About the Book
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
DiveSmack was completely not what I expected and in such wonderful ways. This thriller is about a boy who has lost his parents and is trying to get through his teenage life. He is a star on the diving team and the book centers around his love for diving, but also his struggles reflecting on his deceased parents.
Theo is a spectacular main character, the author put so much work into making him real that the reader is invested in his journey every step of the way. He has likes and dislikes and read struggle and emotions throughout the whole book. It set the stage for the crazy, exhilarating ride that came out of the plot.
This book had me all over the place - I had no idea where it was going to lead and that is ac accomplishment on the authors part. There is a lot of focus on Theo's life in the beginning, we learn about him and his family and the accidents, and his diving life and this gently pushes us into more serious stuff. Theo feels like he is starting to lose his mind slowly as memories come back to him from his PTSD over the accident his mother died in and he is trying to seek help, although it is not going as planned.
Overall this book was very well written and the way the story built itself up was a lot of fun to read. It kept my attention the whole way through and that ending?! Oh my gosh it was SO epic and good, it is not what I expected and the build up was perfect.
If you are looking for a Young Adult psychological thriller this is a great one!
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
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
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