Review: The Moon and More

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.

Diving into another summer read, I found myself taken away by this story.

1. Realism. This best thing this author does is great such realistic stories with great family dimensions.  The stories are always more than what they seem with the characters learning so much more about themselves and others around them.

2. I don’t need to be fixed. I love this storyline. Not everyone wants to be fixed. They are happy right where they are. They don’t need more cause what they have is enough. They are content with that and I love that Emaline is a content teenager. She has seen the mistakes her mother made and saw them for what they were.

3. Love. The love interest in quite difficult in this book. First you have Luke is great. And then he makes some mistakes that make me question everything. And Theo. A great fast-paced guy who is always on the go looking for the next big thing. Personally, I think Emaline, needs to find some other guy. That’s all I’m saying.

4. Parents. I really love that this book show some great family dimensions. Growing up with stepbrothers/sisters and half-brothers, I totally understood the family. They aren’t perfect but I adored the way Emaline’s family was always there for her.

5. Realization. The best part of the book is the realization of life and situations. You see, you can have the moon and more without having it all. Emaline saw that. She was happy and knew exactly what she wanted.  Watching her grow up, learning hard lessons made Emaline stronger and more aware of who she is.

The Moon and More is a story of life and love.  A coming of age tale, that touches elements that any reader can get into, The Moon and More is great.

I give it 4 BITES!

Happy Reading!