Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're shining the late night book spotlight on a title set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY this Tuesday via Delacorte Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. It's a NEW Young Adult title that deals with some pretty heavy topics, doesn't sugar coat, and yet still reminds us that we're never truly alone, if only we'll reach out a hand. Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...
by
Nicole B. Tyndall
9780593127087
Delacorte Press
About the book…
Ever since her mom’s cancer scare, Hadley hasn’t been one for taking risks. And after seeing her sister go through one too many heartbreaks, she definitely has no interest in dating. Hadley just wants to keep her head down and enjoy the rest of high school with her friends, focusing on her photography and getting into the art school of her dreams.
Then enters Braden, star of the swim team and precisely the kind of person Hadley avoids, all bravado and charm and impulsivity. From their first moment together, they are perfect sparring partners, equally matched. And it’s intoxicating. Braden sees her, really sees her, and Hadley decides it might be time to break all her rules.
Braden shows Hadley how to live again, and soon Hadley is happier than she’ll ever admit out loud. But that’s before her family is faced with devastating news, and Braden starts hiding a growing, dark secret. As it threatens to shatter everything they’ve built, Hadley must confront her own actions and determine if she has the strength to walk away.
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Figuring out the meaning behind the title is half the fun. Coming Up for Air was such an easy one, or so you might think, considering the main leading male is a swimmer. Ah, but then you’d be judging things a bit too quickly…
Coming Up for Air comes into play SO MANY times in this novel, I'd almost lost track. First, the obvious one we mentioned because at some point, they do have to do that actual action. Second, it applies to Braden yet again in a life sense. Ever been told you take things too seriously? Yeah, well that was him and the swimming. I mean I get it...it was him working towards his goal of a scholarship based on his athletic talent; a totally worthy goal to say the least. The problem lies in that his focus was so laser, so single oriented that when things start messing with that direct path, he's not prepared to swerve. He takes on SO much and keeps holding his head high, so that while yes it looks like he's breathing easy, he's actually been holding his breath the whole time.
Then we have it in a life sense for our girl, Hadley. She's definitely been treading water, what with her family dealing with her mother's diagnosis and treatment. Add to that college entries, the current school year, and her new boyfriend, Braden. Yeah, okay spoiler alert there, but it's not really because it's pretty much the first thing that happens after we're introduced to the PRESENT and then the PAST. Anyway, why would she need to be coming up for air...especially in the last scenario. Ever get lost in someone? I mean to the point where we don't know where you end and they begin? Yeah, it hits our girl hard, the love bug that is, but there's something else. His problems become her problems and she feels guilty, as if she added to his problems, and that just snowballs from there until it all falls apart, rather spectacularly, and heartbreakingly all at the same time.
So you see, the titles applies several times over and in many ways, but in the end, they all add up to taking a moment in your life to actually BREATHE. It's never too late to change course, and the bumps in the road or rough water we encounter are meant for us to grow from and overcome, but if ever they feel like TOO much, there's no harm in reaching out for a helping hand. In the end, the story kept me pulled in,while the heady topics came as somewhat of a surprise, but I have to admit, as dark as some things get, I appreciated the way the author handled a topic so large and yet so meaningful.
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About the author...
Nicole grew up in a small town in Michigan and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, Matt. When she’s not reading or writing, Nicole can be found cooking in her tiny apartment, trying to collect stamps on her passport, or laughing with her lifelong girlfriends.
Visit Nicole online at nicolebtyndall.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @nicolebtyndall.
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Special thanks to Joey at Random House Children’s Books for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to release this Tuesday (December 15th, 2020), so mark your calendar or pre order your copy today!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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