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Breathe #1
Breathe
This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00AM48YSY
Jasmine’s life wasn’t normal for a 16 year old girl. It hadn’t been normal since the murder of her older sister, Daisy, two years ago. Her life had been changed forever. The monster that murdered Daisy was never caught. That was the reason her family decided to move away from their hometown in Southern California, to start over. Hopefully in a place where the last name Rourke wouldn’t bring on staring or judgment or morbid curiosity.
In Lafayette, Louisiana things are quite a bit different but in a good way. Good manners, Cajun accents and a whole lot of Southern Hospitality all make her think things are going in the right direction. On top of that the most gorgeous boy she has ever met is interested in her. Her new friends are better than she could have hoped for even if she is worried about what they might think when they find out who she is. Life would be perfect if odd things didn’t keep happening. Creepy phone calls, texts, and flowers in her locker start adding up quickly to something terrifying. Could the Monster have followed them to Lafayette? Was he coming after her this time? Maybe she was just worrying unnecessarily…or not.
Jasmine’s life wasn’t normal for a 16 year old girl. It hadn’t been normal since the murder of her older sister, Daisy, two years ago. Her life had been changed forever. The monster that murdered Daisy was never caught. That was the reason her family decided to move away from their hometown in Southern California, to start over. Hopefully in a place where the last name Rourke wouldn’t bring on staring or judgment or morbid curiosity.
In Lafayette, Louisiana things are quite a bit different but in a good way. Good manners, Cajun accents and a whole lot of Southern Hospitality all make her think things are going in the right direction. On top of that the most gorgeous boy she has ever met is interested in her. Her new friends are better than she could have hoped for even if she is worried about what they might think when they find out who she is. Life would be perfect if odd things didn’t keep happening. Creepy phone calls, texts, and flowers in her locker start adding up quickly to something terrifying. Could the Monster have followed them to Lafayette? Was he coming after her this time? Maybe she was just worrying unnecessarily…or not.
166 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2010
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441 people want to read
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May 22, 2017
Breathe by Elena Dillon
First in the Breathe series
2 stars
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2.5
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 2
Swoon Worthy Scale: 1
Villain Scale: 1
Character Scale: 3
Plotastic Scale: 2.25
Cover Thoughts: I don’t really like the cover. I mean it’s not horrible, but I don’t love it.
Thank you, Netgalley and Mark My Words Book Publicity, for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of Other Books in Series:
0.5 Gone 2 stars
First in the Breathe series
2 stars
Jasmine used to live a normal life. Two years ago everything changed when her sister, Daisy, was kidnapped and brutally murdered. To find normalcy her mom has decided that uprooting from California to another place would be best for both Jasmine and the twins. Jasmine couldn’t agree more and picks out the town of Lafayette, Louisiana to be their new home. Everything seems to be working out for Jasmine in Lafayette. People don’t know she’s the sister of the murdered girl on TV, she’s making friends, and there’s even a charming Southern boy interested in her. Until the man who killed Daisy starts leaving behind evidence that he’s found them and Jasmine is next. The first thing Breathe made me do was pause upon reading the first sentence.
"Most days I can almost forget someone murdered my sister.”
This sentence is simple, but it completely grabbed my attention. It lead me to keep reading and I read 14% of the novel in one day, which is rare for me when reading on my Kindle (because I’m easily distracted).
The best thing about Breathe should be the fact that this is set in my home town. 
This is incredibly rare. Louisiana is semi-popular in books, but to find one set in my town (even if it is one of the heavier populated cities) is a rarity. Naturally, that means that I’m going to be expecting this to be done right. There was an unrealistic representation of the setting, the accents, and the high school life. Yes I do have an accent, but I don’t talk like I’m completely uneducated with a thick accent. All people in Louisiana have an accent and some just have thicker dialects depending on the region. The misrepresentation of high school seems silly, but the thing that sets apart public schools in Louisiana to most states is mandatory school uniforms. I’m sorry, Jasmine but that outfit from Urban Outfitters is going to be worn on the weekend not for your first day of school. I think that a basic Google search was needed. Besides my problem with the accent misrepresentation, the dialect between characters was way too proper for teenagers. Just because I’m Southern doesn’t mean I don’t use the same slang terms and horribly stilted sentences that is common at the time. Southern people are not all swoon. Yes, the boys are gentlemen and girls are polite, but only because of upbringing. (This is a completely true fact, I went to Chicago and someone rolled their eyes at me for being polite.) Southern hospitality is true, but to an extent. Also you can be a sophomore on varsity in sports; it’s not a rare thing at all. This book also being set at the rival school also does not do it any favors. The writing is too formal. Everything reads like a formal conversation. The writing also had the tendency to peter off and become bland and not very entertaining.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2.5
The main female character is Jasmine. I don’t hate Jasmine, but I definitely don’t like her. Her actions are stupid and she didn’t win me over while trying to keep she was a secret. Her being secretive wasn’t smart, it was stupid and annoying. So annoying.
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 2
The main male character is Easton. I never thought a Southern boy’s politeness could make me want to gag, but this guy’s did. He didn’t make swoon at all. I was constantly rolling my eyes at Easton’s attempts to win Jasmine over. He brought recommendation letters of his good character over to Jasmine’s mom. 
NO ONE would do that, especially not in the South. That is something that would have people laughing at and would become the joke of the school for a little while. He also uses pet names (i.e. sugar). It’s like I’m supposed to hate him.
Swoon Worthy Scale: 1
The Villain- Lackluster. This villain should make me cringe because of his brutality. I should feel as uncomfortable as I do watching Criminal Minds, but instead I just kind of rolled my eyes at his shenanigans, which isn’t what you’re supposed to do when it comes to a stalking killer.
Villain Scale: 1
The characters are all annoying. Everyone from Jasmine’s friends made me cringe. I did like Easton’s family and Jasmine’s brother and sister, but they weren’t all that memorable. Although, I did enjoy Jasmine and her brother’s prank wars, that was fun to read about.
Character Scale: 3
I do like the plot of this book, though. It’s just hard to please me because it’s set in my home town. The plot is entertaining and I kept reading, but the story isn’t suspenseful enough for the genre. This is supposed to be a suspense novel, but halfway through it became a cliché teen romance with a looming secret. This book wasn’t bad, it was just unfulfilling. It had a lot of potential and as the story went it on it kind of lost its momentum.
Plotastic Scale: 2.25
Cover Thoughts: I don’t really like the cover. I mean it’s not horrible, but I don’t love it.
Thank you, Netgalley and Mark My Words Book Publicity, for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of Other Books in Series:
0.5 Gone 2 stars
December 7, 2012
This book pulled me in from the very first line: "Most days I can almost forget someone murdered my sister."
Jasmine wanted to be an ordinary teenager, like everyone else, but the fact that her sister's murderer had never been caught and the incessant media attention on her and her family meant they were always on edge. She and her family moves from Burbank, California to a small town in Louisiana. For the first time, she could be anonymous, the new girl in school, unburdened from her past.
I cheered for Jasmine as she made new friends, took on a lot of responsibility for her younger siblings, and falls for the hottest guy on campus. Little things disturbed me and I knew the drama would not be over. However the author painted life in the small town vividly and still gave time for pranks, pep rallies, and normal girltalk. She contrasted the familiarity of the small town where residents knew each other for generations and were often related, with the impersonal atmosphere of California.
Once I hit 55% I knew I wouldn't sleep until I completed the book. The villain was cold and calculating, and the story unfolded in an edge-of-your-seat cat and mouse game. The narrator's voice was authentic and engaging, and I absolutely loved the boys in the story, from the loquacious Trenton to the bratty younger brother to the heart-throb boyfriend.
Extremely well done and fast paced, with a heroine you can't help loving and rooting for.
Jasmine wanted to be an ordinary teenager, like everyone else, but the fact that her sister's murderer had never been caught and the incessant media attention on her and her family meant they were always on edge. She and her family moves from Burbank, California to a small town in Louisiana. For the first time, she could be anonymous, the new girl in school, unburdened from her past.
I cheered for Jasmine as she made new friends, took on a lot of responsibility for her younger siblings, and falls for the hottest guy on campus. Little things disturbed me and I knew the drama would not be over. However the author painted life in the small town vividly and still gave time for pranks, pep rallies, and normal girltalk. She contrasted the familiarity of the small town where residents knew each other for generations and were often related, with the impersonal atmosphere of California.
Once I hit 55% I knew I wouldn't sleep until I completed the book. The villain was cold and calculating, and the story unfolded in an edge-of-your-seat cat and mouse game. The narrator's voice was authentic and engaging, and I absolutely loved the boys in the story, from the loquacious Trenton to the bratty younger brother to the heart-throb boyfriend.
Extremely well done and fast paced, with a heroine you can't help loving and rooting for.
April 12, 2013
What you should (probably) know about Breathe:
- The book totally, TOTALLY reminded me of Twilight. It probably had to do with this scene at the beginning, in a parking lot, where Jasmine faints and Easton swoops in out of nowhere and catches her before she falls. Ring any bells? Any similarities? Okay, maybe it's just me. And she has the propensity to get light headed, which (again) reminded me of Bella holding her breath, and Edward always reminding her, 'Breathe, Bella.' in his oh-so-wonderful-like-music voice.
- The 'romance' and 'family' part of the story outweighs the 'mystery murderer' part of the story. That gives the book a light feel, which is nice while it lasts, but feels abrupt like where-the-heck-did-you-come-from when the mystery part pops its head out.
- Jasmine just CANNOT take a compliment to save her life. Really, I kind of get it, because I know I tend to be a bit like that, but this female takes it so far, that it gets annoying.
- The family camaraderie is so beautiful to read. With her elder sister gone, it falls on Jasmine to take the lead with her siblings, and though she resents the responsibility at times, she doesn't slack off. There are some very elaborate scenes that depict the pranks that Jasmine and her brother play on each other, and those are fun! Her little brother was by far my favourite character in the book, really.
- Usually, in suspense novels, the perpetrator of the crime ends up being one of the main characters or at least someone who has been shown throughout the book, so that a relationship is established between the victim and the perpetrator (it's also probably because the jaw-drop factor is higher). But in Breathe, the murderer is someone that is introduced (in person, that is) at the fag end of the book, and from there everything escalates very rapidly.
