Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Under the Moon

Rate this book
After causing the accident that killed her father and two innocent people, Selena Johnson is left disfigured and without hope. Taking care of her sick mother and her brother, Selena tries to escape the reality.

Keenan Case thought that he was invincible, until one tragic night shattered his world. Left alone with his guilt, he does everything to become a better person.

Circumstances bring Selena and Keenan together. The moment Keenan sees Selena, he decides to pull her out of her shell. Selena tries to keep her distance while Keenan wants to know more about her.

Soon they begin to feel more for each other than friends should do. But will love bring them together or destroy their friendship?

Paperback

First published March 2, 2014

3 people are currently reading
407 people want to read

About the author

Rose J. Bell

3 books173 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
20 (32%)
4 stars
20 (32%)
3 stars
15 (24%)
2 stars
4 (6%)
1 star
3 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Katy Loves Romance ❤️.
434 reviews756 followers
April 16, 2014
4 Stars


After the effects of being the one that drove her fathers car and two having the constant pain of loosing him in a god awful car accident all that burden is a lot to deal with for a young adult, well that is Selena now three years later she's living with the aftermath of that car crash with those scars on the outside as well as in.


 photo cryinggif_zpsc92c03bd.gif


What an opening right? This book will make you feel...


 photo 863ED069-19A8-4AC1-B8A7-80EAC4BEC6D7_zpsq2webbil.gif


Soooo years later Selena is left to support her family on her own, her mum suffers with schizophrenia and not handling life without her husband, her younger brother rebels without a man around and her older brother left three years previously shortly after the accident without so much as a word to where he was going. All this leaves Selena to be the breadwinner of the home and everything is on her shoulders.


 photo AA986D90-828D-48A0-AAA5-360FB2960430_zps8opj1zhb.jpg


Saying all this she does have a job she enjoys, she works at night at the local hospital which means she meets people old and young and in that has made one very special friend in Grace.


Grace

Ahh Grace has Cancer that god horrific disease that grabs you and takes your hopes and dreams away from you...


Why did God give us a chance to live if he was going to take it away? why did he give parents children if he was going to take the children away? why did he give us love if he was going to tear the lovers apart? why did he endow some humans with beauty and some not? why did he give he give some humans a perfect life and others to suffer? Did God love to watch us suffer? Did God love to play with us? Did God laugh at us? Why did God give us the chance to live if he was going to take it away from us?


Deep questions there!! but.... Grace is able to see things differently to Selena, try and help her see how beautiful she is and stop the burden of questioning why he's here and not her father.


Without acceptance, there is no redemption


I loved Grace, such a graceful character, and I truelly wanted to jump into the book and hug her. Time and time again being there for Selena and likewise her favourite cousin keenan.


Keenan

Keenan was also in an accident, leaving the wait and burden of his best friend on his shoulders. Living those nightmares daily in his life but here again Grace comes to the rescue and guides him in the right direction.


 photo 8764086F-4BA0-414F-A2AC-7B6DA51EE576_zpskbju63tm.jpg


So Selena and Keenans path's collide and then this is their story about:

1. friendship

2. Survival

3. Strength

4. Courage

5. Love



 photo 95E39B8F-AD81-4C41-900B-ACE1E8E8C623_zps2jfjsfsv.jpg


A lovely story about how life has treated them badly and how they come out of it the other side.


 photo 647FA15F-921C-4452-9E79-7C17E0F437AC_zpsrhplcqsg.jpg


I do think this young author is one to watch out for and also her stories have true meanings and emotions. I suppose the only problem I had was a few errors and spellings, words, punctuation, but really rise above that cause there's meaning behind those words.


"You're my moon," I said to her. She pressed her forehead against mine and replied, "And you're my sky."



Lovely


Arc in exchange for an honest review courtesy of the author Rose Bell
Profile Image for Ellie Red.
273 reviews121 followers
February 21, 2014
I am so glad the author, sent me a copy of this book!
One word that comes into my mind when I think of it, is 'fresh'. It is so fresh and full of original thoughts. I devoured it in just one day and the characters really stayed with me after I finished it. It is more like a psychological journey the protagonist, Selena has to take in order to get over her self loathing and low self esteem and she encounters just the right person to guide her through this journey, Keenan. I really really loved it, and I can't wait to read more from Rose.
Profile Image for Jackie - Fire & Ice Book Reviews.
549 reviews151 followers
February 19, 2014
Loved it!!

I have read books in the past that made me shed a tear, but not like this one. Selena is one of those characters that you just have to love! The author has created a character that is caring and responsible.

I adored the relationship between Selena and Keenan. Keenan was Selena's rock, and she his. I loved the deep connection that they had with each other. They knew each others pain, and they dealt with it every day. I thought it was neat the way they met each other.

Selena works at a hospital, where she became really good friends with a cancer patient by the name of Grace. I absolutely love Grace. She is a picture of how everyone should be. Although she knows she is going to die, she doesn't let that hold her back from being who she is, and having fun! No one knows when they are going to actually die, but Grace knows that she isn't going to just sit around and cry about it. I wish I could be just like Grace! She is someone to look up to! I loved Grace's bucket list!! She had some pretty cool things on there!

Okay, time to fan girl here!!! Aw Keenan is so sweet!! He is one of those poettic type guys, and you just have to love him. All of the sweet things he did for Selena, and all of the sweet poems were so cute! Selena watch out he is mine!!!!

Like Selena, Keenan is dealing with a similar life changing problem. Selena and Keenan both blame themselves for something that could have happened regardless. I cried for these characters as if I actually knew them.

I cried the most because of Selena's family. The entire family was hurting, and when they needed each other the most, they forgot the meaning of family. Selena is 21, and she had to take care of her mom and her younger brother.

I gave this book five stars because the characters and the plot of this book was so amazing! The characters seemed so real. The story line of this book was perfect! There is a little of everything in this book. Romance, love, anger, heart ache, sadness, happiness, it is all here! Give this book a read! It is going on my favorites list!!

*ARC provided by the author*
Profile Image for Aydrea.
1,109 reviews86 followers
February 22, 2014
ARC Review

I absolutely loved this book. This book is pretty intensely emotional & it amazes me that the author is so young. I went through a whole spectrum of feelings while reading this book and made me stop & think about my life. This book is about tragedy, guilt, family, friendship, romance, living life & loving yourself. Selena & Keenan both have had a lot of tragedy it was very fulfilling to see their relationship grow. Keenan is pretty amazing when it comes to Selena & helping her work through her past & her guilt & live her life. I was completely sucked into the story & I loved every part of it. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, & I was moved. This book really makes you want to think about how you live your life & deal with all it's curveballs. I also love that this is an NA book, but it's not so focused on sex like a lot of NA books are. There are some great scenes between Selena & Keenan, but I really just enjoyed watching their friendship & love grow to something so much deeper.

Can't wait to read more by Rose Bell!

P.S. Keenan is totally my new book boyfriend, love him.
Profile Image for Ashleigh.
459 reviews103 followers
February 26, 2014




ARC COURTESY FROM AUTHOR!



ALmost 3 stars, I want to say thank you to the author for giving me the chance to write a review for her book. I did enjoy reading this book but it was hard for me to get into it and took me a long time to finish it up. The book started out with great potential and a great story line but a lot of it was just hard to believe. Tha main thing that bothered me was the fact the Selena's mother developed schizophrenia after her husband's death. I just find that really hard to believe and I didnt like it. This book had a lot of potential and the writing was great it was just not for me.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
177 reviews2 followers
February 18, 2014
3 1/2 to 4 Sweet Stars

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review


Rose J. Bell has impressed me again with another book. This story was sweet, touching and emotional.

"You're my moon", Keenan, "And you are my sky", Grace

You will meet a sweet and lovable girl name Grace, who endures a horrible accident. Not only does she lose her father, but she lives with it each day by just looking in the mirror. All she sees is a beast, she blames herself for the accident and feels she doesn't deserve to be happy. Caring for her mother and brother and working the night shift has become her life.

"You need to accept your guilt and own it in order to be happy, I told her sincerely. "Otherwise, it will destroy you"

Until Grace meets Keenan, she feels things that scare her and she doesn't believe she can be happy with anyone. Especially, somone like Keenan.

Keenan has his own guilt he lives with each day. Keenan was involved in a horrible accident that took away someone that he cared and loved very much. He also blames himself for incident. He wants to make life better for others and to feel like his life is worth something again.

"When I'm aline bad memories catch up to me. But when I'm near you, it feels like you protect me from the bad memories"

When he meets Grace, he thinks this is his chance. He is drawn to her and wants to do whatever he can to make her smile. He is determined to show her that she is beautiful, he wants to help her. But, it turns to be more then just wanting to help her, he ends up falling for her. He now needs to convince her that she is worth it and to trust him that he would never hurt her, but love her like...Crazy

Under the moon by Rose J. Bell
Under the moon
Profile Image for Steysha.
114 reviews205 followers
February 23, 2014
***ARC provided by Author for an honest review***

What a book! I adored the characters and the way they were so realistically portrayed. The interesting plot - check, the bitter-sweet tension before heartbreaking moments - check, and the tender romance - check.
This book was more than a love story. It showed that grief, happiness, love, and loss are are all emotions that can coexist so long as there is acceptance and appreciation for what IS.
It’s packed with important life lessons. If you’ve ever lost someone, loved someone, needed someone or wanted someone, this book will affect you, too. I am awed and inspired.
As much as I liked it, I think it`s a bit... overwhelming. Car crash, scars, schizophrenia, two brothers and both - complete disasters, dying best friend, dead best friend, lonely mother. Isn`t it too much for one story? Sometimes it was hard to feel connection with the character because of so much going on.
My favorites in this romance were Grace and Parker. The girl was a real fighter, so wise for a child. She brought happiness in this book, though not without a devastating sorrow. And Parker... God, I would like to read a book about him. Sexy smartass with broken heart - what else do we girls need?
Selena and Keenan were also lovely.
All I can say is that this story isn’t oversentimental or cheesy. It’s real and moving. I think mostly because it reminds us all that even when the world seems to be throwing one bad thing after another at us, there’s always someone out there going through bad stuff too. We have to learn to see promise in everything else so it doesn’t get tainted by the bad.
Profile Image for Julie.
244 reviews20 followers
February 23, 2014
ARC Provide by the Author for an honest Review.

2.5 Stars.

While I did enjoy reading this book, I can't say that I fell in love with this book and I really tried, but I just couldn't. This book had so much potential, but for me I felt the story was lacking or incomplete at various time throughout the book. There were so holes in storyline and some the scenes were ended so abruptly that I was left asking myself "What just happened?" or "Did miss something?" There were places in this story that seemed to drag while others were rushed.
Also, there were several things that I had a problem with in this book. One being the fact that Selena's mother suddenly developed Schizophrenia after the death of her husband. One of my biggest pet peeves are when Authors doesn't do their research, particularly with diseases or medical procedures, it's too easy to look these things up on the internet these days. Second, was Sam's re-appearance after 3 years. My question is "Why"? His character didn't really bring anything into the story or than to allow the scene where Selena forgives him for leaving. Third was the ice skating date Keenan took Selena on. Here's a guy who hasn't been able to drive for over a year due to his injured leg, but he can go ice skating? Makes the whole injured leg thing a little unbelievable.
I really had a hard time writing this book reviews because I really, really wanted to LOVE this book, but I just couldn't there were just too many things that I couldn't get past. and I don't want to hurt the Author's feeling because they spent so much time and effort developing the storyline and creating the characters.
Profile Image for Sarah.
118 reviews3 followers
February 18, 2014
***ARC provided by Author for an honest review***

Under the Moon was a gorgeous story! The best way to describe it is:
- heartbreaking
- soul cleansing
- life affirming
- laugh, smile and tear producing (keep tissues w/you)
- heartwarming

There are people in this world who have been dealt a bad hand in life, painful events have altered how they had thought life would go. This is a very Real story with very Real characters. Serena is just beautiful in every way! She is identifiable, she could be you or a friend! Keenan is swoon worthy and the perfect compliment to our leading lady!! To further cement this amazing story is great secondary (loosely called secondary bc they are just fantastic) characters!!

This is a book I had to force myself to put down! It touched me in every way possible! I only wish it hadn't ended... I never wanted this to end! I found myself invested in what was happening! Can't wait to see what this author brings next!!!
Profile Image for Nicole.
324 reviews5 followers
February 24, 2014
So I was SO excited to be given a ARC for the first time and felt so honored! But after reading I wasn't sure I wanted to write review because I feel SO bad! That said.
I loved the idea of the story. The story line was a great touching idea. My problem was I felt like the author was trying to sound almost to proper. The writing didn't seem to flow that easily. It also bothered me the mother out of no where becomes schizophrenic after her husband dies. I had a cousin with this illness and I know it is VERY VERY VERY rare that this would happen. And then to call pneumonia a disease..... It's an infection an curable.
I dunno. I'm sad cause I really wanted to enjoy this book but it truthfully was hard to read. I really wish Rose luck and hope that maybe as she keeps writing it becomes more relaxed and just flows out as if your just talking to a friend.
Profile Image for Farrah.
1,248 reviews210 followers
March 5, 2014
A deeply emotional, romantic read, Under the Moon was a wonderful New Adult romance. I really liked this book. It had a shaky start, but it turned out to be a lovely read.

Selena was a good heroine. She was strong and determined, taking on the care of her schizophrenic mother and rebellious brother, all while struggling underneath some intense guilt. There were some points where she was a bit shrewish and, though I understood her attitude, it did get irritating after a while, especially when she kept pushing Keenan away. But, overall, I liked her.

Keenan was wonderful. He was very sweet, especially with Selena and his cousin, Grace. He was determined to win over Selena and he was so adorable about it. I really liked him.

The romance was lovely. Selena and Keenan were very sweet together and, though a certain someone was in denial about it, they were a perfect couple. And, for those who are interested, this is a clean romance, but there was still some chemistry between them. I thought they were great together.

Grace was Keenan's cousin and I really liked her character. She was fun, yet heartbreaking, and very likable. The other characters were great, too. Parker was tons of fun, Selena's mother was well portrayed, and her brothers created an interesting contrast in their reactions to their father's death. I thought they were all well done characters.

The plot was good. It took a while to start up but, when it did, I was kept interested. There were some issues with grammatical errors that were distracting and sometimes the language felt contrived and a bit cheesy. But, I still really enjoyed the story and the ending was lovely.

Under the Moon was a wonderful New Adult romance. It was deep, emotional, romantic, and an enjoyable read. Romance lovers, this is a book worth checking out.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Quotes:
"Guilt is one of the painful companions of life, Selena. It only hinders our ability to move forward. It takes more from us than any other feelings. You need to accept your guilt and own it in order to be happy. Otherwise, it will destroy you." -Keenan

"These are questions you can't answer, Keenan. Some questions are meant to stay unanswered. Bad things happen all the time and they will continue to happen because at the end of out lives, there will be a reason as to why it all happened. You'll realize that these things you see as tragic are great opportunities to change your life, to grow into a better person." -Grace

"Beauty isn't just outer appearance. Beauty isn't just what your hair looks like, what your body looks like, how full your lips are, or how smooth your skin is. Beauty is so much more than what people think. What really makes you beautiful is your inner beauty, Selena. you shine with your attitude, with your actions, your words, and with your other behavior. Outer beauty only gets attention, but inner beauty captures the heart." - Keenan
Profile Image for ***Cheryl***.
762 reviews27 followers
March 28, 2014
4.5 stars

I loved this story by Rose J.Bell. It is such an emotional read that I couldn’t help but be sucked it. The story is both heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time.

It’s the story of Selena and Keenan. Selene is left disfigured after being in a car accident which killed her dad and two other people. Selena has always blamed herself for the accident happening as she was driving at the time. The story opens with a prologue around the time of the accident and then fast forwards three years in chapter 1. At this point Selena is working in a hospital canteen. Whilst working there she befriends a young girl Grace who is dying from cancer. When walking home from her shift one night Selena meets Keenan. There is an instant connection between Selena and Keenan and the pair quickly become friends. Selena also find out that Keenan is Grace’s cousin.
You really feel like you are going on a journey with both Selena and Keenan throughout the book. Keenan also is dealing with issues that still hunt him from his past but when he meets Selena he can’t seem to get her out of his head and wants to help her and get to know her more. It was great that story is told from both Selena and Keenan’s POV, it really helped to feel their emotional, feelings and actions. Keenan has most defiantly been added high up on list of book boyfriends, he was just great. I loved the part where he took Selena ice-staking. It was great to see the way Selena and Keenan’s relationship grew and developed.

This book also has some great secondary characters. Grace who I already mentioned is Keenan’s cousin and Selena’s best friend. She was a great character, it was great how strong she although she knew she was dying from character. She was just so full of life and determined to do the things on her bucket list.

This is one of those books where you will need tissues handy throughout reading this. It was a very emotional read. There were parts where I cried a lot and parts when I was laughing and smiling to myself. The story flows really well and once I started it I didn’t want to put it down.

Overall a great story and I look forward to reading more books by Rose J Bell.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Sofia.
704 reviews102 followers
February 24, 2014
"When I'm alone bad memories catch up to me. But when I'm near you, it feels like you protect me from the bad memories"

Under the moon is the first book I read by Rose J. Bell and I can say that it won't be the last.   

Selena is a wonderfull girl who endures a horrible accident. After losing someone she loved more than anything she lives with the memories. And as if the memories weren't bad enough she has to witness her loss every day just by looking in the mirror and the scars left by the accident.

Selena blames herself for the accident and feels she doesn't deserve to be happy. After the accident she has to care for her mother and brother by working the night shift. She has no life left or so she thinks...

When Selena meets Keenan, she feels that she doesn't deserve to be happy with anyone. Especially, somone like Keenan. 

But Keenan isn't who Selena thinks he is. Keenan has his own guilt. After being involved in a horrible accident that took away someone he cared for and loved, he blames himself for it. So, he tries to help others in order to feel he's worth something.

When Selena and Keenan meet, they both know that they have to acknowledge the past and let it go so they can move forward. But can they really?

I really, really liked this book. I loved Keenan though. He was selfless and all he wanted was to see Selena smile again. He wants to show her that she's beautiful and to help her accept the past and move on. What he doen't count though, is him falling for her. Their relationship was amazing. They both had to live with so much pain and that made them stronger.

Under the moon is such a touching and emotional story. The characters were great, the story was incredible and it had a nice flow.

I totally recommend it!!!

**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**

First posted on: http://sofialovesreading.blogspot.gr/...
Profile Image for Roz Ward.
661 reviews8 followers
March 3, 2014

*** ARC provided by Author for an honest review ***


Under the Moon is the first book I've read by Rose J Bell. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed the easiness of it.

Selena...I like her. She's a funny girl who has a lot on her shoulders. Cries a little too much for my liking but most of it is understandable and warranted.

Keenan...Loving the hotness, and his strength is admirable. He seems the stronger of the two but in actual fact he needs Selena just as much as she needs him. I love that its equal in that respect.

Parker...I love him. He makes me chuckle so much! Every girl should have a friend like Parker.

Grace...I fell in love with her instantly. Such a sweet smart young girl. Her wise comments and insight into life is amazing..."If there wasn't grief, you'd never know what happiness feels like."

I love the mention of other books and authors that the girls have read, instantly forms a connection!

The storyline was good yet heartbreaking. I cried, laughed and smiled so much throughout this book. Some parts didn't flow quite as smoothly as I'd expect though, others I felt should be elaborated on more, yet I was still intrigued and desperate to continue. The time span was a little confusing, one part said they hadn't seen each other for 3 days yet the next sentence said it was yesterday.

The quotes written are deep and inspiring..."Learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow." This books makes me think a lot about life and how others perceive it as well as making me realise how short it really is. An inspiring read :-)
Profile Image for Zandra .
318 reviews35 followers
February 27, 2014
***ARC provided by Author for an honest review***

I am honored to read this and i am so thankful.
Btw As much as i dont want to compare this to Making Faces by Amy Harmon, it still keeps on popping unconsciously.. okay. I liked the plot. It almost have its potential to move me. But it felt like the author is playing safe? I dont know but thats what i felt. I loved the characters. They moved me. Only i have a problem with the issue about schizo here. I have a medical background and as far as i know schizo is either genetic or idiopathic. When it is idiopathic the age deadline is 29yo before you can say youre safe to have not develop it. i believe the mother is past her 30s already right? (if i am wrong please tell me or i need to update my lectures..) Maybe the mother only experiences depression.. also there is no character development when it comes to keenan's future/career. he's 25 and what? I think the author forgot to tell us about it. Anyway, i also liked the secondary characters. And i freaking love the poems. I feel them and got twitterpated every now and then.. i love keenan!
Profile Image for Cecily Bonney.
1,045 reviews5 followers
Read
February 28, 2014
ARC review


Where do I start. Selena is so damn strong and brave! My heart broke for her, she lost so much within minutes. She had to become the parent at 19.
The fact that she deals with her more and her brother putting all the blame on her, while she is taking care/supporting them.

Then you have Keenan. Keenan is a nad boy turn good in my opinion. With all the grief he holds in his heart, is why he continues to do so much good

Then Grace!!!!! I fell in love with Grace, I mean who wouldn't?!
She is the smartest sassy smartass :) and yes I mean that in a good way

I cried throughout this whole book so please have tissue available to use, cause your going to need it

Rose Bell you wrote such a beautiful and inspiring story right here. Everyone should look at Selena, keenan, and Grace and hold them very high. Because I know there are a lot of them out in this world. So thank you from the bottomw of my heart for allowing me to read your book. 100% hands down perfect!!!!!

A must read book!
Profile Image for Krissy P (Kris).
313 reviews55 followers
March 13, 2014
Selena once had the perfect life. Because of a tragic accident that killed her father, Selena was left horribly disfigured. As the result of Selena's father's death, her mother now suffers from a mental disorder. Selena is charged with caring for her mother and trying hard to keep her family together. On her way home from work, she meets Keenan who has issues of his own. He wants to get to know her. She is reluctant. Ultimately, their friendship turns to love.

Thanks to the author for giving me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review. I had to suspend disbelief for this one and as hard as I tried, I just could not get into it. I think it has great potential. However, one of the problems for me is that in some scenes, the writing did not make sense or lacked fluency. Best of luck to the author. I do think she has something here, it's a great idea but it really needs editing.
Profile Image for Beth Livingston.
248 reviews16 followers
April 10, 2014
This story was amazing!
Before I goosh about how great it is I want to warn you on the negative. Please don't let this discourage you from reading this book it really is amazing.

If this book was sent to a professional editor it was an awful job. More than your fair share of the wrong wording was used or typos. This causes the flow of this book to be choppy at times. It causes you to stop and reread quite a bit breaking concentration and interrupts the flow.

On to the fabulous story. This story is inspiring, encouraging, heart warming, and just plain beautiful. Amazing job Rose!

The tragedy and guilt of these two young people is devastating. I am so glad they found each other. Then you have Grace a sixteen year old wiser than any adult I have ever met. She teaches us all how we should approach our life. She is freaking amazing.

If you are able to keep dry eyes for the whole book I believe you could be one of Selena's mom's demons.
Profile Image for Hooked On Books.
1,887 reviews65 followers
April 10, 2014
This story was amazing!
Before I gush about how great it is I want to warn you on the negative. Please don't let this discourage you from reading this book it really is amazing.

If this book was sent to a professional editor it was an awful job. More than your fair share of the wrong wording was used or typos. This causes the flow of this book to be choppy at times. It causes you to stop and reread quite a bit breaking concentration and interrupts the flow.

On to the fabulous story. This story is inspiring, encouraging, heart warming, and just plain beautiful. Amazing job Rose!

The tragedy and guilt of these two young people is devastating. I am so glad they found each other. Then you have Grace a sixteen year old wiser than any adult I have ever met. She teaches us all how we should approach our life. She is freaking amazing.

If you are able to keep dry eyes for the whole book I believe you could be one of Selena's mom's demons.
Profile Image for Riza.
403 reviews11 followers
February 23, 2014
**ARC provided by the Author for a honest review **

I am amazed that at such a young age Rose J. Belle can create a story that is so emotinal and deep.

I gave tis book a 4 star.. why? i kind of LOVE and Hate it..
I love it because :

This book has an interesting plot.. the first few pages really got me hooked..although there are some part that it is a little bit confusing, there are part that you will fall in love with Keenan.
Then there's Selena- her personal struggles witje herself and her family.
I don't want to go into details to avoid spoilers...
i hate it :.
for the reason that i want to read more about Selena and Keenan's story, and i know the other characters have a different stories to tell. I just wished this book focuses more on Keenan and Selena.. I want their HEA coz they both deserve it.
Profile Image for Anima.
2,747 reviews52 followers
March 8, 2014
I was given an ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. I've never met Ms. Bell or read any of her work so I gave it a try. I love reading books from authors that aren't well known...yet. Ms. Bell wrote a truly wonderful book. A story of heartbreak, depression, mental illness and guilt. A chance encounter allows Selena to find happiness, but not without a tremendous amount of work. It's a long journey for her and Keenan is right along side her with Grace, her best friend, making sure she realizes her beauty both inside and out.

I loved the story of Selena and Keenan, told with a slow burn. Looking forward to more books from Ms. Bell. Thank you for letting me read for you.
Profile Image for Ilhana.
20 reviews1 follower
March 10, 2014
***ARC provided by Author for honest review****


This book is about Selena and Keenan, a different kind of life story.


Selena is a 21 year old girl who lives with guilt and a scarred face, she survived a car crash when she was driving the car, three people died, one of them her father, and she got scarred for life. She feels guilty and wishes it was her that died instead of her father and she says the scar on her face is her punishment that she has to live with. She has a difficult situation at home and she is supporting the hole family, every penny she earns goes to her family.
She works at a hospital, in the cafeteria and she works the night shift because of her face, it's less people there at night. Every night she meets two patients extra ling, Mr. Nicholas an old man and Grace a 16-year old girl.


One morning after her shift is over she meets this guy, Keenan, next to a vending machine, something strange about him makes her connect with him.


Keenan is a 23-year old guy that lives everyday with regret and guilt, he lost his best friend and got his leg destroyed in the process.
He believes that the reason he is still alive is that the has to change someones life and when he meets Selena he believes she is the chosen one.


The two of them starts to see each other more and more and after every meeting they have the fall more and more and harder and harder.

description

This book is written well by a young author. I think it starts a little slow but after the middle it starts to get very interesting and the story develops into something beautiful.


I wish Keenan's POV started a little bit earlier because when it starts it seems like they meet and BOOM he is head over heals in love, I would have loved to see his POV about their first meet.


I liked Grace and Parkers characters, I think this book should be book 1 in a book series because I would love to know what happens later and I would love to know what happens to Parker.


I would definitely recommend this book, it has a love story that is different from what I've read before but I loved it.
I gave it 4 stars, if his POV had begun earlier I would have given it 5 stars.

Profile Image for Shanna.
625 reviews48 followers
March 17, 2014
This is my first book by Rose J. Bell, and I can’t wait to read another. I have to start by saying that I’m not a big NA book fan at the moment, but this one stands out in a sea of books that all seem to blend into one another. Here is a story about finding the strength to live after you have lost so much.

Selena was driving the car when her father and two other people were killed in an accident, for the last 3 years she has survived with the guilt that is constantly eating at her. But somehow Selena manages to talk care of her sick mother, try her best to care for and guide her rebellious younger brother, and be a friend so many people in the hospital where she works. But there a deep sadness that seems to shroud Selena, until one night a stranger walks her home from work. And that stragner changes everything for her.

Keenan on the surface has everything a 24 year old could want, a rich family, supportive parents, a great extended family. Well everything except the total use of his left leg, which was stattered in a mugging that claimed the life of his best friend. Just like Selena, Keenan is walking around with a lot of guilt.

But there was something else these two have in common in Keenan’s cousin, Grace who is also Selena’s friend (and a patient at the hospital). It was Grace who really brought them together, as they tried to support her through her illness. The relationship is very slow to develop because both of these characters have seriously fortification walls built around their hearts, but they work hard to try to get passed their insecurities.

I have to say that I loved the relationship of Keenan’s family. The fact that these three cousins are so close, and love each other so much. I thought this was a book with a great plot and unforgettable characters. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

*** ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review ***
Profile Image for Courtney.
109 reviews8 followers
January 15, 2016
Selena Johnson is living with guilt. Every day of her life she is reminded of her father’s death because of her choice. Her mother is sick, her older brother has disappeared and her younger brother is rebelling and it’s all her fault. If she hadn’t made that one choice, three years prior, they wouldn’t be where they are now. Keenan Case is living with his own guilt. Living his life in the fast lane, his failure to relent resulted in the death of his best friend. Living everyday with the guilt of the night he refused to take no for an answer, Keenan must move forward and live his life with the memories of his best friend while trying to get a grip on his own happiness.
Under the Moon is a really emotional read. However, with the difficult issues faced in the story the author also did a great job at creating lighthearted and funny moments. The characters in the story were all truly enjoyable. Selena and Keenan were great, I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship and their growth together while dealing with the guilt they face. I loved the dynamic between, Keenan, Parker and Grace. They were so funny and witty and brought so much character to the story.
There were times I felt certain conversations and moments were repetitive and redundant which slowed the progression of the story. However, the author did an incredible job with her wording. There were passages throughout the story that were completely awe-inspiring. The author created some of the most memorable moments with her wording. These moments whether they were lighthearted, emotional or self-realization were some of the most incredible I have ever read. I love to read because there is so much beauty in words and when you string them together they can make an ordinary moment, extraordinary, and Rose J. Bell did a fabulous job doing just this. Under the Moon was an absolutely beautiful story!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Katie Blythe.
255 reviews4 followers
August 6, 2014
*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*

The story was ok but unfortunately it’s been done before and it’s been done better. The story is about Selena who works at a hospital as a waitress in the cafeteria. About 3 years earlier Selena was driving a car with her father and got into an accident that took her father and two other victims. Selena has been scarred on her face so she’s very antisocial and always tries to cover her face as much as she can. One day at work she meets Keenan Case who is visiting his cousin Grace (who is also Selena’s best friend since she started working at the hospital) who has cancer. Keenan had been in an accident a few years prior that led to a very tragic event and in the process his leg got damaged so he has trouble walking sometimes. Keenan knows what it’s like to not want to go out and want to sulk all the time before trying to restart your life so he thinks he can try to help Selena. He thinks that she is a nice girl and pretty even with her scar and wants to try to get to know her, but Selena thinks that she shouldn’t deserve to be happy for the accident she caused. It’s a standard ugly duckling meets beauty and the beast scenario. While the idea is good I just wish that some of the characters were a little more fleshed out. The story goes by so quickly that certain aspects that would usually take a while to process happens rather quickly. There are also a few times where the characters think they might start to like each other a lot and want to tell the other but they get interrupted and it got a little old for me quickly.

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng***
Profile Image for Literati Literature Lovers.
2,007 reviews158 followers
January 15, 2015
This is a story of many things. It is a story of loss, fear, hope, illness, self-worth, blame, friendship, fear and love.

This book carries many stories within its pages. Each character has a very profound backstory and the author merges all of these smaller stories into one. The main focus of the story is Selena and how she deals with tragic loss, immense grief and caring for her mother and brother. The story also focuses on the internal battle Selena wages within herself.

The story is worked around a core group of characters. The locations in this story are also maintained into a small circle. Though I did not relate to any of the characters on an emotional level I will admit a tug at my heart at in one scene.

The author brings to light how cruel we can be to ourselves. How at times we harbor guilt and live within the strong walls we build to keep safe of hurt. The story displays grief and loss in many forms and the different ways people deal with these emotions.

The story also sheds light on letting go of fear and learning to live again. The breakdown and building of family and the lesson of learning to let go of the past in an attempt to live in the present.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book directly from the author. I was not paid to read or review this book. All opinions are my own, and I was never influenced by anything or anyone.
Profile Image for Nancy The book junkie.
3,030 reviews8 followers
March 16, 2014
Rating: 3.5/5

When I’ve been offered the opportunity to read and review this book by the author I jumped on the occasion since the blurp catched my eyes. I have to admit that the story start very slowly at the beginning but it picks up the pace toward the middle. I’ve enjoyed the emotional roller coaster the author put you through and I found myself thinking about my life more than once, this is definitely the kind of book who makes you reflect on everything that happened in your life! If you’re looking for some fluffy reading forget about it, this book is about grief, tragedy, family, guilt and love.

I’ve became a fast fan of Keenan and I wish we could have got is POV earlier; he brings a lot in the story. All the things he did for Selena are very touching and I really loved watching their relationship evolve through the book.

Hat off to the author for creating such a solid book, that was impressive for a young author! I’ll be on the lookout for more books from her in the future.
Profile Image for Lisa Gemmell.
702 reviews15 followers
February 28, 2014
**ARC provided by Author for an honest review**

I first want to thank the author Rose J.Bell for the opportunity to read her book.

Do you believe in Fate?
This story had it's up and down (emotionally). Selena was dealing with the wreckage of her accident, and three years later she is still dwelling on the consequences with that night. She is all alone and only lets a few people in but no one knows the real Selena and she likes it that way. Then there is Keenan who has his own demons and through out the book you try to figure out what really happened to him, and you become emotionally involved with all the characters including the crazy wild Parker who was hilarious for the most part.

This book covers mental issues and heart breaks and what an illness can do to you and a family. It also gives you insight of a train wreck on a persons life when one thing changes the outcome of someones future, we all have been there and reading Selena's and Keenan's story you will go through the ride.

Once again Thank you Rose!
Profile Image for Andrée-Anne .
99 reviews
March 7, 2014
***ARC provided by Author for an honest review**

This is a beautiful story about life, it's downfalls and finding a way to cope with all that life trows your way. It's very deep and you can not help but to make a retrospective of your own life and the way to deal with it. I shed a couple of tears for the honesty , the realness and the beauty of this book. I am truly amazed that at such a young age the author wrote something so beautifully profound. It as been a while since I read a real love story and this one was just so cute. Selena was so lost and guilt was devouring her, But when she meets Kennan , who has himself some demons to deal with, they both find solace in each other and it's beautifully done .I have to say that at some times there were details that made it a little bit long to read and I felt as if I was waiting for something big to happen, but it never came. It's smooth sailing trough out the howl book.So overall, it's a deep and beautiful story, you will most definitely learn from it .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.