2013 Book Challenge 36/35: The Moon and More

The third Sarah Dessen book for the year. Gosh, am I in a roll. Reading books is both a good and a bad addiction. Good because when is it ever not good to pick up and read a book? NEVER. I actually regret that I started late. But it is also bad because once I have started one, consider me useless. And the worst part is I am not a fast reader so it could pretty take up most of my time. When I completed my goal of 35 books this year, I vowed to only read books when I actually have free time, meaning only when in long lines or waiting for someone or something. Well, I wasn't able to keep my part of the bargain because I just finished two more books. Though I have an excuse for that- I've had this recurring, debilitating headache for two days, so I had time.

Not my favorite Dessen book but I enjoyed it still. Sarah Dessen's books are not only just about teenage crush/love, they're also about other problems teens undergo such as parents' divorce, school, dealing with death, etc. Though I have nothing against cutie patootie love stories such as Meant to Be (remember, I live for the kilig, ha!).

Another thing I am not very happy about Dessen books, the characters' names. In Lock & Key, there's Ruby and Cora. Here, it's Emaline. Trivial, I know.

So it's Emaline's last summer before she goes to college. She's lived seventeen years of her life almost the same day in, day out and for the summer, she wants to spice it up a little. She overhears tourists' conversations and thinks her life is boring compared to theirs. As they say, be careful what you wish for, you just might get it and in Emaline's case she did. Although she wanted something different, she didn't really planned for.

First issue: the father. I really hate it when people do not reply to my messages be it text messages, emails or PMs. I mean, please have the courtesy to acknowledge receipt, diba? I hate it when people make me deadma. With Emaline's case, her father sort of ignored her graduation invitation, wasn't even there, didn't even bother to send her a congratulatory message and what's worse, he left her high and dry regarding her Columbia application.

Riight??

So I really really hate her father for being a tight ass and I don't think his jerkiness is because of Emaline because he is also like that to Benji who is only ten years old. She realized that her father's attitude towards her has actually nothing to do with her, it's just the way he is.

Second: boy troubles. In most of the YA books I've read, the new boy is always the better choice, the better guy. So when Theo entered the scene and we found out that Luke sort of cheater on Emaline, I thought that Theo would be the one. But eventually, he became this annoying guy who gives everything an annoying title. Meanwhile, while I was first annoyed with Luke in the beginning because he was always shirtless and it seems that he likes the attention he gets from being shirtless, he eventually came around and showed his sweet, non-jerkface self. I was sort of vying that Luke and Emaline get back together but I guess it's better that they decided to be just friends as of the moment.

I may have not liked Emaline's name but she is a likable person. Another character I loved was Benji. Seriously, who would not like Benji? He's really sweet that Emaline has been endeared to his little brother even if she wasn't planning on it in the beginning. Even if her father was a big disappointment, the good thing she got from him was Benji. If Columbia had pushed through, it would've been Benji and Columbia, but Columbia fell by the wayside so it's just Benji.

I gave it three stars. I liked it but I didn't like- like it. If I liked-liked it, I'd give it four stars and five stars if I loooved it. So although I enjoyed reading it, I just liked it; ergo, the three-star rating.

"Life is long. Just because you don't get your chance right when you want or expect it doesn't mean it won't come. Fate doesn't punch a time clock or consult a schedule."