A Read Worth Canonizing

I'm on a Sarah Dessen streak- I recently read her newest book, Saint Anything. I absolutely ADORED this book. It's probably my new favorite Sarah Dessen yarn. She weaves us the story of Sydney, a girl invisible in her own life. She lives in the infamous shadow of her troubled brother, who has always been her parents' priority. To escape this shadow after a particularly painful incident, Sydney transfers from her swanky private school to the public high school. There, she blends in, initially. But a spontaneous trip to a nearby pizza parlor changes everything. The family that owns the parlor soon welcomes Sydney in, and she begins to see the world in a completely different way. Dessen's signature wit and charm bring Sydney and the other characters fully to life. We see how all the relationships between Sydney and her compatriots change throughout the book- from strangers to friends and maybe, even more. One of my favorite points of this book is when Sydney realizes that her new friends truly care about her and her well-being, and that she is more than just an invisible girl. Dessen's poignant storytelling puts us right in Sydney's shoes, and her emotions are highly relatable. Sydney is every girl that has felt pushed aside, invisible, a shadow in their own life. Her story is one that anyone who has felt like a ghost among the living can see themselves in. I highly recommend this book for anyone who needs encouragement that even the smallest light can become a strong, powerful flame.

(picture courtesy of goodreads.com)