Title: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

Author: Sarah Addison Allen

Publisher: Bantam 2010

Genre: Fiction - Magical Realism

Pages: 270

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Women Authors; Library; 52 Books -- W12; Lucky 14 -- Once Upon a Time

Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, not only wishing to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also dreaming of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.

I love Allen's books!  I love her characters!  I love the settings!  I love the storylines!  And I love the magic!  These have become my go-to books for something satisfying yet light.  Sometimes the stories are a bit predictable, but I get into it so deep that I don't care.  I love taking the journeys with the characters.  This particular book was really great.  I think it's my second favorite behind Garden Spells.  I love the duel stories of Julia and Emily.   Both outsiders, they find their place in Mullaby by the end of the book.  It's a great little story.  The ever-changing wallpaper was a nice little touch.  A great bit of magic to liven up the setting.  Allen writes with such atmosphere that I can picture myself right there with the characters.  The town came alive and stayed alive throughout the book.  A great setting really helps set the characters and the overall tone of the book.  I loved it and can't wait to read another by Allen (must pick up Lost Lake!).