#AmReading YA

Serious Moonlight

Jenn Bennett
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.

In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.

To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

Birdie never expected to see Daniel again after their initial encounter turned disastrously awkward. But, lo and behold, there he was, a fellow night shift employee at the hotel. After trying, and failing,  to avoid him, Birdie gave in, and a friendship developed, but would the two be able to unpack some of their personal baggage in order to make room for one another in their lives?

I love picking up a Jenn Bennett book, because I know it's going to be packed with fun and unique characters, who are sort of a mess, but always fabulous. Sure enough, I immediately fell in love with the cast she assembled for us in Serious Moonlight.

Birdie had so many attributes to appreciate. She was a bookworm with a passion for solving mysteries, and though her early childhood experiences were shaped by two outgoing and fierce women - her mother and her Aunt Mona, the second half of her life was spent in a sort of isolation under the watch of her overprotective grandmother. Six months after her grandmother's death, Birdie was attempting to branch out and be more independent, although she was still drowning in her grief and plagued by sleep issues. She got the hotel job, and was taking chances, but because it was all so new to her, she was prone to mistakes.

I couldn't have picked a better first friend and romantic partner to help her navigate all of this, than Daniel. Birdie waxed poetically about how he was sort of the personification of sunshine, and I don't think she was exaggerating, because that was exactly the vibe I got from him. Daniel's charm and effervescent personality jumped off the page, and I know he wormed his way into my heart quite quickly. I couldn't understand how Birdie could resist him, because every time he was on-page, a stupid grin appeared across my face. But, Daniel wasn't just a pretty and fun face, he had some personal issues he needed to deal with as well, and I loved that he and Birdie were eventually able to support each other in that task.

Mona was another character who stole the show, in my opinion. She had a HUGE personality, and I loved reading about her crazy outfits. As one of the "daring dames", she played a very important role in Birdie's life as a connection to her mother, and Mona seemed to serve as a surrogate mother to her as well.

The romance was awkward and precious and I loved Daniel and Birdie together so much. I found the incorporation of the mystery as a little extra, which facilitated more time together for these two, and when all was revealed, I appreciated the way it fit into the overall story.

Never afraid to incorporate more weighty topics, Bennett peppered the story with quite a few, and per usual, she handled it with care and without letting the issues overwhelm the story.

Overall: Bennett's stories never fail to make me smile and laugh, and they always leave me in a buoyant state. I am happy to say, she's has done it again with Serious Moonlight. From Birdie and Daniel's meet-awkward to that final slice of pie, I was thrilled to get to know them and all their loved ones, as they worked toward their HEA.

I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but I am always left singing this song after seeing a mention for this book.

How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom
S.J. Goslee
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Nolan Grant is sixteen, gay, and (definitely) still a virgin. He's never had a boyfriend, or even been kissed. It's not like Penn Valley is brimming with prospects. And when his big sister stages an elaborate “prom-posal” so Nolan can ask out his not-so-secret crush, Nolan freezes. He's saved from further embarrassment by bad boy Bern, who, for his own reasons, offers to fake-date Nolan.

Nolan thinks it's the perfect way to get Daphne off his back and spend the rest of the year drawing narwhals, tending to plants, and avoiding whatever died under his bed a few weeks ago. What he doesn't think about is Bern's ex-girlfriend, who seriously wants to kill him.

I felt the same way after finishing this book as I did when I finished Goslee's debut, Whatever - extremely happy.

Once again, Goslee crafted a fabulous male protagonist, who I fell in insta-love with. Nolan was lucky enough to be adopted as a teen by the hilarious and lovable Sheffield family. He loved art, his cat, plants, narwals, his family, and keeping out of the spotlight, but, his sister, Daphne, had other plans for him. When she staged a promposal for him, which went sideways, Nolan came to an agreement with Bern, and they embarked on a fantastic fauxmance.

I am always game for a fauxmance-romance, and this one had all the elements, that make this trope so deliciously delightful. We had the mini-makeover, the awkward introduction to friends and family, as well the staged closeness needed to sell it to the general public. But, we also had all those feelings that never fail to surface during any fake-dating stories. I must admit, I was excited every time there was any sort of romantic stirring, heightened emotion, or cute banter between Bern and Nolan, because, gosh darn it! I really liked them together.

In addition to the romance, the book featured a fantastic supporting cast. As I previously mentioned, Nolan's family was stupendous! I loved all the competitive gaming, the movie nights, the waffles, and just the genuine love and affection that permeated their home. I think I suffered from the warm-fuzzies every time I was in their presence, and that's a feeling I always want to experience.

I also loved seeing Nolan grow. This fauxmance was great for him, because it pushed him out of his comfort zone and forced him to branch out. As he widened his circle of friends, he learned a lot about himself, and was definitely better for having fake-dated Bern.

Overall: This was a hilarious and heartwarming story of friendship, family, and fake dating which kept me in stitches and grinning from ear to ear.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

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