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Along for the Ride

by Sarah Dessen (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 68,708 ratings · 3,798 reviews

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 care...more

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Published June 16th 2009 by Speak (first published June 1st 2009)

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Jul 26, 2009 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Sarah Dessen fans

Shelves: realistic-fiction, to-re-read

This is pure Sarah Dessen . It's a comfort to read her work, because you know you are going to come away with something to think about.

I'm afraid I didn't like this one as much as the others. It's because well... it feels a little like I'm reading the same story. Tons of others have mentioned it, but she seems to be sticking to a very strict formula. Which I wouldn't mind too much if the characters didn't seem so similar. They all are so reserved and issue driven. One of the reasons I think tha...more This is pure Sarah Dessen . It's a comfort to read her work, because you know you are going to come away with something to think about.

I'm afraid I didn't like this one as much as the others. It's because well... it feels a little like I'm reading the same story. Tons of others have mentioned it, but she seems to be sticking to a very strict formula. Which I wouldn't mind too much if the characters didn't seem so similar. They all are so reserved and issue driven. One of the reasons I think that it didn't work so magically in this one was because Eli (the love interest)doesn't get explored enough. He's dealing with some truly heavy stuff and we do see glimpses of vunerability but it's not enough. Does that make sense?

But please don't mistake my irks with it as a bad review for the book. I love Sarah Dessen's writing. Even though she tends to use the same storyline it works because she knows how to work it. One of the things I was thrilled to see was the subplot story of Auden's baby sister and her new stepmother Heidi. We don't see this relationship much in young adult books and it made me smile to see Dessen use her own life experiences and insert them in her writing. You know what they say, write what you know.

As always the minor characters are pitch perfect. My favorites in this one were Maggie and Adam. Everything is always done so well: character development, dialogue, growth it's no wonder people love Dessen's work. All the symbols like the bike, quest, beach, are done in a way to make you get attached it to it so much, and think " yeah I TOTALLY get that! " By the way I thought the idea of going on a quest sounded awesome and was a real unique way of getting Auden and Eli to really connect. It was funny to see all the cameo apperances from people in previous books. The funniest being Jason (Macy's old boyfriend in the The Truth About Forever). Dessen should totally write a book about him. I appreciated the way Auden and Eli meet. Most of the time they seem to click easily, but it was a bit harder for them so that was a welcome change. I hated Auden's dad. What a selfish guy, but one of the main lessons of this book is that people can change. I want to mention all the minor characters (like always there is a lot going on) but I simply can't. You'll just have to delve into the pages yourself.

Brilliant idea of setting a lot of the book at night. It gives the book and the conversations that extra special touch. Even though it was not one of my favorites do read it. It will make you look at growing up differently.(less)

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Mar 16, 2011 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading Sarah Dessen is like walking into an air-conditioned store after a hot, humid day in the sun. Reading Sarah Dessen is also like drinking an ice-cold smoothie after a long, harsh marathon. And finally, reading Sarah Dessen is like eating comfort food: you always know what you're going to get, a tasty, satisfying treat.

Auden has just finished her senior year and looks forward to spending the summer like she usually does: staying home and studying, while occasionally attending the parties h...more Reading Sarah Dessen is like walking into an air-conditioned store after a hot, humid day in the sun. Reading Sarah Dessen is also like drinking an ice-cold smoothie after a long, harsh marathon. And finally, reading Sarah Dessen is like eating comfort food: you always know what you're going to get, a tasty, satisfying treat.

Auden has just finished her senior year and looks forward to spending the summer like she usually does: staying home and studying, while occasionally attending the parties hosted by her mom for her grad students. However, instead of following routine like she usually does, Auden decides to spend the summer at the attractive beach town where her dad and his new family reside. There, she meets her half-sister, Thisbe, as well as her first group of real friends. But the most alluring thing about the town is Eli: an ambiguous, secretive young man who is an insomniac, just like Auden. Late at night, they explore the childhood Auden never had - they get to know each other, and open up from what has restricted them in the past.

4.5 stars. I really love Sarah Dessen's writing. Previously stated by my plethora of similes in the first paragraph, it's just a comfort to be able to read her work. The strongest aspect of Dessen's novels are her characters. They are perfectly written - nuanced, flawed, yet so extremely likable and fleshed out. There's something that readers can relate to in every character: whether it be the driven determination of Auden's mom, or the insecurity Auden has with failing, etc.

The only reason Along for the Ride didn't receive the full five stars is because I felt there was something missing: there wasn't the extra punch Dessen usually delivers in her books. I just wanted to make it clear that it's not because of how formulaic some find her books to be. I simply space out the time between her novels, so I don't feel like I'm reading the same story over and over.

Overall, very good. I'm already looking forward to reading another book by Sarah Dessen.

Want to read more of my reviews? Follow me here.(less)

101 likes · like · see review

Jun 23, 2009 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-arc

I’m just going to start this out saying that I love Sarah Dessen. Along for the Ride is definitely on my Dessen all time favorite list. Right up there with Just Listen and This Lullaby.

The characters is this novel are freaggin fabulous! That is one thing I can always count on with Dessen, she knows how to create a believable and relatable character no matter the situation. And Auden is no exception. I reveled in her transformation throughout the story. Ultimately that’s what this story was a bo...more

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Sep 15, 2009 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction

I expected a lot from this book but after reading some reviews I was getting worried. I was afraid that I would get bored in the middle of the book because everyone was saying it was the same as all her other books. It is very similar I’ll agree to that, but there were differences. I’ll also admit that after reading some other Sarah Dessen books I know that the ending turns out alright for the main girl but I personally like that.

One difference from this character is all about her studies and he...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Sloan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sarah-dessen, young-adult, romance, read-in-2009, best-endings, books-i-own, comfort-reads, favorites, read-in-2012

In my opinion, Sarah Dessen is one of the best young adult writers out there today. This book happens to be my second favorite book from her. It's odd how Dessen can make you feel like you know her characters personally. I love that about her writing, because she makes it so easy to identify with her characters. When I finished this book, I was almost upset about it. I didn't want to leave behind the characters and in some ways I felt like I was saying goodbye to friends. That’s a true sign that...more

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Jan 28, 2009 Steph (Reviewer X) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-already-read

Cross-posted from my blog review .

Auden is your classic overachiever: she’s studious and entirely too serious. What’s more, she deprived herself of a normal high school experience—one with friends and fun—opting instead for the academic route. Which did indeed work, because she got into a great university, the one she’d be attending come August. In the meantime, there is the whole summer stretching before her, and suddenly, spending it at home with her holier-than-thou, my-feminism-is-better-th...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Cheryl Klein rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: womens-fiction, ya-fiction

Even more than John Green, Sarah Dessen repeats the same plot elements over and over again:

1. ONE SUMMER,
2. AN OLDER TEENAGE GIRL WHO IS REPRESSED IN SOME WAY -- family secrets, personal secrets, others' expectations, her own cynicism or need for control
3. MEETS A WACKY GROUP OF PEOPLE -- long-distant family, a rock band, coworkers, a new group of friends
4. INCLUDING ONE UNUSUAL BOY -- usually artistic in some way
5. SHE DOES SOMETHING UNCHARACTERISTIC OF HER THAT STARTS OR DEEPENS HER RELATIONS...more Even more than John Green, Sarah Dessen repeats the same plot elements over and over again:

1. ONE SUMMER,
2. AN OLDER TEENAGE GIRL WHO IS REPRESSED IN SOME WAY -- family secrets, personal secrets, others' expectations, her own cynicism or need for control
3. MEETS A WACKY GROUP OF PEOPLE -- long-distant family, a rock band, coworkers, a new group of friends
4. INCLUDING ONE UNUSUAL BOY -- usually artistic in some way
5. SHE DOES SOMETHING UNCHARACTERISTIC OF HER THAT STARTS OR DEEPENS HER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM -- like confess a secret, or kiss the boy, or take on a job -- something that exposes her for a moment
6. AND THINGS GO ALONG SWIMMINGLY FOR A WHILE as she gets to know the boy and has her original assumptions about the people challenged and develops new skills through her association with them
7. But then, about 1/3 to 1/4 of the way from the end, SOMETHING HAPPENS TO SCREW THINGS UP, usually causing the girl's retreating for some reason into her original repressions/assumptions
8. A CONFRONTATION INVOLVING/REGARDING THE CAUSE OF THE GIRL'S REPRESSION OCCURS.
9. GIRL REUNITES WITH BOY; HAPPINESS INTO FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

There is no doubt Ms. Dessen works and reworks this material very, very well -- she has wonderful, fully developed image systems (in this one, the idea of what being a girl means, and riding a bike); the prose flows gorgeously; her supporting characters are consistently marvelous; the dialogue is terrific and realistic, particularly when it's teenagers sitting around b.s.'ing; every i is dotted and t crossed writingwise. I love the way she weaves all her characters into one large world. And I adored this plot the first time I read it, in THIS LULLABY, and also greatly enjoyed THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and JUST LISTEN.

(Also, she creates great store names -- someone should hire her as a brander.)

But by this one, I was feeling a bit of diminishing returns in the familiarity of everything, chiefly in the fact that all her narrators sound the same, the same hiddenness, the same neatness. I'd love to see her do a book from the point of view of one of the supporting characters, or the boy . . . someone a little more scattered, more unpredictable and passionate, where the voice and the story wouldn't tie up in a neat bow. I do not know that this wish is fair to Ms. Dessen; when you know your material, you should own it and work it, and she's doing that, and I'm delighted that it's paying off for her. (Such a pleasure to see a GOOD writer of teenage romances on the Times bestseller list!) But all the supporting characters here felt more interesting than Auden to me, and the few changes she rung here just too familiar; and I'd love for Ms. Dessen to break some new ground in both structure and protagonist. (less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com

I have read every Sarah Dessen book published. I was so excited to learn she was coming out with a new one, ALONG FOR THE RIDE, that I marked the release date on my calendar. Was the wait worth it? Absolutely. Finished it in two days time, too - it would have taken me less time but I had to factor in pesky responsibilities like work.

I love the way Dessen writes. Her characters are always real, and the storylines are believable - you can't ask fo...more Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com

I have read every Sarah Dessen book published. I was so excited to learn she was coming out with a new one, ALONG FOR THE RIDE, that I marked the release date on my calendar. Was the wait worth it? Absolutely. Finished it in two days time, too - it would have taken me less time but I had to factor in pesky responsibilities like work.

I love the way Dessen writes. Her characters are always real, and the storylines are believable - you can't ask for more than that!

As with other Dessen books, there are multiple lessons learned in this book. The two that I felt that were most important (and I know it sounds cliché) is "Live, Love, Laugh" and "Never judge a book by its cover."

ALONG FOR THE RIDE is about a girl named Auden, fresh out of high school, ready to embark on the next leg of life but doesn't really know how to do it. The academic part she has down pat; the fun, let loose and be free part she has a lot of trouble with. Auden didn't have the typical childhood - she was more of an adult than a kid while she was growing up, entertaining herself through countless adult dinner parties revolving around academia.

She missed out on so many rites of growing up - racing up and down her block on bicycles or skates, hanging out at the pool with friends, going on dates and even the prom. While it was great that she had such a drive to do well, her parents, now divorced, incredibly high expectations was also very damaging to her psyche.

The cherry topping - Auden is an insomniac. Nothing, no matter what, changes or cures her insomnia. Of course, this can be a good thing, too, at least in her case. I can relate to the insomnia issue - it's just too bad that I haven't met the guy of my dreams during one of my episodes. I felt sorry for her many times throughout the book.

So she escapes for the summer, leaving her overbearing mother behind, to live with her father, stepmother, and brand new sister. Is she trading one mess for another? It proves to be a summer of change and friendship and love.

Auden definitely doesn't have an easy time of it - she has a lot to face, from how the turmoil of her parent's divorce has really affected her to actually having real friendships with girls and a guy who is genuinely interested in her.

Thisbee shows Auden how to love unconditionally and the power of connecting. Eli shows her the magic of first love and where to get a great cup of coffee and a slice of pie in the middle of the night. Finally, Maggie, Leah, and Esther show how great friendships can be. Everyday brings something new and her summer in Colby teaches her to enjoy and appreciate the life she does have.

A perfect summer read.

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Jul 01, 2011 Helga rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A lot of people say that Sarah Dessen uses the same plot, the same idea of a teenage girl meeting a boy, who changes her life, with who she hangs out more and more and then there is a conflict (a lot of time happening because of her old life...), but the girl tries to explain...

However, I LOVE her books and now that I think about it yes she does write her books the same way, but I LIKE that way.

Along for the Ride is my favourite book. Its one of those books you can just read into and enjoy parts...more

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Nov 07, 2010 Adi (Reading in the Windowseat) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read-list, class-young-adult, all-time-best, genre-romance

If you liked Elizabeth Scott's Perfect You, then you'd also love Sarah Dessen's Along for the Ride. I know I did.

The book tells the story of a lonely girl who doesn't even know she is feeling so. Auden decides to spend her last summer before starting university with her newly re-married father, his exuberant young wife and their baby daughter after she receives a frame from her brother with the inscription "The Best Of Times". Suddenly, Auden finds that she has nothing to live up to that inscrip...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Glass rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: summer-books, favorites, realistic-fiction, girl-power, best-of-2011

In my opinion, truly good author writes using her or his personal experience as the main source of inspiration and informations. Simple, but effective - write about things you know the best! And, surely, Sarah Dessen believes in the same principal. Althought, this is just her second novel I've read so far, I noticed some similarities and somehow it made everything about this book so much more appealing. I really liked Auden - other characers as well, but her especially because I recognized so mu...more

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Dec 20, 2009 Mounica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I really need to say something about the book cover. Before I started reading the book, I looked at the cover closely. The only thing that assured me that the person wearing the white shirt was a guy was the muscles in his arms. Other than that, I could have mistaken that as a girl, because, boy, no guy wears jeans like those. Seriously.

Anyway, I read the book, because you know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” After I finish the book, I look at the cover again and feel my eyes pla...more I really need to say something about the book cover. Before I started reading the book, I looked at the cover closely. The only thing that assured me that the person wearing the white shirt was a guy was the muscles in his arms. Other than that, I could have mistaken that as a girl, because, boy, no guy wears jeans like those. Seriously.

Anyway, I read the book, because you know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” After I finish the book, I look at the cover again and feel my eyes playing tricks. Eli would not wear clothes like that “boy.” Wouldn’t it make so much more sense if he were in his blue hoodie? And, Auden would not wear that pink polka-dotted dress. The cover shows the exact opposite of what the two of the are supposed to be. Or was that the point? Was the cover supposed to be depicting some hidden meaning? I don’t know…I think it’s still strange. I simply can’t get over it.

Okay, enough of that. And, no, my rating is not 3 stars just because of the cover. First of all, it took me a while to get into the book. I kind of was just reading, and not caring at all about Auden’s life and her problems. The book got my attention only toward the end.

Also, I kept realizing how Auden was somewhat like Macy in Sarah Dessen’s other book, The Truth About Forever. Both of them were escaping their life and problems (Macy, her father dying, and Auden, her parents’ divorce) by studying. It was the one thing that was they were good at, because all it required was working hard. And even, Jason Talbot was in this story!

There is always Dessen’s formula people talk about. So far, I read five book by her, and I’m starting to realize how true that is, how her books follow the same formula only with different characters and their different hobbies.

I liked the humor, and I liked some of the characters like Adam and Maggie. But overall, I was actually disappointed by this book. It just didn’t live up to the mark; it wasn’t there high up with Just Listen and The Truth About Forever.
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May 07, 2011 Amelia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, best-books-ever, best-character-set, best-humor, best-plot, best-romance, own, recommended

Another FANTASTIC delivery from Sarah Dessen! She is, beyond a doubt, my favorite realistic fiction author. And this novel might just be my favorite of all of them but it's so hard to choose between "This Lullaby", "The Truth About Forever" and now, "Along for the Ride". But I was laughing up a storm with this one! Not that the others aren't funny, 'cause they're hilarious. But the heartening feeling you get as you read through Auden's adventure...man.

