Saltwater Secrets

Saltwater Secrets is a fun summer mystery for tween and early YA readers. Josie and Stella are half sisters who live with their mothers in Australia and NYC, respectively, who only see each other in the summer when they join their father on the Jersey shore. Saltwater Secrets takes place the summer before the sisters start high school. They have shared traditions and Shore friends. They are used to getting water ice, going to the fun house and storing special treasures in a box in a secret hiding place. This summer, the water ice place is gone, replaced by a trendy smoothie store, their treasure box has vanished, dead jellyfish start washing up in large numbers and the boardwalk seems unstable. The sisters investigate these occurrences along with their friend Dario and uncover a sinister scheme. The characters are well developed and I liked the bond between the sisters and the portrayal of how they are transitioning into teenagers. Dario, their friend, was my favorite character. The story moves quickly and is told from both sister's alternating point of view, which added to the suspense. The environmental mystery was well constructed and added depth and interest to the story. Saltwater Secrets is an enjoyable middle grade mystery with a fun beach town setting. #BooksForwardFriends