My Review of The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Back in week 2 of my reading challenge - a book set on or by the sea/ocean - I read The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (Young Adult Romance).

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Book blurb:

Colby may be just a small holiday beach town for the tourists, but for Emeline it's home.

It looks like its going to be another typical summer there with her gorgeous high-school sweetheart, Luke - until a New York filmmaker and her ambitious assistant Theo check in. They're obviously after a story. But, when getting the locals to talk proves tricky, Theo decides they need a guide and he's got his eye on Emeline...

Can Emeline decide where her loyalties, and her heart, truly lie before the summer ends?
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My review:

Looking back on my reading challenge so far, many of the books have taken the whole week to read, and some (that I didn't love) took 2 weeks. I read The Moon and More in 3 days!

This is the first Sarah Dessen novel that I've read. I tagged this as Young Adult Romance, as per the Amazon categorisation, but this book is actually more coming-of-age with romantic side plots. Emeline's future plans shift early on in the book, for her and her family and friends. First impressions aren't always accurate and people she's known for years surprise her, in good and bad ways. Her life changes dramatically over the course of one summer. New experiences cause new expectations in friendship, love, career and life goals.

This book is set in a small coastal town on the East Coast of America. The familiarity and security of living in a small town where everyone knows Emeline versus her feelings of suffocation and over-familiarity are perfectly felt. Emeline surprises herself as well as others. In many ways The Moon and More is not a love story at all, but a tale with love, family, and friendship 'drama', many subplots with different characters, insight into the film and art industries and a happy but open ending. Will she end up with Luke or Theo or neither? Will old friendships last? Will new friendships grow? Where will Emeline end up? I love that Emeline's story continued to change and kept me guessing right up until literally the last page. Brilliant storytelling. I 'may' have inwardly cheered with the last reveal. The last few pages of this book truly played out like a movie in my head :) I hope to read many more Sarah Dessen books and wish I'd discovered her before!

~ Purchase links for The Moon and More -  UK http://amzn.to/1Q3hhkQ  US http://amzn.to/1OJ1ryA ~

Have you read The Moon and More or any other Sarah Dessen books? Can you recommend any other Young Adult romance or coming-of-age books/authors?

Word Scribbler Reading Challenge - Week 8 - A book set in a place you want to visit

Week 8 of my 52 book reading challenge (1 book per week for a year) is A book set in a place you want to visit. This is a tough choice as I want to visit everywhere! Many of the books I've already read and plan to read are set in places I want to travel to! The quote above is perfect.

I'm planning to read 2 books again this week. The first is set in Rome, Italy and the second is set in USA on the East coast.

Book blurb - The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny

When the past comes to your door, what can you do except let it in?

Gina's life is good. She is independent. She loves her adopted home in Italy and she is passionate about her work as a photographer. Maybe her lover isn't all she might hope and her beautiful apartment is in need of repair, but you can't have everything all the time. And anyway, she's all wrapped up in her latest artistic project, shots of the young men who arrive in Italy as refugees, destitute and vulnerable.

Until one day, Sasha, a lonely British teenager at summer school, crosses Gina's path, and unwittingly sets her world spinning. Sasha's innocent romance creates complications neither of them could have imagined, leading Gina to wonder, can she come to terms with her past?

Book blurb - The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

A delectable tale of love, friendship and cake...

Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves tea-time and travel. So when British baking treasure Pamela Lambert-Leigh needs a guide on a research trip for her new cookbook, she jumps at the chance.

The brief:Laurie and Pamela - along with Pamela's sassy mother and stroppy daughter - will board a vintage London bus for a deliciously unusual tour of the USA's East Coast, cruising from New York to Vermont.

Their mission:To trade recipes for home-grown classics like Victoria Sponge and Battenburg for American favourites like Red Velvet Cake and Whoopie Pie.

All the women have their secrets and heartaches to heal. As well cupcakes galore, there's also the chance for romance...

But will making Whoopie lead to love?

This weeks choices are both going to make me hungry as well as making me want to travel!

If you want to join in with my reading challenge any week you can read the same book as me or choose your own from your own collection or nearest bookshop. If you do want to join in please leave a comment below this blog post with the book you're reading and/or tweet your chosen book using #WSreadingchallenge and tag me @word_scribbler too. Share with others what book you're reading and maybe discover something new to read :) 

1. A book with 'Winter' in the title.  I READ Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones. REVIEW
2. A book set on or by the sea/ocean.  I READ The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen. 
3. A book with a red cover.  I READ Waking the Witch by Kelley Armstrong . 
4. A book with a colour in the title. I LISTENED TO the audiobook of The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (read by Tom Hiddleston!) :) 
5. A book with 'Love' in the title. I READ A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll. 
6. A book that has been made into a movie or tv show. I READ Insurgent by Veronica Roth AND Paper Towns by John Green.
7. A book recommended by a friend. I READ Looking for Alaska by John Green.
8. A book set in a place you want to visit. I'M READING The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny AND The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones.
9. A classic.
10. A book set in a city.
11. A book with an orange cover.
12. A book with 'Spring' in the title.
13. A memoir.
14. A book written by a UK author.
15. A collection of short stories.
16. A book with food in the title.
17. A book set in your favourite place.
18. A book your mum loves.
19. A book with a yellow cover.
20. A trilogy.
21. A book with 'Summer' in the title.
22. A book with a music industry theme/musician character.
23. A book that was originally written in a different language.
24. A book everyone has read but you.
25. A book where the main character has your dream job.
26. A book with a green cover,
27. A book set in France.
28. A book with a film industry theme/character.
29. A book set in your hometown.
30. A book by one of your favourite authors.
31. A book set in Italy.
32. A book with a blue cover.
33. A book set in London.
34. A book about a road trip/journey.
35. A book with a one-word title.
36. A book set in the countryside.
37. A book with 'Autumn' in the title.
38. A book with a purple cover.
39. A book set in New York.
40. A book with a number in the title.
41. A book with an animal on the cover.
42. A 'banned book'.
43. A book that was published the year you were born.
44. A book set in Los Angeles.
45. A book with a black and white cover.
46. A book with 'Chocolate' in the title.
47. A book published this year.
48. A book set at Christmas time.
49. A book by an author with the same first name as you.
50. A book with snow on the cover.
51. A book you learned about because of this challenge.
52. Reread your favourite book.

My chosen books for week 8 are -  The Apartment in Rome by Penny Feeny AND The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

What are you reading for week 8 ? 

A book set in a place you want to visit. Where do you want to travel to?

quote source