I won't deny that I would've done a few thin...more

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Nov 01, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ALONG FOR THE RIDE:
From Book smart to Street smart

Imagine everyday filled with academics and every night studying alone in a coffee shop. The main character, Auden, in Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen, spent her days before she decides to go to the small beach town of Colby. After talking to her older brother on the phone, Auden spontaneously decides to spend the summer with her father, his new wife, and their baby, Thisbe. While she was there, she takes a job in a small, girly boutique calle...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2013 Nibra Sitzpinkler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my first book by Sarah Dessen, and oddly enough the book feels light and almost natural. I've read a few novels dealing with teenage angst (and most of the things that come along with it) so I kind of had an idea of what to expect. Booze, pot session, sex that sort of cliche stuff. But Dessen seems to have her own way of handling such issues. I won't say it's too delicate, not rough either. Just about enough that even if it has little dramas here and there, it doesn't feel too overwhelmi...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: books-i-own, read-in-2012

I’ll be up front. I have major love for Sarah Dessen. Like, mega major love. She has a way, with her fluid, wistful style of writing, of sweeping me away. So I will say right now, this isn’t so much a review as it is thoughts about the way the book made me feel.

Each time I sit down to read her books, I find it darn near impossible to stop. When April and I started this read-along, affectionately named #DessenQuest2012 (Yes, I meant to include the hashtag. It’s a movement, people. There are only...more I’ll be up front. I have major love for Sarah Dessen. Like, mega major love. She has a way, with her fluid, wistful style of writing, of sweeping me away. So I will say right now, this isn’t so much a review as it is thoughts about the way the book made me feel.

Each time I sit down to read her books, I find it darn near impossible to stop. When April and I started this read-along, affectionately named #DessenQuest2012 (Yes, I meant to include the hashtag. It’s a movement, people. There are only two of us, but we are rocking the hashtag!), we had a goal of five chapters per week. Silly us. There’s no way, none, that you can limit The Dessen to five measly chapters a week. Anyway…each day progressed with one or the other of us tweeting, asking to “please read just one more chapter, because we can’t possibly stop at this point”. Needless to say, what should have taken us nearly a month to read to around two weeks.
Sarah Dessen has magic in her. A way of transporting readers, even tired, frazzled mommies, back to their teenage years. Self-consciousness, inner turmoil and a little bit of angst are the name of the game. That time when every look and every word could change your life and the future felt endless.

I wasn’t sure that Along for the Ride could compete with the only other Dessen book I’ve read, The Truth About Forever. Could Auden compete with Macy’s endearing nature? Could Eli out sa-woon Wes? Would the story tug on me every way possible and leave me smiling while the tears were streaming down my face? The answers: yes, Auden was magnificent; nobody can out sa-woon Wes, but Eli is just as utterly lovable in his own right; and yeah, this book made me smile and cry at the same time, completely heart-tugging.

I’ve said this is only my second Sarah Dessen book, but I’m sensing a pattern, maybe. I don’t mean the stories, but the effect the stories have. I know that I can count (I think) on a main character that speaks with a real, resonating voice. You may not be just like Auden, or any other of the mc’s, but you can find a way to indentify or even just sympathize with her. She will make wrong choices and stumble a bit on the way, but she will find her path.
There will be girls. Girls who, while they may be seemingly unlike the mc, they will have an underlying quality that will surprise her, and you. They will teach her lessons she never expected from them.

There will be a guy. The guy. A Wes, or an Eli. He will be quiet, possibly have a troubled past; nothing too bad, but just enough to make him extra intriguing. But he’s a really, really good guy that you will fall in love with. He will be handsome, heartbreakingly handsome. He will, in his quiet way, teach the girl The Lesson.

Sarah Dessen’s books have become comfort books to me, my hot tomato soup on a cold, windy day. I look at them on my shelf and I smile. I know they are there, when I need That Boy and That Girl, and the comfort of a beautiful, poignant story, told only the way Sarah Dessen can.

Favorite Quotes:

“Leah looked at Maggie. ‘Great,’ she muttered. ‘He’s got the hots for you, and now we all have to eat wieners because of it.’ “ (pg.184)

“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. When something’s difficult to come by, you’ll do that much more to make sure it’s even harder –if not impossible – to lose.” (pg.299)

“You couldn’t just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn’t like a light switch, easy to shut on or off. If you were in, you were in. Out, you were out. To me, it didn’t seem complicated at all. In fact, it was the simplest thing in the world.” (pg.367)
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May 29, 2012 Luce rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: absolute-favorites, chick-lit, books-i-ve-reviewed, favorites, perfection

First of all, before I begin the review I'm going to say I loved this book. The characters were well developed and interesting, plus the plot had many twists and turns. Now that i've established I really did like this book, i'll add my review.

