The Moon and More

by Sarah Dessen

From the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Once and for All

In her eleventh novel, Sarah Dessen returns to the beach town of Colby, setting of some of her best-loved books. Emaline is a Colby native, and so summer at the beach for her means hard work and a new population of beach goers. During this, her last summer before college, Emaline meets Theo while working for her family’s rental business. He’s a city boy who’s come to Colby as the assistant to a high-strung documentary filmmaker who’s in town to profile a reclusive local artist. Emaline knows he’s not her type, but she can’t help feeling drawn to him. And as their relationship develops, Emaline finds herself questioning her own goals, values, and choices in this classic Dessen romance.

Sarah Dessen is the winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her contributions to YA literature, as well as the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award.
 
Books by Sarah Dessen:
That Summer
Someone Like You
Keeping the Moon
Dreamland
This Lullaby
The Truth About Forever 
Just Listen
Lock and Key
Along for the Ride
What Happened to Goodbye
The Moon and More
Saint Anything
Once and for All

• ISBN10: 0142425818
• ISBN13: 9780142425817
• Publish Date: 5 May 2015 (first published 4 June 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Speak
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 464
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780142425817

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Another great Sarah Dessen book. The story takes place during Emaline's last summer before heading off to college. She was working at her family's rental business, when a series of events was set off, and she is forced to reflect on many issues in her life, which she had largely ignored up to this point.

I really loved Emaline, and was hoping for everything to fall in to place for her. Her family was quirky, but filled with so much love. Their interactions were so typical, yet so sweet. It was a ton of fun looking in on them. I also liked how her relationship with her half brother grew to be quite special. Despite all the ways her biological father disappointed her, Emaline was able to separate her feelings from her bio-dad from her feelings for Ben. This was very mature, and one of many examples showing her growth during this tumultuous summer of change. So many fun and happy moments were shared, along with some tough and sad moments. There were beginnings and endings, but most importantly, there was change.

The ending put me off (just a touch) in that way of typical contemporaries. We got a little fast forward and found out a little bit of what happened after the end of the summer. But, alas, there was the open-endedness that always makes me nuts. I really wanted some closure on Emaline's romantic life. There was this moment, where I thought a decision would be made, but then it wasn't. Drat!

None the less, I was still left happy and with that warm and fuzzy feeling I expect from reading a Dessen book.

[bumblingbookworm]

This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Bookworm

Confession: I'm practically a Sarah Dessen newbie. Yes, I own How to Deal (Someone Like You and That Summer in one book), but I'd completely forgotten it was even by Sarah Dessen until recently... Whoopsies! So when I stumbled across The Moon and More at my local library, I thought I'd better get myself (re)acquainted with all the awesomeness that I've heard is Sarah Dessen :) How beautiful is that cover! All of my favourite colours in one and such a pretty image, it makes me long for holidays and time off... Naturally, it was only fitting that I read this book in one day (in almost one sitting) on the recent long weekend we had in Melbourne. And what a great way it was to enjoy my day off from work!

Check out the rest of my review here!

[Chelsea]

First of all you should know that I love Sarah Dessen. She’s great at creating characters that you can relate to and I was really excited when she announced she was coming out with this book. While this book was not my favorite of hers it was still a good read. The plot was generally the same as her other books which is about a summer on the beach.

I liked the majority of the characters except I couldn’t stand Theo. Why? Because he annoys me like crazy. He’s one of those crazy, hyper, excitable city guys who doesn’t understand anything about living in the small town he came to visit. I liked all the other characters except him. Emaline was great. You could tell she grew throughout the book as did Morris. Emaline’s sisters were funny and reminded me of my own sisters sometimes which made it easy to relate to. I loved loved loved Benji, Emaline’s little brother. He was cute, funny and whatever he was feeling you were feeling too.

The plot was pretty basic. Emaline is heading off to college in the fall and wants a fun summer romance like all the tourists that show up in her little town. It doesn’t turn out to be the summer she expects but she gets through it anyways. The book was a little slow at times but I really enjoyed the ending. It wasn’t expected and tied up all the loose ends.