I loved this book. The story is fun and just perfect. The characters are amazing, though I did get annoyed by Birdie a bit. The romance was cute and perfect. I have not read anything by Jenn Bennett before but after enjoying this one so much I'm going to go hunt down more of her work to read.

Wow, this was incredible. I immediately had to buy Jen’s other works after starting this. I thoroughly enjoyed myself during this read. I have to say if you’re a Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fan this novel is your jam. Birdie (I just love that name) is a sleuthing genius! I love how she wears flowers in her and reads Nancy Drew novels. Daniel is a sweet and entertaining character. I love the family aspects. There is such great character banter. I’m really pleased with the ending!

Birdie is still grieving the losses of her grandmother and mother when she meets the swoon-worthy Daniel, a wannabe-magician with a serious secret. After a brief fling, Birdie and Daniel end up as coworkers at a local hotel. Birdie is an amateur detective with a love of mysteries, so she can't resist when Daniel suggests they team up to solve a mystery happening right where they work. Birdie and Daniel end up being more than just a detective duo, but can they survive secrets from their pasts?

Serious Moonlight is a quick, cute, and romantic read. I like how it incorporates serious topics such as grief and mental health without taking away from the love story. Aunt Mona is a super fun character, and Daniel is a sweet and sexy love interest. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

For a contemporary lover just like I am, I couldn’t miss out on Jenn Bennett’s books. I have read The Anatomical Shape of a Heart a little while ago and, since then, have sworn I would read every book she ever writes, but… well, endless TBRs and all have brought me here, Serious Moonlight being my second book by the author. This experience only strenghtens my resolve to read ALL of her books because friends, this one was AMAZING.

A BLOOMING ROMANCE WITH AMAZING MAIN CHARACTERS
☂️
In Serious Moonlight, we follow Birdie, obsessed with mystery books and taking on a summer job in a historical Seattle Hotel, only to realize she will have to work side by side with the mysterious, very handsome Daniel with whom she had an awkward and kind of heated encounter once before.

To be honest, Serious Moonlight sounded like the perfect contemporary I would swallow whole and, despite its length (over 400 for a contemporary can seem quite a lot), I devoured it. Jenn Bennett’s writing style, her talent for taking me into Seattle streets, markets, hotels and seaside, coupled with the amazing way she has of shaping three dimensional characters I fell for… it just worked for me, a whole lot.

During the entire book, we follow Birdie as she struggles with finding her place, used to home schooling, being alone and living in her own fantasy, mystery worlds. Birdie was such a great main character to root for: she was not perfect and, more than once, she was even a little frustrating, yet I quickly grew fond of her and cared for her. Her passion for mysteries and mystery books shined in the story.

Daniel was such a great love interest just as well, charming, caring and overall adorable, yet with his own struggles and mysterious side, at first, too. The growth of their relationship, from a very rocky start to slowly building, the feelings slowly growing as they get to know each other better and the sex positivity in this book were really highlights of Serious Moonlight. I am all for an incredible slow-burning romance and here, I got everything I needed and more and it just made me swooooooon.



FAMILY ISSUES AND A TOUCH OF MYSTERY
☂️
Something I absolutely loved in this book is how, despite the romance being such a big part of it and obviously of the book’s marketing (look at that synopsis), there are such great places for other things for the reader to care about, too.

Let’s take the FAMILY, first. Birdie has grown with her grandparents, having lost her mother at a young age and, in her life, she also has her Aunt Mona, this eccentric, supportive, awesome side character to the story. Jenn Bennett explores family issues, from exploring and understanding Birdie’s mother’s past to understanding her own heritage, too. We also got to see Daniel’s protective, yet adorable side of the family and… well, you get a romance with the families on both sides and you got a win for me.

Let’s tackle the MYSTERY now, too. Slowly woven into the story, perfectly juggled with the romance and yet keeping me entertained too, adding a thrilling part to the read.

OVERALL
☂️
Jenn Bennett is making her way in my must-read contemporary authors slowly, but surely. With Serious Moonlight, she created such a great, realistic romance with characters I fell for and, if you’re looking for me, I’m making a list of all of her releases to get soon and all of her next books, too, because I want to read them ALL.

Jenn Bennett is becoming one of my favorite young adult contemporary authors. When I saw this book cover, I didn’t realize it was the same author from Alex, Approximately and Starry Eyes, two books I really enjoyed, but now she is an author under my radar! So let’s talk about Serious Moonlight ~

What I Liked:

The writing – the author sucks you into the setting. I felt like I was in Seattle and I’ve never traveled there before in my life! This story is complex, it’s not just a romance novel. In this book the author touches on mental health, dealing with death, sleep disorders, love of mysteries, sex, and how to bridge two people coping with these issues and falling in love.
The characters – they are so wonderfully unique. There’s Birdie, who has an interesting upbringing, plus her sleep disorder. Mona, her aunt, who was my favorite. She comes off the page as eccentric and lovable, just a huge personality that I wanted to hug. Daniel is half Japanese, which I love about Jenn Bennett’s books. She adds diversity and that’s always needed. Daniel is easy-going, funny, but with a very surprising past as well.
The romance – it’s a sweet slow burn. The slow part is mostly because Birdie and Daniel trying to get together is challenging. They both have their own issues to deal with, more so Birdie since it’s like she’s been freed from her cage. They are awkward, there is miscommunication when they try to talk, and basically it reminds me of my own teenage years. When I read the romance parts of the book I cringed, I laughed and I smiled.

What I Didn’t Like:

I’m not a big mystery buff, so the beginning was hard for me to get into. If you LOVE mystery (think Columbo and Murder, She Wrote) – you will love all these elements in the book. For me, it dragged but I got through it. I thought it was super cute that Daniel picked up on Birdie’s love for mysteries and basically got her out of her shell by enticing her with a mystery at their work place.

While it’s not my favorite Jenn Bennett book, I still loved the story once I got through the beginning. The writing is fantastic, the setting draws you in and the characters are people you want to know in real life. I definitely enjoyed this unique take on a young adult romance contemporary novel.

When I first found out that there was a new YA contemp coming out from Jenn Bennett, I was ecstatic. I’ve found that in my old age, (lol) I’m not drawn to young adult contemporaries like I used to be. This is so annoying but I’ve gotten to the point where instead of sympathizing with the main characters and their problems, I tend to side with their parents now (or what their parents would/should say if they ever were around in these books). Ugh I hate even saying that out loud. FORTUNATELY there’s something about Bennett’s characters and stories that doesn’t have me cringing and praying to God that my own daughter isn’t this idiotic someday.

They still act their age but the mistakes they make, make sense to me. They’re not excessive, over the top, or unrealistic. In fact, it seems like so far with the two books of hers that I’ve read (this and <i>Alex, Approximately</i>) that the characters have unique problems or are dealing with important things that might not actually be seen often in a book. But, unlike some other authors who try to do this (like…John Green and his excessiveness with teens who wax poetic every five seconds) it really has worked for me.

I won’t get into what Birdie and Joseph are both dealing with in this books but both are pretty significant things. I want to say that I enjoyed reading about them and how they were handled but…that does NOT seem like the right word. Maybe appreciated is better? Probably.

Either way, this book is everything I could have wanted it to be and more. Bennett's writing is so addicting and makes any character or situation come to life in a way that not many others' do. The relationships in this book are so amazing. From the familial ties between Birdie, her grandfather, and Mona to EVERYTHING that lies between Birdie and Daniel...my heart just felt so big afterwards.

The aspects of them trying to solve this mystery throughout the book was really fun and cute to watch and the end result was not what I had been expecting!

One thing that I think people might have a problem with in this book is Birdie. I’ve already seen one review of someone saying she seemed super childish but I just can’t agree. Birdie’s dad was never in the picture and her mom died when she was young. Afterwards she went to live with her grandparents, her grandmother being VERY strict and homeschooling her, and only really got to go out and ~live a little~ was when her mom’s best friend Mona would spend time with her. So basically she was sheltered from the real world for her entire life. She got out, but she never experienced the same crap that kids at a public school would have, you know?

That and the fact that she’s lost two of her close family members also makes her incredibly wishy washy with her feelings towards Daniel at first, too. Some people might get frustrated with that because Daniel is literally an angel sent from above BUT I don’t know. For some reason I saw myself in Birdie in a way that I have not connected with a YA contemporary character probably ever. I went to public school, didn’t have anyone super close die (grandma) until I was in community college but my parents were pretty strict. I couldn’t date until I was 16, I had an early curfew, had to get good grades, all that good stuff. And I just understood when she was freaked out by Daniel and his giant feelings and didn’t know what to do with them other than push them away. I have done that myself before, too. I don’t know..I just loved her, guys. I don’t even know how to explain it other than saying I understood her and I loved her and thought she had amazing growth throughout the book. Basically this was just another overall winner for me and I definitely think you should check it out.


<i>Huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>&hearts;

Jenn Bennett did it again! Here's another fantastic YA contemporary from one of my favorite authors! Serious Moonlight follows Birdie as she starts her first summer job at a fancy hotel in downtown Seattle. On her first day at work she runs into a cute coworker she had an awkward encounter with and tries to avoid him at all costs. Slowly the two build up a friendship, and then more, by hanging out and trying to solve a mystery at work together.

One thing I really enjoy about Bennett's characters is that they all have a hobby that is written in such a great, realistic way. Instead of saying they're interested in something, and then not bringing it up the rest of the book, Bennett's characters are constantly talking or doing something related to their hobby. In this book Birdie is obsessed with mysteries. She loves movies, tv shows, and books about detectives and murder, and is constantly talking about them. Daniel is super into magic and magic tricks, and throughout the book is performing little magic tricks for Birdie or other people.

"I always keep a comfort mystery book in my purse for emergencies."

The family dynamics in this book are amazing as well. Even though some characters aren't blood related, they're still just as important to each other. The family dynamics are also written in such a realistic way. Birdie's grandmother just died, and Birdie has conflicting feelings. She misses her grandmother because she loves her, but is also glad she has more freedom now because her grandmother was very overprotective.

Like her other books, Serious Moonlight is so sex positive. Bennett writes realistic teen characters, and that means sometimes they have sex. I love how she writes their discussions about sex and what to expect, instead of glossing over the fact that it's happening or they're thinking about having sex.

The characters in this book were amazing as well. Birdie is a closed off person who is afraid to let people in because she's already lost so many people she cares about. Throughout the book she has to learn to let people in and depend on others besides herself. Daniel is also great. I love him so much, he was so funny, and caring, and such a genuinely nice person.

"Missing people is hard. Letting new people inside is harder. But the reward for making that effort was greater than I could have imagined. Family isn't always blood and it isn't contained in a single tree. It's a forest."

There's also discussion on mental health and I love it so much! It's done in such a healthy way, and I think it'll help bring awareness to this mental illness and what it's actually like to experience it. I love how it was done, the character discussed what it was like for him, and how people tend to respond, and all the help he's getting medication and therapy wise. 

I've never read a character that had narcolepsy, so reading about Birdie and her struggle with this chronic condition was super interesting to learn about. I don't have much knowledge of narcolepsy so I can't tell how accurate the representation is, but it seemed well researched.

Overall this is another fantastic book by Jenn Bennett and I 1000% recommend it! I was fortunate enough to get an eARC of this book, but on Easter once Lent is over, you bet I'm going to pick up a physical copy for my shelves!

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett. Rating: 4.0 Stars.

Read from April 1 to April 2.

I was so excited to receive this Advance Reader’s Copy from Simon and Schuster through NetGalley. I was given an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a book I was planning on picking up anyway because I love Jenn Bennett’s other books so much. This one definitely met my expectations (and more in some areas), but I will say there were a few things in this one that dropped it down to a four star rating.

First, the good. I enjoyed how fleshed out the characters were. Everyone was well rounded and really had a deep backstory. I also appreciated how all of the characters were connected. It felt like these were real people who lived lives even when they weren’t on the page for us to see it. I loved Birdie and Daniel so much. Especially when they were together. Also, the setting was so realistic. I’ve only been to Seattle once so I could never possibly claim to know the area, but everything felt so atmospheric and real. I could picture it all so well. Bennett definitely has a way of putting you into the setting that’s hard to find in contemporary books nowadays.

Another thing I really loved was Birdie’s love of true crime and mysteries. I connected with her in this way so much. It was such a pure joy to watch her on her first date with Daniel when they went on a secret date that ended up being everything I could have ever wanted in a first date. I loved seeing her exploring her new found freedom through the eyes of a detective. I enjoyed watching her pair up with Daniel to uncover this author’s secrets. There was such a unique voice to the story and the dialogue was always so real.

I did, however, have a huge problem with one of the plot twists towards the end of the novel. By the end of the novel I understood why it was something that needed to happen, but at the time it was happening I was shocked and a little betrayed. It felt like a character I had known so well was suddenly not who I thought they were and they had played me throughout the entire novel. Not to mention how they manipulated the main character Birdie. The conflict was necessary to the story and I understand that. However, as a person who gets far too emotionally invested, ouch.

I got sucked into this story so quickly and binge read 75% of it in one day so that should tell you enough about the book by itself. It’s such a good time and I really think anyone who enjoys contemporary books should pick it up when it comes out on April 16th.

Jenn Bennett has mastered the craft of writing the most unique and memorable characters. I loved the heroine in this novel, who is Birdie, an 18 year old who was home schooled for her school career, who loves mysteries and want to be a detective, and who is an undiagnosed narcoleptic. Birdie has just gotten her first job and upon attending her first day at work, she discovers one of her coworkers was an embarrassing one-night-stand that she had a while ago, Daniel. This is a story bout the two of them becoming friends and developing their relationship.

If you haven't read a Jenn Bennett book yet, you are seriously missing out! Like I previously said, she has a knack for writing the most quirky and memorable characters. Birdie and Daniel will be with me for a long while.

Jenn Bennett steps out of just pure slow burn and into the mystery slow burn romance. So if you can't handle a mystery as the main focal point of the book you should probably put this one back down. If you are into an amazing romantic mystery you need to put this into your immediate TBR.
Jenn Bennett is an automatic buy for me because the romance was a slow burn but instead of making that the driving point it was an addition.

Serious Moonlight is cute and fun, which is what I’ve come to expect from Jenn Bennett. She always introduces interesting characters thrown into unique situations and while a part of me wonders “is this real life?” at times, the bigger part of me just enjoys being along for the ride. Birdie Lindberg is a sheltered girl who loves mysteries and has a tendency to play out scenarios in her mind where she’s the detective solving a case. When she takes a summer job at a historic Seattle hotel before she heads off to college, she’s hoping to spread her wings a bit. There she meets (or re-meets), Daniel Aoki who she had an awkward first encounter with before taking the job. He’s friendly, outgoing, into magic tricks and knows exactly how to get Birdie’s interest—he’s discovered a real-life mystery at their hotel and asks for her help. But their investigation merely serves as the backdrop to the growing romance between these two, which was the best part. I have to admit, I usually didn’t understand Birdie and her actions, but there was something about watching her muddle through the unexpectedness of Daniel that I found endearing. And like Birdie and everyone else in the book, I was completely charmed by Daniel (I dare you not to be!). Overall, this may not be a new favorite of mine but it’s quick, cute and entertaining which are all good things!

I received an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you don’t love mysteries then you need to see yourself out now. This novel is chock-full of mystery pop culture and even some amazing pop culture references to David Bowie and my favorite movie, The Labyrinth. It’s set in Seattle and treats the setting as another character in the book; I really want to go back to Seattle and wander around to find all the locations referenced in this book now!

