BREATHE AND COUNT BACK FROM TEN by Natalia Sylvester

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately, I’m not totally sure why, but I just know that things have not really been grabbing me. I knew I had to read Breathe and Count Back From Ten by Natalia Sylvester for my book club and I was a little worried that I would feel the same way, but I DIDN’T. This book was GREAT.

Verónica was born with hip dysplasia and deals with chronic pain on a daily basis. She also has visible scars from multiple surgeries that people will ask about/stare at. She deals with her pain by swimming every day at her apartment complex. One summer day she meets the new property manager’s son, and there begins her first romantic relationship, which is tough because she has super strict parents. She also is really excited to find out that Mermaid Cove (an awesome sounding underground theater that has people that swim as mermaids) is holding rare auditions and decides to go for it, something she also knows her parents won’t be supportive of. This book has a lot of issues in it – living with a disability, overprotective parents, romantic relationships, sibling relationships, and more, and Natalia Sylvester has written it beautifully.

If you are into realistic fiction, this is the book for you, if you’re in 9th grade and up. I want to go see some mermaids now!