What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Angry about her parent’s divorce and her mother’s role in it, Mclean moves in with her father. This means a life on the move because of her dad’s new job; four towns in two years.

And while Mclean’s dad is busy fixing restaurants, Mclean is busy inventing new personas for herself. Whether she is a drama queen or a preppy cheerleader, Mclean isn't Mclean anymore, and she is still angry at her mom. But now, in Lakeview, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place, and leave Lizbet, Eliza, and Beth in the past.

But how can she be herself if she doesn’t even remember who the real Mclean is anymore?

Every reader of YA fiction has come across at least one of Dessen's novels; if you've come across more than one, you begin to notice certain things. For one, they're all very realistic; every teen and every adult can relate to the issues and themes dealt with in these books. What Happened to Goodbye is no different. It's a great addition to Dessen's collections, and one of my new favorites.

Character development is superb, and the plotline is great. Everybody can easily relate to wanting to make yourself into someone totally different; change your clothes, your styles, your interests, everything. Even your name. The reality of why Mclean was so desperate to do this is upsetting, but understandable. Most teens today have divorced parents in the US; I'm one of them. It's easy to understand how she felt. And as for romance--there is NO shortage of that in this one.

What Happened to Goodbye takes Dessen’s usual path through the hardships of family, first loves, and friendship in a new way. You'll love it!

Grade: A+

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Book Review: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends--herlife. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over. Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her.

Review:

Alice's story is so unforgettable, even more so than that of other book with a similar feel to this, like Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

Everyone has problems at home--I refuse to believe in the perfect family--and some of Alice's feelings you can relate to, like how hopeless and alone she feels throughout the story, even if your situation is nowhere near as horrible as hers. Elizabeth Scott's writing technique in this book is different than those of her other books, but it's still easy to read. Don't let the fact that it is such a short read--one that you could read in one sitting (it is 170 pages)--discourage you from reading it.

This book is about a very disturbing topic, one that many would not enjoy reading about. It contains events such as kidnap, rape, and murder--but not in such a detailed way that its readers are limited to a certain age. Living Dead Girl is not a light read, and cannot simply be read and placed on a shelf.

This book needs to be thought about and discussed. Rather than saying 'I could not put it down,' I will say that this is a novel that MUST be put down. . . and then be picked right back up again! It's so disturbing, but very captivating all at once; I almost couldn't stand to read some parts, but I had to. In this way, it is similar to watching a gruesome abuse scene in a film; it's so awful, so upsetting, but you can't look away. Living Dead Girl should come with a Warning Label: it will grab you and keep you reading into the last hours of the night, and keep you thinking deeply, hauntigly, after the final word.

This book is simply fantastic, and teaches you to be grateful for what you have, no matter how little or much that is. Living Dead Girl is unique in every way, and no similar novels I have read even compare. Some books demand to be talked about. Living Dead Girl is one of those books. A hauntingly fantastic novel, and one that must be read.

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