Review: Every Summer After

My word, THIS BOOK. It’s hard to believe that Every Summer After is Carley Fortune’s debut novel. I’m sure you’ve been seeing this one everywhere and let me tell you, my friends. The. Hype. Is. Real. If you read only one more book this summer, make it this one.

Here’s the book’s description:

Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right.
They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life a decade ago, that has felt too true. Instead of spending summers in cottage country, on the glittering lakeshore of her childhood, she stays in a stylish apartment in Toronto, keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart.
Until she receives the call that sends her racing back to Barry’s Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek—the man she never thought she’d have to live without.
For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family’s restaurant, Percy and Sam had been inseparable. And when Percy returns to the lake, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been. But until she can confront the decisions she made, they’ll never know whether their love is bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past.
Told over the course of six years in the past and one weekend in the present, Every Summer After is a gorgeously romantic look at love and the people and choices that mark us forever.

It’s hard to say exactly what my favourite part of this book was. I just loved everything about it. The writing. The characters. The romance. The setting. The depth of emotions. Gah. SO GOOD.

So, let’s start with the setting. Barry’s Bay is a real place in Ontario, the province I live in. While I didn’t grow up in that exact area, my hometown is on a bay so I had no problem picturing the cottages and what life would have been like there. I loved how easy it was to place myself in Barry’s Bay and found myself kind of nostalgic for past summers, before adulting got in the way.

This novel is, essentially, a romance. But to call it such will signal, to some people, that it’s a simple tale. It is not. Percy and Sam’s story is far from simple, even though it starts out that way as they become friends, and then something more, after Percy’s parents buy the cottage next to the house where Sam, his older brother, and mom live. Something Major happened to cause the pair to break up and, while it’s hinted at throughout and I felt like I knew the reason, the actual revelation was a shock. The pair did not have an easy road to travel to get back to each other but reading as they figured it out was so satisfying.

There’s a lot of grief in this book. Sam’s dad had died a few years before he and Percy meet, and the reason Percy goes back to Barry’s Bay in the present is a tough one to handle. While I do think everyone and their cousin needs to read this book, if you’re going through a particularly rough patch, perhaps wait to read this one.

I really liked how the book was written and the story was told. It started in the present and then moved back in time. It all made sense, with each chapter clearly labeled so you know what timeline you’re in. The story moved forward with each past section providing more information and insight into the now chapters.

The Readers’ Guide in the back of the book was also a great read and shed a bit of light on the how and why of Fortune’s novel. Fortune and her family moved to Barry’s Bay when she was eight and, while her parents sold the house many years ago, she and her husband and children, rent a cottage nearby every summer. In the summer of 2020 (*shudders*), they were able to have an extended stay and she was hit with the need to write a book. Every Summer After is the result. I could feel the nostalgia when I was reading the book and learning more about Fortune’s background made it all make so much sense.

Every Summer After is a must read. I wanted to dive back into Carley Fortune’s debut novel the second I finished it and have plans to reread it next summer. Buy this book, read it, love it, tell everyone you know about it. You won’t be disappointed.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Great Godden

After not reading a YA title in over a year, I've read three within a couple of weeks! The Great Godden was first up. Meg Rosoff's novel was published in April but I held onto it, knowing it would be a great summer read. I was right. It was an intense summer for the characters in the novel and I was really invested in how it would all turn out.

Here's the book's description:

This is the story of one family, one dreamy summer. . . . In a holiday house by the sea, our watchful narrator sees everything, including many things they shouldn't, as their brother and sisters, parents and older cousins fill hot days with wine and games and planning a wedding. Enter two brothers: irresistible, charming, languidly sexy Kit and surly, silent Hugo. Suddenly there's a serpent in this paradise -- and the consequences will be devastating.

It's kind of difficult to explain this one - it's kind of like a literary YA. There's plot and characters but it reads at a different...level, maybe, than your average teen book set during the summer. For one, you don't know the narrator's name or exact age. I'm pretty sure they were female and likely about 17, going into their final year of high school. It didn't bother me, exactly, but the curious part of my brain really wanted to know those details! It was also a pretty short novel so the information that was given was important (even though sometimes I was wondering why certain memories were brought up).

There's a lot of change for the narrator and their family, as well as their neighbours. Their younger neighbours are like a super cool aunt and uncle to the four siblings and they're finally tying the knot. That in itself would make for a lot of drama but the Godden brothers showing up throws off their usual summer balance and no one knows how to act or how things will turn out. 

I loved the feeling of summer in this book. It hits all the highs and lows of summers, especially those that are spent at a cottage (I assume, based on the few visits to cottages I've had in my life). There's the long drive out of the city (in this case, the city being London) and the exhaustion and excitement that brings. Then there's the arrival with the whole summer spread out before you with so many possibilities. But summer ticks along as it always does and suddenly there are only a few weeks left before having to go back to normal life. The drama in the story follows that same meandering path with the climax happening just before the end of summer.

I really had no idea how things would turn out. I'm actually pretty sure my jaw dropped when everything came to light. I was proud of how the other characters reacted in the midst of a total upheaval of their lives. Some of them were a bit judgey of a certain character before but when The Thing happened and it all came to light, they realized how wrong they were and worked to make it right. 

The Great Godden was unique and kept me really interested throughout the whole novel. Meg Rosoff is a talented writer and I enjoyed her summer-set YA novel and think a lot of others would as well.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Teen/Penguin Random House Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Blog Tour: The Summer Set

I wasn't a theatre kid in school - way too shy and introverted for that. Nor am I huge on watching live theatre - though I try to watch them when I can. Other than this year, I've been to the Shaw Festival, the well-known theatre in the next town over, once a summer for seven or eight years with multiple visits in the past two years. All that to say, the world Aimee Agresti created in her latest novel The Summer Set was pretty foreign to me. But I think that worked really well but I imagine it would be even better for those who are or have been in the theatre world. I didn't fall head over heels with this book but it entertained me all the way through and it's one I'll probably keep thinking about for awhile.

Here's the synopsis:

The real drama happens backstage in this juicy novel about an idyllic summer theater where hot stars, has-beens and hopefuls chase roles—and each other.
Charlie Savoy was once Hollywood’s hottest A-lister. Now, ten years later, she's pushing forty, exiled from the film world and back at the summer Shakespeare theater that launched her career—and where her old flame, Nick, is the artistic director.
It’s not exactly her first choice. But as parts are cast and rehearsals begin, Charlie is surprised to find herself getting her groove back, bonding with celebrity actors, forging unexpected new friendships and even reigniting her spark with Nick, who still seems to bring out the best in her despite their complicated history.
Until Charlie’s old rival, Hollywood’s current it girl, is brought in to attract theater donors, threatening to undo everything she’s built. As the drama amps up both on the stage and behind the curtains, Charlie must put on the show of a lifetime to fight for the second chance she deserves in career and in love.

I had some issues with the way the story was actually written. It was kind of choppy and there were a lot of teeny offshoots that went absolutely nowhere or didn't have enough explanation or resolution. The one that comes to mind first were the videos the four main characters make at the end of the novel. Maybe I missed something, but it was suggested, they were filmed, and then the impact of them was just sort of...lost. The personal impact I got, sort of and only for one single character, but the reason they were made was more professional and I didn't really get that. The novel also ended a lot more abruptly than I would have liked. I don't need every single little detail wrapped up (though I much prefer it, I'll be honest) but it felt a bit unfinished to me and that I missed out on how things would go for all the characters. There were a few other little things that kind of gave me whiplash and kept me from rating this one higher but they were more technical than emotional, if that makes sense. I still liked reading this one.

I also think the book description is misleading. The arrival of Charlie's rival is a blip in the overall storyline. I also think it's important to note that the novel is told from four different perspectives, all in third person. Nick and Charlie are the veterans, the director and actor who have been around the block and are at the theatre to mentor the apprentices for the summer. Then there are Sierra and Ethan, both acting apprentices at the Chamberlain. I really liked that there were four of them telling their versions of the summer from their own perspective. And it was neat to see who Agresti chose to tell which part of the story, because there were no overlaps. Each perspective moves the story forward in time. You'd think it could get confusing but I loved it.

You may also think this story might veer too far off into gossip-y kind of fluff but Agresti kept all of the drama and all of the depth. Sure, there are divas and actors storming off set, and one amusing scene where someone's gorgeous face gets ever so slightly maimed from an errant sword, but even through all of that, you see the characters as real people who are all just trying to do the best they can. Sierra and Ethan are in college and their whole lives are before them and they're trying to do what makes their hearts happiest, which is acting. They're taking a leap of faith and hope that, by the end of the summer, they'll get noticed. (By agents and others in the theatre world but also, subconsciously, they want the other to notice them romantically...it's very sweet.) Whereas Nick and Charlie have not been able to have success, professionally or romantically, since they split so many years before and this summer should, ideally,  be a way for them to wake up and realize what makes them great is the other.

The setting was an absolute delight. A small town in the summer with a gorgeous mountain range as a backdrop, plus a lake, and all the theatre shenanigans. Just...oh, I loved it. And I love the cover too! So gorgeous.

The Summer Set was a really lovely novel, even with the issues I had with the writing. Aimee Agresti has published a story that is full of heart - and drama - and I enjoyed the time I spent reading it.

Where to buy The Summer Set: 

Harlequin * Barnes & Noble * Amazon * Books-A-Million * Powell’s * Indigo * Kobo

Connect with Aimee:

Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook * Goodreads

About Aimee

Aimee Agresti is the author of Campaign Widows and The Gilded Wings trilogy for young adults. A former staff writer for Us Weekly, she penned the magazine's coffee table book Inside Hollywood. Aimee's work has also appeared in People, Premiere, DC magazine, Capitol File, the Washington Post, Washingtonian, the Washington City Paper, Boston magazine, Women’s Health and the New York Observer, and she has made countless TV and radio appearances, dishing about celebrities on the likes of Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, E!, The Insider, Extra, VH1, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and HLN. Aimee graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism and lives with her husband and two sons in the Washington, DC, area.

*An e-galley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Graydon House/HarperCollins Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Say You Still Love Me

Fact: I will always love whatever K.A. Tucker writes. I've been reading her books for so long now that I can't imagine not falling in love with the characters and world she creates. That might make me a bit biased these days but it's the truth. She is, and always will be, one of my favourite authors (both because of the amazing books she writes and because she's such a lovely person). And because she's a favourite and an auto-read (and usually auto-buy but my wallet usually has more to say about it than I'd like), I knew I'd want to read Say You Still Love Me as soon as I heard about it. So much so that, confession time, I actually had no idea what the book was about before I dove in. And, oh boy, did I ever dive. I didn't want to put it down.

Here's the synopsis:

Life is a mixed bag for Piper Calloway.
On the one hand, she’s a twenty-nine-year-old VP at her dad’s multibillion-dollar real estate development firm, and living the high single life with her two best friends in a swanky downtown penthouse. On the other hand, she’s considered a pair of sexy legs in a male-dominated world and constantly has to prove her worth. Plus, she’s stuck seeing her narcissistic ex-fiancé—a fellow VP—on the other side of her glass office wall every day.
Things get exponentially more complicated for Piper when she runs into Kyle Miller—the handsome new security guard at Calloway Group Industries, and coincidentally the first love of her life.
The guy she hasn’t seen or heard from since they were summer camp counsellors together. The guy from the wrong side of the tracks. The guy who apparently doesn’t even remember her name.
Piper may be a high-powered businesswoman now, but she soon realizes that her schoolgirl crush is not only alive but stronger than ever, and crippling her concentration. What’s more, despite Kyle’s distant attitude, she’s convinced their reunion isn’t at all coincidental, and that his feelings for her still run deep. And she’s determined to make him admit to them, no matter the consequences.

Second chance romances are my favourite (yep, I'm a broken record and you'll continue to hear that from me until I can no longer flail about books) so Say You Still Love Me was right up my alley. What I liked about Tucker's approach to the trope was that the relationship began at summer camp (so, hello, perfect for summer) and it featured characters who were from two very different worlds.

The other thing Tucker did with this novel and the second chance trope was tell it in two time periods. There was a chapter in the present ("Now") and then a chapter from 2006 ("Then") when Piper and Kyle were both counsellors at summer camp. Each chapter moved forward in time and, slowly but surely, the story came together and all the little mysteries (what happened to their friend from camp? Why did they break up?) were solved.

Another of my all-time favourite authors is Sarah Dessen. She writes strictly contemporary YA novels (the only kind of YA I'll read these days and even then only from specific authors) and I've been reading them since I was about 15. Her books often take place in the summer because she sees the season as a transformative one where absolutely anything can happen. Once I got thinking about Tucker's latest and all of Dessen's books, I realized something. Say You Still Love Me is what would happen if Dessen's characters grew up and we got to see what they were up to years after a magical, life-changing summer. No wonder I loved it so much.

Three side notes. The first, I love this cover. Just love it. It reminds me of where I grew up and the docks and trees that are found all over the bay. The second is I'm fairly certain Tucker referenced one of her own books in a very sneaky fashion. Piper catches Kyle reading a thriller and its cover features a blurred person with their palm pressed against a pain of glass. Sound familiar? Third, Kyle changes his last name to Stewart, which was his mom's name. I did the same thing when I turned 18. And the name I changed it to? Stewart.

I'm not sure if this book will get bumped to the top of my favourite of Tucker's books - and I can't quite put my finger on why. I thought it was a unique story (yes, there were tropes but Tucker used them well and put her own spin on it) and the characters were interesting (I loved that Piper was smart and kicking ass in the corporate world) and had chemistry. It was still really, really good though and one I'd highly recommend for the second half of your summer (it takes place in part at summer camp, of course you want to read it in the summer).

Say You Still Love Me is yet another wonderful novel from K.A. Tucker. She knows how to write real, angsty, and interesting novels and I always look forward to them. I'm a bit jealous of all of you who haven't read this one yet because you have such a treat to look forward to. I, on the other hand, am already impatiently waiting for what Tucker writes next!

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: I'll Never Tell

I've been reading Catherine McKenzie's novels for years (eight, as my Goodreads has told me) and I have always marveled at how unique each story is. I eagerly look forward to her next novel as soon as I finish her last. I was especially looking forward to I'll Never Tell after absolutely loving The Good Liar last year (review is here if you missed it). Could her new one live up to her last (which was an instant bestseller, btw)? The short answer is: hell, yes.

Here's the synopsis:

What happened to Amanda Holmes?
Twenty years ago, she washed up on shore in a rowboat with a gash to the head after an overnight at Camp Macaw. No one was ever charged with a crime.
Now, the MacAllister children are all grown up. After their parents die suddenly, they return to Camp to read the will and decide what to do with the prime real estate it's sitting on. Ryan, the oldest, wants to sell. Margo, the family's center, hasn't made up her mind. Mary has her own horse farm to run, and believes in leaving well-enough alone. Kate and Liddie—the twins—have opposing views. And Sean Booth, the family groundskeeper, just hopes he still has a home when all is said and done.
But then the will is read and they learn that it's much more complicated than a simple vote. Until they unravel the mystery of what happened to Amanda, they can't move forward. Any one of them could have done it, and all of them are hiding key pieces of the puzzle. Will they work together to solve the mystery, or will their suspicions and secrets finally tear the family apart?

This isn't the first novel that features a dysfunctional family and a surprise in a will, and it won't be the last. But it's definitely going to be one that sticks with me for awhile. The MacAllisters are likeable enough (way more palatable than some families), they're just a bit messed up. And who isn't? It's hard to say if they really deserved to be dealing with their father's bizarre conditions even though it's pretty clear one of them is a murderer.

Speaking of murder and whodunnit - I had no idea. Every time the perspective changed with a new chapter (not as jarring as you might think), I changed my mind. Every sibling had motive and opportunity, though a few of them were immediately ruled out. Or were they? Yep. It's a twisted mystery and I loved it.

There's one thing that's been niggling at me since I finished the novel and it has to do with some choices Pete MacAllister made. I can't really say anything more because it's a hell of a spoiler if I do but his reasoning never made clear (not for the surprise in the will, that part was pretty clear). I guess I'm always just looking for more of an "everything wrapped up in a bow" situation than McKenzie was going for, especially for a character who is dead, but I feel like there's way more to him and his motivations than we got to see.

I loved that this books was set at a summer camp. I never went to overnight camp growing up so I don't have the kinds of memories that the campers at Macaw would but McKenzie does have that experience and, through that background and her great writing, I was able to understand what it was like and why the characters may have acted the way they did.

Also, I always thought the cover was so well suited to this novel - and I was very happy that McKenzie wasn't given an obviously feminine cover - but it wasn't until I inserted it into this review that I realized how perfect (and perfectly creepy) it really is.

I'll Never Tell is an amazing follow up to Catherine McKenzie's success with The Good Liar. It's an intriguing, complex, twisted story that she tells so, so well. I may have started reading her books because they were contemporary, fun, and relateable but I'm so happy with the direction she's taken because she's so good at writing thrillers. Pick this one up for your summer vacation!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Mini Reviews: Contemporary YA Edition

Raise your hand if you have a library card. And raise the other if you use it frequently. *looks around* Good. Glad to see many of you using your library. I, like many voracious readers, don't have the funds to buy all the books I'd like to read. Enter my public library. I use it a lot for book club books and any of the YA titles I want to read but don't get for review. This summer I read two wonderful contemporary YA novels that I really wanted to talk (read: flail) about on the blog.

My YA reading is pretty much restricted to contemporary YA books these days and even then it's only a certain few authors that I make the time for (so many books, so little time). I put Morgan Matson's Save the Date on hold as soon as it was available and was anxiously waiting for it to come in. I honestly didn't even know what the book was about (but you can read the synopsis here) but Matson has become an autoread author for me in recent years. I had the chance to go to a meet and greet before her first ever Canadian tour date where my blogger friend Tiff - from Mostly YA Lit - interviewed her. But...I have a new job and only so much wiggle room on asking for time off plus I'm not super close to where the event was happening. *sobs*

This book was pretty much impossible for me to put down and I had it finished in a weekend. It was smart, funny, and genuine - things I look for in almost every book I read. I was completely sucked into Charlie's life and, as is usual when I read YA books these days, I found myself wanting to play the big sister to Charlie and help her figure out her life. I'm the eldest in real life anyway, plus I'm so much older than the teens I'm reading about now, so it's inevitable that I'll start feeling protective of these girls. Even though I wanted to swoop in and tell her what I thought she should do, I knew she had a great head on her shoulders and she'd figure out on her own what the best path for her would be. That's what being a teenager is all about, isn't it? Making your mistakes, learning from them, and growing as a person.

The Canadians in the crowd will definitely understand me when I say the cartoon Charlie's mom drew totally reminded me of For Better or For Worse, a strip by Lynn Johnston that I was obsessed with growing up (seriously, I still have the book collections). Charlie's mom's strip Grant Central Station, like FBorFW, shows the characters aging in real time. Plus, there were older siblings and a much younger sibling (or siblings) in both, and a dog. I clearly was on the right track because this came up during the event I missed and Tiff, with her amazing recap, mentioned it. LOVE.

Finally, I loved that this book was about Charlie and her family (as well as a little bit about her friends). The boy troubles were totally realistic because, hello, she's 18 and interested in boys so of course they're going to come up in her life. But they weren't the point of the story. She very much was figuring out herself and her place in her family and the world in general. The love story was secondary (but no less welcome).

   *   *   *   

I also try to make time for really great books I wouldn't necessarily read when bloggers I trust can't stop talking about them. This time it was Ginger (of GReads!) flailing about Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian. (Synopsis is here on Goodreads) I wholeheartedly trust Ginger's opinion so on the reserve list it went and I happily dived in when it arrived. And oh - how sweet it was!

These novels were actually quite similar (which is kind of fun/odd because the two authors are friends). Both stories featured smart, funny, sort of shy girls who had just finished or were finishing high school and were looking forward to their next step - college. Every summer I always find myself thinking of the year I was getting ready to go to university and how much of a big deal that summer was. I had some major changes that year, just like Amelia and Charlie. I finished high school, was finishing my final summer at the library where I had worked all through high school (and wanted to work at since I was little, just like Amelia with the ice cream shop), and I started dating someone new even though he was staying behind for another semester and I was moving 2+ hours away. (Spoiler alert: we're still together 13 years later.) That summer between high school and university/college is just so magical and I really, really love reading stories set during that time - especially when they're so amazing. Stay Sweet was great and I am SO GLAD I made the time to read it.

I'm a big ice cream fan (Revelation: I don't know if I can fully trust anyone who isn't...) but I also try to make sure I only eat really good ice cream. I could totally identify with the popularity of Meade Creamery and found myself constantly comparing it to a local ice cream shop I was introduced to a year or so after moving to the area I'm in now - Avondale Dairy Bar. Not only do they both have the family run business feel but I pretty much only see teenagers working at Avondale and most of them are girls, just like at Meade Creamery. I adored that only girls were allowed to work at the ice cream shop and couldn't get enough of Amelia describing how they all helped each other out and the older girls were like another set of older sisters for the newbies. It was also feminist AF and I loved one scene where Grady says Amelia is being bossy and she totally calls him out on it and tells him he's being rude. He immediately apologizes. (Also - I'm writing this almost a month after reading it so I'm kinda paraphrasing.)

I really loved Amelia - probably because she reminded me a lot of myself at that age. Only she's way more confident than I was and had a better sense of her future than I did. (Hell, than I do now at 31.)

Overall, these two books are MUST. READS. for your summer. Or fall. Or holiday. Just read them. And gift them to all the teens in your life because every reader needs to meet Charlie and Amelia because they are absolutely amazing characters. And suddenly I'm craving ice cream...but what else is new?

Review: Once and for All

It is a happy, happy summer when Sarah Dessen has a new book out in the world. I've been reading her novels for about half my life now (!!!) and I will continue to read them as long as she continues to write. I love her storytelling, how her stories focus on a life-changing moment for a teenage girl, and how so many of her novels are set during the summer. Once and for All, Dessen's thirteenth novel, is out today and it is absolutely lovely.

Here's the synopsis:

As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen's thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.
Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that's why she's cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm's length. But Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged, now that he's met the one girl he really wants.
Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself.

I'm always thrilled when Dessen's novels return to Colby, a little beach town that makes frequent appearances in her books. It might just be because I grew up in a town surrounded by beaches but I just adore the feel of Colby. The town is where Louna meets Ethan, her first love that ends so tragically. Even though we don't really see much of the town - they only spend one night together - I think it was a perfect place for them to fall in love. Plus, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to Along for the Ride that I absolutely adored.

Speaking of Ethan...the reason their relationship ended is completely heartbreaking. I don't want to give it away because Dessen reveals the details of the relationship in stages and I thought that was really well done.

Maybe it's just because I'm getting older but I liked that Louna had just finished high school and was going to be going away to college in the fall. That summer is such an interesting one...with all sorts of changes coming and opportunities for the future.

Like any author of numerous books, Dessen has had her ups and downs. I've enjoyed some books more than others but I've loved every single one. I thought Saint Anything (which came out in 2015) was a return to some of her best work (think The Truth About Forever and This Lullaby). I was hoping this new one would be as spectacular as the others - and it is - but it's not going to take over the top spot in my ranking of Dessen novels. Don't get me wrong though...this is still a really, really good book.

And just as an aside...I did receive an ARC of this one but I always buy a copy of Sarah Dessen's books. I can't not. I have all of them, plus a UK edition of Keeping the Moon that I found in an indie bookstore in Australia. The one benefit of having an ARC was being able to read a new Sarah Dessen novel, before it even came out. Now that is a great way to spend a birthday. 

This was how I spent the majority of my 30th birthday yesterday. It was glorious. I knew when I received my ARC of ONCE AND FOR ALL last week I would be saving it for a special birthday treat! #bookstagram #latergram #birthdayweekend

A post shared by Kaley (@kaleys23) on May 29, 2017 at 3:36pm PDT

Finally - can I make a plea to Penguin Random House Canada to try and get Sarah to Canada for a tour stop? It's been almost six years since she's done a public event here and I'd love to see her again!

Reading a Sarah Dessen novel is one of my all time favourite things. I know I'm going to get a wonderful story with a teenage girl heroine who is really struggling with something, whether it's her parents' divorce, a past love gone wrong, or something more serious, like sexual assault. These girls are real and they're flawed and such a delight to read about. Dessen's books are often categorized as romances but they are so, so much more. Once and for All is another really well done novel and I'm already sad that I've finished it. OK, if we're being honest, I'm sad the second I read the last word. Dessen's books are never going to be long enough for me. If you want a really great read (and who doesn't?) Once and for All should definitely be on your summer reading list.

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Top Ten Tuesday: All About Romance

Created by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature. (Side note: I only did one TTT in 2016! And it was over a year ago! Crazy.)

Happy Valentine's Day, bookworms! Are you doing anything special today? Nothing planned for me. We're not into celebrating Valentine's Day so it's just another Tuesday in our house. Even though I'm not part of a typically romantic couple, I adore romances. I will read pretty much any book that has any hint of a romance - chick lit, women's fiction, literary fiction, historical fiction, and, of course, romances. Gimme 'em all. I'm interpreting today's TTT of All About Romance Tropes/Types as a list of my favourite tropes. I've included an example for each so you get a better idea of what I mean by the trope. Links lead to Goodreads. I only came up with eight because, to be honest, it was getting late on Monday night and I needed to get to bed! What are some of your favourite romance tropes?

Small Town
This is, hands down, one of my favourite tropes. I don't really know why because I wanted to get out of my own small hometown so badly but I guess there's just something about stories in teeny little towns to tug at my heart.

Example: I love Nora Roberts' Inn Boonsboro series and thought The Perfect Hope was the perfect way to wrap up the series. Bonus: you can actually visit the Inn and bookstore. Nora and her husband own them!

Second Chance
I think I love these stories so much because, like most people, I always wonder about what could have happened if life had gone one way instead of another. (To be clear, these days I wonder about more career related things than relationships gone wrong!)

Example: Jennifer Weiner puts her own (fantastic) spin on the second chance romances in Who Do You Love.

Classic Example: Persuasion by Jane Austen. And there have been so many books written that pay homage to this wonderful story, too!

Christmas
I absolutely adore Christmas and one of my favourite things about the holiday is reading all of the romances that have anything to do with Christmas. It does get annoying when "Christmas" gets slapped on a story that barely has a whiff of peppermint or evergreen. But...when there is the holiday spirit and a sweet romance? Oh, I'm a happy girl.

Example: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is, well, simply wonderful. It has the Christmas spirit and it's by one of my favourite author/blogger/people, Marie Landry. Bonus: It also takes place in a small town and is a second chance romance.

Summer Vacation
This trope is only really applicable to YA novels. I think I have a fondness for them because I had quite a few summer romances in high school. There's just something magical about those few months off school when the weather is beautiful and you don't have a care in the world.

Example: Sarah Dessen wins all of the summer vacation stories. Yes, there are other, amazing authors, like Morgan Matson, but I've been reading Dessen for so long that summer vacation = her novels. Along for the Ride is my favourite summer story because it also takes place in a beach town.

Friends to Lovers
This trope can be overdone but when it's done right? I love it. One friend realizes they have feelings for the other but they don't know if the feelings are reciprocated. Such tension!

Example: Anne of the Island. There are so many great examples but...it's Anne and Gilbert. Swoon.

Boy/Girl Next Door
This kind of carries on from the friends to lovers but I just really like when two friends grow up together and end up realizing they're in love with each other.

YA Example: My Life with the Walter Boys was so much fun to read. I need more!

Athletes
Either I haven't found enough or there just aren't enough sportsing romances out there. Good ones, of course. I particularly need more with baseball or hockey or basketball. There are enough football books out there already. Anyway. I've played sports and enjoy watching them so I also really enjoy reading about athletes falling in love. And yes, I'm being a bit sexist when I think of these types of stories. Tall, strong, men with all sorts of other redeeming qualities on top of their athletic prowess? Yum.

Example: This was a really hard one to choose because the few I've read (there should be more!) are all so good. But my virtual bestie, Laura Chapman, has an awesome series about football (yes, I know what I just said) that everyone should read. Start with First & Goal.

Road Trip/Vacation
This is sort of the adult version of the summer vacation trope. I like reading about couples who are in a different place than they're used to and either fall in love or fall in love more deeply while they're vacationing.

Example: Karina Halle has written so many books that would suit for a lot of these tropes (without being cliche...important!) but one of my favourites of hers is Where Sea Meets Sky which brings a guy from BC to New Zealand because he's chasing after a girl.

Review: The Unexpected Everything

The Unexpected Everything is Morgan Matson's newest book - just published today - and only the second book I've read by her. It's crazy because she writes exactly the kind of YA I love - contemporary, smart, funny, sweet, and real. Sarah Dessen is one of my all time favourite authors and Matson's books are a lot like Dessen's. I read Since You've Been Gone two years ago and promptly fell in love with Matson. So, I was thrilled when an ARC of her new book showed up on my mailbox. I read it last week after a hellish end to a weekend (if you follow me on Twitter you'll know our townhouse got broken into while we were away for the weekend) and it put me in such a good mood. I freaking loved The Unexpected Everything. Loved. It.

Here's the synopsis:

Andie had it all planned out.
When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.
Important internship? Check.
Amazing friends? Check.
Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks)
But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.
Because here’s the thing - if everything's planned out, you can never find the unexpected.
And where’s the fun in that? 

I think the next time an adult says they don't want to read a book about a teenager (because they're young, immature, annoying, etc.) I'm going to shove The Unexpected Everything in their face. I actually found myself forgetting Andie was in high school. Granted, it was a bit easier to do because the book took place during summer vacation and Clark was a couple of years older than she was. But it also had a lot to do with Andie's personality and the way Matson wrote her (and all of the other young characters). Andie was a pretty mature 17-almost-18 year old but she was still a teen and still acted like it at times (it would have been weirder if she hadn't acted her age). I hate when YA authors dumb down their characters because they think their audience (also teenagers) can't handle "complex" characters or storylines like you're supposed to find in an adult novel. Matson doesn't do that - she treats her readers with respect and the result is an amazing novel.

I need to talk about Bertie here for a second because his little storyline gave me some huge laughs. Important information: Bertie is a dog. A large, fluffy, white dog. First of all, I would love a white, fluffy dog. Also, I was pretty thrilled when Andie noticed a P.G. Wodehouse quote in Clark's house. I was even more thrilled when I realized the dog's name, Bertie, is a play on the name of one of the characters in Wodehouse's novels, Bertie Wooster. (If you've never heard of Jeeves and Wooster, I suggest you watch the show featuring Stephen Fry as Jeeves and Hugh Laurie as Wooster. I also really need to work on reading the books asap.) Plus, me tweeting about Bertie and his name resulted in a fantastic conversation with Matson herself. I tried very hard not to fangirl or sound like an idiot. :)

I loved the friendship between Andie, Palmer, Toby, and Bri. I found it pretty realistic and made me nostalgic for high school friendships (not high school itself...no thank you). Like Andie, I was lucky and my friends and I were pretty drama-free. But, once you graduate high school, those friendships you had for the last four years become so different. Even before I had any idea the girls would encounter some problems, I found myself wondering if the four of them could survive being long distance friends. As Toby realized, sometimes you need to find out who you are apart from the friends you've had for forever. All that being said, I really liked reading the scenes with all of the girls together. It made me think about those friends from high school I'm still in touch with and what went wrong with the ones I don't really talk to anymore.

I also absolutely loved Clark. He was so smart and funny and so very right for Andie. I also found it interesting to read his interactions with Andie and her friends. Clark was homeschooled and, because of his career, he lives a fairly solitary life. Reading as he hosted his first party and how he interacted with the girls and Tom, Palmer's boyfriend, was so great. Also, the romance between he and Andie also seemed really realistic which I loved.

I really can't say enough good things about The Unexpected Everything. Morgan Matson has written an absolutely fantastic novel that every contemporary lover should pick up at some point before fall. It's the perfect summer book (I really miss summer vacations...not so much the school year though...) with characters you'll fall in love with, and a story you'll become so invested in. Even though I've only read two of Matson's books (I plan on getting to her backlist very soon), she's definitely one of my favourite YA authors.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Whisper If You Need Me

Dina Silver is known for her women's fiction novels but she has recently released her first YA book, Whisper if You Need Me. The contemporary novel was an absolute delight to read and Sarah Dessen fans should take note.

Here's the synopsis:

A strong-willed yet vulnerable young beauty, Julia Pearl is sixteen years old when she’s sent away to summer camp for the first time. Julia’s father and stepmother are convinced that time away from home will be good for Julia, hoping it will restore the confidence she lost when her mother disappeared five years earlier.
Released from the emotional constraints of her new family and the ugly reputation her mother left behind, Julia finds herself reluctantly tossed into the free-spirited and often drama-infused world of overnight camp—where she quickly falls for an intensely charismatic counselor named Jack Dempsey, a nineteen-year-old college student who will prove to save her life in more ways than one.
Rich with humor and poignancy, Whisper If You Need Me is a timeless story that will remind readers of the strength of friendship, the unwavering devotion of family, and ultimately, the power of young love.

My favourite thing about Sarah Dessen novels (yes, I know this isn't a review about one of her books...bear with me here) is that the story is about more than just romance. Sometimes romance doesn't even really factor into the story. The point of the novel is to watch the heroine, a teenage girl, find her way in the world. There is drama, usually of the family sort but not always, and a little something special that hooks you and drags you, quite happily, into the story. Dina Silver has found that little something with her new book. Julia has a lot of stuff to work through...why her mom left, being "forced" to go to summer camp, having a new step-mother and step-siblings, plus a severe nut allergy. And for those, like me, who enjoy the swooning, the first kisses, and the romance, there's some of that too.

The setting played such a huge part in this novel. I never went to summer camp as a kid (the closest I got was a few day school trip to a nearby camp. I think I've blocked most of it out.) so there's a bit of a novelty factor for me. But I think summer camp is perfect for a contemporary YA novel and allows for a bunch of high school kids (and therefore a bunch of drama and angst) to get together somewhere that isn't school. 

The only little teeny thing that bugged me has to do with the age of the characters. Julia is 16, Jack is 19. I just could not see how a guy who's just finished his first year of college could want to date a junior...in high school. I wish Julia had been going into grade 12 instead of 11...I think that would have eased my mind so much more. But really...that was the single thing I had an issue with in this novel.

That being said...oh, the feels I had reading about Julia and Jack. I think the fact that he was older did help because he was able to help her learn to deal with, well, life. And their first kiss? Talk about swooning. It was almost instalove but because they weren't allowed to be together (ooh, forbidden love to boot!) they had the chance to build a friendship first. 

Finally, I liked that Julia was able to make some new friends while at camp. She has to deal with Mean Girls (oh my god, these girls were awful) but between Jack and her new friends, she's able to (usually) ignore the taunts and ridiculous comments and emerge on the other side even stronger than before. 

I could not stop reading Whisper If You Need Me. Dina Silver sucked me in with her riveting, well written story. This is one that all contemporary YA fans will enjoy, especially those who like their heroines strong and relateable. 

*An advanced eARC was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Top Ten Tuesday: My Summer TBR Pile

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

Ah, summer reading. There's something particularly awesome about the books you read in the summer - even when the season no longer means a vacation from school. A lot of great books are published in the spring and summer and the longer days with more sunlight allow for a lot more outdoor reading. That's really the best thing about summer reading, in my opinion. Being able to read in the backyard, on the beach, at the park...the opportunities are endless. For this week's list I've put together the ten books I'm most looking forward to reading this summer. Some are new releases, some aren't even out yet, and others are just finally making it to the top of my To Be Read pile. If you're wondering why I don't have Landline, Rainbow Rowell's upcoming adult novel and one of the most anticipated summer books, on this list it's because I was lucky enough to snag an e-ARC and I've already read it. (You should too...it's awesome.) What books are you looking forward to reading this summer? Links lead to Goodreads.

Open Road Summer - Emery Lord (April 15)
I don't have a copy of this one, nor does my library, but I've heard really good things about it. I should find a copy since it sounds so cute and awesome!

Since You've Been Gone - Morgan Matson (May 6)
This is another YA one that I've heard a lot about and I just can't wait to read. Luckily, I have a copy from my library just waiting for me to get to it before it's due back next week!

Goodnight June - Sarah Jio (May 27)
Confession: I haven't read a Jio book. I follow her on social media and she's just amazing so I can't wait to dive into this one!

Just One Night - Gayle Forman (May 29)
I freaking loved Just One Day and Just One Year so I was SO excited when I learned there was going to be an extra novella about Allyson and Willem. I just have to get myself a copy!

All Fall Down - Jennifer Weiner (June 17)
Weiner is amazing so of course her novel is going to make it on here. It's out today AND she's going to be in Toronto next Monday - for the first time in FIVE years! I'm so pumped.

The Silkworm - Robert Galbraith (June 17)
I really really liked The Cuckoo's Calling and I'm so excited that Rowling, er, Galbraith is continuing with the series.

A Single Breath - Lucy Clarke (July, in North America)
This will be a great rainy day book. I read Clarke's debut novel, Swimming at Night, and adored it so I cannot wait to read this one. (Review will be up July 3!)

Breathe, Annie, Breathe - Miranda Kenneally (July 15)
I haven't read any of Kenneally's books (yet) but this one looks so good.

The Book of Life - Deborah Harkness (July 15)

If this was in order of "most looking forward to" instead of release date, this would be number one. I freaking love the All Souls series and I cannot wait to find out how Harkness concludes the trilogy. Only problem is, it's been SO long since I read the last one that I can't remember every detail. I'd love to reread both books buuut...they're huge! It's a dilemma!

Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins (August 14)
SO FAR AWAY. Ahhhh. I think once this one is released I might treat myself to a nice box set!

Taking it Off the Shelf: By Invitation Only

This month I chose a book that I had bought...sometime. I'm honestly not sure when I picked up By Invitation Only by Jodi Della Femina and Sheri McInnis. Two years ago? Who knows. All I know is that I thought the cover was pretty and it sounded like a cute read. It turned out to be an alright book...I didn't love it but it grew on me the more I read.

Here's the synopsis:

Toni Fratelli has a busy summer ahead.
After several setbacks in Manhattan force her to move home to East Hampton, her To Do list is full. She has to help her father run his popular Italian restaurant.  Start up her own catering company.  And plan, cater, and be the Maid of Honor at her best friend’s wedding on the beach.
Unfortunately for Toni, the groom’s mother is a competitive New York socialite who’ll stop at nothing to make sure her son doesn’t marry a local girl – especially on the family’s Southampton estate. The biggest caterer in the Hamptons is trying to run her fledgling business out of town.  And worse than anything, Toni seems to be losing her best friend to a circle of snooty bridesmaids.  Everything might be tolerable – if her dad could just stop treating her as if she was seventeen again.
At least Toni finds love.  When she meets a sexy surfer named Chris, it quickly turns into the most romantic summer fling of her life.  But there’s more to Chris than his vintage Mustang and used guitar … and he’s not sure Toni’s going to like the truth.  Before the end of the summer she’ll be forced to face her hopes – and fears – as trying to forgive becomes her biggest challenge yet.

I really disliked the book to start with but, like I said, it grew on me. (This is the reason I have such a hard time setting down books...what if it gets better??) My first, and biggest complaint is that there were too many characters. We got introduced to so many people to start off with that I wasn't sure who was who and who was important. It didn't help that Didi calls Hudson Sonny (Hudson and her son), Toni calls Layla Sully (Sullivan is her last name), and Chris's friends call him Johnson (absolutely no idea why). I also felt that it flipped back and forth between characters too much and the flow was all off. The chapters were too short and snapshot like and it didn't seem like a lot is happening.

I also found that the story relied too heavily on missed chances before Chris and Toni finally get together - Chris didn't see Toni's picture in the newspaper that the fisherman were using to wrap their fish or Toni didn't notice the Mustang with the surfboard when she went to an antique show. Why would they be paying attention to these things? It just seemed really silly.

Finally, I had a bit of an issue with Toni's disorder that she doesn't recognize faces (prosopagnosia) unless she knows someone well. I'm sure it exists but it seems way too easy to dismiss why she didn't recognize Chris at first. It could have been easy enough for her to recognize him but not be able to place him. She hit her head, after all. He still could have lied and said that no, he didn't recognize her because he doesn't want her to because he was so rude.

The book finally grabbed me at about halfway through. I didn't dislike it, necessarily, but all of the above issues really got on my nerves. I'm not sure what changed but I ended up enjoying myself for the second half of the book. Maybe it's because I got the hang of the characters or maybe I was just really invested in Toni's story. Either way, I was looking forward to a happy ending for everyone in the book. Well, almost everyone. There was one woman who totally got what she deserved...in an interesting and totally surprising way (and I'm not yet sure if that's a good thing or if it took away from the other stories).

By Invitation Only by Jodi Della Femina and Sheri McInnis wasn't a bad read but it wasn't great one. I think it's a nice summer book but it's definitely best to read it in September because the book takes place over a full summer. I still have a full weekend of summer left (true summer before school starts for some people and everyone's back at work) but I'm already feeling sad that it's coming to a close. The book didn't really help! I still think it's a nice escapist read and think others could really enjoy it.

As for next month's pick...I'm not entirely sure which one I'll read. It might be Comfort Food or maybe The Romantics (and then I'll finally watch the movie!) or it might even be The Devil Wears Prada (nope, I've never actually read it!). It could also be something completely different and summery if I'm not ready to let this season go!

Rereading Sarah Dessen: Along for the Ride

Welcome this month's edition of the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge! Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. This month my BFF Sandy and I (along with all other challenge participants) read Along for the Ride. I realized this month that I reallllly wish I had read all the novels in order. It's starting to bug me that I can't pick up on cameos because I'm reading the books out of order. That didn't change my opinion of the novel though...I still liked it!

Synopsis:

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

About the Story

Main  Character: Auden West

Age: 18

School Year or Summer?: Summer

Boy: Eli Stock

First description of the boy: "When I turned, I found myself facing a tall guy with longish dark hair pulled back at his neck, wearing a worn blue hoodie and jeans. He glanced at me quickly - his eyes were green and deep set - barely seeming to register my face." (page 41)

Crushable?: Yes.

Big Secret?:  No secrets, more just not being honest and not communicating well.

Heavy Storyline?: A little bit, maybe. Divorce/separation play a large role, as does the death of Eli's friend, Abe (which happened prior to this summer).

Parents Together?: No - divorced.
Sibling(s)?: Yes, an older brother, Hollis (20?) 

Takes Place In: Lakeview is where she grew up but she spends the summer in Colby.

Cameos: Several! Auden's prom date was supposed to be Jason (Macy's boyfriend from The Truth About Forever) and she mentions Jason's ex and the guy she started dating after him. She went to Perkins Day at one point and that's mentioned in another novel (Dreamland maybe?). She frequents the Last Chance Cafe. Esther, one of the girls who works at Clementine's, and Clyde, who owns The Washroom, both show up in The Moon and More. Heidi wears and sells key necklaces (Lock and Key...which I only remember from the first time I read it because we haven't yet reread this one).

About the Book

Released: 2009.

Epigraph?: No, but there is a map of Colby. A map! I love it!

Format (of the copy I read): Hardcover (and includes special features)

Own?: Yes. It's actually my second copy. I brought my first copy to the signing I went to two years ago but was able to get a free copy. I had Sarah sign my other one to my sister and this new one to me.

Signed?: Yes (see above.)

Read or Reread: Reread

Age when first read: 22.

New cover vs older cover: New (I don't think Auden ever would have worn that polka dot dress).

My Thoughts
When I started this challenge Along for the Ride was one of my favourite Dessen novels. (I say that a lot, don't I?) Like the others, I wondered if it would hold up. I'm not entirely sure that it did. I loved it and I enjoyed rereading Auden and Eli's story but I don't think I loved it quite as much as I did the first time around. Don't get me wrong, the book is still amazing and is still in the top three (we'll see if that changes by the end of this challenge) but I think I found it too similar to some of Dessen's other works.
I think the problem (if I even want to call it a problem) is that I've been reading all the books over a short(ish) period of time so it's a little easier to spot the similarities. Auden was sort of a combination of Macy from The Truth About Forever and Remy from This Lullaby. She was an overachiever who wanted to please her parents (especially her mother) and was more of an adult than a teen because that's what her parents had expected of her her whole life. This isn't a bad thing but I thought it was notable that there were fairly specific characteristics and plot points present in this novel that show up in previous Dessen novels.
As is typical of Dessen's novels, the romance isn't the main point of the story. It provides a really sweet secondary plot and it's great to see Auden blossom and Eli learn to open up again. But Auden's journey isn't about finding the boy. She's finding herself before going off to college and finally figuring out where she fits and belongs in her family. Her journey is a great one and it's made that much better by her finding someone to share her time and thoughts with. It also helps that Eli is set on creating a quest for Auden and helping her complete it. I loved that!
I loved spending more time in Colby. Whenever Dessen's novels bring us to the beach town I always wish it was real because I want to go there. I want to go to the Washroom and chat with Clyde and try some of his pies. I want to shop at Clementine's. I even want to go to Tallyho's to see why Leah loves it and the other girls hate it. And I must try those onion rings at the Last Chance Cafe. Dessen does an amazing job of really placing the reader in Colby and I love visiting it through the pages.
I love the idea of a summer changing you. Dessen is huge on summers and how those few months can alter you and pack more of a punch than the rest of the year combined. Auden's summer is no different as she shakes up her world and decides to spend the summer at the beach with her dad, step-mom, and new baby half-sister. Makes me wish that I had spent more time at the beach the summer before I went away to university! As I mentioned before, Auden has a journey to go on and changing her schedule and location makes that journey possible. She's able to see herself in a different way, meet new friends, and finally come to terms with her family. Auden realizes that people can change (no matter what her mother may say) as long as they allow themselves to be changed. With Along for the Ride Dessen once again proves that summer is the time to be transformed - and I love it.

Sandy's Thoughts

Along for the Ride is still my favourite Sarah Dessen novel. My second favourite has changed to The Truth About Forever and who knows, it could change again before this challenge is over. That is one of the exciting things about rereading fantastic books. Reading the same book at different stages in your life can give you a different feeling about the contents. As you change and grow so does your outlook and opinion, not only about books but about life as well.

This happens to Auden in Along for the Ride. She decides to live with her father and his new wife for one summer and it changes her forever. Auden has lived her whole life as the smart but distant girl. She thrives in academia but struggles with what others would describe as normal experiences, such as prom or having girlfriends. She has spent her formative years bowing to the expectations of her parents and ended up becoming the adult in her relationship with them. None of the aspects of a normal childhood or teenage experience have interested her, until now.

Until she goes along for the ride in Colby, she has lived her life on the periphery of friendship and relationships with people her own age. When Auden arrives in Colby, however, she is thrown into a secret world of girls and boys and true friends. She is lucky enough to find a group of girls who take her for what she is and not just what they presume her to be. Maggie, Leah and Esther eventually see through Auden’s holier than thou attitude towards them and try to teach her the value of friendship. Falling in with them allows Auden to be her own type of girl; strong, smart, quiet but determined. With this new discovery of herself Auden learns that she can live with academics and still have a life beyond.

During her summer in Colby, Auden learns that people are never what they appear to be at first glance. She is used to making snap judgements about her fellow teenage girls, teenage boys, her brother, her parents and even herself. Everyone has a deeper self and a story to share and now so will Auden. Auden finds her counterpart in Eli, a boy who has lived too much, or so it seems. Eli is sure to make her summer outside of her protective bubble a memorable one. He invents a quest that is as much about getting him out of his grief as it is about making sure Auden has a childhood before university. Together they embark on a quest not only to change Auden’s past, but to shape her future.

This novel made me smile. It is the perfect teen summer story, complete with angst and the growth of a somewhat sheltered heroine. A summer away from the influence of her parents allows Auden to grow into a more well-rounded version of herself. If only we all could have a summer as eye opening in our youth. But it is never too late.

One summer can change you. People are changeable if they just allow it, if they just go along for the ride. Just be sure to steer every once in a while.

Next month

Someone Like You, Dessen's second novel. I think I prefer the romance in the movie How to Deal than what actually happened in the book so I'm interested to see if I'm remembering this correctly.

Reading Sarah Dessen: The Moon and More

Hosted by I Eat Words

Welcome to month four of the I Eat Words Sarah Dessen Read/Reread Challenge! Check out this post that explains the details about the awesomeness that is this challenge. Ah, a new book from Dessen! That always makes the summer that much better, in my opinion. I'm always excited when she releases a new book because, as you know, she's one of my favourite authors. Even though I had stayed away from early reviews of The Moon and More because I didn't want to know anything about it, I still knew that there were a few mixed reviews out there. I was hesitant because my expectations were so high but I ended up really loving this new book.

Synopsis:

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?

About the Story

Main  Character: Emaline

Age: 18

School Year or Summer?: Summer

Boys: Boyfriend Luke and new boy in town Theo

First description of Luke: "Halfway down the stairs to the front door, I glanced out one of the big windows, spotting the object of their ogling: a tall, very tan guy with curly blond hair, shirtless, wielding a long, awfully phallic looking pool brush." (page 9-10) 

First description of Theo: "He, however, was not from here, something I discerned with one glance. First, he had on Oyster jeans - dark wash, with the signature O on the back pockets - which I hadn't even known they made for guys. Second, he had a knit cap pulled down over his ears, even though it was early June." (page 13)
Crushable?: Neither of them totally did it for me but I'd definitely be more drawn to Luke (and not just because that's my boyfriend's name!)

Big Secret?:  No.

Heavy Storyline?: Not heavy and not overly dramatic but there are issues.

Parents Together?: Yes - sort of. She has a father (biologically) and a dad (her stepdad who adopted her when she was three).
Sibling(s)?: Yes, two older sisters. Margo is 22 and Amber is 20. 

Takes Place In: Colby, the beach town that shows up often in Dessen's works.

Cameos: So many! Emaline's BFF works at the store owned by Heidi, Auden's stepmom, from Along for the Ride and they both make an appearance. Also from Along for the Ride are Clyde and Esther (though I admit that Google had to help me with those connections). Luke's cousins are Wes and Bert from The Truth About Forever. They visit the Last Chance Cafe, which is mentioned in a couple of books, I think. Finally, Spinnerbait (Hate Spinnerbait!) from This Lullaby is playing at the club in town.

About the Book

Released: June 4 2013.

Epigraph?: No.

Format (of the copy I read): Hardcover.

Own?: Yes.

Signed?: No. 

Read or Reread: Read

Age when first read: 26.

New cover vs older cover: Not applicable since this was just published. I do have to say that I'm not a huge fan of the cover. After reading the book I get the significance of the grass but I still think that water would have been a better choice.

My Thoughts
I don't think I really allowed myself to believe that summer was here until I read Dessen's new novel. Her books are just the perfect summer read because they're amazing and almost always take place during summer vacation. I was looking forward to The Moon and More because, for the first time, the entire novel took place in Colby and was told from the perspective of someone who grew up there. I found this aspect of the novel to be really interesting - and probably the reason I really liked this book. I grew up in a town that has its fair share of tourists who are staying at the nearby beaches (Sandy can actually talk about this more because she lives at the beach) but it's not really anything like Colby (I wish it was though!). Like Emaline, I'm a small town girl at heart but, also like Emaline, I was eager to find out what the world had to offer once I was done high school.
Speaking of Emaline, I really loved her character and felt really connected to her. I know what it's like to have a family structure that requires an extra step of explanation and I can still remember my last summer before starting university. She had her flaws and, once again, I wanted to be a big sister for her but I knew she was a smart and strong character and would be able to figure out her life. I just loved reading her story.
One thing I found interesting was that Emaline and her boyfriend Luke were having sex during the story. That sounds weird, I know. The interesting thing is that I can't recall another Dessen novel where the main character was having sex during the book. Remy, in This Lullaby, had slept with guys before but she and Dexter never actually had sex. It seems like an odd thing to note but it seemed quite different for Dessen and that's what made me pay attention. This isn't a bad thing and it's not in any way graphic (I don't believe there are any descriptions at all) but it just made me think. I also could be wrong in recalling all her previous novels - can anyone correct me?
I found the boys in this book interesting, too. Dessen usually writes some excellently swoonworthy male characters (see: Wes from The Truth About Forever and Dexter from This Lullaby) but there was something about Luke and Theo that prevented me from wanting them for myself (hey, you all have book boyfriends, don't try to deny it!). Perhaps it's because Emaline herself doesn't quite know who she wants because she doesn't quite know who she is. Romance really didn't play a large part in the novel and I think that's what made the boys take a backseat in the story.
Overall, The Moon and More is a great read. New and old fans of Sarah Dessen will enjoy it, I think. And if you STILL haven't read any of her books, why not start with this one?

Sandy's Thoughts

Yes! A new Sarah Dessen novel to add to the collection. In her eleventh effort, The Moon and More, Dessen does not disappoint. The characters seem a little older and wiser than some of their predecessors but the coming of age teen story is still there. You still get that same feeling of satisfaction when you close the book for the last time and the story is all wrapped up. As with every Dessen ending there are questions and possibilities untold but there are also twists and turns you never saw coming.

Being the eleventh book, Dessen has mastered the personalities of the towns and people she has created. I love the cameos she throws into every novel and this one had a ton! We met Auden at Clementines, Clyde from the Washroom, Wes and Bert from Truth are mentioned and there are many more hidden tributes to her past novels. That made this novel special to me. I love that she has created her own little world between Lakeview and Colby and that her readers are part of it. I felt like I was part of the Colby beach community and invested in the outcome of Emaline’s summer.

Emaline hopes, from the beginning, for a different kind of summer. By virtue of the fact that it is the last one she will have before moving on to college it should be different. However, fate sees fit to give her a summer of changes that she will never forget. She had wanted the summer to mean reconciliation between her and her biological father and fun times with her long-term boyfriend (page 389). Instead she was gifted with the unconditional love of her younger half-brother and a true sense of herself without a boyfriend to influence her. This summer teaches Emaline that no matter where she goes she will always have her friends, family and Colby to support her.

For most of this novel I struggled to swoon over either boy in Emaline’s life. Luke seemed to be a little too conceited and Theo was just too pushy. It seemed as though both boys were too into themselves and never really heard or saw Emaline they just bowled over her. The boy I really liked was dozy Morris. He and Daisy were the shining couple of The Moon and More for me. It wasn’t until the last fifty pages when Theo shows his true colours and Luke is there that I really felt invested in the Luke/Emaline relationship. Luke finally showed that he knew her and saw her for who she was, not who he thought she was.

I also really enjoyed Clyde’s back-story. I found it very compelling and wanted to know, along with Ivy and Theo, why he had quit being an artist and moved back to Colby if he was so successful.  Clyde is one of the big Colby personalities so it was interesting to discover more about him. Everyone has a story.

Sarah Dessen says it best, “It takes so little to change everything.” (Page 187) That is the crux of every one of her novels. One small moment, action, or reaction can change the entire course of a summer, a year, or a life. I am looking forward to number twelve!

Next month: We're reading That Summer. It will be interesting to go from Dessen's newest book to her first.