Onto the characters! Birdie is our main girl and I love how she thinks of people like a detective. She’s insecure, dealing with grief, and also trying to figure out Daniel at the same time. I wasn’t huge into her at the beginning because she needed to work on herself, but she slowly grew into herself and I started to love here. Daniel, whom I loved from the beginning, is an Asian Jesus with long hair and part time magician, which is adorable. He is so much fun and while he seems like he’s the perfect boy he has some secrets to reveal. The two of them are toe curling delight! There’s a lot of great supporting characters with Birdie’s Grandpa Hugo, Aunt Mona, Daniel’s family (grandpa Jiji and mom Cherry) as well as people they just run into places like work and at the diner. Oh and I definitely need to put Moonlight Diner down as a character because I want that place to be real – they have pun-tastic pie names! I have never craved pie so badly while reading this book and I secretly wished it came with recipes.

There’s a mystery to be solved with a reclusive writer who only shows up for about an hour every Tuesday, which really starts to bond Birdie and Daniel together. But the bigger story with the novel is their relationship, can they get over their awkward first encounter and actually become friends or more than friends (wink wink). The interaction between the two of them is very real and Jenn Bennett doesn’t shy away from teen angst and real problems, which is greatly appreciated.

If you love a good YA romance novel that’s delightful, filled with a spectacular setting, side characters, and a lot of hilarious one liners then this book is definitely for you. I am so very glad I took a chance on this novel because it really quite enjoyable. I really want to run off to Seattle and find my own magician to whisk me away and make me forget my troubles now! Also, there’s a delightful murder mystery dinner set to a certain game and I really want that to be a thing!

I've loved all of Jenn Bennett's books, and I eagerly await each new one. Serious Moonlight did not disappoint, and includes Bennett's trademark slow-burn romance with insightful character development.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

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 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, even though 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 this 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 always enjoy Jenn Benett books. This one was no different. Would be a good addition to any Young Adult collection.

Ms. Bennett knocks it out of the park yet again! I absolutely love Birdie as a narrator. She’s tough, but also vulnerable. I loved the way her relationship with her own body was handled—her realization that she might have narcolepsy but complete avoidance of actual awareness of it. That felt so real to me and something that is so identifiable not just for teenagers, but for everyone. We all have something about ourselves that we don’t want to think too much about, and the question of whether that’s okay or unhealthy is an important one to explore. Adding in the parallel of Birdie’s mom dying from an undiagnosed medical issue just made Birdie’s own conflict of more information versus blissful denial more compelling. I also think the relationship dynamic between Birdie and Daniel was one that was extremely fruitful for conversation with young adults—how does it impact a relationship when it starts out purely physical? How do you recover from a difficult sexual encounter to develop a bond? It’s interesting to explore what Birdie could have missed had circumstances not forced her back together with Daniel, since her own defenses were leading her to avoidance and scape, again echoing her struggle with her own body and health. Finally, this story is also a beautiful portrait of grief in so many capacities—for a parent, for someone you loved but had a challenging relationship with, for a life you used to have, for a lost sense. Birdie’s ever-present thoughts about everything left unresolved when her grandmother died were heartbreaking but breathtaking in their honesty. I will happily recommend this book to all readers.

Really closer to 4.5 stars. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and now I NEED to go out and read every other book she has written! This was such a wonderful read. Part adorable contemporary YA and part mystery; they balanced each other perfectly and created a book that I could not put down.

Summary
This story follows Birdie, a mystery-loving teen who just got her first job working the graveyard shift at a hotel in downtown Seattle. She meets Daniel, the hotel's shuttle driver, and the two have an instant connection. They team up to solve a mystery and grow closer, but Daniel has secrets and Birdie is scared to let her guard down.

Overview
This is a YA, contemporary romance told from Bridie's point of view. It follows her romance with Daniel, her struggles with narcolepsy, and her learning to find her way in a world her Grandmother isolated her from for years.

This book has narcolepsy representation which was really interesting to read about! However I can't comment on the accuracy as I've never read anything about narcolepsy.

Content warnings: Narcolepsy, depression, attempted suicide, death of a parent

What I Liked
1. Birdie and Daniel's relationship was really sweet. I definitely found myself "aw-ing" through a lot of the second half. They both - but especially Birdie - have huge character growth throughout the book. And they way they come together is really heartwarming.
2. This book is fantastically sex-positive.
3. I really appreciated the unconventional but healthy depictions of home and family. Birdie was raised by her "aunt" and grandparents and Daniel lives in communal housing with his mom and grandparents.
4. Mona was a quirky, fun side character. She definitely danced to the beat of her own drum, but she was also a good role model and support system for Birdie.

What I Didn't Like
1. My main issue with this was the pacing. This book was way too long in my opinion (over 400 pages) and took on a few too many things - romance, family, physical & mental health concerns, mystery, etc. There were times the story dragged or felt like it was repeating - ie. Birdie and Daniel seemed to get into the same argument a few too many times.

Overall this was a really sweet, diverse contemporary. I definitely recommend this for anyone who loves contemporary romance!

Serious Moonlight may not have ended up being exactly what I thought it was going to be, but it was still the type of enjoyable, quick read I’ve come to expect from Jenn Bennett.

I thought that the mystery and the historic hotel that Birdie and Daniel work at would play larger roles in the story. I expected a little bit of a creepy vibe, as well. However, the book stays firmly Contemporary in tone. Which isn’t a bad thing at all, I was just expecting something a little bit different. The mystery left a lot to be desired for me. I never really understood why they cared that much about it and it wasn’t until the final “twist” that it made sense why one of them was interested. However, it was a good excuse for Birdie and Daniel to spend time together and get to know each other and have fun, bantery conversations that I quite enjoyed. I definitely shipped them together.

The story wasn’t all cute and lightness, though. Deceased parents, unplanned pregnancies, deadbeat dads, Narcolepsy, depression, suicide, isolation, and abandonment issues are all explored. It was kind of a lot to juggle, but Bennett did a pretty good job of it. I especially thought the inclusion of Narcolepsy was really interesting. I’ve never read a book where a character suffered from that and it involves a lot more than just randomly falling asleep, like I thought.

One thing I didn’t like about the book, however, is the irresponsible view on sex. I think that it had the opportunity to really explore the emotional repercussions of casual sex, but it never really went there. The “advice” Birdie gets from the adult in her life is basically not to take things so seriously. In a book meant for adults I could probably ignore it, but for one marketed to teens, I wish there was a better message on the subject.

Overall, I enjoyed Serious Moonlight. While there were a lot of heavier topics to deal with, at it’s heart it was a cute contemporary romance that I shipped. I really liked Birdie and Daniel together. There were many cute moments between them, including one of the coolest first date experiences I’ve ever heard of. I think fans of more serious YA contemporaries will enjoy it.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars

Mystery-loving Birdie Lindberg has secured a summer job working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel. She never imagines that the job will ensure she crosses paths with Daniel Aoki (with whom she had an awkward first encounter weeks before), or that it will drop a real-life mystery right in her lap (regarding a famous reclusive writer who has mysterious meetings at the hotel). Daniel and Birdie team up to solve the case, but will Birdie be able to figure out how to manage the feelings that arise during their investigation – both the romantic ones for Daniel and the complicated ones regarding herself and the people in her life?

Whenever I read a Jenn Bennett novel, I expect a young adult contemporary that includes the following elements: a main character with unique personality traits, supporting characters that are equally interesting, complex relationships (including a romance that is sweet, but not without its complications) and a setting that comes to life off the page. Serious Moonlight delivers on each of these elements! As with all her other work, it’s all too easy to get invested in the main character and find your interest piqued by their story, the setting and the other characters too. It was enjoyable to get to know Birdie, her family and her friends; Birdie is someone I particularly felt drawn to even though we’re not all that much alike. I also liked that the relationships in this one felt complex in a very realistic way, and that the plot was not just focused on the mystery (even though I do think that it takes a much more dramatic turn than I expected, and I wasn’t 100% behind that). But, truly, the best part of this novel for me was the setting! Reading about Seattle made me want to plan a visit of my own so that I could see some of the places and do some of the activities mentioned in the novel. I really enjoyed Serious Moonlight, and I think that any fans of YA contemporary or Jenn Bennett (or both) will enjoy it too!