Breathing Underwater a Review

 

Image copied from NetGalley

This contemporary young adult novel by Abbey Nash revolves around Tess, a competitive swimmer who is set to go to Nationals with her high school team when tragedy strikes. At a party with friends, Tess experiences a seizure and nearly drowns. Afterwards, she finds out that it was more than a fluke. In fact, she is diagnosed with epilepsy, something that could put an end, not only to competing with her team, but to her swimming career entirely. Even worse, her seizure costs Tess her summer job lifeguarding, to new guy Charlie, and puts a strain on her relationship with her best friend Mackenzie (Mac). A wedge that only continues to grow as Mac seems more interested in hanging out with teammate and popular mean girl, Rachel, than with Tess. 

Breathing Underwater was a slow read for me, at first. Even though the inciting incident that changes everything in the story happens early on, Tess's singular focus on swimming and nothing else made it hard for me to immediately empathize with her. I did feel bad that she and Mac seem to be having some trouble even before Tess has her seizure. However, as she faces one hurdle after another and gets to know Charlie, her new neighbor, I felt myself being pulled into this story. 

I found the characters to all be well drawn and Tess's reaction, to what she sees as her body's betrayal, very believable and genuine. I appreciated that Nash does this with sensitivity and heart. A story like this one could easily become an angst ridden one with a main character that either lashes out at everyone in anger or wallows in self-pity. But Nash creates a realistic three-dimensional character in Tess, who fluctuates between fear, uncertainty, anger and the pain of disappointment, feeling like she won't ever live up to her full potential or achieve her dreams. Likewise, Tess's interactions with Mac, her family and with Charlie all add layers to the story making it a compelling read. The more I got to know her and the other characters the more I found myself unable to put it down. I especially loved the banter and flirting that goes on between Tess and Charlie as their romance develops. Not only does he become a good friend to her, but the attraction between them has a slow sweet build as their first love blossoms. Charlie also carries some secret pain and disappointments of his own that add intrigue to the story. In the midst of all of this, Nash gives us a nice time clock that intensifies the pace as the Nationals approach and we are left wondering if Tess will still be able to achieve her dream of competing and securing a scholarship at the college she has always hoped to attend. All in all, I would give this 4 out of 5 stars since it did take me a bit longer to be drawn into the story. However, that could also be because I am reading it from an adult perspective. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy contemporary young adult fiction that has a slow burn style element of romance. It is a stand alone book as well, which may appeal to some readers who prefer that to series fiction. Breathing Underwater also has a premise I haven't seen a lot in YA fiction since it involves a character who is struggling to adapt to having a serious disorder that could throw all of her aspirations completely off course. Added to that this cover design is gorgeous. If any or all of these things appeal to you as a reader then definitely put this one on your want to read list. Its publication date is March 5, 2024. I was fortunate to receive a free, digital advanced reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

Stayed tuned for my reviews for next month's reads. February's theme will be romance and mystery. My first book on my list to review will be Murder Most Owl a cozy mystery by Sarah Fox. It will be another NetGalley read. Below is a short blurb to wet your appetite. As always, please feel free to leave a comment with book reading recommendations.

The first in the enchanting new Magical Menagerie Mystery series where things are not always what they seem. Georgie Johansen returns to the charming, coastal town of Twilight Cove and quickly finds herself in a whirlwind of romance, magic and murder!

It's been years since screenwriter Georgie Johansen last visited her aunt Olivia's farm in the coastal town of Twilight Cove and things have certainly changed. First of all it's now an animal sanctuary, and then there's the new farmhand who's as mysterious as he is handsome. Her first day on the farm, Georgie encounters the eccentric Dorothy Shale, an older woman who lives in a cabin in the woods. There are rumours that Dorothy's a witch, but Georgie doesn't believe that. Although, Dorothy does have an unusual magical presence around her . . .

When Dorothy ends up murdered, suspicion falls on Georgie - she was the one who found the poor woman's body, and being new in town doesn't help with the suspicion. Things only get worse when it turns out that Dorothy left her valuable plot of land to Auntie O!

Georgie must act fast to clear her and her aunt's names by finding the real killer. But as bodies start to mount up, the pressure rises. With the help of the unusual powers of Dorothy's two dogs and great-horned owl, can Georgie uncover the truth before she becomes the killer's next target?

