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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
Sarah Dessen does it again
In typical fashion this is a perfect summer story. A coming of age take that lets the reader know that when life changes everything can still be okay in the end.
In typical fashion this is a perfect summer story. A coming of age take that lets the reader know that when life changes everything can still be okay in the end.
Its a guilty pleasure, what can I say. Love a good Sarah Dessen book.
Probably the worst Sarah Dessen protagonist of all time
“You can never be sure of anyone until you’re close enough to see them clearly.”
I really don’t think the Goodreads summary does this book justice. It makes it sound like this is a book about summer love and leaving for college and while both those things play a role in the story, it’s really about so much more than that. The center of this novel is really family. Emaline’s half-brother Benji (who isn’t even mentioned in the summary, whose idea was that??), their shared father, her mother, her stepfather, all of them.
It’s really not about summer love much at all, and that’s what’s so great about it. My favorite part of the book is actually the ending, which I won’t spoil here, but my other favorite part is how it knocks the too-common trope of “instalove” to the floor. Theo, the summer love interest, is very into Emaline very quickly and for the first time in all my YA-reading life, she actually acknowledges that he’s moving too quickly for her comfort. This is especially important considering that Theo is several years older than her. It’s too common in YA for young girls to meet an older guy and fall in love instantly and not show the issues that arise from that kind of relationship, so the portrayal of Emaline’s discomfort with Theo’s quick pace is very important to the genre.
I would recommend The Moon and More on that alone, to be honest, but the book as a whole is worth the read, particularly Emaline and Benji’s budding siblingship. And of course, there are the usual cameos and references to the Colby residents we know from Dessen’s other books.
My rating: 4.5 stars
I really don’t think the Goodreads summary does this book justice. It makes it sound like this is a book about summer love and leaving for college and while both those things play a role in the story, it’s really about so much more than that. The center of this novel is really family. Emaline’s half-brother Benji (who isn’t even mentioned in the summary, whose idea was that??), their shared father, her mother, her stepfather, all of them.
It’s really not about summer love much at all, and that’s what’s so great about it. My favorite part of the book is actually the ending, which I won’t spoil here, but my other favorite part is how it knocks the too-common trope of “instalove” to the floor. Theo, the summer love interest, is very into Emaline very quickly and for the first time in all my YA-reading life, she actually acknowledges that he’s moving too quickly for her comfort. This is especially important considering that Theo is several years older than her. It’s too common in YA for young girls to meet an older guy and fall in love instantly and not show the issues that arise from that kind of relationship, so the portrayal of Emaline’s discomfort with Theo’s quick pace is very important to the genre.
I would recommend The Moon and More on that alone, to be honest, but the book as a whole is worth the read, particularly Emaline and Benji’s budding siblingship. And of course, there are the usual cameos and references to the Colby residents we know from Dessen’s other books.
My rating: 4.5 stars
A lot can change in one summer, especially when you're not expecting it. In her new book, The Moon and More, bestselling author Sarah Dessen introduces Emaline, a native of the small, beach town Colby who has been doing the same thing her whole life, and who's future didn't look any better. Then the summer before her freshmen year of college, the arrival of a documentary film crew and sudden split from her longtime boyfriend begins a whirlwind of change for Emaline. As the summer winds down, Emaline must learn the value of not only where she's been, but also where she's going; of when to hold on and when to let go. It all can only happen in the summer.
Sarah Dessen has become famous with her works about different struggles that girls face in their adolescent years, creating memorable characters who go through trials like image issues, rape, divorce, abuse, and identity problems to name a few, and who all grow stronger through them. Although Dessen has included in this new book the conflicts of divorce and the repercussions of them, the main struggle--Emaline's fear of new things versus what she is familiar with--appears as a new course for the author, while still staying with her theme of issues teenage girls face. While many girls do unfortunately face those mentioned above, Dessen takes a detour from extreme scenarios, and creates one that is probably the most familiar to her audience; change is inevitable, and how a person takes the change can affect how the person will grow.
Along with this new addition to her theme, what other Dessen fans may notice is that she has also changed the way Emaline interacts with her ex and new boyfriend. Dessen uses a very familiar formula when it comes to the relationships in her books, however this book reveals a different kind of result by the end of the story, that may appear minor, but varies greatly from her other works.
While she does deviate from her usual story telling style, The Moon and More is an excellent read, the change added allows it to stand out from her other works. This is the perfect book to read for summer, making the reader question just like Emaline did: what changes will this summer bring?
For more reviews, check out my blog: http://sincerelythenightowl.blogspot.com/
Sarah Dessen has become famous with her works about different struggles that girls face in their adolescent years, creating memorable characters who go through trials like image issues, rape, divorce, abuse, and identity problems to name a few, and who all grow stronger through them. Although Dessen has included in this new book the conflicts of divorce and the repercussions of them, the main struggle--Emaline's fear of new things versus what she is familiar with--appears as a new course for the author, while still staying with her theme of issues teenage girls face. While many girls do unfortunately face those mentioned above, Dessen takes a detour from extreme scenarios, and creates one that is probably the most familiar to her audience; change is inevitable, and how a person takes the change can affect how the person will grow.
Along with this new addition to her theme, what other Dessen fans may notice is that she has also changed the way Emaline interacts with her ex and new boyfriend. Dessen uses a very familiar formula when it comes to the relationships in her books, however this book reveals a different kind of result by the end of the story, that may appear minor, but varies greatly from her other works.
While she does deviate from her usual story telling style, The Moon and More is an excellent read, the change added allows it to stand out from her other works. This is the perfect book to read for summer, making the reader question just like Emaline did: what changes will this summer bring?
For more reviews, check out my blog: http://sincerelythenightowl.blogspot.com/
1,5 Sterne
Einige der Ansätze fand ich nicht schlecht, aber es ist viiieeel zu ernst für ein Sommerbuch und die Richtung, in die die Handlung ging, hat mir nicht gefallen.
Einige der Ansätze fand ich nicht schlecht, aber es ist viiieeel zu ernst für ein Sommerbuch und die Richtung, in die die Handlung ging, hat mir nicht gefallen.
My least favorite Sarah Dessen book I've read so far. The plot was slow-movinig and didn't really keep my attention.
A cute summer read. Really didn’t like a lot of the male characters. Was nice to see the main character’s development
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was so boring. I loved the idea of the characters. I was excited to see how the main character developed, and while I feel like she did grow a lot, I didn’t get a closure on her growth if that makes sense. I wanted to see just a little more, but I was left hanging a little. I felt like I didn’t know what the characters life and her character would look like from there on.
When I started this book, I was excited to see her escape her hometown roots and leave her high school sweetheart, but at the end, I wanted her to be with her high school sweetheart. I kind of liked that she didn’t end up with either guy.
This book was definitely for someone in high school, which is probably where I got this book. It was sitting on my bookshelf, and I needed a book to read. It was a quick read at least.
When I started this book, I was excited to see her escape her hometown roots and leave her high school sweetheart, but at the end, I wanted her to be with her high school sweetheart. I kind of liked that she didn’t end up with either guy.
This book was definitely for someone in high school, which is probably where I got this book. It was sitting on my bookshelf, and I needed a book to read. It was a quick read at least.
I felt like I could relate a lot to the main character in her post-hs/small hometown crisis. I'm a big fan of Dessen and the stories she creates and I think this one was one of the better ones. I think the best thing about this book it's not cliche or cheesy and there's not any magical wrap up at the end or anything. It's very realistic in that regard.
I also always love how she ties in places and people from her previous books.
I also always love how she ties in places and people from her previous books.