.

I love McCafferty’s books so much, it’s hard for me to speak cohesively on what makes them so great. Jess is just such a complicated, annoying, flawed, beautiful and real character — there’s something about her that makes her more of a friend than a two-dimensional creation of Megan McCafferty! And while I would have liked more of the novel to take place in the here-and-now, I still really loved seeing Jessica grow, change and develop. And I loved getting the latest news on folks like Manda, Len, Scotty and Bethany.

Was I satisfied with the ending? No. I felt completely deflated, actually. But I’m looking forward to Perfect Fifths and concluding a series I’ve grown to love so much!

4 out of 5!

ISBN: 030734651X ♥ Purchase from Amazon ♥ Author Website

I am quite ecstatic to say that I’ve just signed up for another reading adventure — the Everything Austen Challenge, hosted by Stephanie’s Written Word! Running from July 1 through Jan. 1, 2010, this challenge asks participants to pick out six Austen-themed items — books, films, audio books, whatever — and complete them before New Year’s Day.

I’m a mega Austen-o-holic, so I’m thinking this isn’t going to be too challenging for me — especially since I already have two ARCs of Austen fiction to review by August! (Those could be very famous — and public — last words, I know.)

Here’s my tentative list of the Jane-related books I hope to complete:

• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (need to buy)

• Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange (ARC, review to come in August)

• Cassandra and Jane by Jill Pitkeathley (own, TBR)

• Rude Awakenings Of A Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (need to buy — out June 25!)

• Darcy and Anne by Judith Brocklehurt (ARC, review to come in September)

• Letters From Pemberly by Jane Dawkins (own, TBR)

And I’m sure I’ll be watching more than a few adaptations of Jane’s beloved novels, not to mention a marathon session of “Becoming Jane” — one of my favorite films of all time! Though I’ve enjoyed Austen since first stumbling across Pride & Prejudice in high school (and seeing the BBC adaptation — le sigh), “Becoming Jane” was what really ignited a major obsession with her work and learning more about her life.

Want to join in the fun? Sign up now!

Looking for a little slice of heaven during the hot, sticky days of summer? Travel no further than your local Chick-Fil-A, where I gained about 10 pounds on Tuesday consuming one of the most delicious confections mankind could dream up.

Oh, yes — I’m talking about the Great Peach Milkshake. I’m happy to report that this delicious treat is available in both a small and large size, but that “small” will just about make you bust a gut regardless. And to be honest, the calorie count isn’t too different for both of them (I say just go for the gusto).

News of the Great Peach Milkshake spread like wildfire around my office a few weeks ago. Chick-Fil-A wisely ran an ad in our paper, and Brandon stuck it on a message board near our collective desks. He was the first to try one and kind enough to let me get a taste. That spoonful was enough to send me over the edge . . . but as I’m working hard to get in shape, I dutifully refrained. Even when I went to lunch with my cousin and grandmother last week, I steadfastly refused their kind offers to get my own shake — which required Herculian self-control I didn’t know I possessed!

But I cracked.

Oh, I cracked.

Crumbled. Completely betrayed myself, consuming a peach milkshake on Tuesday with the ferocity of my dog around a full, unattended plate of barbeque chicken (he knows good BBQ, what can I say?).

And it was worth every whipped-cream-covered, cherry-rich, fruity spoonful! It reminded me so much of this amazing peach ice cream I once had from a local market with my sister and grandmother — completely intoxicating! (Maw Maw, if you’re reading this, it’s impossible to forget that dessert!)

My only caution? Don’t check out the nutrition facts – it’s hard to forget what has been painfully revealed! (But if you’re not the type to respond well to mandates, click here.)

The Embers is a sad, sad story.

I say this immediately so any hope you may hold that things are going to improve for the doomed Ascher family will evaporate before you even crack the spine of Hyatt Bass’s debut novel. Trust me — I wish I’d been so warned.

Joe, Laura and Emily are the remaining members of the Ascher clan, three very different, jaded and bitter people dealing with the loss of Thomas, Joe and Laura’s son and Emily’s older brother. The novel opens in 2007, more than a decade after Thomas’s death, and flits between the past and present. We’re given the tragic story in pieces, each new development adding to the mosaic of what we know of Joe’s narcissistic tendencies to obsess over his plays and acting career, his marital problems with Laura, Emily’s acts of rebellion and what really happened to Thomas. Nothing is really as it seems, but everything ended up the way I expected it to.

The Embers is an exploration of family, betrayal, grief, forgiveness and aspirations — and what it means to love and try to love completely. All of these themes were quite well developed, but my fundamental problem with the novel was this: I didn’t like any of the characters. Any of them.

To me, everyone in this novel was hopelessly devoid of redemption — totally self-absorbed, screwed up and blind. The beginning of The Embers was moody, atmospheric and even a little creepy, setting the backdrop for the wedding present-day Emily is planning with kind, gentle fiance Clay. But Emily is so haunted by the death of her brother and weighed down by the complicated non-relationship she has with Joe, she’s unable to really be present in her own life. And that’s just down-right depressing.

We know that though Laura, Joe and Emily have been living their lives apart in recent years and pretending to have found peace since the tragedy that gutted their family, they must ultimately come back together to truly heal. Are they able to honestly confront the past? Are they, in fact, beyond help?

I won’t tell you that, of course. If you’re looking for a very deep, gritty and occasionally moving exploration of one family just imploding upon itself, The Embers is a pretty good psychological read. I definitely felt as though I’d been on a journey after finishing, and I closed the book with a knot in my stomach. I’d spent almost 300 pages with people I didn’t much care for, and I can only hope they someday find the peace I did after finally finishing this one!

3 out of 5!

ISBN: 0805089942 ♥ Purchase from Amazon ♥ Author Website