4/4.5*

Another fun YA romcom from Jenn Bennett!

Jenn has become one of my favorite YA contemporary authors with her unique, quirky characters, compelling stories, fun dialogue, and sex positivity!

In this book we meet Birdie, a mystery loving girl who's getting a taste of the real world for the first time, and Daniel, a charming boy who loves magic but has a mysterious past.

The story was interesting and I was intrigued by the mystery of the Raymond Darke and learning about Birdie and Daniel's pasts but it took me awhile to feel invested in the story and there were some bits that just felt superfluous (like all of the Octavia stuff). And for some reason I never really connected with Birdie. I liked her character but I didn't love her the way I usually do with Jenn's female MC's. Daniel on the other hand was adorable and was the reason I bumped up my rating to a 4.5!

Overall I really enjoyed the story and I loved Daniel but it is probably my least favorite of this author's books. I would still recommend it as a fun YA read though!

This was super cute! I love Jenn Bennett and was excited to read this book. I really liked the main character Birdie and her romance with Daniel was super sweet. The premise of the book, the 2 teens solving a mystery at the hotel where they work, was intriguing. I wasnt sure it would work but it all came together nicely. I liked the supporting characters and I loved the backdrop of Seattle throughout the book. Highly recommend!

We need more books like this! Jenn Bennett is a seriously underrated author in the world of YA. Serious Moonlight isn't a fluffy romance as much as it's a novel about healing, connection and growth. Bennett tackles touch issues such as death, mental illness, physical illness and the awkward transition from teen to adult with an authentic, empathetic lens. I'd highly recommend Serious Moonlight to high school readers and up.

Jenn Bennett Does it once again. Whether I am reading her adult or YA titles, she always brings smart characters with diverse backgrounds to the table. "Serious Moonlight" is no exception. I very much related to Birdie and her overthinking/anxious ways. She and Daniel both were complex characters with detailed backgrounds that showed exactly why they are the way they are. I adored them and their relationship. I honestly can't even think of what to say about how much I loved this. I went into reading it without much enthusiasm because the plot summary didn't intrigue me, but I love the author. This just goes to show I will read anything by her and always be blown away. Cannot recommend enough!

Jenn Bennett has quickly become one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. Her stories are always so heartfelt and filled with wonderful characters in relatable situations, as well as a strong focus on family and friendships. I have yet to read a Jenn Bennett book that didn’t leave me with a smile on my face and her latest book, Serious Moonlight, was no exception.

Serious Moonlight follows Birdie Lindberg, an 18-year old teen, who lives with her grandfather on Bainbridge Island, just outside of Seattle. Birdie, who was orphaned at the age of 10, has lived a very sheltered life out on the island, and was home-schooled by her overly strict grandmother. She therefore hasn’t had many opportunities in life to make friends and/or date. Birdie’s grandmother has recently passed away when the story opens and her grandfather has agreed that it’s time for Birdie to “spread her wings” a bit and thus he gives her permission to get a summer job. She lands a job at a historical hotel in Seattle, working the graveyard shift.

When she starts her new job, Birdie finds herself immediately drawn to the hotel’s van driver, Daniel Aoki, a handsome young man she had a chance encounter with a few weeks earlier, but that ended on a most awkward note. Daniel is drawn to Birdie as well, but neither of them is sure how to proceed after that first less-than-stellar meeting.

Can they figure out a way to move from awkward acquaintances to friends and then maybe even to more than friends?


Honestly, I loved pretty much everything about this book. I was on my way to a serious reading slump when I started reading it, and Birdie and Daniel’s story just pulled me right out of it. They were both just so adorable!

Birdie was my favorite character. She’s an introverted, mystery-book loving teen who aspires to be a real-life Nancy Drew. I loved getting glimpses into her fantasy life where she imagines that she’s following clues and solving mysteries, and where she creates Nancy Drew-like profiles in her head to describe everyone she meets. She also always wears a flower in her hair every day, inspired by the legendary jazz singer, Billie Holiday. Just thinking about Birdie and how endearing of a character she is makes me smile.

Also endearing though is Daniel. Daniel is this sweet, soft boy who loves to do magic tricks and who is so obviously hung up on Birdie. He is so tuned in to what her interests are and even arranges what can only be described as the absolute perfect outing for her, a live action game of Clue. What could possibly be more perfect for a mystery-loving girl? I just loved that he recognized how unique and special Birdie is and was so patient with her in every way. Some of their heart-to-heart conversations as they get to know each other better are my favorite moments from the book.

Bennett is a master at creating secondary characters that add even more life to her stories, and in this story, Aunt Mona is that character. Mona is Birdie’s aunt and godmother, and she is just a force to be reckoned with. She’s an artist with a personality and fashion sense that is larger than life. Mona literally just brings so much color into Birdie’s life. For you Gilmore Girls fans out there, personality-wise, she reminds me so much of Miss Patty. She’s not just an aunt or a godmother either; she’s also Birdie’s best friend and confidante.

The setting of Serious Moonlight was also a huge draw for me. I loved the Seattle location, but I especially loved that Birdie lived on Bainbridge Island and took a ferry to and from the city every day. The view from her home is literally the Seattle skyline with its iconic Space Needle. It was so easy to visualize that spectacular setting and I loved that the ferry ride provided moments for Daniel and Birdie to spend even more quality time together.

I also really loved the Moonlight Diner, a neighborhood diner in Seattle where Birdie would hang out whenever she needed to wait for the next ferry home. Before Birdie’s mom passed away, she worked at the Moonlight and she and Birdie lived in an apartment upstairs. Birdie, therefore, practically grew up in this diner and everyone there was part of her extended family. I loved that the diner had such character and especially that they served the most delicious sounding pies. Seriously, this book will have you craving pie like you would not believe! I was practically drooling at the descriptions. And the pie names are so great too! They had me hoping Birdie would stop by the diner every single day just so that I could see what the pie of the day was called, lol. I think my favorite was the Beyonce-inspired name, a cherry pie called “Put a Bing on It.”

The mystery subplot involving the famous reclusive writer was probably my least favorite part of Serious Moonlight. That’s not to say there was anything really wrong with it, more just that some of the situations Birdie and Daniel found themselves in as they tried to solve the mystery seemed a little far-fetched. It was still a fun subplot though so I wasn’t too hung up on it.

Serious Moonlight is everything I want in a contemporary read. It’s a sweet story about two people trying to find their way in the world and their way to each other. It’s also a heartfelt story about family, friendship, and love. If you’re in the mood for a story that will leave you with a smile on your face, Jenn Bennett’s Serious Moonlight is the book you’re looking for.

I couldn’t download this book so I can’t review anything. I was very excited about this book, though!

*Thank you Simon and Shuster Children's Publishing for providing me an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 / 5 stars

Serious Moonlight follows duo Birdie and Daniel as they are forced to work together despite having an extremely awkward encounter during their first meeting. Birdie and Daniel navigate through these awkward feelings as they decide to team up to uncover a secret in their workplace.

I loved the mystery references in this novel. I felt many feelings of nostalgia as Birdie discussed her love for mysteries and how she grew up on reading different mystery series. I like how Jenn Bennett incorporated Birdie’s love for mystery into the plot. I truly enjoyed all the mystery references as well as the quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

I also enjoyed the characters in this novel. Both Birdie and Daniel are interesting in their own ways. I love how Birdie’s love of mystery and Daniel’s love of magic tricks kind of connect and help them be a stronger team. I thought that Daniel was a very sweet character and Birdie was very intriguing. I loved Birdie’s aunt and how she supported Birdie. I will say that Birdie frustrated me at times and so did Daniel. I like how Jenn Bennett made these characters feel real and relatable.

I’ll admit that this is probably my least favorite of all her books. I enjoyed the plot and characters but nothing about the story provided a real “wow” factor for me. While I liked these characters, I did not love them. The mystery in the plot was okay, but I kind of wanted a bit more of thrill factor for it. I think I enjoyed Daniel more than Birdie in this story. Overall I did enjoy this plot but I think I mostly liked the idea of it more than the product at times. I would recommend this for older YA readers or New Adult readers. I think this book should be classified more on the New Adult side due to some mature content.

Birdie Lindberg loves a good mystery. Her life hasn't been easy - her mom died when she was 10 and her grandma recently passed -- but she can lose herself in her mystery books and shows. They give her a way to keep people at arms length, for fear they will leave her like her mom and grandma did.

After a disastrous one night stand with a guy she meets at her favorite cafe, she is mortified to discover he also works the graveyard shift at her new job at an old hotel in town. When she ignores the guy, Daniel, he tries to win her back by wrapping her up in a mystery he has discovered at the hotel.

Serious Moonlight is atmospheric and romantic. Bennett does a great job of making her characters unique and diverse. Daniel is half Asian and deaf in one ear; Birdie has narcolepsy, but none of these traits are central to the plot. They are fully developed characters and have traits that you don't always see in YA novels.

One thing I've noticed and really like about Bennett's novels is she is always very sex positive. Sex is treated like an important thing, but it isn't life or death. Birdie and Daniel have sex before their relationship develops and they talk about it and discuss why that wasn't a good idea. She doesn't shy away from including sex in her books and it always feels like it is very realistic to the teen experience of sex.

Serious Moonlight is a romantic YA book, but something still felt off to me. The mystery felt a little forced and it takes up a large part of the book. I also felt like Daniel was little too quirky in the beginning - almost a manic pixie dream boy. Bennett does flesh him out more as the book goes on, though. If you're looking for a fun, teen romance book this won't let you down.

**I received an e-ARC from Netgalley**

Serious Moonlight stars a very sheltered Birdie Lindberg (I LOVED Birdie) and has an amazing adult in her life, mother's best friend Mona. I loved this book. Birdie is so cute, and Daniel was ultra cute. Jenn Bennett is one of my absolute favorite authors for young adult fiction. The characters are so well-rounded, and the plots are always so much fun. This one involved more mystery and charm for me. Loved it!

Jenn Bennett has become one of my go-to contemporary authors. Serious Moonlight was cute and quirky just like her other novels. Birdie and Daniel were cute, and I really liked the original predicament they are in at the beginning of the book. Both characters deal with more serious issues, both personal and familial, and they grow and deal with this issues individually and together. I loved the pacing of the book and thought the plotline stayed interesting. The only part I didn't really like was the amount of back and forth. There were times I thought Birdie and Daniel had figured out their problems only to see them reevaluating the same issue a few chapters later. Besides this, I really liked the book!

I absolutely adored this book. Not that i’m surprised considering I loved Alex, Approximately and Starry Eyes. This book was even better than the others though because it was a lot more complex and definitely handled a lot more serious topics than the others.

The things that bothered me: The whole sub-plot of finding out who Raymond Darke was. Why? I obviously understand in the end, but it just took up SO much unneeded space in the story line, and it didn’t even necessarily add to the character’s developments.

There were also some minor things that seemed off and unrealistic, things that made me pause and question the legitimacy of the statement or event.

I love Jenn. I love her writings , her book. This was no different. I absolutely loved the book. The plot, everything was so cute and fluffy. It kept me going on. I could feel the characters. I could predict the ending though. But would highly recommend this

I have decided that I will not be providing feedback for this book due to the fact that the font is tiny even after I figured out how to work the send to kindle app out to read it on my Kindle. My eyes were starting to strain while trying to read this. I did attempt to try to read it anyway, but only made it to about chapter 7 before deciding to just buy the book when it comes out. Getting a headache while reading doesn't make reading enjoyable! I like where it is going though, Jenn Bennett is a great writer and I am still looking forward to April 16th. Thanks Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this anyway.

The book is centered around Birdie Lindberg, who, after meeting someone for the first time, has sex with him in the back of his car, and then worries she’s going to end up like her mom, who was pregnant at 18. Scared, Birdie runs away, even though she really did feel attracted to this mysterious stranger that hooked up with her.

A few months later, Birdie applies for a graveyard shift job at a hotel, and meets her coworkers, one of whom is Daniel Aoki, who just so happens to be the guy she hooked up with. That’s just fate, am I right?

A large part of the novel centers around the initial awkwardness, and how they slowly start to reconcile and bond as they research a mysterious stranger on the hotel’s fifth floor, who they suspect is a famous mystery writer, going under a pseudonym.

I loved how Birdie’s relationships with the other people in her life are slowly established, like her Mona, her non-biological aunt who is Birdie’s closest thing to a mom. Even Birdie’s relationships with the people in her life that are dead are developed beautifully, like her grandma and mom, both of whom have passed.

Birdie is an aspiring detective, so it’s no surprise when she enthusiastically takes on the mystery of the writer on the fifth floor.

Also, I love Daniel. He’s just an awkward, magic-loving teen, who’s life is just as complicated as Birdie’s, yet he’s always cheerful. Daniel is half-deaf due to an unfortunate magic trick, but he continues to be his wonderful self.

Birdie and Daniel’s relationship is by no means perfect, there’s tons of fuck-ups, from both Birdie and Daniel, but they haven’t given up on each other.

Jenn Bennett really has done it again, with another perfectly imperfect romance of two teenagers who just want some kind of love in their life that won’t leave them.

Can I give this book a rating of above a five? This book deserves a 6 out of 5.

*Spoiler free, 4.5 stars*

I guess you could I mildly like mysteries? I'm one to get in impatient and just want to know what all the answers are. But this one, from an author who rights amazing contemporaries, a character who seemed just like me, and some good old fashioned fluff, I knew I wanted to devour this thing whole. Trigger warning: There is talk about a suicide attempt and it is talked about a good amount.

This book seems like any other contemporary on the shelves, but it is extremely sex positive, has disabled characters, and a real look into mental illness. It was all these things put together that made this book seem so real. It was such a real representation of teenage life and how teenagers feel. At least to me. I loved it so much. Birdie was so awkward and their was weird tension and arguments between her and Daniel. It was wonderful.

Birdie is so different from me, but that is what makes us so similar. One of my favorite parts of this book was her awkwardness. It wasn't the cutesy, funny stuff that I usually find in books. This was the painful, weird awkwardness that you can't really laugh at kind of awkwardness. It was real and I loved it. Her thought process and the way she handles things is very different from what goes on in my brain, but it was really easy to see where she was coming from. She tends to avoid things out of fear and wow did I get that.

I was skeptical about the mystery since it seemed... kind of boring. I know it couldn't be a murder mystery, but it just seemed like it had a good chance of falling flat. BOY DID IT NOT. The freaking twist at the end was so well done. It tied everything together and allowed Birdie's and Daniel's character development to really come to fruition. Everything was perfectly laid out and everything was places just so so everything could come together. It's amazing to look at after the fact.

This book also has its fair share amount of fluff. It touches on real issues and still manages to have all the feel goodness in it. Amazing. It was really nice to see the relationship progress throughout the book. I liked seeing them struggle as they come into themselves and learn more as they grow. It wasn't a straight line and I appreciated that.

This was the perfect blend of mystery and romance. It covered all it's bases and did them all well. This was another Jenn Bennett book that hit that completely hit the mark!

Jenn Bennett is writing some of the best YA contemporary romance right now, and this didn’t disappoint. Starry Eyes was one of my favorite contemporary YA novels last year, and I was so hoping this would be just as good - and it was! I absolutely loved this! We have our romantic coupling - Birdie, a sheltered 18 year old starting her first job on night shift at a swanky hotel. She is dealing with grief, both new and old. Her passion is mysteries, and she wants to be a PI. Daniel, a buoyantly cheerful (and very handsome) guy who loves performing magic tricks. Daniel has some secrets hiding under his cheerful exterior (and hipster top-knot) that make him a much more well-rounded character than the typical hot flirty guy we see in most teen romance.

Our meet cute actually happens off page - Daniel and Birdie meet and then summarily hook up in Daniel’s car before the start of the book. Birdie and Daniel meet again when she starts her job and discovers Daniel is the hotel driver. Awkward! Daniel desperately wants to figure out why Birdie fled their hookup and never called him back, because he believes their chance meeting - and now shared employment - is fate. As a ploy to spend time with Birdie, he recruits her to help him solve a mystery around a rude client who comes into the hotel for just an hour each week. They spend the book on adorable quasi-date stake outs where they get to know each other and give second - and third - chances.

Birdie and Daniel were just adorable. They are both navigating the first steps of adulthood and relationships together. They both have hangups and issues, but something I loved about this book is that they actually communicated about them throughout the book instead of spending half the book hating each other due to miscommunication. Of course we know the guy and the girl are getting together in the end - it's romance, duh! - but the journey and characters are so enjoyable, it stands out within the genre.

If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted but well-written rom-com in book form, this is absolutely perfect. I read this in a couple of hours and couldn’t put it down. I would classify this as more new-adult than teen; both of our characters are legally adults and working full time jobs. However, the content isn’t inappropriate for younger teens and I could still recommend this to high schoolers looking for a good beach read or cozy romance.

I have never read a Jenn Bennett book before but I'd heard lots of people loved them. I was a bit nervous going into this one because I didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. It took me a while to get into the story at first, but once I got into the characters and got invested in the romance it became difficult to put it down. The main character, Birdie, is sweet, shy, and obsessed with mysteries. I'm not usually into mysteries but this book made that major plotline so interesting and entertaining! Regardless of whether you like them or not this book has so much more than that mystery plotline.

Mona, Birdie's unofficial step-mother/godmother, was one of my favorite characters in the book. She was such a character (haha, get it... I'll leave) and every scene with her was enjoyable and exciting. Daniel was so sweet and I really loved him as a love interest. He had an interesting backstory to get into and I really like the way their romance progressed throughout the book. The writing worked really well with the story, it was fast-paced and easy to get into.

There were only a few aspects of this book that were not my favorite. Occasionally the story got pretty predictable and I guessed what would happen way before it happened. This wasn't the worst, but I kind of wish that upcoming plot twists would be a bit less hinted at and more surprising. I also sometimes felt a bit irritated by Birdie and her actions. I get that some of the things she did she regretted too however it took away from the experience sometimes because I couldn't stop thinking about how frustrating she was being. She'd immediately overreact about anything and would say things that would but a hurdle in the way of the romance which I can only assume was done for suspense but it felt painfully unnecessary. While this was frustrating I still feel like by the end she really grew and it all ended in a really sweet way. It was a very cute story and while there were parts I didn't like I think as a whole I'd still recommend it.

Is there anything better than a Jenn Bennett book with all her quirky characters, irresistible friendships, and swoon worthy romances?

There might be but you will be hard pressed to find them!

I adore Jenn's book, I mean, honestly, who doesn't that has tried them? They are so much fun. They are real, raw, and so very very addicting.

And as weird as it may sound, I love that in all of them, there is always a very strong adult presence. Whether a parent, guardian, loved one, someone. You don't find that very often in YA period and I love that her's are always there, cheering her characters on, supporting them and most of all, just being there, involved in their lives.

This was such a cute and fun read. Filled with mystery, a sweet romance, and some very real, very tough social, emotional, and even physical issues and I loved it for it.

Once again Jenn shows why she writes so well in this genre. Why her books stand out and why they are ones I will always be auto buying.

There is just something about reading a Jenn Bennett book that puts me in such a happy mood. I've yet to read a book from her that I haven't loved and I honestly don't think that will change any time soon.

I don't feel like writing a full, normal formatted review right now so I'm going to give you all the goods in bullet-point format:

↳This book has the softest hero ever and a heroine who is so relatable I had to check to make sure this wasn't being written about me a few times.

↳I love how sex positive this book is. Honestly more YA needs to be written like this because not only is it realistic but it's also gives the readers so much IMPORTANT information that I have feeling (just going off how closed off my family was and how naive I was as a teenager) not many teenagers would know about.

↳ I also really appreciated and loved that Daniel was Japanese-American and that we got to see so much of his family. It wasn't just some token thing where it's mentioned and that's it. We meet his family, and even learn a bit about his culture.

↳This book wasn't perfect and this wasn't a perfect story but in a way, it's the perfect sort of messy that once again makes it feel like such a relatable teenage story.

I hope Jenn Bennett never stops writing because her books are amazing and important and fun and sweet and just...awesome. I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

*Arc given in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

This book was so delightful, and I really enjoyed it. It's your basic Girl meets Boy, Girl has sex with Boy in his car, Girl freaks out and runs away story.

When Birdie starts her first job, the night shift at a hotel front desk, she’s horrified to find that she’s working with Daniel, the guy she had an awkward hookup with a few weeks earlier. They met in a diner and ended up having sex in his car. She freaked out afterward and ran away. Now that they’re working together, it’s very awkward, but Daniel, knowing Birdie’s love of mysteries, convinces her to help him solve a mystery: he thinks a famous, reclusive author may be visiting the hotel. As they grow closer during the investigation, Birdie has to figure out if she can actually manage a relationship.

This book is so cute, and I liked watching two people stumble into a relationship. Both Birdie and Daniel have baggage. Birdie’s mom died when she was 10, and after that, she was raised by the grandparents who kicked her mother out of the house when she got pregnant as a teen. The grandmother didn’t want Birdie to follow in her mother’s footsteps, so she was very overprotective and homeschooled her. The grandmother died a few months before the book starts. Birdie is still grieving, but she also has a lot of unresolved resentment toward her grandmother. She’s also ignoring a pretty big health issue.

Daniel also has some issues, having survived a rough patch in high school, and he’s got unresolved issues with the father he’s never met (who dumped his mother when she got pregnant). He wants to be a magician, but he’s also being pressured by his mother to go to school for something more practical.

This book has a lot of things I really enjoyed. It's very sex-positive. There's no shame attached to sex, as long as you're being careful (which the characters are). It's a really nice exploration of grief as Birdie realizes that she can grieve for her grandmother even while she still has some conflicted feelings toward her. I like that the books features young people who aren't going to college. Daniel just isn't interested in college, and Birdie technically hasn't graduated high school since her grandmother passed away unexpectedly before giving her a diploma for her homeschooling. A lot of YA books focus on college-bound kids, and it's refreshing to see other options explored. There's some diversity--Daniel is half-Japanese. And as a mystery buff myself, I loved Birdie's interest in mysteries. I really loved the character of Birdie's "Aunt" Mona, a quirky artist who was Birdie's mother best friend and who helped raise Birdie. She's super wacky, but she's also a great friend to Birdie and is always there for her. I firmly believe We all need a wacky aunt in our lives.

Serious Moonlight is a really fun read, and I definitely recommend it.