The Truth About Forever

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen, 2004, 374p, rating=4
Content: Swearing and underage drinking

A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder, Is it really better to be safe than sorry? (Goodreads)

Macy's father died while out on a run one morning. He had tried to wake her up to go with him but she was too tired. A few minutes later she changed her mind but by the time she caught up with him, he had collapsed and died. She feels horrible and her and her mother live the perfect existence to avoid talking about it. She gets the perfect boyfriend, Jason, and comes home early and studies every night. Jason leaves for the summer to go to Brain Camp and she takes over for him at the library. The girls that work there with her hate her and don't mind letting her know they believe she's not good enough to be their friend or good enough to be dating Jason.

Her sister Caroline went through a wild stage and is now happily married. When she comes to visit, she has a way of stirring things up. Her mother becomes a workaholic, selling real estate and expanding the company she and her husband built together. During an open house, Macy meets Delia, Wes, Bert, and Monica, the staff of Wish Catering. They're understaffed and Delia, the owner, asks her to help out so she does.

Her job at the library is tough since she's not allowed to do much of anything and she misses Jason so she tells him she loves him in an email and he responds by telling her he thinks they need a break so she drives around one night, unable to return home, when she sees the Wish Catering van and spontaneously stops to see if they need help. They do and she meets Kristy, who wasn't with them the first time she met them. She enjoys herself and her summer starts looking up.

She enjoys her new job and also keeps working at the library to keep her mom happy. She starts to change as she finds someone, Wes, to open up to. They become good friends, and since they each have someone else they're dating, they're able to open up to each other. Their game of Truth helps them get to know each other better. Macy finds out that Jason wants her back and that's what she's been hoping for--or is it?

This is the first Sarah Dessen book I've read and I really enjoyed it. The content would keep me from highly recommending it but I see the appeal for her books. About halfway through, it was hard to put down and I wanted to hurry and finish it. I enjoyed the conversations Macy was finally able to have with her mom as they seemed to finally be able to discuss her father and her mother was able to see a good side to her new friends. I loved her relationship with Wes and how he accepted her for who she was and wasn't trying to mold her into the perfect companion for him. Their game of Truth was fun to read as it helped them get to know each other better in a fun way. I liked her sister, Caroline, and how she helped to bring them all back together. Overall, an interesting book to read and an author I would read again, so if you've read her books and have a recommendation, please let me know.



This is also the first book I've read from my list of paper books to read this year. So here is what my list looks like now (in no particular order, although this happens to be the first book):

1. The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen
2. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
3. Hounded, by Kevin Hearne
4. The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom
5. Splintered, by A.G. Howard
6. The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
7. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot
8. The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery
9. Airel, by Aaron Patterson and Chris White
10. Lethally Blonde, by Patrice Lyle