A review by georgiasbookescapes
Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Colie’s mum is THE Kiki Sparks - aka the global fitness guru. But she wasn’t always that person. In the past it was Colie and Katherine against the world and happily living in their bodies during what they call their “fat years”. When Kiki has an overseas trip, Colie stays with her aunt in Colby and finds herself working at Last Chance cafe. For Colie this is a chance to learn what friendship is and maybe even a chance at a first romance.

So growing up Sarah Dessen was my FAVOURITE YA author. And I’m now looking at rereading all her books again. This one I definitely remember loving when I was a teen and when I last read it about 7 years ago when I thought it was a new book, and not my beloved Last Chance copy. Unfortunately I got rid of my Last Chance copy out of self chosen niceness as I had a boyfriend at the time but me this copy. 🙄 but hey, we all make mistakes sometimes. 🤣 this book, is rampant with fat phobia. In fact it’s more or less the defining feature of the book in a lot of ways. But so is finding ways to love yourself. Being published in 2002 originally, this was where a lot of the conversations around weight were had. And thankfully I don’t really hear these conversations had around myself, but I am aware they still exist. But the nostalgia wins out on this one. I can’t bring myself to love it the way I have in the past but I can’t help but still love it now despite the problematic aspects in a changing world view. 🙊