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Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
4.0
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

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. VerĂ³nica'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 VerĂ³nica'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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