Stealing Breath

Stealing Breath #1

by Joanne Brothwell

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty–one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing–eyed, transparent... creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn’t even know she had.

Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning?

Turning to a healer, Sarah is shocked to learn her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child—an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others. But her indigo aura also makes her an easy target for those who wish to consume her powerful essence.

Soon, Sarah is falling deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart and trust that he is the man he says he is. But she can't ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, leading her on a course that will force her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult, Demons, New Adult

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 8, 2012

About the author

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis.Of course, her two pets, a retired police dog with titanium fangs and a feral barn cat missing two toes, make the safety of surrounding wildlife, at best, uncertain.

Nicknames are something Joanne has in abundance; most notably “Grumpy Bunny” (her husband), and “Princess with a Sailor’s Mouth” (her friends). She’s known to daydream, and ever since grade school has been accused of having a poor attention span. The truth is, Joanne has an alternate reality inside her head, where characters speak to her, sometimes so loudly (and incessantly) she just can’t hear anything else!

Joanne is thrilled to see her alternate universe finally become real with the publication of her novel, Stealing Breath, and her prequel novella, Vicarious. Now, with the sequel Silencing Breath on the way, you can be rest assured you will see much more of Joanne’s writing in the future, as those characters in her head, having tasted the sweet freedom of release, simply refuse to be silenced!

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Ross is an empath. She can feel the emotions of other people near her as if they are her own. In fear of being misunderstood, she doesn’t talk about it ever. On one summer day, while camping with friends, she wakes to a child’s cry for help. The news has been reporting for days that a ten-year-old girl is missing from the Native American reservation, so Sarah ventures into the woods calling out Jessica’s name. But as she gets further into the woods, the tone of the voice changes from fearful to taunting. She walks into a clearing to find an abandoned house, ravaged by elements and drunk teenagers. She follows the voice inside, up the stairs, and falls through weak wood. It’s while injured that she is confronted by something she can’t explain. It’s human-ish, transparent and shimmery, like a mirage, with eyes like yellow bile. And when it touches her, she feels yucky and suffocated. Reacting on instinct, she pushes the foreign feelings out, and the creature retreats.

She stumbles out of the house and runs into the owner of the property, a gorgeous specimen of male with dark hair and blue eyes, named Evan Valente. He helps her back to his SUV, patches her up and returns her to her friends. Sarah cannot read him the way she does most other people, but she feels a connection with him the moment they touch.

Sarah learns through her native friend’s mother, and the woman’s contacts on the reservation, that the thing that attacked her was actually a person. The Navajo, they say, have people called Skinwalkers who practice dark magic and who use it for astral projection. In their disembodied state, they seek out souls to consume, which increases their power. The natives have known that Skinwalkers are in their town for a while. They are certain that the intruders are responsible for the disappearances of the missing girl and her mother. They believe that Sarah, who they call “The Indigo Child” for the violet glow of her spirit, is their next target.

While Sarah finds the information hard to believe, Evan is incredibly receptive, which gives her the confidence to tell him things she normally wouldn’t tell anyone. But he’s more than he seems to be…which could be taken for granted given he’s tall, dark, handsome, and the object of affection in a paranormal novel. He’s not in Slave Lake to develop land, as he claims. Nor was his presence at his woodland property during Sarah’s attack a coincidence. However, Sarah’s challenge with Evan isn’t coming to terms with these deceptions. Her wealthy Italian hottie from Navajo country has dangerous secrets lurking in deep, dark places. Despite them all, she’ll have to trust him if she plans to go on breathing.

I found the concept behind Stealing Breath very intriguing. The extraordinary power in this story, while having a magical component, is untapped human potential. Some characters are taught magic to wield power, but others are drawing upon energies naturally, instinctively, and even obliviously. The connection between Sarah and Evan is palpable, particularly in my favorite scene of the book, where he dives off a bridge, catches her and rolls into the water below. At a time when she thought she couldn’t trust him, the moment she feels his arms around her, she knows without thinking that she was safe. And if you read books for sex and fights, the author has included several scenes that bring down the house. I actually mean that literally.

This book has much going for it, but there were a few things that I found distracting from the story. For one, the author uses conversation in many places where it gets underfoot. Another, the pacing of the revelations is rather quick. I’m a fan of slow reveals, so I preferred to be strung along a bit. These are both personal preference; other readers may not share it.

Otherwise, Joanne Brothwell has woven an intriguing story using Native American and Italian folk tales, and set her characters up nicely for a sequel.

[Shah Wharton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I noticed how yummy the cover was, but as with many covers, it bears little relation to the book. Just so you know.

The story begins on a camping trip in North Dakota, where Sarah Ross is enticed away from her peers deeper into the woods early one morning by a child's cry for help. During her search, she finds a dilapidated house, which she enters, desperate to find the wailing child. Climbing the stairs toward the child's cries, she is lead not to a child, but to a gruesome presence who attempts to dive beneath her skin.

Instead of falling victim to the creature, Sarah is able to repel the spirit with some hidden unknown, power. After she escapes, while running back to her campsite, she meets a man who seems to be innocently strolling through the woods. She is pleased to see him and he is quick to help the injured damsel in distress. His name is Evan, and he's gorgeous, and a land developer - Enter love interest!

While he escorts her back to her friends, he questions her about what attacked her, calms her and assures her she'll be safe. Then, following an innocuous touch, an electrical charge passes between them, leading to a euphoria that Sarah has never before experienced. They pretend it never happened, naturally.

Seems Sarah was born with a heightened ability to feel others' emotions - an empath. (Just like my Luna in Finding Esta) but for some reason she cannot read Evan's emotions.

Friends tell Sarah the creature that attacked her was a Skinwalker - An evil creature who practices black magic, whose spirit can leave their own bodies and travel into other's, in order to steal souls.

Of course, they want Sarah's soul now. But why? And what is the truth about Evan?

* * *

This is a great idea - a paranormal New Adult book with a Native American kink. Awesome. Kudos for originality.

I enjoyed this book and the novelty of the idea. The framework of it all was great, but I had a few issues with the bricks and mortar.
The main relationship felt insincere at first. Evan seemed to make it clear he wanted Sarah for the power she gave him over his older brother. Yet she seems pleased by this (?) - like `...he wants me, it doesn't matter why.' Afterward we learn he loves her, but I was still left wondering if their love was based on the electrical power between them, nothing more.

But then, the sex scenes were a nice slice of passion without vulgarity or hyperbole romantic slush, so that helped lift the level of their relationship for me.

It also annoyed me occasionally when the heroine, Sarah, became the typical - "Sod you and impending death, I'm doing what I want anyway!" attitude. (That's not a direct quote). Despite the many occurrences of a supernatural nature, happening around her, to her and her friends, and to her on-off suspicious boyfriend, she goes out and almost dies? It left me feeling like giving up on her... when I should have felt protective to her, driven and excited by her. Then she's left alone in a hospital - Conveniently for another action moment. Then her friends annoyed my for leaving her, or allowing her to `Do what I want..." I'd have chained her to the boot of my car and riven her miles away - not moved up the road and feigned surprise when Native American Skinwalkers and a grade A demon came looking for her. Led there by the on-off suss boyfriend?

Or perhaps that's just me? :)

I'd say this is a new adult more than adult book, with an overall young voice and a couple of sex scenes (moderate).
Either way, it was an enjoyable and original romp and I give it 3.5/5.

[Cyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

GENRE: Paranormal
THEME: Romance/ Shifters
RECEIVED: Book Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
Skinwalkers and magic, this story carried a lot of action and originality with some interesting back-story for the characters. I liked the mix of Native American lore and how both sides the “good and the “bad” were connected by two people.

Stealing Breath follows Sarah Ross, who stumbles upon a mystery man named Evan one morning while camping with friends. Sarah has a unique ability and thought she heard the voice of a missing local girl calling out for help. But she was drawn to something evil waiting for her, a skinwalker. Luckily she got away and ran into Evan, but something about him draws Sarah to him and they both feel a connection. But little do either of them know that they are connected at a deeper level, both are on opposite sides and that a greater evil wants Sarah’s powers.

Sarah, when we meet her she already knows that she’s an empath. She also is very independent with her parents concentrating more on their sporting company, which she is left to manager in her hometown. She has two great friends who take the news about the skinwalkers and what Sarah can do with ease. Amber her best friend I liked the most, she really was protective of Sarah and wanted to help her understand and use her power to protect herself against the evil. Though Sarah is a likable character, I couldn’t connect with her, some of the decisions she made were a little too rash and not well thought out. The insta-love between her and Evan was predictable and I actually didn’t feel that connection between them when they first met.

Evan was an interesting character, he had a lot more backstory than Sarah and I think that’s why I liked him a bit more. His family history is complex and very well thought out. I would of liked to know more about his mother and whom she fell for and who Evans father is. I liked that he was both good and bad, with learning the true intentions of his “family” and trying to be good. I would have liked the relationship between Evan and Sarah to pan out a little more and grow into a strong relationship instead of instant. His character I felt grew the most, he had a lot to learn and had to fight against the very thing he grew up learning about and against his own family.

Overall there is a lot that goes on in this story and still a lot of questions unanswered, especially about Sarah and what she is. I also think that some editing could help with the readers connect to the characters. The pace of the story fluctuated and it was hard to stay connected and understand why things were happening.

Other than that I felt Stealing Breath has a ton of potential, the dark magic and Skinwalkers were the strongest part of the story and brought to life the villains really well. I don’t want to give too much away about the villains, but they were pretty creepy and put in perspective the dangers that Sarah and Evan were facing. This is a great start to a new paranormal romance series and has a lot of originality and characters that are still learning about who and what they are.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult series that contains a bit of violence and sexual content for mature readers. Fans of In a Fix by Linda Grimes and Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway will enjoy Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell.

[Adria's Musings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog.

A great way to get a reader sucked into a story is to start in the middle.

In this case, the middle of the night, in the middle of an eerie encounter with what could possibly be a missing child or something...Other. Stealing Breath gets your blood pumping and your heart racing all in a matter of 8 pages. How can this reader possibly resist a story like that?

Easy, I didn't. Duh.

Told in first person, Stealing Breath is a fast paced paranormal story rooted in myth, grown with imagination and nurtured with a cast of strong, interesting characters. It is a mixture of mostly fantasy and paranormal with a dash of reality.

It was easy to relate to Sarah, perhaps not in the way of mysterious abilities but in finding herself singled out as different for whatever reason and feeling as if there's more to her life than what she's been lead to believe. Sarah's a likable character, she isn't a drama queen, she isn't about constantly saying "Poor me, why me?" She deals with what's thrown her way with as much courage and bravado as she can. Evan, the mysterious and handsome hero of the story is still somewhat of a mystery even by the end of the book, and that works because Stealing Breath is not the end of the story, there will be a second book, Silencing Breath that will hopefully delve more into Evan as a character. I can't wait for that one.

Sarah and Evan, what can I say? I loved how these two characters connected immediately without it feeling like an overdone, cheesy Hallmark movie. It was romantic but also important that they continue to be thrown together at every opportunity, each character was solid and strong on their own, so no weaklings here, but together they were a force to be reckoned with. I love an equal partnership in my books.

The detail that author Joanne Brothwell puts into each scene shows dedication to her entire story. She didn't let descriptions of places, people, creatures or rituals slip through the cracks as I've seen with other stories. Some authors are so wrapped up in their lead characters' romance that they forget the rest of the story has to be just as strong. Not so with Stealing Breath. The paranormal aspect is what drives Sarah and Evan together, more so than their initial attraction to each other. Each aspect of the story is important, the whos, whats, wheres, whys, and hows are never forgotten or left to dangle in the wind in favor of the romance. They're all there, pulling their weight to bring readers an intriguing, suspense filled story.

Don't hate me but I found myself more interested in what was going on with Sarah and her abilities than her budding relationship with Evan. I know I'm a romance novel reviewer and the romance is what I look for 99% of the time, but with Stealing Breath I got more wrapped up in the paranormal background and the Native American customs that the romance became secondary to me. There are some really hair raising, eerie moments in this book that definitely had me jumping at shadows at night. I'm usually not a fan of stories that keep me in that state of mind but I had to make an exception for this book.


Make room on your shelves or e-reader for this one guys, it's a keeper!

[Tana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealing Breath (Stealing Breath #1) by Joanne Brothwell

Stealing Breath is a well written novel, Joanne Brothwell is an extremely talented writer and I for one cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I really enjoyed learning about skinwalkers and the Native American’s history. This story flows well, characters descriptions and plot held my attention and I wanted to read more. There was so much I enjoyed about Stealing Breath that I all I can say is it is a must read.

We meet Sarah who happens to be empathy; Sarah runs her parents store and will soon be heading off to college. Sarah just wants to be normal, but it is hard considering she feels everyone’s emotions.

When Sarah meets Evan she feels nothing from him, and she cannot believe this, of course Sarah needs to know why? As Sarah and Evan start to spend time together we get to learn much more about each of them and the legends that surround the area. We learn that Sarah is an Indigo Child which is very rare and Evan is Sapphire Child both have very special gifts.

There is so much going on in this story that is really made me want to read more, so I kind of wish the book was longer, but knowing there is more to come helps to know we may see more of Evan and Sarah and learn more of towns history and the legends.

