Review: Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (May 3rd, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 224 pages
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

Review:  Moonglass is a great summer read but the story goes much deeper than you may expect. Anna is forced to leave her home after her father gets a job offer. She is not happy with the fact she has to leave her friends behind right before her junior year. But this new location holds many secrets. It's the same beach where her father and mother met years ago.

While Anna tries to get used to her new surroundings, she finds out more about her mother and father's relationship than she thought she would. Her mother died when she was young so Anna is fascinated with the bits of information she is able to get from this new place. But these memories are painful and Anna and her father are trying to deal with the pain in their own ways.

The setting for Moonglass is stunning. The vivid descriptions made me truly feel as if I was there on the beach with Anna. Jessi Kirby really knows how to bring a setting to life! Anna was a terrific character and it was easy to see the similarities between her and her father. She was strong, determined, and adventurous. It seems that her past has shaped her into a person that appreciates what she has. She seems more wise than others her age.

While at Crystal Cove she meets a lifeguard, Tyler. Their relationship starts very slowly because of her father's strict nature when it comes to Anna dating a lifeguard. But it was nice to see each character unfold and embrace each other in a more natural way. There are so many terrific characters in this story. Anna's father, James, Jillian, Ashley..all brought very interesting details to this book. 

If you are looking for a great summer read that holds a lot of mystery, Moonglass is a great pick!

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