Girl Underwater

January 19, 2015
Kells writes with a spare, sure hand in her debut novel about a college sophomore swimmer who survives a plane crash in the Rockies along with a teammate and three young boys. First-person narrator Avery Delacorte reveals her story in parallel timelines. The first one details the crash and its harrowing aftermath in an unforgiving wilderness, where Avery is joined by teammate Colin Shea and the three boys, ages three through six. The other follows her mental recovery from the crash, hindered by the emotional wall she erects between herself and the experience. Avery’s family, boyfriend, and therapists try to help, but she refuses to accept a PTSD diagnosis. She disassociates herself from the other survivors, going so far as to pretend she went it alone in the wild, had nothing to do with helping to rescue the youngsters, and did not suture Colin’s wounds with dental floss. It’s only when she forces herself to reconnect with her fellow survivors that she begins to regain control of her life. The author’s skill with character reveals itself best with Colin, whose quiet care has always unnerved Avery. Kells’s visceral story is quite memorable and eminently readable.

February 1, 2015
A plane crash in the Rockies leaves more than physical scars on an up-and-coming competitive college swimmer. Kells expertly ratchets up the tension in her thrilling debut novel as she shifts back and forth between the frigid Colorado wilderness and chlorinated pools. Sophomore Avery Delacorte is excited to make her mark on the cutthroat college swimming circuit far from her native Boston and her controlling father. But when she takes a crowded flight back east for Thanksgiving, along with fellow swimmer Colin Shea, the plane goes down in the Rockies. After the first day, Avery, Colin and three little boys-Tim, 6, Liam, 4, and toddler Aayu-are the only survivors. It would be easy to keep readers in suspense about the group's overall fate, but Kells makes the more interesting choice to alternate among the events leading up to the crash, the five-day wilderness ordeal and Avery's bumpy recovery. It's clear early on that the press' version of the story and the truth are not one and the same, but Kells cleverly teases out exactly how the two accounts differ as readers come to learn more about Avery, particularly her complicated relationships with Colin and with the sport of swimming itself. The children, and their growing adoration for their surrogate forest parents in the wake of the crash that orphaned them, are integral to the story and as such are realistically depicted, much to Kells' credit.With its subzero temperatures that will make you reach for a blanket and a wounded but never weakened heroine, Kells' assured debut is a winner.

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October 1, 2015

Avery is the youngest in a family of athletes from Boston. She's a sophomore at Stanford when the plane she's taking home from school crashes in the Rocky Mountains. She is one of the only survivors, along with Colin (a teammate) and three young boys. They spend five days huddled in the wilderness, facing severe cold, snow storms, and a bear attack. Both Avery and Colin are uniquely qualified to survive-Avery's father is an ER doctor who taught her the basics, even taking her along to the ER on Saturdays to work by his side as she was growing up. Colin has a preternatural calm and optimism, as well as strength and a way with kids. But something happens on the fifth day that makes Avery so ashamed she cannot visit the boys or Colin after their rescue. She even lies to the media. Kells's choice to alternate chapters between the event and its aftermath effectively ramps up the suspense concerning the details of the tragedy and Avery's subsequent struggle with PTSD. Avery is a strong, if flawed, character, and teens will love her deeply emotional, at times angsty, story. There is a strong bond between Colin and Avery that brings a will-they or won't-they element to their relationship. Colin is a truly good person, and readers looking for a humble hero will swoon. VERDICT With the pacing of a thriller and the heart of a romance, the novel steers readers through one young woman's survival of a devastating tragedy.-Angela Carstensen, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2014

College student Avery Delacorte is a competitive swimmer, but nothing quite prepares her for what happens when her red-eye home for Thanksgiving is forced to land in a chilly Colorado Rockies lake. She is only one of five survivors, including three children and teammate Colin Shea, who's always challenged her to be more assertive. He's getting his wish. Kells is currently in a medical residency; look for off-the-bookpage coverage.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2014

College student Avery is on her way home to Boston for the holidays with some fellow members of her swim team. When their plane goes down in a Colorado mountain lake, she and the other four survivors fight to stay alive in an icy wilderness. Following their rescue, Avery must come to terms with the crash, the secret she is keeping, and some specific new phobias, such as airports and water. She is also torn between two men: boyfriend Lee, who wasn't aboard the plane and doesn't know how to help her; and teammate and fellow survivor Colin, who understands the trauma she endured. Avery's indecision could distract her from the focus of her recovery. VERDICT Skillfully interspersing flashbacks with current events, debut novelist Kells has written an absorbing tale that will grip anyone who enjoys survival stories or psychological dramas. It is also a great choice for readers looking for new adult fiction with a bit more adventure. [See Prepub Alert, 9/15/14.]--Elizabeth Masterson, Mecklenburg Cty. Jail Lib., Charlotte, NC

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2014

College student Avery is on her way home to Boston for the holidays with some fellow members of her swim team. When their plane goes down in a Colorado mountain lake, she and the other four survivors fight to stay alive in an icy wilderness. Following their rescue, Avery must come to terms with the crash, the secret she is keeping, and some specific new phobias, such as airports and water. She is also torn between two men: boyfriend Lee, who wasn't aboard the plane and doesn't know how to help her; and teammate and fellow survivor Colin, who understands the trauma she endured. Avery's indecision could distract her from the focus of her recovery. VERDICT Skillfully interspersing flashbacks with current events, debut novelist Kells has written an absorbing tale that will grip anyone who enjoys survival stories or psychological dramas. It is also a great choice for readers looking for new adult fiction with a bit more adventure. [See Prepub Alert, 9/15/14.]--Elizabeth Masterson, Mecklenburg Cty. Jail Lib., Charlotte, NC

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.