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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Underwater was an okay book. It didn't really make an impression on me and if I wasn't catching up on reviews today.. well, I probably would've scrolled right past this and kept on writing.
Morgan was an okay character. I don't really have anything positive or negative to say about her. Other than the fact that I felt bad for her throughout the book. Yet, she wasn't my favorite or really memorable to me. I did, however, like Evan's character but again, this book was just meh to me.
Speaking of these two, their relationship was enjoyable to read but I just couldn't get behind Morgan's character. The girl lives in so much fear every day that it was just exhausting to read about. I can't even imagine about living that way. Of course her reason to live in fear everyday isn't something to completely hate her for. She lived through something tragic, a school shooting. However, not moving on from the event or terrible memories of that day was just.. kind of annoying. It might've been the overall pace of the book.. but she just kept living in this forever nightmare day in and day out.
Morgan had people in her corner that were trying to help her move on from everything. I did like certain characters or situations in this book - but liking those few moments weren't going to make me fall in love with this book. Her secret was pretty interesting and definitely kept me reading it but once it was revealed.. again, I was just like okay. I moved on.
Overall, it could've been better in my eyes.
Morgan was an okay character. I don't really have anything positive or negative to say about her. Other than the fact that I felt bad for her throughout the book. Yet, she wasn't my favorite or really memorable to me. I did, however, like Evan's character but again, this book was just meh to me.
Speaking of these two, their relationship was enjoyable to read but I just couldn't get behind Morgan's character. The girl lives in so much fear every day that it was just exhausting to read about. I can't even imagine about living that way. Of course her reason to live in fear everyday isn't something to completely hate her for. She lived through something tragic, a school shooting. However, not moving on from the event or terrible memories of that day was just.. kind of annoying. It might've been the overall pace of the book.. but she just kept living in this forever nightmare day in and day out.
Morgan had people in her corner that were trying to help her move on from everything. I did like certain characters or situations in this book - but liking those few moments weren't going to make me fall in love with this book. Her secret was pretty interesting and definitely kept me reading it but once it was revealed.. again, I was just like okay. I moved on.
Overall, it could've been better in my eyes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review an ebook copy of Underwater by Marisa Reichardt.
Underwater is about a girl named Morgan who after a tragedy has become an agoraphobe. She feels like she is underwater and she can't move on. She does school at home online and makes grilled cheese and tomato soup every day for lunch. But when a new neighbor, Evan, moves in next door he makes her want to go out of the house and do the things that she used to.
I don't think Underwater is a perfect book, but it was a really powerful book. It deals with some pretty heavy things such as anxiety, agoraphobia, and PTSD. The writing is so beautiful, honest, and well done on these difficult subjects.
I really loved Evan and how understanding he was with Morgan. I'm not sure how realistic that is of a high school boy, but the romance was super cute. I also enjoyed seeing Morgan progress throughout the book and begin to move on. I found the plot line to be pretty predictable, but the writing is so emotional and raw that it didn't really matter that I knew what was coming.
Overall Underwater is a spectacular debut by Marisa Reichardt and I think when it is published (January 12, 2016 is the expected publication date) it will be a big hit. I can't wait to read Marisa Reichardt's next novel.
I recommend this for fans of books about mental illness, contemporary YA fans, and for anyone looking for a book that has a powerful and beautifully written story.
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2015/11/underwater-by-marisa-reichardt-arc.html
Underwater is about a girl named Morgan who after a tragedy has become an agoraphobe. She feels like she is underwater and she can't move on. She does school at home online and makes grilled cheese and tomato soup every day for lunch. But when a new neighbor, Evan, moves in next door he makes her want to go out of the house and do the things that she used to.
I don't think Underwater is a perfect book, but it was a really powerful book. It deals with some pretty heavy things such as anxiety, agoraphobia, and PTSD. The writing is so beautiful, honest, and well done on these difficult subjects.
I really loved Evan and how understanding he was with Morgan. I'm not sure how realistic that is of a high school boy, but the romance was super cute. I also enjoyed seeing Morgan progress throughout the book and begin to move on. I found the plot line to be pretty predictable, but the writing is so emotional and raw that it didn't really matter that I knew what was coming.
Overall Underwater is a spectacular debut by Marisa Reichardt and I think when it is published (January 12, 2016 is the expected publication date) it will be a big hit. I can't wait to read Marisa Reichardt's next novel.
I recommend this for fans of books about mental illness, contemporary YA fans, and for anyone looking for a book that has a powerful and beautifully written story.
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2015/11/underwater-by-marisa-reichardt-arc.html
Read this because a student lent it to me. She LOVED it. Me? Meh. I mean, it's good enough & I can see why my student loved it - well paced, delayed details in the story, romance... - but those are all the reasons I gave it 3 stars. I felt like I knew a lot of the story from the beginning (though, to be fair, the specific details were surprising). I resented the idea that Morgan needed a relationship in order to overcome her fears & that her subsequent reunion with her friends was given almost no space. Apparently a boyfriend is more important than the long-term friendships with girls. Sigh. Whatever. Teens don't know this yet, and mental illness is normalized, so I guess that's enough for this slim volume.
This story is about Morgan who has PTSD and agoraphobia from a tragic accident which means she never leaves her house. She used to love swimming but now it feels like she's drowning in her life. But maybe the new neighbour can help her remember her old life and move on?
Despite what the blurb suggests, this book doesn't actually invest in the whole plot of love cures mental illness. Eww. I hate that trope so much, it's misleading and heartbreaking for those of us who live in the real world. I just loved how authentic the agoraphobia felt. I liked how therapy was shown in a positive life for a change and how the book seemed to emphasize that therapists, like anyone else, can only try and push you in the right direction. Ultimately you have to make the effort to recover and heal. I just really enjoyed the sort of messages this book put across and it was a wonderful read overall.
Despite what the blurb suggests, this book doesn't actually invest in the whole plot of love cures mental illness. Eww. I hate that trope so much, it's misleading and heartbreaking for those of us who live in the real world. I just loved how authentic the agoraphobia felt. I liked how therapy was shown in a positive life for a change and how the book seemed to emphasize that therapists, like anyone else, can only try and push you in the right direction. Ultimately you have to make the effort to recover and heal. I just really enjoyed the sort of messages this book put across and it was a wonderful read overall.
A highly recommended contemporary YA about crippling anxiety and the journey to recovery.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
As soon as I’d finished reading this novel, I wrote a teeny tiny review on Goodreads that read: “Oh my goodness, this book!❤❤❤ new favourite of the year so far.”
Not the most eloquent of reviews, but my point is that I never, ever do that, which should give you an indication of just how much I really loved this novel. This is one of those books that I can’t tell you much about because it would definitely spoil it, but trust me when I say that I’d recommend it to everyone.
The family Underwater centres around is one of the most beautiful families I’ve ever read about. Morgan’s little brother Ben is a key character in this novel, playing a major part in Morgan’s journey to recovery, so it was an absolute joy to read about their relationship.
Then there’s Evan, who is so incredibly supportive it’ll make your heart swell. He’s patient and understanding, and I loved getting to know him as Morgan did.
I suffer from anxiety myself, although on a much, much smaller scale than Morgan. But that’s why I found it utterly reassuring whilst reading Underwater to know that there are people out there who can fully understand that feeling of anxiety that I know all too well. It’s so important for sufferers of anxiety and other mental health issues to know that they’re not alone.
It’s equally important for those who’ve never suffered with anxiety to read books like this one, as it will help them understand such a complex illness and potentially help others overcome it. Mental health has always been somewhat of a taboo subject, but that needs to change, and it’s people like Marisa Reichardt who’re making that happen.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
As soon as I’d finished reading this novel, I wrote a teeny tiny review on Goodreads that read: “Oh my goodness, this book!❤❤❤ new favourite of the year so far.”
Not the most eloquent of reviews, but my point is that I never, ever do that, which should give you an indication of just how much I really loved this novel. This is one of those books that I can’t tell you much about because it would definitely spoil it, but trust me when I say that I’d recommend it to everyone.
The family Underwater centres around is one of the most beautiful families I’ve ever read about. Morgan’s little brother Ben is a key character in this novel, playing a major part in Morgan’s journey to recovery, so it was an absolute joy to read about their relationship.
Then there’s Evan, who is so incredibly supportive it’ll make your heart swell. He’s patient and understanding, and I loved getting to know him as Morgan did.
I suffer from anxiety myself, although on a much, much smaller scale than Morgan. But that’s why I found it utterly reassuring whilst reading Underwater to know that there are people out there who can fully understand that feeling of anxiety that I know all too well. It’s so important for sufferers of anxiety and other mental health issues to know that they’re not alone.
It’s equally important for those who’ve never suffered with anxiety to read books like this one, as it will help them understand such a complex illness and potentially help others overcome it. Mental health has always been somewhat of a taboo subject, but that needs to change, and it’s people like Marisa Reichardt who’re making that happen.
Honestly I think the reason why I didn't like this book was because of my reading slump--literally could not get into it and wound up skimming. Despite this, I think the writing kinda blended together because of the monotony of Morgan's life which made the book harder to read.
I'm sorry but the romance gave insta-love
I'm sorry but the romance gave insta-love
I’ve always been the queen of contemporary but it’s not often that I find a contemporary novel that I adore. That was the case with Underwater. Marisa Reichardt’s debut novel completely blew me away.
I’m always a big fan of books that are fast paced and have a lot going on. Underwater is not one of those books but it’s got a lot of other things going for it. Marisa Reichardt’s writing is phenomenal. It seemed a little wordy at first but once I got reading, I saw how it made everything come together. The writing style just worked for this story. Marisa Reichardt’s writing managed to capture exactly how Morgan felt after the school shooting and convey them perfectly for readers. It took very little time for me to feel like I could understand exactly what Morgan was going through and how she was feeling. It takes real talent to make that happen in such a short period of time.
The events that led to Morgan’s agoraphobia (I think that’s pretty much what she had) were a mystery for most of the book. Readers can tell early on in the book what happened at the school that day but it’s not so obvious why it affected Morgan the way it did. While other survivors embraced life and decided to take chances, Morgan did the opposite. She shut herself away from everything that could hurt her, including other people. Evan, her new neighbor, forces Morgan to reevaluate her choices and actually consider coming out of her apartment for the first time in months. Evan was a total sweetheart. He didn’t know what Morgan was like before the shooting but he quickly came to care for her, even with her quirks. And honestly, Morgan’s quirks made me like her even more. Sure I felt for her from the start but I only grew to really like her once I started to understand exactly what she thought about herself, the shooting, the shooter, and what her future might hold.
To some, Underwater might seem a little slow and a little lacking in action. I did mention earlier that that is normally what draws me too a book but I didn’t mind the pace or the lack of action in Underwater. There was some mystery (not much) which did keep my interest piqued but it was the characters that really kept me reading this one. Like I said earlier, I felt emotionally connected to Morgan from the start so I never once considered putting Underwater down because of it’s pace. I do think it’s a good thing to know going in though that Underwater is not necessarily a book you are going to be able to power through and read in an hour or two. Take your time with this one. It’s worth it.
I also really loved all the family dynamics in Underwater. Morgan lived with her mom and little brother and they were all very close. Her mom was extremely understanding about Morgan’s condition and her little brother was adorable. Evan was also very close to his mom and aunt. There wasn’t a ton of interaction shown between them but it was easy to see how they cared for each other and helped each other out.
Overall, Underwater is a fantastic debut that I can’t help but recommend. I look forward to seeing what Marisa Reichardt does next.
I’m always a big fan of books that are fast paced and have a lot going on. Underwater is not one of those books but it’s got a lot of other things going for it. Marisa Reichardt’s writing is phenomenal. It seemed a little wordy at first but once I got reading, I saw how it made everything come together. The writing style just worked for this story. Marisa Reichardt’s writing managed to capture exactly how Morgan felt after the school shooting and convey them perfectly for readers. It took very little time for me to feel like I could understand exactly what Morgan was going through and how she was feeling. It takes real talent to make that happen in such a short period of time.
