jang's review against another edition
3.0
That ending was good but too abrupt ffs why do YA authors that all the time?!!
Nah but seriously that was one ball of a cute and enjoyable summer lovin'. I had my apprehensions about the story at first because I thought it was displaying really poor characterization but the character managed to change towards the end.
Love stories like this is a nice read until you get to the part where the girl is trying wayyyy too hard to make the boy like her (which, in this case, is 80% of the story) and you just go fuccckkkk that this is 2015 and smart girls more than hold their own now in the love department! I get that the moral of the story is to be true to yourself, and to embrace your uniqueness, and to never change even if you're vying for the attention of a guy you like or you like to be Ms. Popular, BUT WHY DID IT TAKE TOO FUCKING LONG FOR BEAN TO ADMIT THAT SHE LIED. That ending hurts because of that, we could have had more sunsets and saltwater sex LOL.
What I enjoyed about the book was the dialogue. Those cute intellectual banters between Bean and Andrew made the story even more entertaining and really fun in a teen fun kind of way. Everyone loves a cute nerd lbr.
Nah but seriously that was one ball of a cute and enjoyable summer lovin'. I had my apprehensions about the story at first because I thought it was displaying really poor characterization but the character managed to change towards the end.
Love stories like this is a nice read until you get to the part where the girl is trying wayyyy too hard to make the boy like her (which, in this case, is 80% of the story) and you just go fuccckkkk that this is 2015 and smart girls more than hold their own now in the love department! I get that the moral of the story is to be true to yourself, and to embrace your uniqueness, and to never change even if you're vying for the attention of a guy you like or you like to be Ms. Popular, BUT WHY DID IT TAKE TOO FUCKING LONG FOR BEAN TO ADMIT THAT SHE LIED. That ending hurts because of that, we could have had more sunsets and saltwater sex LOL.
What I enjoyed about the book was the dialogue. Those cute intellectual banters between Bean and Andrew made the story even more entertaining and really fun in a teen fun kind of way. Everyone loves a cute nerd lbr.
brokenrecord's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I had a really hard time with Sarah pursuing a relationship with Andrew and not telling him she was 16 (and had only just turned 16, at that!). I couldn't really enjoy any of the romance because of that. The rest was fine, but nothing particularly special.
Spoiler
I was glad at least that they didn't end up together after he found out, but still, I really didn't enjoy reading anything about their relationship knowing that he probably would not want to be dating a 16 year old if he was aware of her age.ac223's review against another edition
3.0
This review can also be found at http://thepaperbackaddict.blogspot.com/
I can't decide how I feel about this book. I enjoyed reading it, hoping until the very last page for a happily ever after. As I sit here having finished it there are so many things that make me wish it were written a little bit differently. I wish Sarah hadn't lied but that's the premise of the book, so maybe not such a big lie..
Sarah is all about science and the stars. She's been tracking the Comet Jolie for 11 months and she's using this research to apply for a scholarship that will free her parents from the burden of accepting her tuition money from her aunt. After her first heartbreak, she decides she is tired of being the girl who spends every moment looking at the stars, or watching the world around her. She is reinventing herself and no longer has to be one or the other, she can be both good at science and have a social life. She starts the Scarlett Experiment, using her sister's clothes and mannerisms she wants to learn if changing who she is can also change her place on the outside to one on the inside. Sarah meets Andrew and though he was initially attracted to the girl in Scarlett's clothes, he likes Sarah for who she is. What she expects to be a casual conversation, a social experiment turns into a real relationship that has been built on a lie.
I can't decide how I feel about this book. I enjoyed reading it, hoping until the very last page for a happily ever after. As I sit here having finished it there are so many things that make me wish it were written a little bit differently. I wish Sarah hadn't lied but that's the premise of the book, so maybe not such a big lie..
Sarah is all about science and the stars. She's been tracking the Comet Jolie for 11 months and she's using this research to apply for a scholarship that will free her parents from the burden of accepting her tuition money from her aunt. After her first heartbreak, she decides she is tired of being the girl who spends every moment looking at the stars, or watching the world around her. She is reinventing herself and no longer has to be one or the other, she can be both good at science and have a social life. She starts the Scarlett Experiment, using her sister's clothes and mannerisms she wants to learn if changing who she is can also change her place on the outside to one on the inside. Sarah meets Andrew and though he was initially attracted to the girl in Scarlett's clothes, he likes Sarah for who she is. What she expects to be a casual conversation, a social experiment turns into a real relationship that has been built on a lie.
_anne_05's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kristy_k's review against another edition
3.0
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
For the most part I really enjoyed this book. Sarah's journey to find herself and the struggles she deals with as a sibling, child, and outsider are wonderfully written and explored. However, the one thing that irritated me almost to the point of infuriating, is the fact that she lied about her age to Andrew. I know it is an integral part of the story, but I found that her reasoning for why she never told him was flawed. She justifies it as not being important to who she is and who they are, but really, that age gap at that time in life is a huge deal and I can't imagine she didn't really know that. (I also did not know that the age of consent in MA was 16; I think that should have been stated early on as this is rare. I spent most of the book being furious that she would put Andrew in a position where he could possibly, unknowingly, commit a crime).
Sarah thinks logically and often rationalized aspects of her Scarlett Experiment using faulty logic. I like that although she was smart, she still thought like a 16 year old girl trying to find her place in the world. As she works her way through the experiment, she discovers many things about herself and finds her voice when so many teens that age do not.
For the most part I really enjoyed this book. Sarah's journey to find herself and the struggles she deals with as a sibling, child, and outsider are wonderfully written and explored. However, the one thing that irritated me almost to the point of infuriating, is the fact that she lied about her age to Andrew. I know it is an integral part of the story, but I found that her reasoning for why she never told him was flawed. She justifies it as not being important to who she is and who they are, but really, that age gap at that time in life is a huge deal and I can't imagine she didn't really know that. (I also did not know that the age of consent in MA was 16; I think that should have been stated early on as this is rare. I spent most of the book being furious that she would put Andrew in a position where he could possibly, unknowingly, commit a crime).
Sarah thinks logically and often rationalized aspects of her Scarlett Experiment using faulty logic. I like that although she was smart, she still thought like a 16 year old girl trying to find her place in the world. As she works her way through the experiment, she discovers many things about herself and finds her voice when so many teens that age do not.
danicapage's review against another edition
4.0
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclaimers: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This book had several elements that I normally don't like. I'm not going to give anything away, so don't worry.
I generally don't like books that have characters who tell lies or books that have relationships between a girl and a guy when one is under the age of 18 and the other is over that age.
However, somehow in this book I was able to overlook those elements and was left with a book I adored. I really wasn't bugged by either of those elements in this book and that surprised me. I think the book was so well written and I loved the characters so much that I just wasn't phased by it.
I adored the fact that the romance didn't take center stage in this book. The book was more about self-discovery and being okay with who you really are.
I actually could relate to the themes in this book. This might be Maizel's first realistic novel, but in my opinion, she knocked it out of the park. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
The Characters: They were flawed. They were real. They were stupid. All of which made me love the book. I liked how nerdy Bean was. It was so cute.
Major Strengths: The writing style itself.
Major Weaknesses: Bean didn't act like any 16 year old I know. She acted much older, but I still liked it.
So why 4 stars? Due to certain plotlines, I made it a 4. I had an issue with certain parts, but I won't talk about that here because it would give too much away.
Warnings/Side-notes: Vague sexual references (totally appropriate for 14+). References to drinking and alcohol.
The Wrap-up: A fun, enjoyable book that I was still thinking about long after I finished it.
Love,
Danica Page
charmaineac's review against another edition
5.0
This book is beautiful, heady, and romantic... with a fierce and intense sense of impending doom. Sarah is truly experiencing LIFE for the first time, and it's an incredible journey. But it's completely unsustainable. The whole time, you're bracing yourself and waiting for the jig to finally be up. There were so many near-confessions. I honestly thought that things would end during a certain event, but the magic continued just a little bit longer.
My heart went out to Bean. I get what it's like to feel like you don't belong, or don't know what to say or act. At times, I was surprised by her naivety and awkwardness, but it always just made me wish I could be her best friend and guide her through these years of discovery.
Andrew was the perfect first love. He's kind, thoughtful, and caring. Every girl deserves a guy like him.
I wish the Tucker situation was resolved more neatly. He was kind of brushed off at the end, but played such a large part of Sarah's life and motivated many of her actions.
The dynamic between Sarah and Scarlett is an interesting one. I have a brother, not a sister. So I never understood what it was like to be in the shadow of someone so similar to me. Between sisters, there's a sense of competition and jealousy, but so, so much unconditional love, too. I'm glad we got to see the foil to this sisterly bond, generations later, through the girls' Gran and Aunt Nancy.
This story had an almost dreamy, nostalgic voice to it. I would've loved to see how Sarah turned out a few years later, rather than just a year or so. I would've been over the moon if we got to see Sarah two and a half years later, walking through the streets of Boston (back to MIT, naturally)—and catching sight of a familiar blond head and crooked smile. There's nothing quite as sad as a relationship that has everything going for it except timing. A few years down the line, that kind of age difference wouldn't even matter.
My heart went out to Bean. I get what it's like to feel like you don't belong, or don't know what to say or act. At times, I was surprised by her naivety and awkwardness, but it always just made me wish I could be her best friend and guide her through these years of discovery.
Andrew was the perfect first love. He's kind, thoughtful, and caring. Every girl deserves a guy like him.
I wish the Tucker situation was resolved more neatly. He was kind of brushed off at the end, but played such a large part of Sarah's life and motivated many of her actions.
The dynamic between Sarah and Scarlett is an interesting one. I have a brother, not a sister. So I never understood what it was like to be in the shadow of someone so similar to me. Between sisters, there's a sense of competition and jealousy, but so, so much unconditional love, too. I'm glad we got to see the foil to this sisterly bond, generations later, through the girls' Gran and Aunt Nancy.
This story had an almost dreamy, nostalgic voice to it. I would've loved to see how Sarah turned out a few years later, rather than just a year or so. I would've been over the moon if we got to see Sarah two and a half years later, walking through the streets of Boston (back to MIT, naturally)—and catching sight of a familiar blond head and crooked smile. There's nothing quite as sad as a relationship that has everything going for it except timing. A few years down the line, that kind of age difference wouldn't even matter.
kathhh's review against another edition
4.0
He breaks into the smallest smile.AN OPEN ENDER!!!!! UGGGHHHH. It took me weeks to finish this because of my finals and it will all end with an open ender? Whyyy?! I may hate Sarah, for some reasons, but I want to know what will happen to her and Andrew when they meet again. Are they gonna be together again or what? And that "it's a smile just for me". Omg!!! Like, what now??? Second book please!!!
And it's a smile just for me.
baleypetersen's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable fluff. Teenage drama makes for good brain candy.
itsrocioo's review against another edition
4.0
✧･ﾟ:* ✩ 4.5 SHINY STARS ✩*:･ﾟ✧
LISTEN, I DON’T KNOW WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS BOOK BUT I REALLY LIKED IT DON’T JUDGE ME, OKAY? Cool. Now, I really enjoyed. this book. I mean in the end it ripped my heart to tiny little pieces but it had to happen….btw don’t get me wrong this book did pissed me off in some points but overall I really liked it and it was fun to read.
So one of the things that I liked about Between Us & The Moon is that even tho Sarah wanted to become ‘somebody else’ with the Scarlett Experiment in the end she ended up finding herself and discovering that she can be a science girl and also love clothes and hang out with the ‘cool’ people and that people will love her because of who she is.
“There was so much more to me. I never knew. So much more than that American flag string bikini. More than a closet full of clothes that weren’t mine and a telescope pointed up to the sky and away from the earth.”
I wish I would’ve read this when I was around 15-16 because just like Sarah it was hard for me to talk to people and I related to her in some aspects, like when her dad tells her that maybe the reason she doesn’t hang out with new people is because she is afraid that they don’t find her interesting or want to hang out with her and that was someting that I struggled with too
Let’s talk about the rOmAnCE shall we?
First I’ve got to say that I really liked Andrew, he was really nice and cute and he cared about Sarah and never pushed her, etc. They were really lovely together I liked their dynamic HOWEVER it was hard to focus in that kinda aspect when you had Sarah lying through the hole motherF CKING BOOK.
At some point I guess I sort of expected they weren’t going to end up together but I don’t know I thought we were going to have an epilogue of them like 4 years later where they were together or idk BUT NOOO.
Man I was sobbing when Sarah finally tells Andrew, because I felt that they were so good for eachother and like I said he was so sweet but at the same time I understand, not only she freaking lied to him but also the age gap…I don’t think that 4 years is a lot but in this case Sarah is underage so the situation is different.
Even tho we don’t have that 4 years later epilogue that I was talking about I still liked how it ended, I wish they would’ve talked to eachother but I’ll settle with that smile, the smile was good.
“Swimming to the moon is scientifically impossible.”
“But isn’t that what makes life great? Something unexpected?” Andrew asks.”