Coming Up for Air

Coming Up for Air

As if the rumors and whispers from the people of her seaside town, Oceanbrook, weren’t bad enough, 17-year-old Sarah D’Antonio is troubled by the whispers from the forest. It’s not her fault that she hears voices, that she sees auras, and that she has been sleepwalking along the shore. The townspeople, and Sarah’s parents among them, claim that it is all in response to stress, including her chronic migraines and panic attacks. They believe that she can’t come to grips with the fact that her cousin, Lena, is dead. But Sarah knows that the things she is experiencing are real and not something she is bringing on herself. She also knows that Lena is not dead, only missing. She believes that there is something more supernatural going on and that the town is hiding secrets. Sarah’s feelings are validated when she suddenly becomes thrust into a world in which she has always sensed but never seen. A world of fairy witches, shape-shifters, and legendary creatures. The world of the astral plane. And now, it will be up to her to form alliances to save the magic, fix the astral plane, and most importantly, to bring her cousin home. Reviewed by Haley Blanchard for Readers' Favorite Coming Up For Air by Jessica Natalie Reino is a thrilling fantasy novel set in the small town of Oceanbrook. The story follows Sarah D'Antonio, a teenager who is disturbed by the disappearance of her cousin, Lena. While everyone believes Lena drowned by accident, Sarah has a feeling she is not dead and is curious to learn her whereabouts. Soon, Sarah starts having terrible headaches that lead to supernatural experiences. She discovers that she can see and sense things that others cannot. As she sets off on a journey to uncover the truth behind Lena's disappearance, she meets otherworldly guides who help her discover secrets and forces far greater than her town. Her journey takes her through strange encounters, dark secrets, and discoveries about her supernatural abilities. What I love about Reino's writing style is the effortless way she balances mystery, fantasy, and adventure. The way the plot connected Lena's disappearance with Sarah's awakening felt natural and held my attention from start to finish. The pacing was just right, allowing me to understand every scene without confusion. One of the many scenes that gave me goosebumps was the bonfire scene. The way Reino transformed what started as a normal town event into a thrilling moment that revealed Sarah's supernatural awakening added a nice touch of action to the storyline. Sarah's character was brave. Even after everyone accepted Lena's death, she refused to give up on finding the truth, despite all the frightening things she encountered on her journey. Coming Up For Air by Jessica Natalie Reino explores themes of grief, self-discovery, and hope, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys books filled with mystery and a touch of spookiness