ACTUAL RATING- 4.5

This book, like many other Dessen books, took me a while to get into. Before you start to think, well she just doesn't get real life books, i truly do. I love her books, but I admit to putting off this book for a while. I only do this beca...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Alexa Yupangco rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, 2011-all-stars

(Review originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)

Sarah Dessen does it again! I've been a fan of hers since I read The Truth about Forever. This book is another masterpiece to add to her collection, and definitely one of my favorites.

Auden is an interesting protagonist and one that I easily came to like. She's a lone spirit, who works hard at her studies and rarely does anything spontaneous or fun. I enjoyed watching her transformation throughout the novel, especially as she discovered independence...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Gemma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ha!

This review is for all the people who ask me why I'm bothering reading a book that looks so bad. Because... sometimes they turn out to not be so horrible in the end.

I was at about page 80 in this book and ready to stop reading because it just seemed kind of... pointless. And I hated it. I hated Auden, and I hated her attitude, and I hated the book. It also really bugged me that the actual book was bright carnation pink. Can't tell you why, exactly, but it was getting on my nerves.

But... I can...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-lit, morsels-in-the-night

Insomnia, the lure of the night. That's what attracted me to this book, whose pages I would flip in my room when the rest of the house was sleeping, breathing slow, while I, blanketed by the dark night outside, enjoyed this charming story. I'd read Sarah Dessen's Just Listen, which was fantastic, but this one was even better, though the character of her dad was painted a little too flat in my opinion. But the possibility of nighttime, the world where everything is different, and the going is eas...more

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May 15, 2011 Jude rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, in-my-shelf

http://inbetweenwritingandreading.blo...

When I first saw the trailer for Along for The Ride I was SOOO disappointed. I thought the story line sounded shallow and just so not Sarah Dessen…. I bought it, but it took me 8 months to actually pick it up and read it. I think I hate the trailer. It is one of my favorite books of all time and I’ve re-read it like twelve times already. Yup, I hate the trailer :)

Ok, so, for those of you who haven’t seen the trailer it is here, though I’ll still say the s...more http://inbetweenwritingandreading.blo...

When I first saw the trailer for Along for The Ride I was SOOO disappointed. I thought the story line sounded shallow and just so not Sarah Dessen…. I bought it, but it took me 8 months to actually pick it up and read it. I think I hate the trailer. It is one of my favorite books of all time and I’ve re-read it like twelve times already. Yup, I hate the trailer :)

Ok, so, for those of you who haven’t seen the trailer it is here, though I’ll still say the short version. Auden – main character of Along For The Ride – makes out with a guy on the beach and he has a girlfriend and she meets the girlfriend and oh boy she is in trouble. Shallow. Though this DOES happen but it happens in 2 chapters! At the beginning! And once you’ve finished it you can’t even remember that scene!

Here’s how things go: Auden goes to spend her summer with her dad and her new wife and baby, Auden does not feel thrilled about this but, she’ll be going off to college soon and so she goes visit her dad. Auden has been having trouble sleeping since the problems with her parents started and she finds that hard habits are hard to break, so she just lives thanks to coffee and keeps not sleeping. Soon she find herself working at a boutique with a bunch of girls that act like, well, teens and Auden has spent most of her teenage years trying to be perfect for her demanding mother instead of actually living a life and being, well, a teen.

In the middle of her non-sleeping episodes, she meets Eli – because there’s always a boy. A guy who seems haunted and that hides a secret from his past, but he is also in a mission to give Auden back her life and show her what she’s missed out on and what she can still have. Soon they are spending every night together, setting out on different tasks, and also, learning how to ride a bike – at least Auden.

Along for the ride is a lesson to let go, to always get back on that bike no matter how many times you fall, to go on a quest, and to enjoy the ride.

