“Life is full of screwups," he said, chucking another paper at the split-level before taking the corner. "You're supposed to fail sometimes. It's a required part of the human existence.”

American novelist of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Sarah Dessen writes coming-of-age stories that explore teenage resilience and family dynamics with quiet empathy. Her novels, like *The Green Glass Sea* and *Just Listen*, blend realism with emotional depth, offering nuanced portraits of young women navigating love, loss, and self-discovery.