Above the East China Sea by Sarah Bird

This novel is about two girls looking for peace: present-day military brat, Luz, who recently lost her sister, and the ghost of Tamiko who died in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa. The current timeline is set during the three-day Obon festival, when relatives honor their deceased. As Luz digs deeper into her background, the two girls’ lives will intersect in an unexpected way.

This book started slow, then picked up speed. Bird writes beautiful descriptions of the island and really transports you into each time period. I enjoyed learning about a new culture. My eyes were a little blurry during the last chapter and it had a satisfying ending. This was an enjoyable and thoughtful novel about loss and the power of love.