The Girl Who Chased the Moon

Image from http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/


I just recently finished reading Sarah Addison Allen's "The Girl Who Chased the Moon."  It was the first of Allen's books that I've read, and I'll definitely be looking into reading more of her books in the future. 

Overview: Emily Benedict is a teenager who following her mother's death returns to her mother's home town of Mullaby, North Carolina to live with her grandfather.  She soon discovers that Mullaby is no ordinary town.  As she slowly discovers the town's secrets, she also unravels some of her family's, including why her mother left in the first place. 

Review:  Overall, I really liked Allen's book.  It was the sort of light, quick read I'd been looking for after devouring several large psych text books.  The big secret of the book was enough of a shocking magical twist that even I found myself wondering where Allen came up with the idea.  An area I would have liked fleshed out were the other "magical" components of the town that gave Mullaby its quirkiness.  Other than that it was a delightful read, and I loved the inclusion of the recipes mentioned in the novel at the end of the book (really want to try Hummingbird Cake!).  I recommend it for those wanting the light sort of beach read with a bit of a magical component to it.