Book Review: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (no spoilers)

Book: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publication: June 4th, 2013
Source: Local Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

 Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

 Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

 Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

 Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

My Thoughts:
Sarah Dessen has written another amazing novel. I'm sad I had to wait almost 3 whole months to read this book, but with college I just didn't have the time. Come August I had the time again to really indulge in reading and I'm glad I took the time to sit back and relax and enjoy The Moon and More.

First off I have to gush about Emaline's name. I really loved the name choice and I think it fit her perfectly. It probably doesn't help that I have always been in love with the name Emma so I fell in love with Emaline instantly just for that fact alone. I also loved Emaline's personality. Emaline has a strong personality and isn't afraid to tell you how it is.

I related to Emaline in a lot of ways. Emaline is going off to college at the end of summer and although her college is close like mine she still is worried about change. That is what I'm having the hardest time coming to terms with right now is how much my life if going to change. Everything changes for Emaline over the summer when her relationships get complicated and her father comes to town with her little brother Benji.

Luke's character was great. I imagined Luke as a down home country gentlemen. He was really hot in my mind which probably helped me like him. I saw in Luke that he was a guy that was polite and he was willing to go out of his way for his long time girlfriend Emaline.

I liked Theo also although he was much more nerdier in my mind. I think he was a great addition to the novel and he kept things interesting. You need to read this book for Ivy alone. She was a different character and kept the novel interesting.

The Moon and More had the great relaxed feeling of all of Sarah Dessen's book. I felt like when I picked up this book I was having lunch with a friend. I really related the this novel more than I have related to some of her other novels. The Moon and More was an amazing novel and I recommend that everybody read this novel now. It had such a great story and I couldn't get over how much I loved the characters.

Thanks


Rachael