I have rated Stealing Breath a 4 star rating, and would recommend it to anyone who loves to read the Paranormal Genre. This is a unique novel and Joanne Brothwell has done an excellent job writing this novel, it is a must read!

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing story! I loved every page. One thing that drew me in was how Ms. Brothwell was just so descriptive. She has a beautiful writing style, very impressive. From page one, there are very good descriptions of the settings, the characters, and especially Sarah’s feelings, her sense of empathy; it was very well written out and understandable. The story is from Sarah’s point of view, and I really liked that, as again, we understand what she feels when she is feeling other people’s emotions. From the first chapter, we are sucked in an intense scene and it was great to be already in the action, and the first chapter has you guessing and intrigued, and on your toes with Sarah, as her empathy pulls her to something she would have never expected. What I also liked in this story was Evan Valente. He just seems like...Wow... I instantly, instantly liked him, but I also got that there was something mysterious about him, and you will see what he is holding back from Sarah. Their romance was hmm very electrifying. Brothwell writes some great scenes, that shows how well Sarah and Evan connect. This is a highly recommended novel!

[Andrea Heltsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won a copy!!!!

Now on to my review:) I picked this book up by accident really. I read the description on a Goodreads giveaway and thought it sounded fantastic. I entered and was the lucky winner of my own paperback copy.

Stealing Breath picked up where Vicarious left off. The characters were then familiar and I was sucked in. I read the entire book in one day.

I liked how intriguing the story was. Evan was a great character. The whole time, you were rooting for him even though you were pretty sure there could be something more going on with him. Just that fact kept me riveted until the end.

There were a few inconsistencies in the book and contradictions, showing how green the author was. I quickly overlooked them though and really enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and engaging.

I also enjoyed the paranormal aspect of this book. The author used unconventional supernaturals and it made the story truly unique. Instead of the regular vampires and werewolves, she used skinwalkers and warlocks.

Anyone looking for a great mature YA/adultish paranormal read will love this book, I know I did!!!

[Elly Helcl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review...I actually received three of them. This was the second book I read by this author and let me say this...after reading the first book...

WHERE DID THIS COME FROM???

Omg! It was as if she suddenly found her voice and was writing with feeling. I loved this book and really enjoyed the idea's and concepts. (Even if the soul stealer thing was a Harry Potter thing)

If was fast paced, kept you on your toes, and was nearly impossible to put down.

I was so disappointed when it ended!!! And then I remembered that there was another book in this series! Yay!

So on to my review of book two...

[Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?

I loved all the different folklores that were woven within the story. That really kept things interesting. I still have many lingering questions, but I hope that the up coming books will answer them. I get the feeling there is so much more to be told about Sarah and Evan, and I'm excited to find out what's in store for them!

[Aaron Ritchey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanne Brothwell's Paranormal Romance Stealing Breath is a welcome break from vampires, demons, fallen angels, and your typical paranormal monsters. Skinwalkers take the stage, but in an interesting international way. I loved the Slave Lake setting so much that when we strayed to other locations, I felt a little sad, but the betrayals, surpirses, and drama kept me reading. The final battle was epic! But above all, love can heal almost any evil.

[Nancy Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I edited this book for Crescent Moon and I think Joanne did an excellent job turning a rough story into an engaging, exciting tale! This author has a great future ahead of her!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skinwalkers are after Sarah because she is an Indigo child...some sort of spiritual mutant with empathic powers. That's the basis of the story but beyond that there's not much. Zero characterization, the plot jumps around...just impossible to get into unfortunately.

[Audrey Wilkerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a camping trip near her home in North Dakota, Sarah Ross is lured into the woods early one morning by a child’s cry for help. Ever since her friend Amber’s eight-year-old cousin went missing from the Wakina Reservation, how can she not respond? As she plunges through the forest, following the sound, she comes to a clearing where stands a run-down, abandoned house. Certain that she will find the child inside, she enters. Slowly, she climbs the stairs and finds no child, but a hideous, translucent creature that tries to force its ghostly self into her very skin. Sarah, somehow, is able to repel the spirit.

Sarah hastens from the house and on her way back to the campsite, she runs into a man who is walking in the woods. Seeing she has been hurt, he offers to help her back to her friends. While they walk, he tries to find out what happened to her. Then, when he touches her arm, some kind of electricity is generated between them along with a euphoria that Sarah has never experienced. Evan is a land developer and tells Sarah that he has just purchased the property where they walk. Sarah knows she should keep the incident at the house to herself so she doesn’t mention anything. She was born with a heightened ability to feel others’ emotions - an empath. The weird thing? She cannot read Evan’s emotions. At all.

Amber’s mother, Paulette, knows what Sarah saw was a skinwalker. They are people who practice black magic and whose spirits can leave their bodies and travel. They search for souls to steal. And they are looking for Sarah. But why? And why does she feel this elation, this bliss, when she and Evan touch? And the power - the raw power they seem to build together.

Why have these skinwalkers come to Sarah’s town? Who is the strange, evil-looking man who seems to be stalking Sarah? Why is she being called an “Indigo Child?” What is the truth about Evan and why he is in North Dakota?

This is a paranormal story with a Native American twist. But does it pan out? Yes and no. Of course, the paranormal genre is still super hot. There seems to be different themes that come out as we go along; vampires, werewolves, angels and demons being the most popular. The skinwalker idea is a fresh take for sure. It has the additional appeal here of being a tale that originates from those first inhabitants here in the US. There have got to be thousands of characters in Native American folklore from hundreds of different groups that could be pulled into contemporary writing. Then to pair those characters with fantasy writing? Awesome.

The downside, for me, was that even with this new idea, it’s the same story that we’ve already heard (though with electrifying [almost literally] sex). The relationship between Sarah and Evan happens too quickly to be believable, especially considering all the other action going on (the missing child, the skinwalkers, the unexplained connection between Sarah and Evan, the creepy stranger she keeps seeing). Why would she think Evan is okay when he seems to be stalking her? He shows up wherever she is, and she just goes with it. Plus, Sarah has questions. She would consider and wonder about things, but then seem to ignore these thoughts in the next breath. I felt like I was skimming the surface of the story, never reaching the depths that I wanted to - like there was a hurry to get to the “good part” without properly establishing the characters, background information and the build-up. The bones are there, certainly, but I need more meat on those bones.

Another commonplace YA saw is to have the main character decide that they are going to do what they want, damn the consequences. This, of course, is a plot device that can be used to great advantage, but it can be frustrating for the reader when it feels like the only reason that an action took place was because the author needed it to, not because it was a logical move by the character. For example, while all these horrible sightings and attacks are going on, and Sarah knows she is at risk, she gives the old speech “I’m just going to live my life...” which you know means that she going to do the opposite of what she should do and put herself into danger. It reminds me a little of slasher movies when the audience knows that the character should not go into the basement, but they do it anyway.

