Lauren Miller is the author of Parallel and FREE TO FALL, both published by HarperTeen. She is an entertainment lawyer and television writer. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids.
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By: Melissa Walker,
on 3/29/2013
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Melissa Walker, cover stories, jessi kirby, in honor, Add a tag
I had the chance to hang out with Jessi Kirby in Houston last year, and I can confirm that she is fantastic and fun and smart and all the things she seems to be. Also, her book, In Honor, contains a Tim Riggins type. SOLD. (Read a review from A Book and a Latte.)
Here's Jessi to talk about the cover:
"My publisher asked for input before they got to work on the cover, and I said 'It’d be really great if you could somehow include the car, (which is a 67 Chevy Impala), and Honor in her dress and red cowboy boots.'
"When I saw the cover, I absolutely LOVED it. Truly, madly, deeply loved it. From the font, to the car, to the boots, it was EXACTLY what I was hoping for..."
But of course there were a couple of changes! Read Jessi's full story on melissacwalker.com.
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By: Amanda,
on 5/29/2012
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Simon and Schuster, young adult reviews, Jessi Kirby, Add a tag
After her brother dies fighting in Iraq, Honor isn't quite sure how to deal with it. She's angry at him, hurt, brokenhearted and completely confused as to why this has happened to her brother. When a letter shows up in, written by Finn before he died, complete with tickets for Honor to see her favorite singer's last concert, she decides it's almost like Finn's last request before his death and she has to go.
In Honor
Jessi Kirby
240 pages
Young Adult
Simon and Schuster
9781442416970
May 2012
Review copy provided by publisher
By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 5/7/2012
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, death, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, contemporary, new release, Four Stars, Jessi Kirby, In Honor, standalone, Add a tag
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
In Honor by Jessi Kirby is a bittersweet look at family, loss and growing up. From the first page, Kirby powerfully evokes Honor's complete devastation in the wake of her brother's death. Without Finn, Honor is lost at sea, not knowing which way to turn. Even before readers really get to know the heroine, their hearts will break at the hopelessness of her situation -- as orphans, Finn was not only Honor's brother, but also her father figure and friend. Without him, she feels utterly alone. In a desperate attempt to find meaning in a senseless tragedy, Honor sets off on a cross-country road trip to fulfill Finn's final wishes. Unfortunately, Finn's estranged best friend Rusty is along for the ride -- drunken stupor and all.
It's hard to know what to do with Rusty. He's drunken and abrasive, crass and a bit of a jerk, intruding his own issues on Honor's grief. At times, readers will wish that Honor would call Rusty out on his attitude, but as Kirby gradually reveals their long and complicated history, they will begin to see that his brashness comes from a dark and painful place. It takes a while, but ultimately Rusty becomes a sympathetic and even charming character. Honor's voice is clear and strong, though
By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 8/11/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: beach read, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, Jessi Kirby, Moonglass, Young Adult, Author Interview, contemporary, debut author, Add a tag
Moonglass is your debut novel. When was the first moment that you really felt like an author?
In a market overwhelmed with paranormal, what drew you to contemporary? Do you think you’ll continue to write in that genre, or branch out into others?
I saw in your bio that you live at the beach. Since that’s the typical vacation spot, where do you like to go when you want to get away?
Do you collect sea glass? Have you ever found a piece of moonglass? I don’t think I’ve ever seen sea glass at the beach – am I just not looking closely enough, or is it only found in certain areas of the coast?
By: Melissa Walker,
on 5/15/2011
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: rgz street team, jessi kirby, moonglass, sarah, Add a tag
"I love the beach and beach reads seem to capture the sun on your skin, the sand between your toes, and the scent of the ocean. Moonglass had all of these feelings and more. The setting of Crystal Cove was a perfect setting. Anna was an awesome girl. She was very down to Earth and innocent.
"Unlike the protagonists in most young adult novels, she was still haunted by her mother's death and still hung out with her dad a lot, which meant that her parents were a huge part of the story. Tyler was so sweet and I adored him. He was unpredictable, which kept me guessing..." --Sarah
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By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 5/9/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, Young Adult, Giveaway, contemporary, debut author, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, Four and a Half Stars, Jessi Kirby, Moonglass, Add a tag
Anna has been running from the truth about her mother's death for nearly a decade -- ever since her 7-year-old self watched her walk into the ocean without looking back. As if living on the beach where she died wasn't hard enough, Anna's dad has suddenly decided to move back to the town where they met and fell in love. Though the view is beautiful and the lifeguards are cute, Anna is haunted by the secrets her father buried long ago -- secrets that may finally push her to her breaking point.
Moonglass is a stunning debut, written in elegant prose. The simple but detailed descriptions put readers directly in the scene, while the moments of beautiful, almost poetic language interspersed throughout the novel shine like sea glass. The precise details of the scuba diving expeditions also add texture to the typical beach read and allow readers with no scuba experience (like me) to perfectly visualize the breathtaking underwater scenes.
From the very first page, the emotion feels raw and authentic, and readers' hearts will break for the strong but fragile heroine. Though she occasionally seems excessively boy crazy, the way Anna copes with her troubled past feels achingly realistic, while her journey of healing is bittersweet. The uncontrollable wildness of the ocean is its own presence in the story, and the tragic tales the lifeguards tell gave me chills. In Moonglass, Jessi Kirby confronts the dark and painful moments in life with a soft sensitivity and evocative directness that readers won't soon forget.
This haunting story is populated with an eclectic cast of characters: from Anna's first friend in her new town, the oblivious but well-meaning Ashley, to her legendary father, to her off-limits love interest Tyler -- the quirky personalities each leave their mark on Anna's life. It was inspiring to watch how Kirby brought the seemingly disparate community together, showing the intricate and often surprising threads that bind us. This novel is the perfect summer read, packing a powerful emotional punch that will leave a lasting impression on readers' hearts.
Rating:
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the novel from the publicist. This did not affect my review in any way.
Click here to purchase Moonglass by Jessi Kirby.
Part of the 2011 Debut Author Challenge.
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By: Shelli,
on 5/4/2011
Blog: Faeriality (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: jessi kirby, moonglass, release day, Add a tag
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By: Bianca Schulze,
on 6/16/2014
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Chapter Books, Farrar Straus and Giroux, featured, Razorbill, Delacorte Press, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Lauren Miller, Jessica Brody, Disney-Hyperion, Jessi Kirby, Tamara Ireland Stone, Teens: Young Adults, Best Kids Stories, Jessica Khoury, Best YA, HarperTeen Books, E. Lockhart, Young Adult, Book Lists, Add a tag
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Chapter Books, Farrar Straus and Giroux, featured, Razorbill, Delacorte Press, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Lauren Miller, Jessica Brody, Disney-Hyperion, Jessi Kirby, Tamara Ireland Stone, Teens: Young Adults, Best Kids Stories, Jessica Khoury, Best YA, HarperTeen Books, E. Lockhart, Young Adult, Book Lists, Add a tag
By: Melissa Walker,
on 3/29/2013
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Melissa Walker, cover stories, jessi kirby, in honor, Add a tag
Here's Jessi to talk about the cover:
"My publisher asked for input before they got to work on the cover, and I said 'It’d be really great if you could somehow include the car, (which is a 67 Chevy Impala), and Honor in her dress and red cowboy boots.'
"When I saw the cover, I absolutely LOVED it. Truly, madly, deeply loved it. From the font, to the car, to the boots, it was EXACTLY what I was hoping for..."
But of course there were a couple of changes! Read Jessi's full story on melissacwalker.com.
Add a Comment
By: Amanda,
on 5/29/2012
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Simon and Schuster, young adult reviews, Jessi Kirby, Add a tag
After her brother dies fighting in Iraq, Honor isn't quite sure how to deal with it. She's angry at him, hurt, brokenhearted and completely confused as to why this has happened to her brother. When a letter shows up in, written by Finn before he died, complete with tickets for Honor to see her favorite singer's last concert, she decides it's almost like Finn's last request before his death and she has to go. Taking a road trip across the country is the last thing Honor feels like doing...especially when Finn's best friend shows up, drunk, and insists he's going with her and knowing that college starts in just a few days. Rusty does prove to be problematic with his spitfire attitude and love for annoying her, but he's also incredibly resourceful, especially when the car breaks down and Honor starts to feel like she's about to break down as well.
The dynamic between Rusty and Honor was believable and I enjoyed how their relationship progressed. It wasn't an overnight change from drunk, annoying boy to someone she could really like, which is pretty much how life goes. Things take time and the author made the progression realistic.
I loved the secondary characters the pair met along the way...especially Wyatt! I wanted more Wyatt! And now, the idea of scuba diving to see the stars is something on my new bucket list :)
What happens is more than a road trip, it's a journey together, learning about each other and doing things that Finn would have wanted them to do together. Funny, super sweet, with a great emotional punch. It's another great road trip book to add to the list for your summer reading!
In Honor
Jessi Kirby
240 pages
Young Adult
Simon and Schuster
9781442416970
May 2012
Review copy provided by publisher
3 Comments on In Honor review, last added: 5/31/2012
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By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 5/7/2012
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, death, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, contemporary, new release, Four Stars, Jessi Kirby, In Honor, standalone, Add a tag
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
| A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”
Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.
Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?
In Honor by Jessi Kirby is a bittersweet look at family, loss and growing up. From the first page, Kirby powerfully evokes Honor's complete devastation in the wake of her brother's death. Without Finn, Honor is lost at sea, not knowing which way to turn. Even before readers really get to know the heroine, their hearts will break at the hopelessness of her situation -- as orphans, Finn was not only Honor's brother, but also her father figure and friend. Without him, she feels utterly alone. In a desperate attempt to find meaning in a senseless tragedy, Honor sets off on a cross-country road trip to fulfill Finn's final wishes. Unfortunately, Finn's estranged best friend Rusty is along for the ride -- drunken stupor and all.
It's hard to know what to do with Rusty. He's drunken and abrasive, crass and a bit of a jerk, intruding his own issues on Honor's grief. At times, readers will wish that Honor would call Rusty out on his attitude, but as Kirby gradually reveals their long and complicated history, they will begin to see that his brashness comes from a dark and painful place. It takes a while, but ultimately Rusty becomes a sympathetic and even charming character. Honor's voice is clear and strong, though
4 Comments on Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby, last added: 5/9/2012
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By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 8/11/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: beach read, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, Jessi Kirby, Moonglass, Young Adult, Author Interview, contemporary, debut author, Add a tag
I grew up in Mammoth Lakes, CA where stunning scenery and a few very special teachers inspired me to write. As soon as I graduated high school, I made for the beach and eventually ended up in Orange County with a happy little family and a job as an English teacher.
And then by luck, or coincidence, or some cosmic force, things lined up for me to take a shot at my dream. I moved to a little gem of a beach called Crystal Cove, which is the setting for MOONGLASS; I had the opportunity to go from working as a full-time English teacher to working as a part-time librarian; and...I was about to turn 30 (more on that in the FAQ section too.) Long story short: after deciding to go for it and putting in a lot of hard work, I finished MOONGLASS, which is my first novel.
Moonglass is your debut novel. When was the first moment that you really felt like an author?
Oh, that’s a tough one because I still have to remind myself that it’s perfectly reasonable to call myself that! If I had to pin down a moment though, it would have to be when I saw Moonglass on the shelf for the first time. I started to get all teary-eyed and then my five year old daughter brought me back to reality. She said “Mama, can we go now? We have a whole box of those at home.”
In a market overwhelmed with paranormal, what drew you to contemporary? Do you think you’ll continue to write in that genre, or branch out into others?
I don’t think I ever consciously thought ‘I want to write contemporary.’ Contemporary stories are the ones I’m most drawn to as a reader because I feel the strongest connection to them. They’re also the stories that inspire me as a writer so I think it was a natural, if subconscious, choice. I don’t see myself straying from that.
I saw in your bio that you live at the beach. Since that’s the typical vacation spot, where do you like to go when you want to get away?
I don’t get away too much, but I think the perfect place to do that is the mountains. I grew up in Mammoth Lakes, CA so I have a special place in my heart for towering peaks and crisp air. There is something so peaceful and inspiring about that environment. It’s magical like the beach, but in a totally different way.
Do you collect sea glass? Have you ever found a piece of moonglass? I don’t think I’ve ever seen sea glass at the beach – am I just not looking closely enough, or is it only found in certain areas of the coast?
Yes! I have a huge collection of seaglass and can’t seem to stop searching for more. It’s seriously addicting. I’ve never found Moonglass, though every time the moon is full I say I’m going to go look. But I did find a red piece (my one and o2 Comments on Author Interview: Jessi Kirby (Moonglass), last added: 8/12/2011Display Comments Add a Comment
By: Melissa Walker,
on 5/15/2011
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: rgz street team, jessi kirby, moonglass, sarah, Add a tag
The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.
Today, Sarah reviews Moonglass by Jessi Kirby:
"I love the beach and beach reads seem to capture the sun on your skin, the sand between your toes, and the scent of the ocean. Moonglass had all of these feelings and more. The setting of Crystal Cove was a perfect setting. Anna was an awesome girl. She was very down to Earth and innocent."Unlike the protagonists in most young adult novels, she was still haunted by her mother's death and still hung out with her dad a lot, which meant that her parents were a huge part of the story. Tyler was so sweet and I adored him. He was unpredictable, which kept me guessing..." --Sarah
See Sarah's full review of this book on Sarah's Random Musings.
By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 5/9/2011
Blog: The Bookish Type (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Review, Young Adult, Giveaway, contemporary, debut author, 2011 Debut Author Challenge, Four and a Half Stars, Jessi Kirby, Moonglass, Add a tag
Moonglass is a stunning debut, written in elegant prose. The simple but detailed descriptions put readers directly in the scene, while the moments of beautiful, almost poetic language interspersed throughout the novel shine like sea glass. The precise details of the scuba diving expeditions also add texture to the typical beach read and allow readers with no scuba experience (like me) to perfectly visualize the breathtaking underwater scenes.
From the very first page, the emotion feels raw and authentic, and readers' hearts will break for the strong but fragile heroine. Though she occasionally seems excessively boy crazy, the way Anna copes with her troubled past feels achingly realistic, while her journey of healing is bittersweet. The uncontrollable wildness of the ocean is its own presence in the story, and the tragic tales the lifeguards tell gave me chills. In Moonglass, Jessi Kirby confronts the dark and painful moments in life with a soft sensitivity and evocative directness that readers won't soon forget.
This haunting story is populated with an eclectic cast of characters: from Anna's first friend in her new town, the oblivious but well-meaning Ashley, to her legendary father, to her off-limits love interest Tyler -- the quirky personalities each leave their mark on Anna's life. It was inspiring to watch how Kirby brought the seemingly disparate community together, showing the intricate and often surprising threads that bind us. This novel is the perfect summer read, packing a powerful emotional punch that will leave a lasting impression on readers' hearts.
Rating:
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the novel from the publicist. This did not affect my review in any way.
Click here to purchase Moonglass by Jessi Kirby.
Part of the 2011 Debut Author Challenge.
GIVEAWAY
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By: Shelli,
on 5/4/2011
Blog: Faeriality (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: jessi kirby, moonglass, release day, Add a tag
"The Story Book" winners: Joy D Fanning and Vidisha!!
"Divergent" winner: Caitlin Vincent!
email me your address at [email protected]
Now, for Moonglass by Jessi Kirby.
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 lifeguar
11 Comments on Happy Release Day - Moonglass, last added: 5/5/2011
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This book sounds like it tells a story of a great journey. I'm really looking forward to reading it now. Thanks for the review!
I don't often read young adult books, but this one sounds like a pretty interesting read, even for an old adult!
Love love love road trip books AND my library has a copy of this, yay!