A review by alochjessmonster
Brace for Impact: A Memoir by Gabe Montesanti

4.0

It's hard to read this book and not want to immediately go buy some skates and join a roller derby team. Or is that just me? Montesanti doesn't hold back about the rough parts--from the almost inevitable injuries to the perhaps unhealthy ways she throws herself headfirst into derby life. But the community she finds there--queer, ridiculous, tough, and above all supportive--makes it all seem worth it. Interwoven with her own trauma, unhealthy mother-daughter relationships, and eating disorders, this memoir examines the baggage we bring with us to sports and how healing can happen.

If nothing else read this for all the derby names, they're truly fantastic.


Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this text.