The Truth About Forever Introduction

Ah, summer romance. Spending hours under a starry sky, sharing secrets with a guy so hot that everyone's jealous. Best. Summer. Ever.

Right?

Well… maybe not. Things aren't quite that easy for Macy, unfortunately. Sure, she's hanging with a hottie, but he's already taken—and so is she. (Uh-oh.) And she's working two jobs this summer, one of which she can't stand. Oh yeah—and her dad died kind of recently, too. So, life isn't actually all sunshine and lollipops at the moment.

But you know what? No one's got a perfect, easy life; there are always unexpected complications, tragic back stories, or sad realities. And Sarah Dessen makes that super clear in her 2004 novel, The Truth About Forever. Don't break out the tissues quite yet, though. Dessen weaved this sob-worthy story together with the squeal-worthy, and it worked so well that it won The Truth About Forever the honor of being an ALA/YALSA Teen Top Ten book.

In fact, when it comes to young adult lit, Sarah Dessen takes the cake: not just one, but five of her books have been awarded distinctions, and she also happens to be a New York Times bestselling author. And you know that Mandy Moore movie, How To Deal? Yep—that's based on her books.

Life may not be easy, but in The Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen shows us that, in spite of all the pain, the moments of joy are still totally worth it.

 

What is The Truth About Forever About and Why Should I Care?

It's teen magazine quiz time, y'all.

Q: Which of the following describes your ideal boyfriend?
A. A super-protective, ultra-restrained gentleman who's so attracted to you he can barely stand it.
B. A loyal, adoring, impulsive friend who fights to get you as his girlfriend.
C. A childhood friend who has always been there for you and your family. He shares most of your interests, but has a callous streak.
D. A real ally whose true feelings you're often not sure of, but who sticks by you through thick and thin, and whose actions let you know he cares.
E. A seriously smart, vegan perfectionist who does volunteer work and visits his grandma regularly, but doesn't act very affectionate towards you.
F. A crazy hot artist who has a history with the police, and loves to talk with you for hours.

If you chose A, congrats. You're Team Edward. If B, congrats again—Team Jacob. If you're more of a C kinda gal, it's Team Gale; and if your ideal is D, then, you guessed it, you're on Team Peeta.

What if you chose E? Why, then, you're Team Jason, of course.

And if you have your heart set on F, it's obvious—you're on Team Wes.

Okay, okay. So Jason and Wes haven't quite achieved Twilight or Hunger Games status… yet. But their (simultaneous) relationships with Macy still force you to take sides and start rooting for one or the other.

Why do we care so much about which guy a character ends up with? Well, the person you choose to love says a lot about who you are. And we all identify with Bella or Katniss or Macy—so it's only natural to want the girl to pick the guy we'd choose.

So who's it going to be? Jason or Wes?

Get out the fabric paints and the T-shirts—let the screaming begin.