Review: Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

May 16, 2011 by shanyn

Title: Moonglass
Hardcover, 224 pages
Author: Jessi Kirby
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon

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Book Summary:
From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.

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.

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Review:
Completely cosmetic, but I have to start this review by saying that I really love the shimmery cover. It’s a subtle sparkle, but they are tiny sparkles all over the entire thing and I love it. Also, purple is my favorite color

Anna’s story is full of self discovery and reflection – and Jessi Kirby decided to spend much of the book within Anna’s thoughts. This made Moonglass start off a little slow for me; when I don’t know a character I don’t care as much about their inner dialogue. I did keep going (and not begrudgingly, either) – and while there isn’t much of a pick up in the dialogue, I did start to care about Anna and therefore found her thought process more interesting.

Moonglass is definitely a book that can tug at your heartstrings, as the main focus is on Anna and how she is dealing with her mother’s death. There are a few scenes that are especially emotional to read, especially when Anna flashes back to her younger self.

By the end of the book, you start to connect with Anna and her story. I found myself wondering many times what was happening with Anna – AFTER I had finished the book. And while a sequel is not necessary in the least bit, it shows that Kirby’s writing makes you care.

Buy: Amazon

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