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    Saint Anything
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    Saint Anything
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    Saint Anything
    Audiobook12 hours

    Saint Anything

    Written by Sarah Dessen

    Narrated by Taylor Meskimen

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and-lately-concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

    Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

    The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 5, 2015
    ISBN9781101915431
    Unavailable
    Saint Anything
    Author

    Sarah Dessen

    Sarah Dessen is the number one New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews. Her books have been published in over thirty countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She currently lives in North Carolina with her family.

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    Reviews for Saint Anything

    4/5

    240 ratings28 reviews

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    • 4/5
      See full review @ The Indigo Quill

      This was a good book to kick off the Summer. The protagonist, Sydney, has always lived in her extremist brother's shadow. When he is put it jail for hitting a kid while drunk driving, Sydney loses all sense of identity in the eyes of her family. After switching schools for a "change" in environment, she meets the Chatham family who are polar to the dynamic that she is accustomed to. The reader experiences with Sydney the changing world around her as she tries to find her place outside of who her brother is.

      Saint Anything is the first book I've read of Sarah Dessen's. Many people have said that this is darker than her other novels, but don't let this sway you. It really isn't that dark at all. I'm not sure I would even call it that. It just deals with a couple drug-related issues but barely even scratches the surface of them or their effects. Oh, there's a pretty creepy dude and some situations that make you fear for Sydney's safety, but Dessen really doesn't go into much detail about anything.

      There is a little romance, but not like her other books. It's more of a side plot, and nothing too crazy happens. It was nice reading a book that dealt with every day life, but was still very clean. No sex, minimal swearing, and I don't think she dropped any names of drugs or anything. Saint Anything is the perfect amount of reality without becoming too heavy or difficult to read.

      My only complaint is that I caught 5 spelling errors in the book. For being a product of Viking, I was really surprised. And perhaps they've corrected them since then, I mean, I received the very first copy that arrived at the library, but one of my pet peeves is seeing typos in a book by a popular author.

      It was a light character-driven chick lit that would be perfect for enjoying while sitting by the pool. If you're looking for a good summer read that deals with more substance than your every day love triangle, definitely pick up this book.
    • 4/5
      Peyton, Sydney’s charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, thus he seems to get all the attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton’s increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. The parents, especially the mom is terribly worried about Peyton, and how he's going to survive a prison sentence. But Sydney worries are for the real victim the boy paralyzed after Peyton hits him with his car.

      Then the Chatham's enter the picture. They are a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

      Due to Peyton's notoriety and the legal costs involved with Peyton, Sydney transfers from her exclusive private high school to the public school. She becomes friends with Layla Chatham. Layla immediately takes Sydney under her wings and the two rapidly become friends, bonding over lollipops at the pizza parlor and Layla’s rather eccentric French Fry eating habits. Sydney becomes a part of something special when she is brought into the Chatham family’s world. Mac and Layla both care deeply about Sydney and Mrs. Chatham offers the advice that Sydney isn’t able to get from her own mother, who is always preoccupied with Peyton. Obviously, not everything is cotton balls and butterflies, as Sydney feels a guilt that just won’t go away over the accident and the crippled boy and a mother who means well but takes her control over Sydney’s life too far.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars"Saint Anything" was different to other books I've read by this author. It was darker and far deeper than her usual offerings, but I enjoyed following the lives of the various characters, especially Sydney and the Chatham family. The story was gentle, although a bit slow at times, but I felt for Sydney as she struggled with guilt and loneliness. Ames gave me the creeps from the start and I was annoyed with both of Sydney's parents. Her mother for denying her son's situation and ignoring her daughter, and her father for not being strong enough to stand up to his wife. However, I loved the members of the Chatham family. While Sydney's family was reserved and slightly stuffy, the Chathams were loud, messy, fun-loving and there for each other. While I thought the ending was a disappointment, it felt rushed and finished too easily, overall, "Saint Anything" was a well-written, poignant novel about families, friends and the everyday ups and downs of life.
    • 2/5
      I was pretty disappointed in this book. I usually like Ms. Dessen's books but I struggled through this one.
    • 4/5
      This gets an automatic four stars because it's a Sarah Dessen book and so it's already at that extremely good level. And it's a weird thing where if this wasn't a Dessen book, I'd be like THIS IS SO GREAT! But because I've read her other books, I have to say this is not my fav. I liked Sydney as a character very much, and some of the plot twists caught me by surprise, so all good. The whole thing with Ames was maybe the strongest/most terrible part, perfectly written to convey just how awkward and terrible this whole thing was. I hadn't read an account of that creepy vibe before, and really applaud her showing how important it is for girls (and women) to trust their gut feelings about creepy dudes. Mac was your standard issue Dessen dreamboat, no complaints there. I guess I just didn't ache with love for this as I did with some of her others. Still, enjoyable, recommended, etc.
    • 4/5
      Tackled some difficult issues and told a good tale, without supernaturals. I liked it.
    • 5/5
      I could not put this one down! Totally relatable characters and realistic plotline. I'm not a fan of under age drinking, this book had a lot of it, but at least there were realistic consequences. This book was a nice balance between providing an escape from real life (one of the reasons I read fiction) and making me feel emotionally invested in the characters (which I love). Hard issues - definitely a YA, not a children's book. But, highly recommended!This was my first book by Dessen, it will not be my last!!
    • 4/5
      This is a story about a teenage girl who is living with the consequences of her brother's bad behavior. Sydney's charismatic older brother has been sentenced to jail for driving under the influence and badly injuring a young man. Sydney feels really guilty and her parents treat her like she's the one who made bad choices. She ends up switching schools (from an exclusive private school to the local public school) and makes new friends that help her through this. I really liked these characters (except for the mom) and I think it was a good idea to tell the story about how the people around a person with substance abuse issues are also impacted.
    • 5/5
      I tried to linger over this book as long as I could, but curiosity made me finish.