- I felt the title wasn't very appropriate. Breathing is something that is essential for living, and thus I feel if anyone uses it as a title for a book, the book should be sufficiently intense (like Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan). Needless to say, Breathe was not an intense book. But then again, this is just my opinion.
- By the way, I just remembered, even Jasmine admits at one point of the book that it sounds like Twilight. So maybe it's not just me ;)
*A copy was provided by the author for review.
For for of my book reviews, check out Simply Me
- The book totally, TOTALLY reminded me of Twilight. It probably had to do with this scene at the beginning, in a parking lot, where Jasmine faints and Easton swoops in out of nowhere and catches her before she falls. Ring any bells? Any similarities? Okay, maybe it's just me. And she has the propensity to get light headed, which (again) reminded me of Bella holding her breath, and Edward always reminding her, 'Breathe, Bella.' in his oh-so-wonderful-like-music voice.
- The 'romance' and 'family' part of the story outweighs the 'mystery murderer' part of the story. That gives the book a light feel, which is nice while it lasts, but feels abrupt like where-the-heck-did-you-come-from when the mystery part pops its head out.
- Jasmine just CANNOT take a compliment to save her life. Really, I kind of get it, because I know I tend to be a bit like that, but this female takes it so far, that it gets annoying.
- The family camaraderie is so beautiful to read. With her elder sister gone, it falls on Jasmine to take the lead with her siblings, and though she resents the responsibility at times, she doesn't slack off. There are some very elaborate scenes that depict the pranks that Jasmine and her brother play on each other, and those are fun! Her little brother was by far my favourite character in the book, really.
- Usually, in suspense novels, the perpetrator of the crime ends up being one of the main characters or at least someone who has been shown throughout the book, so that a relationship is established between the victim and the perpetrator (it's also probably because the jaw-drop factor is higher). But in Breathe, the murderer is someone that is introduced (in person, that is) at the fag end of the book, and from there everything escalates very rapidly.
- I felt the title wasn't very appropriate. Breathing is something that is essential for living, and thus I feel if anyone uses it as a title for a book, the book should be sufficiently intense (like Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan). Needless to say, Breathe was not an intense book. But then again, this is just my opinion.
- By the way, I just remembered, even Jasmine admits at one point of the book that it sounds like Twilight. So maybe it's not just me ;)
*A copy was provided by the author for review.
For for of my book reviews, check out Simply Me
May 14, 2013
*****3.5 stars*****
Most days I can almost forget someone murdered my sister. I try to go through every day like a normal sixteen-year-old. I can eat breakfast, go to school, do homework, but then something will remind me that my family will never be the same. ~ Jasmine, Loc 40
This was a sweet YA romance with the added bonus of the creepy suspense shrouding Jasmine's life. After her sister's gruesome murder and the failure by the police to catch the man who did it, she and her family were more than happy to move on and try to get beyond the fear and pain. I really liked Jasmine's family, from the twins who drove her batty to her understandably protective mother who loved her children dearly. They were a close-knit family that had endured a lot of suffering, and it was heartwarming to see. Jasmine was trying desperately to get away from the stares and pity she constantly dealt with in her hometown, but it was easier said than done.
Easton was the southern gentleman in every sense, from the very start! From the moment he caught a fainting Jasmine, he had me sold with his perfect southern charm and tender-hearted thoughtfulness, and he was exactly what Jasmine needed in her life. The professions of "I love you" were a bit early on for my tastes, but I was just as smitten as Jasmine was when it came down to it! As they adjusted to life in the south, she and her family seemed to finally find happiness surrounded by good people and new opportunities. Jas was moving on and getting back to the life of a teenager, so when it seemed like her ghosts had followed her to the new town, she was shaken but optimistic. Of course, I kept thinking she'd have to be crazy to not think more of what was happening, but Jas always wrote it off as pranksters just like she had dealt with back in CA. Thankfully Easton was always there to be her support, and always more than willing to protect her at all costs, because Jas had vastly underestimated the level of danger she was in!
Breathe was a charming story with characters that were easy to enjoy getting to know. There were some moments that were a bit far-fetched and unrealistic for the purposes of dramatic flair, but overall I think this was a great YA read. With a fairly tame plot, I think it best suits younger readers of the genre, but it has enough going on to keep the rest of us reading, too!
This and other of my reviews can be found at: http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...
Most days I can almost forget someone murdered my sister. I try to go through every day like a normal sixteen-year-old. I can eat breakfast, go to school, do homework, but then something will remind me that my family will never be the same. ~ Jasmine, Loc 40
This was a sweet YA romance with the added bonus of the creepy suspense shrouding Jasmine's life. After her sister's gruesome murder and the failure by the police to catch the man who did it, she and her family were more than happy to move on and try to get beyond the fear and pain. I really liked Jasmine's family, from the twins who drove her batty to her understandably protective mother who loved her children dearly. They were a close-knit family that had endured a lot of suffering, and it was heartwarming to see. Jasmine was trying desperately to get away from the stares and pity she constantly dealt with in her hometown, but it was easier said than done.
Easton was the southern gentleman in every sense, from the very start! From the moment he caught a fainting Jasmine, he had me sold with his perfect southern charm and tender-hearted thoughtfulness, and he was exactly what Jasmine needed in her life. The professions of "I love you" were a bit early on for my tastes, but I was just as smitten as Jasmine was when it came down to it! As they adjusted to life in the south, she and her family seemed to finally find happiness surrounded by good people and new opportunities. Jas was moving on and getting back to the life of a teenager, so when it seemed like her ghosts had followed her to the new town, she was shaken but optimistic. Of course, I kept thinking she'd have to be crazy to not think more of what was happening, but Jas always wrote it off as pranksters just like she had dealt with back in CA. Thankfully Easton was always there to be her support, and always more than willing to protect her at all costs, because Jas had vastly underestimated the level of danger she was in!
Breathe was a charming story with characters that were easy to enjoy getting to know. There were some moments that were a bit far-fetched and unrealistic for the purposes of dramatic flair, but overall I think this was a great YA read. With a fairly tame plot, I think it best suits younger readers of the genre, but it has enough going on to keep the rest of us reading, too!
This and other of my reviews can be found at: http://www.autumnreview.com/search/la...
August 4, 2014
Thanks Mark My Words PR for the review copy!
"Most days I can almost forget someone murdered my sister. I try to go through every day like a normal sixteen-year-old."
I remember sitting and telling myself that I'll just read the first few chapters. Then... then the next thing I know I already devoured all of it.
Breathe has one of those openings that will completely suck you in and will never let you go until you finish it. The story is about Jasmine. Breathe shows the aftermath of her sister's disappearance. They're all paranoid all the time and they have to leave town because of cruel people trying to get a laugh at their situation. But that's not the only reason they have to leave. You see, Daisy didn't just disappear, she was kidnapped. And her kidnapper wasn't caught.
Dillon had this way of writing, it's simple, really, but it's absolutely gripping. Like it's compelling you to just continue reading. I love how realistic everything is. I didn't experience what Jasmine has been going through but for me, everything looks legit. From the protagonist's thoughts to the kidnappers motives. You can really see it happening in real life.
What I love the most here is Easton. Period. Does this kind of guy even exist?! Let me ask you, do you know a guy who brings an information packet to meet someone’s parent? Like, you know, he's bringing resume, official transcripts, SAT scores, driving record, and a couple of recommendation letters. RECOMMENDATION LETTER FROM HIS PASTOR!
Anyway, I guess that's also one of the reasons why it cost me to pull down another star. It was just more focused on the romance department. I want more thrilling moments. More scary and creepy shenanigans. But other than that, Breathe is attention grabbing read. I was transfixed and I can’t help but ask for more.
"Most days I can almost forget someone murdered my sister. I try to go through every day like a normal sixteen-year-old."
I remember sitting and telling myself that I'll just read the first few chapters. Then... then the next thing I know I already devoured all of it.
Breathe has one of those openings that will completely suck you in and will never let you go until you finish it. The story is about Jasmine. Breathe shows the aftermath of her sister's disappearance. They're all paranoid all the time and they have to leave town because of cruel people trying to get a laugh at their situation. But that's not the only reason they have to leave. You see, Daisy didn't just disappear, she was kidnapped. And her kidnapper wasn't caught.
Dillon had this way of writing, it's simple, really, but it's absolutely gripping. Like it's compelling you to just continue reading. I love how realistic everything is. I didn't experience what Jasmine has been going through but for me, everything looks legit. From the protagonist's thoughts to the kidnappers motives. You can really see it happening in real life.
What I love the most here is Easton. Period. Does this kind of guy even exist?! Let me ask you, do you know a guy who brings an information packet to meet someone’s parent? Like, you know, he's bringing resume, official transcripts, SAT scores, driving record, and a couple of recommendation letters. RECOMMENDATION LETTER FROM HIS PASTOR!
Anyway, I guess that's also one of the reasons why it cost me to pull down another star. It was just more focused on the romance department. I want more thrilling moments. More scary and creepy shenanigans. But other than that, Breathe is attention grabbing read. I was transfixed and I can’t help but ask for more.
September 23, 2014
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Mark My Words Book Publicity for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. It had a very promising synopsis, but the characters weren’t up to par here. Let’s start with Jasmine, shall we? I just don’t see how she could be so immature given the fact that her older sister was murdered. Usually, when tragedy strikes, children and teens are forced to mature sooner than they should. And I don’t think Jasmine had that maturity anywhere. She was just the opposite, coming across as a bit of a spoiled teen. As for Easton, I simply couldn’t stand him. He was too perfect and too clingy for my taste.
The plot was the saving grace of this book, hampered as it was by the characters. Given that there is a stalker/murderer at work, I’d expect Jasmine to show a bit more of fear, increasing the tension of the plot. I also missed seeing more of the killer. Who was he? Why would he target Daisy? He deserved to be better developed. Even serial killers have some logic to their killings, but this one had no logic whatsoever. It was because I wanted to see how things would end that I read this book until the end.
I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. It had a very promising synopsis, but the characters weren’t up to par here. Let’s start with Jasmine, shall we? I just don’t see how she could be so immature given the fact that her older sister was murdered. Usually, when tragedy strikes, children and teens are forced to mature sooner than they should. And I don’t think Jasmine had that maturity anywhere. She was just the opposite, coming across as a bit of a spoiled teen. As for Easton, I simply couldn’t stand him. He was too perfect and too clingy for my taste.
The plot was the saving grace of this book, hampered as it was by the characters. Given that there is a stalker/murderer at work, I’d expect Jasmine to show a bit more of fear, increasing the tension of the plot. I also missed seeing more of the killer. Who was he? Why would he target Daisy? He deserved to be better developed. Even serial killers have some logic to their killings, but this one had no logic whatsoever. It was because I wanted to see how things would end that I read this book until the end.
September 28, 2015
1.5/5 Stars
Thank you Netgalley and Mark My Words Book Publicity for my ebook copy of this book.
I was unimpressed and unmoved by this book. It wasn't that it was terrible but no matter how much I tried I couldn't get into it. The writing style was all tell and no show, which made it impossible to feel anything from the characters or the plot.
The story itself has such a commonplace plot that it needed something extra, something that made it stand out among the rest, and pull the reader in. Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, it failed to do that.
Check out my full review here
Thank you Netgalley and Mark My Words Book Publicity for my ebook copy of this book.
I was unimpressed and unmoved by this book. It wasn't that it was terrible but no matter how much I tried I couldn't get into it. The writing style was all tell and no show, which made it impossible to feel anything from the characters or the plot.
The story itself has such a commonplace plot that it needed something extra, something that made it stand out among the rest, and pull the reader in. Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, it failed to do that.
Check out my full review here
September 5, 2014
This review and others are also available to read on my blog Diary of a Teen Writer.
I requested this from Netgalley on a pure impulse. The description looks cool, the cover — well, let’s face it, the cover could probably do with some work, but overall, it’s not bad. Who doesn’t like a flower on their cover? And besides, I’m a sucker for mystery whodunit novels, so of course I requested this — and was so excited to read when I got accepted.
But oh, boy, was I in for a surprise. And not a nice one.
I like lists, so I’m going to list some of the issues I had with this novel.
Sorry, Mark My Words Book Publicity, but I felt as though this novel is nowhere near ready for publication.
To me, this was just-another-murder-mystery-novel.
There was nothing fresh and different to other mystery novels I’ve read. In other words, the story was rather forgettable; when I read a mystery/thriller novel, I want it to be heart-racing, exciting, full of mystery and intrigue, but this book offered the opposite. Not only was it awfully predictable, but I found myself wanting to skim through the paragraphs for something… interested to happen. There were a few rather eventful moments — like the end, for example — but the majority of it passed without me really caring. The good thing about this novel? It was short. Only 103 pages long; though, a lot of the story was told. (“He looked angry”, ect.) The novel could have been a) lengthened, if more things were shown, and b) I might have cared more for the characters if their emotions were shown better. I did not feel the main characters fear, her grief, her anger.
The romance was both unrealistic and irritating.
The main character faints, and falls into the arms of a gorgeous guy within the first chapter of the novel. First off? That’s awfully cliché and eye-rolling worthy. And secondly? Fainting seemed to be portrayed as cute. Fainting is not cute. I’ve fainted twice in my life, and it’s scary as hell, thank you very much. Not to mention that Easton — the love interest — was perfect. Come on! Where are the flaws? The things that make him realistic? He was so dang perfect that even the main character states this more than once. I don’t want to read about perfect characters; I want to read about characters I understand.
And, well, partly because of this, I did not like the characters.
Characters are important, yes? Heck, they carry the novel. If there are not going to be good characters, then most likely the story is not going to be good, either. Without spoiling anything (though in this novel there’s hardly much to spoil…) I will just say that there end-ish of the novel was supposed to be intense and thrilling, but I couldn’t look past the dullness of the main character to really care what happened to her. The same goes with Easton, and any other character that was involved there.
Yeah. Not a great novel — and not something I’d recommend. It had potential, that was for sure, but I couldn’t enjoy it because of the issues listed above.
I requested this from Netgalley on a pure impulse. The description looks cool, the cover — well, let’s face it, the cover could probably do with some work, but overall, it’s not bad. Who doesn’t like a flower on their cover? And besides, I’m a sucker for mystery whodunit novels, so of course I requested this — and was so excited to read when I got accepted.
But oh, boy, was I in for a surprise. And not a nice one.
I like lists, so I’m going to list some of the issues I had with this novel.
Sorry, Mark My Words Book Publicity, but I felt as though this novel is nowhere near ready for publication.
To me, this was just-another-murder-mystery-novel.
There was nothing fresh and different to other mystery novels I’ve read. In other words, the story was rather forgettable; when I read a mystery/thriller novel, I want it to be heart-racing, exciting, full of mystery and intrigue, but this book offered the opposite. Not only was it awfully predictable, but I found myself wanting to skim through the paragraphs for something… interested to happen. There were a few rather eventful moments — like the end, for example — but the majority of it passed without me really caring. The good thing about this novel? It was short. Only 103 pages long; though, a lot of the story was told. (“He looked angry”, ect.) The novel could have been a) lengthened, if more things were shown, and b) I might have cared more for the characters if their emotions were shown better. I did not feel the main characters fear, her grief, her anger.
The romance was both unrealistic and irritating.
The main character faints, and falls into the arms of a gorgeous guy within the first chapter of the novel. First off? That’s awfully cliché and eye-rolling worthy. And secondly? Fainting seemed to be portrayed as cute. Fainting is not cute. I’ve fainted twice in my life, and it’s scary as hell, thank you very much. Not to mention that Easton — the love interest — was perfect. Come on! Where are the flaws? The things that make him realistic? He was so dang perfect that even the main character states this more than once. I don’t want to read about perfect characters; I want to read about characters I understand.
And, well, partly because of this, I did not like the characters.
Characters are important, yes? Heck, they carry the novel. If there are not going to be good characters, then most likely the story is not going to be good, either. Without spoiling anything (though in this novel there’s hardly much to spoil…) I will just say that there end-ish of the novel was supposed to be intense and thrilling, but I couldn’t look past the dullness of the main character to really care what happened to her. The same goes with Easton, and any other character that was involved there.
Yeah. Not a great novel — and not something I’d recommend. It had potential, that was for sure, but I couldn’t enjoy it because of the issues listed above.
April 6, 2013
My Thoughts (Review)
Breathe follows the life of High School junior Jasmine as she attempts not only to navigate the difficult waters of teen life and high school; but she is also attempting to begin a new normal with her family, who had been struck with the tragic loss of her older sister, Daisy. The death of her sister was made even more heartwrenching due to Daisy was murdered, and the killer never caught. So to begin afresh, Jasmine and her mom, and younger twin siblings, a sister and brother start over fresh. They make the move from LA to Lousiana. Things are different there, but soon Jasmine, begins to almost feel like a normal teen again. She gains friends, as well as the heart of the most popular, and hottest guy in school. She begins to find herself, but Jasmine’s world is thrown askew again, when the signs that what she hoped to have left in LA and the past, may be haunting her in her new home.
Breathe, had a wondeful “feel” to it. I know that’s very hard to explain, but I love novels, or stories, that have a somewhat “gothic” atmospehere. Gothic not in the sense of castles, or paranormal creatures. But that of the steamy, Old World Lousiana landscape, mysterious events and very passionate,handsome special someones; add in cryptic characters and murder, and yep, Author Elena Dillon had me at the first chapter.
The story was paced perfectly, starting in the aftermath of the tragedy and the beginning of the new life. We moved swiftly into Jasmine’s becoming immersed in the schools matrix, and right into the action that carried the reader to the end. There was not a lag, where the reader could be bored. Between the sprinkles of suspense, when Jasmine begins to receive the threatening calls, and creepy items that mimicked her sister’s experience; Author Elena Dillion balanced extremely well, alternating scenes between the dark threat of danger and the blossoming passion between Jasmine and Easton; who was described as beautiful, (and in my mind’s eye) a younger version of Ian Somehalder(Damon from The Vampire Diaries); I was carried through the story quite expertly.
(Not sure if this was the author’s goal, but was sure what I was thinking of!)
(My idea of Easton)
Ian Somehalder
Although labeled as YA, the story would capture the interest of anyone who loves mystery-suspense and a good love story combined.
I enjoyed this book immensley and will look forward to more work from this author!
Recommended for Teens/Adults (Parental Guidance is suggested for younger teens,due to subject matter) Violence/Murder references
Breathe follows the life of High School junior Jasmine as she attempts not only to navigate the difficult waters of teen life and high school; but she is also attempting to begin a new normal with her family, who had been struck with the tragic loss of her older sister, Daisy. The death of her sister was made even more heartwrenching due to Daisy was murdered, and the killer never caught. So to begin afresh, Jasmine and her mom, and younger twin siblings, a sister and brother start over fresh. They make the move from LA to Lousiana. Things are different there, but soon Jasmine, begins to almost feel like a normal teen again. She gains friends, as well as the heart of the most popular, and hottest guy in school. She begins to find herself, but Jasmine’s world is thrown askew again, when the signs that what she hoped to have left in LA and the past, may be haunting her in her new home.
Breathe, had a wondeful “feel” to it. I know that’s very hard to explain, but I love novels, or stories, that have a somewhat “gothic” atmospehere. Gothic not in the sense of castles, or paranormal creatures. But that of the steamy, Old World Lousiana landscape, mysterious events and very passionate,handsome special someones; add in cryptic characters and murder, and yep, Author Elena Dillon had me at the first chapter.
The story was paced perfectly, starting in the aftermath of the tragedy and the beginning of the new life. We moved swiftly into Jasmine’s becoming immersed in the schools matrix, and right into the action that carried the reader to the end. There was not a lag, where the reader could be bored. Between the sprinkles of suspense, when Jasmine begins to receive the threatening calls, and creepy items that mimicked her sister’s experience; Author Elena Dillion balanced extremely well, alternating scenes between the dark threat of danger and the blossoming passion between Jasmine and Easton; who was described as beautiful, (and in my mind’s eye) a younger version of Ian Somehalder(Damon from The Vampire Diaries); I was carried through the story quite expertly.
(Not sure if this was the author’s goal, but was sure what I was thinking of!)
