As an English major and a life-long book fanatic, I am disappointed in myself for never picking up a Sarah Dessen book in my twenty years of living. With over ten novels under her belt and several appearances on the New York Times Bestseller List, Sarah Dessen is a force of nature in the YA contemporary romance genre.

Deciding between novels centered around weddings or abandonment or summer adventure, I finally landed on the her latest book, “Saint Anything.” Released in May 2015 by the publishing company Viking, “Saint Anything” centers around a teenager trying to find herself in the midst of a family disaster.

Sydney Stanford has always been outshone by her charming, charismatic older brother Peyton since childhood. However, things start to go further downhill for the Stanfords as Peyton’s erratic behavior lands him in jail for drunk driving. Yet, even after Peyton is locked away, Sydney continues to feel less and less appreciated by her family.

In an effort to switch things up, Sydney transfers to a different high school and meets the Chathams. From the perky, friendly Layla to the intuitive, brooding Mac, the two siblings slowly welcome Sydney into their tight-knit lives. As the story progresses, Sydney finally starts to feel a sense of belonging as she heals from being the shadow of her brother. The pair introduce Sydney to new opportunities, from eating pizza slices to listening to bluegrass to finding a saint in anything.

After reading Dessen’s novel, I was overwhelmed by the carefully-crafted characters and how relatable they are. Sydney’s character development from an invisible lonely girl into an accepted, confident woman proves Dessen’s ability to make her readers connect with the protagonist. I deeply resonated with Sydney and felt myself grow alongside her from beginning to end. Not only did Dessen accomplish creating such a powerful protagonist, but she also successfully built amazing characters like Eric, an egotistical musician, Irv, a fun and loving friend, and Ames, a former addict and the antagonist of this story.

Rating the novel at five stars, this was definitely one of those books where I couldn’t stop my mind from thinking about the story even when I wasn’t reading it. After inhaling the book so rapidly, I wanted to know more even after I read the final words on the page. Dessen’s manner of storytelling has captivated in such a way that I’m far too eager to delve into the other twelve novels she has written.

If you want a quick, light-hearted read, check out “Saint Anything” or any other amazing novels by Sarah Dessen.