      Sarah Dessen is probably the best YA writer around today. Her characters are true and her writing is wonderful, and by writing I mean the rhythm and flow and choice of words, even in first person.

      Saint Anything is probably her all around strongest novel to date and I was sad to come to the end. But there is also the satisfaction of having read a story that while fiction is comprised of truth.
    • 4/5
      Not as much of a love story as her previous novels, but more coming of age. Great characters.
    • 3/5
      Sydney is a high school kid with a seemingly average life - navigating homework and a new school and typical teen problems. Except that Sydney is at a new school because she's trying to escape the shadow of her older brother, Peyton, who has recently gone to jail for injuring a local kid while driving drunk. For her whole life, Sydney has felt like her parents have focused on Peyton and his antics - and even with him in jail, it seems like nothing has changed. At her new school, Sydney meets Layla Chatham, a member of the Chatham family. They run the local pizza parlor near her new school and soon Sydney feels comfortable and nearly adopted by her Layla and her parents, her older sister, Rosie, and her brother, Mac. They are everything her family is not.

      This was a good book, with a typical Dessen teenage drama and love story plot, but it wasn't anything earth-shattering. Sydney is a good kid and I liked her character, and I very much liked Layla and Mac, as well. Sydney's back-story with her brother is a good one, but seems a little unbelievable at times, and her rigid mother is almost too uptight and clueless. Her father is totally spineless and frustrating. For much of the story, you're waiting for something to happen and then when it finally does, it all seems a bit anti-climatic and it all gets fixed up rather quickly to seem truly plausible.

      Still, a fun little read, but I do prefer "Lock and Key" or "Someone Like You." (However, I feel like a sequel featuring the Chathams would somehow be awesome.)
    • 3/5
      Meh. The book was rather spoiled for me by the incessant fat shaming. (Everyone eats crap all the time, but the fat characters are chastised, while the skinny characters are lauded. Ew.)

      Library copy
    • 5/5
      *****Some possibly spoilery things****





      When I read YA, it's usually fantasy, or urban fantasy, or paranormal, or something along those lines. I don't usually read contemporary YA, just...well, because those were angsty years for me and times I don't like to relive. But I read some reviews for Saint Anything and they sounded good, so I thought I'd give it a try.

      It was very different than what I expected, in a really, happily pleasingly different way. I haven't read Sarah Dessen before, although my step-daughter has read a lot by her, so the name was instantly familiar. I liked that it was quirky, had an unexpected beginning (I don't think I've read a YA book starting with the main character's older brother going to prison for a DUI where someone was seriously injured before), and it wasn't very formulaic.

      Sydney feels invisible; her family's attention has always been focused on her older brother, Peyton. First when he was doing well at things, then when he started getting into trouble. Then when he started getting into trouble that involved the police. He's the oldest, named after his father. They're a well-to-do family. When he hits and paralyzes a young boy riding his bicycle at 2 in the morning when he's driving drunk, Sydney and Peyton's mother behaves as though the boy was lying in wait on his bicycle for Peyton's weaving car so he could leap in front of it and make her beloved son have to go to prison for the indignity of having injured him. Sydney doesn't understand--the boy, David Ibarra, has to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair because of her brother, yet her mother can't grasp that idea. Her son is in prison, that's the only thing that matters. Even her father, at one point, finally says, "It's prison, not preschool." (something along those lines).

      The emotional layers in her family are interesting--Sydney's mother is in such denial it's painful to watch. Her father is someone who holds his emotions to himself, and even when the reader catches a glimpse of his true feelings, he will give in to what Sydney's mom wants, even if he disagrees. Sydney is torn--on the one hand, she once idolized her brother, but no one else is thinking of David, who is always at the back of her mind, and now she is not sure how she feels about her brother--she has nothing to relate to him about. His truly creepy friend Ames pushes himself into their household with a clear eye on Sydney but sympathy, real or faked, with Sydney's mom, feeding into her drama.

      Sydney has one group of friends at the private school she goes to, none of whom can relate to her. When she transfers to a local public school, she meets a girl whom she saw at the courthouse, and someone she instantly relates to and can relate to her--she was at the courthouse that day because of her older sister. The pizza parlor is owned by an interesting an amazing family, and Mac, Layla's older brother (who is also named after his father) is the one expected to take over, although he has absolutely no interest in doing so and would much rather go to college and learn engineering or something else that allows him to indulge his love of fixing broken things.

      Their family is chaotic and interesting, far different than Sydney's own. They embrace Sydney and make her feel like one of their own, and for once she doesn't feel invisible. She belongs, with Layla's family, with her group of friends that includes her brother and her ex, who are in a band forever discussing what its name should be.

      One aspect that I really liked is that when Sydney and Mac fall for each other, they are both wary because of Layla's near hatred for the last girl who befriended her just to get to Mac and then dumped him. So they keep it a secret. Of course, in the meantime, things fall apart because of a single misunderstanding with Sydney's parents and they put her on lockdown and fill up all her time, so she and Mac can hardly see each other. So Layla finds out when all this happens, and she doesn't talk to Sydney. But when she does, it's not a typical teenage stomping away fight. She asks Sydney why, Sydney tells her, Layla asks some more questions, gets the answers she wants, and she's okay with it. There is actual, honest to goodness communication! And I say that because that's something I still have to work on at times, and I've only really just started learning how to do because of my best friend (so it's sort of ironic in a way). Talk instead of just stomping off. What a unique concept. Explain yourself, say what you're thinking. How utterly refreshing. Because that's what real friends do. And Layla is a real friend, and I think that's the first time I've ever really seen that in a YA book, that I can remember (my apologies to any book I'm forgetting that that may have happened in), and I applaud it enthusiastically.

      Ames finally gets his comeuppance when Layla and Mac's mom ends up in the hospital and Sydney decides what's most important, and that's seeing their mom at the hospital. She breaks her parents rules and goes. And that leads to a great breakthrough on Sydney's mom's part, which is wonderful, because it is heartfelt. And it comes from that place where if someone is in an environment where they feel free to really be themself, they _shine_, and Sydney's mom finally sees that in her daughter, and realizes that she isn't like her brother, she's like herself, and that she's a truly good person. And it's the first time her mom has actually seen Sydney and not the superimposed Sydney that she's always seen, but the real Sydney, and how wonderful she is, and I loved that so much.

      Sydney and Peyton finally reach some common ground, which is awesome, because Peyton has feelings he never shared with her. And the end of the book is awesome, because is shows that it is never too late, and there is always potential.

      I really have to say that I think this is my favorite contemporary YA novel, or at least the one I've liked the best that I can remember. I wasn't sure what to expect with it, but it was much more than I expected, and I highly recommend it for anyone who feels that they go unnoticed in their family. Sometime, somewhere, someone will notice you for the special person you are. Don't give up.
    • 5/5
      I love Sarah Dessen, but was disappointed by her last couple of books. Luckily, Saint Anything was a return to the heights of what her writing and storytelling can be.

      I loved the characters, and the story. I wished I had people like the Chatham family in my own life, and I loved the complexities of the relationships between characters. there was so much here to enjoy. I felt giddy with Sydney when things were going well, and super frustrated when no one would listen to her. I didn't want to put it down.
    • 5/5
      I've been a huge fan of Sarah Dessen's for a while now, and I can safely say that this may be her best work yet. In fact, Saint Anything has officially taken up residency as my favorite book by her---and that's saying a lot because I absolutely LOVED Just Listen and The Truth About Forever.In Dessen's trademark form, Saint Anything delivers a moving story with pitch perfect prose and astonishingly relatable characters. I connected with this book on so many levels it's not even funny. I'm tellin' ya, this book is absolute perfection.My favorite quote:"That was just it. You never knew what lay ahead; the future was one thing that could never be broken, because it had not yet had the chance to be anything. One minute you're walking through a dark woods, alone, and then the landscape shifts, and you see it. Something wondrous and unexpected, almost magical, that you never would have found had you not kept going. Like a new friend who feels like an old one, or a memory you'll never forget. Maybe even a carousel."
    • 5/5
      Sydney has always been the invisible one beside Peyton, her charming older brother. But unfortunately, he's been in a lot of trouble. When Sydney switches schools (her choice) and meets a girl named Layla and her family who own a pizza shop, she suddenly doesn't feel so invisible anymore. But she's still struggling to come to terms with what her brother did and the guilt she feels, which makes her more and more uncomfortable home alone with her parents, who just don't seem to get it.Okay, so you pretty much know what you're going to get when you pick up a Sarah Dessen book, right? Strong heroine who's going through a difficult time in life and needs her friends and/or love interest to get her through it. And yes, I picked this up thinking it would be a comfortable, easy read because I knew what was coming. In some ways it was, but it really surprised me how emotionally invested I became in Sydney's story and how close it brought me to tears at points. Even though an incarcerated brother may not be something everyone can relate to, Sydney's misunderstandings with her parents and the way her mom judges her actions through her brother's history is something any teenager understands. My one little niggling complaint would be that some things at the end were summarized very quickly, some things wrapped up nicely but another left nicely open for possibilities, which was very fitting for the story as a whole.
    • 5/5
      "I was used to being invisible. People rarely saw me, and if they did, they never looked close. I wasn't shiny and charming like my brother, stunning and graceful like my mother, or smart and dynamic like my friends. That's the thing though. You always think you want to be noticed. Until you are."Saint Anything is a thoughtful contemporary tale exploring the themes of family, self discovery, belonging, and change.Sydney Stanford is used to living in the shadow of her charismatic, if rebellious, older brother Peyton, but when he is convicted and imprisoned for a drink driving offense that left a fifteen year old paralysed, she struggles under the burden of his reflected guilt.Hoping to escape the gossip, and ease her parents financial burden, Sydney opts to transfer from her exclusive private school to a local public high school, where she befriends Layla Chatham and her brother Mac, after a chance meeting in the pizza parlour their parents own. Welcomed by the Chatham's, and their friends, Sydney's burden lightens but escaping her brother's legacy will not be that simple.Sydney feels as if she is the only one that carries the burden of Peyton's actions. She is angry and frustrated by her mother's seeming failure to acknowledge her brother's guilt, or Sydney's feeling about the situation, but can't discuss the matter with her, as her mother is focused only on supporting Peyton."When she spoke again her voice had an hard edge to it. "It's very scary. Especially for your brother, who is locked away, alone, with no support system other than us, his family....If he can deal with that for seventeen months," she continues, "I think you can handle being slightly uncomfortable for a few hours. Don't you agree?"With her parents distracted, and Sydney unwilling to make demands on them, she finds freedom to be herself in her friendship with Layla, and her burgeoning romance with Mac. I really liked the way Dessen developed these relationships, which are warm and realistic and equally as important to Sydney.But with a single mistake everything begins to fall apart. I was itching for Sydney to stand up for herself, both with her parents and Ames, but I think Dessen stays true to her character. Sydney has to develop the confidence and a surer sense of self before she can stand her ground."Why are you being like this?" I asked her. "I'm not a bad kid, and you know it, This was one night, one thing. One mistake. And I'm sorry. But you can't-""Your brother started with one mistake as well, she replied. "Which led to another. And another.""I'm not Peyton" I said. It seemed crazy I'd have to say this, as all my life they'd made it clear it was the one thing they knew for sure.Sydney's story is one that would often be overlooked in favour of Peyton's drama or his victim's tragedy, but Dessen ensures it is just as important and affecting. Saint Anything is a quiet but emotionally powerful novel, thoughtful and beautifully written
    • 5/5
      Sarah Dessen hooked me again. It has been awhile since I stumbled across a book that kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning. After each plot twist, I had to know what happened next.I loved all the characters, the romance, and the raw emotions. She molds the high emotions of teenage life with all the family difficulties of female life. She crosses into family sickness, family members behind bars, and finding yourself through all of it. A true page turner!
    • 4/5
      I received access to this galley for free through the First to Read program. Dessen's books have been on my to-read list for ages. Although I have heard good things about her work and even own some, somehow I never read one. So, when I got the opportunity to read an advanced copy of her latest, I jumped at the chance.The title refers to an accessory worn by Sydney, the narrator. She is the younger of two siblings and both idolizes and lives in the shadow of her brother. Peyton is somewhat of a golden boy until his antics escalate and he's eventually sentenced to prison. Sydney's and her parents' lives are turned upside down as a result.From the very first line, I was drawn in. The language was so readable, the descriptions so vivid, the voices so authentic. Her characters were human and relatable. Their life situations and their emotions struck me as realistic. I enjoyed reading about Sydney, her family, her circle of friends and their relationship dynamics.Overall I really liked this book and was sorry to see it end. It was the first of Dessen's books I have read but it definitely won't be the last.
    • 3/5
      Sydney's brother has always had the spotlight. Even now that he is in prison, her mother's life revolves around how to help him. Feeling unseen and unheard, Sydney transfers schools and makes a new group of friends where she knows she is cared about.
    • 5/5
      I love Sarah Dessen's books. She has a way with writing about heartache and things that really happen, things that people avoid talking about. The way she weaves stories around terrible things but gracefully. She is sensitive, but doesn't beat around the bush. My brother dies, and it annoys me when people say things like he is "no longer with us" or that he "passed away". I wish they would just say the truth: he is _dead_. But no one likes to use that word. Sarah Dessen isn't afraid to say things like that, but she is very tactful and the same time. Also, her books are anything but boring. They have a way of drawing you in from the start, and keeping you enthralled. I bough this book today and when I started to read I couldn't put it down. I finished it in a few hours.
    • 5/5
      Another win from Sarah Dessen. Sydney's brother Peyton is in prison. Her parents barely acknowledge her existence...until she wants to stay with a new friend or go out at night. Then it seems they are treating her as though she is Peyton, with a history of disappointing them and being in trouble. Then there is Ames, Peyton's friend, and seemingly good guy who creeps Sarah out. This book covers the hard subject of having a sibling in prison and how it affects the whole family.
    • 4/5
      For me, this is a great book about seeing things from others' perspectives. It's also a look into growing up and the pressures of society and family. I really appreciate how realistic it is. Most everyone can identify with at least some point within. I found myself angry at the situations Sydney was in several times. She's one of the best behaved teens I've seen so not seeing her get credit for her levelheadedness hurt. Saint Anything is an excellent read that got me thinking and feeling.
    • 5/5
      Sarah Dessen's books are uniformly outstanding. This one hit a little closer to home for me because I also have a brother whose problems tended to overshadow most of my young adulthood. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Sarah Dessen has been one of my favorite authors since I was in high school - I absolutely devoured any of her books that I could get my hands on at my school library. So when I came across Saint Anything at the store, I knew I absolutely had to have it. I was not disappointed, though it has been maybe ten years since I?ve read anything by Sarah Dessen. Her characters are always relatable, always so real and her family dynamics true to form and real life. I could feel Sydney?s anxiety, her eagerness to please and her longing to no longer be alone in a house full of people. This is a beautifully written book, capable of bringing you to tears and (especially if you?re an adult) reminding you what it was like to be a teen. I cannot wait to revisit my Sarah Dessen collection now!
    • 4/5
      Sydney Stanford, 17, has always been overshadowed by her older brother Peyton. But Peyton has just been sent to prison for a drunk driving accident in which the young boy Peyton hit, David Ibarra, became paralyzed. To Sydney’s horror, her mother Julie is more focussed on the effect on Peyton than the fate of his victim. She does have a father, but he is pretty much without impact in this story; he just does what his wife tells him to do, and doesn’t interfere. Sydney feels as if she has to shoulder the guilt for all of them if they won’t feel any themselves. Moreover, Sydney thinks that neither parent has ever paid much attention to her rather than Peyton; she pretty much feels invisible.Peyton’s BFF Ames keeps coming around even after Peyton is gone, encouraged by Julie, who doesn’t seem to have any awareness of the creepy way Ames acts around Sydney. Before Sydney knows it, Ames is even living in their house, in Peyton’s old room. Ames is one of those interesting “mirror” characters, inserted primarily, it seems, to illuminate the ways in which other characters react, or don’t react, to him.Sydney’s mother is getting more and more manic over trying to orchestrate Peyton’s prison time, and simultaneously endeavors to ensure that Sydney (who has always been a “good girl”) doesn’t meet the same fate. Julie appears to have no idea who Sydney actually is, but only judges her by Peyton’s actions.Meanwhile, Sydney has transferred from private school to public school, in part because the expenses of defending Peyton were so high, and in part just to avoid all the stares and comments. At the public school, she meets a new friend, Layla Chatham, and she is immediately adopted by Layla’s family and friends. They treat her with acceptance and warmth; have open discussions about themselves and their problems rather than pretending everything is perfect; and most importantly for Sydney, they notice her for herself. The security this brings Sydney enables her to blossom, and feel significant just for being Sydney, rather than for being Peyton’s sister.Evaluation: This is a good story, and different from many YA books in that a variety of issues addressed were not subject to any omniscient narration: it is up to the reader to draw conclusions. What is one to think of Julie’s uber-helicopter parenting, for example? What about the drinking behavior of some of the characters? What role does Sydney’s dad play in all that happened? Why does Layla, coming from such a warm and loving family, still seem to pick the wrong guy on a repeated basis? How does any young female recognize and distinguish between desirable attention versus unwanted attention? All of these issues are left “open” and will make excellent discussion topics.
    • 5/5
      My first Sarah Dessen book was Dreamland, upmteen years ago andSaintAnything I was hooked. It was about an abusive relationship, as was Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn, which I read shortly after. Both authors have since moved on from topical issues, Flinn to retelling fairy tales and Dessen to summer romance. So I was happy to see that in Saint Anything, Dessen has inched back towards a topical issue.Sixteen year old Sydney Stanford’s older brother Peyton had it all-charm, athleticism, smarts-but for some reason he threw it all away, drinking, breaking and entering, etc. Having served several short stints in jail, he’s now locked away for a longer time for something more serious, drunk driving and hitting a pedestrian.BreathingUnderwaterSydney, in order to avoid knowing eyes and whispers, decides to leave her prestigious private school for the local public school, Jackson High, where nobody knows her. This also meant leaving behind her best friends Jenn and Meredith and their after school coffees, etc. After her first day of school, not wanting to go home to a mother so focused on Peyton, she wanders into a local pizza place. As she opens the door, a good looking guy, Mac, comes in behind her and goes behind the counter. Sitting and eating her pizza, a young blond girl, Layla, rushes in and disappears behind the door marking Private. Little does Sydney know how important these two people will become in her life.DreamlandThis is the second book in a row I’ve read where mothers become overbearing, for one reason or another, and children suffer. Sydney’s mother, Julie, is so focused on making Peyton’s jail time as comfortable and enjoyable as possible (yes, it is jail, not play school) and in making sure that Sydney doesn’t make the same mistakes, that the once lively Julie has become a machine. She’s talking with prisoner advocates, monitoring Sydney’s activities and organizing parents of other inmates, so that Sydney’s once idyllic home life has been obliterated.In addition, Sydney also has to deal with the creepy Ames, a friend of Peyton’s who has wormed his way into the Stanford household as her mother’s friend. His mere presence makes her uncomfortable, but of course, no one notices.As I said, Saint Anything is a step towards realistic fiction while not losing the summer romance angle that has made Sarah Dessen as popular as she is. Dessen explores Peyton’s feelings towards his family, the society imposed and self imposed isolation that comes from being in jail. Julie’s transformation from lively, energetic mother to overbearing, focused, disciplinarian, which in part causes Sydney’s feeling of isolation from family and friends, is palpable.In typical Dessen fashion, music plays a major role in Saint Anything. She has created a cast of characters that you’ll love from page one. Saint Anything is another winning Sarah Dessen book which fans will devour…if they haven’t already. (P.S. Other than mentioning the fictional town of Colby, I didn’t recognize anything from any of her other books. She usually does have oblique references to prior books. So, if you find one, let me know.)
    • 5/5
      My Review
      Saint Anything was my most anticipated release of 2015. I am a HUGE Sarah Dessen fan. I’ve read every book and own them all. I personally could not wait to read this story but I was also afraid to read this story. I was counting down the days till I could get my hands on Saint Anything, what if it didn’t live up to all my anticipation? What if I hated it? What if I loved it?

      It took me a lot longer to read this book simply because I was afraid of finishing it too soon. I didn’t want to rush through it when I was waiting for so long for it. But now that I’ve finished the book, I can say this is probably my third favorite Sarah Dessen book right next to The Truth About Forever and Someone like you.

      Saint Anything is different. To be completely honest this review took me forever to write. I rewrote it a million times both on my computer and by hand. I just could not figure out how to explain my review. I honestly wish someone could just dive into my brain and just know what I wanted to say. But of course, you can’t. So I will do my best to write this review but I swear it may not do it justice.

      Our Story
      If you were to line up every single Sarah Dessen novel you would see Saint Anything just stands out. The cover is darker, the story is unlike most Sarah Dessen novels, it’s just different but still has Sarah’s signature style.

      For me, the story started off a bit slow but then picked up towards the end.
      Our story is about Sydney who has always lived in her brother’s shadow which didn’t seem like a huge problem until things with Peyton started changing. Peyton begins getting in trouble it starts off small then it turns into a whole lot of trouble. He’s now going to prison for paralyzing a teenage boy named David Ibarra. Sydney is now the girl whose brother paralyzed that boy, the whispers, the unwanted attention. She decides to move to a new school where people don’t know who she is, a fresh start.

      At Sydney’s new school she makes friends with Layla and her brother Mac. She’s instantly sucked into their world. Sydney instantly becomes apart of the group even when she tries to resist, she becomes one of them. She even becomes part of Mac and Layla’s family. She’s finally being noticed for Sydney not for being “…the sister of the neighborhood delinquent, drug addict, and now drunk driver. It didn’t matter that I’d done none of these things. With shame, like horseshoes, proximity counts.” She’s noticed by those around her except for her parents.

      Our Characters
      Sydney
      "That’s the thing, though. You always think you want to be noticed. Until you are."
      In the beginning of the book it was so hard for me to like Sydney. She rarely spoke up and she was truly invisible to those around her until Layla and Mac become her friends. I loved seeing her grow as a person. I loved seeing her live behind her brother’s shadow to becoming her own person and becoming Sydney not Peyton’s sister.

      Layla
      I absolutely loved Layla, I felt like she would make an awesome friend. She sees Sydney for who she is. She really helps Sydney come out of her shell. I think together they made the best of friends.

      Mac
      I really loved Mac. I loved the person he brought out of Sydney. It wasn’t insta love, it grew and together they grew.

      The other characters
      Personally, I could not stand Sydney’s parents especially the mom. I just wanted to knock some sense into her. With her father, I wanted him to stand up to her for himself and for Sydney. I do have to mention that I think Ames was probably the one character I wanted to stab with a fork. Each contributed to the story in their own way and brought the story together.

      Overall
      Now, if you had asked before reading Saint Anything what are my favorite Sarah Dessen books were, I would have answered Someone like you and the Truth about forever. Now if you ask me I’d tell you that there is now a three way tie between Truth about Forever, Someone Like You and Saint Anything.

      Saint Anything hit close to home and I think that’s one of the many reasons I loved this story. My brother is exactly like Peyton. He started out with a little bit of trouble then it turned into a whole lot of trouble. I knew a lot of what Sydney was going through, I’ve been in her shoes a lot.

      For me, Saint Anything lived up to my expectations. If you are a life long Sarah Dessen fan then you should definitely pick this up. If you haven’t read a Sarah Dessen novel I would recommend this along with Someone Like You and The Truth about Forever.