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Breathless

by Cole Gibsen (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 165 ratings · 48 reviews

Obituary-reading emo girl Edith Small is broken - the end result of forcing herself inside a mold that doesn't fit. All she wants is to conform to her strict sergeant stepfather's rules long enough to make it to graduation day. But a boat accident threatens to unravel the life Edith has worked so hard to keep. After waking up in a hospital with a lacerated shoulder, Edith...more

Paperback, 270 pages

Published March 21st 2012 by Crescent Moon Press (first published March 19th 2012)

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YA Mermaid Novels

32nd out of 87 books — 305 voters

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Swimmers on the Cover

34th out of 131 books — 186 voters

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Community Reviews

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May 03, 2013 Laura YA indie princess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, books-i-own, favorites

The must Mermaid/Merman book I have ever read. I wish I could quote the whole book but I can't so here are my top 5.

"So I walked. And Bastin swam. Each of us to a place that the other could never go."

"There was nothing for me on shore. Everything I wanted was under the water where I could never stay."

"I didn't know, Edith. If I knew this would feel like, how much I would need you. I would have stayed away. I'm addicted to you. No good can come from that." his voice softened "Everytime I leave yo...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Book Whales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Originally posted @ Book Whales

Is life worth risking for love?

I’ am always looking for a book that will leave a lasting impression. Good thing I came upon this book on Goodreads. The cover is so pretty, it draws me in. I was very lucky enough to be given an ARC directly from the author. Wow! This book had left me breathless. I was captured! Breathless became my instant favorite. I have never thought that a book about mermaids will leave a significant impact on me!

The story building is amazing!...more Originally posted @ Book Whales

Is life worth risking for love?

I’ am always looking for a book that will leave a lasting impression. Good thing I came upon this book on Goodreads. The cover is so pretty, it draws me in. I was very lucky enough to be given an ARC directly from the author. Wow! This book had left me breathless. I was captured! Breathless became my instant favorite. I have never thought that a book about mermaids will leave a significant impact on me!

The story building is amazing! It was unique and very well made. I had fun imagining Bastin’s water kingdom, and putting myself on Edith’s shoes. Edith had a big decision to make and a huge responsibility to carry. So I will leave you with this question from the book, “What would you say to someone you loved but who has also cursed you?” You have to read this book to find out.

Bastin and Edith’s chemistry, melts my heart. I like how both sides are clueless about each other’s world. The dialogues are witty, funny and sweet. I would marry Bastin in a heartbeat! I also find myself laughing in some parts, Disneyland? There were also some scenes that made my heart pump so fast, especially the cave scene. This book has everything! action, mystery, mythology and romance. Those elements made this book such a fun read.

The characters are realistic too. I like Edith; she is innocent and brave. Morgan is funny and forward; I like how she pisses Edith’s father off. Bastin is yummy! The way he was described, made my mouth water. Bastin is truly one of the most unforgettable characters; long silver hair, black eyes and a chiseled body? He is literally tattooed on my mind. I also like how the author wrote about pollution; how people are contaminating the ocean. There were lots of huge realizations there.

Overall, this book is an excellent read. The dialogues are sooooo sweet so prepare to have a cavity :) I recommend this book to mythology, mystery and action lovers. This book will leave you breathless; waiting for book two would be unbearable. I can't wait for Katana to come out too!

Rating:

(less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Sophia (♥ Dimitri Belikov) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: love-it, best-romance

“Remember when I asked you how I would know if I loved you?I figured it out—I do.”

What an incredible book!!!Breathless is the first book I read by Cole Gibsen and I'm very impressed by her ability to put together such an emotional novel.I can't say that it gripped my attention from the first page but it surelly did from the second page till the last.
I loved the main characters!!!Edith and Bastin were so unpredictable,loyal and both "prisoners"to their fathers' wil.Despite the differences betwee...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

That’s right! We’re back with yet another mermaid story! I just can’t get enough of these. Today’s spotlight is on Breathless by Cole Gibsen. Breathless is about a young woman named Edith who lives in a home with a very strict, military regime. Her stepfather is more heartless machine than father and all Edith wants is to be good enough in his eyes. Edith’s life is in jeopardy. Her stepfather is threatening to ship her off to military school after she is accused of causing a severe boating accid...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Raven_blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ebooks, paranormal-romance, favourites, merfolks

Just finished it and it was pretty awesome couldn't stop putting it down for a second i stayed awake all night just to finish it and the cover is pretty gorgeous and the best thing in breathless is bastin with his mesmerizing long silver hair but i didn't get the ending is it really the end or is there sequel to this???? even so i loved reading this book.

