Addicted to New Adult: Spotlight on Addicted to You by Colina Brennan

As part of the the Addicted to New Adult event hosted by New Leaf Literary, I have a spotlight on the Addicted to You by Colina Brennan, one of their new releases in the genre.

So without a further ado...

About Addicted to You: 

When twenty-one-year-old Leah Carter's latest one night stand burglarizes her apartment, her roommate forces her to attend therapy for sex addicts. Leah insists she isn't a sex addict; she just doesn't do relationships. After all, sooner or later, everyone lets you down.

At first, the group sessions are little more than an education on how to be promiscuous. Until she meets the newest addict—blue eyes, killer body, and a smile that tempts relapse.

Psychology student Will McLean is posing as a fellow addict while researching a case study on unusual addictions. But the more he learns about Leah, the more certain he is that his desire to break through her walls and unearth her secrets has nothing to do with his assignment.

As the uncertainties spike alongside the sexual tension, the only thing Leah knows for sure is that falling in love would be disastrous. Too bad love might be one addiction she can't kick.

Amazon * BN * Goodreads  

And a Q & A with Colina...

Tell us what your book is about in 140 characters or less.

Addicted to You is about Leah, who has no interest in love because she's convinced everyone eventually lets you down. Then she meets Will. Dun dun dun! :P

Who’s your favorite character to write and why?

Leah, because it was amusing to push her character and see how she’d respond. There were times I actually had to scale her back a bit and soften her up because she already comes off a little harsh.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is special?

Leah doesn’t bother trying to get along with anyone she doesn’t genuinely care about. And since it’s difficult to grow close with anyone new if she doesn’t bother trying to get along with them, there are very few people who she has truly allowed into her life.

What was the first book that you wrote (if not this one)?

I wrote a lot of short horror stories as a child. Then I graduated to romance novels. From ghosts and murders to flowing raven locks. I’m not sure how that happened either.

Where do you write, and what makes it the perfect place to write? What surrounds you?

I write at my kitchen table. It definitely is NOT the perfect place to write. There’s noise from the TV in the living room and people coming and going and so many distractions. I can rarely get anything done until after hours when everyone is asleep. I really need my own dedicated space!

What first drew you to New Adult?

I didn’t get to experience a lot of what the typical college-aged person goes through because I got married my freshman year and then had a child the beginning of my sophomore year. So I love reading about this time in people’s lives and being able to enjoy those experiences safely through the pages instead.

What does “New Adult” mean to you?

New Adult encompasses that time in your life when you’re trying to find your way in a world where you’re no longer a child but you’re not quite an adult yet either. Discovering how to be completely independent can be daunting—some people fail and others flourish. Either way, it’s bound to be filled with accomplishments and missteps and plenty of quiet adventures.

Author Links:

Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Tumblr * Goodreads

Review: In Too Deep by Amanda Grace

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Carter didn’t rape me. People at school think he did. Suddenly, new friends are rushing to my side, telling me that Carter hurt them, too. They say he’s getting what he deserves.

Maybe I don’t want to fix this.

Sam is in love with her best friend Nick, but she can’t seem to tell him. So she decides to flirt with golden-boy Carter Wellesley, hoping Nick will see it and finally realize his true feelings for her.

On Monday, everyone at school is saying that Carter raped Sam. He didn’t, but Sam can’t find the words to tell the truth. Worst of all, she’s afraid she’ll lose Nick if he finds out what really happened.

As graduation approaches, Sam discovers that living the lie isn’t as easy as her new friends make it sound—and telling the truth might be even worse.

Review:

After reading Amanda Grace's emotional and gut wrenching But I Love Him, I was dying to read more by her. Therefore, when the chance finally came up to read In Too Deep, I dove right in, curious to see how this one would live up to her previous release. While I didn't enjoy it as much as But I Love Him, I was still fully fascinated as well as taken aback by the story of how one lie can change everything. This book had me hooked from the first page to the last, and best of all, the Amanda's prose once again provoked many feelings out of me.

In Too Deep had an interesting premise, and after reading the summary, I was curious to see how Amanda would present it. As everyone knows, lies are bad, but in Sam's case her lie, or really, her willingness to go along with the lie, is ESPECIALLY bad. It was insane to see just how far everything could spin out of control. Constantly, all I wanted was to yell at Sam to tell the truth, to make everything right, especially when it was causing pain to not only the "bad" people in the book as well as the "good" people. However, I feel that the message it portrayed was more important than the easy-fix that could have occurred, and that's where the magic in this one occurred.

Sam, as you can probably imagine, was a hard character to like, even in the beginning. As mentioned before, I wanted Sam to tell the truth from the get-go, but at the same, I could feel a little understanding in her need to not do just that. It allowed for a lot of inner dilemmas for Sam, as well as overall growth, to occur. Nick, however, was a character I absolutely adored. He was such a sweet guy, especially to Sam, which made Sam's lie even harder to stomach at times, because her was this AMAZING guy, who was head-over-heels in love with her, and she was screwing it up. It was just at UGH kind of thing, but as mentioned before, the story wouldn't have delivered the punch it did without it.

Lastly, Grace's writing was fabulous! She writes such hard hitting and emotion paced books. What I love most about her books, though, is how she won't shy away from the bad moments in life, the ones where everything comes crashing down, because it's what makes them so memorable in my mind. Sometimes I just want a book that is that realistic, even though it doesn't exactly provide the HEA endings I usually crave.

In all, In Too Deep is a fascinating book, one that I highly suggest to fans of gritty contemp.

Grade: B+

In Too Deep (Amazon, BN, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Library 

Review: One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Two years ago, when Eliza Sellman was in ninth grade, her dad found out he was being transfered and the family was going to move. Having always been shy and not so confident about her body, Eliza took that opportunity to start a list in her private notebook of all the things she planned on doing when she moved but had always been afraid to--like wearing a miniskirt and asking guys to dance; singing karaoke in front of strangers; posting a photo of herself on her Facebook wall in a bikini...you get the idea. New town, new Eliza, right? Well, she'll never know because the transfer fell through and they didn't move. But Eliza kept adding her goals and secret fears to the list in the notebook. Now it's two years later, and in that time Eliza has had and lost her first boyfriend. But this was more than your average breakup...turns out the sweet and cute Cooper was only dating her as a hazing stunt by a secret society. Eliza got her revenge by posting some pretty nasty (and only sort-of true) stuff about Cooper online. That posting has had major consequences and now Cooper and his buddies have stolen her private notebook and won't give it back until she performs all the things on her list in one night. It's torture...until Eliza steals something from the boys she knows they'll want to trade her notebook for. What starts out as a night of humiliation turns into a night of revelations as Eliza learns what Cooper was really thinking when they dated, the real reason he's stolen her notebook, and how freeing--and life-changing--it can be to do the things you fear the most.

Review:

When I want a fun and fast paced contemporary read, I always know that a Lauren Barnholdt book is the perfect choice. Therefore, when I was in need of just that the other night, I picked up One Night That Changes Everything, and luckily, it provided everything I had been looking for.

In the book, Eliza, the main character, has her journal (where she has listed everything she wants to do but is too afraid to try) stolen by her ex-boyfriend's friends. Eliza was a character I liked from the start for a variety of reasons. For one, I felt that it was easy to relate to not only in her mixed feelings over her ex's deception but as well as for her fear in trying new things. Secondly, it was exciting to see her evolve as a character. In the start, she was timid, afraid of doing the "wrong" thing, but by the end, she turned into quite the go-getter! I also adored reading about her two best friends. Both had such different personalities, and they managed to not only make me laugh out loud constantly, but also have me even more hooked to the story, as I was dying to know what would happen to them as well. I had a love/hate relationship with Cooper, Eliza's ex, because while I loved how he was when he was with Eliza, he seriously needed to stand up to his "friends" at times!

The plot in this was also a ton of fun! I loved the fact that it took place over one night and highlighted a handful of different "fears" Eliza was forced to tackle. Each one provided a little suspense and a whole lot of laughs as well as heart. However, the best part wasn't the tasks per say but the trouble that came from them as well as Eliza's determination to get back at Cooper's friends. In addition, I enjoyed the "will they or won't they" romance that came with Eliza and Cooper's relationship. Even at times when I knew I shouldn't have been, I was fully rooting for them to reconcile!

In all, if you're looking for a read that will provide laughs and lots of excitement, One Night That Changes Everything is the read for you! I simply can't wait to read more by Lauren!

Grade: B+

One Night That Changes Everything (Amazon, BN, Goodreads)  is now out!

Source: Library

Review: My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

The last thing Lucy ever expected was to end up as another teen statistic.

Lucy had a plan: become a Broadway star, start a life with her leading man Ty, make her family proud. But in a matter of days, Lucy loses Ty, her starring role, and her parents drop a bomb she never saw coming.

Suddenly, it’s all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of. And now her life will never be the same. What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family? Off script and without the comforts of her simple high school problems, Lucy must figure out how to live, and even embrace, her new life.

Now…every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

Review:

I've been looking forward to reading My Life After Now ever since I first heard about it. The topic of HIV/AIDS in YA is always such a tough subject, so to see that Jessica Verdi would be taking it on for My Life After Now was interesting as well as exciting. I was intrigued to see just how she would present it, and thankfully, it was done incredibly well, as My Life After Now isn't a preachy book. Instead, it shows the emotions associated when facing something life changing, and honestly, that made it one heck of a book.

Lucy is the average teenage girl. She has an amazing boyfriend, reliable and trustworthy friends, and a potential role that she knows she's destined to play. However, when everything starts to fall apart, she makes one rash decision, and that's where the story truly begins. I liked Lucy from the start. I liked how into plays and acting she was as well as how close she was to her parents and friends. However, the thing that made Lucy a truly standout character was the way Jessica presented her after the fateful night. She really managed to show the emotions from freight to hate one would most likely feel after the diagnosis Lucy hears. To see Lucy faced with HIV was absolutely horrifying and I felt so much for her, just as I'm sure any reader would. What I also enjoyed about Lucy's character was seeing how her friends and family helped her through her struggle. It added a lot to the book.

The plot in this was incredibly well done. Jessica did a great job of intertwining the subject of HIV/AIDS into the book without getting preachy. Instead, she focused on the emotions felt after the diagnosis as well as learning to live with it, and that made My Life After Now an incredibly fascinating read, in my opinion. I also enjoyed the addition of Lucy's acting. It added a lighter tone to the book at times.

In all, My Life After Now is an eyeopening book, one that I highly suggest to teens and adults alike. I simply can't wait to see what Verdi has planned for us next.

Grade: A

My Life After Now (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Netgalley

Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Summary/Cover Image from Goodreads:

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

Review:

Ever since I read If I Stay, Gayle's breakthrough YA Novel, I've been a huge fan. Therefore, when I heard about Just One Day, I knew I had to read it. It sounded amazing from the summary alone. I mean, romance, exotic settings, and the twist of falling head over heels in love in just one day? What's not to love about that?! Thankfully, Just One Day was an extraordinary YA book, one that provided just what I was looking for---even if I didn't always realize it.

If I was asked to sum up Just One Day in one word, I would probably pick frustrating. Sure, it was beautiful, thrilling, and emotional among many other things, but when it comes down to it this book is FRUSTRATING, like throw your hands in the air frustrating. However, even though I hated, no loathed, the frustrating part, it's what made it such a worthwhile and spectacular read by the end, to tell the truth, and without it, I don't think this book could have packed quite the punch it did by the end. But I'm getting to far ahead of myself, so lets start with the characters.

Allyson....I think all of us have parts of Allyson in us. Allyson is the typical "good" girl. She has the need to always follow the rules, to never stray to far from the path she's been put on, and honestly, she's fine what that. It's comfortable being boring to her. However, one day, she becomes Lulu, and Lulu is everything Allyson is not. She says and does what she wants. However, just as quickly as Lulu appears, she disappears once again, leaving Allyson Allyson. To be honest, I hated Allyson for most of the book, and that's probably because she frustrated me so much. After her day with Willem, she became so mopey and whiney and just all round pathetic. I couldn't take it. I mean, I get why she was upset and sad, but she just screwed so much up. It annoyed me to pieces, and several times, I almost gave up on Just One Day because of it. However, I stuck through, and I'm glad I did, because as the book progressed, I started to see that this book was more than just a romance, it was about discovering yourself, and managing to stand and be brave at your lowest point, no matter how hard it may be, and honestly, seeing Allyson go through this journey was amazing (even if it was frustrating), especially towards the end! Now on to Willem....he was such a mystery to me throughout the book, and in some ways I loved that and in some ways I didn't. For one, I never really could figure out if he was a good guy or a bad guy. However, I did enjoy the mystery as well as development he stirred up for Allyson.

The plot in this was really something new I thought. As mentioned above, I loved the whole "one day" aspect, and Forman really managed to execute the idea quite well. I enjoyed how she managed to really work the fun and exotic settings into it, especially when she tied in little tidbits of history. As mentioned before, this book is more of about finding yourself than a romance, and Forman did an amazing job with that, just like she has with the rest of her books. She really managed to make me feel Allyson's emotions throughout the book, and while at times I wanted nothing more than to tell Allyson off, it really allowed for this book as well as its character to find a special place in my heart. I can't really describe, but if you give this one a try and stick it out, you'll see what I'm talking about. Truly, Forman is an incredible writer.

In all, Just One Day is frustrating but by the end, I was truly taken away by the beautiful and emotionally charged story Forman presents. I CAN'T wait to read Just One Year and to be transported to the world of Willem and Allyson for their final act.

Grade: A+

Just One Day (Amazon, Barnes and Noble) is now out!

Source: Library 

The End of Google Reader and What It Means for Future Posts

If you didn't hear already, Google Reader will cease to exist after July 1, 2013, which means that if you subscribe through Google Reader, you won't be able to any longer. What does that mean for you? 

Well, there's several different options you can use to follow posts instead.

Bloglovin' 

If you click HERE, you can transfer your subscription for Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf as well as the rest of your subscriptions on Google Reader to Bloglovin. All you have to do is sign in (or make an account if you don't already have one on Bloglovin') and you should be taken to a transfer Google Reader page.

To learn more about Bloglovin', you can check out this post on it. 

You can find Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf's official Bloglovin' page HERE. 

Networked Blogs

You can also become a follower via Networked Blogs. To do so, just click the follow button under the Networked Blogs area on the right sidebar.

Twitter

I post links to all my blog posts on Twitter, so if you'd like to follow that way, click here. 

Hope that helps, and if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!

Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Summary/Cover Image from Goodreads:

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Review:

I'm always on the lookout for fun and romance filled contemporary reads, especially during the summer months, so when This Is What Happy Looks Like appeared on my radar, I knew I had to read it. Luckily, This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith provided just that and much, much more. From a fabulous setting to relatable characters to a slow burning yet exciting romance, this book had lots of amazing things going for it!

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this book was the plot. I'm always a sucker for a good celeb-meets-ordinary-girl-and-falls-in-love story, so before I even began the book, it was already winning in that area. Thankfully, Jennifer E. Smith did such a great job of developing that story line into something fresh and exciting. I loved the fact that Ellie and Graham meet over email, and how everything involved from there. It allowed for a lot more development than just a love at first sight thing would have. Furthermore, I enjoyed seeing how the emails tied into everything.

Another part of the book I enjoyed was the characters. The book allows the reader to see from the viewpoint of both Graham and Ellie, which added a lot to the book. Ellie was the typical girl-next-door type, but I still enjoyed getting to know her. She was someone who really had her head on her shoulders, but at the same time, had a lot of problems to sort through emotionally. Graham, on the other hand, turned out to be anything but the normal celeb teen heartthrob. He was sweet and kind, and just like Ellie, he had his own set of problems to sort through as well. Seeing them come together was awesome, especially when it allowed for character development. I also really enjoyed the wide variety of side characters! However, I wish more of Graham's pig was shown!

Smith's writing was also a decent. At times, I felt the story could have been shortened a little (it's over 400 pages and tends to drag occasionally), but other than that, I thought she did a great job of delivering a sweet and enjoyable romance.

In all, This Is What Happy Looks Like is a perfect summer read, and I look forward to reading more by Smith in the future!

Grade: B+

This Is What Happy Looks Like (Amazon, Barnes and Noble) is now out! 

Source: Library 

Cover Reveal: The Sound of Letting Go by Stasia Ward Kehoe

About THE SOUND OF LETTING GO: 

For sixteen years, Daisy has been good. A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly. A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad. She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave.

 But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal. Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy? Should she side with her parents or protect her brother? How do you know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?

Find Out More:

Stasia on twitter

On Facebook

At Goodreads

At her blog

Rafflecopter code for giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

So what do you think of the cover? I personally love it! The colors and font used are great, and while the whole holding a dandelion is a little cliche, I still like it. The premise sounds amazing as well! 

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review: 

After reading the adorable and super sweet Anna and the French Kiss, I immediately started Lola and the Boy Next Door, the companion to Anna. I was a little worried it wouldn't be as good as Stephanie's first book; however, by the first chapter, I knew that wouldn't be the case at all, as Lola and the Boy Next Door was just as amazing, if not a little more so!

There were so many fantastic things going for this book; however, one of my favorites was the setting. Just like Paris, San Francisco is high on my list of places to travel, so the fact that Lola was set there made everything so much better. I loved Perkins' descriptions of the city, and I loved seeing her intertwine little parts of its history and charm within the text.

Another aspect I loved was the characters. Lola was someone who I'd want to be best friends with if she was real. I loved her spunk and attitude as well as her love of costumes and extraordinary outfits. She was such a kick ass character, so seeing everything from from her POV made this book great, in my opinion. I also loved the addition of Cricket, Lola's love interest. He was totally different from St. Clair; however, that made me love him all the more. I loved how wickedly smart he was as well as his love for inventions. Plus his love for Lola was seriously adorable, even though he made some major screw-ups at times regarding it. I also enjoyed seeing characters from Anna and the French Kiss pop up in this one as well! It was awesome getting to see them from anther character's perspective as well as to see how they played a role in this book.

The plot in this was also a lot of fun! I loved the development of Lola and Cricket's sorta-forbidden love as well as all the sweet and memorable scenes that popped up because of it. Furthermore, I enjoyed seeing more about Lola's love of costumes. Her outfits always sounded legendary, even though they probably would have been way too wild for me. I also loved the family aspect in this one. It was awesome to see that Lola had two dads, as that doesn't appear too much in YA. Plus I adored how Stephanie presented them just as any other family would be: loving, protective, and with their own fair amount of problems.

In all, Lola and the Boy Next Door was another great one by Perkins! I seriously can't wait to see how everything comes together in Isla and the Happily Ever After.

Grade: A+

Lola and the Boy Next Door is now out in paperback and hardcover.

Source: Bought

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Review:

I'm super embarrassed to admit that Anna and the French Kiss has been sitting on my bookshelf for close to three years. I'm not really sure why I didn't pick it up prior to this month. I mean, I had heard nothing but AMAZING things about it. Plus it was something I had been dying to read. Anyhow, I'm so glad I finally gave it a chance, because Anna and the French Kiss was everything I had hoped it to be and much, much more! It was romantic. It was funny. It had so many "AWWWW!" moments that I lost count. Basically, this book was the definition of a great, romantic contemporary book!

One of the aspects I loved the most about Anna and the French Kiss was the characters. I adored Anna from the start. She was funny and smart. Plus I just loved her take on life and people. The part that I loved most about her, though, was how easily I could relate to her. I understood the pain that could come from wanting the one person you couldn't have as well as how easy it is to forgive and move on at times. Moving on, I LOVED St. Clair. I had heard from other people that he is a pretty memorable YA boy, and they were completely right. Every time he entered a scene he always managed to steal the show with his wit and overall St. Clair-ness. And as much as I wanted to rip him a new one at times for certain things, it didn't detract from me liking him one bit. I also enjoyed the variety of side characters introduced. From Anna's Nicholas Sparks like dad, to her Paris friends, to her friends and family all the way back home, each and every one brought something special to the table.

The plot in this was also a ton of fun! Paris was such a fabulous setting, and it's one I really wish we saw more of in YA. I loved how Stephanie managed to intertwine little tidbits and descriptions in about it, as it really managed to make me feel like I was right there with Anna the whole time. However, it also makes me want to travel there even more now! I also enjoyed seeing Anna transition into Paris living. It wasn't the easiest of transitions, and I loved how Perkins made it that way. Plus it was just great to see Anna evolve as a character because of it. Lastly, the ROMANCE. There's not much to say besides the fact that I ADORED it! There was so much tension and "WILL THEY OR WON'T THEY?!" moments I always enjoy, so I was pretty darn happy about it all.

