The+Truth+About+Forever

**The Truth about Forever** by Sarah Dessen Sarah Dessen’s //The Truth about Forever// is a book about a girl named Macy and her summer that changed everything. Macy, a seventeen year old girl who seems to have her life completely mapped out. When her father died one morning in December after she had decided not to go running with him, she quits running indefinitely. For her sister and her mother she is fine, a rock, and the one who comforts them while they seemed to be falling apart. All the while, however, she is broken and hurt with the sorrow of her father’s death to deal with. Her mother becomes a work-a-holic, while Macy tries to become the perfect student living a bland life to fill the gap of her dead father.

Now, she has a “perfect” boyfriend of one year who takes part in yoga, works at the library, is class president, and an excellent student. But when he goes away to camp, she plans a most boring summer, studying for the SAT and working for him at the local library while keeping in touch with him via email. However, when the girls at the library shun her and she is feeling insecure and needed encouragement, she turns to her boyfriend, signing her e-mail with “I love you” at the end.

After being with him for one year, one would expect she would be returned with the same sentiment; however, he tells her they need a break. While this completely shakes her to her core, she pretends like nothing is wrong. Her mother does not want to hear the imperfections of her struggling daughter and acts like everything is fine, perfect even. But one night at one of her mother’s parties for new clients, Macy meets Delilah, a caterer who seems to have too much on her plate. Tired of the same horrid job, she caters without her mother’s knowledge while keeping the job at the library. Delilah shows Macy that a little bit of chaos can be just what she needs, while the other staff members of //Make a Wish// catering show her there is more to life than being perfect, and Wes, the cute nephew of Delilah shows her nothing is really broken or imperfect, but rather is waiting to be seen in a different light to truly understand its real beauty.

I absolutely love //The Truth about Forever//. Sarah Dessen is one of the best teenaged writers I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Macy is a girl who most girls can relate to, she desperately wants to be perfect, fine, happy, and valued. The way she deals with her insecurities is obviously flawed. She is told she can only be perfect if she fits “this” certain description. Her boyfriend irked me off as he was obviously the one in the wrong and frustrating when he put everything else before her, his girlfriend. While I understand not getting caught up too much in a relationship, as ones in high school are not meant to last so much as to give you dating experience, his behavior exemplifies one a girl should not have to “put up with”. While Wes, the one who showed Macy she was beautiful, valued, and perfect in a way that was much more unique than just being a book worm that never went out or took a chance. I would highly recommend this book to any girl, especially if they like a little bit of romance with real life applications.
 * Book Review:**