It’s FINALLY starting to feel like Summer! I’m being totally British here and talking about the weather, but guys, I was just a teensy bit fed up of getting wet on the commute and looking at the ever-looming grey skies and wondering when the rain would it. Especially when it’s supposed to be June.
Today I’m reviewing a great summer read, another middle-grade aimed book but again, perfect for those wanting a quick read.
Blurb
Even though she’s terrified of the sea, a girl who believes her mum might have been a mermaid runs away to the ocean to solve the mystery of who she really is. Stella is the odd one out. She sleepwalks, is terrified of water, yet obsessed by the ocean. Her mum who died when Stella was eight remains the biggest mystery of all. Who was she and why did she give Stella a necklace called ‘the word of the sea’ before she died? Nobody can give her any answers. Her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother’s memories are fading with dementia.
When Stella’s only friend in the world, Cam, moves house, Stella runs away. She’s determined to find out who her mum was and who she is too. She ends up in the Crystal Cove, a run-down aquarium with a mermaid show. There she meets Pearl who reveals disturbing secrets. It’s only by facing her fear of the ocean that Stella will truly uncover the truth.
This is an exquisitely imagined story about a girl on an adventure above and below the waves.
Netgalley Review
A wonderfully sweet yet sad story. A story about friendship, love, grief and the ocean all rolled into one. But don’t worry, there’s a happy ending!
Star Rating – 3 Stars
First off, this book is rather sad.
We met Stella, the main character, in the throws of grief. She’s lost her mum, her dad is still grieving this loss and she’s in the process of losing her grandma. But at least she has her best friend Cam, that is until she hears that Cam is moving.
With just the necklace her mum left her and her backpack filled with snacks, Stella hops on Cam’s moving truck for an adventure of a lifetime, determined to find out her mum’s history and who she really is.
At Coral Bay she meets an old friend of her mum’s that’s letting on less than she knows. Thus ensues kidnappings, ocean magic and an adventure to last the summer.
As always, let me know in the comments below if you’ve read the book and what you thought of it. And if you haven’t, will you be adding it to your TBR pile?
Our First Year Here 