Image and description for this novel copied from NetGalley.com

A first book review of the year...

 

Image copied from Goodreads

So, for my first book review of the year, I'd like to talk about 2023's National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature, the graphic memoir, A first time for everything by Dan Santat. This memoir for middle grade readers, which are readers aged 8-13 years, is a story about Dan's summer adventures in Europe. After enduring a very embarrassing and painful experience at a middle school assembly the end of his eighth grade year, Dan is left dreading high school, or having to ever go back to school at all really. His mother, however, signs him up to go on a trip to Europe with the very teacher who set him up to give that terrifying speech in front of the entire junior high. As you can imagine, he is not optimistic this trip abroad is going to go well. But what unfolds is a story not just of self-discovery but of first love. Santat, in his author's note, even credits the kernel of the idea for this graphic memoir coming from questions one of his daughters asked him about who his first love was. 

As a Gen Xer, I could very much relate to Santat's memories of life in 1989 when the story takes place. Like him, I was at that awkward stage of life between junior high and high school. I still remember some of the horrors I endured as a shy teen trying to stay small, invisible to avoid social catastrophe. Unfortunately, I wasn't always successful. Sometimes because kids are just mean, sometimes from the actions of well-intentioned but clueless adults. However, this is simply my perception of the story as an adult looking back. For a kid in this age range today, I can only imagine that despite the large gap in years between then and now, the experiences and friendships that Dan narrates in the book are still very universal. In fact, going through some of the reviews on Amazon, it was nice to read that the boys who asked for their parents to buy this book devoured it in a few days time, giving up time playing video games to instead read. 

But one of the joys of reading this book is the fact that it appeals to boys as well as girls. That it is a memoir not only of words but of amazing artwork that visually takes its reader on this journey with Dan. As you read it, you often forget when it is taking place and instead are immersed in what is taking place. It is a very talented artist indeed who can engage their audience so thoroughly that they forget everything else in the pages of a book. Another thing I loved about its execution, was the fact that not only were there pictures of Dan and the real friends he traveled with in the back of the book, but there was also a picture of a mixed tape with a QR code that readers could scan to listen to the music from the tape as they read. I did this as I read the last half of the book. It allowed for a more fun and immersive experience as well as even more of a trip down memory lane as I listened to hits from Madonna, Michael Jackson, Talking Heads, and the Cure to name a few.

The honor of winning the National Book Award is well deserved, even though this past year's shortlist of finalists was impressive and diverse. This memoir holds its own among the other contenders for the prize because it speaks to the heart of anyone who reads it about the universal experiences of growing up, finding one's place, and discovering who we are and who we want to be as we move into adulthood. It spans the gaps between generations both young and old and, I think, will be a graphic memoir that will stand the test of time. I look forward to reading and seeing more stories and artwork from this remarkable talent and I encourage anyone who has a young person, maybe even one who is a reluctant reader, to check out this book. It will be well worth your time.

For those interested below is a link of Dan Santat reading a excerpt of his book at the National Book Awards ceremony as well as a link for his acceptance speech when he was announced as the 2023 winner. 

Dan Santat Reading His Work 

Dan Santat National Book Award Acceptance Speech

My next review will be of a contemporary young adult novel set to come out in March 2024 called Breathing Underwater by Abbey Lee Nash. 

 

Description

In this slice-of-life, sensitively written novel, a teen girl grapples with a sudden epilepsy diagnosis, all while figuring out a new crush and an uncertain future.

Tess lives for swimming. In the water, she’s truly alive. It’s the rest of her life—one of demanding grades, anxious parents, and a newly distant best friend—where she’s holding her breath.

Until tragedy strikes. Suddenly, Tess’s health and her future are full of uncertainty. Her summer before senior year is now one of doctor visits, missed swim practices, and a job stuck behind a counter—not sitting high in the lifeguard chair like every summer before. Instead, her spot goes to new guy Charlie. Although his messy hair and laid-back demeanor catch Tess’s attention, this isn’t really the time. She’s in danger of losing the very college swim scholarship she’s worked so hard to secure. She’s got to focus on getting back in the pool—and on getting back to herself.

Lyrically and sensitively written, Breathing Underwater is a slice-of-life story with depth, exploring topics like epilepsy, inclusivity in student athletics, changing friendships, and the power of love and community. With warmth and wit, Abbey Lee Nash has crafted a moving portrait of a teen girl’s journey to self-acceptance and life on her own terms. 

This description and cover image was copied from NetGalley where I was generously provided an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.

A Year in Books

 

Photo by İrem Karakaş : https://www.pexels.com

It has been a minute since I posted anything on my blog. But I am determined, this year, to

be better about posting stuff to my blog. So, I've updated my look and I've come up with a focus for this year's posts. Since I am still in the process of working on building my own publication credits, this year's focus for my blog will be a year in books. By that I mean that I will be reviewing books that I've read throughout the year and posting reviews to this blog. Each month I hope to have a theme for the types of books I'll be reading and reviewing. The goal here is that every two weeks I will be posting a review on a book. That way I will have two weeks to read and then review each book. We will see how things go. It may be that I have to adjust my timeline as I go and only post a review of one book per month. We will see. But for this month's theme I am going to focus on reviewing young adult or middle grade books. I have one book already done and ready for a review. I hope to begin another book soon. 

But first I'd like to talk about some memorable books that I read in 2023 to start things off. First off, I discovered some authors that I have really come to love in terms of fantasy series. I started off the year reading Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim which led to me reading all of the duologies in this world. They are wonderful fairy tale retellings that incorporate both European and Asian Pacific influences in their retellings. They are truly lovely in terms of plot and prose. If you love young adult fantasy adventure with new spins on fairy tales of old, you will enjoy her books. Another author I really enjoyed in fantasy for 2023 were several works by T. Kingfisher, namely her novel Swordheart and her more recent novella Thornhedge. One is an original fantasy revolving around a magical sword and the other is a subversion of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Other wonderful fantasy series by authors I discovered this year are the Vine Witch series of books by Luanne G. Smith, wonderful for those who like alternate history, magical realism style fantasy, the Legends and Lattes series by Travis Baldree, a great series if you like Dungeons and Dragons themed books, and the first book in the Emily Wilde series, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett, which is a historical fantasy. All of these books were ones I rated 4 or 5 stars out of a 5 star rating. 

For romances, I enjoyed reading more Emily Henry, my favorite of hers that I read this summer was Beach Read. It is sort of an enemies to lovers style book, but it also deals with working through grief and starting over. Her books always have wonderful characters and humor along with of course, romance. Other romances I read and enjoyed were rereads of some of my favorite Nora Roberts trilogies, including the Gallaghers of Ardmore series as well as some rom-coms in a Renaissance Faire setting by Jen Deluca starting with the first in the series, Well Met.

For mystery and suspense some of my faves this past year were more Bibliophile Mysteries by Kate Carlisle. They revolve around book lover Brooklyn Wainwright who makes her living restoring rare books but who also gets caught up in solving murders. For those interested, the first in that series is Homicide in Hardcover. Other mysteries I enjoyed are the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano about a writer and recent divorcee who is mistaken as being a hitwoman. Naturally, hijinks ensue in this comedy of errors style mystery. The first in the series is entitled Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

And finally, in terms of nonfiction a compelling memoir that I read near the end of this year was Educated by Tara Westover. I'll admit this is not one I would have chosen on my own to read. It was a book club selection. But I did find it compelling and one that stayed with me as I was reading and after I'd finished it. It could be a triggering book for those who have had trauma from physical or emotional abuse as the book does deal with both. But it is a very well-written book about a woman overcoming unbelievable odds to become not only a very well-educated woman, but one brave enough to reinvent herself.

Admittedly, few of the books I've mentioned in this list are new publications, a few are, but most are not. However, most of them were new to me and I would highly recommend any of them. Hopefully this broad range of genres will inspire some of you to find your next favorite read for this year. 

As for my first read and review that I'll be giving for this month's theme, I'll be talking about Dan Santat's graphic novel memoir, A First Time for Everything. It was the 2023 National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature. I will say here and now that this honor was well deserved. 

Image copied from Goodreads

As for my second pick for the month, I am still debating, but one that I am seriously considering is a young adult fantasy adventure that I found on NetGalley entitled The Ascenditure by Robyn Dabney and set to come out in May 2024. 

How about you? Any books that stood out to you that you'd recommend from last year? Any books you'd like to recommend I read for this year? Feel free to share any recommendations for favorite reads in the comments.