Perfect for the Beach

Jessi Kirby crafts the perfect beach read with Moonglass, her first novel. When Anna was a young child, her mother committed suicide by drowning herself in the ocean. Soon afterward, Anna privately crafted a mythology about what she believed really happened that fateful night: Her mother is still out there somewhere, swimming beneath the waves in her true mermaid form. Nine years later, at age 16, Anna and her still-grieving father move to a beachfront cottage near Crystal Cove where her father has accepted a position as lifeguard. But Crystal Cove isn't just any beach. It carries with it the history of Anna's family: It is the place where her parents first met and fell in love. Over the course of the book, Anna slowly uncovers the truth about her family she has been denied for so long. She also comes to terms with her mother's death and lets go of the anger, resentment, and abandonment issues she has carried for so many years. Add in a crushworthy lifeguard, a gorgeous setting, and a cast of interesting characters. If you liked Twenty Boy Summer, by Sarah Ockler, you'll love Moonglass! --AJL