I Will Breathe

A Touch of Passion

by Regina Puckett

I Will Breathe is a 2017 Literary Classic's Finalist, 2016 New Apple Awards' winner in the YA Science Fiction category, 2015 Science Fiction Finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards, and a 2015 Readers' Favorite winner in the YA Science Fiction category. It has also received the Children's Literary Classic Seal of Approval. A Steampunk/Cyberpunk/Post-Apocalyptic Adventure With a Twist. The year is 2836. It has been eight hundred years since The Great War. There are small groups of people scattered in isolated pockets around the world, but most are too suspicious of each other for any intimacy. If they don’t stop hiding, and learn to help each other, there won’t be anyone left on earth. Liberty has grown up in this post-apocalyptic world. Her home is an airship built by her adopted father. Since his death, each day is just another day trying to survive in a hostile environment. That is until her father's dying friend asks if she’ll take custody of a small, child-like robot. The last thing Liberty needs is another responsibility. Surprisingly, once the endearing robot is aboard Airus, she discovers there is more to life than just living, and loving someone can be as easy as breathing. Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite “Have you ever wondered what the world would be like in eight hundred years time? Have you wondered what humanity would be like after an Armageddon or apocalyptic disaster? Would the human race even exist? And what in what manner would those surviving humans thrive? In I Will Breathe, Regina Puckett has written a story that reveals a futuristic look at life on a planet ravaged by war. As the main character, Liberty, struggles to survive and continue with the trading life that she learned from her adopted father, the possibility of a civilized human race once again existing evolves. The entire story makes you really think about 'what if?'. And it makes the reader hopeful that all will not be lost in the future. An interesting read.”

Genres: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Young Adult

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 8, 2005

About the author

Regina Puckett is a 2014 Readers' Favorite Award winning author for her sweet romance, Concealed in My Heart. Her steampunk book, I Will Breathe, and her children's picture book, Borrowed Wings, both received the Children's Literary Classic Seal of Approval. "I Will Breathe" was selected as a Science Fiction Finalist in the 2015 IAN Book of the Year Awards. I Will Breathe won a silver in the 2017 Literary Classics Award/Science fiction/dystopian (high school)

Her boxed set, A TOUCH OF PASSION, is the 2016 WINNER of The Romance Reviews Readers' Choice Awards.

Memories, won first place in the 1st WSBR International Poetry Contest, and her collection of poetry, Fireflies, won the 2013 Turning Pages Poetry Book of the Year.

Regina Puckett has been writing for over forty-eight years, and lives in Tennessee with her husband of over forty years. She has two grown daughters and four grandchildren.

She writes sweet romances, horror, inspirational, steampunk, picture books and poetry. There are always several projects in various stages of completion and characters and stories waiting in the wings for their chance to finally get out of her head and onto paper. The only way she knows to shut the voices up is to tell their stories and to let them live among the pages of her books.

She loves writing in many different genres because life is too short to be stuck in a rut.

Please come and visit me at facebook.com/regina.puckett1
http://reginapuckettsbooks.weebly.com...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://twitter.com/ReginaPucket

Reviews

[Chris Baum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just left a review on Amazon, but also wanted to say a few words here as well. "I Will Breathe" is a, pun intended, breath of fresh air. The characters are believable, the pace is perfect, and the writer had a great style that had me wanting to read on so I could see where she would take me. I can clearly see why she's an award winning author. Well done, Regina Puckett!

[J.T. Therrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Regina Puckett's writing and this new release did not disappoint. I Will Breathe is a smart and witty steampunk story, set in the time after the Great War. When tough-talking scavenger Liberty gets saddled with a robot called Boy, her quiet and self-centered life changes. As their relationship evolves, we are treated to Ms. Puckett's vision of a post-apocalyptic world, where safety is found in the dizzying heights of the sky, while the land below offers a realm of opportunity, discovery and danger.

I Will Breathe displays Ms. Puckett's classic wit and masterful story-telling skills as she deftly develops a charming tale with story elements that echoed the universal themes of new beginnings found in creation stories and classic stories such as Pinocchio.

I have barely finished reading I Will Breathe and I'm already looking forward to Ms. Puckett's next tale!

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liberty has spent many years alone, flying around in her airship. The world has become a disaster zone, the result of war and the lack of love remaining among mankind.

When I picked this up, I was expecting a steampunk adventure. Well, adventure is what I normally get when I read steampunk, but I quickly figured out that this story was very different. It’s a character driven novel with a moderate amount of action, but it draws an emotional response that I wasn’t prepared for.

I never expected to tear up and worry over a robot, but Ms. Puckett managed to stab me in the heart with the endearing little character Boy. Normally, I’d find a robotic child extremely creepy and run screaming from the room. But Boy is so innocent and loveable that I couldn’t help loving him as much as Liberty comes to.

Liberty begins as independent and rough around the edges. Well, she stays that way, but she begins to learn how wonderful it is to have companions, in a world where people spend their lives all alone. Love has all but disappeared, and as a result, humans are on their way to extinction. Liberty was content to journey alone, finding whatever treasures were left after the Great War. As it turns out, she will find even greater treasures in companionship. Now Liberty is able to share those treasures with those she has come to love. Her outlook changes dramatically and for the better. She is a wonderful character, staying true to herself while still managing to evolve. That’s good writing.

I must also mention that I loved the way apples and honey were presented as something so precious and beautiful. It reminded me of how much we take for granted. It was easy to put myself in Liberty’s position, experiencing a bleak future in a dying world.

[Erik Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Regina Puckett's story; "Ours" I was happy to learn that she is the author of many great books. The cover to her most recent book; "I Will Breathe" seemed like another winner and it was. An orphaned girl named Liberty lives alone in a world that survived an apocalyptic war. She's not totally alone because of the ancestors of the very few survivors of the war but with her father dead, she understandably feels totally alone. The people around Liberty aren't really heart warming since they are so afraid of each other and don't want to reach out and help re-build the world. If they all continue to ignore each other, the human race will die. Liberty isn't much help either since she practically stays in an airship her father constructed. So how does a young robot re-build not only Liberty but the whole world? Can the young robot save mankind? I guess this is a subliminal message about the younger generation of technology saving the world. Once again, Regina Puckett gives us a great story with some understanding yet interesting characters. I also admire her choice of the title. It seems as if the main key of keeping the human race alive is breathing because that's how we stay alive. In Liberty's case, it's like she needs to make a decision to stop hiding and living in fear and to take a stand to help re-build mankind. In her words; "I Will Breathe" I will help save mankind.

[Literary Classics Book Awards & Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Will Breathe is the post apocalyptic story of Liberty, a young girl who is born eight hundred years after a great war which has decimated the planet. She is raised by an adoptive father from whom she learns the cut-throat business of trading. But after her father's death she is alone in the world to fend for herself. She carries on with the only life she has ever known, living in the steam-powered air balloon which she inherited. Trained from an early age to be wary of others, she travels the continent in solitude. In time though, her life becomes full when she meets a robot, named Boy, who speaks and thinks like a human.
This book starts out a bit slowly but escalates into a captivating story that will keep readers engrossed clear through to its winning finish.
Well developed characters help readers to connect with Liberty and her growing entourage. This book is highly recommended.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs someone: I Will Breathe by Regina Puckett
This author wrote a different genre with this book, steampunk, futuristic. I'm glad she did, I loved it. It's a look at what the future could be after a Great War. Cities abandoned because of no food, buildings abandoned left just as the were. It was eight hundred years ago the Great War happened, not in Liberties lifetime. It's safer to stay in the air than be on the ground. Liberty does make ground stops when she really has to. Download this short story to find out what she encounters during her ground stops. I would love to tell you, that would be wrong. This is a very well written short story, what I like is the epilogue, goes on with what humanity can do in the face of adversity.

[Nancy Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An Enjoyable Fast Read"

This is a young adult sci-fi/horror story which was chosen Medalist Winner in the 2016 New Apple Summer eBook Awards. It is a post-apocalyptic adventure with quite a twist. The year is 2836, 800 years after The Great War. There are small groups of people scattered around the world, too afraid to mingle with other groups. Teen aged girl, Liberty, has survived in this frighteningly ravished world and lives in an airship built by her adopted dad. But he's gone now, and her only companion is a small, child-like robot. This is a very hopeful novel about Liberty. It's very positive, funny, with many thrilling moments. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. You will, too!

