Sarah Dessen

This was the first Sarah Dessen novel I've ever read, picked up when I was looking for something light and summery to enjoy after reading thick classics and college textbooks. I was drawn mostly to the setting: my favorite parts of the summer include beach trips full of sand and surf. The beachtown in "The Moon and More" is a charming, touristy beach area which reminds me a lot of Ocean City, MD. I think Dessen did a fabulous job creating the town and building a believable setting.
The characters were definitely one of the stronger parts: from hardworking Emaline to adorable Benji, quirky Daisy and quiet Clyde, I really enjoyed the spectrum of people in the book. It was a lot of fun to read about each of them and watch as they each did their own thing.
On the whole, some parts were fairly predictable, but nothing felt too forced. There were a few weak moments or chapters that I felt were not totally necessary or could have been expanded upon, but I wasn't too upset about that. I certainly was immersed quite quickly into the story and all its ups and downs!
For a novel that is more of a "casual" read for me, it was enjoyable and fun.… (meer)

This book was a my first ever sarah dessen read. I really did like the small town this book was set it and also the main character. It was a super fast pace read and just the prefect summer read. I want to feel more connected to most of the characters but I really did enjoy the lead girl. I liked how this book focused a lot on self discovery and and also on self confidence. I also liked the unique female relationships we explored in this book. I def want to read more sarah dessen this summer and this was def a good start!… (meer)