On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining was such a fun and refreshing read, with surprising depth for a graphic novel. I loved the unique twist, the addition of mythical creatures, and the thoughtful inclusion of diverse characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for a fair review.

4.5/5 stars, rounded to 5

This was a beautiful tribute to grief, to family, to love and friendship. I loved the art style; I want to live in the color palette of this book. Every page was beautiful, and it worked so well with the story.

Most people have lost someone unexpectedly. Maybe they were close, maybe they were estranged, but losing someone when you think you have more time is extremely tough to cope with. Seeing Alex deal with that grief and that guilt for not reaching out to her grandma was so relatable for me. It was real and raw and beautiful when she comes to terms with things.

I think my only vague complaint was that I would’ve loved more of Grim, but that’s just because I loved his banter with Alex so much. It was very “best friends for a long time and we have insides jokes and teasing.” It’s similar to a lot of the relationships I have with my friends and I loved seeing it.

This book made me want to call my grandparents <3

On Starlight Shores handled grief of a grandparent, something of which I have recently experienced twice over myself. This particularly tugged at my heart and I adored the art throughout. A beautiful story.

What a lovely, soft, slow musing on grief and memories of our loved ones.

On Starlit Shores follows Alex and her best friend and she goes back to the seaside town of Indigo Harbor to clean up her late grandmother's home. While there, Alex grapples with her grief, with the confusion of having so few clear memories of her grandmother, and with what it means to try to learn more about those who have left us and how to let go.

The magical aspects of this story seep in slowly, as if waiting for Alex and the reader to notice them. Eventually they come out into the open, but they're not a huge deal. They just are. While I think the story could have done more with the magical aspects, the point isn't the magic but Alex's emotional journey.

The art is lovely, if a bit muted in some aspects. It works for the story being told, but I wish it had just a touch more energy and life to it.

Overall this is a really great graphic novel for teens, and fully accomplishes telling the story it wants to tell.

Many thanks to ABRAMS Kids and NetGalley for this eARC. On Starlit Shores will be available on September 30th!

Alex always meant to talk to her grandma more. To visit. But her grandma suddenly dies, and Alex and her best friend Grim travel to Indigo Harbor to pack up her house. Despite spending her early years in the quiet little village and in the care of her beloved grandma, Alex retains only fragments of memory from her happy and loving childhood. Indigo Harbor does that to people when they leave. As she and Grim empty the house, Alex unpacks her grief, guilt from growing apart, and longing to know about her grandma's life.

I would have loved more world-building, especially surrounding the magic. But I loved the soft-colored illustrations and complex emotions the book explores.

In On Starlit Shores, Alex Wilson, accompanied by her best friend Grim, returns to Indigo Harbor to clean out her recently-deceased grandmother's home. Despite spending lots of time with her grandmother in the town as a child, Alex's memories are almost nonexistent. As she packs up the remains of her grandmother's live, she discovers more about the mysterious town, meets people important to her grandmother, and recalls stories her grandmother told her.

The slightly dreamy color palette (lots of pinks and blues) and soft illustrations were a good match with the narrative. There is lots of self-reflection, as Alex deals with her guilt about not visiting her grandmother but also rediscovers happy childhood memories. The ending feels a bit abrupt - I'd love to see a bit more of Indigo Harbor - but brings the story to a satisfying resolution.

This is best for fans of reflective journeys focused on dealing with grief, accented with some light magic.

On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining is a YA urban fantasy graphic novel where Alex, a teen, heads back to her seaside hometown of Indigo Harbor to sort through her late grandmother’s cottage. Her memories of the place are weirdly hazy, like the town’s hiding something magical. As she digs into her past, she uncovers a selkie connection to her grandma, a witch with healing tea, a magical cat, plus some queer friendships and a sweet sapphic romance. The art’s stunning and the coastal vibe is super cozy, but the magical elements can feel a bit scattered, leaving some questions unanswered.

This book is a total vibe—think cozy seaside town with a sprinkle of magic and a big heart. The art pops off the page, and Alex’s journey through grief and love hits hard, especially if you’re into queer stories. That said, the magical stuff, like the selkie lore, feels a bit underdeveloped and doesn’t always mesh. If you love emotional graphic novels like The Girl from the Sea, you’ll probably dig this, even if it’s not perfect. I’d give it a solid 4/5 for the feels and visuals!

On Starlit Shores is a tender, heartfelt story about navigating grief, honoring a loved one’s memory, and cherishing the time we have with those closest to us. It’s a gentle reminder to create memories while we can and to give ourselves space to truly feel our loss. The art is gorgeous, awash in soft pastel tones that perfectly match the story’s mood. I only wish the magical elements had been explored a bit more. Overall i found it to be a great read.

On Starlit Shores can only be described as luminous. There’s a sense of gorgeous completeness to this story that left me fully immersed in it from beginning to end. I loved the threads of magic and belonging that weave through this story. The worldbuilding is fantastic - there’s such a strong sense of place from the very first page, and the thin line between what’s real and what’s remembered caught my attention and refused to let it go. Alex is a strong protagonist, with the right blend of drive and grief, and I was more than glad to follow her through the beats of On Starlit Shores. The way her grandmother and Elizabeth are characterized is also more than worth a shout-out; Glendining does a fantastic job of giving characters depth and rendering them relatable even without their physical presence on the page, which helped give this book the feel of something between a mystery, a coming-of-age novel, a fantasy story, and a story of grief. I love the illustrations, which are the perfect blend of vibrant and otherworldly, grounding the reader while having the fanciful edge that perfectly captures the tone and arc of the story. I highly recommend On Starlit Shores to readers who want to immerse themself in a layered, vibrant town where memory is not an easily categorized thing.

I have been delving into a lot of young adult graphic novels lately and was very pleased when I first heard about this one. The premise of a young girl going on a journey of self-discovery in a mystical setting completely had me hook, line, and sinker. After reading the story, my heart felt both uplifted and bittersweet. There are important lessons on identity and grief that the author touches upon with such a careful and inspiring hand. I cannot give enough praise for this graphic novel and very much recommend it to anyone, regardless of your preferred genre. You will not regret picking up this read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

The art in this is so lovely and it is a very poignant narrative about dealing with grief. It did seem a bit rushed on the magical elements, but they were indeed fun!

What a beautifully queer and magical story! This graphic novel is about love, grief, family, friendship, and memories. It truly moved me as the stunning art was paired with gorgeous prose. I loved how the magical and whimsical elements just felt natural in this story. It also made me miss my own Grandma. I could read this one over and over again. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Fanfare for an arc, all opinions are my own.

This was such a lovely, refreshing story about grief. I think the fantasy elements were very fun and added to the themes/vibes though I personally wish we learned a bit more about the fallen stars (mostly because I LOVED the way they were drawn and wanted to see more of them). Also, overall the art was so breathtaking.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Kids for early copy for review*

This was such a beautiful journey in grief. I loved the art style in this. It worked so well and felt so magical. This would be perfect to give a child going through a loved one's death for the first time. To be able to talk about the grieving process and what happens after.

4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Kids for the ARC of On Starlit Shores! My 10 year old read this book with me and has reviewed it in their words:

“I thought this book was really, really, really good. I loved that it had Selkies in it—I had read about them in another book before, so it was super cool to see them again here in a different way. I really like magical creatures, and this story made them feel real and special.

The book is also about a girl named Alex who is really sad because someone she loves is gone. It made me think about how hard it can be when you miss someone, and how sometimes you feel like you’re carrying a big, heavy feeling inside. But even though it was sad sometimes, it also made me feel hopeful—like things can get better when you talk to people or go on adventures, or even just when you remember the people you miss in a special way.

The setting was really magical too. I could picture the ocean and the stars and the quiet little town so clearly, especially because the illustrations were amazing. They were full of color and emotion, and they made the story come to life even more.

I think this book is perfect if you like stories with adventure, feelings, magic, and creatures like Selkies. It made me feel a lot of things, and I didn’t want to stop reading. I think a lot of kids would really like it—even if it makes you a little sad sometimes, it also makes you feel warm and brave by the end.”

Beautiful graphic novel and beautiful story covering grief, hope, and a bit of magic all mixed up into one. The ending of this story, although bittersweet, leaves you feeling cozy and hopeful. I would love more stories set in the little town of Indigo Harbor!

This was a magical realism graphic novel about grief. Alex’s grandmother has died so she has to go pack up her house. This takes her in a journey of discovery dnd exploring her young life and also who her grandmother really was. This was moving and beautiful and the illustrions were fantastic.

I always appreciate books that can honestly depict the many aspects of grief and mourning. The addition of magic in this story makes for a more unique twist on how it feels to leave where you grew up, move away from loved ones, and have regrets about time not spent together. Though the art is very pretty and the color palette suits the story well, I thought the illustrations felt a bit stiff at times.

Books that explore grief usually hit me hard!! but unfortunately this one fell a bit flat for me. I think there was just too much going on for such a short story That the emotional beats didn’t have enough room to fully land. That said, the artwork was absolutely gorgeous!!

This was a beautiful graphic novel - the art itself was beautiful, but the story as well. I enjoyed reading through the processing of grief as well as the taste of magic throughout the book. I felt like it was lacking a little with how the magic fully ties into the grandmother as it feels like some details were missing, but overall it was a good novel. Again, the graphics were SO beautiful.

3.5 stars for me - rounded down to 3 as it wasn't quite a 4 for me.