This is my favorite Sarah Dessen Novel so far. Can’t wait to get What Happened With Goodbye in my hands :)

Last but not Least: Only Sarah Dessen could’ve done it :P

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2 likes · like · see review

Sep 19, 2009 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2009, ya-contemporary, young-adult, autographed

Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen, is a fun and enjoyable read. I have to admit, at first I could not stand the main character, Auden. She was self-centered, clueless about others feelings, snobbish and down-right annoying. I almost put the book down and called it a day because if I don’t like the main character, chances are I’m not going to enjoy the book. However, all that altered by mid-book and the story took a sharp turn down Enjoyable Avenue. I feel Dessen’s technique was deliberate, wel...more

11 likes · like · see review

Jul 09, 2009 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, young-adult

As usual, Sarah Dessen excels. I've enjoyed all of her books, and this one is no exception. Though I'm no longer a teenager, I still find myself able to relate to her characters (and usually, I can find different aspects of myself or my high school years within each character, which is fun!). Her cast in Along for the Ride is fully developed, with incredible depth, with their own problems or trauma or something that makes them feel real and accessible. Even the annoying ones -- Belissa, for exam...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 25, 2009 laaaaames rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. One star because the prose is lovely. Another because, I mean, I finished it.

Despite my issues with Sarah Dessen (and they are numerous), I really enjoyed Lock & Key so I hoped that meant she was moving away from the crap that annoys me so much about her writing. Alas, it is not to be.

I liveblogged reading this for a friend, so instead of writing up AGAIN why this book made me so furious and frustrated, I'll just copy and paste for you:

pg. 33, a dude is all OOH YOU'RE THE HOTTEST GIRL to Aud...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 Lucille rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, books-i-own

This is the second Sarah Dessen book I've read. The first one was What Happened to Goodbye which I didn't like much.

But this book blew me off! It's so heart-warming and relatable. Not that my parents are divorced. Being with books is so much better, so peaceful. It's the same for Auden, though for her, it's academics.

I liked the story of Auden who missed out on a lot of things. I, too, missed out on a lot of things. Like food fights, sneaking out, having friends, etc. You name it. My parents ar...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 24, 2011 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: beach-summer-love, books-worth-reading-twice

I really liked this book. Its a quick easy read. You can put it down and walk away and pick it back up. It's also a book you can easily get swept away with in regards to the emotions. I love the relationship that is developed between Auden and Eli. Eli shows Auden a whole new world that she has yet to discover and they embark on this journey together. She gets a chance to re-do her childhood and make new memories. They both have an opportunity to over come a major event in their lives and to get...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2010 Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: afew-ofmy-favoritethings, books-i-own, favorites

Loved the book! Sarah Dessen has done it again with Along for the Ride. I have been reading her books for awhile now and can say that this is now up there in my favorites from her. I was really excited to read it and was not let down by the story or the characters.

She has a way to make you feel like the people are not only real, but that there is a part of you in one if not more within her stories. It's always nice to read something where just about everyone can relate to something or someone.

I...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 23, 2010 kitty cué rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book in one day! I couldn't stop it was four am and I defiantly had insomnia like the book. Lol.
I love this bool is really good and I can't wait to buy more books about her, because people say this one was not the best. Well I can't wait for the next one! :D

I wish I lived in a little town like that which I could walk or ride a bike. I love this book so much :D and I love Eli I was sad for Abe I hated Jake, Love her new best friends love her (Auden).. Hated so dad and sometimes her m...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 11, 2010 Erica - Bonner Springs Library rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, audiobook, romance, ya

Auden goes to live with her father, his new wife Heidi and new baby Thisby for the summer. Being an insomniac after her parents divorce, she becomes friends with another insomniac, Eli. Her friendship with Eli is complicated like many teenage girl-boy friendships. Sort of by accident, Auden starts working her stepmother's very pink boutique. Auden doesn't want to like her stepmother or any of the girls at the store, they seem too shallow at first but as the story goes on Auden comes to find frie...more

1 like · like · see review

May 17, 2013 Kami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The reason I picked “Along for the Ride” is because I’ve read some of Sara Dessen’s books before and every single one has been an amazing! They are heartwarming and compelling. This is a book that you don’t want to put down!

To sum it up, this book is about a teenage girl who doesn’t have a social life and has divorced parents. She decides to go and live with her dad, his wife, whom she doesn’t like, and their newly born baby for the summer. What happens in the summer is what you’ll have to find...more

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“Relationships dont always make sense. Especially from the outside” — 998 people liked it

“Life is full of screwups. You're supposed to fail sometimes. It's a required part of the human existance.” — 978 people liked it

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