"The Truth about Forever" by Sarah Dessen

"Macy's summer stretches before her, carefully planned and outlined. She will spend her days sitting at the library information desk. She will spend her evenings studying for the SATs. Spare time will be used to help her obsessive mother prepare for the big opening of the townhouse section of her luxury development. But Macy's plans don't anticipate a surprising and chaotic job with Wish Catering, a motley crew of new friends, or ... Wes. Tattooed, artistic, anything-but-expected Wes. He doesn't fit Macy's life at all--so why does she feel so comfortable with him? So ... happy? What is it about him that makes her let down her guard and finally talk about how much she misses her father, who died before her eyes the year before? Sarah Dessen delivers a page-turning novel that carries readers on a roller coaster of denial, grief, comfort, and love as we watch a broken but resilient girl pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together." -Sarah Dessen's website

Everyone kept telling me to read Sarah Dessen's books because she's amazing, and that this was one of the best, probably a good one to start with. I'm so glad I did. I adored The Truth About Forever. The characters and storytelling were amazing.

The book entails Macy's journey dealing many things, including; dealing with the sudden loss of her father, and dealing with the fine, just fine, attitude that she put on for everyone, as well as learning how to release her emotions and let go of some of the things she's actually feeling; the impossible feat of being 'perfect'; and the always changing definition of 'forever'. Macy's realization that being her mom and hers' vision of perfect is actually an unachievable goal was really great, because I think that (usually someone else's definition) of perfect is something a lot of people try and fail to be and realizing that you are who you are and flaws are important is a big deal; and so's the realization that no matter what nothing and no one is perfect. The ongoing theme of the changing definition of forever was really great too. Wes and her were cute and it was good how they both got to deal with the loss of a parent together, and help each-other out with that. A good book all over! I'll be sure to read another book by Sarah Dessen sometime! :)