What Happened to Good-Bye

What Happened to Goodbye

By Sarah Dessen

402 pages

Grade A

What can I say, I am a sucker for teen chick lit, and Miss Sarah did not fail to impress me. All of Sarah's characters are usually some kind of troubled teen, but somehow she still makes them moderately different. Same thing with the guys in her books too. What I liked so much about this book was that the main character, McLean, lives with her dad. She choose to live with her dad after her parents divorced. Now I grew up with my dad. I didn't have a choice between my parents like McLean did so I don't know how hard that choice would have been to make, but I am happy with how my life turned out living with my dad. I know now, especially since I am a parent myself, that I would not be the person I am today had I not grown up being raised by my dad. And for that, I thank him because I think I turned out ok. So dad, if you are reading, I love you and you did a great job!!!

Anyway, back to the story...McLean's dad works for a consulting company that forces him to travel, and in his travels, he carts his teenage daughter along with him. McLean learns to adapt, maybe not in a healthy way, but in her own way. I think out of all of Sarah's lead characters, I liked McLean the best. For me she has been the easiest to relate to. But most of Sarah's books have the same idea or concept behind them, odd girl falls for a guy, something happens, the girl and the guy split and then at the end of the story they work it out and get back together. And this book went along with that basis too, but for me, this book wasn't like reading just another Sarah Dessen book. There was something about this book that really set it apart from her other books. So good job Sarah. I can't wait to read what you put out next!!