THE AQUAMARINE SURFBOARD

by

KELLYE ABERNATHY

Middle Grade / Magical Realism / Fantasy

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Page Count: 290 pages

Publication Date: November 22, 2021

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“Age never matters; these things are about bravery and heart.”

Thirteen-year-old Condi Bloom’s dream is to learn to surf, but her laid-back beach town isn’t what it used to be. Big resort owners are taking over the cove. Worse, someone’s harassing the Beachlings, the mysterious old women living in the cliffs off Windy Hollow, a lonely tower of rock that people say is haunted. When a new surfer boy named Trustin shows up in town and invites Condi to a forbidden surfing spot, she’s swept into an extraordinary underwater adventure, where a surprising encounter with Koan, the Riddlemaster of the Sea, changes her life. Along with Trustin, his quirky twin and a mystical aquamarine surfboard, Condi learns the untold stories of the Beachlings, uncovering the timeless secrets of Windy Hollow.

Ebbing and flowing between reality and magic, times past and present, The Aquamarine Surfboard by Kellye Abernathy is a riveting beach tale about opening up to mystery, building community when and where you can — and discovering the ocean is filled with magic—the really BIG kind—the kind that changes the world.

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I was swept away by this middle-grade novel that is more than just a story; it is a reminder to do good in this world.

Condi wants nothing more than to learn how to surf, but money is tight since her parents died and she moved in with her grandmother, Grand Ella. But that doesn’t keep her from watching the surfers and wishing to be one of them. However, an ill-fated event throws her into a world of magic and a task that she won’t be able to remember once she leaves that world.

This story blends the past with the present, the downtrodden with the upper class, and the popular and regular kids. There is an air of mystery surrounding the story tied to a former spa/resort and some of the Beachlings that live in the caves above the cove. I won’t share too many details because it might give away a lot of the story…but as you read, things will come to light that ties back to the past. This includes Condi’s new friends, Trustin and Marissa, twins that arrived in town one day.

Young girls (and boys, too) will enjoy this coming-of-age story and perhaps might find a bit of themselves in this book. They might be the science geek, the athlete, or the dreamer. No matter how they see themselves, this book will share joy, sadness, grief, and love in a way that any reader can relate to.

The shorter chapters make it easier to stop if necessary, but you might find yourself reading whenever you have a spare moment, enjoying the poetic prose and caring characters. You will even find some poems within the pages expanding your horizons and perhaps providing an interest in searching out more by the poets referenced.

Condi’s journey is hers, but we might find ourselves in her shoes or remember times in our own lives that mirror Condi’s.

This was a wonderful tale, and we give it 5 paws up.

Kellye Abernathy’s passions are writing and serving trauma survivors as a yoga teacher and practical life skills advocate. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary English Education from the University of Kansas. Her home is in land-locked Plano, Texas—where she’s dreaming of her next trip to the sea!

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