In all, Anna and the French Kiss is a new favorite YA contemp of mine, and if for some reason you haven't read it yet, go out and read it ASAP. Seriously, you don't want to wait another second.

Grade: A+

Anna and the French Kiss is now out in paperback and hardcover.

Source: Bought

It also has an awesome new cover. However, I have to admit: I like the original a lot better.

Review: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

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.

Review:  

To start with, I'm a huge fan of Sarah Dessen. Ever since I read Just Listen, she's been my YA idol, and that's only increased with every book of hers I've read. Therefore, when I was received a copy of The Moon and More for review, I was BEYOND excited! I'm pretty sure I even squealed out loud a little bit. As it turns out, I had every reason to be excited because The Moon and More was classic Sarah Dessen: beautifully written and full of realistic and charming main characters that any girl can relate to in some way.

The Moon and More begins the story of Emaline, a girl who lives in a beach town where nothing ever seems to be permanent. She's content with this though. She has loving parents, best friends who she can count on , and the one of the nicest boyfriends around. Sure, she has some problems involving her real dad and dealing with the change of going from high school to college, but it's nothing too major. However, everything changes when Theo, a new city boy arrives in town. Theo starts to challenge all the notions Colby has about herself and her town. This is only made worse when her father suddenly show up out of the blue. What's about to happen will change Colby's life but will she loose herself in the process? You'll have to read it to find out!

One of my favorite things about books by Sarah Dessen are the characters, and this rang especially true with The Moon and More. From the first page, I adored Emaline. She was smart and funny. Best of all, I found it easy to relate to her. I could understand her frustration of living in a small town (been there and still there) and more importantly, a lot of thoughts she was having about college and the next chapter of her life are thoughts that I'm currently having as a senior in high school. It's a crazy time in life- as anyone knows- and Sarah Dessen really manged to do an amazing job of portraying the excitement, fear, and worry that comes with it. I also enjoyed seeing the variety of other people involved in Emaline's life. I adored her best friends, Mason and Daisy. Daisy managed to bring some spunk and lightness to the book as did Mason. Better yet, they were also characters I came to relate to and root for. I also loved Emaline's crazy family, but I'll get to more about this later on.

Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the beach setting. Sarah always does such an awesome job of portraying Colby in her books, so I loved being back there for this one. With every page, I could perfectly imagine the beach houses and the ocean as well as the hot temps, and as a Northeastern currently dealing with a brutal PA winter, this was a wonderful change of scenery.

Next up: the plot. The Moon and More has a lot to do with Emaline's feelings about the next chapter in her life-college- and what it means for her and her friends and family and life in general. Throughout the book and Emaline's summer, she goes through a lot of change, and it was always interesting to see where her decisions took her. It really kept the book moving along, and it added a lot to character development. One thing I especially enjoyed about the plot was seeing Emaline interact with her family. From her sisters to her mom to her dad to her father to her half brother, Emaline's relationships with each played a huge part in the book, and given that that kind of stuff isn't often seen in YAs, it was a welcomed change, in my opinion.

The only aspect of this book I wasn't too keen on was the romance part. In The Moon and More, Emaline gets herself involved in a love triangle. It was a love triangle that actually did a lot for the book, so I can't bash it there. Theo was the "city boy," and he was probably one of the most obnoxious characters ever. I couldn't stand how much he bashed Colby and its residents. Plus I always thought he was just a wee bit creepy with Emaline. Luke, Emaline's high school boyfriend, on the other hand, I did like quite a bit. He was kind and the prince charming type guy. However, where either of these boys reach the awesomeness of Owen (from Just Listen) or Dexter (from This Lullaby)? No, they were just kind of there, and to be fair, if I didn't have such a love for Dessen's early boys, I probably would have liked Luke a lot more (Theo not so much). It didn't work that way so I was craving for something better the whole way through, and even when everything was said and done, I was like "really, that's all?!!"

Regardless, The Moon and More is still an emotional and well written coming of age, one that any fan of Sarah's will just love- especially if they too will soon be making their way to college.

Grade: A-

The Moon and More (Amazon, BN, Goodreads) will be released June 4, 2013!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley