Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Summary Provided by Penguin:

Ever since her parents began fighting, Auden has been unable to sleep at night. Now, spending a summer at a charming beach town with her father and his new family, she has to find new places to pass the time she spends awake. And so she meets Eli, a fellow insomniac who becomes her nighttime guide. Together, they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she has missed; for Eli, to come to terms with the death of a friend. In her trademark blockbuster-style, Sarah Dessen creates a powerful and irresistible story of two people learning how to connect.

My Thoughts:
I’ve never been that big of fan of Sarah Dessen. I’ve read Lock and Key and Just Listen and while they were enjoyable at the moment, they didn’t leave any lasting impressions and I decided I wasn’t going to read any more of her books. That was a few years ago and I decided to get over it and read Along for the Ride. I am so glad I read it! I really enjoyed it!

The main themes in Along for the Ride include being able to open up, not take everything at face value and not judge everything and everyone. It’s also about being able to pick yourself up and “getting back on the bike”. I loved the messages in Along for the Ride.

I loved all of the characters in the book, especially Auden and Eli. I loved watching their friendship blossom and loved how they were both helping to heal each other. Every single character was deeper then the way they first appear. They weren’t one dimensional and Dessen did a wonderful job bringing relatable characters to life.

I absolutely and positively loved the ending! It was perfect!

Overall a great read, I borrowed Along for the Ride from the library, but I will definitely be getting a copy of my own! Dessen’s next novel, What Happened to Goodbye looks equally amazing and comes out May 10, 2011!