Phantom Limbs

Written by Paula Garner

Narrated by Nicholas Mondelli

Otis and Meg were inseparable until her family abruptly moved away after the terrible accident that left Otis' little brother dead. Since then, it's been three years of radio silence, during which time Otis has become the unlikely protege of eighteen-year-old Dara-part drill sergeant, part friend-who's hell-bent on transforming Otis into the Olympic swimmer she can no longer be. But when Otis learns that Meg is coming back to town, he must face some difficult truths about the girl he's never forgotten and the brother he's never stopped grieving. As it becomes achingly clear that he and Meg are not the same people they were, Otis must decide what to hold on to and what to leave behind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Sep 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781520044897

Paula Garner

Paula Garner spends most of her time making narratives out of words and food, despite being surrounded by an alarming TBR pile and a very bad cat. She is somewhat evangelical on the subjects of absinthe, bitter cocktails, and oysters. Paula lives in the Chicago area with her family. Phantom Limbs is her first novel.

Reviews for Phantom Limbs

[indygo88 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Otis is a 16-year-old swimmer living on the outskirts of Chicago. He is still reeling from the accidental death of his younger brother and the loss of his first love, Meg. Meanwhile, his best friend and "coach" Dara is pushing him to swim harder & faster in the hopes of someday qualifying for the Olympics.I absolutely loved this book. It sucked me in from the beginning. The writing is reminiscent of John Green, capturing teenage angst from the male point of view beautifully. It covers various topics (death, grieving, first love, sexual identity, & so much more) but weaves them together seamlessly & realistically. Lots of feels in this story, and my emotions were all over the place. I can't say enough good things about this book. Highly recommended debut novel, and looking forward to future books from this author!"There was life before you. And then life with you. There wasn't supposed to be life after you."

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Otis is doing his best to hold it all together three years after his first love/best friend suddenly moved and has been incommunicado ever since. The hurt from losing his baby brother around that time too is still raw. He has found solace in his complex relationship with his swim coach/mentor/friend Dara, an amputee whose loss of part of her arm derailed her own promising swim career. Everyone in the book has their own damage to deal with and navigate through. When Otis hears that Meg, the girl he can't seem to get over is coming back to their town near Chicago, his summer is turned upside down and he is forced to confront feelings he tried to bury. Otis is a likeable, loyal, complex character. This might be a possibility for 8th grade book club later in the year, particularly since the author is a local Chicago writer.