Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

So many feels about this book! I will try and keep it as non-squealy and non-fangirly as possible, but it's hard because I loved this book SO, SO much. I usually fly through books, but with this one, I took it slow until the last hundred pages and I just couldn't stop reading. And I laughed and cried and everything in between. It was simply fantastic and beautifully written.

Saint Anything tells the story of Sydney Stanford, a 17-year old girl suffering through the guilt of her older brother Peyton's actions, whose fall from the popular and seemingly confident perfect guy, son and brother tears apart her family. In the aftermath of his prison sentencing, Sydney transfers to a public school from prep, meeting a new group of friends. She meets Laylah, the flighty best friend with a refined taste for French fries, and Mac, her dependable and sweet older brother in particular, who become a new family for her when her mom and dad are too preoccupied with Peyton to help and see her in the way she needs to be helped and seen.

There are no shortage of great things to say about this book, but I'll start with the characters. I LOVED all of the characters in this book. Sydney was a gorgeously voiced narrator. The way Dessen wrote it, I could feel her emotions as she struggled and those feelings came across as honest, raw and true. Sydney is the kind of character I think any reader can relate to because all of her emotions felt very human.

And then there were the Chatham's with their perfect mix of quirkiness, reliability and working class charm. The scene of the party at their house is one of my favorites because you can feel the love and sense of togetherness in that house radiate off the pages. I loved Mrs. Chatham and Rosie in particular, wishing there was just a little more of them in the book.

Mac is definitely in my top ten list of YA fiction crushes. He was just so sweet and so dependable, but also slightly flawed. You must read for this lovely, subtle and innocent romance. I don't want to give a thing away except that Dessen presents a teen romance that doesn't feel rushed or far fetched. It felt just right.

I don't give a lot of thought to likability to characters in my reviews. It's just not something I really care about when reading a book. I mean, I liked Mac and hated Mrs. Stanford and definitely felt those emotions as I was reading, but I was still able to appreciate their function within the narrative and it doesn't really affect my opinion of the story unless it's terribly distracting. I don't think an unlikable character ruins a book but I could see why some people might find Laylah a little unlikable and that interested me because I could see both sides of it. I'd be interested to see what other people think about her part in the story, so feel free to comment below.

I also really loved what Dessen did with themes of family and friendship in this novel. Dessen captures the fact that while family is still important to us as teenagers and when we are going through rough times, it is often the new friends and bonds we create during these times that carry us through. However, I also loved how the dynamics of Sydney's own family developed both with her parents and her incarcerated older brother. Very well done.

Overall, the plot felt tight. At times it was maybe a little unbelievable how much freedom Mrs. Stanford gave Sydney at some points in the middle, but overall Dessen succeeded at writing a story that flowed logically and pulled at each of my heartstrings. I cannot recommend this lovely, heartbreaking story enough. I don't give 5 out of 5 star reviews very often (only 10 or so ever) but this book certainly deserves it.

5 out of 5 stars

So many books, so little time! A Belated Spring Break Review Post

I never got around to posting this during Spring Break, but these books were amazing so here it is:
To me, Spring Break is not about heading down to Florida and guzzling down as much beer as I can in a short period of time. That sounds awful. Instead, it's a week where I get a short reprieve from the daily grind of college life and a chance to read some amazing books. Here's a wrap of of the books I read throughout the week and my thoughts on them. Enjoy!

1. Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver (4.5 stars)
Sigh...I really loved this one. It was beautifully descriptive and the amount of visual detail was stunning. The story-a tale of two sisters, Dara and Nick, who used to be close but grew apart after Dara started hooking up with their childhood neighbor and buddy Parker-was lovely and tragic. The characters were unlikable at times but complex and fun. I'll admit I liked seemingly balanced Nick over reckless Dara a little more, but even the secondary characters were funny and well developed. Their divorced parents were messed up, but slightly sympathetic. Their high school friends felt authentic. The quirky bunch that worked at the amusement park was slightly reminiscent of The Way, Way Back water park crew. The setting was descriptive and distinct. The twists were slightly predictable at times, but some still managed to catch me off guard. You'll have to remember to breath and slide back from the edge of your seat by the end. Overall, this book is a well-written hot mess of a story, a thrill from start to finish and one you won't want to put down until the last page.

2. Control by Lydia Kang (4 stars)
I was a little skeptical of this one at first. I'm into science, but I'm not INTO science. But the cover of this book was pretty and that's at least half of why I decided to buy it (good job cover designers!). Control is about a teenage girl named Zelia who is in a desperate race to save her sister Dylia after a tragic accident that lands the two of them in separate foster homes. Zelia is in a quirky home for peculiar genetically mutated teenagers and Dylia is in a sweatshop/prison for the genetically wrong, but potentially valuable. It's set in the future and while some of the technology and science wasn't always totally believable, it was certainly cool. Zelia was definitely a strong character as were some of her housemates, but Dylia's character fell a little flat for me and the ending felt just a little rushed. Stylistically, the novel was very well written and read seamlessly from start to finish. There were enough twists and turns to keep me flipping the pages and the ending was equally frustrating, sweet and tragic. Definite point for throwing in a reference to one of the most beautiful cantos of The Divine Comedy. Overall, a great read that left me sobbing by the end and one that you should all try too, even if science fiction isn't your first pick.

3. Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis by Rowan Jacobsen (4.5 stars)
Okay, this one doesn't really count but it kind of does. It's for school but it wasn't assigned. I read it to gain more knowledge for an interdisciplinary art and environmental studies course I'm taking. I'm doing my project on honey bees and this just seemed like a non-sciency science book I could learn a lot from. And I'll admit, it's one of the best non-fiction books I've read. Funny, informative and clearly written so that even someone who has a head for art and literature, not science, can understand it. This isn't just a list of facts about bees and Colony Collapse Disorder. No, it's a riveting narrative of how we got to this point, this crisis, and it's a call to action. Filled with useful data, first-hand accounts from beekeepers and interesting examples, this is an eye-opening read that will make you just a little more grateful for the food you eat and the little insects that fly around your garden.

4. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (4.75 stars)
I wanted to scream, cry and curl into a ball when I finished this book. It was a heart wrenching and poignantly dramatic novel that has a little bit of everything: violence, intrigue, spies, betrayal, romance and a thrilling underdog narrative. Mare Barrow, the novel's harrowing, is a Red. She comes from nothing and has nothing, facing a dismal fate in the army, a pawn to the rich and powerful Silvers. Meanwhile, a rebellion is underfoot. When the rebellion, Mare and the secretive world of the rich and powerful collide, what ensues is a riveting and breathless tale of secret powers, secret alliances and secret enemies. You won't be able to put this book down and surprise, it's the first of the trilogy. Perfectly paced and delicately written, this tale will leave you breathless and wanting the next part of the story. You will love characters you didn't expect and hate ones you expected even less. There are turns around every corner, so this is a must read for anyone who loves drama and suspense.

5. Mosquito Land by David Arnold (5 stars)
Mim Malone, a quirky and lovable teenager, goes on an epic road trip to find her mom, who she thinks is sick. Chaos and tragedy ensues on a cross country journey that will make readers cheer for the half-blind heroine at the center of this novel. This book was amazing and weird and I just devoured it in a few hours. The writing style was raw, yet eloquent times. I cried and laughed out loud while reading because the setting, conflict and characters all came together in a coherent way. The romance was a little odd at times, but touchingly sweet and seemingly real. The characters are well-developed, it was fun to read and beautifully written. If you're looking for a quirky but sweet and touching novel, then this is the one for you. This book touches upon all the classic themes of adolescence, taking its own spin as well: love, friendship, family, the awkwardness of still being a kid but feeling like an adult. Overall, this was my favorite of the books I read over spring break.