Firefly Summer Review

 TW: Mention of a parent dying

This is Morgan Matson's middle grade debut, and I had a blast with it!

 

Firefly Summer is about Ryanna, who lives with her father, who is a famous movie director, and stepmother. One day they get a letter in the mail from Ryanna's maternal grandparents, the Van Camps, whom she's never met. They want her to come to their vacation house to meet the rest of her late mom's side of the family. The vacation house happens to be situated it what was formerly a summer camp site, that was also owned by the Van Camps. Ryanna's father is a little relunctant to send her at first since he had a falling out with his in-laws after his wife's death, but when he sees a note in the letter that it might be the last summer the Van Camps might be able to get together as a family, he agrees to send Ryanna. It coincidentally happens to be around the same time he has to go to Hungary to film a new movie, too. 

When Ryanna gets there, things get off to a rocky start, but then she ends up growing close to her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. She also discovers a treasure hunt that her mother left behind when she was Ryanna's age, and along the way, she learns more things about her mother. The family also tries to find a way to save the campsite before it gets torn down. Well, it's an unforgettable summer, with fireflies every night!

 

I gave this book 5 stars. I loved this book so much! This might be my second favorite Morgan Matson book after Since You've Been Gone. She also writes middle grade really well! I'd love to read any other middle grade she puts out. As of now, I need to check out the rest of her young adult backlog. 

Image of book was found on Google Images