This was a nice effort that left me somewhat unsatisfied.

3 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)

Genres: New Adult Fantasy Paranormal Romance
Ages: Other than the sex, 14 and up (reader, use your best judgment)
You might want to know: There are some heavy-duty descriptive sex scenes.

Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell was published March 8, 2012 by Crescent Moon Press. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review.

[Tammy - Books, Bones & Buffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantic and atmospheric, and with elements of witchcraft and Native American legend, Stealing Breath is an exciting story that was far too short for me, and ended leaving me wanting more. Brothwell’s writing flows nicely and the characters were completely engaging, and the dangerous situations that the characters found themselves in made for a compelling read.

Sarah Ross is camping with her friends Amber and Kate when she is awakened early one morning by a child’s voice, calling out for help. Thinking it might be a local girl named Jessica, who has recently gone missing, Sarah sets out after the voice, leaving her friends still asleep in their tent. Her search leads her not to the missing child, but to an old dilapidated house in the woods. Inside she encounters a translucent figure with horrible yellow eyes that tries to take over her body, but she manages to escape by “pushing” it out. Outside the house she runs into a handsome stranger, a man named Evan who helps her back to the campsite. What Evan is doing in the woods, and the strange sensations Sarah feels when he touches her are both mysteries.

Sarah learns from Amber’s mother Paulette that she was attacked by a “Skinwalker,” a malevolent person who collects and feeds off the souls of others by leaving its body and walking around as an apparition. Paulette also informs Sarah that she is an “Indigo Child,” a special and rare human with an indigo aura who represents the next stage of human evolution. Because her “essence” is so special, the Skinwalkers are especially interested in Sarah’s soul. Several events also lead Sarah to believe that Evan, the man with whom she is becoming closer to day by day, is somehow connected to the Skinwalkers. The role he plays and the nefarious people who are trying to destroy both Evan and Sarah are explained in an exciting rush of events that lead up to the novel’s showdown between good and evil.

Brothwell’s story kept me flipping pages quickly. The action is fast and furious throughout most of the book, punctuated by some pretty good romantic scenes. This is, after all, paranormal romance, and it had all the right elements: hot guy, beautiful girl, lots of misunderstandings, and an eventual resolution. The author gives her heroine lots of interesting powers, too. Sarah can feel the emotions of others, and later in the book she discovers that not only can she heal people, but she and Evan have a special power between them whenever they hold hands or touch in some way. Brothwell's story also includes some interesting historical background on Italian witchcraft and magic, which gives it another layer. The only criticism I have with Stealing Breath is that I felt it could have been better developed in some areas. Some of the revelations happen too quickly and are a bit jarring. For example, Evan and Sarah fall in love and jump into bed together right after they meet, and while I understand that instant attraction happens in the real world, in fiction it’s more interesting when the relationship has time to grow. I was also confused about some of the story elements that were introduced but not expanded upon. A book called the "Key of Solomon" seems to be important, but Brothwell doesn’t go into much detail about it. Likewise, I really wanted more information on the "Indigo Child" and why she is so special. I’m hoping the next book in the series will expand on some of these ideas.

If you are in the mood for romance, mystery and a story with truly terrifying moments, Stealing Breath is a great read.

Many thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.

This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.

[Stina Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review here: http://zodiacbookreviews.blogspot.com...

Sarah Ross is an empath, which means that she has the ability to feel the emotions of others. Her ability is so strong that the emotions can be overwhelming sometimes. But after an attack by a mysterious creature in an abandoned house in the woods, Sarah meets Evan Valente who helps her get back to her campsite. The odd thing is that she feels none of Evan's emotions. Though Sarah has reservations about trusting Evan, she can't stay away from him.

When Sarah visits a Native American healer, she learns that she's not just an empath, but an Indigo Child as well. An Indigo Child is an evolved human with special powers, such as Sarah's empathy. Even stranger is that when Sarah and Evan touch, the power between them increases and they can do even more extraordinary things together. There is definitely something different about Evan, and when Sarah learns the truth about him, she'll have to decide if she's still willing to trust him or if she'll need to run to get away from him.

Joanne Brothwell uses Native American and Italian folklore by introducing us to the Native American Skinwalkers and the Italian Benandanti (good walkers) and the Malandanti (bad walkers). The Stregheria are witches and warlocks in Italy who are either good walkers or bad walkers. The good walkers were hunted into extinction for suspicion of witchcraft, but the bad walkers managed to survive the hunts. The Valente family is actually the last of the Italian bad walkers to survive.

This is actually only the second story I've read that had Skinwalkers as the supernatural element, so it's a new and interesting element to use. I love the use of folklore in Stealing Breath. It gives a richness to the story and gives us some insight into the Native American and Italian cultures.

I also really liked Sarah and Evan's relationship. They have a strong connection, but also have a lot of problems too. There's a point where Sarah learns the truth about Evan, and even though it hurts her to do it because she loves him, she forces herself to walk away from him. But a surprise revelation about Evan that even he didn't know about makes Sarah realize that maybe he's not as bad as they both thought him to be. So their relationship isn't perfect and has it's share of ups and downs, but the imperfections of their relationship is what makes it so perfect. It doesn't seem rushed or instantaneous. It takes time and effort to make their relationship work.

Stealing Breath is a part of a genre that doesn't get much attention. You can't put this book in the Young Adult genre or the Adult genre. It lands somewhere in the middle. I asked the author what genre she would put Stealing Breath into and she brought to my attention a genre called New Adult fiction. I was so intrigued by this new genre that I looked it up and found that New Adult fiction is a genre for novels that land between YA and Adult. The characters are usually between the ages of 18-26 and are just coming into adulthood. They are either just starting college or a new career after graduating high school. So Stealing Breath fits perfectly into this virtually unknown genre.

I'm really excited to read about what happens next for Sarah and Evan. Will they ever be able to settle in one place and live normal lives or will they have to continue running from those who want to possess their strong and powerful essences?

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

STEALING BREATH by Joanne Brothwell

STEALING BREATH is the first book (March 2012 release), but second storyline in Joanne Brothwell’s new paranormal romance series. Bordering on urban fantasy, the story takes place in and around the Native American Navajo reservations in North Dakota. Based loosely on the myths and lore of the fabled skinwalkers, Stealing Breath is a fascinating look at a paranormal subject that is becoming more popular. This is my second series featuring skinwalkers, and the premise is very intriguing.

21 year old Sarah Ross is an empath-with the ability to feel people’s emotions. Hoping to aid in the search for a missing 8 year old girl from the local Wakina reservation, Sarah and her friends embark on an overnight campout in the local forests of surrounding the reserve. Several days had passed without a trace and the prospects of finding the child were slim. But when Sarah suddenly finds herself confronting a ghoulish apparition with yellow eyes, she knows she is about to die, Building her strength from within, Sarah is shocked when the force of her fear and anger, shove aside the being trying to draw her last breath. Injured and scared, Sarah tries to escape only to run into a beautiful stranger who is instantly attracted to the girl with Indigo Eyes.

Evan Valente owns Valente Developments- a young businessman hoping to set down roots and developing a nature preserve for both locals and tourists. His attraction to Sarah sparks something between the two and the chemistry is instant. Within days, the couple is an item, but trouble and strange electrical phenomenon seem to follow them. But with sudden realization, Sarah suspects Evan knows what has been happening. Loosing her heart to Evan was never what she had planned. And her friends begin to suspect Evan is hiding a secret or two as well.

Throughout the storyline, Sarah is counseled and confronted by the local Native elders regarding her encounter with the ghoul. But what the elders reveal with shock Sarah-she has the eyes of an Indigo Child- a human evolved with special abilities and it is these abilities that have made her a target. And someone close to Sarah has brought the trouble to North Dakota.

Sarah and Evan’s relationship begins to blur when their powers feed one another. But when the truth is finally revealed, Sarah will force herself to look at the bigger picture. Heartbroken and in pain, she knows to save herself and her friends, it is time to leave her life behind but trouble and love will follow Sarah, and with a renewed determination, Evan will prove to Sarah, that love does conquer all-even with family who wished you were dead.

STEALING BREATH is a bewitching story-shamans, witches, demons, skinwalkers and stories of myth and legends from both North America and across the sea. Joanne Brothwell weaves an exciting storyline that compels the reader to turn the page. There was an April 2012 prequel-Vicarious released with the back story of focusing on Sarah’s relationship with an ex-boyfriend –3 years before she met Evan.


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[Ana♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Ross isn't like most people. She is able to feel the emotions of those around her, washing over her like a raw blanket of feelings. Running into Evan Valente, a handsome man with a thousand watt smile, right after her run in with a Skinwalker who was after her soul, Sarah doesn't know whats happening but she knows it's bad. There's a connection between Evan and Sarah that neither one of them can explain, but they know that together they are stronger and when Skinwalkers come out to feed on Sarah's soul there is no time for hesitation.

Sarah Ross can feel the emotions of everyone around her is definitely weird, but what she doesn't know is that shes something more... more than just human. Sarah is an Indigo Child. A rare being who has a sixth sense and supernatural powers. (BTW, how frkn cool is that.. can I be a Crimson Child? lol) Sarah is slowly learning about herself in this book. Being faced with a Skinwalker for the first time has Sarah turning to her friends mother of the Wakina Tribe to see just what it is that attacked her and soon finds out what it wanted... her soul. Evan hides a secret from Sarah that tears them apart, but Evan can't help but still love Sarah and try and help her. Even after explaining everything to Sarah, she doesn't trust him fully but, can't help to still have feelings for him. Or hide the fact that together they are stronger and can beat the Skinwalkers.

There are a number of things I liked about this book... First, Skinwalkers.. totally new to me and I thought it made the book really good. Also, the whole concept of Indigo Child and indigo auras. I like how Brothwell was able to explain more about what an Indigo Child is and what Skinwalkers are through information from the Wakina Tribe. Definitely different from using google lol. For what I didn't like... Well, the book was a bit slow for me to get into.. it might have been the fact that I didn't read the prequel for this series and I was thrown into a missing child case. But when I got to the second chapter I was hooked. Other than that, I don't have any other complaints.

Stealing Breath was a pretty good read for me. And Skinwalkers are definitely new to me as well. I was a little iffy about reading this book but, I 'm glad I read it. Brothwell really brought something new to the table with this book. I couldn't really categorize this book though. It's not really YA but then again it's not totally Adult either. So let's go with Young-Adult-On-The-Verge-of-Adulthood lol. I would definitely recommend this book, but since I was a bit thrown in the beginning I would suggest you read the prequel before you read this book. If you're looking for a something different in the paranormal world I suggest you pick up this book and have a go at it! Great read :)

[Once · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealing Breath was a really awesome book. I couldn't put it down at all. I swear I spent an entire day reading the book when my husband was at work and the kids were at school. Thank god I got up early to start the cleaning so I could read this book. I never really read a lot of books about Science Fiction but if it has action and romance then I am in. Sometimes when you get into book it makes you think that some of these things could be real. That's how I felt when I was reading Stealing Breath. Twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is just your normal teenager that has popular friends, a great job, and her head on her shoulders. But there is one thing that Sarah can do that many people can't do. She has mysterious abilities. When she is camping with her friends she hears a childs voice calling for help. She gets up to go and look and see if she can find the missing girl Jessica that has came up missing. So she follows the helps that she keeps on hearing. The voice leads her to a run down cottage and inside she hears the child calling for her. So on her way up the stairs she falls through the step and then a big cat that is black with yelllow eyes comes out of hiding. When he is looking at her she does something that she didn't know she could do. She makes him vanish into ash. She tries to hurry up and get out of there so he dosen't come back. On her way out she meets a hot, gorgeous, mystery man named Evan. She gets sick and he ask her if she needs any help back to the camp. So he helps her back to the camp and she finds out he bought the cottage to fix up. They exchange numbers and she hopes to see him again. Sarah runs her parents camping store as the manager. All of a sudden Evan walks in looking for a gps watch. They end up touching and they both experience something that neither of them have experienced before. It was like electricity going through your body. She said it was so overwhelming and never experienced it before. Everytime Sarah turns around Evan is always there. After they start hanging out she notices things around her that she has never seen before. She finds out she has an indigo aura like her eyes and that she is a second generation and there are people that want her called the Skinwalkers. The skinwalkers want to suck out her soul. She gets to thinking that things started happening in town since Evan arrived. So Sarah questions herself. Is Evan the good guy or the bad guy.

In Stealing Breath I loved the characters of Evan and Sarah. Its a kind of romance that anybody would want to have. The way you interact with each other and the way you feel around them. Those are the kinds of feelings I have for my husband. I love it and hope they never go away. So I really enjoyed reading this book. Can't wait to see what happens next in their adventure.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I loved most about this story was that it wasn't something I feel I've read before. Unlike a lot of supernatural and paranormal books in circulation right now, Stealing Breath isn't one of those that is basically taking a common story - vampires, werewolves, witches, and the like - and just writing yet another variation of that. This story was an entirely new concept to me.

Of course, it wouldn't be a paranormal romance without a hot, though mysterious, character with ulterior motives - which is filled quite nicely by Evan. I found myself equally wanting Sarah and Evan to be together forever and wanting her to run from him as fast as possible. Generally, in these situations, the reader can tell the unknown character's true intentions - even if the protagonist is unable to do so. However, such was not the case in Stealing Breath, and I really enjoyed exploring the question of which side he really supported.

I think the book's only major negative was the strange pace. I got caught up in the action from the first page - but that stopped suddenly right around the middle. I think the main reason for this is that the book has more than one culmination point - almost as though the book was meant to end in deference to a sequel, but instead continued on. However, once you manage to get through that slump, you are drawn right back into the story - which definitely turns out to be a crazy ride.

Overall, Stealing Breath was interesting and entertaining, with just enough mystery and suspense to keep me wondering. To be honest, it is rare for me to read books by unknown authors regardless of reviews because, especially with so many "self-publishing" these days, the quality of these books are often subpar. [It's no secret that I can be very judgmental when it comes to books and appropriate writing styles for their genre.] However, this is one that I am glad I read - thanks to the raving reviews of a friend.

Granted, the cover looks like something that I could have created in Microsoft Paint (though I did appreciate the trick with the colored aura outline), but as the old saying goes, "don't judge a book by its cover" because this book is one that is immensely more professionally written than the cover first leads you to believe. I haven't seen the physical copy's cover, only the e-book's - so it's possible that it does look better on the book itself. Regardless, if you are a fan of paranormal romance, this is one to check out.

**Full review posted on Honest Reviews Corner**

[Danielle (Bookwhoreblog) Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally Post HERE

Sarah is your average young woman living in a small town surrounded by close friends. At least, she thought she was normal. One night Sarah has an encounter with a creature and by morning Sarah's entire world changes. As Sarah's world changes it also collides with Evan a tall dark and mysterious man hot man. Only one little problem with tall dark handsome Evan... Something about him is completely un-trustable.

I read this book with Book Whore Online Book club and I have to admit I was a bit taken by surprise. It is no secret that recently I have strayed away from paranormal romance. The genre was getting sickeningly repetitive, hot vampires or shifters lurked nearly every book. When Book Club decided to read Stealing Breath I have to admit I was a bit nervous BUT I ended up being incredibly surprised which doesn’t happen often.

I enjoyed how different Stealing Breath was from the typical PNR and it has such a creative spin on powers and mythical beings; I ate it up! I feel like Joanne Brothwell really researched her characters abilities to make them believable to readers. I need believable in my books, after all isn't the reason we read fictions because we secretly want to believe it could happen to us? We could wake up one day and developed powers and be thrown into an adventure just like our characters. I know I do!!

Sarah's character was well written into the role of average girl. Sarah wasn't over the top perfect and you as the reader can relate to her. Evan oh boy; that Evan talk about well written. I didn't know if I should trust him, slap him, or do very bad things to him. I wanted him to be the bad guy, I wanted him to be the good guy, I was with him, and I was against him. I had bipolar emotions toward Evan as you can plainly see. It was so hard to have a discussion each week and not talk about Evan yet again! I loved how these two characters developed together and they also have some pretty how supernatural... Well you are going to have to read the story to find that one out.

The only reason I didn't give this book five hearts is because toward the end I started to feel like the story started to get a little carried away. I mean I enjoyed it don't get me wrong but it was over the top. Something’s were thrown into the mix but never actually hinted at throughout the book. So you’re right at the end of the story and new things are starting to develop.

I recommend this book to adult readers who enjoy paranormal and fantasy novels. I will be devouring book two in this series as soon as possible!

[Amy_Read to My Heart's Content · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love the cover, first and foremost! What a beautiful color to have as your aura! I think that caught my attention before anything thing else could have; but then I read the blurb and my interest was definitely peaked.
This has a very original idea and one that has a lot of potential for the creativity that can come from it. The idea of a very special and magical human that can "feel" people's emotions as well as having a very powerful aura to go with it, of course, can bring about a lot of different supernatural beings.
The characters are well developed but I have to say I am slightly partial to the Native Americans in the story, having 1/4 of Cherokee in my blood, and enjoying listening to the many different folktales from that particular heritage.
Sarah is pretty strong female lead, even though she does tend to question her actions a lot, I feel like she is pretty accepting of everything for the most part. Especially since she already has that "otherworld" feel to herself.
I love that this book is an 'New Adult' one because I feel like Ms. Brothwell can push the romance factor in this story just a little bit and give us that edge that makes Stealing Breath even more breathtaking.
The relationship between Sarah and Evan does advance a little quickly but I also enjoyed the fact that there was still some distrust there; along with some angst among them that showed us it was more of down to earth relationship instead of the "too good to be true" ones.
I really enjoyed Stealing Breath so much for a variety of reasons. I love the way the author found a way to work two different heritages together where they can find a common ground and come up with such an amazing backdrop to a very interesting story line.
I have heard many different versions of "skinwalkers" but this one by far the most interesting. I also like the Italian lore that contributed to Evan's mysterious background. Oh and how unique is "Indigo Child"? I love that concept too, especially with having to do with their eyes. Eye color is a very unique trait for people and to revolve a tale around that -great idea!
All in all, I really believe everyone should give Stealing Breath a try. It is has so many emotions playing throughout including terror, respect, betrayal, love, and loss. It uses such an unique concept that it would be hard not to get carried away in Sarah's feelings.
I give it four hearts.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stealing Breath was a surprising read from a then unknown to me author! I enjoyed the fresh perspective into paranormal romance that Joanne Brothwell gives readers in Stealing Breath. With its unusual story line of demons and Native America lore come to life this book gave me a little bit of everything.

Stealing Breath opens with our heroine Sarah out looking for a small missing child….her good friends sister has been missing for days and with everyone on edge they head out to the woods camping to look for the small child. Hearing a childs cry through the woods lures Sarah away from the safety of camp and right into the clutches of something pure evil, and it wants her soul. Fearing for herself and nearly succumbing to the unknown beast she turns to her Indian friends and their local tribe lore.

I really liked Sarah and her journey to find out where she came from and what exactly she was. She was inquisitive without being annoying. Though I usually don’t go for sweet type romances (you know…not much sexy time) it worked with this book and I felt her and Evan were well matched and the relationship well paced. Evan hid a lot from Sarah…some for her own good and some for his own purposes, but together not only did their unusual power unite but so did their souls. They find that together they can dispel the evil soul eaters and along the way they find they extent of their solo power isn’t what they thought either. I do enjoy a good soul mates book and Stealing Breath was spot on. These two were like ying and yang. Light and dark. A classic twist on the scenario where love really does change someone for the good.

As we follow these two through constant threats where even friends and family can’t be trusted they become closer to each other and learn what it is they can do when they are together. I really liked all the Native American lore woven through out and I wonder how much is story and how much is actual lore. I also enjoyed the inclusion of Evan’s brother and what he brought to the book and perhaps to future books as well. Brothwell does a great job on pacing and adding in enough action to keep the book balanced and exciting.

Stealing Breath is a solid book that I think many readers will enjoy! Incredibly well wrote, engaging and original, you need to give Joanne Brothwell a try!

I give Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell 4.50 stars!

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great ride! Anything involving magic and auras keeps me intrigued and the direction of this story certainly captured me! I had read a few chapters and my husband asked me what I was reading, and I replied an interesting book which has spirits which try to inhabit other people. I really like the main character and she has genuine friends. But I'm not sure about the new guy she has met. He seems too perfect and has popped up at just the right time....so I’ll see how it goes…

Sarah has always been an empath and reading people's emotions has been easy for her. While camping she hears a voice and goes into the bush to answer the call for help. She stumbles upon a shack and runs into a spirit who tries to take her soul from her. She didn't realise that there were spirits out there that could do that, so she channels her inner powers to protect herself. While fleeing she literally runs into Evan who appears to be a knight in shining armour. I was initially suspicious of him, but like Sarah, he charmed me easily.

Sarah is a genuine person and has respect for the people she holds close. Her friends are very supportive but are curious about the new guy that has shown up in her life because Sarah has been burnt badly before. What I really liked about Sarah as her no bull crap attitude, you cross her and she won't forgive you easily, you have to earn that trust back and even if you do she still is sceptical.Evan just seems to know how to push the right buttons and is way too attractive for his own good!

As the cover of the book implicates, the book is about Sarah's aura, which is an indigo colour and is therefore rare. But with the help of the natives in the area, Sarah is able to understand more about herself and the people that she is close to.

I really enjoyed the direction of this story and I thought that Joanne Brothwell's writing style was beautiful. The ancient magic and the soul travel concepts were exciting. Stories containing good and bad magic are always an entertaining read for me and Stealing Breath was just dazzling! As usual, the chemistry with the two main characters is undeniable but I love the romance aspect, so it was a definite plus for me. I am hanging for the next book now!!


I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Jill Swanson-Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Joanne and YANR Tours for providing a digital copy for review!

I really wish I could have liked this book more. The synopsis had me excited for a good dark fantasy romance. I mean, with an Indigo Child as the main character and a love interest with terrible secrets, I figured I would have loved this book. But alas, I was mildly disappointed. That's not to say that I disliked it or anything, I just wasn't as 'in love' with it as I thought I would be.

The beginning felt a bit rushed to me. One minute Sarah hears this 'disembodied voice' and the next she is injured, scared and being helped back by Evan. More back story on Sarah's empathy, as well as, on the missing girl would have helped to set the scene a bit more thoroughly. However, I was interested to see the extent of Sarah's empathy power and if Evan was really a good guy. So, at least I was hooked, even if it was only a little bit.

Stealing Breath did pick up as the story progressed. You learn more about Sarah's people and their ways. I am a big fan of Native American lore, which was a definite plus for this novel. The fact that old ways were simultaneously existing with the new was a bit hard to follow at first. But, once I fully understood the setting I liked it a lot. The concept of Skinwalkers was extremely interesting and--to me--one of the highlights of Stealing Breath.

The moments between Sarah and Evan definitely gained this story points. I'm a sucker for romance. Evan may have a mysterious and secretive side to his personality but he is also open minded and, well, let me just say, this book gets a bit steamy at parts.

The setting changes a bit when Sarah moves to Grand Forks (Which instantly reminded me of Twilight. sigh.) The pace picks back up and Evan and Sarah face off with the Skinwalkers. This time though, their power is much stronger.The conclusion of the story was pretty good. Lots of action and magic.

I think the main problem I had with getting into the story line was that it lacked the 'showing' that I really love about a book. The structure and plot points were there, but more often than not, they were being told to me, not shown.

Overall, I found Stealing Breath to be entertaining and even intense at times. If you are looking for a quick fantasy read, go ahead and give this book a try.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received this book from the author through Paranormal and Horror Lovers in exchange for an honest review*

Sarah is attacked by an evil creature and barely escapes, helped by the mysterious Evan. Strange things happen around them, and when they are together a powerful force seems to be at work between them. Sarah is forced to face her destiny, that she is a target for soul eating skinwalkers who want to devour her special aura.

It was a pleasant change to find a paranormal story with a few different elements to it. Evil warlocks who use dark magic to invade others bodies to steal souls are the big bad guys in this book and there is a nice Native American mythology throughout this book which I enjoyed. Skinwalkers are certainly underused in urban fantasy and paranormal novels so I enjoyed them being the stars of this book. There are also paranormal elements where Sarah and Evan discover certain powers they have that need to be controlled and harnessed when needed.

The characters were well written. Sarah has the ability to sense moods and feelings but she still comes across as being normal enough to relate to. I didn't really have any connection to Evan as I'd decided from the start that he was dodgy in some way, and I was waiting for him to show his true colours! The side characters were interesting, especially those from the reservation. The sex scenes were pretty well written with none of those cringeworthy descriptions that you dread reading. It was descriptive without being too graphic.

I wasn't fully engaged in the romance but that is more about my reading tastes than any fault of the author. There were a couple of times when Sarah did something stupid and I'd get frustrated with her ie in the hotel scene when Sarah is looking at the laptop. She must be seriously dumb not to understand what she is reading on screen! For someone who runs her own company, she wasn't always firing in the brain department! Still, you get plot niggles in most books so this is hardly a negative.

This was an entertaining paranormal tale that keeps you interested in what is going to happen next. The story flows well and isn't over-descriptive. There is sexual content and the book will be suitable for NA and adult readers who like paranormal romance and paranormal fiction. 3.5 out of 5.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stealing Breath starts in the middle of a scene. So you get thrown right into the middle of a story first off. It's not confusing or anything but it starts out with a big action sequence right away. That kind of sets the mood for the book. There is a lot of action with only a few lulls in between. So the pace is fast and there was a lot going on. I enjoyed Stealing Breath; I thought it was a good book.

Sarah is so unique and I loved learning about all the lore and legend that surrounded everyone. I do wish there was a little more background info on their town and their beliefs. She did seem to be a little too trusting though. It seemed like she just met Evan and in no time she was spilling all of her secrets to him. I, on the other hand, was a little more skeptical. Skeptical of Evan and of some of the elders that Sarah knew. She is this incredibly unique and special person, and she lives very close to all these spiritual and magical people. (one of them was even her best friend's mom) So I found it a little hard to believe that Sarah really had no idea about some of the mystery surrounding herself. But I still found Joanne's ideas fascinating. I loved learning about skinwalkers, and I'm sure there is still a lot that we have to learn. There were certainly some unanswered questions that I am interested in seeing in the next book.

