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.

This book starts off feeling like a closely observed, sporty contemporary, featuring a beautifully drawn friendship that comes complete with shit-talking...but lurking under the surface, just waiting to suck you down, is a whole other world of paranormal weirdness. Buckle in, this ride is as wild as a drive with Theo's buddy Chip.

So, it’s a week after I finished Dive Smack and trying to put together coherent words is still a challenge. WHAT the heck when do I get my heart back?

Here’s what I loved about #DIVESMACK (basically everything):
1. Characters you can’t forget. Thrillers are at their best for me when they’re character first. When I’m looking for thrill, I want to be inside the character’s heads, feeling what they’re feeling, questioning what they’re questioning. Dive Smack puts the characters front and center; Theo’s voice is clear through the story.
2. An interesting parallel with diving and Theo’s life. Demetra starts every chapter with a dive term that directly correlates to the piece of the story that unfolds within. This adds intrigue and also builds the reader’s sense of what Theo is experiencing.
3. The build toward the unraveling. As the story progresses, you become completely unnerved. My skin was crawling all the way through the end.
4. Psychology that will make you rethink everything you knew. I can’t say a lot about how the psychological aspect of the story unfolds but you find out quickly that not everything is what it seems. It’s like not what you assume, either.
5. A satisfying ending. The end never felt rushed or unbelievable. I appreciate that my questions were answered!

PS - we all need a Chip in our lives. #YouGotThis <3

DIVE SMACK will flip you up and spin you around and deliver you into the unknown with a thrilling splash. Demetra Brodsky's YA debut is a page-turning story of memory, family, springboard diving, and fire with a dash of psychic ability and a refreshingly complex plot. I had the good fortune to read an early copy and I'm excited for Brodsky's debut to hit shelves this June!