Abloom

Laurel is a twelve-year-old girl living a normal life, but that life is turned upside down the day her mother mysteriously disappears. After a year of denial and hopelessness, Laurel is slowly digging herself out of her depression. A feat that would have been impossible if it weren't for her best friend, Maggie, who insists on dragging Laurel out of her isolation with the everyday troubles of a typical twelve-year-old girl; sleepovers, secret crushes, trying to fit in, avoiding bullies and leaving her beloved elementary school behind and heading off to the ever daunting junior high.
Maggie is adamant that they enjoy this last carefree summer, while everything is still familiar. They plan on lazy days on the beach, wake boarding at the lake and trips to the ocean, however, her summer plans take a sudden detour when Laurel receives a life-altering note from the most unlikely of sources - her mother. The note leaves Laurel with an alarming feeling of hope and desperation as the world she knows is suddenly unfamiliar and more dangerous than she could ever possibly imagine.
Abloom is the first book in the Tale of Fairies series. It's an exciting book that is appropriate not only for middle grade readers, but readers of all ages. It's full of likable, relatable characters dealing with the normal every day troubles of twelve-year-olds (on the verge of teendom) while also dealing with the hidden world of fairies, goblins and other fantastic fairy tale creatures!