Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

I don't know what it is about Sarah Dessen that makes me love chick lit, but I just can't get enough of her stories. (And there are enough to choose from... Just Listen is another one of my favorites.)

When Auden receives a picture from in the mail from her brother (who is spending some international time away from home... for the past two years) that says "Time of your life," she decides to take a chance and head down to the beach to stay with her father and stepmother for the summer months. Heidi just gave birth to Auden's sister, Thisbe, and they've been inviting Auden to their home for months. She decides that it will allow her some time to bond with Dad, get an advance on some of her school reading in preparation for her freshman year of college, and maybe relax a little bit. What she ends up with is the realization that her father isn't the greatest dad, school maybe isn't everything, and she still can't sleep at night. But what she also finds is that through Eli, she's been given a chance to reclaim her childhood, take some chances, and experience new things -- like riding a bike, taking care of a baby, and PROM! Life isn't always as it seems at first glance, and sometimes all you need is a second chance, or a third, or as many as it takes to get it right.

Recommended to girls of all ages, especially those with a (hidden) romantic side.
Call number: YA DESSEN (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian