Keeping the Moon (Book Review)

Author: Sarah Dessen
Year: 1999
Genre: Novel
Reading Level: Young Adult

Literary Awards: Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award Nominee (2000)

Plot Summary: When Colie's* weight-loss guru mother leaves for a European tour, she's dropped off in the small beach town of Colby to spend the summer with her oddball aunt.  Colie's tried to lose her old, overweight self with a newly fit frame, a lip piercing and a bad dye job, but the past keeps coming back to haunt her, even in Colby.  But with the help of some new friends, she might just find the real Colie again.
 
Red Flags: Some language, teen bullying, (legal) drinking and smoking
 
My Rating: B
Well.  I think I've officially overdosed on Sarah Dessen novels.  I laughed and rolled my eyes through most of this book.  I mean, it was okay and it kind of pulled it off at the end, but overall it seemed like a rather lazy effort.  The resolutions were either weak or not even there, and the whole thing felt unfinished (what about her relationship with her Mom?  And Mira?).  Plus I am kind of over chapters ending with a poetic insight into life and its troubles.  It's not a bad book and had I read it earlier, I might have liked it better, but at this point I think it's best that I leave her books on the library shelf for a bit.  

Also, side note, it was published in 1999 but there were some really out of date references to Super Nintendo, cassette tapes and stuff.  What's up with that?  

Also also the love interest was named Norman and I just can't accept that. 

Memorable lines:
"There's something about dancing that's like being stripped naked; you have to be very self-confident to thrash around in public, deliberately attracting attention."

*Is it pronounced like Collie dog or like cola (and like Nicole)??  I couldn't decide and both sounded kind of dumb to me.