Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Blog Tour Review: "Dive Smack" by Demetra Brodsky


First off, I want to wish a very happy release to this amazing book! I am thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for this book and can't wait to share it with you all! It was a fun, binge-worthy read that was perfect for reading at the pool during my breaks at work and late at night when I'm sitting alone in my dark house!



SYNOPSIS

Theo Mackey only remembers one thing for certain about the fire that destroyed his home: he lit the match.

Sure, it was an accident. But the blaze killed his mom and set his dad on a path to self-destruction. Everything else about that fateful night is full of gaping holes in Theo’s mind, for good reason. Maybe it’s better that way. As captain of the Ellis Hollow Diving Team, with straight A's and solid friends, he's only one semester away from securing a scholarship, and leaving his past behind.

But when a family history project gets assigned at school, new memories come rushing to the surface, memories that make him question what he really knows about his family, the night of the fire, and if he can trust anyone—including himself.

A 2018 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION



PRAISE + REVIEWS

"A tense psychological drama with a voice that pulls you in and a twist you won't see coming, Dive Smack is an instant Hitchcockian classic!" —Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten

"A twisty, witty thriller readers will love puzzling through to the very end. A visceral, delightful debut." —Carrie Mesrobian, author of William C. Morris award finalist Sex & Violence

"This riveting debut will plunge readers into an accelerating coil of twists and turns as if in free fall, plummeting them from a precipice as they cling to the dwindling hope of safe entry into the mysterious darkness below." —S.A. Bodeen, author of The Compound

"Brodsky’s debut combines an engaging school story, filled with best friend shenanigans, first love, and a fascinating look at competitive diving, with a tense psychological mystery." —Booklist

"In an impressive debut, Brodsky injects her teen drama with ambiguity, and a subtle hint of paranormal phenomena, leaving readers to guess at what’s really going on. Strong characters and a compelling mystery make this a real page-turner." —Publishers Weekly

"A taut thriller with a twist ending that will blow your mind." —Kim Liggett, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of The Last Harvest

"Complex, thrilling, and with a pitch-perfect narrative voice, Dive Smack will leave you on the edge of your seat and unable to put this one down." —C. Desir, author of Bleed Like Me

"Heartbreaking, human and heroic, Dive Smack is a Perfect 10!" —Karen LaFace, 1992 USA Olympic Springboard Diver

“A taut roller coaster of a thriller chock full of dark family secrets, twisty lies, and finally, the redeeming power of truth.” —Michelle Zink, author of This Wicked Game



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Demetra Brodsky


Demetra Brodsky is an award-winning graphic designer & art director turned writer. She has a B.F.A. from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design and lives in Southern California with her family of four and two lovable rescue dogs where she is always trying to make more time for the beach. Dive Smack is dedicated to Pumpkin, the monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death. Once you read the book, you'll understand why. 



CONNECT + WHERE TO ORDER

You can find ALL of Demetra's social media and connection links here as well as links for where to preorder her book from any retailer! There are also links to other goodies such as a Spotify playlist, the Pinterest inspiration board for this book, podcasts, excerpts, and more! Her Twitter is located here



MY REVIEW

And now we're on to my personal thoughts on the book! I will be posting a super in depth review later on in the week, but for now here are my main, spoiler-free thoughts! 

As I said before, I thought that this book was fun and binge-worthy. I went into this book knowing that the author had called it "Riverdale meets Mara Dyer" and "Teen Wolf meets E. Lockhart," which, if you know me at all, you know that Teen Wolf is my absolute favorite show. I went in with high expectations and I did not get disappointed.

The writing style was so easy to follow and I never felt a disconnect because of the writing. I thought the characters were fun and multi-dimensional. I really connected with Theo because we do have some shared personal experiences and I liked seeing those portrayed. From the start of the book, I was in love with all of the puns that were used, especially between Chip and Theo. I loved their relationship in this book especially. 

Being a part of the swimming and diving community for over 8 years, I was both excited and skeptical about the competitive diving aspects of this book. I was pleased with how it was handled. Obviously, there were small things that just came down to wording that didn't match up with my experiences, but the overall portrayal of diving and swimming was very well done. 

This is definitely a book that pulls you in. I was very happy with it and I enjoyed how it went from an average high-school novel into a twisting psychological thriller. I can honestly say that this is one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time. 



GIVEAWAY

Hardcover copy of DIVE SMACK by Demetra Brodsky & Prize pack of necklace, bracelet, signed bookmark, & signed book plate! US only, ends 6/26.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog tour stop! If you would like to continue following this tour, you can find the schedule here!
xoxo
Lauren



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