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Hundred Oaks #5
Breathe, Annie, Breathe
From the bestselling author of Catching Jordan comes a contemporary YA you won't forget.
The finish line is only the beginning.…
Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can't escape the guilt that if she hadn't broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.
But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she's at war with her body, her mind-and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms...and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.
The finish line is only the beginning.…
Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can't escape the guilt that if she hadn't broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.
But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she's at war with her body, her mind-and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms...and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 15, 2014
About the author
Miranda Kenneally
18 books4,191 followersGrowing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes, and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband.
Note: I don't answer direct messages, but do answer questions on Goodreads and Twitter. Please feel free to check in with me there!
Note: I don't answer direct messages, but do answer questions on Goodreads and Twitter. Please feel free to check in with me there!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,008 reviews
November 18, 2014
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of this series. With every new book I fall a little bit more in love with this town and its characters, which I thought was impossible by now. What I appreciate the most is how even though it's a series, each book is a stand-alone with new main characters who tell us their story, and if you have read the others, you get a kick out of the familiar faces that return for secondary roles. I love hearing what Jordan and the others are up to, and they're all so grown up now *sniff*.
In Breathe, Annie, Breathe, we meet a girl who's dealing with grief and self-blame after the death of her boyfriend. A boyfriend she knew she was eventually going to call her husband; a boy with whom she spent the last few years of her life, with whom she was making plans for the future. And suddenly, he was gone. As I've come to expect from Miranda, the character development is flawless, turning these people into more than just words on a page. She doesn't need to use emotional manipulation tactics, this is not some cheap emotional roller-coaster, the story is written with such authenticity that you come to focus on the hope, the light at the end of the tunnel, the fact that Annie is going to get through this. Her inner turmoil becomes your own, making you wholeheartedly invested in her story. In turn, you see how incredibly strong she is. You feel her determination, her need to finish this marathon because Kyle can't. It makes you root for her with your whole being. It's about much more than the empty hole that has settled in her heart. As such, and as usual, it remains a feel-good read despite the darkness surrounding it.
Another wonderful aspect of this series is its sports-oriented stories. The atmosphere and team dynamics they bring to the series are like no other. We've seen football, soft ball, soccer, and horse racing, and now we're onto running. Being a lazy bum, I had no idea what it took to train for a marathon, and man is it ever hard! It takes some serious self discipline and dedication. It's also not as solitary as I had thought; having a team to support and motivate you is a key part of making it to the finish line. The people Annie meets while running, along with her school friends, make for a colorful supporting cast. I loved how they all had individual story arcs that were like a natural part of this story. From romantic troubles to big life decisions to general quirkiness, the series simply would not be the same without its secondary roles - especially when some of them were main characters in prior books.
Another ongoing theme of this series is the romance, with each book being ultimately about a budding relationship, and finding love unexpectedly. This time our love interest is Jeremiah, an adrenaline junkie with an infinite amount of charm and an adorable personality (he's also Matt's younger brother from book 3). As usual, the connection between them is very real and very easily felt. You can all but touch the chemistry that's sizzling between the two. And although it's not an annoying hot-and-cold romance, they do have a few obstacles to work through. Annie's still not over her grief, for one, and she's deathly afraid of losing someone else - which is not a great combination with his daredevil ways. The genuine quality of the romance always gets me in this series. It's just so honest, so real.
So… yeah, Miranda has done it again, and I think she should continue to bring it until the end of times. I want to read these books until I'm old and toothless. And I think you should all join me! ;)
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
In Breathe, Annie, Breathe, we meet a girl who's dealing with grief and self-blame after the death of her boyfriend. A boyfriend she knew she was eventually going to call her husband; a boy with whom she spent the last few years of her life, with whom she was making plans for the future. And suddenly, he was gone. As I've come to expect from Miranda, the character development is flawless, turning these people into more than just words on a page. She doesn't need to use emotional manipulation tactics, this is not some cheap emotional roller-coaster, the story is written with such authenticity that you come to focus on the hope, the light at the end of the tunnel, the fact that Annie is going to get through this. Her inner turmoil becomes your own, making you wholeheartedly invested in her story. In turn, you see how incredibly strong she is. You feel her determination, her need to finish this marathon because Kyle can't. It makes you root for her with your whole being. It's about much more than the empty hole that has settled in her heart. As such, and as usual, it remains a feel-good read despite the darkness surrounding it.
Another wonderful aspect of this series is its sports-oriented stories. The atmosphere and team dynamics they bring to the series are like no other. We've seen football, soft ball, soccer, and horse racing, and now we're onto running. Being a lazy bum, I had no idea what it took to train for a marathon, and man is it ever hard! It takes some serious self discipline and dedication. It's also not as solitary as I had thought; having a team to support and motivate you is a key part of making it to the finish line. The people Annie meets while running, along with her school friends, make for a colorful supporting cast. I loved how they all had individual story arcs that were like a natural part of this story. From romantic troubles to big life decisions to general quirkiness, the series simply would not be the same without its secondary roles - especially when some of them were main characters in prior books.
Another ongoing theme of this series is the romance, with each book being ultimately about a budding relationship, and finding love unexpectedly. This time our love interest is Jeremiah, an adrenaline junkie with an infinite amount of charm and an adorable personality (he's also Matt's younger brother from book 3). As usual, the connection between them is very real and very easily felt. You can all but touch the chemistry that's sizzling between the two. And although it's not an annoying hot-and-cold romance, they do have a few obstacles to work through. Annie's still not over her grief, for one, and she's deathly afraid of losing someone else - which is not a great combination with his daredevil ways. The genuine quality of the romance always gets me in this series. It's just so honest, so real.
So… yeah, Miranda has done it again, and I think she should continue to bring it until the end of times. I want to read these books until I'm old and toothless. And I think you should all join me! ;)
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
January 10, 2014
OMG. The feels. THE FEELS.
July 9, 2014
It's 1:23 am right now and I just finished. That should say everything. I couldn't put it down.
July 15, 2015
This was SO GOOD. Wow, I really did miss reading the Hundred Oaks books. I love Annie and I love Jeremiah and I love all the supporting characters. But I didn't love the ending. I WANT MORE.
Ughhh. I'm feeling very sad and deprived right now.
And I'm still bitter about the cover and the title. I would like them a lot more if they matched the previous books' cover and title.
Ughhh. I'm feeling very sad and deprived right now.
And I'm still bitter about the cover and the title. I would like them a lot more if they matched the previous books' cover and title.
May 5, 2016
Such a sweet YA contemporary romance! And I loved Jeremiah ♡
July 7, 2016
Not sure how it happened that I, a self-professed mostly YA contemp reader, had never read a Miranda Kenneally book until this one. Believe me, I'd heard great things about Catching Jordan, Stealing Parker, Racing Savannah, and Things I Can't Forget, but somehow, I just never got around to reading one of her books.
I'm grateful that I was given the opportunity to be part of the Canadian blog tour for Breathe, Annie, Breathe, because it's fantastic. Annie is a seventeen-year old girl who is just graduating high school, and she's been through a lot in the past year. Her boyfriend Kyle died a year ago, and she's not over it. In order to honour his memory, though, she's running the Country Music Marathon in downtown Nashville - Kyle had always dreamed of finishing a marathon, so she's picking up his stead - but not without a lot of fear, dedication and guts.
Along the way, she ends up meeting Jeremiah Browne, who is her coach Matt's brother (Matt is the love interest from Things I Can't Forget). Their attraction to each other is undeniable, but Annie's not sure she's ready for anything new, nor does she know if she wants it given that she and Kyle were meant for one another.
Kenneally's approach to survivor's guilt, and moving on from death is what makes this book so special. Annie deals with a ton of stuff in BAB, from wistfulness at the end of high school, to the trepidation of starting university, but none resonated for me more than her perseverance and her attempt to move on.
Like in her runs, Annie deals with her grief step by step, breath by breath. She starts running to make herself exhausted so she doesn't have to think, but as she continues running, it's like every step falls into place and she's able to unravel her own feelings of guilt and remorse. It's a great parallel - the hardship of training for a marathon versus the hardship of dealing with death, and Kenneally makes the most of it without hitting you over the head with the subject.
Annie is a really complex, emotional character - she's a quiet soul, someone steadfast that you really feel like you can depend on, but someone who loves and feels things deeply. Oh yeah, and she's pretty sassy, too - I was really rooting for her throughout the book. When BAB begins, Annie is a bit of a loner because of how much she feels for Kyle, but as the book goes on, she really opens up and comes into her own. BAB really looks at Annie's relationships with her family and friendships, and how they've changed in the wake of her loss. It's fascinating and their interactions feel very real.
That opening up has a lot to do with Jeremiah, who is...really hot, and really into Annie. Their relationship is a bit "one step forwards, two steps backwards" but it works because of how cautious Annie feels like she needs to be. It's kind of a beautiful unfolding, because Jeremiah is dealing with his own issues that Annie opposes, and it's only through their love that they become more to each other and to the world.
It's hard for me to sum up how strong Breathe, Annie, Breathe is - it's one of those books where mood is everything, and where changes in character happen very subtly. It's a testament to Kenneally's writing that Annie and Jeremiah always stay true to who they are, but somehow, when I look back at the beginning of the book, they feel like totally different characters.
Bonuses:
Crossover Characters: Readers of other books in Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series will appreciate the glimpses at some of the past MCs - Matt and Kate, Jordan and Sam, and Savannah and Jack all make significant appearances. Even as someone who hasn't read the earlier books, I noticed their appearance, and it definitely made me want to pick up the other books.
Steamy Scenes: This is my first Kenneally book, so I didn't expect some of the romance to be as...steamy as it was. But it is. This is definitely mature YA or possibly light NA territory, and it's written well and will definitely make you fan yourself.
Running Tips: I like running a lot, but I've never run seriously before, so learning about all the different things you need as a runner (Vaseline for chafing!) was pretty cool - I also liked reading about the atmosphere of races and even about Annie's weak stomach - it just made the sport part of the book that much more visceral to me.
The Final Word:
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is one of those books that you want to keep reading and reading, not stopping for food or coffee. It's very compelling, and the characters are flawed and gorgeously wrought. I really enjoyed it, and I applaud Miranda Kenneally for writing such a meaningful and perceptive look into running and grief, and how those things change us and make us stronger.
Review originally posted at: http://mostlyyalit.blogspot.ca/2014/0...
I'm grateful that I was given the opportunity to be part of the Canadian blog tour for Breathe, Annie, Breathe, because it's fantastic. Annie is a seventeen-year old girl who is just graduating high school, and she's been through a lot in the past year. Her boyfriend Kyle died a year ago, and she's not over it. In order to honour his memory, though, she's running the Country Music Marathon in downtown Nashville - Kyle had always dreamed of finishing a marathon, so she's picking up his stead - but not without a lot of fear, dedication and guts.
Along the way, she ends up meeting Jeremiah Browne, who is her coach Matt's brother (Matt is the love interest from Things I Can't Forget). Their attraction to each other is undeniable, but Annie's not sure she's ready for anything new, nor does she know if she wants it given that she and Kyle were meant for one another.
Kenneally's approach to survivor's guilt, and moving on from death is what makes this book so special. Annie deals with a ton of stuff in BAB, from wistfulness at the end of high school, to the trepidation of starting university, but none resonated for me more than her perseverance and her attempt to move on.
Like in her runs, Annie deals with her grief step by step, breath by breath. She starts running to make herself exhausted so she doesn't have to think, but as she continues running, it's like every step falls into place and she's able to unravel her own feelings of guilt and remorse. It's a great parallel - the hardship of training for a marathon versus the hardship of dealing with death, and Kenneally makes the most of it without hitting you over the head with the subject.
Annie is a really complex, emotional character - she's a quiet soul, someone steadfast that you really feel like you can depend on, but someone who loves and feels things deeply. Oh yeah, and she's pretty sassy, too - I was really rooting for her throughout the book. When BAB begins, Annie is a bit of a loner because of how much she feels for Kyle, but as the book goes on, she really opens up and comes into her own. BAB really looks at Annie's relationships with her family and friendships, and how they've changed in the wake of her loss. It's fascinating and their interactions feel very real.
That opening up has a lot to do with Jeremiah, who is...really hot, and really into Annie. Their relationship is a bit "one step forwards, two steps backwards" but it works because of how cautious Annie feels like she needs to be. It's kind of a beautiful unfolding, because Jeremiah is dealing with his own issues that Annie opposes, and it's only through their love that they become more to each other and to the world.
It's hard for me to sum up how strong Breathe, Annie, Breathe is - it's one of those books where mood is everything, and where changes in character happen very subtly. It's a testament to Kenneally's writing that Annie and Jeremiah always stay true to who they are, but somehow, when I look back at the beginning of the book, they feel like totally different characters.
Bonuses:
Crossover Characters: Readers of other books in Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series will appreciate the glimpses at some of the past MCs - Matt and Kate, Jordan and Sam, and Savannah and Jack all make significant appearances. Even as someone who hasn't read the earlier books, I noticed their appearance, and it definitely made me want to pick up the other books.
Steamy Scenes: This is my first Kenneally book, so I didn't expect some of the romance to be as...steamy as it was. But it is. This is definitely mature YA or possibly light NA territory, and it's written well and will definitely make you fan yourself.
Running Tips: I like running a lot, but I've never run seriously before, so learning about all the different things you need as a runner (Vaseline for chafing!) was pretty cool - I also liked reading about the atmosphere of races and even about Annie's weak stomach - it just made the sport part of the book that much more visceral to me.
The Final Word:
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is one of those books that you want to keep reading and reading, not stopping for food or coffee. It's very compelling, and the characters are flawed and gorgeously wrought. I really enjoyed it, and I applaud Miranda Kenneally for writing such a meaningful and perceptive look into running and grief, and how those things change us and make us stronger.
Review originally posted at: http://mostlyyalit.blogspot.ca/2014/0...
April 27, 2015
That cover :( Double yuck! The previous books in this series have just gorgeous covers. Sadly not this one. I hope it is not official yet :)
Let's play spot the odd one out:
March 20, 2014
Just realized that the cover has been removed :)
April 19, 2014
New cover is a lot prettier than the last 2 attempts. It still doesn't match the other covers in this series, but it's acceptable.
Let's play spot the odd one out:
March 20, 2014
Just realized that the cover has been removed :)
April 19, 2014
New cover is a lot prettier than the last 2 attempts. It still doesn't match the other covers in this series, but it's acceptable.
June 24, 2015
This book was everything. Everything and more.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is a beautiful story about loss, healing and new beginnings. About taking some risks in life, about never losing the ability to enjoy the here and now. The story made me laugh and cry, it made me smile like a goofball and it made me clutch my kindle to my heart because it was just so cute and heartbreaking and wonderful. Basically, it gave me all the emotions and really, those are always the best kind of books.
We stick together, and it makes me feel a little better knowing that, even at thirty-two, Liza hasn't figured her life out yet. Maybe you don't have to figure life out at all. Maybe it just is.
I've been running on and off since I was in 8th or 9th grade and I've always found that it was one of the best ways to de-stress, to think things over, to get away from everything for awhile, to just breathe. Afterwards everything seems clearer and not so overwhelming anymore.
So with that in mind, I loved reading about someone who was new to the whole running experience, about someone, who always hated it, getting to know the beauty and power of it.
See, Annie Winters, the heroine of this story, has never been into sports, but when Kyle, her boyfriend of three years, dies tragically, she starts training for a marathon, the marathon Kyle always wanted to run. It was his dream, a goal he had since he was a kid, so Annie decides to finish what he started in his honor.
But how do you even attempt to train for a marathon, to run 26 miles if you have no experience whatsoever? Exactly, you get help. Annie joins a training program where she gets an entire meal and training plan that's going to prepare her for the big thing, the marathon.
And that's how she meets Jeremiah Brown. Jere is the younger brother of Matt, the guy who owns the program and trains Annie and the others. He's a runner himself and often helps Matt with the training. Jere and Annie have probably one of the cutest girl meets boy scene out there. It was so funny and I liked them both immediately, a fact that never changed over the course of the book.
A boy streaks by me, running backwards. He settles directly in front of me and goes even faster.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" I gasp.
He grins and slows to a jog. "What?"
"You're running faster than me and I'm going forward!"
"So speed up then!"
What an ass.
Annie is quite possibly one of my favorite YA contemporary heroines. She works hard, she knows what she wants and as Jeremiah pointed out, she's tough as nails. I found her so relatable and never got tired of reading from her POV! That we went through completely different things didn't matter at all; she was so well written and realistic that I could totally imagine meeting and befriending her in real life. Annie is very mature for her age which I appreciated a lot and she's just so much fun, in spite of the fact that she went through so much already.
When I try to protest, he says, "My parents always say that if a guy invites a girl someplace, he pays for it. It doesn't matter if we're dating or not."
Meet Jeremiah alias Jere alias Running Backwards Boy, the guy who stormed to the top of my favorite-YA-contemporary-heroes list and stole my heart.
Jeremiah is so many things. A runner. An adrenaline junkie. A gentleman. A former sort-of player. A patient friend. A total sweetheart who opens the door for Annie, absolutely adores his little sisters, who can run a marathon any day of the week and make any girl fall in love with him. Oh, and he has a southern accent, blue eyes, a tattoo of a comic superhero and a weakness for a certain blond 'tough as nails' girl. I completely fell in love with this guy.
"Yeah, that's the scariest threat ever. You'd be sending me to a bathing suit party."
"I know you'd rather stay here with me." Crap. Where did that come from?
"Fine," he says with a smirk. "We'll watch Mean Girls, whatever that is."
It's not a common occurrence for me to cry during the first 20% of a book, but that's exactly what happened while reading this story. It was supposed to be my light read actually - don't ask me where I got that idea - but before I knew it, I was BAWLING. I had to stop at 23% because I was so upset, I was crying my eyes out. It took me forever to calm down because I kept thinking of this story which started another cry-fest. It was ugly.
This story has so much pain in it, especially in the beginning, that I almost couldn't take it. Annie's feelings, her heartbreak and loneliness, it was everywhere, all over the pages. It made me think that maybe you can die from a broken heart after all.
I buy some popcorn from the concession stand, then sit on the hood of my car and laugh at all the funny parts, wishing he was laughing along with me.
But then, at some point, the healing progress sets in and suddenly the story becomes this beautiful, hopeful thing and the dark clouds retreat into the background for the time being, never completely gone, but nowhere as all-consuming anymore.
"Aren't you gonna run up front and try to win?"
"I'd rather run with you."
"You want to come in 5,094th place?"
His mouth quirks into a smile. "I don't care."
"Jeremiah? You make me happy."
"You make me happy too," he says quietly.
I loved reading about every character in this book. Of course, Jere and Annie scenes were my absolute favorites. The banter was sweet and funny, the relationship realistic and their friendship absolutely beautiful. Watching those two support each other and help the other become a better version of themselves was magical. I couldn't get enough of it.
"I've never wanted a relationship with a girl before you. My life moved too fast to slow down for anybody. But this entire summer I've been going slow. I've been waiting for you. And I can wait as long as you need. I can't say I know how you feel or tell you how to feel better, but I can wait. I'll be your friend."
The other characters all brought some balance to the story. From Iggy, the self-proclaimed hipster who gave me some serious laugh out loud moments, over Liza's wisdom and Jeremiah's adorable sisters and Annie's caring brother, to Kelsey, Vanessa and all the others who helped bringing Annie back to life and gave the story some more liveliness as well. I can't describe how much they've all come to mean to me.
"Right now is Liza time. I'm running this marathon because I want to get in shape and do something I've always wanted to do. It's not a reason to meet guys. Taking time for yourself is always okay."
This book is full of hope, full of inspiring quotes, full of hope and heartbreak, beauty and pain. I beg you to just go ahead and read it.
If you don't put yourself out there, if you don't take risks, you can't truly feel. And I'm ready to feel again.
Find me on the blog:
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is a beautiful story about loss, healing and new beginnings. About taking some risks in life, about never losing the ability to enjoy the here and now. The story made me laugh and cry, it made me smile like a goofball and it made me clutch my kindle to my heart because it was just so cute and heartbreaking and wonderful. Basically, it gave me all the emotions and really, those are always the best kind of books.
We stick together, and it makes me feel a little better knowing that, even at thirty-two, Liza hasn't figured her life out yet. Maybe you don't have to figure life out at all. Maybe it just is.
I've been running on and off since I was in 8th or 9th grade and I've always found that it was one of the best ways to de-stress, to think things over, to get away from everything for awhile, to just breathe. Afterwards everything seems clearer and not so overwhelming anymore.
So with that in mind, I loved reading about someone who was new to the whole running experience, about someone, who always hated it, getting to know the beauty and power of it.
See, Annie Winters, the heroine of this story, has never been into sports, but when Kyle, her boyfriend of three years, dies tragically, she starts training for a marathon, the marathon Kyle always wanted to run. It was his dream, a goal he had since he was a kid, so Annie decides to finish what he started in his honor.
But how do you even attempt to train for a marathon, to run 26 miles if you have no experience whatsoever? Exactly, you get help. Annie joins a training program where she gets an entire meal and training plan that's going to prepare her for the big thing, the marathon.
And that's how she meets Jeremiah Brown. Jere is the younger brother of Matt, the guy who owns the program and trains Annie and the others. He's a runner himself and often helps Matt with the training. Jere and Annie have probably one of the cutest girl meets boy scene out there. It was so funny and I liked them both immediately, a fact that never changed over the course of the book.
A boy streaks by me, running backwards. He settles directly in front of me and goes even faster.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" I gasp.
He grins and slows to a jog. "What?"
"You're running faster than me and I'm going forward!"
"So speed up then!"
What an ass.
Annie is quite possibly one of my favorite YA contemporary heroines. She works hard, she knows what she wants and as Jeremiah pointed out, she's tough as nails. I found her so relatable and never got tired of reading from her POV! That we went through completely different things didn't matter at all; she was so well written and realistic that I could totally imagine meeting and befriending her in real life. Annie is very mature for her age which I appreciated a lot and she's just so much fun, in spite of the fact that she went through so much already.
When I try to protest, he says, "My parents always say that if a guy invites a girl someplace, he pays for it. It doesn't matter if we're dating or not."
Meet Jeremiah alias Jere alias Running Backwards Boy, the guy who stormed to the top of my favorite-YA-contemporary-heroes list and stole my heart.
Jeremiah is so many things. A runner. An adrenaline junkie. A gentleman. A former sort-of player. A patient friend. A total sweetheart who opens the door for Annie, absolutely adores his little sisters, who can run a marathon any day of the week and make any girl fall in love with him. Oh, and he has a southern accent, blue eyes, a tattoo of a comic superhero and a weakness for a certain blond 'tough as nails' girl. I completely fell in love with this guy.
"Yeah, that's the scariest threat ever. You'd be sending me to a bathing suit party."
"I know you'd rather stay here with me." Crap. Where did that come from?
"Fine," he says with a smirk. "We'll watch Mean Girls, whatever that is."
It's not a common occurrence for me to cry during the first 20% of a book, but that's exactly what happened while reading this story. It was supposed to be my light read actually - don't ask me where I got that idea - but before I knew it, I was BAWLING. I had to stop at 23% because I was so upset, I was crying my eyes out. It took me forever to calm down because I kept thinking of this story which started another cry-fest. It was ugly.
This story has so much pain in it, especially in the beginning, that I almost couldn't take it. Annie's feelings, her heartbreak and loneliness, it was everywhere, all over the pages. It made me think that maybe you can die from a broken heart after all.
I buy some popcorn from the concession stand, then sit on the hood of my car and laugh at all the funny parts, wishing he was laughing along with me.
But then, at some point, the healing progress sets in and suddenly the story becomes this beautiful, hopeful thing and the dark clouds retreat into the background for the time being, never completely gone, but nowhere as all-consuming anymore.
"Aren't you gonna run up front and try to win?"
"I'd rather run with you."
"You want to come in 5,094th place?"
His mouth quirks into a smile. "I don't care."
"Jeremiah? You make me happy."
"You make me happy too," he says quietly.
I loved reading about every character in this book. Of course, Jere and Annie scenes were my absolute favorites. The banter was sweet and funny, the relationship realistic and their friendship absolutely beautiful. Watching those two support each other and help the other become a better version of themselves was magical. I couldn't get enough of it.
"I've never wanted a relationship with a girl before you. My life moved too fast to slow down for anybody. But this entire summer I've been going slow. I've been waiting for you. And I can wait as long as you need. I can't say I know how you feel or tell you how to feel better, but I can wait. I'll be your friend."
The other characters all brought some balance to the story. From Iggy, the self-proclaimed hipster who gave me some serious laugh out loud moments, over Liza's wisdom and Jeremiah's adorable sisters and Annie's caring brother, to Kelsey, Vanessa and all the others who helped bringing Annie back to life and gave the story some more liveliness as well. I can't describe how much they've all come to mean to me.
"Right now is Liza time. I'm running this marathon because I want to get in shape and do something I've always wanted to do. It's not a reason to meet guys. Taking time for yourself is always okay."
This book is full of hope, full of inspiring quotes, full of hope and heartbreak, beauty and pain. I beg you to just go ahead and read it.
If you don't put yourself out there, if you don't take risks, you can't truly feel. And I'm ready to feel again.
Find me on the blog:
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 25, 2017dnf at 30%-ish
Maybe I'll rant later ... or maybe I wont waste my time anymore.
It's not the worst thing ever. Its really not even bad. But it is also not good. I really thought this was going to go a lot differently and I despise wasted potential.
Maybe I'll rant later ... or maybe I wont waste my time anymore.
It's not the worst thing ever. Its really not even bad. But it is also not good. I really thought this was going to go a lot differently and I despise wasted potential.
December 31, 2015
Breathe, Annie, Breathe tells the story of Annie, a 17 year old who is training to run the Country Music Marathon to honour her late boyfriend's memory. Whilst training, Annie falls for her trainer's brother, Jeremiah, and feels guilty.
This story may quite easily be my favourite instalment in the Hundred Oaks series, but I'm definitely due a re-read of them all I think, perhaps once Jesse's Girl is released.
The guilt that Annie feels for moving on, and for still being alive, is so real, and fresh, that I felt like I was somewhat living her life. I could understand the guilt, especially when her feelings for Jeremiah blossomed into something more, and I felt that Annie dealt with this problem perfectly.
Re-seeing past Hundred Oak characters, like Jordan (from Catching Jordan), Matt (from Things I Can't Forget) and Savannah (from Racing Savannah), was wonderful. This is one of the things I love most about YA Contemporary series, whilst the books are companions, you still get some insight into past characters without it seeming boring and the plot overstretched.
I really enjoyed Annie's interactions with older characters in her running group, as I believed the variety of friends she made helped her to come out of her shell, and deal with her guilt, Annie really blossomed as a character throughout the course of this book, and seeing her develop into a well rounded adult (starting university, completing her goal, falling in love again) made the story into a five star read.
I could never recommend this series enough; it is perfect YA Contemporary Fiction, and I'm so happy there is at least three more instalments.
This story may quite easily be my favourite instalment in the Hundred Oaks series, but I'm definitely due a re-read of them all I think, perhaps once Jesse's Girl is released.
The guilt that Annie feels for moving on, and for still being alive, is so real, and fresh, that I felt like I was somewhat living her life. I could understand the guilt, especially when her feelings for Jeremiah blossomed into something more, and I felt that Annie dealt with this problem perfectly.
Re-seeing past Hundred Oak characters, like Jordan (from Catching Jordan), Matt (from Things I Can't Forget) and Savannah (from Racing Savannah), was wonderful. This is one of the things I love most about YA Contemporary series, whilst the books are companions, you still get some insight into past characters without it seeming boring and the plot overstretched.
I really enjoyed Annie's interactions with older characters in her running group, as I believed the variety of friends she made helped her to come out of her shell, and deal with her guilt, Annie really blossomed as a character throughout the course of this book, and seeing her develop into a well rounded adult (starting university, completing her goal, falling in love again) made the story into a five star read.
I could never recommend this series enough; it is perfect YA Contemporary Fiction, and I'm so happy there is at least three more instalments.
December 10, 2016
After so much time, reading a Miranda Kenneally book feels like coming back home.
“Breathe, Annie, Breathe” is a wonderful book…
I loved the overall story, the characters, the ending – which for me didn’t read like a cliffhanger at all (like so many people kept saying)… It just felt like a beautiful, open ending, full of hope.
Annie is extremely easy to relate with…
She is so transparent, her emotions so open. I can’t say that I cared much for her past relationship – you know, with it being ‘past’ I felt quite a bit detached, but I understood her pain, her commitment.
Her heart is filled with grief (as she’s lost an entire future with the boy she loved) and she is struggling to heal, but there is so much more to this character and I loved to see her evolve through the story.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not only a book about getting over a lost love, “Breathe, Annie, Breathe” is also about friendship, about working hard for the things you want so badly, and about getting there through all the pain that comes with the hard work. It is a book about devotion, about exceeding your limits, about pushing yourself over the edge when you feel like you can make it.
And it is also a love story…
The romance is sweet. It doesn’t have the usual pacing at all, it feels more like a summer storm – unpredictable, unstable, still refreshing and most needed.
Friendship is another aspect that I loved… And if you’ve read the other books in the series, you will be pleased to see some of the main characters from back then.
I could say more about this book, but I won’t. I will leave you discover it page by page and I hope that you will enjoy it just as much as I did. Just keep in mind that this is a wonderful contemporary story that has the power to steal your heart.
Happy midnight reading!
Find the full review and more at ReadingAfterMidnight.
“Breathe, Annie, Breathe” is a wonderful book…
I loved the overall story, the characters, the ending – which for me didn’t read like a cliffhanger at all (like so many people kept saying)… It just felt like a beautiful, open ending, full of hope.
Annie is extremely easy to relate with…
She is so transparent, her emotions so open. I can’t say that I cared much for her past relationship – you know, with it being ‘past’ I felt quite a bit detached, but I understood her pain, her commitment.
Her heart is filled with grief (as she’s lost an entire future with the boy she loved) and she is struggling to heal, but there is so much more to this character and I loved to see her evolve through the story.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not only a book about getting over a lost love, “Breathe, Annie, Breathe” is also about friendship, about working hard for the things you want so badly, and about getting there through all the pain that comes with the hard work. It is a book about devotion, about exceeding your limits, about pushing yourself over the edge when you feel like you can make it.
And it is also a love story…
The romance is sweet. It doesn’t have the usual pacing at all, it feels more like a summer storm – unpredictable, unstable, still refreshing and most needed.
Friendship is another aspect that I loved… And if you’ve read the other books in the series, you will be pleased to see some of the main characters from back then.
I could say more about this book, but I won’t. I will leave you discover it page by page and I hope that you will enjoy it just as much as I did. Just keep in mind that this is a wonderful contemporary story that has the power to steal your heart.
Happy midnight reading!
Find the full review and more at ReadingAfterMidnight.
July 3, 2015
"If you don't put yourself out there, if you don't take risks, you can't truly feel"
Miranda Kenneally is an author whose books I know I can rely upon time and time again. This last month has been my worst reading month ever, I think I’ve only been able to finish one book and books which have been highly recommended to me too have been falling flat for me too. So with the release of Jesse’s Girl just around the corner, I was itching to get back to Kenneally’s Hundred Oaks series, I have enjoyed every single one of these books so far and really just wanted to read a book that I was in the mood for. And honestly I couldn’t have picked a better book.
Annie had decided to take upon the marathon for her boyfriend Kyle, Annie’s never been a runner, so to accomplish this in such a short amount of time would be amazing. Annie had experienced a lot of heartache the last few months, so I was completely rooting for Annie to be able to complete the marathon not only for Kyle but for herself too. I liked how Kenneally didn’t give us the whole back story to Kyle and Annie’s relationship, but bits of it over the course of the story. I was super curious to find out what actually happened and what made Annie want to do this in the first place. It was a real struggle at times reading about Annie and Kyle’s time together, because it was such a beautiful relationship, but Kenneally eased us into their story perfectly. I also appreciated the way Kenneally showed Annie’s growth over the course of the book, yes there was potentially a great relationship that Annie could have with Jeremiah, but I liked how Annie decided to take her time until she was ready for it, also that Jeremiah was willing to give Annie all the time she needed. I always love this quality in a guy.
Jeremiah was also another fantastic guy that Kenneally has introduced us to (I hope you keep them coming!) yes he would go out there to get his adrenaline rush, but deep down he was such a sweet guy. The last couple of months for Annie had been really tough, she didn’t really have anyone or anything she could turn to, so Jeremiah coming along was the ray of sunshine that she needed all along. He could be such a goof at times and make me laugh out loud and then he could bust out with the most romantic line ever that would have you forever swooning. I always thought I knew who my favourite crush would be from the Hundred Oaks series, but now with the introduction of Jeremiah I’m not so sure.
Once again I loved how Kenneally infused a sports themed storyline into this book, If you didn’t know already I’m the biggest ever sports geek. But also this book couldn’t have come at a better time for me, as I’d recently taken up running up in my spare time, so I could completely get into the running story line in this book. Also I do love it when authors keep you in the loop about how other favourite characters of yours from the series are getting on. I appreciate it more when it’s not just subtle mentions, but are around for most of the book too, so thanks once again Miranda for being the master at weaving previous characters into your work!
The Hundred Oaks series for me is one of the best series I have read in a long time, I’ve realised that each story I’ve become to love more and each character I end up falling for even more. I highly recommend everyone reading this series as it is one that no one should be missing out on!
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
Miranda Kenneally is an author whose books I know I can rely upon time and time again. This last month has been my worst reading month ever, I think I’ve only been able to finish one book and books which have been highly recommended to me too have been falling flat for me too. So with the release of Jesse’s Girl just around the corner, I was itching to get back to Kenneally’s Hundred Oaks series, I have enjoyed every single one of these books so far and really just wanted to read a book that I was in the mood for. And honestly I couldn’t have picked a better book.
Annie had decided to take upon the marathon for her boyfriend Kyle, Annie’s never been a runner, so to accomplish this in such a short amount of time would be amazing. Annie had experienced a lot of heartache the last few months, so I was completely rooting for Annie to be able to complete the marathon not only for Kyle but for herself too. I liked how Kenneally didn’t give us the whole back story to Kyle and Annie’s relationship, but bits of it over the course of the story. I was super curious to find out what actually happened and what made Annie want to do this in the first place. It was a real struggle at times reading about Annie and Kyle’s time together, because it was such a beautiful relationship, but Kenneally eased us into their story perfectly. I also appreciated the way Kenneally showed Annie’s growth over the course of the book, yes there was potentially a great relationship that Annie could have with Jeremiah, but I liked how Annie decided to take her time until she was ready for it, also that Jeremiah was willing to give Annie all the time she needed. I always love this quality in a guy.
Jeremiah was also another fantastic guy that Kenneally has introduced us to (I hope you keep them coming!) yes he would go out there to get his adrenaline rush, but deep down he was such a sweet guy. The last couple of months for Annie had been really tough, she didn’t really have anyone or anything she could turn to, so Jeremiah coming along was the ray of sunshine that she needed all along. He could be such a goof at times and make me laugh out loud and then he could bust out with the most romantic line ever that would have you forever swooning. I always thought I knew who my favourite crush would be from the Hundred Oaks series, but now with the introduction of Jeremiah I’m not so sure.
Once again I loved how Kenneally infused a sports themed storyline into this book, If you didn’t know already I’m the biggest ever sports geek. But also this book couldn’t have come at a better time for me, as I’d recently taken up running up in my spare time, so I could completely get into the running story line in this book. Also I do love it when authors keep you in the loop about how other favourite characters of yours from the series are getting on. I appreciate it more when it’s not just subtle mentions, but are around for most of the book too, so thanks once again Miranda for being the master at weaving previous characters into your work!
The Hundred Oaks series for me is one of the best series I have read in a long time, I’ve realised that each story I’ve become to love more and each character I end up falling for even more. I highly recommend everyone reading this series as it is one that no one should be missing out on!
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
November 23, 2018
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is a great YA tale with a sporty focus.
I'm totally impressed that I finally found a book that centers around sports! It is quite a rare find for me, so I'm ridiculously pleased! As a former athlete, I absolutely love being able to locate a book that reflects my life. It's always nice to know that there's more books out there for us athletes. Throw in the fact that it's also a YA novel and you've got me really interested! The YA crowd, specifically, needs some books that reflect their lives that they can sink their teeth into.
That being said, this book was not for me. I normally love a good YA but this one left me rather bored. It's still a fabulous book and it's fabulously written (so don't get me wrong, I'm really impressed) but I was left rather bored. I may be moving away from the YA genre in general, or maybe this wasn't the book I needed right now. Either way, my review reflects my opinion but believe me - this book is good even though I didn't enjoy it.
This story follows Annie training for a marathon, and we find out about her complicated relationship history along the way. She works incredibly hard to make it towards her marathon, which is probably my favourite part of this book. Annie doesn't give up easily and perseveres throughout the novel.
Additionally, this book carries a lot of emotion. There are some scenes that make you really feel for Annie and her situation. I liked how Miranda wrote those scenes and I applaud her for them.
My negatives for this book focus on Annie as a character. Like most YA novels, she seems to have most of life going for her. Yes, she does have some tragic parts of her life but she also gets things her way in the end. It's a hard mix of struggle and perseverance that I felt just wasn't met in this story. It just didn't feel real or right for me.
Overall, I did enjoy the book but it wasn't my favourite of the year. I think it's a great addition to a teenager or young adult lovers bookshelf. If you're looking for a book about sports and running with a good mix of YA drama, pick up this book!
Two out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I'm totally impressed that I finally found a book that centers around sports! It is quite a rare find for me, so I'm ridiculously pleased! As a former athlete, I absolutely love being able to locate a book that reflects my life. It's always nice to know that there's more books out there for us athletes. Throw in the fact that it's also a YA novel and you've got me really interested! The YA crowd, specifically, needs some books that reflect their lives that they can sink their teeth into.
That being said, this book was not for me. I normally love a good YA but this one left me rather bored. It's still a fabulous book and it's fabulously written (so don't get me wrong, I'm really impressed) but I was left rather bored. I may be moving away from the YA genre in general, or maybe this wasn't the book I needed right now. Either way, my review reflects my opinion but believe me - this book is good even though I didn't enjoy it.
This story follows Annie training for a marathon, and we find out about her complicated relationship history along the way. She works incredibly hard to make it towards her marathon, which is probably my favourite part of this book. Annie doesn't give up easily and perseveres throughout the novel.
Additionally, this book carries a lot of emotion. There are some scenes that make you really feel for Annie and her situation. I liked how Miranda wrote those scenes and I applaud her for them.
My negatives for this book focus on Annie as a character. Like most YA novels, she seems to have most of life going for her. Yes, she does have some tragic parts of her life but she also gets things her way in the end. It's a hard mix of struggle and perseverance that I felt just wasn't met in this story. It just didn't feel real or right for me.
Overall, I did enjoy the book but it wasn't my favourite of the year. I think it's a great addition to a teenager or young adult lovers bookshelf. If you're looking for a book about sports and running with a good mix of YA drama, pick up this book!
Two out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
October 2, 2014
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Currently, I have only read two of the Hundred Oak series and it definitely seems that I should remedy that because this series is so much fun. While a have a few of my criticisms, whether you are a sports junkie or not–this is worth checking out.
Annie was a very easy character to click with for me. I used to run long distance a lot two years back (now not so much because of school and homework and new interests, though I still enjoy running occasionally) so before even picking this one up, I had a feeling I would adore it. And I was right! Ever since her boyfriend passed away, Annie has been determined to finish what he started: a marathon. So Annie, despite hating running herself, begins training with Matt and week by week she trains hard, increasing her stamina so she can finish the marathon that is 6 months away. Annie’s unrelentless determination to finish what her boyfriend started was touching, and while she did have her ups and downs, you can tell how strong and real Annie’s relationship was. Annie’s regret and guilt about her boyfriend’s passing being mainly because of her rejection to a marriage proposal was also well addressed.
While I loved Annie, less ideal was the love interest, Jeremiah. WAIT! Don’t start running towards me with pitchforks and knives, YET. I have reasons. Personally, I felt like Jeremiah was a little too typical; perhaps I’m being over-crtical however I struggled to warm up to him throughout the entire novel. He’s a bit of a cocky person–adrenaline junkie (goes high on adrenaline) and has scars all over his body. I am absolutely sure that a lot of readers will love him but I have seen this character trope more than the fingers on my hand and if you get me, it becomes boring and unoriginal. I also think I failed to image Jeremiah as a real person, he didn’t feel as well and thoroughly constructed like Annie and several other characters in this series. Aside from that, I thought the romance was pretty cute, and I preferred it so much better than Racing Savannah. Their relationship is best described as realistically developed, though I wasn’t a huge fan about their first kiss–which is a shame because it would have been a-freaking-dorable if they did not go as out of hand as they did.
I loved the sports side to this novel. While I don’t really talk about it much online, I do love some sports, and running is definitely one of my top ones. I have become a total pig over the last two years *big proud smiles*, but before that, sports I loved and did as frequently as reading. I could totally understand Annie’s stress about her running and I think the way Kenneally developed it was fantastically drawn out. It’s not everyday you get fun contemporary romances with a huge dose of sports, and this series does great justice of it.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe was a highly entertaining contemporary romance that had an excellent and strong sport component. It’s my favourite Hundred Oaks novel so far and I will definitely be checking books 1, 2 and 3 now.
~Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for supplying the review copy!~
3.5 stars
Currently, I have only read two of the Hundred Oak series and it definitely seems that I should remedy that because this series is so much fun. While a have a few of my criticisms, whether you are a sports junkie or not–this is worth checking out.
Annie was a very easy character to click with for me. I used to run long distance a lot two years back (now not so much because of school and homework and new interests, though I still enjoy running occasionally) so before even picking this one up, I had a feeling I would adore it. And I was right! Ever since her boyfriend passed away, Annie has been determined to finish what he started: a marathon. So Annie, despite hating running herself, begins training with Matt and week by week she trains hard, increasing her stamina so she can finish the marathon that is 6 months away. Annie’s unrelentless determination to finish what her boyfriend started was touching, and while she did have her ups and downs, you can tell how strong and real Annie’s relationship was. Annie’s regret and guilt about her boyfriend’s passing being mainly because of her rejection to a marriage proposal was also well addressed.
While I loved Annie, less ideal was the love interest, Jeremiah. WAIT! Don’t start running towards me with pitchforks and knives, YET. I have reasons. Personally, I felt like Jeremiah was a little too typical; perhaps I’m being over-crtical however I struggled to warm up to him throughout the entire novel. He’s a bit of a cocky person–adrenaline junkie (goes high on adrenaline) and has scars all over his body. I am absolutely sure that a lot of readers will love him but I have seen this character trope more than the fingers on my hand and if you get me, it becomes boring and unoriginal. I also think I failed to image Jeremiah as a real person, he didn’t feel as well and thoroughly constructed like Annie and several other characters in this series. Aside from that, I thought the romance was pretty cute, and I preferred it so much better than Racing Savannah. Their relationship is best described as realistically developed, though I wasn’t a huge fan about their first kiss–which is a shame because it would have been a-freaking-dorable if they did not go as out of hand as they did.
I loved the sports side to this novel. While I don’t really talk about it much online, I do love some sports, and running is definitely one of my top ones. I have become a total pig over the last two years *big proud smiles*, but before that, sports I loved and did as frequently as reading. I could totally understand Annie’s stress about her running and I think the way Kenneally developed it was fantastically drawn out. It’s not everyday you get fun contemporary romances with a huge dose of sports, and this series does great justice of it.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe was a highly entertaining contemporary romance that had an excellent and strong sport component. It’s my favourite Hundred Oaks novel so far and I will definitely be checking books 1, 2 and 3 now.
~Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for supplying the review copy!~
June 5, 2015
This is a touching, emotional ride that you go on following Annie. Its like you are right beside her at times urging her on, then feeling like she should take a breather, slow down and stay calm.
When her boyfriend Kyle dies whilst in training for running the up and coming Marathon, Annie decides she would run it on his behalf. Annie hates running, but to do this for Kyle, HE wanted to partake, so why not do it for HIM.
I feel it was a way for Annie to take on and manage her grief, doing this. For him.
When Annie was training, BREATHE ANNIE, BREATHE, I found myself breathing for her, I sweated for her and I gasped for her.
I couldn't help thinking about my daughter whose boyfriend died suddenly and how she reacted. How she bought red rose shrubs to plant in our garden because HE loved them. And her wanting to go to the USA because HE wanted to go.
This book is very real, very true to emotions. For anyone whose lost someone, we all go through this stage.
But can Annie love again? Can anyone break through and melt Annie's heart again.
We always say "No there was only just ONE person for me"
I thought that although this was aimed as a YA book and I am [cough cough] in the mature age bracket, its a book that everyone can read.
I would like to thank Sourcebooks Fire via Net Galley for my copy
July 17, 2014
I know this book is 'technically' part of a series but I haven't read the entire series. I believe I've only read books 2 &3 in the series. That being said, this book is my favorite in the series so far.
I love the premise behind the book. How Annie is training to run a marathon for her deceased ex boyfriend. I loved reading about her training sessions and it really got me in the mood to run, even though I don't. I'm probably the worst runner there is but this book made me want to just go on a jog.
Annie was a very likable character. Sure she had times where she blew up but what teenager doesn't? I also loved Jeremiah in this book too. I've never read a book about an adrenaline junkie before but it was interesting.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was a fast and sweet read. It makes you think about love and living in the now and committing to something.
And it makes you want to run...even if your horrible at it.
I love the premise behind the book. How Annie is training to run a marathon for her deceased ex boyfriend. I loved reading about her training sessions and it really got me in the mood to run, even though I don't. I'm probably the worst runner there is but this book made me want to just go on a jog.
Annie was a very likable character. Sure she had times where she blew up but what teenager doesn't? I also loved Jeremiah in this book too. I've never read a book about an adrenaline junkie before but it was interesting.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was a fast and sweet read. It makes you think about love and living in the now and committing to something.
And it makes you want to run...even if your horrible at it.
January 7, 2020
I loved Annie. She was tough and vulnerable, and determined. Her dedication to the marathon training was really admirable. Also, JEREMIAH BROWN.
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Read my full review, originally posted on Gone with the Words
—
Read my full review, originally posted on Gone with the Words
February 5, 2015
I remember reading the synopsis of Breathe, Annie, Breathe when it was released last year and thinking... meh, not for me. First, it's about running (yawn) and secondly, it looks too sweet/"clean teen" for my taste. But a couple weeks ago my GoodReads friend Laura gave it a glowing review and it was enough to sway me. And I'm so glad it did.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe was *so* much more than I was expecting. One of those books that takes you by surprise - in the very best way. The cover is deceiving. It's so nondescript and doesn't begin to reflect the depth of the story inside. A story about love and loss, grief and guilt, friends and family, forgiveness and new beginnings.
We know from the beginning that Annie is mourning the loss of her boyfriend, Kyle, and that she is training to run a marathon in his honor. In the beginning, we don't know how Kyle died, only that Annie seems to blame herself. Since Kyle's death, Annie has closed herself off from friends and her relationship with her mother has suffered as well. Her training brings about a lot more changes in her life than just the ability to run.
Annie meets Jeremiah through her training program and feels an instant attraction. A first since Kyle's death. But Jeremiah is an adrenaline junkie and can be reckless, and Annie is fearful of getting close only to experience another loss. I *loved* the evolution of their relationship. While the attraction and chemistry were apparent, both seemed cautious. Seeing their friendship develop and watching as they grew closer just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. And yes there were plenty of sweet moments, but this wasn't the "clean teen" style that I had (mistakenly) labeled it. In addition to the sweetness and the humor and the emotion, there was also a realistic depiction of the steamy side of a new relationship.
I really enjoyed Kenneally's writing style. Every character, every thread of the story, felt so true and believable. The dialogue was just perfection. It read so smoothly and naturally and never rang false. I loved the humor, and the banter between Annie and Jeremiah was priceless.
I am so, so glad I took a chance on this one because I really loved Annie's story. And Jeremiah was a shining example of a good book boyfriend. :)
Breathe, Annie, Breathe was *so* much more than I was expecting. One of those books that takes you by surprise - in the very best way. The cover is deceiving. It's so nondescript and doesn't begin to reflect the depth of the story inside. A story about love and loss, grief and guilt, friends and family, forgiveness and new beginnings.
We know from the beginning that Annie is mourning the loss of her boyfriend, Kyle, and that she is training to run a marathon in his honor. In the beginning, we don't know how Kyle died, only that Annie seems to blame herself. Since Kyle's death, Annie has closed herself off from friends and her relationship with her mother has suffered as well. Her training brings about a lot more changes in her life than just the ability to run.
All decisions are different in hindsight. Maybe all we can do is make the best decisions we can in the moment, using the best information we have right then.
Annie meets Jeremiah through her training program and feels an instant attraction. A first since Kyle's death. But Jeremiah is an adrenaline junkie and can be reckless, and Annie is fearful of getting close only to experience another loss. I *loved* the evolution of their relationship. While the attraction and chemistry were apparent, both seemed cautious. Seeing their friendship develop and watching as they grew closer just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. And yes there were plenty of sweet moments, but this wasn't the "clean teen" style that I had (mistakenly) labeled it. In addition to the sweetness and the humor and the emotion, there was also a realistic depiction of the steamy side of a new relationship.
"Jeremiah? You make me happy."
"You make me happy too," he say quietly.
I really enjoyed Kenneally's writing style. Every character, every thread of the story, felt so true and believable. The dialogue was just perfection. It read so smoothly and naturally and never rang false. I loved the humor, and the banter between Annie and Jeremiah was priceless.
I am so, so glad I took a chance on this one because I really loved Annie's story. And Jeremiah was a shining example of a good book boyfriend. :)
August 15, 2016
And she's back!!!!!!! What can I say??? I LOVED this one!!! I feel as if I got old Miranda Kenneally back and she's back to writing awesome novels again!
Considering I slowly started disliking her last two books (specifically her last one) I was really happy when this turned out to be great.
So we've got Annie first. This girl was joy to read. The sheer amount of strength she has was overwhelming. I loved her courage. She was an amazing and in a somewhat manner inspirational character. I loved how she pulled her life together and even managed to fall in love. She didn't mope around "that much" and she didn't even make herself a walking sob-story who always talks about her boyfriend. She also took chances. I loved that about her. She falters, yes that's obvious, but she still took a risk. That was amazing of her.
Jere. He was as any book boyfriend go, sweet. He waited for her and as all the other guys in Kenneally's books, hilarious. He was perfect for Annie and I hope they find their HEA like the others. It was also nice seeing Matt again and his interactions with Jere was hilarious.
My favourite part? Seeing Jordan and Henry at the end. I always loved how their scenes turn out to be and as usual the small snippet we have of them was funny.
Then of course we see Vanessa again. She played a huge part in the previous book and once again in this. I also liked how we are not in the same timeline as the first three books but like few years ahead. The way we can see how our favourite characters of the first book are doing in their careers.
Yes you can read this as a stand alone too but it would double the fun if you come to this one after reading all the others. Specially Catching Jordan. Damn I think I'm obsessed with that one :D
Considering I slowly started disliking her last two books (specifically her last one) I was really happy when this turned out to be great.
So we've got Annie first. This girl was joy to read. The sheer amount of strength she has was overwhelming. I loved her courage. She was an amazing and in a somewhat manner inspirational character. I loved how she pulled her life together and even managed to fall in love. She didn't mope around "that much" and she didn't even make herself a walking sob-story who always talks about her boyfriend. She also took chances. I loved that about her. She falters, yes that's obvious, but she still took a risk. That was amazing of her.
Jere. He was as any book boyfriend go, sweet. He waited for her and as all the other guys in Kenneally's books, hilarious. He was perfect for Annie and I hope they find their HEA like the others. It was also nice seeing Matt again and his interactions with Jere was hilarious.
My favourite part? Seeing Jordan and Henry at the end. I always loved how their scenes turn out to be and as usual the small snippet we have of them was funny.
Then of course we see Vanessa again. She played a huge part in the previous book and once again in this. I also liked how we are not in the same timeline as the first three books but like few years ahead. The way we can see how our favourite characters of the first book are doing in their careers.
Yes you can read this as a stand alone too but it would double the fun if you come to this one after reading all the others. Specially Catching Jordan. Damn I think I'm obsessed with that one :D
February 22, 2015
I adore this series and I’ve said before but with each book I believe Miranda Kenneally’s work gets better and better and Breathe, Annie, Breathe has to be my favourite to date!
This story follows Annie, a girl that is trying to escape her boyfriend’s death by running a marathon that Kyle was planning on racing in. In doing this race Annie hopes to leave the all the guilt behind and somehow find some peace, but when Annie hires a running coach to help her get into shape, she becomes even more guilty for her sudden feelings for Jeremiah who is slowly becoming her rock during training. Can Annie find the peace she needs but also find the strength to move on?
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is an adorable and cute read but it’s also one packed with emotions. Annie’s story is about loss, grief and finding the will to move on after a death, but it’s also a hopeful one in the sense that good things can come even at a difficult time.
There were plenty of times during this story that I was nearly in tears for Annie and the hard times she had to overcome, but she also made me respect her because of her strong willed mind and her determination to do the impossible and push her body to the maximum limits. I really connected with her as a character, like I end up doing with all of Miranda’s characters and that’s because she writes such relate able leads.
I really liked Jeremiah as well and how well he’s grown since Things I Can’t Forget. I bet you’re thinking what? Yep, he’s Matt’s little brother. And yes we do get to see how Kate and Matt are doing too.
In all, there are only a few go-to authors for me and Miranda Kenneally is definitely one of them. Bring on Jesse’s Girl.
This story follows Annie, a girl that is trying to escape her boyfriend’s death by running a marathon that Kyle was planning on racing in. In doing this race Annie hopes to leave the all the guilt behind and somehow find some peace, but when Annie hires a running coach to help her get into shape, she becomes even more guilty for her sudden feelings for Jeremiah who is slowly becoming her rock during training. Can Annie find the peace she needs but also find the strength to move on?
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is an adorable and cute read but it’s also one packed with emotions. Annie’s story is about loss, grief and finding the will to move on after a death, but it’s also a hopeful one in the sense that good things can come even at a difficult time.
There were plenty of times during this story that I was nearly in tears for Annie and the hard times she had to overcome, but she also made me respect her because of her strong willed mind and her determination to do the impossible and push her body to the maximum limits. I really connected with her as a character, like I end up doing with all of Miranda’s characters and that’s because she writes such relate able leads.
I really liked Jeremiah as well and how well he’s grown since Things I Can’t Forget. I bet you’re thinking what? Yep, he’s Matt’s little brother. And yes we do get to see how Kate and Matt are doing too.
In all, there are only a few go-to authors for me and Miranda Kenneally is definitely one of them. Bring on Jesse’s Girl.
June 2, 2015
3/5 stars
I'm a huge fan of these books, I liked the start of this but it really began to annoy me.
Certain things really bugged me: like if Jere said something inappropriate Annie would be like: why did you say that?
He'd be like: cause I'm a guy..
Ughh.
Anyway.
I still liked this but it wasn't my favourite.
I'm a huge fan of these books, I liked the start of this but it really began to annoy me.
Certain things really bugged me: like if Jere said something inappropriate Annie would be like: why did you say that?
He'd be like: cause I'm a guy..
Ughh.
Anyway.
I still liked this but it wasn't my favourite.
July 17, 2014
I'm pretty certain when I say that Breathe, Annie, Breathe is going to be a favorite among a lot of readers, especially fans of the Hundred Oaks series. It certainly was the case for me. Miranda Kenneally has grown to become such a reliable author for me. Anything and everything that she writes is pure gold.
What made Breathe, Annie, Breathe such a resounding book was the phenomenal characters. Miranda Kenneally has a knack for writing realistic and easily relateable main characters and Annie was no different. Annie was an even more special character to me because she was much more mature than the other heroines in the Hundred Oaks series. She was a sweet girl and I admired her strength and bravery through the face of her sorrow and guilt very much. Losing your long time boyfriend soon after you get together after a break is undeniably hard, especially for a teenager. Annie suffered quite a bit in the book, but she directed her sadness into practicing running for a marathon in honor of her boyfriend. You can't help but love and cheer on Annie as she pushed herself to strive to complete this marathon. I'm not going to lie, if I don't think I would ever be able to run a marathon, mostly because I'm lazy, but also because I don't have the endurance that Annie had. I was also ecstatic to see Matt from Things I Can't Forget play such a big role in this book, as Annie's trainer. I absolutely loved him and he was my favorite Kenneally boy( until this book). He was all grown up, and I loved what a role-model and supportive character he was to Annie. I also loved the glimpses we got to see of Kate and Jordan. Speaking of Kenneally boys, I fell in insta-love with Jeremiah (I believe that's possible with book boyfriends! Don't judge!). He was flawed and reckless, but a gentleman through and through. I couldn't help but fall for him along with Annie (If I'm going to be honest, I was actually very much jealous of Annie).
Annie and Jeremiah's relationship was the perfect example of a slow-burn relationship. While they started off with a sexual relationship, Annie pushed him off because of her guilt over her boyfriend's death. They decide to start afresh as friends and watching that friendship between the two of them develop was the highlight of the book for me. The banter and the comfort level that the two of them shared was adorable and had me laughing in delight. I shipped the two of them so hard, you guys. I kept wanting to push them to be together, but I appreciated the pace that their relationship developed at because they both had their fair share of problems to overcome first. Another highlight of Breathe, Annie, Breathe was the running. I was fascinated and, at the same time, in awe of everything I learned about marathons from the book. It just never clicked with me how much hard work that goes into preparing yourself for one. It was definitely a knowledgeable experience for me. Miranda Kenneally also has such an engaging writing style. Every single emotion that the characters went through hit me right in the heart. Her writing is simple and quiet, but incredibly powerful.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe might end up being my favorite YA contemporary of the year. It was a real, raw and emotional experience reading this book. The gorgeously fleshed-out characters, the slow, but intense romance and the focus on the marathon blended extremely well together to give a stunning book that deserves all the hype. Go buy a copy ASAP!
July 17, 2014
3.5 stars, more or less
Catching Jordan is a book I hold very close to my heart. Ever since the explosion of feels it brought me, I've been auto-reading every book Kenneally's putting out in this series. Seriously, people. The first three books just gave me ALL THE FEELS. Book four, Racing Savannah, was a pretty huge disappointment for me. But I'm glad to say, Miranda Kenneally is back!
Breathe, Annie, Breathe features a fierce girl with a goal--a goal she'll do anything to achieve. Annie's determination was very admirable, and I sort of wish I could be more like her. No matter how hard she struggled, Annie pushed herself and kept her eyes on the prize. It wasn't one of those senseless goals, either. Annie had a reason for doing what she did, and she did it for herself and for the people around her.
One thing I love about Kenneally's books is the presence of sports. I'm definitely not a sporty girl, so I love living through these characters and feeling (somehow) how female athletes feel. While Annie was definitely no Jordan Woods (the main character from book one), she still proved her strength to push through and get past the finish line. This book made me realize that marathons are definitely not as easy as they seem. I mean, they do look really hard already, but now that I know all the training that happens before marathons... I probably won't run one in the foreseeable future.
I love how Annie's family is so large. She treats her dead boyfriend's family as her own, and I adore the respect and love that they give each other. Annie had two families, and she valued them both. Of course, Annie also took her own parents' advice and valued them.
Now, Jeremiah's the love interest. If you've read Things I Can't Forget, you'll realize that Jeremiah's Matt's (oh, adorable, sweet Matt!) brother. He was supportive, kind and one of those flirty-in-an-adorable-way guys. He was always there when Annie needed a nurse, or just a supportive friend to keep her running. This one was realistic in the romance aspect--it took a while for Annie to bring down her walls and let Jeremiah in.
We also had some adorable cameos from characters in previous books. Although you can read this one as a standalone, I do suggest reading all the previous books, just to get a better feel of the supporting characters. Matt and Kate (Things I Can't Forget) played the big roles in this story as the supportive older siblings. And damn, they were adorable together.
I guess the only reason this wasn't a 4-5 star read for me was because of the lack of feels. Sure, I definitely shuddered, grinned and flailed a bit, but not as much as I did with the first three novels of this series. But it was such a big improvement from the zero feels that Racing Savannah gave me.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe definitely gave me a heroine to root for, two supportive families, an adorable love interest and a decent amount of feels. Perfect for anyone looking for an inspiring, romantic read for those rainy days.
March 3, 2015
I am so happy I decided to read this book, it was the perfect mix between moving on and romance and growing up and sweet and funny. It made me miss running (which is funny because I HATED running) and it was a great read in general
August 22, 2017
4.5!
“You need anything? Water? Tylenol? Vaseline?”
“Vaseline?” He shrugs. “Yeah, for chafing. Are you having any issues?”
This was exactly the book I needed to get nurse my book hangover after how much of a wreck ACOMAF and Soldier left me. It was everything I needed; fluffy, good banter, believable characters, and sweet romance. I also think I needed that bit of grief and healing. Unlike with the last book, there wasn’t drama over how it happened, just that it happened and what the aftermath looked like.
The main character of this story is Annie. After her boyfriend (Kyle) of three years, the boy that she planned on marrying someday, dies in an accident, she decides to train for the marathon that he never got to run. She herself had never been a runner so this huge race that is difficult for even the most in-shape runner, seemed almost impossible. Luckily, Annie had the good sense to get a trainer, Matt, to help her on her journey **Side note, I know that he was in a previous Hundred Oaks book, but this is the first book by Miranda Kenneally that I have read.** Pretty soon off the bat we also meet Matt’s brother, Jeremiah, who is working for Matt. On a run towards the beginning of Annie’s training, when she is still struggling with the longer distances, this crazy kid with crazy hair whips by her, running backwards. Annie silently names him Running Backwards Boy and thinks he must be crazy. The two form a relationship that begins as a tenuous thing and turns into much, much more. They have crazy chemistry right from the start, and you can’t help but cheer for the crazy, sweet, adrenaline junky of a boy.
A quarter mile more. One foot after the other. Breathe, Annie, breathe.
This is the second book revolving around a main character who has experienced the loss of a loved one that I have read in the past week. While the other one was all drama, this one was all about Annie’s journey. There were times where she would start thinking whatifwhatifwhatif, but what happened to Kyle was purely an accident. There was nothing she could have done. I thought that her grief and healing were handled very well. She dated this guy for three years. Three years. When you are with someone for that long (which I have been) they become your whole life. You are each other’s best friends and you can practically know what the other person is thinking just by looking at them. I cannot for the life of me comprehend how deeply I would be affected if my own boyfriend (also named Kyle) died in an accident. It would kill the most important me. But anyway, I digress as that is a very depressing train of thought. I thought it was a beautiful thing that Annie wanted to do this one huge thing for Kyle. It was something that would require so much strength and will and determination. What an amazing thing to do in someone’s memory.
Anything can happen. Anything. Anytime, to anyone. We have to live now. Now, now, now.
I thought the romance in this book was of the sweetest sorts. Jeremiah, ohhhh that boy is a wonder. He is not without his faults of course. Being an adrenaline junkie, he has put strain on the relation he has with his family, and eventually (for a time) with Annie because of how worried they were about him continuously hurting himself. Annie especially had problems with it because obviously she had already gone through losing one love and for a while didn’t even want to get that close to Jeremiah because of it. He won her over in the end though and I was so happy. He was so supportive. His attention and affection never wavered for one second. He freaking promised to wait for her for as long as she needed. HOW MANY OTHER GUYS HAVE DONE THAT, WOULD DO THAT?! Probably not many.
It just overall good book. For those of you who have read other reviews of mine, you probably know by now that my favorite books are the kinds that have you feeling something. This one had me grieving with Annie, healing with Annie, and falling in love with Jeremiah, just like Annie. Actually, if I’m going to be honest this book got me excited enough about running that I went and bought myself a nice pair of Asics and plan on signing up for a color run because, who wouldn’t want to do that?! Overall, this is just a super sweet read. I definitely plan on checking out some of Kenneally’s other books in this series.
I’ll never forget you
“You need anything? Water? Tylenol? Vaseline?”
“Vaseline?” He shrugs. “Yeah, for chafing. Are you having any issues?”
This was exactly the book I needed to get nurse my book hangover after how much of a wreck ACOMAF and Soldier left me. It was everything I needed; fluffy, good banter, believable characters, and sweet romance. I also think I needed that bit of grief and healing. Unlike with the last book, there wasn’t drama over how it happened, just that it happened and what the aftermath looked like.
The main character of this story is Annie. After her boyfriend (Kyle) of three years, the boy that she planned on marrying someday, dies in an accident, she decides to train for the marathon that he never got to run. She herself had never been a runner so this huge race that is difficult for even the most in-shape runner, seemed almost impossible. Luckily, Annie had the good sense to get a trainer, Matt, to help her on her journey **Side note, I know that he was in a previous Hundred Oaks book, but this is the first book by Miranda Kenneally that I have read.** Pretty soon off the bat we also meet Matt’s brother, Jeremiah, who is working for Matt. On a run towards the beginning of Annie’s training, when she is still struggling with the longer distances, this crazy kid with crazy hair whips by her, running backwards. Annie silently names him Running Backwards Boy and thinks he must be crazy. The two form a relationship that begins as a tenuous thing and turns into much, much more. They have crazy chemistry right from the start, and you can’t help but cheer for the crazy, sweet, adrenaline junky of a boy.
A quarter mile more. One foot after the other. Breathe, Annie, breathe.
This is the second book revolving around a main character who has experienced the loss of a loved one that I have read in the past week. While the other one was all drama, this one was all about Annie’s journey. There were times where she would start thinking whatifwhatifwhatif, but what happened to Kyle was purely an accident. There was nothing she could have done. I thought that her grief and healing were handled very well. She dated this guy for three years. Three years. When you are with someone for that long (which I have been) they become your whole life. You are each other’s best friends and you can practically know what the other person is thinking just by looking at them. I cannot for the life of me comprehend how deeply I would be affected if my own boyfriend (also named Kyle) died in an accident. It would kill the most important me. But anyway, I digress as that is a very depressing train of thought. I thought it was a beautiful thing that Annie wanted to do this one huge thing for Kyle. It was something that would require so much strength and will and determination. What an amazing thing to do in someone’s memory.
Anything can happen. Anything. Anytime, to anyone. We have to live now. Now, now, now.
I thought the romance in this book was of the sweetest sorts. Jeremiah, ohhhh that boy is a wonder. He is not without his faults of course. Being an adrenaline junkie, he has put strain on the relation he has with his family, and eventually (for a time) with Annie because of how worried they were about him continuously hurting himself. Annie especially had problems with it because obviously she had already gone through losing one love and for a while didn’t even want to get that close to Jeremiah because of it. He won her over in the end though and I was so happy. He was so supportive. His attention and affection never wavered for one second. He freaking promised to wait for her for as long as she needed. HOW MANY OTHER GUYS HAVE DONE THAT, WOULD DO THAT?! Probably not many.
It just overall good book. For those of you who have read other reviews of mine, you probably know by now that my favorite books are the kinds that have you feeling something. This one had me grieving with Annie, healing with Annie, and falling in love with Jeremiah, just like Annie. Actually, if I’m going to be honest this book got me excited enough about running that I went and bought myself a nice pair of Asics and plan on signing up for a color run because, who wouldn’t want to do that?! Overall, this is just a super sweet read. I definitely plan on checking out some of Kenneally’s other books in this series.
I’ll never forget you
June 5, 2020
For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Miranda Kenneally has completely outdone herself. I’ve enjoyed all of her books. Loved them, in fact. They’re feelsy and shippy and funny and real and sex-positive and basically everything I want. Breathe, Annie, Breathe strikes that perfect balance between fluffiness and delving into powerful issues. When I finished Breathe, Annie, Breathe, I was pretty damn close to happy crying, because the book is so moving and the ending was just perfect. If you’re a Miranda Kenneally fan, you know what you’re in for and you will not be disappointed.
Something you should know about me: I loathe running. I one hundred percent do not understand why people put themselves through this pain. Breathe, Annie, Breathe centers on running and Kenneally puts the same amount of detail in that she always does. I learned all about the training process to run a marathon and basically this reinforced my desire to never go running ever. Despite all of that, I was fascinated and I cared about Annie’s attempt to run the marathon. I was never bored by the details and I love how much Kenneally focuses on Annie’s struggle. Running the marathon is not going to be easy, even with months of preparation. I never knew how many health problems were inherent in running these distances. Seriously, why do people do this?
The reason Annie’s doing this, since she’s not a runner by nature either, is to complete a marathon in honor of her boyfriend who died. Annie and Kyle were really in love, even during the brief time they were broken up. They’d gotten back together just before his death and she blames herself, since he was over at her house the night it happened. As is the case with many who lose someone, Annie feels guilty and punishes herself. Running the marathon is both tribute and punishment.
In Kenneally fashion, there’s an adorable romance obviously. However, the evolution of the romance is really different than in any of her previous novels. Annie’s been in love before for one thing and isn’t looking for any sort of romance. She feels really conflicted from the moment she meets Jeremiah, because she’s really attracted to him but doesn’t think she should be. Wanting someone else feels disloyal to Kyle’s memory. What’s so interesting is that Jeremiah and Annie develop the physical side of their relationship before the emotional initially. The path they take to romance is a very unique one and I love every bit of it.
Though not as much time is spent on the secondary characters, I marvel again at how good Kenneally is at building out a cast and their interpersonal relationships. Annie’s progress in her relationships with her mother and her former friend Kelsey is touching. She learns a lot about herself over the course of these many months and finally stops shutting people out. Annie really opens up and it’s wonderful getting to see her realize that, though Kyle is gone, she has her life still to live.
Also, for Kenneally fans, this book is a treat. There are SO MANY CAMEOS. Pretty much everybody from Racing Savannah is here, like the aforementioned Kelsey. Seriously, all of them. Matt from Things I Can’t Forget is Annie’s running coach, and Kate makes a brief appearance as well. Jordan and Sam from Catching Jordan also make an appearance. Will Whitfield is missing, but otherwise the gang is all here and it’s marvelous.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is my new favorite Kenneally book. For contemporary YA fans who haven’t read Kenneally yet, what are you doing? She has both the fluffy and the feels-crushing, depending on what you’re into. Also, if you’re a reader who wants ships that make you squee and flail (and that will actually have much kissing and sex), KENNEALLY. I’m telling you. Trust me. Now may I have the next one, please?
Miranda Kenneally has completely outdone herself. I’ve enjoyed all of her books. Loved them, in fact. They’re feelsy and shippy and funny and real and sex-positive and basically everything I want. Breathe, Annie, Breathe strikes that perfect balance between fluffiness and delving into powerful issues. When I finished Breathe, Annie, Breathe, I was pretty damn close to happy crying, because the book is so moving and the ending was just perfect. If you’re a Miranda Kenneally fan, you know what you’re in for and you will not be disappointed.
Something you should know about me: I loathe running. I one hundred percent do not understand why people put themselves through this pain. Breathe, Annie, Breathe centers on running and Kenneally puts the same amount of detail in that she always does. I learned all about the training process to run a marathon and basically this reinforced my desire to never go running ever. Despite all of that, I was fascinated and I cared about Annie’s attempt to run the marathon. I was never bored by the details and I love how much Kenneally focuses on Annie’s struggle. Running the marathon is not going to be easy, even with months of preparation. I never knew how many health problems were inherent in running these distances. Seriously, why do people do this?
The reason Annie’s doing this, since she’s not a runner by nature either, is to complete a marathon in honor of her boyfriend who died. Annie and Kyle were really in love, even during the brief time they were broken up. They’d gotten back together just before his death and she blames herself, since he was over at her house the night it happened. As is the case with many who lose someone, Annie feels guilty and punishes herself. Running the marathon is both tribute and punishment.
In Kenneally fashion, there’s an adorable romance obviously. However, the evolution of the romance is really different than in any of her previous novels. Annie’s been in love before for one thing and isn’t looking for any sort of romance. She feels really conflicted from the moment she meets Jeremiah, because she’s really attracted to him but doesn’t think she should be. Wanting someone else feels disloyal to Kyle’s memory. What’s so interesting is that Jeremiah and Annie develop the physical side of their relationship before the emotional initially. The path they take to romance is a very unique one and I love every bit of it.
Though not as much time is spent on the secondary characters, I marvel again at how good Kenneally is at building out a cast and their interpersonal relationships. Annie’s progress in her relationships with her mother and her former friend Kelsey is touching. She learns a lot about herself over the course of these many months and finally stops shutting people out. Annie really opens up and it’s wonderful getting to see her realize that, though Kyle is gone, she has her life still to live.
Also, for Kenneally fans, this book is a treat. There are SO MANY CAMEOS. Pretty much everybody from Racing Savannah is here, like the aforementioned Kelsey. Seriously, all of them. Matt from Things I Can’t Forget is Annie’s running coach, and Kate makes a brief appearance as well. Jordan and Sam from Catching Jordan also make an appearance. Will Whitfield is missing, but otherwise the gang is all here and it’s marvelous.
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is my new favorite Kenneally book. For contemporary YA fans who haven’t read Kenneally yet, what are you doing? She has both the fluffy and the feels-crushing, depending on what you’re into. Also, if you’re a reader who wants ships that make you squee and flail (and that will actually have much kissing and sex), KENNEALLY. I’m telling you. Trust me. Now may I have the next one, please?
June 23, 2014
Miranda Kenneally has done it again folks! I always know that when I pick up a book by Kenneally that I am in for a fair amount of swooning, but I have to say that with Breathe, Annie, Breathe I got even more than I could have expected. Full of wonderful characters, a swoon-inducing romance and a full range of emotion, I think this is the best in the Hundred Oaks series yet!
In the fifth instalment in the series we are introduced to Annie who has recently lost her long term boyfriend and is now training to run a marathon in his honour. What I’m sure you can gather from this already is: SPORTS! Yes, while previous books featured football, baseball and even horseback riding this book tackles running. Oh man, let me tell you that I learned a thing or two from reading this. The effort and training that goes into preparing for a marathon is shocking! The eating too! I loved that once again I was sucked into this aspect of the story and full-on rooting for Annie to achieve her goal.
Through her training she is introduced (from the one and only Jordan Woods who is now Coach Woods) to Matt who trains people for marathons. Through Matt she meets his brother Jeremiah and therein lies our love story. I feel like I might say this with every book in the series but Jeremiah is now my favourite love interest. He was a real mans man. He lived on the edge (an adrenaline junkie,) was a true southern gentleman and all I wanted to do was run my hands through his floppy hair (I have a thing for guys with longer hair, ok!) I loved how, because our characters were a little older in this one, we got to see a more mature growth to the relationship. Jere was 20 and Annie is 18 so I felt like I could connect a little more to Annie’s thought processing when she was thinking about where she wanted things to go. Of course the whole time she was thinking, I wanted her to be doing (*wink* *wink* if you know what I mean) and this led to some major sexual tension which I loved and hated in equal measure.
All of the debating Annie does when it comes to Jere is really well thought out. After losing Kyle she doesn’t know if she wants to jump into something head on with a guy who lives as dangerously as he does, which was so completely understandable. The circumstances surrounding Kyle’s death is slowly revealed through some well place flashbacks and throughout the story we get to see how his death has affects so many aspects of Annie’s life. Her relationship with her mother has gone downhill and she’s saddened to be alone because he had really become to center of her life in the three years that they were together. We get to watch her attempt to work on bringing back friendships that she lost over the years and start to put herself out there. Watching her bridge these relationships and deal with her loss was really emotional and I got teary eyed on more than one occasion with this one.
I know I mentioned Jordan earlier and that I say what I am about to say after every book but I need to say it again. I love getting to see characters from previous books in this series. After Racing Savannah I really wanted Kelsey’s story and here we get to see her quite a bit because she was best friends with Annie growing up. We also get to see Savannah & Jack and so many others here and there. This series really does just keep getting better and better and just when I think Kenneally can’t possibly top herself, she does.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
In the fifth instalment in the series we are introduced to Annie who has recently lost her long term boyfriend and is now training to run a marathon in his honour. What I’m sure you can gather from this already is: SPORTS! Yes, while previous books featured football, baseball and even horseback riding this book tackles running. Oh man, let me tell you that I learned a thing or two from reading this. The effort and training that goes into preparing for a marathon is shocking! The eating too! I loved that once again I was sucked into this aspect of the story and full-on rooting for Annie to achieve her goal.
Through her training she is introduced (from the one and only Jordan Woods who is now Coach Woods) to Matt who trains people for marathons. Through Matt she meets his brother Jeremiah and therein lies our love story. I feel like I might say this with every book in the series but Jeremiah is now my favourite love interest. He was a real mans man. He lived on the edge (an adrenaline junkie,) was a true southern gentleman and all I wanted to do was run my hands through his floppy hair (I have a thing for guys with longer hair, ok!) I loved how, because our characters were a little older in this one, we got to see a more mature growth to the relationship. Jere was 20 and Annie is 18 so I felt like I could connect a little more to Annie’s thought processing when she was thinking about where she wanted things to go. Of course the whole time she was thinking, I wanted her to be doing (*wink* *wink* if you know what I mean) and this led to some major sexual tension which I loved and hated in equal measure.
All of the debating Annie does when it comes to Jere is really well thought out. After losing Kyle she doesn’t know if she wants to jump into something head on with a guy who lives as dangerously as he does, which was so completely understandable. The circumstances surrounding Kyle’s death is slowly revealed through some well place flashbacks and throughout the story we get to see how his death has affects so many aspects of Annie’s life. Her relationship with her mother has gone downhill and she’s saddened to be alone because he had really become to center of her life in the three years that they were together. We get to watch her attempt to work on bringing back friendships that she lost over the years and start to put herself out there. Watching her bridge these relationships and deal with her loss was really emotional and I got teary eyed on more than one occasion with this one.
I know I mentioned Jordan earlier and that I say what I am about to say after every book but I need to say it again. I love getting to see characters from previous books in this series. After Racing Savannah I really wanted Kelsey’s story and here we get to see her quite a bit because she was best friends with Annie growing up. We also get to see Savannah & Jack and so many others here and there. This series really does just keep getting better and better and just when I think Kenneally can’t possibly top herself, she does.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
October 22, 2015
This was an all around good book. It was so lovely to see Annie moving on from the guilt of Kyle's death. She learns to let it all go and just 'breathe'. The title was actually a common phrase repeated in the book and I really liked that. After something particularly hard, she would think to herself 'Breathe, Annie, Breathe'. It just had a powerful effect on me.
Another element that really showed Annie's journey is the running log that she kept. The whole thing was reprinted on the page after every weekend run. You could look back on previous entries and see how far she's come. That helped the story so much that I can't even express it!
The characters in general were great. I especially loved Matt and Jeremiah. They were so funny together and I couldn't help but laugh at a couple passages (the Vaseline!!). Annie's other friends' banter was also very funny and helped to break up the dark scenes in the book.
One thing I didn't particularly like was the flashbacks. I'm not sure that they were really placed at optimal intervals and they often felt like they were interrupting the story. I appreciated the information that they provided, they could have had better placement though.
The Final Verdict:
This is such a great book about the journey after a loved one's death. The devices used to show Annie's journey were on point and the characters were all fabulous. I did think that the flashbacks could have had a more optimal placement.
4 stars
Quotes:
“We stick together, and it makes me feel a little better knowing that, even at thirty-two, Liza hasn’t figured her life out yet.”
“I saw hum run for thr first time at Wednesday's trining session. Until then, I wasn't aware Usain Bolt was my running coach”
“You make me feel three times the rush of skydiving or bungee jumping... I felt the biggest rush of my life when you said you love me.”
“If you don’t put yourself out there, if you don’t take risks, you can’t truly feel.”
“I figured you'd prefer that to skydiving or Sumo Wrestling Sunday."
"What is Sumo Wrestling Sunday?"
"We'd dress up in those sumo wrestling suits that would make us look real fat. And then we'd wrestle."
"Oh god lord," I mutter. " Shuffleboard Sunday sounds just fine."
"Good. I had no idea where I was gonna get sumo wrestling suits." I give him a look.”
“A boy should fit into your life-not become it. High school is when you start to define yourself. Don't define yourself as the girl who has a boyfriemd and nothing else.”
“All decisions are different in hindsight. Maybe all we can do is make the best decisions we can in the moment, using the best information we have right then.”
“Maybe you don't have to figure life out at all.
Maybe it just is.”
Another element that really showed Annie's journey is the running log that she kept. The whole thing was reprinted on the page after every weekend run. You could look back on previous entries and see how far she's come. That helped the story so much that I can't even express it!
The characters in general were great. I especially loved Matt and Jeremiah. They were so funny together and I couldn't help but laugh at a couple passages (the Vaseline!!). Annie's other friends' banter was also very funny and helped to break up the dark scenes in the book.
One thing I didn't particularly like was the flashbacks. I'm not sure that they were really placed at optimal intervals and they often felt like they were interrupting the story. I appreciated the information that they provided, they could have had better placement though.
The Final Verdict:
This is such a great book about the journey after a loved one's death. The devices used to show Annie's journey were on point and the characters were all fabulous. I did think that the flashbacks could have had a more optimal placement.
4 stars
Quotes:
“We stick together, and it makes me feel a little better knowing that, even at thirty-two, Liza hasn’t figured her life out yet.”
“I saw hum run for thr first time at Wednesday's trining session. Until then, I wasn't aware Usain Bolt was my running coach”
“You make me feel three times the rush of skydiving or bungee jumping... I felt the biggest rush of my life when you said you love me.”
“If you don’t put yourself out there, if you don’t take risks, you can’t truly feel.”
“I figured you'd prefer that to skydiving or Sumo Wrestling Sunday."
"What is Sumo Wrestling Sunday?"
"We'd dress up in those sumo wrestling suits that would make us look real fat. And then we'd wrestle."
"Oh god lord," I mutter. " Shuffleboard Sunday sounds just fine."
"Good. I had no idea where I was gonna get sumo wrestling suits." I give him a look.”
“A boy should fit into your life-not become it. High school is when you start to define yourself. Don't define yourself as the girl who has a boyfriemd and nothing else.”
“All decisions are different in hindsight. Maybe all we can do is make the best decisions we can in the moment, using the best information we have right then.”
“Maybe you don't have to figure life out at all.
Maybe it just is.”
July 17, 2014
This is the fifth book of Miranda Kenneally which I’ve read in the past eighteen months, and I still can’t get enough of this author’s writing! Her books are like comfort food to me. Every time I finish another addition to the Hundred Oaks series, I’m so disappointed that I’ll have to wait months for the release of the next novel by her. With Breathe, Annie, Breathe, Kenneally outdid herself!
I loved everything about this story. Annie is a great character, and the way she described her relationship with Kyle, I easily empathized with her loss. Kyle seemed like such a great person, so I understood why she missed him so much. I think what she did in memory of her deceased ex-boyfriend, participating in the Music City Marathon, was really special, particularly because she hates running and she’s going through so much emotional turmoil knowing how badly Kyle had wanted to run this marathon. What made me enjoy this book so much more was because she had to put a ton of work and self-discipline into preparing for the marathon, so things didn’t come easy for her. Also, we get to see the ups and downs, the sweat and tears that go into this sort of strenuous physical and mental training. All of this lent the story a sense of realism which made it relatable.
The slow-burn romance between Annie and adrenaline-junkie Jeremiah was heartfelt and sweet. They’re both such pragmatic individuals, I almost doubted whether they’d be able to overcome their mutual mistrust and fear of falling in love again. Jeremiah was a bit of a mystery, but it was great peeling away the layers of his character to discover what makes him tick. I was happy with how things worked out for him and Annie in the end.
Keep in mind that it’s not necessary to have read the previous four books in this series. As with the others, this one is also a stand-alone, even though some of the characters we met in the previous novels make cameo appearances. Breathe, Annie, Breathe does justice to the Hundred Oaks series and is a must for fans of contemporary fiction.
I loved everything about this story. Annie is a great character, and the way she described her relationship with Kyle, I easily empathized with her loss. Kyle seemed like such a great person, so I understood why she missed him so much. I think what she did in memory of her deceased ex-boyfriend, participating in the Music City Marathon, was really special, particularly because she hates running and she’s going through so much emotional turmoil knowing how badly Kyle had wanted to run this marathon. What made me enjoy this book so much more was because she had to put a ton of work and self-discipline into preparing for the marathon, so things didn’t come easy for her. Also, we get to see the ups and downs, the sweat and tears that go into this sort of strenuous physical and mental training. All of this lent the story a sense of realism which made it relatable.
The slow-burn romance between Annie and adrenaline-junkie Jeremiah was heartfelt and sweet. They’re both such pragmatic individuals, I almost doubted whether they’d be able to overcome their mutual mistrust and fear of falling in love again. Jeremiah was a bit of a mystery, but it was great peeling away the layers of his character to discover what makes him tick. I was happy with how things worked out for him and Annie in the end.
Keep in mind that it’s not necessary to have read the previous four books in this series. As with the others, this one is also a stand-alone, even though some of the characters we met in the previous novels make cameo appearances. Breathe, Annie, Breathe does justice to the Hundred Oaks series and is a must for fans of contemporary fiction.
July 23, 2014
Breathe, Annie, Breathe is filled with great writing and relatable characters. Honestly Miranda is a phenomenal writer and I enjoy her stories. Her writing makes things feel so real and that keeps me picking up her books. Her books are all set in the same town and it is fun to see the character's lives intersect.
I just wish she would leave out some of the sexual content and explicit language that I do not appreciate in young adult books. This is the 3rd book in the Hundred Oaks Series that I have read. I picked up this book knowing that there would be some content in it. But there was a lot of content and that left me debating whether or not the entire experience is actually worth it. One minute I think I'm done with her books but recognize that I will likely waffle when the next book comes out and read it anyway.
So is this for you? Depends on what you like in your young adult books. If you don't mind language and sexual content then you will likely enjoy this. If it bothers you then this one is not for you.
Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book
Content: explicit language including the F word. Lots of sexual content... innuendo, roaming hands, and sex. I would classify this as new adult, NOT young adult but I'm a very conservative reader.
Source: Review copy via Netgalley
I just wish she would leave out some of the sexual content and explicit language that I do not appreciate in young adult books. This is the 3rd book in the Hundred Oaks Series that I have read. I picked up this book knowing that there would be some content in it. But there was a lot of content and that left me debating whether or not the entire experience is actually worth it. One minute I think I'm done with her books but recognize that I will likely waffle when the next book comes out and read it anyway.
So is this for you? Depends on what you like in your young adult books. If you don't mind language and sexual content then you will likely enjoy this. If it bothers you then this one is not for you.
Rating: 3.5 Stars - Good Book
Content: explicit language including the F word. Lots of sexual content... innuendo, roaming hands, and sex. I would classify this as new adult, NOT young adult but I'm a very conservative reader.
Source: Review copy via Netgalley
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