(My idea of Easton)
Ian Somehalder
Although labeled as YA, the story would capture the interest of anyone who loves mystery-suspense and a good love story combined.
I enjoyed this book immensley and will look forward to more work from this author!
Recommended for Teens/Adults (Parental Guidance is suggested for younger teens,due to subject matter) Violence/Murder references
March 31, 2013
Breathe, by Elena Dillon is an outstanding addition to YA reading! Jasmine Rourke's older sister Daisy was murdered two years ago by a serial killer who was still on the loose, haunting her family's every thought, a dark shadow in their lives. She moves with her family, going across the country to get away from the memories and the stares, but Jasmine still has panic attacks in certain situations. After fainting in a Walmart parking lot, she wakes up in the arms of the most handsome boy she has ever seen! Okay,okay, kind of embarrassing, but life takes another sharp turn for her when she finds that her Southern Knight in Jeans is the hottest guy in school and he likes her! Could things be looking up? Jasmine has told no one at school about her past, she did NOT want the label or the pity or the stares, again. When Jasmine starts getting disturbing phone calls and flowers in her locker, she just knows its Daisy’s murderer and he is after her now. Finally, it happens. He makes contact! He warns her that if she doesn’t do exactly what he wants, when he wants, everyone she loves will come to harm. What can she do? She can’t tell her mother, she can’t go to the police, it’s up to her to figure out how to catch this twisted murderer without him catching on or getting killed herself. She devises and a plan, but timing will be crucial and she will be depending on her twelve year old brother to do exactly as she tells him. Will Jasmine’s plan work? What if it doesn’t? Will the monster get away? Will there be a hero rushing to her rescue?
What happens will keep you glued to the pages! Elena Dillon has crafted an amazing read that hooked me from page one through the excellent world-building and life-like character development to the HUGE finish! Breathe is a polished mystery/thriller with a tender love story that flows like honey! And not a vampire in sight!
Winner of the 2012 Weta Nichols Young Adult Award
What happens will keep you glued to the pages! Elena Dillon has crafted an amazing read that hooked me from page one through the excellent world-building and life-like character development to the HUGE finish! Breathe is a polished mystery/thriller with a tender love story that flows like honey! And not a vampire in sight!
Winner of the 2012 Weta Nichols Young Adult Award
April 5, 2013
I liked the beginning and the end. The middle was a bit dodgy.
The Beginning
I liked that the story doesn't drag. It moves quickly but not incoherently. I like my scenes to have purpose instead of just filling-in until the book plot warms up.
Jas' sister's murder has put life into a new perspective for her. Fortunately for me, Jas has gone through the grieving process and is now moving on. She just wants to enjoy her highschool experience now. But she's still traumatised. She's terrified of her sister's unknown murderer and suffers from panic attacks that she's really embarrassed about.
Her younger siblings are twins, Caedan and Lily. Caedan's a regular mischievous 12 year old boy but Lily is way too anxious for a kid. I felt sorry for her because she gets so filled with fear when she's worried.
Jas has this peculiar talent. She can compartmentalise exceptionally well. She just shuts down her emotions and develops a detached but silver tongue so that she can talk her way out of tricky situations.
Easton (love the name). I liked how gentle he is with Jas and how sweet he can be, and get this, he calls her “sugar”. Aww. He's very dashing.
Bad Stuff
Probably the main reason I didn't like this part was because it struck too close to home. No, I have not suffered the murder of a loved one, but my parents were super strict with me. And all I could think while Jas was complaining about her mother's “paranoia” was, “Girl, your mother's got nothing on mine.”
The other thing was, I think the author pulled out the contractions. That was weird.
Unfortunately, as soon as Easton started to be uber-perfect, I lost interest about half-way through. I knew there was a problem when the only thing keeping me reading was the anticipation of Jas' next panic attack. Oh, and her constant low self-esteem got really annoying.
The End
The contractions came back! I swear, I am not making this up!
I liked the way the book ended. Easton's such a Southern gentleman but daring too.
SPOILERISH:
I'm so glad he beat the shit out of the bad guy. It was satisfying that he could do that.
The Beginning
I liked that the story doesn't drag. It moves quickly but not incoherently. I like my scenes to have purpose instead of just filling-in until the book plot warms up.
Jas' sister's murder has put life into a new perspective for her. Fortunately for me, Jas has gone through the grieving process and is now moving on. She just wants to enjoy her highschool experience now. But she's still traumatised. She's terrified of her sister's unknown murderer and suffers from panic attacks that she's really embarrassed about.
Her younger siblings are twins, Caedan and Lily. Caedan's a regular mischievous 12 year old boy but Lily is way too anxious for a kid. I felt sorry for her because she gets so filled with fear when she's worried.
Jas has this peculiar talent. She can compartmentalise exceptionally well. She just shuts down her emotions and develops a detached but silver tongue so that she can talk her way out of tricky situations.
Easton (love the name). I liked how gentle he is with Jas and how sweet he can be, and get this, he calls her “sugar”. Aww. He's very dashing.
Bad Stuff
Probably the main reason I didn't like this part was because it struck too close to home. No, I have not suffered the murder of a loved one, but my parents were super strict with me. And all I could think while Jas was complaining about her mother's “paranoia” was, “Girl, your mother's got nothing on mine.”
The other thing was, I think the author pulled out the contractions. That was weird.
Unfortunately, as soon as Easton started to be uber-perfect, I lost interest about half-way through. I knew there was a problem when the only thing keeping me reading was the anticipation of Jas' next panic attack. Oh, and her constant low self-esteem got really annoying.
The End
The contractions came back! I swear, I am not making this up!
I liked the way the book ended. Easton's such a Southern gentleman but daring too.
SPOILERISH:
I'm so glad he beat the shit out of the bad guy. It was satisfying that he could do that.
March 11, 2013
3.5 stars
Breathe by Elena Dillon is a young adult novel with romance and suspense added in. The book starts off with us meeting Jasmine, a 16 year old who hasn't had a normal life since her sister Daisy had been murdered two years ago.
The beginning of the book is what intrigued me the most. Jasmine and her family which consists of her mother and 12 year old twins move to a new town to get away from all that happened two years ago. Daisy's murderer has not been caught and now it's too late. All everyone hopes for is a fresh start leaving the horrible memories behind.
Jasmine for me was a little confusing as a character. She acted much too mature for her age. But then it could be justified with all that she has had to deal with. Still I so did not like it when she kept putting herself down. A little bit more self esteem would help. Her self sacrificing nature was a bit unrealistic. But I admired her protectiveness towards her siblings.
Then we have the love interest, Easton. Easton was a cool guy. He actually cared about Jasmine. Though there was the whole love at first sight thing their relationship moved at a good pace. The conversations were cute. I especially liked Easton's brother Trevor and his antics. The whole of Easton's family and their interactions were a joy to watch.
Elena Dillon's writing style is easy and flowing. Breathe is a comparatively short read but it manages to reel you in. Though I would have liked more details. The stalker thing was well portrayed but the only thing that irritated me was Jas' lack of trust in asking for help when she has a great support system of her family, her girl friends and her boyfriend. Breathe was a nice young adult read.
*Note: This book was provided by the author for an honest review. We thank the author.
Breathe by Elena Dillon is a young adult novel with romance and suspense added in. The book starts off with us meeting Jasmine, a 16 year old who hasn't had a normal life since her sister Daisy had been murdered two years ago.
The beginning of the book is what intrigued me the most. Jasmine and her family which consists of her mother and 12 year old twins move to a new town to get away from all that happened two years ago. Daisy's murderer has not been caught and now it's too late. All everyone hopes for is a fresh start leaving the horrible memories behind.
Jasmine for me was a little confusing as a character. She acted much too mature for her age. But then it could be justified with all that she has had to deal with. Still I so did not like it when she kept putting herself down. A little bit more self esteem would help. Her self sacrificing nature was a bit unrealistic. But I admired her protectiveness towards her siblings.
Then we have the love interest, Easton. Easton was a cool guy. He actually cared about Jasmine. Though there was the whole love at first sight thing their relationship moved at a good pace. The conversations were cute. I especially liked Easton's brother Trevor and his antics. The whole of Easton's family and their interactions were a joy to watch.
Elena Dillon's writing style is easy and flowing. Breathe is a comparatively short read but it manages to reel you in. Though I would have liked more details. The stalker thing was well portrayed but the only thing that irritated me was Jas' lack of trust in asking for help when she has a great support system of her family, her girl friends and her boyfriend. Breathe was a nice young adult read.
*Note: This book was provided by the author for an honest review. We thank the author.
April 8, 2015
3.5 stars
My first impression of this book was that it seemed way too short, and unfortunately I was right. I didn't expect to like this book at all, so in this case I was pleasantly surprised.
For some reason that I can't explain, I love reading books set in the Southern states of America. I know it is a stereotype, but southerners' hospitality always puts a smile on my face and I wish that it was a more common occurrence in everyday life.
For the first 25% roughly I really didn't like Jasmine. She came across as arrogant and as though she thought of her sister's death as more of an inconvenience to her than anything else. However fortunately that changed quite soon afterwards, and she turned out to be a nice girl who'd gone though a horrific loss and was just trying to deal with the aftermath of it. The fact that she managed to make some great friends and get the sweetest boyfriend ever wasn't very realistic but it did allow for some heartwarming parts.
I expected Easton to be some big-headed, self-absorbed jock who only liked Jasmine because she was pretty, when in fact he was the complete opposite. He genuinely liked Jasmine for who she was, and he went to extremes to ensure her safety wasn't at stake. He constantly complimented Jasmine, and her family absolutely adore him. I couldn't find any faults with him and to be honest, he made the book a lot better.
I really hoped that after all the build up of tension, we would get to find out who The Monster actually was, but I guess Elena Dillon decided not to so as to spread it out into the next books.
This book exceeded my expectations and I actually enjoyed it, despite a few irritations along the way. This book is perfect for any thriller fans out there.
My first impression of this book was that it seemed way too short, and unfortunately I was right. I didn't expect to like this book at all, so in this case I was pleasantly surprised.
For some reason that I can't explain, I love reading books set in the Southern states of America. I know it is a stereotype, but southerners' hospitality always puts a smile on my face and I wish that it was a more common occurrence in everyday life.
For the first 25% roughly I really didn't like Jasmine. She came across as arrogant and as though she thought of her sister's death as more of an inconvenience to her than anything else. However fortunately that changed quite soon afterwards, and she turned out to be a nice girl who'd gone though a horrific loss and was just trying to deal with the aftermath of it. The fact that she managed to make some great friends and get the sweetest boyfriend ever wasn't very realistic but it did allow for some heartwarming parts.
I expected Easton to be some big-headed, self-absorbed jock who only liked Jasmine because she was pretty, when in fact he was the complete opposite. He genuinely liked Jasmine for who she was, and he went to extremes to ensure her safety wasn't at stake. He constantly complimented Jasmine, and her family absolutely adore him. I couldn't find any faults with him and to be honest, he made the book a lot better.
I really hoped that after all the build up of tension, we would get to find out who The Monster actually was, but I guess Elena Dillon decided not to so as to spread it out into the next books.
This book exceeded my expectations and I actually enjoyed it, despite a few irritations along the way. This book is perfect for any thriller fans out there.
April 1, 2013
Well... it's not that I didn't like the book, because I did. Honest.
But I also found myself getting very frustrated with it at times. It was mostly over little things that I didn't feel clicked, like the lack of contractions in awkward places. Teenagers use contractions all the time; they rarely don't. I found it awkward for Jasmine to be using sentences starting with "I am sure..." or the like with her friends, speaking informally. Perhaps that's just me.
Jasmine also bothered me a bit. I understand her situation in terms of her fear and panic, but she couldn't take a compliment. To the point where it got annoying because she just couldn't keep it in her own head and had to speak it out to Easton every. single. time.
I really wish there was more of Daisy in the story, maybe shown in flashbacks. With her and her murder having affected Jasmine's life, you'd think she'd be explained more. I also felt that the murder wasn't taken as seriously as I'd have liked in the book. It wasn't mentioned as much as I thought it would be, honestly, and there was a lot of focus on Easton and Jasmine, so much so that sometimes I'd forget about the murder altogether. When it did surface, I felt that the pranks Jasmine experienced were just that-- pranks. They didn't sound like such serious things to me, not for a murderer. By the time the action really kicked up, with only about 50 pages of the book to go, mind you, I felt like it had come out of nowhere.
I don't know. I think I liked the idea of the book more than the actual book itself. I had hoped for more, and unfortunately, I didn't get it.
But I also found myself getting very frustrated with it at times. It was mostly over little things that I didn't feel clicked, like the lack of contractions in awkward places. Teenagers use contractions all the time; they rarely don't. I found it awkward for Jasmine to be using sentences starting with "I am sure..." or the like with her friends, speaking informally. Perhaps that's just me.
Jasmine also bothered me a bit. I understand her situation in terms of her fear and panic, but she couldn't take a compliment. To the point where it got annoying because she just couldn't keep it in her own head and had to speak it out to Easton every. single. time.
I really wish there was more of Daisy in the story, maybe shown in flashbacks. With her and her murder having affected Jasmine's life, you'd think she'd be explained more. I also felt that the murder wasn't taken as seriously as I'd have liked in the book. It wasn't mentioned as much as I thought it would be, honestly, and there was a lot of focus on Easton and Jasmine, so much so that sometimes I'd forget about the murder altogether. When it did surface, I felt that the pranks Jasmine experienced were just that-- pranks. They didn't sound like such serious things to me, not for a murderer. By the time the action really kicked up, with only about 50 pages of the book to go, mind you, I felt like it had come out of nowhere.
I don't know. I think I liked the idea of the book more than the actual book itself. I had hoped for more, and unfortunately, I didn't get it.
March 25, 2013
WOW!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! ( Please excuse all the capitals :P ) This book was so captivating that I couldn't put it down and read the whole book in one sitting!
I absolutely loved the way the characters were portrayed. Jasmine was such a selfless, caring, brave and strong heroine that we only all aspire to be like. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have someone in your family murdered and to be living in fear that it may happen to you. Jas had her ups and downs as any typical teenager but with the added stress of her family nearly being torn apart. I also loved Easton. He was so charming and a pure gentleman. I loved how much he cared for Jas and never gave up on her. It also didn't hurt that he was HOT!!! ;) I also loved Trenton and Caedan who were so adorable and gave a light-hearted edge to the story.
This is an AMAZING Romance/mystery story that draws you in from the very beginning! AMAZING!I LOVED IT SO MUCH and it will definitely be going in my top books EVER!! DROP EVERYTHING AND GO READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!!! You won't regret it! WELL DONE ELENA DILLON!!
I absolutely loved the way the characters were portrayed. Jasmine was such a selfless, caring, brave and strong heroine that we only all aspire to be like. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have someone in your family murdered and to be living in fear that it may happen to you. Jas had her ups and downs as any typical teenager but with the added stress of her family nearly being torn apart. I also loved Easton. He was so charming and a pure gentleman. I loved how much he cared for Jas and never gave up on her. It also didn't hurt that he was HOT!!! ;) I also loved Trenton and Caedan who were so adorable and gave a light-hearted edge to the story.
This is an AMAZING Romance/mystery story that draws you in from the very beginning! AMAZING!I LOVED IT SO MUCH and it will definitely be going in my top books EVER!! DROP EVERYTHING AND GO READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!!! You won't regret it! WELL DONE ELENA DILLON!!
January 31, 2013
I thought this was a better plot than actual book. It was unlike any other book I've read, with the murdered sister and all. I thought the kindle sample was good, so I bought the book. It went downhill for me from there. I felt like a lot of the dialogue was stilted and often cheesy, so I did a lot of eye rolling. I disliked how Jas couldn't seem to accept a compliment for anything, even when Easton tried explaining to her how he felt. Her self esteem was crazily low. She quickly alternates between panic attacks and fainting to all of a sudden calmly conning people. Huh? It was just too unbelievable for me. Other than her physical attributes, I couldn't see why Easton thought she was so amazing. There were a few things I liked though. Mainly, I liked Caeden and Jasmine's relationship. I laughed quite a bit with their antics. I also liked the friendships Jas makes with "The Girls". After looking at other people's reviews, I realize that I'm in the minority with my opinions, but overall, I just felt like this book was just too cheesy and unbelievable for me to enjoy.
April 23, 2013
I received a free copy of this book from the author and Goodreads We ♥ YA Books! group in exchange for an honest review.
Observances (a running commentary):
The sentences are very short and unrefined. Conversation seems stilted.
Oh, no. Twilight is mentioned in the second chapter.
This girl is TSTL.
Repetitive!
This girl is TSTL.
Now it's Harry Potter. What next, Hunger Games?
The Southernisms are actually pretty funny.
Southern boys do not blush when discussing NASCAR.
Repetitive! Or maybe I should use the word Redundant!
Not buying the love at first sight thing. At least Edward had a reason - Bella smelled too good not to eat.
This girl is TSTL.
The action parts/ending aren't realistic.
OK, I'm done with that. The plot wasn't too bad. The author and her storytelling have promise, but the writing details could have been tightened up considerably. Is this fanfiction? It's mighty Twilighty.
Observances (a running commentary):
The sentences are very short and unrefined. Conversation seems stilted.
Oh, no. Twilight is mentioned in the second chapter.
This girl is TSTL.
Repetitive!
This girl is TSTL.
Now it's Harry Potter. What next, Hunger Games?
The Southernisms are actually pretty funny.
Southern boys do not blush when discussing NASCAR.
Repetitive! Or maybe I should use the word Redundant!
Not buying the love at first sight thing. At least Edward had a reason - Bella smelled too good not to eat.
This girl is TSTL.
The action parts/ending aren't realistic.
OK, I'm done with that. The plot wasn't too bad. The author and her storytelling have promise, but the writing details could have been tightened up considerably. Is this fanfiction? It's mighty Twilighty.
July 2, 2013
Jasmine Rourkes life hasn’t been the same since her older sisters Daisy murder two years ago. After grieving and trying to find a normalcy that wasn’t there, her family decided to move from California to Lafayette, Louisiana hoping to create a new life for themselves.
Jasmine is excited by her new start especially that no one knows about her past. Making new friends and capturing the interest of the star quarterback, Jasmine believes things are looking up until she starts getting strange phone calls and pieces of her past keeps trickling into her path.
Intense story, I thought the emotions that Jasmine has throughout the book were realistic especially when she believes she is protecting those she loves. I would definitely read more from Elena Dillon, intriguing read that I was unable to put down until the very end.
Jasmine is excited by her new start especially that no one knows about her past. Making new friends and capturing the interest of the star quarterback, Jasmine believes things are looking up until she starts getting strange phone calls and pieces of her past keeps trickling into her path.
Intense story, I thought the emotions that Jasmine has throughout the book were realistic especially when she believes she is protecting those she loves. I would definitely read more from Elena Dillon, intriguing read that I was unable to put down until the very end.
March 3, 2013
Elena Dillon has written a wonderful suspenseful romance novel that is definitely appropriate for young readers!~I think I fell in love with the young male football hero myself! I was so entranced that I could not stop reading and just kept hoping and praying that the awful MONSTER would not find Jasmine and hurt her as he had done to her sister, Daisy. Readers will gain great pleasure from this novel....no matter what the age!
October 5, 2015
I'm so frustrated I could scream. I am in the longest rut of choosing absolute CRAP to read and this book just continues it along.
No. One. Fucking. Talks. Like. This.
No god damn teenager on the fucking earth fucking talks like this. GOD.
Just because you know who the fuck Justin Bieber is and you throw his name out there a bunch of times DOES NOT MAKE YOU RELATABLE.
Ohh, I could just scream this was so bad.
No. One. Fucking. Talks. Like. This.
No god damn teenager on the fucking earth fucking talks like this. GOD.
Just because you know who the fuck Justin Bieber is and you throw his name out there a bunch of times DOES NOT MAKE YOU RELATABLE.
Ohh, I could just scream this was so bad.
March 26, 2016
Though slow to start, the story is enjoyable, the characters are clearly defined and the reader quickly becomes engrossed in Jasmine’s plight.
Full review in April 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Full review in April 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.
June 18, 2020
Let me start by saying this: I am so not the intended audience here, and if I was a teenage girl again, I would probably have rated it much higher.
