
Brace for Impact
A Memoir
by Gabe Montesanti
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon
Buy on BN.com
Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 24 May 2022 | Archive Date 30 Sep 2022
Random House Publishing Group - Random House, The Dial Press

Talking about this book? Use #BraceforImpact #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
A powerful and redemptive story of how the dazzling world of roller derby helped one young woman transform her fear and self-doubt into gutsy, big-hearted, adventurous living
“A universal story of healing and triumph, made all the more beautiful, wild, and free by Gabe’s fierce love for roller derby and her team, who become her family.”—ABBY WAMBACH, Olympian, activist, and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wolfpack
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Book Riot
Growing up queer in a conservative Midwestern town, Gabe Montesanti never felt comfortable in her own skin. A competitive swimmer, she turned to perfectionism and self-control to create a sense of safety, only to develop an eating disorder and constantly second-guess her instincts. When she enters graduate school in St. Louis, she is determined to put the baggage of her childhood behind her. With no prior experience, she joins Arch Rival, one of the top-ranked roller derby leagues in the world. Gabe instantly falls in love with the sport’s roughness, intensity, and open embrace of people who are literally and figuratively scarred. She soon finds community and a sense of belonging, reveling in the tattoos, glitter, and campiness.
But when Gabe suffers a catastrophic injury, she can no longer ignore the parallels between the physicality of roller derby and the unresolved trauma of her upbringing. Rendered inactive, forced to be still, Gabe realizes she needs to heal her emotional wounds as much as her physical ones; she must confront her fear and self-diminishment in order to feel truly alive.
Told with unflinching honesty and a giant dose of wonder, Brace for Impact is a tender, inspiring memoir about the everyday heroism of pursuing a life less ordinary, and the deeply human need to be at peace with who you are.
“A universal story of healing and triumph, made all the more beautiful, wild, and free by Gabe’s fierce love for roller derby and her team, who become her family.”—ABBY WAMBACH, Olympian, activist, and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wolfpack
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Book Riot
Growing up queer in a conservative Midwestern town, Gabe Montesanti never felt comfortable in her own skin. A competitive swimmer, she turned to perfectionism and self-control to create a sense of safety, only to develop an eating disorder and constantly second-guess her instincts. When she enters graduate school in St. Louis, she is determined to put the baggage of her childhood behind her. With no prior experience, she joins Arch Rival, one of the top-ranked roller derby leagues in the world. Gabe instantly falls in love with the sport’s roughness, intensity, and open embrace of people who are literally and figuratively scarred. She soon finds community and a sense of belonging, reveling in the tattoos, glitter, and campiness.
But when Gabe suffers a catastrophic injury, she can no longer ignore the parallels between the physicality of roller derby and the unresolved trauma of her upbringing. Rendered inactive, forced to be still, Gabe realizes she needs to heal her emotional wounds as much as her physical ones; she must confront her fear and self-diminishment in order to feel truly alive.
Told with unflinching honesty and a giant dose of wonder, Brace for Impact is a tender, inspiring memoir about the everyday heroism of pursuing a life less ordinary, and the deeply human need to be at peace with who you are.
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9780593241370 |
PRICE | $27.00 (USD) |
PAGES | 416 |
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)
Readers who liked this book also liked:
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Kimberly McCreight
General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers, Women's Fiction
Kimberly McCreight
General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers, Women's Fiction
The Titanic Survivors Book Club
Timothy Schaffert
General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, LGBTQIAP+
Timothy Schaffert
General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, LGBTQIAP+
Fourteen Days
Authors Guild, The; Margaret Atwood; Douglas Preston
General Fiction (Adult), Novellas & Short Stories, OwnVoices
Authors Guild, The; Margaret Atwood; Douglas Preston
General Fiction (Adult), Novellas & Short Stories, OwnVoices