The influx of YA books these days via “BookTok” and “BookTube” is astounding to me. Seems like years later, people still swoon over the prospect of boy meets girl, falling in love on printed paper.

It takes me back to my own pre-teen years, when my favorite YA author had been none other than Sarah Dessen.

Her books used to be all over the Teen shelves at Barnes & Noble. To be honest, I had no choice but to pick up one of her books because they were so obvious! I wonder if that is how young people find authors today.

There’s something about the way she writes. It’s slightly timeless, actually, and done in a rather elegant way. Her characters aren’t listening to whatever artist is popular at the moment, wearing brands, Facetiming each other, or checking Instagram. It was a simplier time.

The suburban setting is idealistic, breezy, sometimes beachy, comfy, cozy, yet relatable. Her books always make me think of summer days, perfect for the upcoming season. Maybe it was why back then, I’d read her books imagining myself in them. It was an escape from my own suburban boredom, living in a town where nothing ever really happens. At least in the pages of her books, I could imagine that I, too, was capturing the heart of Wes Baker.

They’re feel good reads that are not always sunshine and butterflies, but they reflect life. Isn’t that one of the prime reasons why we read?

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A good friend of mine to this day, let’s call her Alice, and I had bonded over these books as mere pre-teens, calling dibs on whichever fictional male character struck our fancy. Lucky for me, our tastes never collided, which is perhaps why we’re still good friends to this day.

I don’t dabble much in YA anymore. You have to outgrow it at some point, and back then it was easier to follow an author who had a similar vibe to each book. The selection these days is overwhelmingly vast, based off social media popularity and Amazon reviews. It’s not the same as picking a book on a whim at your local Barnes & Noble maybe because you liked the cover. And maybe if you’re lucky, it would work out. You’d enjoy the book enough to keep it on your shelf for years to come, just like my Sarah Dessen collection sitting on my bookshelf at this very moment over fifteen years later. The old covers, pictured in this post, are still the best.

The Motel’s Favorite Sarah Dessen Books

1. The Truth About Forever – I loved this book to bits and pieces growing up. Yes, I imagined myself as Macy. And yes, I am a Wes Baker girl! So now you’ve figured out which fictional male character I’d called dibs on. All jokes aside, there’s just something so comforting about all of the signature quirks in this book. The catering business. The waffle house. Wes’ sculptures. Sigh.
2. This Lullaby – Oh, Remy. I love Remy. We need more characters like her, honestly. Her and Dexter are iconic, and I would say this one is the most enjoyable for new Sarah Dessen readers. I even loved her brother Chris, who provides a contrast to her values and beliefs on love and marriage. And hey, the girl in this book actually has a group of friends! Amazing.
3. Along for the Ride – Auden and Eli. I personally love Auden as well but hey, I love all the female characters in the books in this post! She’s an intellect, a loner, and a coffee addict. Talk about relatable. The setting for this book, Colby Beach, is also such a treat for hot summer days (and nights).
4. Lock and Key – Not as idealistic as the ones above in terms of story, but Ruby is a strong character with a vulnerable side that I just love. All of the other books also take place in summertime, which Dessen had expressed before as one of her most favorite times to write about. This one however, is during the school year.

Honorable Mention

Dreamland. My first taste of serious matter as a pre-teen, and I will never forget it. If you’ve read it, you’ll know what I mean.

NOTE: Colleen Hoover is absolutely not meant for a teenage audience, people!

NOTE II: I did not watch the Along for the Ride movie on Netflix and I never shall. I have also heard that This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever are in talks of getting a movie as well, which I will also not watch. Have you ever had a book you loved dearly for years get adapted into an extremely mediocre, lackluster movie? I hope it never happens to you!