Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen 5/5 Stars
Hey, Hi, Hello, friends!!! So, I just finished Saint Anything and it's like 3 in the morning. I'm so tired but I have so many thoughts I just had to write down. So, how about we do that before I fall asleep, or you know put you to sleep with my long awkward introductions to my posts..:
Saint Anything is the first of three and a half Sarah Dessen books I've finished and the only one SO FAR to get five stars. Usually I say I'm way to generous with my ratings because..well because it's true. If you scroll through my read list on goodreads, I guaranty you more than half of them with have Five star ratings. I'm trying to work on stricter ratings, but until that day comes Saint Anything will stay having five stars.
Being said that the other Sarah Dessen books I've read haven't quite blown me away I was nervous to start reading this one but I was really not feeling a dystopian and the only romances I really have that I haven't already read is all these Sarah Dessen books. So, being nervous and not knowing what to expect was quite nice for me.Sydney: FINALLY A MAIN CHARACTER THAT DIDN'T GET ON MY NERVES. Alright, maybe not the first one that didn't get on my nerves but I found myself agreeing with all of Sydney's decisions, especially things like getting angry at her mother when she wouldn't let her do something, or how she went back on something she said. Although, the part where she didn't tell Layla about her and Mac was killing me because I knew, I KNEW, that was going to be part of our biggest problem. Other than that though I quite enjoyed her character. She wasn't super whiny and complainy..is that a word? Sure, she complained a little, but doesn't everyone? And considering her situation with her brother I'm surprised she didn't complain more.
Peyton: So, while Peyton wasn't a main character but at the same time one of the biggest characters in the whole book I found myself enjoying the glimpses I saw of him. I mean, yeah, he made some bad decisions but some people do and I have seen physical evidence that people who have done drugs or drank or smoked CAN stop if they really want to. I really feel like that's what Peyton was trying to do during his time at Lincoln, and I really felt like that was a big step in his character development even though he didn't really have much of a part. One complaint I do have though is how it seemed like everyone was saying they really felt like this book was deep and they felt the emotions because I honestly didn't feel that at all. I didn't once feel like that. Having been through some tough times similar to these circumstances (not myself) I didn't quite feel that emotion of longing and wishing things weren't like that the way I would have liked too.
Ames: I didn't like him from the second we met him. He was a douchebag and it bothers me that it took almost the entire 417 pages of this book for Sydney's parents to finally understand that. He was rude, and intruding, which I hate.
Julie Stanford: Didn't like her much until the end. HATED the way she treated her daughter. I get it though. It's like Mrs. Chatham said, she didn't want the same things that happened to Peyton to happen to Sydney but I still don't think Sydney should have been treated quite like that. The way she tried to be so involved with EVERY LITTLE THING really bothered me too, like, okay woman we get it, you're the perfect PTA mother, you're a perfectionist just back the hell up a little. I liked that Peyton wasn't afraid to tell her this, I didn't like how she took it out on Sydney.
Peyton Stanford (Father): First off I was so confused the first time his name was said because I thought they were all talking about Brother Peyton, but we weren't. On the other hand, I liked her father. He seemed much better than Julie, even though he had his moments I still feel like he would be the kind of Dad to really sit and listen to his children's problems if his wife wasn't trying to take care of all of that by pushing him out of the way leaving him to just agree with whatever she chooses.
Irv: I really really liked Irv. He was funny, Strong and helpful, also very hungry. He was a nice little addition to the group.
Eric: He was weird and kind of crazy but just enough so that you actually really liked him. At first he came of as a douche when you first meet him but the more you get to know him, and his backstory he starts to go on you even though he can be kind of a lot at one time.
Mr. Chatham: He was always just kind of there. Just like Mac, always there if you needed him. His love for bluegrass was great. I loved that addition, especially because he works at a pizza place. Also, I really want some Seaside Pizza and I'm not even a big fan of pizza sooo that's saying something.
Mrs. Chatham: She was amazing. Every time she appeared all she did was spout words of wisdom. If I knew where my tabs where while I was reading this book I guarantee half of the things she said would be tabbed. She was a "Saint" haha I'm not clever. But seriously, she was the best. In ways she was more like Sydney's mother than her actual mother was. I was so scared towards the end for her, because it's always those kind of things that will make you cry in a book, although it takes a lot to make me cry, so far I have yet to find a book that made me cry other than "Because of Winn Dixie"
Layla: I LOVED LAYLA OKAY. I didn't put it together that she was the same girl in the beginning but I had a hunch that that girl was going to have a bigger part and she did, I just didn't realize it at all until she mentioned it. I loved how she just like decided her and Sydney were best friends. I need a friend like Layla. Also I was totallllllllyyy rooting for her and Eric to get together the whole time. I wish she would have sung more because apparently she had such a wonderful voice. Honestly, I think Layla was my favorite character of the entire book.
Mac: Mac, to me is a weird name. Literally all I thought about half of the time when he was being mentioned was Jenna's dog from Clifford the big Red Dog. I feel bad saying that, because other than that. I really loved Mac's character. You know, again other than the not telling Layla thing. But he was so sweet and a wonderful brother and always there if he was needed. I really liked him. I also really liked how the book ended with them still together because unlike the other Sarah Dessen books I've read the girl somehow always was single again at the end of the book.
So, those are my thoughts on the characters. Are your thoughts any different?
The story, I thought was good. There were just soo many things that could have possibly gone wrong. Which I guess is why I found myself surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. I wasn't too surprised with any of the plot twists and I wish I was. The story itself was pretty well thought out, and I really understood the way Sydney was feeling, with like the guilt that wasn't hers. I've felt like that my whole life. I've always felt like there was something more I could do or could have done differently that could have changed the outcome of what someone else did, but alas it doesn't work out that way. Has anyone else ever felt that way? Like I just always felt like everything was my fault even if I knew/know it wasn't. I'm not sure if that even makes sense. So, I really understood how she felt every time she heard David Ibarra's name. Anyways, it has taken me way to long to write this review which is probably terrible, so I'll need to work on getting these done quicker before forgetting everything that happened! Until Next Time<3
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