Review: Breathless

Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer
Kensington Teen, 65 Pages
Published: April 30th 2013

Too many secrets. Not enough time.

Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic.

But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.

His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark.

He can feel it—the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Brigid Kemmerer is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Her books have a quality to them which is so raw and real, something that a lot of people don't quite manage to achieve. She also has a knack for broaching difficult issues with a sensitivity and tact that is a true credit to her and her writing. In this sense, Breathless is no different to her full length novels, and my only problem with this novella is that there wasn't enough of it for me.

Nick Merrick has always been the standout character of this series for me. I adore him. While his brothers are relatively open books, Nick has a calm, quiet, brooding strength about him, he is complex, with secrets that he keeps under lock and key. Secrets which, through the course of the novella, are slowly revealed to us.
I've always found him to be a hugely compelling personality, and the emotional struggle that he faces in this novella is both heartbreaking and beautiful in equal measure. The (albeit brief) insight we are given into his hopes and dreams help to flesh out a character who has in some ways, always been a bit of a secondary character, overshadowed by his larger than life siblings, and in particular his twin brother. Here we finally get to see the first sparks of Nick coming into his own, and it is delighful. His character & emotions which bubble up through the novella come to boiling point in a scene which is sweet, romantic, and just steamy enough ;)

Quinn is another character who comes into her own here, and we are shown a completely different side to her than we have been before. Breathless belongs to both Nick & Quinn, and I was honestly surprised by how much I liked her by the end of it. Not a character I hate, but also not one I particularly liked, Kemmerer spun me around completely. Sharp, brash Quinn is shown to have a different face than the one she shows the world, and the glimpse into what she thinks, feels & suffers will throw a grenade at the opinions previously held of her. Well done Brigid: I already loved Nick, now you've made me love Quinn too!

One thing I don't think I'll ever be able to fault this author on his her writing style. It is fluid and compelling and you can't help but always want more of it. Breathless had humour, drama and excitement, not to mention scenes which were sweet & sad in equal measure. In all, a lot to pack into a 65 page ebook.

If you're already a fan of The Elementals series, then you have no doubt already read this one. If you're not, then this might just make you one.

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Review - Forsaken by Jana Oliver

Forsaken
By Jana Oliver
Macmillan Children's Books, 422 pages
Published: February 7th 2011

"Riley Blackthorne.
Kicking hell's ass one demon at a time...

Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated:

Simon: the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her life.

One thing's for sure - if she doesn't keep her wits about her there'll be hell to pay..."
- from the book

4.5 out of 5

From the blurb, this book would probably be billed as a paranormal romance. It is in part, but that's not remotely the focus of the tale.
As a girl fighting demons in a man's world, Riley Blackthorne already has a fight on her hands trying to prove she's good enough, but when a routine capture goes wrong, Riley is started on a path that will soon have her world spinning out of control.

I fell in love with the characters in this book. Each one has their own distinctive personality, which blend seamlessly together to create a fantastic ensemble cast.
Riley has a 'never give up' attitude which has you wanting her to succeed from the word go. She isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in, or fight for what she wants. She goes through a lot in this book alone, and you can't help but feel for her. Eventhough she is a very contained character, when she lets her emotions show, it's thrilling and heartbreaking at the same time. She shows such incredible strength throughout that you can't help but admire and be inspired by her.

As stated in the blurb, Riley has several love interests in this book, some of whom were a little less impressive than others. Let me start with Beck. Oh Beck. I loved you, I hated you, which only made me love you more. He is an incredibly complex character, who feels highly protective of Riley, and although he constantly keeps her at arms length and pushes her away often, there are emotions there under the surface that you will be begging to explode. He has hidden, sensitive depths and I can't wait to read more about him. His POV sections were some of my highlights of the book, as they allow us to see both Beck & Riley in a completely different (and highly illuminating) light.
Simon on the other hand. Well, there was just something about him that didn't sit well for me. Yes, he was sweet and charming, and obviously cares for Riley, but I couldn't in all honesty, figure out the big attraction to him. Their relationship felt almost rushed, and I didn't feel myself as drawn to him as Riley appears to be, and as perhaps I should've been.

This book definitely has a feel of the tv show Supernatural about it, which was not a problem for me, because I love that show. It has appeal for adults as well it's target YA audience, because it's a bit grittier than your average YA novel.
I loved the fresh take on demons & how the humans of the book interact with them, showing a world that is tough and slightly mercenary, but which has it's bright spots too.

Thrilling and action packed, I would definitely recommend this book, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.