Member Reviews
The story revolves around a teenage girl named Brynn who is shipped off to live with her dad after her mom saw a concerning post she wrote on her blog. They banned her phone and internet access so what else is there to do but befriend a local ghost and try to figure out what happened to her.
I feel like the genre of this book comes closer to magic realism and coming of age rather than mystery. While the synopsis did intrigue me in the first place, I was definitely pleasantly surprised it also had those elements because I enjoy those genres. I think this is one of the rare books, especially aimed at teens, that does such a good job on actually capturing how paralyzing anxiety and intrusive thoughts can be without glossing over or romanticizing anything. I’m always in awe when someone manages to put certain experiences into words which I feel like the author did so well when it came to Brynn’s’ introspection. It was really relatable and it hit close to home.
I’m giving it 4/5 mostly because it was a bit of a slow start for me and I had a hard time getting into it. Some of that might be due the fact I had different set of expectations based on the tags and the synopsis but I wasn’t disappointed with the way it turned out, it just doesn’t really fit into a mystery or a thriller category because it takes from overall message of the book. I do think it was very refreshing and a beautiful read tho.
I had some of these experiences as a kid. Oh man, READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS.
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the ARC.
3.75 ⭐️
When I first opened The Immeasurable Depth of You, I wasn’t in a good headspace so I closed it and came back to it later. And I’m so glad I did. This book was raw and real, and discussed the effects of grief and mental health in a wonderful way.
Brynn is fifteen and trying to figure out herself and manage her debilitating anxiety disorder. When I was fifteen, I was going through the same thing and I wish this book had been out then for me. I felt so seen in the way anxiety was depicted and how you want the best for everyone but yourself, even if that thought is irrational.
I truly enjoyed reading Brynn’s story and seeing how she navigated being a child of divorce, grieving someone she’d never met, and learning how to live in the moment even when it’s scary.
As many other reviewers have mentioned, this isn't really a thriller or a romance, but it's a stunning, if deeply intense, coming-of-age story about family, mental illness, and (to a lesser extent) sexuality. It's a lot, for sure, but it's a really great, needed book.
This was an emotional book focusing on mental health concerns. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book. Although it wasn't for me on this occasion, I think other readers will find it rewarding and enjoyable.
This book definitely had me crying in some parts. I think you would enjoy the book more if you did not go into it with many expectations of a mystery or having a romantic subplot. This book really focuses on mental health and family relationships. It looks at the consequences of actions and parents who have children who have mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. Brynn was such a strong character and I just wanted to hug her in many instances. It was nice to see her open up more to her parents and other characters. I think I would read from this author again.
Thank you so much, Maria Ingrande Mora, Peach Tree Teen, & NetGalley for sending me an E-ARC to read and review! 💕💕💕
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was so beautifully written and I think it will stick with me for a while. This book is set in the summer and reading it made me feel like it was summer and not January! The descriptions in this book are so vivid and make you feel like you are there experiencing it for yourself. At times it felt like the main character Brynn was in my head and I was in hers. I saw a lot of reviews stating that this book is definitely written for teenagers. (which um yeah it's a YA book). But I related a LOT to Brynn and honestly forgot she was only 15 during the book. So I’m not sure if I just have the mind of a 15-year-old still or what. (I'm about to turn 20). Anyways, I digress. I really enjoyed that Brynn was bisexual and confident in her sexuality. It wasn't a coming to terms with your sexuality novel and I really enjoyed that. Another complaint I saw was that this book was mismarketed as a queer romance. And I agree there. There isn't any romance happening in this book, rather Brynn just has crushes (both girls and boys). I feel like this book is a glimpse into the life of Brynn. It shows her adapting to a new environment and dealing with the fears and anxieties that come with it. Brynn is a strong main character and despite what she goes through she makes it out to the other end. Throughout there is a feeling of mystery as Brynn discovers the truth about a girl she meets. I thought the ending was really well created and it left me satisfied. Overall, I would highly recommend it to anyone interested!
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This book does contain some triggers surrounding mental health, so please research those before reading. Another warning I wanted to give was the event of having to evacuate for a hurricane. I was so emersed in this book that I too felt like there was a hurricane in my immediate vicinity. As someone with extreme weather anxiety and trauma, I just wanted to let y’all know.
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The Immeasurable Depth of You, by Maria Ingrande Mora, comes out March 21st!
This was a DNF for me. The writing was good, the story didn't pull me in and I read a little over 20% of the story before I finally decided to file it as a "Did Not Finish." Would be open to trying to author at another time, but would probably want to read a first chapter before deciding if I would want to request the book.
"The bayou held a secret—a secret only for me. A secret—a wicked smile—I longed for."
I received and eARC of The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora from Peachtree Teen in exchange for an honest review. Here we go!
📖 Brynn is terrified of death and yet she sees it everywhere. When her mother finds a blog post that highlights this obsession, she decides that maybe it's time for Brynn to spend time with her father. Her father who lives in a houseboat on the bayou with no phone or internet.
Stuck with her father who she hardly knows and without her friends who know her best, Brynn is prepared for a dull summer. Until she meets Skylar who is confident and alive in ways Brynn fears she will never be. Skylar who is trapped in the bayou. Skylar who Brynn may or may not have a crush on. Brynn is determined to help save her new friend - even if she's afraid the whole time. 📖
I'll be honest that I'm struggling with how to rate this book. Overall it felt a bit forgettable and overdone for me, but there were some little hints of greatness. I think I'll focus on those.
- the anxiety representation was on point, like I felt some of those moments in my soul
- all the ambiguous vibes
- messy and complicated family dynamics
So, yeah. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this one, but if YA magical realism/mysteries are your thing then maybe The Immeasurable Depth of You is a book you should consider picking up! This one is out on March 7th if you want to give it a shot.
I think this was solid in the way it handled mental illness, but apart from that, it was kind of boring. I do think it would do better to the target audience (teens/YA) though.
The Immeasurable Depth of You catched my eye with gorgeous cover. And as with most of my NG arcs, I didn't read the blurb, rather jumped into the story with no expectations.
So did jump Brynn, into the Florida's swamps and lakes, relationship with long "lost" father after his divorce with mom and post-online era after one Tumblr post that changed everything. She's supposed to stay on father's houseboat for the summer, no Internet connection, no Internet friends. Brynn knows why and doesn't stand against it. She's aware why it has to be that way. It doesn't help that she's suffering from anxiety and a feeling that nobody understands what's happening with her. Especially when she looses her father's paddle and meets Skylar, a freckled girl in yellow swimsuit in the middle of the lake.
This book radiates a dense feeling of differency. It feels so real, despite supernatural elements of world-building – Maria Ingrade Mora writes as if they were inside the reader. Characters are flawed, but likeable, the plot is thickening until it's washed away by a hurricane. It's an essence of a silence before the storm, following Brynn's story, learning about her, understanding her. She's not an easy child, she knows that – but she's also not an average main character in a book about mental health. Mora understands perfectly how complicated and messy feelings may be, and describes them on point. Their story isn't what it seems at first glance, for better and for worse.
I've quite enjoyed this romance-not romance situation. I've loved the representation, with what grace it was handled. On some level this is another YA story about mental health and queer people, but in the same level it never meant to be one. It's not "A to B road", rather it catches you questioning: was any of it real? Did that really happened, or is it the consequence of such narration?
It's always surprising, when book for teens manages to get its way into my twenty-something yo heart. But I can't thank enough TIDoY for doing it.
This was such an amazingly beautiful read - I adored Brynn, she's so adorably awkward and (unlike most other forms of media) stays true to how a true teenager acts and feels and looks. Every single chapter just hits home with a raw and honest view on the true struggles anxiety, OCD and depression brings. I also loved Brynn's relationship with her parents, especially her dad was so heartbreakingly beautiful as they show their love in so many different ways whilst struggling with their own worries. The underlining ghost murder mystery was also incredibly intriguing and I did not guess the twists either. Overall I stayed hooked from page one and could barely put it down.
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of reading an ARC of "The Immeasurable Depth of You" by Maria Ingrande Mora. I LOVED this book so much, and am excited to get a physical copy this spring (March 7th, guys)!
Let's get into it. This book focuses on Brynn's summer away from "home". She's 15, comfortable with being bisexual (love that), and deathly afraid of... well.. most things (More on that later). After an unfortunate situation involving her blog, Brynn's mother starts fearing for her mental health and sends her to Florida to spend the summer in her dad's boat house. There she meets Skylar and gets into some misadventures.
*SPOILERS*
Skylar ends up being a ghost confined to her place of death- the mangroves surrounding the pier Brynn's dad has parked his house. While the whole city thinks Skylar has committed suicide, Brynn has the peculiar privilege of hearing first-hand from Skylar that she was murdered. The majority of the latter half of the book deals with Brynn on the hunt for Skylar's killer, and the aftermath of her discoveries.
Skylar is a great character overall but comes across as somewhat flat until the conclusion of the book. Brynn however is one of the best young adult MCs I've read in a while- I simultaneously related to her anxiety while also being frustrated endlessly with her. She's a perfect depiction of a teenager, and I think that makes this a great read for younger audiences. Her specific brand of anxiety (specifically fear of dying, creating heightened anxiety over injury and illness) is one I've dealt with since 2017, and this is the first time I've ever seen this represented in a book I've read. I get to live with this brand of anxiety as an adult, and can't begin to imagine how my life would have been had my anxiety come to fruition in my teenage years. I think this makes Brynn's bad attitude and inability to think ahead about her impact very believable.
This book is plot-light, with a small mystery at hand, but is very character driven. There's a lot of growth, a lot of touching moments, and a lot of sentiment. Make sure to check out the content warnings for this one!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and to the author for this card and cute stickers!
Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Things:
Brynn. Although I didn't like some of the things she did and said all the time, she was consistent and a fully formed character throughout the entire book. She gave this story real heart.
The setting. I moved from Florida to Michigan back in 2016 and this book brought Florida to life. "Florida felt like an armpit."
The depiction of Paula. It could have been so easy to manipulate Paula's character into another point of friction, but showcasing a stepmom (for all intents and purposes) in a positive light, and as a source of safety, is so REFRESHING.
The arc with Skylar's mom.
The writing in general.
Bones to Pick:
Skylar had mean-girl energy and truly frustrated me in ways that weren't always redeemed. While I do think her storyline resolved her of some blame, it still made me feel icky about her from time to time.
The promo discussions around this book feel a little misleading. I went into it expecting a love story, but love was actually not a big factor at all (sure, there were quite a few crushes). I would love the marketing to focus more on the coming-of-age part!
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While I enjoyed the description of Florida and discussions of mental health, I couldn't get interested in this story at all. It didn't feel like a romance or thriller for me and the pacing seemed off.
Reading about Brynn and her journey was a wonderful experience and I think it is an extremely important book for young girls out there. I am definitely not the the targeted age group for this book, so that did take a little away from the book but I know I would of loved it if I was 14-16 years old and I’m so glad it exists! There is some really important rep shown in this book and I think it was handled with care and made into a beautiful little book!
The Immeasurable Depth of You was an it's-not-you-it's-me book. It's been a while since I've felt so clearly the age difference between me and a protagonist, but there's something about the concerns this particular MC had that threw it into stark relief (for example, when Brynn was upset about being cut off from the internet for 4 months, I thought that would be utter bliss). This is why I'm not doing a full review, and won't be crossposting this to my blog, because I'm simply the wrong audience here. I had hoped that, having enjoyed Maria Ingrande Mora's debut, this book might buck the trend I'm seeing with me and YA. It didn't, but through no fault of its own. If you want your YA reads to contain a frank and yet very kind look at mental health, then this is the book for you. You have my blessing to ignore every other aspect of this review.
I just reviewed The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora. #TheImmeasurableDepthofYou #NetGalley
trigger warning: this content contains suicide, depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses that may cause discomfort to some readers. your mental health comes first.
15-year-old Brynn got sent to spend her vacation in Florida with her dad without electronic devices or the internet. What started off as a boring summer vacation for Brynn turned out to be filled with new friends, crushes, parental love, and learning to overcome fear and love yourself
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I related a lot to Brynn and her anxiety as well as Skylar's depression and suicide.
There was this one part of the book that got too real for me that I had to stop reading it for a while because it triggered me. But I still continued because I felt seen. I understood what these characters went through and I relate to them knowing that I'm not alone.
For anyone who needs help, whether it be you or your loved ones please used this lifeline:
1-800-273-8255 0r dial 988.
This book was not.what I expected.
Despite having teenage years similar to the protagonist i spent the first chapter cringing at the Tumblr or other fandom references. It could have been toned down since it definitely turned me off the book.
I really got into the ghost murder mystery plot line and at time it felt reminiscent of Far From You. While I was disappointed by its resolution, I understand that its meant to resonate with the mental health theme of the story. Although I did leave feeling like some things could have been better explored. I still don't understand why Skylar had to say she was murdered when she could have passed it off as an accident. No shame in that.
Since this is pushed as a sapphic book, do not be mistaken: there is no romance. Brynn is a bi teenage girl with anxiety, intrusive thoughts and OCD. She had a couple crushes during the story but the book is about her mental health
**Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Brynn is a 15 year old bisexual girl with anxiety, ADHD, and OCD. She often thinks about death and has intrusive, catastrophizing thoughts about all the ways she could suddenly die. So when she posts something to her Tumblr that concerns her nonbinary best friend Jordan, Jordan does what any good friend would do in that situation and shows it to her mom. As a result, Brynn is put on a technology detox for the summer, forced to stay with her estranged father that she hasn't seen in five years on his houseboat in the Florida bayou.
The description of this book is very misleading, as it makes it seem like this is a sapphic teen romance novel, but it is not. Skylar is actually dead (not really a spoiler since this is revealed pretty early on), and shortly after meeting her, Brynn develops a crush on her, despite the fact that Skylar isn't even nice to her. Once Brynn finds out Skylar is actually dead, she asks her about the details of her death, which she lies about, wasting Brynn's time by causing her to go on a wild goose chase about a murder that never took place. So to say that this a "mystery/thriller" isn't labeling it correctly either; there is no mystery. You keep waiting for Brynn to be right about what happened, but there is never a great reveal.
I relate a lot to Brynn, and that's why I wanted to read this after looking over the description. My whole childhood was anxiety, constantly worrying that I was going to die, living with intrusive thoughts, and feeling a lot of the physical symptoms she talks about. Some of it continues to this day. I have had people make light of my anxiety, brushing it off, just telling me to "stop worrying". I have also been in Jordan's shoes where I had a former best friend tell me over text she was purposely overdosing on her medication, and I immediately called her parents and told them. It's what you do when you care about people -- you want to keep them safe.
Brynn is a very deep, well-developed character, but the rest of the story just lacks intrigue.
I appreciate the approval to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion, but this book just wasn't for me.
I found the main character very annoying, he reminded me a bit of my 9 year old self, but Bryn is 15, so I don't know. As for the plot, I thought it was going to focus on Brynn's OCD, but then Skyler comes along. A girl, who Brynn later discovers is a ghost and not only that, but she was murdered. From then on I thought the book was going to be a mystery and everything pointed to the culprit of Skyler's death being Brynn's father (spoiler: she wasn't murdered but committed suicide).
I didn't understand if Brynn really invented Skyler or if she really saw ghosts because at the end her father tells her that sometimes he can feel her and that it's probably his imagination.