The events that led to Morgan’s agoraphobia (I think that’s pretty much what she had) were a mystery for most of the book. Readers can tell early on in the book what happened at the school that day but it’s not so obvious why it affected Morgan the way it did. While other survivors embraced life and decided to take chances, Morgan did the opposite. She shut herself away from everything that could hurt her, including other people. Evan, her new neighbor, forces Morgan to reevaluate her choices and actually consider coming out of her apartment for the first time in months. Evan was a total sweetheart. He didn’t know what Morgan was like before the shooting but he quickly came to care for her, even with her quirks. And honestly, Morgan’s quirks made me like her even more. Sure I felt for her from the start but I only grew to really like her once I started to understand exactly what she thought about herself, the shooting, the shooter, and what her future might hold.
To some, Underwater might seem a little slow and a little lacking in action. I did mention earlier that that is normally what draws me too a book but I didn’t mind the pace or the lack of action in Underwater. There was some mystery (not much) which did keep my interest piqued but it was the characters that really kept me reading this one. Like I said earlier, I felt emotionally connected to Morgan from the start so I never once considered putting Underwater down because of it’s pace. I do think it’s a good thing to know going in though that Underwater is not necessarily a book you are going to be able to power through and read in an hour or two. Take your time with this one. It’s worth it.
I also really loved all the family dynamics in Underwater. Morgan lived with her mom and little brother and they were all very close. Her mom was extremely understanding about Morgan’s condition and her little brother was adorable. Evan was also very close to his mom and aunt. There wasn’t a ton of interaction shown between them but it was easy to see how they cared for each other and helped each other out.
Overall, Underwater is a fantastic debut that I can’t help but recommend. I look forward to seeing what Marisa Reichardt does next.
Leí este libro porque mi Book Jar me dijo que para Abril tenía que elegir una lectura por su portada. Vi este libro en la librería hace un par de meses y me llamó la atención aunque no sabía de qué iba. Ha resultado una experiencia muy interesante.
La novela en sí nos cuenta la historia de Morgan, una estudiante de instituto que no puede salir de su casa por motivos que se nos van desvelando poco a poco. Me alegro de haber leído el libro sin saber absolutamente nada de él porque gracias a ello ha sido más intenso y he podido ir creando mis teorías desde cero.
Es un libro cortito, fácil y rápido de leer que recomiendo mucho. Con un mensaje que me ha llegado y una trama con la que no me había topado antes.
La novela en sí nos cuenta la historia de Morgan, una estudiante de instituto que no puede salir de su casa por motivos que se nos van desvelando poco a poco. Me alegro de haber leído el libro sin saber absolutamente nada de él porque gracias a ello ha sido más intenso y he podido ir creando mis teorías desde cero.
Es un libro cortito, fácil y rápido de leer que recomiendo mucho. Con un mensaje que me ha llegado y una trama con la que no me había topado antes.
Buying this one, I believed it would be a romantic, high school, boy next door book. Which I am A ok with cause I like to read those from time to time. Well, instead, it is deeper than that. Which is A to Z ok with me too.
Morgan is one of the students who survived the terrible incident and now she is afraid to live. Literally, she won't even step outside her house. So we see her trying to fight the feeling she's going to die, trying to overcome the panic attacks, to forgive everyone along with herself...
The writing is plain, simple but that is exactly what this theme needs. As Morgan gets better and takes the first step out of the door, her photosynthesis changes. So does the writing. It follows Morgan's feelings and healthiness and that is fascinating! It feels like the book is a living thing, it feels, it's scared, it get's better.
For more reviews visit my blog https://helenasbooks670176047.wordpress.com/
Morgan is one of the students who survived the terrible incident and now she is afraid to live. Literally, she won't even step outside her house. So we see her trying to fight the feeling she's going to die, trying to overcome the panic attacks, to forgive everyone along with herself...
The writing is plain, simple but that is exactly what this theme needs. As Morgan gets better and takes the first step out of the door, her photosynthesis changes. So does the writing. It follows Morgan's feelings and healthiness and that is fascinating! It feels like the book is a living thing, it feels, it's scared, it get's better.
For more reviews visit my blog https://helenasbooks670176047.wordpress.com/
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes