Product Description

Never in one place long enough to make friends or put down roots, Colie doesn't expect her trip to the North Carolina coast to change a thing. Always the outcast, she's resigned to a holiday with only her eccentric aunt Mira for company. But when she finds a job waitressing at the Last Chance cafe, she also finds acceptance, new friends, and the beginnings of romance...

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6191 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-03
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Booklist
Dessen is an absolutely wonderful writer - stylish, smart and funny

Review

'Dessen is an absolutely wonderful writer - stylish, smart and funny.'

(Booklist )

'Dessen has done it again with this charming novel...A wonderful coming-of-age love story will be enthusiastically shared by many high school teens.'

(Voya )

'A story heaped with crackling dialogue and sharp humour.'

(School Library Journal )

'Readers are shown that ya-ya type friendships are a balm to protect young women while they're kissing toads they thought were princes. Teens will just want to cheer when Colie realises that she has always had within what people were looking for externally.'

(School Library Journal )

'Young American writer Dessen has a wit, humour and love of human eccentricity reminiscent of Anne Tyler. 'Last Chance' is too rich and varied to be labelled an issues novel. Dessen reveals herself as the real thing: a sharp, warm and funny writer who shapes her world from the stuff of real life. Highly recommended for - well - everyone.'

(TES )

About the Author

Sarah Dessen graduated from the University of North Carolina with highest honours in creative writing, and she now teaches there. She has written eight books to date, published both by Viking in the US and UK as well as with Hachette UK. Her books have all been chosen as ALA Best Books for Young Adults.

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Customer Reviews

definately not be able to put down!!!!
When I started to read this book I found myself unable to put it down (I finished it in less then 24hours). I found myself enthralled in the characters in the book and all the different relationships they have with each other. Aunt Mira is a wonderful character whose obsession with wrestling, cards and anything that's not working properly makes her very interesting, whilst Norman collects sunglasses and Morgan and Isobel are the best of friends but seem to constantly fight.
All these characters revolve around Colie whose mum is Kiki Sparks - fitness guru. Whilst she's away in Europe doing her FlyKiki Fitness Tour, Colie goes to stay with her aunt. Having never had a friend because of her 'fat' past, Colie has low self-esteem and confidence making her distance and unsure of the people she meets at the beginning of the book. As the book progresses, Colie finds out what she has never had and she is gradually transformed into a happy and confident fifteen-year-old, finding out what it's like to be part of the crowd and how to be noticed for the right reasons, not forgetting falling in love.
The book deals with friendship, bullying (even with adults) and most of all hope, reminding us that a little faith never hurt. It brings hope to the people who have never had the chance to be the prettiest girl in the class or the person who just didn't fit in.
This book is truly uplifting and unique in all its quality, which includes the characters, issues, feelings and not forgetting style of the writer. Sarah Dessen's style makes this book as good as it is!!! And I would beyond doubt recommend it

Totally Great!
Colie is a young girl, who hides under black hair, dark makeup and a lip ring. When she arrives Colby to spend the holiday with her Aunt Mira, she remembers the "fat days" when her and her mother travelled around America carefree and fat. As she settles into her new summer home, she gets a job at the local cafe, Last Chance. Here she meets some new friends, who teach her not to hide and to be sexy and confident!While in Colby, Colie learns to stand up to her worst enemy,as well as change herself into a great person and she even bags herself a new boy!This is a fanastic book that is a real feel good book!

Last Chance
"last Chance" follows Colie Sparks as she is forced to stay with her aunt for the summer, whilst her mother a self-made fitness guru tours the world spreading her teachings.
I stumbled upon this book about four years back. & I'd say it is my favourite book of all time to this date. I really identify with its main character "Colie Sparks"
Dessen does a superb job of pulling the reader into Colie's world and making you really feel the pain she feels.
It's a book of hope for any teen going through a hard time and a nice heart warming read to anyone else.
This book is not by any means a simple slushy feel good story, it has bite whilst dishing out morals and a few unexpected twists to emphasise the emotive content.
Dessen tackles the issue of bullying within the teen environment as well as tackling bullying amongst adults too and its this that makes the book really special to me as it reminds us that it's not just younger people who get bullied. It's an unfortunate thing that some people never grow out of bullying others and Dessen does well to remind the reader of this.
Colie is a strong character, yet Dessen shows how despite this she is effected by others emotionally.
This book is also now known by another title "Keeping the moon"