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sarah dessen

Book Review: “Once And For All” by Sarah Dessen

Title: Once And For All

Author: Sarah Dessen

Published: June 6th, 2017

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers 

Find the Author: Goodreads 


I bought this book myself and was not gifted in any way! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen’s thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine. 


Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants. 


Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humour, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself.

First Thoughts

Sarah Dessen is a staple author for those books that make you feel all the feels. I’ve read a few of her books before I started blogging a few years ago, and since then, collected her releases. But Once And For All just appealed more to me than anything else when I saw it in Waterstones. It just had one of those gorgeous covers and intricate, delicious sounding blurbs that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. So ultimately, I had to feature it. I finished it a few weeks ago but because of some busy IRL stuff, my blogging schedule has been all over the place. So I’m back with a bang!

Review

Let me just start by saying that this is THE novel you want on a summer vacation, cooped up on a beach somewhere or at a Lake House, absorbed in another beautiful Sarah Dessen world (or maybe to take along to a destination wedding?). I finished it in three sittings, mainly because I was busy, but I would have devoured it in one sitting if I had the time, trust me. 
Despite the happy cover, our main character Louna doesn’t have a bright and beautiful life. Her story is hard-hitting and emotional, working at a wedding planning business and keeping everyone’s special day the best day of their lives. She wants everything to go smoothly, but it doesn’t always, and the stress that she was under definitely echoes though the pages to me as a reader. Bonus; I loved Louna’s relationship with her mother and business partner. They had this chemistry all together as a dynamic and it was just so realistic, you know? Like I could honestly believe every word. 
But, enter Ambrose. He’s Louna’s love interest and the kind of boy that’s your typical bookish boyfriend material. He’s charming, suave and kindhearted through and through. After Louna’s bad relationship in the past, she’s forced to feel like she needs to distance herself from Ambrose – so they become friends instead. In fact, they begin caring for each other in ways Louna feels bittersweet about. She can’t help but remind herself he’s got female attention all the time and enjoys it, but this changes the more that they spend time together. He becomes more attentive and drops the annoying act, and they click and spark like a wildfire together. Something inside Louna tells her that she can open her heart back up to love, in many forms and ways, if she believes that she deserves a little happiness, too.
I love, love, loved Once And For All. Although at times I felt it was slow, or a tad predictable (it’s not hard to be in YA romances, though) I can’t deny that this was such a pleasantly sweet book that I fell head over heels for. Overall, you will definitely benefit from reading this! Sarah Dessen has truly outdone herself with characters, words and romance to make your heart soar with love.

Rating

Perfect For

YA romance and contemporary fans!

What do you think of Once And For All? 


Have you read it?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!



happy reading!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Most Intimidating Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers come up with their TTT Lists on different questions.

This week we’re talking Intimidating books; like maybe the size of a book, the popularity of it, or just because so many people love it that you’re worried you won’t. Onwards!

I made this image on Picmonkey.com if you’re wondering! xo

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth
I chose this because, well…the book is iconic. I’ve attempted to read it before but I’m always shuddered that I’m not going to love it as much as everyone else; which is ridiculous, because…it’s an awesome book and I’m praying to fit it into my TBR this Summer.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephenie Perkins
This book is loved by so many that it just makes me wonder if I’ll be the odd one out if I don’t love it. Romantic YA novels have always been on my radar but I’ve always headed into the more paranormal side of things, but nevertheless, it’s been added to cart.

3. Keeping The Moon by Sarah Dessen
I just bought this after much deliberation. I heard some people didn’t like The Moon and More as much as Sarah’s other books, but that this one was amazing, so this one “was” intimidating, but now it’s not so much.

4. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
This book is huge! That’s pretty much why I put it on this list, because it took me almost a whole week to get through it. But, it was a great finish to the series.

5. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
I’ve had this book forever but after reading The Fault in Our Stars, I am so afraid to read a book that’s going to make me cry!

6. Imposter by Susanne Winnacker
This book reminds me so much of Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James, so it’s just one of those books that I’m afraid I will find too similar.

7. The Lying Game by Sarah Shepard
The thought in my mind with this one is; “I love Pretty Little Liars, and Sara is a God at writing, but what if I don’t like The Lying Game?”

8. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Maggie is an amazing author and I’m just so intimidated by her old series, which I read a while ago, because it was one of the first Wolf series’ I read, so I’m afraid this one will be better because it looks amazing!

9. Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
I see this every time I go to the bookstore and I never pick it up! I’m not even sure why…I need convincing!

10. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
I make it 6 chapters in, get distracted, read that it’s amazing, get enthralled in another book, and I never find time for this little gem of a book. I must, though!


*I love all these books, regardless, so I’m not “hating on” them, because I adore them!*


I hope you loved my TTT list, and please do post your links below and tell me what you think of my list and I’ll stop by your posts, too! I also follow back on  bloglovin! (GFC went yesterday, didn’t it? I’m so confused…)
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happy reading,
xo Becca

Pretty Pick of the Week: “The Moon and More” by Sarah Dessen

‘Pretty Pick’ of the Week is an original feature (or meme) here at Pretty Little Memoirs, created by Becca Jayne. ‘Pretty Pick’ was created for the gorgeous book covers out there, the most poetic of read, and etc. I would love to see your Pretty Picks, so please share and link back! *takes place every Sunday.


 


This week’s “Pretty Pick” is…


 

 

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo’s sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline’s mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he’s convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she’s going?

Sarah Dessen’s devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

 
“The Moon and More” is already out in bookstores in the UK, USA & Canada, not to mention across Europe, and is already a favourite among Sarah’s fan-base. This is my Pretty Pick because; 1) the cover…need I say more? It’s so summer-y and pretty! 2) It’s the *perfect* summer read and came out just in time.
 
happy reading,
xo Becca

 

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