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Dec 27, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars

What would you do if your life changed in a flash ? Would you pretend nothing of it and sneak out at night when no-one could see you or would you tell someone even though you know it would seem crazy or far-fetched?
Meet Edith, out one day on a date forced by her Army Stepfather known as "Sir" a tragedy occurs and people will die and others injured badly. Edith though escapes with only a sore shoulder but what saved her in the ocean ? A creature that she can describe as a mermaid, but mermaids ca...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Edith Small is on a boat with a trio of obnoxious, spoiled rich kids, one of whom is intent on getting into her bathing suit, and she’s counting minutes until her feet are back on solid ground and walking away from the losers. Well past the watching eyes of the Coast Guard, Gabrielle, a bitch of a cheerleader, pulls out her boyfriend’s pot and the other kids light up. The irony is not lost on Edith. She is only on this boat because her uber-strict drill sergeant father finds her habit of keeping...more Edith Small is on a boat with a trio of obnoxious, spoiled rich kids, one of whom is intent on getting into her bathing suit, and she’s counting minutes until her feet are back on solid ground and walking away from the losers. Well past the watching eyes of the Coast Guard, Gabrielle, a bitch of a cheerleader, pulls out her boyfriend’s pot and the other kids light up. The irony is not lost on Edith. She is only on this boat because her uber-strict drill sergeant father finds her habit of keeping to herself and reading obituaries deviant, and he insisted that she make friends at her new school. Friends like this kids who are on this boat…the outwardly clean-cut children of Air Force personnel, athletes, cheerleaders…kids about which Edith now knows her step-father is very much mistaken. The three kids are annoyed that her prudish behavior is ruining their boat ride. They pressure her to drink and smoke so she’ll lighten up. Edith doesn’t, knowing everything happening on that boat will earn a one-way trip to military school.

When a bigger boat comes along side, this one driven by a richer kid and carrying more athletes and cheerleaders, the drivers decide to race. Gabrielle decides to dance on the edge of their boat, Edith fears the girl’s boyfriend, Russell, is too drunk and driving too fast to control the boat when it turns. She tries to pull Gabrielle down and is rewarded with a kick in the face. Gabrielle goes overboard. In shock, Russell takes his hands off the wheel. Their boat plows into larger vessel and all of the kids are thrown into the ocean.

Edith sees Gabrielle’s twisted body hanging on the buoy. She hears someone yell “sharks.” She’s pulled under, but not by a fish. A woman with blue hair and black eyes claws at her, cutting up her chest and breaking her collarbone. She wakes up on land and is barely conscious while overhearing an argument between a man named Bastin and a woman he calls Luna. The woman wants to kill Edith, but Bastin won’t allow it. When Edith next awakes, she is in the hospital. Her cold-fish step-dad demands to know what happened on the boat. When he informs her that the other kids died, she pretends to not remember.

Breathless is a sweet young adult romance between a psychologically broken teen girl and a mer prince with whom she has very much in common. They are both disappointments to their fathers. They both want things they cannot have. This latter point becomes a central theme of the book as they are prevented from having a relationship that ventures far from the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. He cannot walk on land during daylight hours. Despite Edith begging him to take her home with him, Bastin knows that she would be only be trading her soul-crushing home life for the actual crushing depths of the ocean. His love for her is such that he would break both of their hears before condemning her to centuries of excruciating pain.

Edith and Bastin enjoy a weeks or so of discovering each other and falling in love in the other’s arms. Her time with him on a weathered dock in the bayou near her family’s rented home is a reprieve from her daily routine. Before the boat accident, she was living for the day when she’d go to college and finally be free to be her own person. But with Bastin, she lives for the first time since her younger brother died. She’s a girl with a handsome boy’s attention. He touches her, holds her, kisses her, and in all makes her feel special.

