Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is a little different from what I usually read of late but when I saw the praise even from Oprah, I knew I needed to read this book. I have read several of her recommendations over the years.

Avery Delacorte and Colin Shea are on their college swim team, acquaintances not friends. They and one other team member are on a plane heading to Massachusetts from California for their holiday break. Shortly after takeoff the plane starts to malfunction and crash lands in a lake in the Rocky Mountains. Surviving the crash using their athleticism and swimming talents they are able to rescue a woman and 3 little boys. They know they are going to have to work together to survive until help can come.

The story rotates back and forth in time, after the crash and after the rescue with Avery telling the story so readers know she does survive. It is an extraordinary story about what it took to survive, but recovering after they are rescued is much harder on Avery even though Colin was the one more physically injured. As the story continues we finally find out why.

This is an adventure novel in that is was adventure to survive the crash and persevere until they are rescued but it a gripping suspense novel and an emotional roller coaster read as well. A life changing experience that will keep you up reading late into the night.

The characters are so realistic. Avery matures from a young college co-ed unsure of herself to a confident young woman when faced with a do or die situation and then reverts back to the young adult she truly is as she tries to understand and deal with the trauma. Her father was tough on her while growing up and the skills he taught her proved to be very valuable. After he needs to be tough with her again so she can find her way back to the life she was meant to live.

It is classified by some as a coming of age/young adult story, Kells has kept the romantic and traumatic situations age appropriate for that, but older adult readers like me will find this a compelling read as well. That is why I classify it more Women’s Fiction with Suspense/Romance as sub-genres.

I have to mention this is Claire Kells debut novel so she is an author to watch. This story was incredible and she has a clear voice. I hope she has another story coming out soon.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is a little different from what I usually read of late but when I saw the praise even from Oprah, I knew I needed to read this book. I have read several of her recommendations over the years.

Avery Delacorte and Colin Shea are on their college swim team, acquaintances not friends. They and one other team member are on a plane heading to Massachusetts from California for their holiday break. Shortly after takeoff the plane starts to malfunction and crash lands in a lake in the Rocky Mountains. Surviving the crash using their athleticism and swimming talents they are able to rescue a woman and 3 little boys. They know they are going to have to work together to survive until help can come.

The story rotates back and forth in time, after the crash and after the rescue with Avery telling the story so readers know she does survive. It is an extraordinary story about what it took to survive, but recovering after they are rescued is much harder on Avery even though Colin was the one more physically injured. As the story continues we finally find out why.

This is an adventure novel in that is was adventure to survive the crash and persevere until they are rescued but it a gripping suspense novel and an emotional roller coaster read as well. A life changing experience that will keep you up reading late into the night.

The characters are so realistic. Avery matures from a young college co-ed unsure of herself to a confident young woman when faced with a do or die situation and then reverts back to the young adult she truly is as she tries to understand and deal with the trauma. Her father was tough on her while growing up and the skills he taught her proved to be very valuable. After he needs to be tough with her again so she can find her way back to the life she was meant to live.

It is classified by some as a coming of age/young adult story, Kells has kept the romantic and traumatic situations age appropriate for that, but older adult readers like me will find this a compelling read as well. That is why I classify it more Women’s Fiction with Suspense/Romance as sub-genres.

I have to mention this is Claire Kells debut novel so she is an author to watch. This story was incredible and she has a clear voice. I hope she has another story coming out soon.

All Avery wanted to do, all she has trained for is competitive swimming. Coming back, the plane she is on goes down in the Rockies Mountains, with a fellow swimmer and Olympic hopeful Colin. They survive and are able to save three very young boys. For fice days, in freezing temps, with Colin injured, they manage to stay alive and keep the small boys alive as well.

After the event and the rescue it is apparent that what the media believes happened is not all that happened. A good look at PTSD as Avery tries to regain her life in the water and out. Her character is what drew me to this book, her character and all her doubts, faults and fears make her a very real person to relate to. Also, loved that not only was this an adventure story but a poignant one, showing how close a serious incident can draw people together for the longest time. Loved the ending and the peace she makes with herself and her fellow survivors. The ending a bit predictable but fitting after everything Avery goes through, A good first book and definitely a writer to watch.

ARC from publisher.

Great book! Compelling story that kept me turning pages late into the night and early morning hours. The characters are likeable and genuine, their tale raw and heartbreaking. Told in a before and after storyline, Kells has a wonderful way with words, vividly haunting descriptions, and the medical knowledge to accompany a believable scenario. So believable, in fact, I actually had to take a reading break and allow my mind to catch up with my racing heart. 

 

Avery is on her way home for Thanksgiving holidays. Flying from California to Boston, she would like nothing more than complete solitude on a relaxing flight. A quick look around reveals that her bad luck has placed her near three little boys and the one person she did not want to be seated next to. Collin Shea is a teammate on Avery's college swim team. Something about Collin has always made her jittery. Turns out, luck WAS on her side and sitting next to Collin Shea was Avery's saving grace. If you're going to crash over the Rockies in unforgiving terrain, you definitely want to have someone as strong, competent, and soothing as Collin. Only a few will survive this devastating crash and the weakened survivors will have to summon courage, overcome debilitating fears, and learn to trust one another in the most horrifying circumstances. Drowning in fear and faced with losing everything, Avery must swim for her life and those she's come to care about. 

 

Girl Underwater is easily one of the best books I've read so far this year. A few things I do have to mention, several of the characters were a bit too perfect, a few comments seemed trite, and there were some minor issues I had with conflict resolution  BUT this is fiction and when a story is written as well as this, I'm sometimes willing to forgive those teeny tiny things. As we like to say, I just couldn't put this one down. Completely entertaining and well worth the five stars it's receiving from me. FIST BUMP!

 

*Special thanks to Penguin's First to Read program for allowing me to guarantee a copy of Claire Kells most excellent book.

 

I'm digging this book. Really,  really good!!