Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

Publication: 2004

# of Pages: 228

Source: Purchased Copy 

Colie expects the worst when she's sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt Mira while her mother, queen of the television infomercial, tours Europe. Always an outcast -- first for being fat and then for being "easy" -- Colie has no friends at home and doesn't expect to find any in Colby, North Carolina. 

But then she lands a job at the Last Chance Cafe and meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel, best friends with a loving yet volatile relationship. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see herself in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along.

Imagine being ridiculed for not only your physical appearance but also your personality. Sarah Dessen's main character Colie knows all about it and doesn't expect anything to be any different when she spends time with her eccentric aunt in North Carolina, but it is there that she learns the most about herself and grows into a beautiful young woman. 

What I enjoyed most about this whole novel was the characters. My favorite had to be Colie's eccentric aunt Mira. I love when people are so comfortable in their skin that they don't care what anyone thinks. It takes an unusual strength in character to be able to do something of that nature. Because Mira is able to define herself as such a strong and unique character she serves as a role model for Colie who needs to learn how to be comfortable in her own skin. Another character aspect that I enjoyed was the friendship amongst all the girls. Even when one of them was doing something completely out of control or nonsensical they still found reasons to stick together through a series of harsh events. 

The only aspect of this book that didn't do anything for me was the romance between Colie and Norman. In my opinion it fit into a classic trope of "falling in love with your best friend." Don't get me wrong, Norman is a great character and I think he teaches Colie a lot about finding the beauty within; however, I think that the novel would have been great if it only focused on the development of self-confidence and the importance of female friendships. Not ever contemporary book needs a romance. 

Last, but not least, I truly appreciate Sarah Dessen's writing style and how she tackled all these different issues. If you are looking for some insight to bullying and growing to love oneself and others for not only the outside, but also the inside then I recommend this book. With the issues of bullying occurring worldwide this an important book to read.