Tuesday Talk: Sarah Dessen

One of my all-time favorite Teen authors is Sarah Dessen.  I discovered her early on, when I was first discovering the genre (not too long after the genre was first created).  In my opinion, she writes some of the best, most interesting characters in all of teen fiction.  Each of her books tackles a real life problem/topic that teens (and adults) deal with everyday.  Most of her books are set in the same two places, with little Easter Eggs/cameos from previous books.  Besides the occasional hidden gem, there is really no crossover between titles.  They are complete stand alones.  In a world of series and trilogies, I find that refreshing.  Instead of waiting for the next installment to come out, I can just be excited about something new and fresh from her.  I'll be honest, my favorite books of hers are the middle ones (chronologically speaking).  Her first couple were decent.  Then, she seems to have found her stride.  Unfortunately, her most recent book (The Moon and More), was rather disappointing.  The one before that wasn't great either (What Happened to Goodbye).  I really hope she hasn't lost her magic.  Maybe I'm just getting older and outgrowing her books.  Since I was an adult when I discovered them, I doubt that is the reason.  I will continue to read any book she puts out though.  Like I said before, she writes fabulous and utterly unforgettable characters.  I love that she always writes flawed characters.  Each story follows a female character with problems (e.g. death of a parent, abusive boyfriend, anorexic sister, dysfunctional family, neglect, self-esteem issues, dad's new family).  Each story also has an equally flawed male lead (e.g. orphan, abusive father, anger-management, death of a friend, family problems).  These characters are often surrounded by oddballs and truly unique individuals.  Some of my very favorite characters are the friends.  What I like about her books is that they are life stories, with a sprinkling of romance.  They are stories with characters that fall in love, despite the fact it is the last thing they are looking for.  I like that they are not hot and heavy romances, but growing friendships that develop into romances.  Most of her books have only a few kisses, which is refreshing in a book industry heavily saturated with smut.  If you want to give her a try, I recommend starting with The Truth About Forever.  It is my favorite; in fact, it is one of my favorite Teen books.  I have read it probably four times.  I just love it.  I've rambled on long enough.  If you like love stories or are just looking for some fun characters to loose yourself in for awhile, I highly recommend giving Sarah's books a try.  Happy reading!