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Auden West is a quiet girl who always lives her life inside the lines. She spends her whole high school time focusing all her attention on school. Because of this, Auden doesn't experience the "teenage life"! For goodness sakes, she doesn't even know how to ride a bike! But that all changes when she leaves the comfort of her moms home and goes to live with her father, step mother, and brand new step sister in Colby for the summer. Auden hopes that this trip will help her fix her and her fathers broken bond. But after a while she realizes that all her father does is work on writing his novel and one night, Auden over hears him telling his wife that he only invited her to help out with the baby! Destroyed by this Auden goes on a walk and runs into a guy named Eli. Eli teaches her how to live the teenage life she missed out on. But, right when things are at a high it seems to go tumbling down! Jealous ex's, other cute boys, friends who are "looking out for you", and parent restrictions destroy it further and further. Will everything turn out okay?

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“It was so risky and so scary, and yet at the same time, so beautiful. Maybe the truth was, it shouldn't be easy to be amazing. Then everything would be. It's the things you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth.”

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This quote is important because it shows that Auden is starting to learn to step out of the line. Learn to be a teenager and to live freely. It is showing how she is changing!

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My favorite part of the novel is towards the end, when you think that Auden and Eli are over for good. But, when Auden's new guy Jason stands her up the night of prom Eli is there to rescue her!

I like this part because its what every girl dreams of! When things take a turn for the worst for someone to swoop in and save the day!

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Along for the Ride, Sarah Dessen - 9780670011940

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This special edition includes all-new bonus material, including: * Sarah Dessen's recollections of her own summers at the beach * A playlist of the songs that inspired her as she wrote Along for the Ride * A map of the town of Colby, where the book takes place View more: http://bit.ly/bPkios

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Title: Along For The Ride
Auhor: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Puffin
Publishing Date: February 4th 2010
Length: 424 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, friendship, family, beach, BMX
Source: Bought

Auden has always felt like the odd one out.

Since her parents' divorce she's shied away, studying lots and staying out of the party scene.

But now Auden's realized there must be something more and, just like that, she changes everything. Moving to her dad's house opens up a whole new whole of beach parties, food fights - and simply having fun.

As she gets to know herself - and a secretive boy with dark, brooding eyes - can Auden begin to let go and finally feel like she truly belongs?

Many other YA contemporaries present us with main characters who regret one or another thing from their pasts. Not Auden. She's always been content about her regulated and uneventful childhood. Auden has worked so hard for success and the approval of her parents that she completely missed out on making the memories other teens her age have made. In ALONG FOR THE RIDE she starts questioning her choices so far. She doesn't know it yet but her decision to spend the summer with her father, stepmum and baby sister in Colby will be her chance to make good for all that she's missed out on so far.
Auden first appeared as a slightly alien main character. Never having partied, enjoyed shopping, meeting friends. She is definitly not your regular teen, but that makes you like her even more.

Her days are mostly spent sleeping. It are the nights that count, in which she drinks coffee and wanders around town. They are restless and without any direction. Until Auden meets Eli and they begin spending their nights together on a kind of quest to make new memories.

Their outings and adventures seemed so natural and sweet, I wished all the time that they could find a way to make their nights last forever.
I'm a night person like Auden which made her even more sympathetic and her nights with Eli a YA highlight. What surprised me was that their love story wasn't as dominant as their friendship (people who actually know each other before they fall in love) and without too many intimate scenes or details (minimal deficit).

Besides her nights with Eli, Auden's time in Colby is reserved for her new friends, summer job and her family. Auden's stepmom Heidi and her daughter Isby are two characters you immediately take into your heart, showing so much love and acceptance for Auden. Her unemotional and selfish parents on the other hand are very tough to like as they are anything but exemplary parents.
Auden's offer to help out in Heidi's clothes shop is the key to an eventful summer in Colby. It's where she meets the hip girl trio Maggie, Leah and Esther and becomes friends with them. Their cliques' passion for BMX bikes provides ALONG FOR THE RIDE with an active hobby, offering to teach Auden and the reader more about a new sport.

After two years of putting off reading ALONG FOR THE RIDE I finally picked it as a must read this summer. It was my first book by Sarah Dessen and now I know why so many readers name Sarah's books as their favourite YA contemporaries.

4,5/5 ****/* ALONG FOR THE RIDE - A smooth and fortifying read inviting readers to the beach town of Colby and on a felicitous YA summer vacation!

ALONG FOR THE RIDE reminds you of your favourite childhood memories and encourages you to always go your own way and make as many new memories as you can, for you should know the best of times are always ahead of you. I totally get the appeal Sarah Dessen books have on YA readers, because they are about so many things that are important in your teen years. My next trip to Colby is already booked!

"I knew if I'd spent the same amount of time with Eli during the day, or even early evening, I probably would have gotten to know him, too. But not like this. The night changed things, widening out the scope. What we said to each other, the things we did, they all took on a bigger meaning in the dark. Like time was sped up and slowed down, all at once." ― p. 188/189

ALONG FOR THE RIDE you might also enjoy these three beach reads. MOONGLASS by Jessi Kirby, TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler and THE DAY BEFORE by Lisa Schroeder, a bold pick for readers who haven't yet enjoyed stories written in verse.

* Want to read an excerpt of ALONG FOR THE RIDE? Click here.

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Book Review: Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen

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Title: Along For The Ride Auhor: Sarah Dessen Publisher: Puffin Publishing Date: February 4th 2010 Length: 424 pages Keywords: YA, contemporary, romance, friendship, family, beach, BMX Source: Bought Auden has always felt like the odd one out. Since her parents' divorce she's shied away, studying lots and staying out of the party scene.