That Summer

Sarah Dessen's novel, 'That Summer,' is the heartfelt story of a young girl just trying to find her way in a world that's coming apart at the seams. Haven knows her life will never be the same. Her father leaves her mother for his young TV News co-host, her sister is getting married to the most boring man on the planet, and Haven herself is rapidly becoming a giant. Haven thinks longingly of the summer of Sumner ? her sister's old boyfriend that, for one summer, brought their family together. When Sumner unexpectedly shows up in her life again, Haven feels like things are changing ? but this time in a good way. Instead of always keeping the status quo, Haven finds herself bold and spontaneous, and she likes the feeling. But Sumner isn't the answer to her prayers that Haven thinks he is, and when the shoe drops, Haven discovers what she had buried deep inside all along.

Dessen's novel, true to form, is a no-holds-barred look at life as a teenage girl. Dessen offers readers a heroine they can sympathize with and learn from, all at the same time. She dashes her sometimes bittersweet stories with plenty of humor and personality. Her characters are complex and believable, with both virtues and vices. 'That Summer' is an incisive look at the love-hate relationship of sisters in a family torn asunder. Summer is a magical time when anything can happen, and 'That Summer' portrays that feeling with ease and simplicity, taking readers back to their own summer where everything changed.