A review by bookish_leslie
Along for the Ride (Movie Tie-In) by Sarah Dessen

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

My rating scale, for reference:

  • 1 Star: Hated it
  • 2 Stars: Didn't like it
  • 3 Stars: Meh
  • 4 Stars: Liked it
  • 5 Stars: Loved it
 
This book was well written, and the characters had some depth, but it was also boring because there was basically no plot. I like well-developed characters, but I also like there to be a point to it all too, you know?

Despite the lack of plot, I did enjoy some of the themes Dessen explored within these characters, like:

  • What it means to be a friend
  • Giving teens the freedom to figure out their own niche without the pressure to follow a certain path
  • Not judging or making assumptions about other people before getting to know them better
  • Communication and boundaries within a relationship
  • Showing up for the people you love
  • Staying to do the hard and messy work of dealing with problems instead of running away or letting others solve them for you.

I especially resonated with the themes of:

  • Needing to take more risks
  • Being less afraid of failure
  • Exploring what it means to be a girl without pigeon-holing yourself or others into tiny little boxes.
 
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