Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen (June 19, 2018)
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
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY
Praise for DIVE SMACK
"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
My thoughts:
Theo feels responsible for his mothers death, after all he did light the match, and he sorta feels responsible for his fathers one too, he had a heart attack while driving and Theo thinks it was from the stress of losing his mother in the fire. But he can't remember exactly what happened that night!
When he is assigned a family history project and starts to delve deeper into his past, things start coming back to him in pieces and he realises that some things are better left locked away.
I have zero knowledge about diving or anything related to swimming, I'm actually quite afraid of water, but this sounded too good to pass up, so I eagerly dived in when I got it. This was a truly surprising read!! Its chock full of suspense, family drama, and twists and turns. It was actually a shock to see that this was a debut author because it was so well written and developed. You can usually tell when a book is the authors first one, but not so here.
The plot was fast paced and exciting. The author put a lot of research into diving and everything that comes with it, and it showed. She explained everything just enough so as not to get bogged down in excess terms, and not to make it too boring. It was the perfect blend of sports and suspense.
The characters were all well developed. Theo did a lot of growing during the book and I really liked his character. He has a lot to deal with and instead of putting his grief into something destructive, he embraces his love of diving. His best friend Chip was awesome too!!!
In all, this was a great read. It was fast paced, entertaining and held my attention till the end. I'm thinking we can expect great things from this author and I look forward to more from her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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.
PHOTO CONTENT FROM DEMETRA BRODSKY
WEBSITE: https://www.demetrabrodsky.com/
TWITTER: @demetrabrodsky
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15852879.Demetra_Brodsky
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INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/demebrodsky
--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
- 5 Winners will receive a Copy of DIVE SMACK by Demetra Brodsky.
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