I read this book because the premise sounded interesting, and if the story is good, I don't care what category it fits into. Sadly, the plot didn't live up to the premise. These are the things that *really* bothered me, in no particular order:
1. None of the boys from the South use contractions. Now, I understand that people from the South tend to be more polite. But I do not think refusing to use contractions such as "don't" and "isn't" and so on makes you more polite. It just makes your speech extremely formal, and mixed with calling everyone "sugar" and "darling" when you are teenage boy, it comes across as odd and out of place.
2. This quote from the main character. "What they say is true. Just because Southern folks talk slow, doesn't mean they're stupid." Now, in all fairness, this was a thought that popped into her head and was not voiced out loud, but come on! I literally rolled my eyes at this.
3. The main character. It's never a good sign when you don't like the main character of the book. The thing that bugged me the most was that she knew exactly what happened to her sister, and then proceeds to literally make the same mistakes. I could brush that off if she was 12 or 13, but at 16, she just came across as immature and not very bright.
4. The romance. Again, totally not the intended audience (I'm 35 for starters), and 16 year old me probably would have eaten this up. But it was so over-the-top, and it was very much "princess needs a prince to save her" style. Someone else here said it reminded them of Twilight and I am inclined to agree. If that's your cup of tea, you will probably enjoy this book.
In short: If you like books featuring overly polite Southern boys, a main character who consistently needs rescuing from bad people and bad decisions, and soppy teenage romance , you'll love this book. If not, avoid it.
I read this book because the premise sounded interesting, and if the story is good, I don't care what category it fits into. Sadly, the plot didn't live up to the premise. These are the things that *really* bothered me, in no particular order:
1. None of the boys from the South use contractions. Now, I understand that people from the South tend to be more polite. But I do not think refusing to use contractions such as "don't" and "isn't" and so on makes you more polite. It just makes your speech extremely formal, and mixed with calling everyone "sugar" and "darling" when you are teenage boy, it comes across as odd and out of place.
2. This quote from the main character. "What they say is true. Just because Southern folks talk slow, doesn't mean they're stupid." Now, in all fairness, this was a thought that popped into her head and was not voiced out loud, but come on! I literally rolled my eyes at this.
3. The main character. It's never a good sign when you don't like the main character of the book. The thing that bugged me the most was that she knew exactly what happened to her sister, and then proceeds to literally make the same mistakes. I could brush that off if she was 12 or 13, but at 16, she just came across as immature and not very bright.
4. The romance. Again, totally not the intended audience (I'm 35 for starters), and 16 year old me probably would have eaten this up. But it was so over-the-top, and it was very much "princess needs a prince to save her" style. Someone else here said it reminded them of Twilight and I am inclined to agree. If that's your cup of tea, you will probably enjoy this book.
In short: If you like books featuring overly polite Southern boys, a main character who consistently needs rescuing from bad people and bad decisions, and soppy teenage romance , you'll love this book. If not, avoid it.
April 15, 2024
“Breathe”, the sequel to the very short “Gone”, would normally bore me to tears (I am not a fan of teen angst).
It's set three years after Daisy's murder and the Rourke family has moved across country to Lafayette, Louisiana.
The main character is Jasmine (Jas), 16, Daisy's younger sister.
She's started in a new school and met the football captain, Easton (aka Dream Guy).
But, just when it seems everything in the garden is YA rosy, Jas begins to get calls and texts from a blocked number. It's all very reminiscent of the weeks before Daisy died.
Then, just as in “Gone”, something terrifying happens, changing everything.
The author, Elena Dillon, has a particular skill when it comes to turning normal into horror just when you least expect it.
It has a terrific finale, followed by a sappy HEA - but that's OK by me.
There are several more books in the series but, for the life of me, it is hard to predict what it left to the story.
4 Stars,
It's set three years after Daisy's murder and the Rourke family has moved across country to Lafayette, Louisiana.
The main character is Jasmine (Jas), 16, Daisy's younger sister.
She's started in a new school and met the football captain, Easton (aka Dream Guy).
But, just when it seems everything in the garden is YA rosy, Jas begins to get calls and texts from a blocked number. It's all very reminiscent of the weeks before Daisy died.
Then, just as in “Gone”, something terrifying happens, changing everything.
The author, Elena Dillon, has a particular skill when it comes to turning normal into horror just when you least expect it.
It has a terrific finale, followed by a sappy HEA - but that's OK by me.
There are several more books in the series but, for the life of me, it is hard to predict what it left to the story.
4 Stars,
June 4, 2018
Good quick read
I didn’t realize til halfway through that I had read this book before. I enjoyed reading it a second time. Only thing is I found
Easton a little unrealistic. But other than that I would totally recommend!
I didn’t realize til halfway through that I had read this book before. I enjoyed reading it a second time. Only thing is I found
Easton a little unrealistic. But other than that I would totally recommend!
July 3, 2017
Review originally posted at
Crawling Over the Pages
First of all, I want to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book. I’m really flattered that she trusted me to give it an honest review.
I admit that the story line was a bit cliche. I’ve read so many books that sometimes the stories I come across are almost always the same. Though, the story was a bit predictable, I actually came to love the book. It was really good and I swooned over Easton. Who wouldn’t, right?
What made this book unique, was the fact that the author added a pinch of suspense over the story. So the female character’s family was undergoing some emotional problems regarding the loss of a family member due to a stalker who wasn’t convicted because he covered his tracks really well.
The book didn’t only focus on love story between Jasmin and Easton but also on their families. It also showed ways on how individuals cope up on tragic happenings in their life as shown in Jasmine’s family. They have their own coping mechanisms. Some let anger overtook their emotions while others just gave in with their emotions, that it changed their personalities.
Easton Ward is a swoon worthy guy. He’s great and Jasmine is really lucky to have him. He’s adored by his family. His nieces love him. Everyone is captivated by his charm. It’s so cute when he presented a resume to Jasmine’s mother when he asked her permission to date her daughter. That’s an AWW moment. He’s so dreamy and I wonder if the way he courted Jasmine is also how Southerners treat their women when they court them. If so, then I’d gladly fly across the world just to meet one. Easton just proved that Boys in Books are Better.
Jasmine Rourke. Well, this girl doesn’t have any idea how gorgeous she is. She lived in her sister’s shadow before her sister was murdered. Life was easy for her in high school because her sister was popular so everybody treated her nicely. But everything came crashing when her sister was murdered. Her sister’s responsibility was transferred to her. She tried to blend in in her new school. She made friends. Suddenly, she felt like herself again. She’s a cross-country runner and everyone at her new school were pretty amazed by her ability. The problem is she doesn’t want to catch any attention, which is difficult if you’re tall. Because of her panic attack, she also caught the attention of the most popular jock in their campus, Easton Ward. Now, I’m jealous.
I got annoyed with her when she use herself as a bait to catch the Monster. It was really stupid, and I can’t believe how she was easily manipulated. But then, who am I to judge her if the safety of her loved ones was at stake? Her emotions were manipulated. She was already vulnerable and the monster just knows where to press the points.
Trenton – Easton’s younger brother. He was the one who caused Jasmine to panic. He’s the type of guy that girls want to befriend. He’s so adorable. He’s a babbler too, always wanting to get attention. He also crushes on Jasmine but Easton put a stop to it.
Caeden – He’s Lily’s twin brother and Jasmin’s partner in crime. They always perform pranks and that’s how they bond. They were always trying to best each other. This is one of those moments I missed in life. I’m the youngest in the family and I didn’t have anyone younger than me whom I can torture too. LOL!
Lily – She’s Caeden’s twin sister. They have different personalities that sometimes it’s hard to believe they were related. She’s a worrier and that increased ten-fold when Daisy was murdered. But she’s gaining her confidence a bit everyday since they moved. She’s quite a charmer and I can see a flock of admirers in the near future that would try to win her attention.
The monster – I can’t believe how these individuals think. Anybody can turn to someone like him. It’s kinda scary how they gather information about the one they obsessed about that they know their every move. I just hope that there’s a faster technique to determine if someone has stalker tendencies so they’ll be cured immediately and so none of them can have their way on to their future victims.
Breathe.This is one of those books where in towards the ending you’ll realize why it’s titled that way. I’m one of those readers who always ask why a book is entitled that way. I feel awesome when I figure out the reason behind the titles.
I look forward to reading more books from this author.
First of all, I want to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book. I’m really flattered that she trusted me to give it an honest review.
I admit that the story line was a bit cliche. I’ve read so many books that sometimes the stories I come across are almost always the same. Though, the story was a bit predictable, I actually came to love the book. It was really good and I swooned over Easton. Who wouldn’t, right?
What made this book unique, was the fact that the author added a pinch of suspense over the story. So the female character’s family was undergoing some emotional problems regarding the loss of a family member due to a stalker who wasn’t convicted because he covered his tracks really well.
The book didn’t only focus on love story between Jasmin and Easton but also on their families. It also showed ways on how individuals cope up on tragic happenings in their life as shown in Jasmine’s family. They have their own coping mechanisms. Some let anger overtook their emotions while others just gave in with their emotions, that it changed their personalities.
Easton Ward is a swoon worthy guy. He’s great and Jasmine is really lucky to have him. He’s adored by his family. His nieces love him. Everyone is captivated by his charm. It’s so cute when he presented a resume to Jasmine’s mother when he asked her permission to date her daughter. That’s an AWW moment. He’s so dreamy and I wonder if the way he courted Jasmine is also how Southerners treat their women when they court them. If so, then I’d gladly fly across the world just to meet one. Easton just proved that Boys in Books are Better.
Jasmine Rourke. Well, this girl doesn’t have any idea how gorgeous she is. She lived in her sister’s shadow before her sister was murdered. Life was easy for her in high school because her sister was popular so everybody treated her nicely. But everything came crashing when her sister was murdered. Her sister’s responsibility was transferred to her. She tried to blend in in her new school. She made friends. Suddenly, she felt like herself again. She’s a cross-country runner and everyone at her new school were pretty amazed by her ability. The problem is she doesn’t want to catch any attention, which is difficult if you’re tall. Because of her panic attack, she also caught the attention of the most popular jock in their campus, Easton Ward. Now, I’m jealous.
I got annoyed with her when she use herself as a bait to catch the Monster. It was really stupid, and I can’t believe how she was easily manipulated. But then, who am I to judge her if the safety of her loved ones was at stake? Her emotions were manipulated. She was already vulnerable and the monster just knows where to press the points.
Trenton – Easton’s younger brother. He was the one who caused Jasmine to panic. He’s the type of guy that girls want to befriend. He’s so adorable. He’s a babbler too, always wanting to get attention. He also crushes on Jasmine but Easton put a stop to it.
Caeden – He’s Lily’s twin brother and Jasmin’s partner in crime. They always perform pranks and that’s how they bond. They were always trying to best each other. This is one of those moments I missed in life. I’m the youngest in the family and I didn’t have anyone younger than me whom I can torture too. LOL!
Lily – She’s Caeden’s twin sister. They have different personalities that sometimes it’s hard to believe they were related. She’s a worrier and that increased ten-fold when Daisy was murdered. But she’s gaining her confidence a bit everyday since they moved. She’s quite a charmer and I can see a flock of admirers in the near future that would try to win her attention.
The monster – I can’t believe how these individuals think. Anybody can turn to someone like him. It’s kinda scary how they gather information about the one they obsessed about that they know their every move. I just hope that there’s a faster technique to determine if someone has stalker tendencies so they’ll be cured immediately and so none of them can have their way on to their future victims.
Breathe.This is one of those books where in towards the ending you’ll realize why it’s titled that way. I’m one of those readers who always ask why a book is entitled that way. I feel awesome when I figure out the reason behind the titles.
I look forward to reading more books from this author.
September 1, 2014
Jasmine’s life wasn’t normal for a 16 year old girl. It hadn’t been normal since the murder of her older sister, Daisy, two years ago. Her life had been changed forever. The monster that murdered Daisy was never caught. That was the reason her family decided to move away from their hometown in Southern California, to start over. Hopefully in a place where the last name Rourke wouldn’t bring on staring or judgment or morbid curiosity.
In Lafayette, Louisiana things are quite a bit different but in a good way. Good manners, Cajun accents and a whole lot of Southern Hospitality all make her think things are going in the right direction. On top of that the most gorgeous boy she has ever met is interested in her. Her new friends are better than she could have hoped for even if she is worried about what they might think when they find out who she is. Life would be perfect if odd things didn’t keep happening. Creepy phone calls, texts, and flowers in her locker start adding up quickly to something terrifying. Could the Monster have followed them to Lafayette? Was he coming after her this time? Maybe she was just worrying unnecessarily…or not.
It's been a month since I read any contemporary and the fact that this one is a mystery got me intrigued. Okay, so Jasmine is the sister of a murder victim - a serial killer's murder victim, who never got caught. The murder of her sister itself causes enough upheaval in her life and now when after two years her family moves into a new town for a fresh start, she is ready to put it all behind her and move on.
Roughly the first half of the book is her settling into her life, though the fact remains that overall she and her family members are more wary now and almost paranoid about strangers. One such incident leads to a meet-cute with the love interest and she immediately starts crushing on him. Things are really looking up when she is asked out by him (who is quite a good guy) and she finally feels happier in this life. The past is still looming over her, however, when she starts to get messages from an unknown source. Her paranoia having a basis, she is afraid but refuses to involve her family into it. In fact, as a character, I loved that about Jasmine - she has multiple facets to her personality - she is the naive teenager, but brave enough to know when to speak up as well as very caring towards her loved ones. In fact, in a dystopia she would have been hailed a hero. For his part, Easton is also a good boyfriend, though his over-protectiveness (even though it was justified) grated on my nerves at one point. He is however a gentleman and kind of her knight in shining armor even though she didn't need him to be.
As for the mystery, well, I wasn't as much satisfied with it. Things didn't really look up in the mystery department until 70% of the book (yea, I notice such things) and the ending was resolved but I felt some things were left unanswered. Like, who put those articles on the lockers? I'm sure it was Lisa but it wasn't ever explicitly answered. Secondly, how did the hospital never find out that she was made unconscious, not became unconscious? Seems like a thing they would know, plus her flimsy excuses wouldn't have ever made me believe it. So, in the contemporary department - it scores with good characterization and dialogue. But in the mystery - eh, not so sure with the somewhat okay plot and uneven pacing. I would give this a solid 3.
Received an ARC from Mark My Words Publicity via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way affects my opinion or my review.
In Lafayette, Louisiana things are quite a bit different but in a good way. Good manners, Cajun accents and a whole lot of Southern Hospitality all make her think things are going in the right direction. On top of that the most gorgeous boy she has ever met is interested in her. Her new friends are better than she could have hoped for even if she is worried about what they might think when they find out who she is. Life would be perfect if odd things didn’t keep happening. Creepy phone calls, texts, and flowers in her locker start adding up quickly to something terrifying. Could the Monster have followed them to Lafayette? Was he coming after her this time? Maybe she was just worrying unnecessarily…or not.
It's been a month since I read any contemporary and the fact that this one is a mystery got me intrigued. Okay, so Jasmine is the sister of a murder victim - a serial killer's murder victim, who never got caught. The murder of her sister itself causes enough upheaval in her life and now when after two years her family moves into a new town for a fresh start, she is ready to put it all behind her and move on.
Roughly the first half of the book is her settling into her life, though the fact remains that overall she and her family members are more wary now and almost paranoid about strangers. One such incident leads to a meet-cute with the love interest and she immediately starts crushing on him. Things are really looking up when she is asked out by him (who is quite a good guy) and she finally feels happier in this life. The past is still looming over her, however, when she starts to get messages from an unknown source. Her paranoia having a basis, she is afraid but refuses to involve her family into it. In fact, as a character, I loved that about Jasmine - she has multiple facets to her personality - she is the naive teenager, but brave enough to know when to speak up as well as very caring towards her loved ones. In fact, in a dystopia she would have been hailed a hero. For his part, Easton is also a good boyfriend, though his over-protectiveness (even though it was justified) grated on my nerves at one point. He is however a gentleman and kind of her knight in shining armor even though she didn't need him to be.
As for the mystery, well, I wasn't as much satisfied with it. Things didn't really look up in the mystery department until 70% of the book (yea, I notice such things) and the ending was resolved but I felt some things were left unanswered. Like, who put those articles on the lockers? I'm sure it was Lisa but it wasn't ever explicitly answered. Secondly, how did the hospital never find out that she was made unconscious, not became unconscious? Seems like a thing they would know, plus her flimsy excuses wouldn't have ever made me believe it. So, in the contemporary department - it scores with good characterization and dialogue. But in the mystery - eh, not so sure with the somewhat okay plot and uneven pacing. I would give this a solid 3.
Received an ARC from Mark My Words Publicity via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way affects my opinion or my review.
August 28, 2014
Jaymee's Review
**Arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
5 Stars
Breathe by Elena Dillon is the first book in the breather series but it is a stand alone novel. It is a high school romance but it is also a suspenseful thriller. I'm always a little hesitant going into high school romance stories, the characters can be very juvenile because they're high school students but sometimes they are mature and wise beyond their years. This book is about a young girl named Jasmine who had to grow up way too fast after her older sister was murdered. Her attitude toward life and high school drama were mature, she'd been through such a horrible tragedy that she had no time for typical childish things. She had also never been able to date so after her family picks up and moves to Lafayette she, literally, falls into the arms of the high school quarterback. Easton is a total dream, if there had been boys like that at my high school I would have thrown myself at them! He's gorgeous, charming, polite and just an absolute wonderful guy. He is also devoted and hadn't dated much because he was just searching for the right girl. If all southern guys are that polite and charming then I might have to move!
Their romance is an intense whirlwind and they are just adorable together but sometimes things are just too good to be true. Jasmine had been getting mysterious texts, phone calls and gifts. She dismisses them as pranks but there is something more to them. You'll have to read the book to find out what! I loved the mystery/suspense plot of this book, i was literally on the edge of my seat. About halfway through the book changes from sweet romance to hardcore suspense and I knew I wouldn't be putting this book down until I finished. Of course Jasmine does some stupid things but when I really thought about it, I'm not sure if I would have done anything differently. She had hard choices to make and did what she thought was right, isn't that all we can ever do? Easton is not a man to be messed with if he is worried about his girl, he will do anything to help her, no matter what. Of course some of these things were a bit far fetched but isn't that what a good book should be? There were definitely some dramatic turns of events!
There was not one thing I would change about this book. While, thankfully, I have never known anyone who was murdered I felt that the author did an amazing job of portraying the possible after effects of such a tragedy. Jasmine's panic attacks, the mother's fears and actions and poor sweet little Lily's worries all seemed to fit perfectly with the situation. The relationship between Lily and her younger brother was absolutely adorable as well. I felt that all the characters were realistic and well developed. I honestly loved Jasmine, she was only a teenager but she was strong, brave and able to do what needed to be done no matter what she personally felt. I can't say enough good things about this novel, just go read it!
Storyline: Riveting
Female Character: relate-able
Male Character: Southern sweetheart!
Author's Writing Style: completely engrossing
Plot Twists: perfect
Laugh Factor: none really
Cry Factor: some sad parts but nothing sob worthy
Steam Factor: minimal
Violence: some, nothing too graphic
**Arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
5 Stars
Breathe by Elena Dillon is the first book in the breather series but it is a stand alone novel. It is a high school romance but it is also a suspenseful thriller. I'm always a little hesitant going into high school romance stories, the characters can be very juvenile because they're high school students but sometimes they are mature and wise beyond their years. This book is about a young girl named Jasmine who had to grow up way too fast after her older sister was murdered. Her attitude toward life and high school drama were mature, she'd been through such a horrible tragedy that she had no time for typical childish things. She had also never been able to date so after her family picks up and moves to Lafayette she, literally, falls into the arms of the high school quarterback. Easton is a total dream, if there had been boys like that at my high school I would have thrown myself at them! He's gorgeous, charming, polite and just an absolute wonderful guy. He is also devoted and hadn't dated much because he was just searching for the right girl. If all southern guys are that polite and charming then I might have to move!
