The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water, (Paperback)

I just finished this book and am not sure how I want to write the review. Do I talk about the different characters, or do I mention the many emotions that spilled across the pages? The story is very intricate in details with layers that have been hidden for years. To do justice to this story I have to go with my feelings and just write what I have on my heart. The book deals with subjects that may trigger some so be cautious if you have trouble reading about suicide, sexual assault, drug abuse or child prostitution. Yes all these are in the book and I did have a hard time reading it. But I continued because I so desperately wanted to see how Kendra would deal with her own personal journey. For victims of abuse there are many ways to hide the truth. You can forget about it and hope you never have to think about it again. For some they find talking about it helps. Kendra writes a book to try to heal from her abuse. Did it help her? I'm not sure that she found everything she hoped for but she did unravel so much more than she realized. Her emotions are raw and exposes the pain of losing her innocence while feeling ashamed for what happened. I have zero sympathy for Tyler. Yes I know what happened to him as a child, but that should make him not want to do it to others. I have always disliked when someone says, “if you have been abused, you will probably abuse someone yourself.” That is such a horrible statement and I resent when people use that as a defense. We are not defined by our past. The person who really grabbed my attention was Cami. She was Kendra's best friend, yet she felt like she was invisible. Cami needed a friend who she could count on and share her secrets with. Kendra was so wrapped up in being the victim, she never realized that Cami was hurting as well. I wonder how many of us have made everything about ourselves yet forget that our story affects others? To all the Cami's of the world, I hope you find peace, forgiveness and love. I received a copy of this book from The Librarything Early Reader Program. The review is my own opinion.

Young adult, Kendra, has written her first novel. It has been highly acclaimed, is very popular, and is a thinly veiled story about herself. Kendra has suffered from writer's block ever since receiving a note criticizing her book. She has convinced herself that it will lift if she writes at the remote lake where everything took place. But removing that writer's block is more complicated than that. At first, she remembers the idyllic childhood friendship she had with Cami--that was ruined by the adoption of a much older brother. Despite being closer than sisters, the two have not spoken for years, and Cami is missing. As Kendra delves into this, she finds she must face her long ago attacker. At the same time, she makes surprising discoveries about her parentage, and Cami's feelings. This is a difficult story to read, with an uncomfortable story-line that includes a traumatic attack, stolen virginity, and sexual abuse. Be warned, this tale is only for adults, or very mature teenagers. God is mentioned very little in this publication from a Christian House. I recommend this story only to those who would not be disturbed by the topic. Although it is a difficult subject, it is not graphic, and is a 5-star work. Revell has provided bookreadingtic with a complimentary copy of, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water, for the purpose of review.

We follow Kendra as she begins her stay at her newly inherited cabin on a lake in Michigan. This young woman has recently gained fame for her first novel, and she is hurting from a letter she received from an unhappy fan. As she goes about trying to find the letter writer, she talks in her mind to her estranged childhood friend Cami, who is also missing. This book quickly became a page turner looking for answers, and finding out what Kendra and her neighbor's books are about. There are some surprises, some very dark happenings, and then there are answers of long unanswered questions. The author also gifts us with a possible love interest, and I loved the character of "Andy"! Come and journey for a summer of rememberance, and a road to forgiveness and peace. I received this book through LibraryThing and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

I can only imagine how difficult this book was for the author to write. In all honesty, there were times that it wasn't the easiest to read. But it was real. Messily, heart-achingly real. There are many things I'd like to say about The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water but I'm afraid I would give too much of the story away. I will simply do my best. Of the two Erin Bartels books that I've read this one was the most emotion driven. The layers that make up the story are so skillfully intertwined, the past and present building one on the other, creating a multi-faceted gem that sparks thought and introspection on the part of the reader. The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water does not judge and gives no clear one-size-fits-all answers. Instead through fiction Erin Bartels explores the hard to answers questions and little nuances of each person's story. One of the things I found fascinating about The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water was the format it was written in. Erin Bartels's choice to write the story from the perspective of her heroine writing a series of letters to an absent friend as she traverses and comes to terms with their shared past and uncovers decades of hidden secrets was masterful and a stroke of genius. It allows the story to become personal at a completely different level. Every year I read one or two stories that are emotionally moving in a way no other reading in that same time period. I strongly suspect that The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water is one of those books for this year. Erin Bartels's sometimes raw storytelling in this book may easily be the catalyst for many to rip off the secrets and shame of the past and allow the balm of healing and forgiveness to do its work. Though, those first steps may be some of the hardest ones to make... (I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

** “The sun painted a few wisps of cloud in the purest orange and pink, colors I'd always loved to see splashed across the fading blue-green sky. Unpredictable and fleeting. Muted to mauve and rust before you could quite imprint them permanently in memory. Grandpa had once said that God did that on purpose, to keep us looking for new signs of him every day.” ** Erin Bartels writes a beautifully deep and personal novel with “The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water.” When author Kendra Brennan struggles to write a second novel after her first successful publication, she begins to narrate her life and past remembrances to her childhood friend Cami Ranier, who is missing. As Kendra recalls events that happened in her past that impacted the plot of her first novel, she faces many truths she must deal with. And when German translator Andreas Voelker joins her for the summer at her family's lake cabin, he helps her find the answers — and healing — she seeks. Told in narrative form from Kendra to Cami, “The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water” is a very powerful, yet uncomfortable read. It deals with some very real, devastating and mature matters, including abuse (so should not be read by younger people without some adult supervision). Bartels writes in a very beautiful, descriptive manner, all while developing incredibly deep yet relatable characters. She tackles some heavy themes too, like human nature (“But the real story even in a war story is the characters you create, and if you start by being a good observer of human nature, you can write in any setting at any time and make it believable, because human nature never changes”); always look for God and His signs; the pain of the past is not always easily erased; people are broken; and don't let past trauma dictate or define your future. I did find the book was a little slow in letting the reader in on Kendra's big secret that was connected to her novel, so the plot initially felt sluggish at times. Also, Bartels uses quite a few German passages that she never translates, so I'd recommend reading this book on an e-reader that contains a translation feature. This book does remind us that, please, if you find yourself in an abusive situation, find someone you can trust to talk with. Seek help. Due out Jan. 4, this story does contain the use of both alcohol and smoking. Four stars out of five. Revell provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I have read and enjoyed books by Erin Bartels before and I did enjoy this book also. The characters were quite well developed. The story flowed quite well. To begin, the story was a slow start and quite confused. It took a while before I realized the main character, Kendra, was having thoughts/talks in her head with her friend who was not with her. The story jumps between these thoughts and what is actually going on. Another area that bothers me, and this is just my personal thoughts, but the book is in no way Christian. It is a clean book but not Christian even though published by Revell, a Christian book publisher. There was a random reference to church attendance long ago and a prayer over a meal but that was the extent. On the negative side, there was some drinking and getting drunk. Overall, if you want to read an interesting, clean book this is for you. If you are expecting a typical Christian novel you will be disappointed. I give this book a solid 3 out of 5 stars.

Erin Bartels is an amazing wordsmith. This is evident in The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water. It is an intense story of personal and interpersonal struggles. In spite of the wonderful language in this book, it is slow moving, and the characters unengaging. I stopped reading at thirty-five percent as my thoughts strayed more and more to my next read rather than on the current one. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of his book from Revell via NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are my own.

“Truth has a way of working itself into any story, whether the writer means it to or not,” Kendra is told in Erin Bartels's novel, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water. ~ What ~ This three-hundred-and-fifty-two-page paperback targets those who like a tragic tale involving broken friendships, painful memories, and trying to forgive others and oneself. With the use of slang words such as crap, dang, and heck, topics of alcohol use, sexual harassment, abuse, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes the author's notes, an excerpt of an upcoming novel, her biography, and advertisements. In this story based in a small Michigan lakeside community, twenty-six-year-old Kendra returns after eight years to her grandfather's cabin to try to overcome writer's block on her second novel and figure out who wrote a negative letter about her prior successful book. As she deals with her hurtful past, she tries to understand the truths and mistakes that happened so long ago and how they affected both her and those around her. ~ Why ~ Using an unusual first-person writing style, Bartells expertly shows the emotions, fears, and frustrations of a childhood friendship gone awry based on unbelief, lack of trust, and rejection. I loved how the author detailed the relationship between Kendra and Cami began, progressed, and deteriorated while the thread of three men divulged the past's problems and future hopes. The discussions of intimidation, predatory actions, and unspoken shame were explicit yet well written as if confiding to a best friend. ~ Why Not ~ Those who prefer not to read books about secretive abuse will want to avoid this dark and sad read. Others may wish the cover contained more information about its contents as it may be too sensitive for a few readers. Some may feel blindsided by its honest and poignant portrayal of feeling shame and unable to report abuse to others. Unfortunately, it contains no eternal plan of salvation. ~ Wish Vaguely touching on the writer's personal experiences, it is too bad the redeeming love of Christ is not mentioned within the story to help one deal with forgiving the abuser or accepting oneself. Considering it supposedly Christian fiction, I wish more references of relying on God were included, all pronouns of God were capitalized for reverence, and no slang words were added. ~ Want ~ If you prefer stories of dealing with overcoming past mistakes, being taken advantage of, and not knowing the entire truth, this is an engaging but dramatic read, but I have marked it down explicitly for not divulging enough of its traumatic content on its cover and its lack of a Christian perspective until its ending author's notes. Thanks to Revell for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review. Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars