Review Detail

‘Chasing the Moon’ by Melanie Hooyenga brings many characters from her previous novels in the series together again to take a trip to the Grand Canyon. While Melody (Mel), Stephanie (Steph), and Jess call themselves the “Bestie Brigade,” they find themselves at odds about some of the new dynamics going on in their lives and in their group. It doesn’t help that Mel is attracted to Steph, and Jess is already feeling like a third wheel at times.

It's fun to read about taking a trip to a place (the Grand Canyon) that is so dynamic and intense. The trip while hiking and camping wears on the whole gang of people who go, from the kids to their parents, siblings, and friends. The side stories about fixing broken relationships and talking through the problems that plague the characters with the whole gang make the story engaging and very real. Mel also wants to ensure her credibility and overall standing in the science world as she does her utmost to engage her audience with interesting, relevant science that is accessible to girls and anyone who wants to better understand the inner workings of science-based topics. Having an antagonistic online jerk call her out on a simple mistake she made only hurts matters, and Mel is desperate to find a way to redeem herself, in more ways than one.

The story is one of kindness, growth, and the audacity to find one's own truth. Those who read the previous stories in the series will enjoy seeing many familiar characters find their way back to each other.