A review by betweentheshelves
Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There is so much to love about this book. The characters are complex, there are a lot of great discussions about ableism and mental health, and it's really just a book about learning to be true to yourself. Learning to get the courage to stand up for what you want. Verónica's journey is definitely an emotional one, but I loved seeing her find her voice and finally stand up for herself. All of that was so well done.

Outside of Verónica's journey, I wish that her relationship with Alex would have been a little more developed. It felt a little insta-lovey, which isn't always my favorite. And while they did have a few deep conversations, I didn't feel like it got developed much outside of that. 

But the whole mermaid thing was cool and awesome and I would totally read more stories about that. Definitely would recommend this book for anyone looking for a complex, emotional summer read!
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