Their romance is an intense whirlwind and they are just adorable together but sometimes things are just too good to be true. Jasmine had been getting mysterious texts, phone calls and gifts. She dismisses them as pranks but there is something more to them. You'll have to read the book to find out what! I loved the mystery/suspense plot of this book, i was literally on the edge of my seat. About halfway through the book changes from sweet romance to hardcore suspense and I knew I wouldn't be putting this book down until I finished. Of course Jasmine does some stupid things but when I really thought about it, I'm not sure if I would have done anything differently. She had hard choices to make and did what she thought was right, isn't that all we can ever do? Easton is not a man to be messed with if he is worried about his girl, he will do anything to help her, no matter what. Of course some of these things were a bit far fetched but isn't that what a good book should be? There were definitely some dramatic turns of events!
There was not one thing I would change about this book. While, thankfully, I have never known anyone who was murdered I felt that the author did an amazing job of portraying the possible after effects of such a tragedy. Jasmine's panic attacks, the mother's fears and actions and poor sweet little Lily's worries all seemed to fit perfectly with the situation. The relationship between Lily and her younger brother was absolutely adorable as well. I felt that all the characters were realistic and well developed. I honestly loved Jasmine, she was only a teenager but she was strong, brave and able to do what needed to be done no matter what she personally felt. I can't say enough good things about this novel, just go read it!
Storyline: Riveting
Female Character: relate-able
Male Character: Southern sweetheart!
Author's Writing Style: completely engrossing
Plot Twists: perfect
Laugh Factor: none really
Cry Factor: some sad parts but nothing sob worthy
Steam Factor: minimal
Violence: some, nothing too graphic
June 10, 2014
*Note: This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review*
When I was contacted with a list of books to choose from to review, I read all of the descriptions and this one immediately jumped out at me. I've been really into the YA mystery genre recently, and this one sounded really interesting. The concept behind it was really great, and I was really excited going into it.
What I found is that this is really a book of two halves. The first half of this book felt really slow. Not a great deal actually happened, and the mystery aspect of it felt a little flat.
The fast half introduces us to the love story aspect in this book, and honestly I didn't really like the relationship. I found it played out a little too quickly, and this is possibly because the book is so short, but to me it felt a little underdeveloped. I would be reading things that were happening in their relationship, and I just felt it was all too soon for them to be acting like that.
You didn't really get to know them as a couple all that well, or him as a person either. There just wasn't space to develop it enough.
Where this book picks up though is in the second half. Then the mystery side of it really starts to appear and the story is interesting. Jasmine's struggle felt real, her fear felt real, and the way she responded to things was believable.
Though the ending came about quickly, and I would have liked to of seen it play out further. I did enjoy the book as a whole. It took a while to really get into it, and I wasn't ever really invested in the love story aspect, but the storyline was good and it was an enjoyable book.
There were things I didn't like about this book, but overall it was a pretty good book and I'm pleased I got the chance to read it.
As far as recommending it goes, I definitely think it's worth a read and a lot of people will love it. For me, it was just lacking in a few areas.
When I was contacted with a list of books to choose from to review, I read all of the descriptions and this one immediately jumped out at me. I've been really into the YA mystery genre recently, and this one sounded really interesting. The concept behind it was really great, and I was really excited going into it.
What I found is that this is really a book of two halves. The first half of this book felt really slow. Not a great deal actually happened, and the mystery aspect of it felt a little flat.
The fast half introduces us to the love story aspect in this book, and honestly I didn't really like the relationship. I found it played out a little too quickly, and this is possibly because the book is so short, but to me it felt a little underdeveloped. I would be reading things that were happening in their relationship, and I just felt it was all too soon for them to be acting like that.
You didn't really get to know them as a couple all that well, or him as a person either. There just wasn't space to develop it enough.
Where this book picks up though is in the second half. Then the mystery side of it really starts to appear and the story is interesting. Jasmine's struggle felt real, her fear felt real, and the way she responded to things was believable.
Though the ending came about quickly, and I would have liked to of seen it play out further. I did enjoy the book as a whole. It took a while to really get into it, and I wasn't ever really invested in the love story aspect, but the storyline was good and it was an enjoyable book.
There were things I didn't like about this book, but overall it was a pretty good book and I'm pleased I got the chance to read it.
As far as recommending it goes, I definitely think it's worth a read and a lot of people will love it. For me, it was just lacking in a few areas.
December 17, 2012
This past year has been remarkable for me as a writer. I’ve meet some incredible people and have been honored to read their work. None more so than Elena Dillon and her debut novel Breathe.
This book is immensely hard to put down once you start reading. From the first line the reader is pulled into a world with both jubilant and nightmarish characteristics. There’s no time to pause; you must continue on the journey you began without rest, just as the main character does. And what a character she is…
Jasmine is a perfectly blended personality. She’s real. Believable. She’s a teenager with the same worries and fears as her peers. Does the cutest boy in school like me? Will I make the track team? But there is also something dark inside, a survival instinct that her friends have never needed to cultivate.
The story moves quickly and the plot points are flawlessly placed. Dillon uses the setting to create an atmosphere both idyllic and terrifying. She uses southern charm to its fullest and as someone from the South I can say she hit the nail on the head. (Though there are plenty of folks the complete opposite of the characters, just as in any region)
Breathe is a near faultless work of reading enjoyment and I recommend it highly.
I received a copy of Breathe from the author when I interviewed her for my blog. This in no way influenced my review.
Synopsis taken from Goodreads:
Jasmine’s life wasn’t normal for a 16 year old girl. It hadn’t been normal since the murder of her older sister, Daisy, two years ago. Her life had been changed forever. The monster that murdered Daisy was never caught. That was the reason her family decided to move away from their hometown in Southern California, to start over. Hopefully in a place where the last name Rourke wouldn’t bring on staring or judgment or morbid curiosity.
In Lafayette, Louisiana things are quite a bit different but in a good way. Good manners, Cajun accents and a whole lot of Southern Hospitality all make her think things are going in the right direction. On top of that the most gorgeous boy she has ever met is interested in her. Her new friends are better than she could have hoped for even if she is worried about what they might think when they find out who she is. Life would be perfect if odd things didn’t keep happening. Creepy phone calls, texts, and flowers in her locker start adding up quickly to something terrifying. Could the Monster have followed them to Lafayette? Was he coming after her this time? Maybe she was just worrying unnecessarily…or not.
This book is immensely hard to put down once you start reading. From the first line the reader is pulled into a world with both jubilant and nightmarish characteristics. There’s no time to pause; you must continue on the journey you began without rest, just as the main character does. And what a character she is…
Jasmine is a perfectly blended personality. She’s real. Believable. She’s a teenager with the same worries and fears as her peers. Does the cutest boy in school like me? Will I make the track team? But there is also something dark inside, a survival instinct that her friends have never needed to cultivate.
The story moves quickly and the plot points are flawlessly placed. Dillon uses the setting to create an atmosphere both idyllic and terrifying. She uses southern charm to its fullest and as someone from the South I can say she hit the nail on the head. (Though there are plenty of folks the complete opposite of the characters, just as in any region)
Breathe is a near faultless work of reading enjoyment and I recommend it highly.
I received a copy of Breathe from the author when I interviewed her for my blog. This in no way influenced my review.
February 4, 2013
A light hearted read, mix of YA romance with a dash of suspense here and there with a serial killer on the run..Jasmine Rourke's older sister Daisy was murdered two years ago by a serial killer who is still not caught..The family moves to a whole new place trying to get on with life ..With her sister's death, her life is turned upside down, but slowly things start to find a track to normalcy...She slowly starts to smile and laugh in girly company...Life looks promising with the most popular guy being interested in her..But all through this her haunting past is in the back of her mind, but somehow feels that someone is following her, she gets freaky calls, texts and flowers..Her boldness during her sister's death has got her wrong attention all over..Pity and the look of sadness is the last thing she wants but her truth when exposed would end up in a situation where her life would bleak to somber forever...
Dillon has crafted the novel flawlessly, the language is simple that keeps the readers interested from page one..The teenage crush, infatuation, girly pep talk were enjoyable...I loved the sibling frequency that jasmine share with her younger twins..
"We had an understanding. Lily was pretty much off limits. She was too sensitive, so it was no fun to spar with her. He, of course, would still give her a hard time, but he was her twin and knew her limits far better than anyone. Caedan and I, we enjoyed our little battles. We gave no quarter and took no prisoners. We loved to find ways to torture each other. Punk’d had been our favorite show, and before Daisy died we had come up with some elaborate ways to get each other. It made my mother crazy, but in many ways it made us closer. No one else really understood it. At the end of a good battle, Caedan and I would always end up laughing together like a couple of hyenas."
The mystery and the suspense is also soft like the jasmine fragrant deeply alluring and curious to learn...Easton's affection to Jasmine his concern and care that helps her face her inner most fear was something I loved reading...Death is so uncertain that when it hits it devastates a family forever this part was heartrendingly portrayed through simple incidents like her mother's empty look ,her overwhelming reactions to the sibling arguments, lily becomes hypersensitive while Caedan and Jasmine end up displaying the angrier side are all good ones... But its important to move on in spite the odds...This book is apt for a light read with deep essence...
Dillon has crafted the novel flawlessly, the language is simple that keeps the readers interested from page one..The teenage crush, infatuation, girly pep talk were enjoyable...I loved the sibling frequency that jasmine share with her younger twins..
"We had an understanding. Lily was pretty much off limits. She was too sensitive, so it was no fun to spar with her. He, of course, would still give her a hard time, but he was her twin and knew her limits far better than anyone. Caedan and I, we enjoyed our little battles. We gave no quarter and took no prisoners. We loved to find ways to torture each other. Punk’d had been our favorite show, and before Daisy died we had come up with some elaborate ways to get each other. It made my mother crazy, but in many ways it made us closer. No one else really understood it. At the end of a good battle, Caedan and I would always end up laughing together like a couple of hyenas."
The mystery and the suspense is also soft like the jasmine fragrant deeply alluring and curious to learn...Easton's affection to Jasmine his concern and care that helps her face her inner most fear was something I loved reading...Death is so uncertain that when it hits it devastates a family forever this part was heartrendingly portrayed through simple incidents like her mother's empty look ,her overwhelming reactions to the sibling arguments, lily becomes hypersensitive while Caedan and Jasmine end up displaying the angrier side are all good ones... But its important to move on in spite the odds...This book is apt for a light read with deep essence...
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