Goodreads says:
Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.
Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.
It has been two years since Sarah Dessen's last novel The Moon and More. So I was super excited to hear that Saint Anything would be in bookstores and on eReaders this year, so without hesitation, I purchased a copy.
Saint Anything feels different from any of Sarah Dessen's other novels. First, it's the cover. Usually they're brightly colored summer themed covers, although not all of her books take place in the summer season. Also, the mary-go-round on the front of the book, I didn't quite get it when I first saw the cover.
In the beginning, this book felt really sad. We meet Sydney who is dealing with the aftermath of her brother Peyton's wreckless behavior which land him in jail. Sydney struggles to find her place in her family, especially when Peyton is the center of attention even from jail.
Sydney switches schools and decides to go to Jackson where nobody knows her. I don't blame her, because I wouldn't want people asking numerous questions or staring at me neither. Sydney's afternoons use to be lonely until she meets the Chatums.
The thing that bothered me the story is the fact that Sydney's parents, her mother in particular doesn't notice Sydney's loneliness or the fact that Ames-Peyton's best friend is still hanging around.
Throughout the book, Ames gave me the creeps. I just kept wanting to grab Sydney's parents and say, open your eyes people, something is not right about this guy.
Spoiler alert, my gut feeling was correct. Note: I am embarrased to say that this review has been sitting in my drafts folder for a few months now.
4 out of 5 starts
Personal copy of purchased from Barnes N Noble
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