Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf: Blog Tour: Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky

Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky
Publisher: TorTeen
Release Date: June 19, 2018
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: eARC provided by author in exchange for a review

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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.

Review:

Dive Smack caught my attention as soon as I read the synopsis. I wanted to know more about Theo. Did he truly kill his mother? Was there more to the story than he realized? And what secrets was his family keeping? Those were just some of the questions swirling around in my head.

The result? Dive Smack was a slam dunk. Thrilling as well as dark, Dive Smack is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers.

Dive Smack introduces Theo, a high school student. Over the past few years, Theo has faced many ups as well as downs. While he's well known for his swimming skills, he's also well known for his family's twisted history. First his mother dies in a fire and then his father dies while driving. From the first page I was captured by Theo's voice. There was something about it that grabbed me. I loved the casual, talkative feel to the narrative, and I also liked that Theo was flawed. On one side he's the typical teenager - nervous to ask the girl of his dreams out, scared about loosing his top spot on the swim team, and dreading a group project. However, on the other side, he's dealing with the emotional drama his parent's deaths brought to the table as well as the guilt that comes along too. I wanted nothing more than for Theo to move past the accident. It broke my heart that he felt so responsible, so guilty. I also liked seeing Theo's relationships with the other characters bloom over the course of the book. I adored his best friend, and I loved how authentic their scenes felt. Demetra made their friendship incredibly believable. I also liked Iris, Theo's love interest/family history project partner. She had a lot of spunk to her.

Dive Smack primarily focuses on the mystery surrounding Theo's family. I always felt like there was more to the Theo's mom's accident than was let on, and I loved seeing Demetra and Theo dig further into that. There was always an exciting twist or turn to push the book along. I also enjoyed the focusing on swimming. It was always interesting to see Theo nerd out over swimming.

Filled with twists, turns, and some hilariously awkward moments, Dive Smack is sure to win over many readers this summer.

4 stars!!

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. Dive Smack, her debut novel, is dedicated to Pumpkin, the monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death. Once you read the book, you’ll understand why. She is a first generation Greek-American and a member of International Thriller Writers. Dive Smack is a 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection.