The Girl Who Chased the Moon

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. Such as, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? And why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—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 bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes—which is a good thing, because Julia can’t seem to stop baking them. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also in the hope of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Flour, eggs, milk, and sugar . . . Baking is the only language the proud but vulnerable Julia has to communicate what is truly in her heart. But is it enough to call back to her those she’s hurt in the past?

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 loved Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, but I couldn't get into The Sugar Queen. So when I found out about this book I was a little preoccupied that I wouldn't care for it. I've had it on my nightstand for a while and kept on dragging to the bottom of the pile. Until I got fed up and opened it.

Emily has come to Mullaby to live with a grandfather she didn't know existed. Her mother never talked about her years in Mullaby and she wants to get to know the young Dulcie, before the became an activist. In Mullaby she finds that her mother wasn't much liked by the people of her hometown. Emily soon befriends a neighbor Julia, a baker who specializes in cakes. Julia has her own issues to deal with, there's an anger lingering within herself that she needs to let go.

It was a sweet and quick read. I loved it! To me, it had a fairy tale quality to it that really had me engrossed in the story. A warning to all those that haven't read the book yet, you may just want to eat a slice (or two) of cake afterwards.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (4.5/5) General Fiction; Published: Bantam (3/10); Books 2010 (57);