Thursday, May 2, 2013

Upcoming Release Review & Giveaway: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen


The Moon and More The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Pre Order: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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:
"The thing is, you can’t always have the best of everything. Because for life to be real, you need it all: good and bad, beach and concrete, the familiar and the unknown, big talkers and small towns…"

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen marks her newest YA contemporary release, which I was absolutely elated to get my hands on. I’ve been reading Dessen’s books for years, and I truly enjoy her writing, characters and beachside settings. To be able to jump into The Moon and More was sheer bliss, and the story proved once again why Dessen is a sure win in my book! :) Love!

What was exciting about this novel is that the story is a bit different than Dessen’s other books as she takes us back to Colby, but this time we get a glimpse of life in this eastern seaboard town through the lens of a resident. Having visited Colby before, Dessen has previously shared the perspective of a visitor coming into this small beachside town. What I liked about the shift in perspective is that these residents share their story of how summer visitors come and shake up their lives for a few months out of the year, and at times leaving a wake of emotional turmoil behind.

"Again it occurred to me how weird it was to be permanent in a place that everyone else was only temporary."

For Emmaline, it’s a summer of life changing events. She’s spending her last summer in Colby working for her family’s reality office where they manage summer beach house rentals. When August comes around, she’ll be headed off to college to begin the next chapter of her life. During these eventful couple of months before she leaves Colby, she meets Theo, who is a film director’s assistant from New York. He’s working on a documentary for a local Colby artist and when he and Emmaline meet, they strike up an immediate camaraderie. When Emmaline and her boyfriend Luke of three years suddenly break-up, she and Theo decide to see where their relationship will take them. During this time, she also attempts to reestablish her relationship with her estranged father and gets the opportunity to bond with her younger step brother Benji.

There were so many people in Emmaline’s life that I quickly became captivated with. I loved the relationship between her and her mother Emily. Typically in Dessen’s novels, there’s a strained relationship between mother and daughter, but not so much in this book. Emily and Emmaline were extremely close and their bond was both heartfelt and sentimental.

"Whatever you need, I will find a way to get to you. I will give you the moon and more. "~Emily

It was endearing to witness how close she was with her step dad and step sisters Amber and Margo. Emmaline shared some honest and worthy insight into the difference between a dad and a father. In her life, she had both. As much as I was hoping she and her ‘father’ would be able to build a solid relationship, it felt realistic how it all came to pass.

As far as Theo and Luke go, I liked them for their differences and didn’t judge them for their faults. I was pleased with Emmaline’s decision about what role they would play in her life. I felt it was both mature and sensible.

With such a large cast playing a part in this book, including the secondary players such as Morris, Daisy, Clyde, Amber, Margo and even Mr. Gertmann and Rachel… what Dessen accomplished in The Moon and More with her character driven novel was delivering a wonderful experience through a solid sense of community, family and friends.

Overall, the main character was a worthy narrator for this story. There were so many revealing moments and opportunities for growth that Emmaline truly capitalized on throughout the novel. When I come to care for a narrator as strongly as I did for Emmaline, it only goes to show how much the story resonated with me, so something was definitely done right. Well done and I can’t wait for the next Dessen gem.
5 Snowflakes



If this sounds like a book you would enjoy, we are giving away an ARC copy of The Moon and More to one lucky follower!  Just fill out the Rafflecopter from below to enter.  
Good luck!




29 comments:

  1. The only Sarah Dessen book I've read so far is That Summer, it was ok but I'm willing to read a few more of her books before I decide if I'm a fan of her books or not and I have a few of her books as well, I really should read them soon. Although, when I first saw the cover of this book, I wanted it right away, I just think it's really pretty and makes me feel summery. Plus I've read a few good reviews on this. After reading your review, I want this book even more.
    Great review.


    -Nazish @ Nazish Reads

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  2. I still haven't read anything by Sarah Dessen but my sister loves her and has been bugging me to read something of hers asap. :)

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  3. Oh, man. It's so difficult for me to choose just one book. Sarah Dessen is my favorite. I usually say The Truth About Forever and Just Listen, but honestly I love them all. Someone Like You will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first of her books I ever read.

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  4. I absolutely love Along For The Ride!!

    Thank you for the giveaway!!!

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  5. Well, I've read all of her books and I can't choose only one book. I loved them all but my favorites are Just Listen, The Truth About Forever, and Along for the Ride. I can't wait for The Moon and More to come out :). Thanks for this AMAZING opportunity.

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  6. I haven't read any of her books... yet :) Thanks for the great post!

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  7. Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors, so making me choose between them is seriously hard. I guess I'll probably go with The Truth About Forever followed very closely with Just Listen. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Erin K.

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  8. I've read several of her books, but I can't say I have a favorite.

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  9. Great Review! sorry I haven't read any of Sarah Dessen books yet thanks for the givaway!

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  10. I haven't read any yet, but I've heard GREAT things about them! You can be sure that I will read them eventually!
    mestith at gmail dot com

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  11. Everyone seems to love The Truth About Forever, and while it is a great book, it's not quite my favourite. I love This Lullaby and Truth About FOrever comes a close second. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  12. I love Someone Like You, or Whatever Happen to Goodbye. :)

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  13. I love What Happened to Goodbye : )

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  14. I've read almost all of them, but my favorite would have to be The Truth About Forever. Close runner-ups would be Along for the Ride and This Lullaby :)

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  15. My favorite is The Truth About Forever!
    Lacey T

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  16. I haven't read any yet but hope to soon! Thanks!

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  17. I have read every single Sarah Dessen book thus far and am so excited about this one! My favorite is Lock and Key. My major is Criminology, so the abuse and neglect aspect of the book really spoke to me. I loved all of her books though!

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  18. I haven't read them all yet but I loved Truth about Forever and What Happened to Goodbye! Thanks!

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  19. I don't have any, yet. I've heard great things but haven't really read her work myself.

    Thanks for the giveaway.

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  20. I like The Truth about Forever and Just Listen.

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  21. I love love love This Lullaby!!! It is my favorite and it's so beat up that it lays flat the mintue I open the book!

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  22. My favorite is Just Listen, it's one I've read over and over and over again! I also really love Dreamland. Thank you for the giveaway!

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  23. i haven't read any sarah's books before :(
    thx u for the chance :)

    anyway...is this INT giveaway ?

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  24. I have never read a book by this author before. But this one sounded good.

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