For Bastin, she learns later, things are a little more complicated. He doesn’t have her hang-ups regarding affection and intimacy. Coming from a world that has not concept of modesty, where reproduction is no more special than farming, Bastin’s attraction to her is born of curiosity. His desire is for the experience. Over time, this changes, and his interest evolves into true feelings for specifically her, something that his mermaid companion Luna finds wholly disgusting.

Out of the water, Edith is tormented by kids who believe she caused the accident that killed her classmate. She’s hounded by the step-father who is eagerly waiting for an excuse to send her away. She has one friend, a spirited lesbian named Morgan, whose father is the base commander. Between her nightly rendezvous with Bastin and her skipping school with Morgan, Edith’s enrollment in military school is simply a matter of when.

Breathless is a beautiful novel written with great attention to small details. Edith is a girl surviving on her ability to be small, keep to herself, and quietly bide her time. The atmosphere of around Edith…in her home, at school, with Bastin and Morgan…it’s palpable.

Edith’s loneliness is something that I can relate to as a formerly awkward teen. Her attraction to charming, funny, gorgeous Bastin is not at all surprising. Understanding the obstacle between them is governed by the laws of physics, my heart broke on every page.

I’d recommend Breathless to every teen girl who thinks they can’t live without the boy they love right this minute. You can. You will.(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mermaids, paranormal-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 27, 2012 Rebecca Lea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-new-releases, mermaids, ya-fantasy, kindle

Just finished it! And it was amazing!!

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May 21, 2012 HK Savage rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I loved this book. I've never read a book about merpeople because no one ever made me care about them enough to read five pages. Cole has not only gotten me through the entire book in one sitting, she has me hoping there will be another.
Young Edith lives with her drill sergeant stepdad and mother. To sum him up in a word, "Sir." Edith is not allowed to call him anything else and her mother is too cowed to help much. As a result, Edith is a lonely girl with more than a typical teen's baggag...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Dejana Vuletić rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-most-enjoyed-books

Oh. My. Gosh.

Edith Small is the girl who has always been looking for an escape from her horrid life, until she meets the beautiful, silver-haired Bastin, a merman with the power to make her feel alive. Bastin is also quite the curious character himself, with little knowledge of the human world and ulterior motives for a lot of his actions.

I loved the plot! It was constantly moving, and whenever Edith would meet up with Bastin, I'd find myself hooked to those sections, just waiting to see how the...more Oh. My. Gosh.

Edith Small is the girl who has always been looking for an escape from her horrid life, until she meets the beautiful, silver-haired Bastin, a merman with the power to make her feel alive. Bastin is also quite the curious character himself, with little knowledge of the human world and ulterior motives for a lot of his actions.

I loved the plot! It was constantly moving, and whenever Edith would meet up with Bastin, I'd find myself hooked to those sections, just waiting to see how their relationship unfolded. The characters were all very original as well! I was a bit disappointed that the Morgan/Luna relationship was never resolved, but all in all the characters made me laugh at times with their banter, and I loved how they played off of each other and made the book seem realistic.

I feel like Edith accepted Bastin's identity as a merman a little too quickly. In fact, I'm not even sure I remember her actually coming to grips with it at all. It was kind of this weird transition period where she totally got absorbed with Sir and her home problems, and then the next minute she was all, "Yeah, it's totally normal that he's a merman" or whatever. Just something I noticed. It didn't really affect the book that much, but just thought I'd point it out.

The love story was so heart-wrenching! I'll leave it at that, since I don't want to write spoilers! ;)

The mythology in this book was unlike anything I've ever read. I absolutely loved Gibsen's originality and how she included human habits like pollution to explain the feud going on between merpeople and humans! Quite an interesting take on mermaids, without actually straying too far from the accepted model but still making it different and interesting.

Edith was also a very different heroine than I've ever encountered before. At times she was so pathetic, but based on her situation, I'd probably feel the same way. But then at times she was so brave, willing to risk her own life just to save someone else. I enjoyed her character a lot. And Bastin, too. I fell in love with him the second he showed up. <3 That merman is mine, guys. Sorry. ;)

Loved it! I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a good mermaid book and a thrilling read! :)(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Alyssa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-merpeople, pnr, young-adult

Breathless begins with emo-girl Edith Small miserably enduring a ride on a boat with her date Marty Sherwood. Marty is quite the charmer, as he is always trying to get under Edith's swimsuit. The only reason Edith is on the date is because Marty is the son of Lieutenant Colonel Sherwood, and she wants to appease her stepdad, an army-man (eight tours in Iraq, Air Force) who she is forced to call Sir.

Also on this boat is Russell, the high school quarterback, and Gabrielle, the captain of the schoo...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook

I am not sure what to say about this book. It was not my favorite mermaid tale, but it was good enough I will be waiting for a sequel.

Edith is the main character, and she is a girl that seems lost and unable to find her inner strength. She seemed quite spineless most of the book. Circumstances lead to her meeting Bastin, and then her friend Morgan. Bastin and Morgan were my favorite characters! They made the book better, because sometimes it just seemed ridiculous. And to top it off Edith has an...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Scimone Jackson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I am simply Speechless when it comes to "Breathless" I never knew reading a book on mermaids could leave such a lasting impression on me. I love how natural the love between bastian and Edith was. They have the most impossible love yet they loved each other so easily. I believe my favorite scene was the alligator scene...that was so sweet. I look forward to book 2! And I can't wait to see how This author works in a way for Bastian and Edith to be together. S/N I also loved the uniqueness of huma...more

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May 07, 2013 Paula from Reading Lark rated it 4 of 5 stars

As seen on readinglark.blogspot.com

Oh, to be a middle school aged girl and get my hands on this book. This is such a sweet story about a sweet girl whose life is far too harsh to be fair. Edith technically has all the things she needs: food, shelter, clothing, parents to supervise her. Her most basic human need, a sense of belonging and love, is left unfulfilled- until she meets Bastin.

Bastin is a merman- a prince of his tribe, to be more precise. He and Edith meet when he rescues her from a rut...more As seen on readinglark.blogspot.com

Oh, to be a middle school aged girl and get my hands on this book. This is such a sweet story about a sweet girl whose life is far too harsh to be fair. Edith technically has all the things she needs: food, shelter, clothing, parents to supervise her. Her most basic human need, a sense of belonging and love, is left unfulfilled- until she meets Bastin.

Bastin is a merman- a prince of his tribe, to be more precise. He and Edith meet when he rescues her from a ruthless mermaid bent on destroying her. As she teaches him about human culture, he continues to rescue her, but making her feel appreciated, capable and loved. And though they know that their love can't go anywhere, since neither can survive in the other's environment, they also know that their relationship has left them both changed forever.

I love this premise, and the writing is right on target for a middle school audience: characters that are unique and fully formed without being overly complex, some action scenes, some kissy scenes that don't go too far, and lots of angsty rebellion. There were a couple of devices (the threat of being sent to military school, for example) that were on the repetitious side; a little distracting for an advanced reader, but again, perfect for a young YA audience. There are some pretty serious issues that are explored at a surface level; they are introduced, and the reader is certainly invited to think about them, but the main character is so conditioned to suppressing her emotions that those scenes are kept relatively low-key. The writing never gets preachy or in-your-face; Edith is a good, gentle soul, so seeing the world from her perspective filters out some harshness and keeps the message gentle, yet clear.

I must address the character of Sir, or I do this book, and readers, a disservice. Sir is Edith's step-father, a career military man who believes that children need structure and supervision much more than they need affection. I think Sir is the most well-developed character in the book. I think that Sir has been utterly successful in making Edith strong, because most kids who have to live with their own version of Sir crack and do some pretty angry and/or destructive things long before they are Edith's age. As much of a jerk as he is, I can only feel sadness for him. His choices have stripped from him the opportunity to be close to his daughter, a loss that he may not even realize. That's a shame, because Edith is a pretty great kid- Sir is missing out.

The first 2/3 of this book focuses on building Edith and Bastin's relationship. There is a lot of discovery late in the book, leaving opportunity for a sequel. If the author decides to write what comes next, I'll be excited to read it!(less)

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May 23, 2012 Devon Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: writer-s-block-author, for-review, indie-authors, reviewed-on-blog

Poor Edith is just trying to make it to graduation so she can get the hell out of her dysfunctional home. Her little brother died some time back, but her family never recovered. And it seems to be Edith's fault...or at least they have no problem making her feel that way. Her step-father no longer allows her to call him father - it's Sir now - and the way he treats Edith and her mother was even emotionally draining on me as the reader. I was quite enraged with Sir, and it sometimes made it diffic...more Poor Edith is just trying to make it to graduation so she can get the hell out of her dysfunctional home. Her little brother died some time back, but her family never recovered. And it seems to be Edith's fault...or at least they have no problem making her feel that way. Her step-father no longer allows her to call him father - it's Sir now - and the way he treats Edith and her mother was even emotionally draining on me as the reader. I was quite enraged with Sir, and it sometimes made it difficult for me to read at times, because I just wanted to beat the crap out of him since Edith and her mom were too emotionally damaged to do it themselves. It's kind of sad as a reader because Edith comes off as such a weakling at times, and I don't particularly care to read about characters that just roll over like that.

Luckily, Edith's new friend Morgan helps her become a little more defiant and shake loose some of this weakness. As does Bastin, a merman who begins appearing at her window soon after she's involved in a collision at sea where she's pretty certain she saw some things she shouldn't have - like mermaids ripping the people in the water a new one. Fear gets her to ignore him for a few nights, but once he leaves a gift for her, she's suddenly willing to speak to him. Uh - hello! Can you say bait? {Ladies! Never fall for a pretty trinket. It'll only get you into trouble later! As Edith will prove...}

Bastin's a little weird to me in the physical sense - like really long silver hair - so it's hard for me to relate to Edith when she finds herself so attracted to him...but hey, to each his own. He finds himself drawn to her as well and they spend every night hanging out. Of course this doesn't go unnoticed for long, not by his people - who detest humans and who ache to flood the world to drown them all - or by Sir, who's itching for any little mistake so he can validate shipping her off to military school. The jerk even has her bag packed and won't let her unpack it...he just leaves it in her room, taunting her every day and reminding her she's as good as out the door. But Sir's the least of her problems right now. Since the mermaids have become wise to his attraction for her, Edith becomes bait to force Bastin, the future king of one of the tribes, to trade something precious for her survival: the tool necessary to flood the world. So it leaves Bastin forced to choose between the life of the girl he's come to love, or life of all humanity. No pressure or anything...

Breathless is a pretty good read with an absolutely gorgeous cover. My only issues are the interactions with Sir and his desperation to get rid of his remaining child, and a mother that does nothing to heal their family dynamic. I look at my little boy and I couldn't ever imagine pushing him away and denying him love like that. I guess that's why the family interactions are so hard for me to stomach. But check it out anyway!

description

Novel provided by author for honest review.(less)

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May 13, 2013 Rainiekow ❤ rated it 5 of 5 stars

That was such a beautiful story.

Some of the lines had me gushing like a baby. The way they spoke to each other was like freakin' poetry. It was so simplistic, but had so much power behind it. Each word had me on the edge of my seat. I can't even explain properly. Just read it. The love was believable and easy to connect with, unlike most romance in YA novels these days where the readers are just suppose to believe that the couple is in love because they sat around exchanging spit half of the b...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Throughthetrees rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, magic, romance, ya, paranormal, mermaids

Edith Small lives a life of pretend. Pretend that her family is perfect, pretend that she is a normal teenager, pretend that she doesn't wish she was dead. At home she toes the line drawn by her controlling, passive-aggressive step-dad whom she must refer to as "Sir". At school she sneaks dark clothing and black makeup, stealing newspapers from the library to read the obituaries to see how other people have escaped this life and died. Lest this sound like the most emo novel you've ever read, Edi...more Edith Small lives a life of pretend. Pretend that her family is perfect, pretend that she is a normal teenager, pretend that she doesn't wish she was dead. At home she toes the line drawn by her controlling, passive-aggressive step-dad whom she must refer to as "Sir". At school she sneaks dark clothing and black makeup, stealing newspapers from the library to read the obituaries to see how other people have escaped this life and died. Lest this sound like the most emo novel you've ever read, Edith's reasons are sad rather than dark. The death of her little brother careened her family onto the path of darkness, of forcing to forget. But Edith can't forget and won't, and paints herself into a corner to keep others away. After moving to a new town, Edith tries to please Sir by accepting a date from one of the local boys. Unfortunately the event turns traumatic, beginning a whole new downward spiral for Edith's life at school and at home. Several of her schoolmates are injured, some dead and Edith is rescued by a curious creature that cannot be real.

In "Breathless" Cole Gibson has crafted a sweet love story from a complex and sometimes depressing story. Imagine that mermaids were real. What would they be like? Lovely creatures swimming under the water, singing to lure sailors to their rocky death? Sure, but they might also be hell-bent on destroying the race which has so poisoned their oceans and destroyed their homes. They may be vicious and blood-thirsty. They may look strange with candy-colored hair and ink black iris-less eyes. The moon is their mother and in her light they can walk on land. Gibson has taken a well-loved concept and made it a story of Romeo and Juliet, two lovers who can never be allowed in each others worlds.

Edith is rescued from her ill-fated date by Bastin, the prince of the Mer. Taken with her, he starts to stalk her at night, coming to her window and luring her out. Together they form a friendship based on their status as loners in their respective societies. They discover, through one another, the physical and cultural differences between their races. Edith longs for friendship and Bastin, curious to learn more of the creatures on land they had been brought up to despise, is eager to provide. Together they begin the relationship of tentative teenagers, exploring the world of sexuality with slow, determined strides. Their friendship grows and soon Edith longs for Bastin to take her with him to his world, instead of staying in the slog that is her daytime life.

At home, Edith is compressed into a shell of a person, walking on eggshells to keep everything seemingly "normal". Her step-father is a tyrant and the cause of all the pressure. In short, Edith's step-father is an ass. He is demanding, ruthless, cruel and unnecessarily hard on Edith. Though he never actually hits her, Edith suffers from abuse in every paragraph they share. Her mother turns a blind eye, so numb to the pain of losing a child that she carries on as if nothing is wrong with their broken little family. Edith struggles with being the "perfect" daughter so Sir can't find an excuse to send her to military school and break the rest of her. Complex and sad, Gibson's story about love and mermaids is equally about family, heartbreak and acceptance.

While other characters fade in and out of this novel, Edith, Bastin and Sir are by far the most interesting and well-managed. A fair and easy read, "Breathless" has both beauty and grotesque when it comes to human interaction. Gibson doesn't waste time with endless paragraphs of teenagers making-out, or drag plot points out through the span of multiple novels. Instead it is short, sweet and to the point. Maybe this novel doesn't end with endless immortal love where our star-crossed lovers become forever joined. Maybe we are left with some of the sadness and heartbreak that seems to follow Edith as she navigates her young life. And maybe, just maybe, there is more to Edith's story than just "Breathless".(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Ariel Avalon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, 3-stars, mermaids, relationships, reviewed

Edith Smalls is a broken little girl. She wants nothing more than to blend into the background and stay invisible and under the radar. She skirts along, staying just out of trouble so that her strict Military stepfather doesnt send her away to military school. In attempts to please him, she goes on a date with kids that she would never typically hang out with. The date ends in a horrible boating accident and Edith getting terrorized by a savage girl in the water. It's easier to feign amnesia tha...more Edith Smalls is a broken little girl. She wants nothing more than to blend into the background and stay invisible and under the radar. She skirts along, staying just out of trouble so that her strict Military stepfather doesnt send her away to military school. In attempts to please him, she goes on a date with kids that she would never typically hang out with. The date ends in a horrible boating accident and Edith getting terrorized by a savage girl in the water. It's easier to feign amnesia than to admit she was attacked by a mermaid. After meeting Bastin, a strange boy with silver hair and black eyes, she has to fight not to lose her heart to an impossible love.

As I read through this story, I really wanted to like it. It did hold my attention and I did blow through it like I would a really good book. At the end, the whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth. Edith and Morgan were very good characters, actually, I think most of the characters were good.

Sir was a horrible man. I dont care what his reasons for being the way he was were, he is a monster. I found myself gritting my teeth and becoming overly enraged every single scene he had in the book. I kept wondering why Edith or her mother didnt stand up to him. He needed knocked down a peg. At the end, even after his issues are made known, the mother still stays with him. Its just unhealthy. I know it was made to look like he would be getting help, but after 13 years of being that monster its just not right.

Edith and Bastin's love affiar was unbelivable. Did they fall for each other over a greater period of time, or was it really only about the 2-3 weeks that I thought the book took place over? Were they star crossed lovers? Seriously, I dont see how it worked. Bastin went from being someone who didnt know real emotions to suddenly being in a deep painful love? I just couldnt buy it.

Reading the summary of the book, I was expecting more action. A LOT more action. I was horribly disappointed in all of it. The climax was poorly planned and when it happened it was emotionless. It wasnt built up very well, its like this was meant to be entirely a love story and the action was thrown in during an editing request. It was disjointed and just didnt mesh with the rest of the novel.

The ending was bad as well. I believe this is meant to be a stand alone novel and yet the ending was left fairly open-ended. It had a bit of a cliffhanger in general. What is the purpose of that? Not to mention that the cliffhanger left it open for a book that would be horrid to begin with.

It had a few cute scenes with good dialog, but it lacked too much else to be worth more than 3 stars.(less)

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Aug 24, 2012 Bonnie at A Backwards Story added it

Shelves: 2012, mermaids

Don't forget to check out my interview with author Cole Gibsen!
Earlier this year, I reviewed Cole Gibsen's debut novel, KATANA, and interviewed the author!

There are so many unique factors about Cole Gibsen's sophomore novel, BREATHLESS, that grabbed my attention from the get-go. For one thing, this is yet another book this year featuring a merman. I love that this concept is growing more common. Gibsen's world is different from anything I've previously envisioned when it comes to mermaids. I lov...more Don't forget to check out my interview with author Cole Gibsen!
Earlier this year, I reviewed Cole Gibsen's debut novel, KATANA, and interviewed the author!

There are so many unique factors about Cole Gibsen's sophomore novel, BREATHLESS, that grabbed my attention from the get-go. For one thing, this is yet another book this year featuring a merman. I love that this concept is growing more common. Gibsen's world is different from anything I've previously envisioned when it comes to mermaids. I love books where mer are more barbaric and natural. I've noticed lately that I tend to like books where the mer disguise themselves and live among the humans less these days and prefer worlds like the one Gibsen creates. Mer don't have the emotions humans do, the needs, the wants. They have reasons to hate humans such as the way they pollute and destroy the water and a mer's way of life. Even the way the mer physically look is more ethereal and unique, which really lent credibility to Gibsen's world in my eyes.

As is true with many mermaid novels, BREATHLESS begins with a boating accident where the main character is saved by a mer. Only in Edith's case, the mermaid was actually trying to kill her until she was stopped by the Prince, who wants to study humans and chooses Edith as his subject. The more time he spends on land, the more he finds himself associating with human emotions and interactions in ways he never considered possible. I like the way Gibsen portrays this, unlike other mermaid novels I've read lately where the mer magically knows about our entertainment, can drive and play sports, etc. despite never having been on land before. Bastin doesn't know anything about the world of humans but learns more than he bargained for. Edith learns a lot as well. The day of the accident, she thought she was hallucinating. She's afraid to tell anyone what happened that day and fakes amnesia because if her stepfather finds out the truth, he'll ship her off to military school. She has to balance school, a horrible family life, and her new interaction with mer while still being the catalyst for events that will permanently change her life--and the lives of those under the sea.

