Dreamland
Sarah Dessen
 The book is split into three parts. Caitlin O'Koren has just realized that on her 16th birthday, her 18 year old sister, Cass, has run away. Everybody completely forgets about Caitlin's birthday. Her parents are broken-hearted, since she was supposed to attend Yale two weeks later. Everyone searches for Cass, but she soon makes a call saying she is with Adam, her boyfriend. Her father is furious, saying he had better expectations for her. Later on, Caitlin's friend, Rina, asks her to join the cheer leading squad, but Caitlin keeps refusing. Caitlin gives in and makes the squad, much to Boo's dismay. Caitlin's mother is very excited. Caitlin says that it's probably best to take her mind off Cass's departure. It turns out that Caitlin hates cheer leading, but she remains on the squad because of her mother, who sees Caitlin as Cass' replacement. On her 1st game at half-time, Caitlin goes to the top of the pyramid. While on top, she hears someone calling Cass's name. So, while thinking of Cassandra, Caitlin reaches up to find the scar from the shovel incident. She feels it, then falls to the ground, and someone from the bottom of the pyramid, runs out from under everyone to catch her. Luckily, the worst injury out of the pile of cheerleaders is a broken nose. Later on, Caitlin meets a boy named Rogerson Biscoe at the car wash, who is a drug dealer. They meet at a party. They make out in the car, and soon become a couple. Caitlin and Rogerson's relationship becomes more physical. Rogerson introduces Caitlin to drugs and a woman in her mid-twenties named Corinna. They become fast friends and begin to smoke pot. Caitlin begins to forget school which causes her to not attend classes and fail every class possible. Rogerson helps her with this, claiming that "he knows everything." Caitlin soon gets abused by Rogerson, because she does not tell Rogerson where she is and she is seen talking to other boys. Caitlin begins writing in the gift that she received from Cass. Caitlin begins to see Cass in a TV show that Cass's boyfriend works on. Caitlin's mom engages in the show, not caring about what's happening but finally seeing her daughter again. On Christmas Eve, Catilin finally agrees to sleep with Rogerson. She says later in the book that whenever they have sex it is the only time she feels safe. One day, Caitlin's friend, Rina, decides to take her out for some fun. They go to Rina's step fathers' lake house, but Caitlin was terrified because she knew that Rogerson was waiting outside of her house. She tried calling him, but he never picked up the phone. Caitlin walks away and heads home. She sees Rogerson parked in front of her house. She gets into his car and Rogerson starts yelling at her and beats her until she is literally out of the car. He pounds on her and Caitlin's mom shoved Rogerson away from Caitlin and calls for help. Then one of the neighbours called the police to arrest Rogerson. Caitlin joins the Evergreen Rest Care Facility after Rogerson is arrested. She comes in because of drug addiction, and after all Rogerson did to her, she still loved Rogerson. She begins counseling and begins a slow improvement. Caitlin gets a letter from her friend, Corinna, saying that she left her longtime boyfriend, Dave, and is in Arizona living her life, trying to forget her past. She says she hopes to see Caitlin again soon. She also gets a letter from her sister, Cass, saying that she did not want to go to Yale. She was having a tough time and wasn't happy with her parents' plans for college, which explains her sudden departure. She also said that she was never perfect and that she envied Caitlin for having always been able to make choices. At the end of the book, Caitlin comes home a better person, and her family throws her a party with Cass as a special guest.