Sarah Dessen’s latest novel, The Rest of the Story, is an engaging, touching coming-of-age tale. The book is narrated by 17-year-old Emma Saylor, who has to spend three weeks with her maternal grandmother in the working-class community of North Lake after plans of her own fall apart. Emma, who barely remembers the last time she was there (she was four at the time), has to stay there while her father goes on a honeymoon with his new wife, and discovers some interesting family secrets.
Emma’s real mother was divorced by her father due to her drug habit 10 years previously, which eventually led to her fatal overdose. Emma uses her time in North Lake to learn more about her mother & why she chose to be so self-destructive, while in the process coming to terms with who she herself really is. Meanwhile, Emma also gets to renew family ties with her cousins & make new friends, all of whom have their own situations to deal with. And Emma gets to reconnect with Roo, a local boy who was her playmate when she stayed there 13 years earlier.
Strong supporting characters, some nice twists (Dad unexpectedly shows up in the last third of the book), and an exciting climax involving a dangerous tropical storm makes The Rest of the Story a riveting narrative from start to finish. For ages 14-18.
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