Gibsen's characters really come to life in BREATHLESS. I hated Edith's stepfather, whom she was forced to call Sir, with a passion. He was incredibly controlling and always threatening to send her off to military school if she so much as breathed in a way he didn't appreciate. He felt real to me. I also loved Bastin and seeing him adapt to land and the habits of humans. Edith was equally endearing. White she has the misfortune of being a victim to insta-love, she also teeters on the edge of a miserable existence. Bastin is the sole good thing in her life because whether she's at home or school, everyone else hates her. She has very little support and tries so hard to be perfect and appease her stepfather. Bastin's presence changes her life completely, in both positive and negative ways. While Gibsen doesn't have plans for a sequel to BREATHLESS, in today's interview, she mentions that so many readers have asked for one that it could one day be in the cards. Despite a few technical flaws in the writing, the story was solid and engaging, with characters you could really visualize, and I would be first in line to snag a copy of a sequel if Gibsen chooses to write one in the future.(less)

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Aug 03, 2011 Sarah Bromley rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've been lucky enough to read an advance copy of this book. Gibsen's ability to draw in the reader through her character's thoughts and descriptions of the world creates a book that is an exciting, dark, and mysterious read. It is not a simple normal-girl-falls-for-supernatural-guy love story. It doesn't rely on the typical YA paranormal romance formula, and the ending...wow, will leave you BREATHLESS.

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Apr 10, 2012 Tara Fuller rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’ll be honest. I haven’t read a lot of mermaid stories, so when I dove into Breathless I didn’t really know what to expect. After reading it, and being completely blown away, I fortunately can tell you exactly what to expect. Awesome world building. A beyond hot merman named Bastin. Totally swoon worthy kissing scenes. A heart breaking and heartwarming story with a protagonist that I could totally relate to. Did I mention the hot merman Bastin? Seriously. He is my new book boyfriend, so hands o...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Jannean Muehlfeld rated it 3 of 5 stars

I can't say that I would have read this book all the way through had I not enjoyed the author's first book, Katana, so much. I am not sure what I was expecting because I knew it was going to be a fantasy fiction book about mer-people. I was intrigued by the folklore behind the story regarding the interaction of humans with mers, but I had a hard time swallowing the whole fish story...hook, line, and sinker.

Now that is not to say, others who like this genre may not appreciate the book. If you wa...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Catarina rated it 4 of 5 stars

So far so good. I'm about a third of the way through the story and I'm enjoying it and witty humor of the characters. The only thing that irritates me is 'sir' and his authority over everyone he comes into contact with. I feel bad for Edith. As for Bastin I think he's a total mystical hottie (although his style may not exactly work on land)

So yeah, I plan to edit it when I'm finished.

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Apr 08, 2012 Zoe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Liked it enough. The opening chapter showed originality. Found that the plot was repetitive. It was basically a scene showing Edith getting super bullied by her stepdad followed by a scene showing her making out with Bastin. Put that on repeat mode and you've got Breathless. While I do like the romance, I feel that the plot could have been shortened. The real twists come at the end so maybe you should just skip to the end. It might be interesting to find out how Edith and Bastin are going to sta...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy marked it as to-read

Shelves: young-adult, review-copies, owned-copy, sea-creatures, signed-copies

My mouth fell open when I saw the cover.Isn't it gorgeous??? The girl in red drowning in blue..amazing colour combination, attractive in one word.

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Feb 06, 2012 Meagster 23 marked it as to-read

Sounds great! Totally original idea- I've never read anything like this can't wait to get a taste :)

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May 17, 2012 Jenni marked it as to-read

Breathtaking cover! The contrast bewtween the red dress and the blue ocean is so beautiful!

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Apr 11, 2012 Autumn rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ya

I need to stop finishing books that are this bad. Harlequin romances for the teen set.

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Sep 30, 2012 Susan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Maybe OK if you are a teenage girl into a bit of fantasy.
I can't believe I even bothered to finish this.

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About Cole Gibsen

I love writing, day-old chinese food, and my nail polish is always chipped. My YA novel, KATANA, will be released, spring 2012 by Flux. You can check out my website at www.colegibsen.com Word to your mother. (But seriously, you should call her. She worries.)

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“But he was wrong about the sun—I didn’t need it. All the sun in the world wouldn’t stop a flower from dying—if it had no one to care for it.” — 3 people liked it

“Smalls, my parents' house is pretty big. The odds are more in favor of a burglar sneaking around than your boy-boy. I can't let you take that risk alone. If you're gonna get murdered, then I'm gonna get murdered with you." She shrugged. "It's what any good friend would do.” — 1 person liked it

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