The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen

The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Viking Books For Young Readers  

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages:  448

Summary:  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: I really liked Emaline! She has a great family, a great boyfriend, a great job. Her life is pretty near perfect. But for Emaline it's really not. She wants more. She wants adventure. She wants to know there is more out there than the little beach town she lives in.

Emaline’s boyfriend Luke was a cutie. But he also came off as kind of a flirt to me. I liked him, but I wasn’t really in love with him. But then in comes Theo. Theo is in town for a project. His boss is trying to make a documentary on a townie.  I really wanted to love Theo. But he had the same effect on me as Luke did. They were just okay. Neither of them really had my heart or spoke to me or won me over. I felt like they were just both normal guys and neither one really stood out for me. Yes, Luke was there when the going got tough but I never really felt that connection with him.

Emaline grows a lot in this novel. I loved her family and I especially loved her little brother.  He was probably the highlight of the story for me. He was funny and just an all around good kid.

I’m glad I read this one! I am trying to slowly make my way through all of the Dessen novels.

Overall:  I loved the idea of The Moon And More. And I loved a lot of parts of it, but it wasn’t my favorite Dessen novel. I liked Emaline and I liked her little brother. I even liked the guys enough but this one was probably between a 3.5 and 4 cupcake rating for me. I can’t wait to continue to make my way through all of the novels!

Cover:  Love it!! Most of these covers are fantastic. Romantic, sweet, and fun!

What I’d Give It: