Thursday, May 19, 2011

MOONGLASS by Jessi Kirby

Okay, so I don't read a whole lot of contemporary YA. I don't know why; I think it's because a story is more exciting (to me) if there's the possibility that someone could be reading someone else's mind, or they could spontaneously throw flames from their hands. I mean, come on.

But MOONGLASS changed all that for me.

I loved this YA contemporary novel.


First a bit about the novel: When Anna was little, she and her mother used to search for sea glass, but since they looked at night, they called it moonglass. Now, ten years after her mother's mysterious death, her father is working as head lifeguard on the same beach where her mother grew up and her parents first met and fell in love.

Reluctant to get close to anyone (including her father) and not pleased about having to start at a new school, Anna begins to spend more time alone, running the length of the beach and wondering about who her mother really was. After meeting a lifeguard named Tyler, she slowly lets her guard down and together they start exploring the abandoned houses that dot the beach.

But when learning more about her mother's past leads to a painful discovery, Anna must reconcile her desire for solitude with ultimately accepting the love of her family and friends.


I could name ten reasons why I loved this book, but ultimately it came down the authenticity in emotion that drove the nail home.

There's this scene at the end of the book, where Anna acted exactly the way I wanted her to, but not exactly the way most authors would've written it. That's when I knew I needed to give contemporary a fighting chance. Because of authors like Jessi Kirby who dared to write that emotional, gut-wrenching scene in the exact way it demanded to be written.

I even emailed Jessi to tell her. MOONGLASS is just that good. Buy it. Read it. Cry about it. Email Jessi.





Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week at the Reading Room.

Or on their blogs:

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love YA novels. This one sounds like a good one. I'll definitely put it on my list. Excellent review. Thanks.
Ann Best, Memoir Author

Anita Saxena said...

Thank you for the recommendation!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I don't read much contemporary either. Glad I'm not alone. But I think I have to read Moonglass. Thanks for the great review.

Hardygirl said...

Sold!!!

This book sounds right up my alley--I'm more of a contemporary YA kinda girl--and this one sounds beautiful.

Adding to the stack .... look out below!!!

sf

Stina said...

Sold!!!!!! (ha, take that Hardygirl. I have more exclammation marks).

I'm adding this to my TBR pile (not just my TBR list). :)

Christine Fonseca said...

Haha! I emailed her the moment I finished it too. It's amazing

Jessi said...

Thank you Elana! And Christine! I may or may not have saved both of your emails. ;)

S.B.Niccum said...

Now I'm interested! I want to read that ending.
S.B. Niccum
Author Website
Blog

Matthew MacNish said...

If you and Carol both like it, that's good enough for me!

Jennifer said...

Sounds interesting...Thanks for sharing.

Melissa Sarno said...

Yaaaaaay, a contemporary convert! Woot woot!
This book is on my list.

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

YES!! You nailed it. The authenticity of emotion. Even when it defies expectations, you come away thinking, "EXACTLY. YES." Loved it. Great review, Elana!

Stasia said...

This is such a gorgeous read. I loved it, too. Great review--and thanks for giving a shout-out to contemporary YA! :)

l0raah_ said...

Oh my... I want this book !! And your review made me totally impatient for reading it :)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

You are too convincing to resist. I am SO reading this now! :-)

Jeff King said...

Great review... this does not sound like my typical read, but you make it sound like I should give it a read—and so I shall.

Jemi Fraser said...

I've got this one on my wishlist! It sounds so good! :)

Unknown said...

I always feel like a dork reading YA seeing since I'm older but turns out many people read it so I'm not feeling so dorky anymore:-) You should check out the Tryle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking. I'm on the last of those right now & they are in the realm of supernatural but great cause you don't see too many books about trolls.... well, I don't I should say:-) I got a sample of this one for my Kindle, thanks for the recommendation.

Liza said...

On the list it goes...

Ricki Schultz said...

I will absolutely check this out. I write contemp YA & it's always fantastic to see new ones hit the shelves! Thanks, Elana!

Leslie S. Rose said...

There's a lifeguard in it? Say no more. *Aims car toward Barnes and Noble.*

See Elana's recent blog posts

Recent Posts Widget