(HS LRC) May Book of the Month - The Truth about Forever

It's really all about our doting moms! Sarah Dessen's sixth novel gracefully balances comedy with tragedy and introduces a complex heroine worth getting to know, returning to a familiar theme and recognizable characters: the “perfect” girl at odds with a controlling mother and keeping boys at arm’s length because of father issues.

Here the girl is Macy Queen. Her father has died, her sensible mother can’t grieve and reels Macy back every time our heroine tries to break out of the automaton state in which she is trapped during the summer following the sudden death when she plans to work at the library and wait for her brilliant and oh-so-steady boyfriend Jason to return from "Brain Camp" – things that are safe and predictable.

"Anything he did, he did well," Macy explains. "A lot of people might find this annoying, even loathsome. But not me. He was just what I needed."

However, Macy must learn to find happiness and reassurance on her own after the boyfriend announces via e-mail that he wants to put their relationship on hold. Much to her mother's dismay, Macy impulsively gets a job with a disorganized catering company instead to work as a caterer's assistant for a very pregnant woman called Delia who thrives on chaos.

Macy's new coworkers mirror and mask similar emotions to her own – among them are a girl who is scarred on the outside but not on the inside and two motherless brothers, the older of whom, the sensitive and artistic bartender Wes, helps Macy break through as she makes new friends and finally faces her grief amidst flying meatballs, spilt wine, irate clients, and inebriated guests.

As is often the case with Dessen, the novel is a mixed bag. At its purest, the writing reaches directly into the hearts of teenage girls: Macy’s games of “truth” with Wes are unerringly conceived, sharply focused on both characters and issues. Cheer Macy on as she tentatively reenters the world of the living by taking risks and relearning how to act spontaneously, embracing change rather than avoiding it. Come find inspiration in this entertaining must-read!