Evan was really sweet, but I was pretty skeptical of him for a while there. I would love to hear other people's take on Evan, so if you have read the book please let me know what you thought of him. I felt like there was a lot of learning going on in Stealing Breath. Especially between Evan and Sarah. Evan seemed so accepting of everything strange and crazy going on, which was weird at first. But I really enjoyed the way they discovered more about themselves as individuals through their time together. They work well as a couple.

Overall, Stealing Breath was a good book. There was a lot of action and fight scenes, and there were very few slow moments. I was a little skeptical of some things and how they worked out, but the plot was really interesting and I am certainly interested in reading the second book to see where Joanne Brothwell will take the story.

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unbeknownst to Sarah Ross, she is the extremely rare Indigo Child. A person with a blue aura who has special powers. Sarah, who was just a girl who managed her parents sporting good store, suddenly finds herself thrust in the middle or a crisis with Native American Spiritwalkers (practicers of dark magic who can travel outside their bodies to steal someone's soul) and an ancient Italian group of evil magic practitioners, the Malandanti. Sarah also doesn't realize that Evan Valente, the mysterious man she met and has already fallen hard for, is somehow involved with what's been happening with the Spiritwalkers and Malandanti.

Sarah was an interesting character. She's a very strong person, but at times I had to wonder where her sense of self preservation was. Knowing she had dark magic users chasing after her in hopes of stealing her soul and her powers, she basically went about life like it was business as usual. Even after she discovers Evan's secret, which now that it's out in the open causes her even more issues and forces her to move, she searches Evan out and walks smack dab into trouble. She was either the bravest woman or I have absolutely no backbone because I'm pretty sure I would have run far, far way from all this and chalked my feelings for Evan up as a lessons learned.

The story did leave me with questions. Why was it Sarah was blessed with being an Indigo Child? For that matter, how was Evan blessed as the Sapphire child when he parents were clearly practitioners of dark arts? How did the Malandanti know about Sarah in the first place? Why were the members of the local reservation practicing dark magic to become Spiritwalkers? I know, that's a lot of questions. To be honest, with those questions were spinning around in my head while I was reading the story, it was hard to concentrate on exactly what was happening at that moment. I'm hoping, with the next release in the series, some of those question could be answered. I

If you enjoy magic and Native American customs and lore, this is a story rich with those elements and redemption for an Indigo and Sapphire Child hoping to stop evil.

[Bookish Satty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side!

Firstly I would like to thank Joanne Brothwell, the author of stealing Breath, for this fantastic opportunity that she presented me with by allowing me to review her work.

This story is fast-paced and truly awesome. It’s engaging and interesting all because of its unique story-line and characters.

The main characters Sarah and Evan are great; these characters are well-written and fully flourished. Sarah is a normal teenager like the others but let me tell you she is not at all normal as she appears to be. She has special abilities that she is unaware of at first. Evan is the handsome and charming guy that any girl dreams of but the actual secret about who he is, what he is capable of doing and whether he is among the good guys or the bad ones will keep you tied down to the story and you’ll chomp on your nails before finding out the true mystery about him.

The skin-walkers wants to suck out Sarah’s soul, yeah you heard me right, that’s terrifying isn't it? This fact will haunt you readers too as the author succeeded in connecting the readers to her story so the dread and threats that Sarah experience will give you chills down your spine too.

This is a kind of story that will make you believe that the characters are for real and the dark scenes will haunt your dreams too.

The electric romance between Sarah and Evan will make you swoon and their pulsing chemistry will squeeze your heart with joy and excitement, alas! I just can hope and dream about being in Sarah’s place and to have a sizzling and romantic relation with Evan, never mind girls you all will want that but sadly Joanne chose Sarah for him!

I bet my pocket money that you’ll thoroughly enjoy this story and will connect yourself with either Sarah or Evan (based on your gender of course) and will experience all their emotional turmoil along with them.

So, ready for the ride? Then go and grab your copy so that you can experience this great fantasy story and the fabulous work of the author.

[Darkfallen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is m ore of a solid 3.5 stars. Goodreads really needs to give us the half star option. Lol

Sarah isn't just your normal girl. She manages her parents sports store and is about to go away to college, but that's all normal right? Well did I mention she also happens to be an empath? Yep that's right, Sarah can feel other peoples emotions around her which sometimes makes it difficult to act normal. Especially when every person she comes in contact with has their emotions slamming into her.

That is until she runs into Evan...and she feels nothing from him which leaves her intrigued by him. But it might not be a good thing that she can't feel Evan's emotions. In fact it might be the red flag that she should run away from him. Too bad she just can't seem to stay away from him.

I loved the Native American folklore that was woven throughout this story. The legends of the Skinwalkers and of the dark magic was hauntingly intriguing and I was sucked into right away. I also loved how Sarah and Evan meshed together as a couple but I would have loved to see a little more of their relationship in the story. The action in this book seemed to out weigh the love interest at times. Basically I just think the book needed to be a little longer to allow for more relationship building between the two. A few more dates to make it seem less rushed.

Still I think this book could be a easy 5 stars with just one little thing...some editing. I don't mean your typical editing re-writes. I'm talking more about catching the overuse of words throughout the novel. I kept getting caught up in the flow being off because the same word was used to many times in the same page. So nothing major, just a little fine tuning and polishing, and this book will be great.

Overall if you are into PNR and want to get a break from your typical supernatural element then I say this book it for you.

[Lizzy Lessard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview: I liked the storyline and lore behind the book, but I felt like things unfolded in ways too convenient to be believable. I liked the Skinwalkers but the whole Indigo Child was corny and too blatant. Why if it is so rare do so many people seem to know what it is? I think with a little more background information and a little less creepy Evan, than this story would have really shined.

Characters: So, Evan is creepy. Sarah is completely and over-the-top in love with him at the beginning of the novel, which I can overlook considering how in-tune she is with feelings. Over the course of the novel, they do have some up and downs which are entertaining. Evan becomes more and more creepy (although Sarah is oblivious to it) until the big reveal about him - and then it makes sense. I liked the narrative of Sarah. Since she's sensitive to feelings, every scary/paranormal scene she gets overloaded with feelings and descriptions. It makes her very easy to connect to. If you're a big fan of romances with your paranormal, then you'll probably enjoy these two. For me, I never connected with Evan and if I wished for anything from the sequel it would be that he isn't in it...I know, slim chance.

Plot: The pace of this novel is fast and action-pack. Even the "love" scene ended quickly, which is plenty fine with me, since I like the focus on the paranormal not the romance. The scary scenes are scaryish (good for YA standard at least). The paranormal scenes are filled with things that are paranormal. This part of the novel deserves full marks.

Ending: I'm not sure if I liked the ending or not. I think everything dealing with Evan I didn't like but everything else was pretty cool. I especially liked how not every character made it to the end of the book - but, of course, I won't tell you who!

(I received a copy of this book as part of the blog tour in exchange for my honest review.)