"The Moon and More" by Sarah Dessen

There is just something about Sarah Dessen's books. I always dive in loving the story and the characters, but somewhere around the halfway point, I begin to lose interest.  Somehow the story looses me and I begin to care less and less about the characters and their potential outcomes. This was sadly the case for me with The Moon and More. Emaline has spent her entire life living in a small beach town where everybody know everybody. She spends her summer working for her family's rental business, making summer guests comfortable during their vacations. Her life is fairly simple, but big changes are headed her way the summer before she starts college. These changes include: a visit from her father (but not her dad, these are two different people. Her father is her biological parent. Her dad is the man that raised her from a young age) and half brother, the second is Theo who is part of a documentary crew that comes to town and his presence leads to change number three, Emaline's relationship status with her boyfriend, Luke.

Again, I started out really liking this book. I was engaged and was rooting for Emaline and the other characters in the book. But I reached a point where I just lost interest. The last two and a half chapters did manage to re-engage me, but there was a good chunk of the book that I felt like I read more out of obligation than anything else. I really do hate that Dessen's books do this to me because I hear so much great things about her (and I know I will make a least one reader upset that I don't share the love for this author). Possibly I am always more interested in the side story that is not romantic (for instance, I am way more into Halley and  Scarlett's relationship in Someone Like You than Halley and Macon's and wish that book focused more on that than the romance). I was very intrigued by the story of Emaline's family and their relationships, much more than I was Emaline's situations with Theo or Luke. I was even interested in spending more time with Ivy's character than with the romance element. I think fans of Dessen's work will love this one just as much, but it sadly just wasn't for me.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"A Corner of the Universe" by Ann M, Martin

This was probably one of the first books that began to shape me as a reader outside of the world of innocent children's books. Hattie lives a relatively safe life. Her parents own a boarding house and much of her time is spent helping care for the house and it's residents. She only has one friend, but since it is summer, she is mostly on her own. That is, until her uncle Adam comes around. Hattie has never met Adam. He is the much younger brother of her mother and he has been away at a special school since before Hattie was born. But since the school is closing, Adam will be spending time at home until new arrangements can be made. Adam is unlike anyone Hattie has ever met. She doesn't know it, but he is going to make an impact and change her life forever.

I really don't want to spoil anything, but this was one of the first books I ever read that had a not so happy ending. It was a real eye opener and started making me look at books differently. Up until I had read this book for the first time, everything I had read was fairly simple in plot and everything wrapped up nicely at the end. Even when things were tense or scary, all was well by the time the book ended. But that's not quite the case with A Corner of the Universe. Though Hattie's eyes, I began to see that books can address reality and that the written word can play out just as harsh as the real world (this book is that really harsh, just conveying the realization I started to have after reading it). This is one of those books that I think everyone should read. It falls in line with R.J. Palacio's Wonder and Sharon M. Draper's Out of My Mind. Martin addresses many issues and topics that authors often shy away from. Adam's personality in this book is brutally honest. He is one of the most realistic characters I have come across (and the first time I read this book, he was probably the only truly realistic character I had met at that point). This is one of those books that needs to be read when you have some time to reflect upon finishing it. I hope that it is a life changer for other readers, like it was a life changer for me.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Wild Cards" by Simone Elkeles

Simone Elkeles has written yet another winner! She is one of those authors that I just love everything that she has written, and Wild Cards is no exception!  Derek and Ashtyn have nothing in common- except for the fact that they now have to live together. Derek's stepmother is Ashtyn's sister so when Brandi decides that she is going to move back home, Derek has no choice but to go with his stepmother and stepbrother. Little does he know that his entire life is about to change. Recently kicked out of his prestigious boarding school, Derek is still learning how to live in a world without his mother who passed away from cancer. Ashtyn (is awesome) is the the kicker for her school's football team and (naturally) is dating the quarterback, Landon, but everything with their relationship isn't quite what it seems. When Derek shows up and adds some extra testosterone to the mix, things start to go crazy. 

Since Elkeles often writes about unlikely couples and because the cover includes kissy faces, it's no surprise when Derek and Ashtyn start to have feelings for each other, but I really like how Elkeles handles their relationship. In the beginning, the two don't want to fall for each other and at different points throughout the novel both fight their feelings. Both characters are so realistic it's crazy. Their emotions and actions come off the page like they are real people. It's very rare that I hope for sequels, but I really want to see more books in this universe (Elkeles' website says "series" so I am allowing myself to be excited for for more books). If you have read any of the books by Elkeles (and if you haven't, why?) you will love this book too. 

Happy Reading!
-Melly

Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List

Theme via: The Broke and the Bookish

1. Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford
2. Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle
3. Milkrun by Sarah Mlynowski
4. The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
5. The Wedding Girl by Madeline Wickham 
6. Mary Ingalls on Her Own by Elizabeth Kimmel Willard
7. Hanging onto Max by  Margaret Bechard
8. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffen
9. Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
10. Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski (I read this one!)

These are all books that have been on my "To-Read" list for quite awhile.  Maybe I will finally get around to reading them (or at least tracking down a copy) this summer!

Happy Reading!
-Melly