Book Review: The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen

Title: The Moon and More
Author: Sarah Dessen
Published: 4th June

AAHHH! Another Sarah Dessen book! I've been lucky enough to get a copy before the publishing date in the UK and I can't believe it. I wouldn't categorise this book into what Dessen normally writes, but a much more older, mature and a bit more realistic feel to it. I love reading Sarah Dessen books and she is one of my favourite authors so to read something very different from her usual, it is really nice for a reader.

Emeline lives in Colby, a small beach town that is there for the tourists. She works for the family run business Colby Realty and has her committed boyfriend by her side for the summer. But then Ivy Mendelson and her determined and ambitious intern, Theo, come to Colby.

"I'm not saying that, you know,we never get to go to the beach, you know, let loose. Fall in love and be different, with no permanent record."

And with the circumstances that suddenly turn out, Emeline might get exactly this. Will it be the Best Ever After?

"There's a difference between father and dad. And it's more than the three letters."

But on top of this her father also comes along to Colby to do have some "buddying" holiday with his son, and Emeline's step-brother, Benji. The relationship with her father is much more complicated than it seems, not even looking at her when she was a child and then broke a huge promise about getting her the education that she could never afford. Will this trip mend their disastrous past?

This story introduced some new and some old characters. The old, from Dessen's other books, came to give a wave to the reader and there was a little catch up between them and Emeline. As well as out well loved locations, Last Chance café and Eli (from Along for the Ride) named his bike shop ABE'S BIKES(!) (*insert your freak out here*...if you know what I mean..if you've read Along for the Ride).

Then we move onto the new, and this is where I have to really think about it. I'm a bit on hot and cold. I loved Morris and Benji. I can firmly say that they were the characters who stuck out. Morris, just because the way he's so caring about everything and I love the chapter where he takes Benji to eat the fudge ripple.

Now for the main characters. Emeline. Theo. Hmmmm. Theo is from NYU and as he soon as you hit the pages with him, there is a clear opposite between Emeline and Theo. Emeline has stayed in Cobly and is more than comfortable about where she is. Everyone knows mostly everything. She is shy and as we read further into the story, you see how much she keeps to herself. Whereas Theo, claims he has a wider-eye to everything and knows best because of this, which made me slightly annoyed with his attitude as he runs from page to page. Let's say he is *very* driven.  There is also another large contrast with the fact that Theo is the "tourist" and Emeline, who has been living there for a long time and she knows a great deal of history behind everything. With beauty from one persons eye, it can be misery for another.

Overall, I found this a really great read. This book has taken a new turn, which has worked out perfectly and it is definitely worth reading. It shows off Sarah Dessen's talent and how she can vary everything up, like her more serious book Dreamland.

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