Saltwater Secrets

Cindy Callaghan

Apr 2020 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

From the acclaimed author of Just Add Magic—now a hit streaming original series—comes a sweet novel about two sisters on summer vacation that explores the intricate bonds of a blended family.

Stella and Josie live for their summers at the boardwalk—each one a carbon copy of the last. Josie lives in Australia most of the year; her half-sister, Stella, lives in New Jersey. But every year, they come together for a beach vacation with their dad, and to make more memories. The real excitement for them is their secret special place under the boardwalk, where they hide their sister scrapbook, adding memories from each summer.

But this summer feels different. Josie isn’t the same—she’s turned into one of the popular girls that Stella can’t stand. Despite the rocky start to their vacation, they still go to their secret, special place under the boardwalk, adding memories to their sister scrapbook once again.

That is, until that place is discovered by the owners of the newest store—the Smoothie Factory, which replaced Josie’s favorite sweet spot. Not only have the owners of the Smoothie Factory discovered the cove, they are exploiting the natural habitat, and endangering marine life and everyone at the beach! It’s up to Josie and Stella to figure out how to stop their beloved boardwalk from disappearing for good.

Ratings and reviews

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

About the author

Cindy Callaghan is the author of the middle grade novels Lost in London, Lost in Paris, Lost in Rome, Lost in Ireland (formerly titled Lucky Me), Lost in Hollywood, the award-winning Sydney Mackenzie Knocks ’Em Dead, Just Add Magic (which is now a breakout streaming original series), and its sequel Potion Problems. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware.