BBReview: "What Happened to Goodbye" By Sara Dessen

Genre: Young Adult -Contemporary
Publishing Date: May 10th, 2011
Page Count: 402
Source: Borrowed from local library
Format: Audiobook

Description from Amazon:
Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out. 

Combing Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.


Review:
I was so excited when i saw that my library got this in and especially excited when i saw that it was on audio. I did really like this novel, because i really like Sarah Dessen's writing style and the way she really make you feel like you are the main character. I think it's because she makes you connect so easily, and also its told in the first person narrative so the only view point you hear from is the main character.

This was my second Sarah Dessen novel that i have read, my first being Along for the Ride, and i will admit i didn't like it as much as Along for the Ride. I did still like it, but i didn't love it. It took a really long time because anything really big even happened in the story and the only part that really started having some fast paced writing was over half way through. I still think it was a good story and i really liked how there was dialogue from a bunch of different people, because McLean hung out with a big group of people.

Although there were things about the story that i didn't like, i really LOVED the quality of the audiobook. I think the reader was amazing and i wish she would just read for all of my audiobooks. I really like that she sounded like a young teenager and that she did different voices for each of the characters, but didn't do a fake, deep voice for the male characters. I HATE when audiobook readers do male voices, because it sounds SOOO awful!

Overall:
I think this was a really good story, but i just wasn't in love with it like how i was with Along for the Ride. I think Sarah Dessen's writing style is amazing and i love how easily i can connect with her characters and feel like im right there with them, but the story just didn't do it for me. It took a long time for any big event to happen and there wasn't any fast paced writing that made you want to hurry up and read to find out what happens until the very end.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 4/5

*This audiobook was borrowed from my local library*