Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

What Happened to Goodbye @ Goodreads

What Happened to Goodbye

By: Sarah Dessen

Published:May 10th, 2011

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Recieved/Won: Jenny from New Books for New Bloggers

"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." Synopsis by Goodreads

Lets Cover Talk!  
As always my curious mind looked for other covers but sadly I only found two. Well it's not really sad just makes our cover talk kind of short, but I'm sure well manage. Now I personally love the cover of the book I received from Jenny from New Books for New Bloggers but I must confess to one thing. Originally when I saw the cover before, on the internet, I believed the girl was at the beach. How I came to this conclusion I'm not entirely sure. The cover for me is like the story, or I guess you could say like Mclean. The only way I can explain this is by saying Mclean isn't what she first appears to be you really have to take a good look at her to even begin to understand her. The book cover was the same for me I didn't really look at it and so I mistook the room for a beach. I think that's life though if you go about at a fast pace some times you miss things that you wouldn't have otherwise some times you really have to stop and as they say "smell the roses".

The other cover is actually very interesting it's the same in the fact that if you just take a quick look at it it looks simple, just a suitcase full of junk, but if you really examine it closely you realize it's much more than that. The things inside are Mclean's baggage literally its all the stuff that has meaning to her. Part of her yet apart at the same time like one person inside of two. I guess the only thing I didn't like so much about the second book cover is the whiteness of it.  It feels unfinished but then again that's kind of like Mclean, she likes to have a blank canvas every time they have to move. Both covers seem connected to the story and I love that. It's not that it takes away from the story if it isn't, but if you get a sense of what the book is about even before you open it up then I think that's amazing.


My Opinion Ooer!

In What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen the story starts with Mclean she has just moved to yet another place with her dad. Like all their other moves Mclean is already starting to plan what she will do, who she will be. The thing is since her parent's nasty divorce she doesn't want to be Mclean the girl whose family is torn apart so she changes herself. The first time she does it she becomes Eliza, cheerleader popular girl, the second time she decides to be more of a drama queen and calls herself Lizbeth  and the last being Beth over achiever. She feels like its a way to not get attached to people after all she knows they could be there for a few weeks to maybe close to a half a year but in the end they always move.  Its what I mean when I said she liked the blank canvas she could make herself over be some one how had a different life who was perfect in her own way but at the end of the day it wasn't her. She feels like it's a way to spare herself pain but in reality the only thing this does is make her forget who Mclean is.

"A hand gripping mine, knowing if I fell, at least I wouldn't do it alone"~page 238

In this new move she decides she will call herself Liz Sweet but things her plans are changed when she meets Dave. Here is where I say the genius Sarah Dessen is by once again creating a character worth loving, imperfect but perfect with his imperfections. Dave boy genius has always walked the straight and narrow path until he realizes he's never once done some thing "normal" teenagers do. So he breaks a rule and gets busted with a beer. When he realizes Mclean is about to get busted herself he helps her and so they meet. It's at this meeting that should have never happened that Mclean becomes the person she was running away from the most, herself. 

The whole book is about looking at the whole picture not just one sector. About family how its not just one place, one set of people but anywhere any time any place. I really loved What Happened to  Goodbye I connected to the story in so many ways,  as well as to many of the characters. The characters are all so different from each other but they mesh so well.I loved Dave (only second to Dexter from This Lullaby another book from Sarah Dessen) Deb was a surprise I loved finding and of course I loved finding the different parts to Mclean I think I connected to her the most. 

I think the ending was perfect I've always loved how Sarah Dessens endings are not complete they leave room for a future because as much as I love a "The End" in life there's no real end there only new beginnings or at least that what I chose to belive lol. If you haven't already done so check out What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen it wont dissapoint.

My overall rating: 5/5 aka a Truly Swoon Worthy book

Truly Swoon Worthy

Have you read What Happened to Goodbye yet? if you have and even if you haven't leave a comment below with your thoughs one it. Hope every one has a fun day.

                         as always ♥, Carol