By Ava Shaffer
Although I am aware that the title of this review is rather cheesy, I feel that it suits this book very well. Having read all of Jenn Bennett’s previous novels, you can imagine how excited I picked up another one of her works. In my opinion, Jenn Bennett creates some of the most lovable characters in modern YA romance, and this book carries on that trend.
Daniel, the handsome joking magician of this novel, meets Birdie, a mysterious obsessed girl, in The Moonlight Diner. After starting their relationship off at a rocky start, their story wasn’t looking too optimistic from the start. But after they start to work together at a luxury hotel and become unofficial investigation partners together, their relationship starts to blossom.
I have never really cared much for mystery novels, so when the two characters embarked on a quest to figure out the true identity of mysterious writer Raymond Darke, I was afraid I was going to get bored. However, the mix of witty dialogue and relationship building of Birdie and Daniel kept me interested.
As the book progressed, I found myself falling in love with the characters and setting more and more. Jenn Bennett does an excellent job of describing the characters in her novels so vividly that you can practically see the story in real life. For example, Mona, Birdie’s quirky aunt, was so easy to picture in her crazy outfits and artistic personality. Also, the luxury hotel and diner that are prevalent throughout this novel were easily associated with Seattle.
Another interesting thing about this book was how Bennett incorporated narcolepsy into the story. Having been unaware of what this disease was, I was educated on the sleeping condition and was then able to sympathize with the main character and her grandfather who both suffered from the illness. Unlike many YA novels, Serious Moonlight didn’t try to romanticize Birdie’s condition or Daniel’s depression. Instead, it created a sense of reality and authenticity in the novel which made it that much more important of a read.
All in all, this book exceeded my expectations for Jenn Bennett. I am looking forward to reading more of her work, considering I’ve loved every book she’s written. In the meantime, I will be reviewing more books on this blog so stay tuned!
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