Dreamland by Sarah Dessen tells the story of Caitlin, the second daughter in a household that had been all about the first daughter, Cass.  When Cass blows off a Yale education and runs away from home, the family falls apart and Caitlin is left to fend for herself.  Waiting at the ready is Rogerson, the proverbial bad boy, who takes Caitlin to places she’d never imagined.   This book details the subtle fall into domestic violence that happens to many young girls and adult women.  In slowly terrifying detail we see Caitlin change from an average teen to a victim of abuse in a psychologically realistic way.  An excellent book for young women from 12 up as a teachable moment about first love, first loss, and how sometimes things can just sneak up on you and become a new normal.    Sarah Dessen is a prolific award winning author of young adult fiction with many of her books on the NY Times best seller list.

Amy Gray