Cover War: What Happened to Goodbye

Cover War is something I decided to start doing after seeing different covers for the same book. I realized that I liked some covers better than others. For example one book might have a different cover for its US and UK copies. I thought making this "Cover War" feature would be a fun way of showing the different covers and why I like one more than the other.

I probably won't have a Cover War for each book that has a different cover. This will most likely only be a sporadic post for "special" covers or books.

---

Todays' Cover War is between the US Hardcover and the UK Paperback of What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen. The US Hardcover will be to the left and the UK Paperback will be to the right.

I think both covers are very pretty and a good sense of the book, but the winner of of this Cover War has to be the UK Paperback. I like that it has a basketball and other little things that relate to the story. While the US Hardcover captures the story with the suitcase I think the UK Paperback captures it even better by having all the little details coming out of a suitcase.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Title: What Happened to Goodbye
Author: Sarah Dessen
Published: May 10, 2011 by Penguin Young Readers Group
Pages: 416/Hardcover
Source: Bought


Summary: In the past two years, Mclean Sweet has moved four times. At each stop, she assumes a new persona, but it never quite works. Whether she's an effervescent cheerleader or an intense drama queen, nothing can permanently dispel the turmoil and rage at her mother since her parents' divorce. Sarah Dessen's novel about a teenager and her restaurant manager father captures the vulnerability that young people often experience after the dissolution of their family. A compelling story; strong characterization; and with a touch of romance.


Review: Oh how I love you, Sarah Dessen. As always Sarah Dessen has written a book that tackles some tough issues while still making it fun. Her characters are as interesting and real as ever, and the plot is well developed and engaging.


The main issue in What Happened to Goodbye was that Mclean was trying to fin herself. She doesn't know who she really is and therefore hides behind different personas in every new town. As always with her characters, Dessen has made a cast that is realistic and easy to connect with. People will be able to relate to Mclean because she knows she's not perfect and that's why she feels the need to hide who she is. Deb was my favorite character by far. She was so funny and sweet and pretty much just filled with overall awesome sauce. Dave was the standard Dessen boy. He had a bit of a rough past, but nothing he couldn't get over with the help of Mclean!


I've heard a lot of people say that this book follows the "Sarah Dessen formula" and it really does so it's predictable, but it's still oh so wonderful. One thing that Dessen does frequently in her books is incorporate characters from past books, and I love this. I love seeing where those characters ended up and it's always fun to go back and see where they were. 


What Happened to Goodbye is another amazing book by Sarah Dessen. It may be predictable, but as long as Dessen keeps writing books she can be as predictable as she wants. The characters are great and the story is new and fun.  


More Books by Sarah Dessen
The Truth About Forever
Just Listen
This Lullaby
Lock and Key
Along for the Ride
Someone Like You
Dreamland
Keeping the Moon
That Summer

Review: Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

(summary from goodreads)

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. 

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.


Review: This was actually the first Sarah Dessen book I read. I had heard a lot about her and knew this book was coming out so I decided to get it and see if this Sarah Dessen person was any good. And in answer she is not good...she is wonderful!


What I loved about this book was how light and carefree it was yet it still managed to have complex emotions and a deeper meaning than most summer beach reads. It had the humor and the cute romance, but it also showed Eli's grief and all of Auden's various problems.


That's another thing that Ms. Dessen did that made this book shine the way it did. Her characters were flawed. Eli and Auden were not the perfect happy couple. Eli was dealing with his grief and guilt while Auden was dealt with her parents' divorce and her need to be the perfect child. Even the minor characters had their own emotions which were subtly shown yet easy to see. 


Overall this is a great read for anytime, not just summer. Its complex characters and emotions make it 100% more believable. I have most definitely become a Sarah Dessen fan and cannot wait to read what else she has!