[Karen Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read, February 2, 2015
By KAREN INGALLS
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: I Will Breathe (Kindle Edition)
A delightful short story about the adventures of one young lady, Liberty, who is living in our world after The Great War. This war destroyed the world of most things we today take for granted...cars, televisions, telephones, etc. After her beloved father's death, Liberty is on an adventure herself in her form of transportation by air. There is humor, grief, good and evil, and tenderness and love for a robot.

[Clueless Gent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very delightful and fun read! I think this story would appeal to both young and old alike. I've never read a post-apocoliptic story quite like this one. It's very unique in that regard.

From a technical standpoint, I thought the pacing was perfect, and characters were developed, and any SPAG problems were minimal.

This story kept me fully engaged and turning the pages! Highly recommended!

[Stephen Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book, very well written. My only complaint would be that it was too short, as a result, everything seemed to move along much too quickly. By the time I felt that I knew the characters, the story ended. However, that does not diminish the quality of the writing, which is why I gave it 5 stars.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where those that are left are too afraid to 'live', in the sense of loving and trusting.

Liberty is among the survivors but is alone until Boy...

An insightful, well written story that explores what it means to be human, where learning what is important is taught from an unexpected source.

Well done.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good futuristic read of life after The Great War.Liberty is a young woman who has a space ship called Airus. Liberty's life changes as she first acquires a robot, named boy, and then meets Mender, a man with his own ship. I would have liked to see a bit more story inside this book, but because it is a part of a series, I think the next books will reveal more background to the story.

[Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Liberty is a very memorable character. I Will Breathe by Regina Puckett delivers a fresh concept and exciting story. Very well told. Recommended.

[Laurie Kazmierczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Regina's writing style and the story was inventive and intriguing. I bought this book because I like her short poems she produces almost daily on Facebook.

[Marcha Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider Regina Puckett the absolute queen of adult bedtime stories. But I better qualify that so you don't get the wrong impression. When I say "adult" I don't mean erotic or "R" rated, since the ones I've read are clean enough to read to a child. Rather, a child probably would not get the relationship and societal subtleties, though of course most of us who grew up with the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson never understood the underlying themes, either.

All that aside, I almost always read before I go to sleep and while I enjoy a wide variety of genres, including the pulse-pounding variety, there's nothing better than one of Ms. Puckett's after a stressful day when all you want to do is slip into a fantasy world prior to drifting off. (Clearly this might not apply to those she's done in the horror genre which may not be so appropriate at that time.) So far the characters I've encountered are endearing and even though her stories tend to be relatively short, the people and plot are well-developed. There's outstanding imagery and just enough detail to make the story come to life. Truly she's a master storyteller, and I'm not an easy reader to please. It's no surprise she's won so many awards.

This particular steampunk tale as well as those in that genre I've read by other authors reminds me of hitting Earth's reset button and taking us back to a simpler time with only mysterious remnants remaining of high technology. It's a post-apocalyptic world where the few survivors are gradually rebuilding society. In this one, the main character, Liberty, travels extensively in her airship to different locales where she gathers goods to trade in other locations.

On the philosophical side, this is an interesting reminder that most merchandise and commodities (especially food) used to originate relatively close to home as opposed to coming from just about anywhere on the globe. In simpler times there was more accountability, similar to buying produce in a farmers' market, as opposed to some of the questionable products from places like China found in modern grocery stores which I wouldn't feed to a stray dog. Indeed, a few years back, products from that country were killing our dogs and cats, yet we persist in allowing these questionable consummables into our country. As one of her characters savored an apple I pondered the importance of everyday products we take for granted that could disappear given some sort of global disaster. Maybe it's just me, but I found plenty to think about in this relatively simple story, giving it considerably more thought-provoking depth than you might expect.

The process of rebuilding society, one person at a time, is typically explored in this genre. Human nature being what it is, individuals would react differently to global disaster. The opportunity to take advantage of and exploit others is always there for those who are selfish while those who are more highly evolved would be concerned with the human species as a whole. Under such circumstances, society will rebuild sooner or later and most likely be entirely foreign to what we know. It's nice to think that mankind would learn his lesson and try to get along with his fellow species better than we see today, but there are no guarantees. There's such a mix in Liberty's world and she's suspicious of everyone, which helps her survive. As you would expect, she has a rather jaded view of love as well which begins to change when she's given a small robot named Boy. Before she knows it she's developing a warm relationship with this wise and philosophical little being from which the tale's title derives. Soon after that another trader like herself comes along as well and Liberty learns more about friendship and trust.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and definitely look forward to reading the next one in the series which promises to provide more information about Liberty's background. If you're looking for a mildly suspenseful tale saturated with charm and character to say nothing of a few philosophical considerations, I highly recommend this one.

[Uvi Poznansky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, I Will Breathe is an endearing tale of a bond between Liberty, a strong-willed, courageous female pilot, and Boy, a robot that forever changes her life. Set in the time after the Great War, this is more than a futuristic story of a devastated world. It is an allegory—as suggested by many of the character names such as Liberty and Harmony—and it raises profound questions as to what is human and what is mechanical, and as to the meaning of preserving history when the present is so starkly different from the past.

When we first meet Liberty, she is isolated from her environment and from other humans. She is flying her machine, and being utterly focused on survival. “if she didn’t do something soon, the entire ship was going to blow itself to Kingdom Come.”

Boy, whom she comes to care for, is quite an unusual robot. “His father downloaded thousands of images to him, to safeguard, ones of the world before the Great War.” He is the Keeper of the past. Should we recover memories of what once was? Of what purpose is it, if we can’t go back to it? “Boy’s father could never bear to see what the Great War had stolen from us.” Put together, these images set a vision of “what we can have again if we do’t give up.”

Boy tells Liberty: “Your father told you never to love anyone…” To which she says, “If you’ll love enough for us both, I will breathe enough for us.” Indeed, here is blurring the line between human and mechanical, or more precisely—fusing the two, forging them into a bond.

Five stars.

[Lorraine Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will Breathe was my first Steampunk novel. I really got swept away in this one as my heart sank, rose with hope, and was filled with joy with such humorous moments.
Liberty, the main character, journeys in an airbus in a futuristic, post apocalyptic world after the death of her father and most of what was left of civilization, leaving only the likes of pocketfuls of humans living on the what was called the ‘Forbidden Lands’.
I loved how the author portrayed Liberty’s character as strong –willed and very self sufficient for a young lady to handle a large flying machine traveling to different routes of the world to acquire all the supplies she needed to survive. She trusted very few and could throw out cuss words like a trucker on holiday. Her softer side kicked in when she acquires Boy, a robot friend who seems to have a special bond with her in a most unusual way. Liberty will go through some pretty rough times and her life will change only proving what a strong woman she really is. And for Boy, that special bond he had with Liberty is even stronger in the end. It really touched my heart. You’ll have to read to find out why. Author Regina Puckett deserves a full five star for her heartfelt adventure.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I Will Breathe” by Regina Pucket is a delightful, bittersweet novel about a young girl on an airship in the year 2836. The world is devastated after a Great War, some 800 years ago and Liberty is all alone, with no parents or friends, other than her robot Boy. The scene setting at the beginning of the novel aboard Airus works very well and the atmospheric writing style sets the tone nicely for the adventures to come.
Liberty is a great character that befits the genre well: A lone survivor who is tough at times but still vulnerable at others. The post-apocalyptic setting always brings the focus on the basic human condition and the question of what we need beyond naked survival.
While this is a story on the entertaining side of steampunk, the novel has quite a few deeper notes about love and what it is to be human, about the need for company and a functioning society. Adventurous, sad, romantic, tender, entertaining and very enjoyable this is a breath of fresh air.

[Roy Murry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Will Breathe
Forbidden Series, Book 1

Regina Puckett

Reviewed by Roy Murry, Author

This Young Adult read is for the young at heart like them and me. It is fun, bizarre, and delightful. Some of the reasons I keep coming back to Regina's short novels

In this adventure, Liberty, a young lady pilot of an airship, goes about her business of bartering items needed in her post end of times world.

On one of her stops to deliver goods, she takes on the task of caring for a robot who has feelings. On a stop to get water fuel for her ship, she encounters other humans.

The adventure begins, and Liberty breaks all of her dead father's rules by engaging the robot and the humans. She finds love, a trait she has been avoiding all her life.

How this all comes about and how Liberty changes are the lessons learned in this novel; some that YA's should learn.

An enjoyable quick read. The way I like it.

[Charles Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been eight hundred years since the Great War. Liberty has grown up in this world, her home in an airship built by her adoptive father. Since he died, Liberty has been focused only on surviving from day to day, her only responsibility to herself. Then, she is given responsibility for a small, child-like robot. From this small, mechanical creature, Liberty learns about love and humanity—she learns to ‘breathe’ for her new charge, and in the process, learns to live.
I Will Breathe by Regina Puckett is a look at a war-ravaged future that will tug at your heart strings. She shows how one can learn to be human through the power of love, even love of non-human creatures. Puckett is a master at creating a believable future world and populating it with characters that you can’t help but identify with and have empathy for.
A quick read, you’ll want to read it again and again.

[J.P. McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Airship Adventure with Heart

Steampunk is a genre I’ve long wanted to explore, and I Will Breathe was the perfect introduction. It’s an adventure in a post-apocalyptic world aboard the airship home of an orphaned girl named Liberty. Puckett has created a desolate world where human contact is fraught with peril. Liberty is a product of her environment, shunning all but necessary human connection, and surviving by trading goods, and staying out of harm’s way up high in her airship. The story puts me in mind of history’s tales of early North American traders.

Puckett’s descriptive detail paints a vivid picture of the world she has created, and the characters in it. I especially liked the airship, and Boy, the child robot that Liberty is guilted into adopting is a delight. If you are new to steampunk, I will Breathe is a wonderful introduction.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs someone: I Will Breathe by Regina Puckett
This author wrote a different genre with this book, steampunk, futuristic. I'm glad she did, I loved it. It's a look at what the future could be after a Great War. Cities abandoned because of no food, buildings abandoned left just as the were. It was eight hundred years ago the Great War happened, not in Liberties lifetime. It's safer to stay in the air than be on the ground. Liberty does make ground stops when she really has to. Download this short story to find out what she encounters during her ground stops. I would love to tell you, that would be wrong. This is a very well written short story, what I like is the epilogue, goes on with what humanity can do in the face of adversity.

[Eric Ruark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. My only complaint is that I wished it were longer. But then, the book was aimed at a YA audience and I'm an OM (Old Man). Regina Puckett peopled her story with totally believable characters both human and robotic. Her lead character, Liberty, is a charming young lady with a slightly dirty mouth. Orphaned in a post-apocalyptic world, she makes the best of it flying her father's airship (balloon)between isolated human populations trading for the things she needs. When her lonely world is invaded by other humans and non-organic types, she makes the best of it. She is a survivor on several different levels. She is the kind of lead character that could sustain a series of books (IMHO) and I hope that Ms. Puckett brings her back.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent YA novella...

So I really enjoyed listening to this book. It is a cute YA (young adult) fantasy / sci fi story. It has air ships and robots. I loved the character Boy (the robot). I found this story to be original and totally charming. This would be a great story for a Sunday dinner with the entire family! It reminded me of the old- fashioned Disney movies (so to speak). The author, Regina Puckett did a great job on this novella. Excellent plot too. The narrator, Hollie Jackson, delivered a perfectly flawless and enjoyable narration. Excellent job all.

I received this audio book as a gift in exchange for a honest review.

[Lori Alden Holuta · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging, clever post-apocalypse steampunky story with well-developed characters and more than a few twists and turns. Unfortunately, the Kindle version was badly formatted, which had me struggling to stay focused on the story. Paragraph breaks exist where they shouldn't, a handful of words were missing that should have been caught in the proofread, and such. The author would do herself a favor to have the book re-proofed and formatted, since this is the gateway book to lead readers into her other works.

[Mike Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regina Puckett has created a vivid, imaginative world in this novel with an engaging protagonist; Liberty is lively and not afraid to speak her mind. With a compelling plot and moments of surprising tenderness, especially between Liberty and the robot, Boy, Puckett has absolutely done justice to the steampunk genre. The tense, post-apocalyptic atmosphere was dead-on. I was delighted the whole way through. Five stars!

[MaryJane Rings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good story appropriate for young adult readers. It is a post apocalyptic story with a thought provoking message of learning to trust and starting to inter mingle with other survivors. This book is the beginning of a series. Good light read.

[Elizabeth Forkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but oh so charming

Not my usual read but I really enjoyed it. Disappointed that there wasn't more of Liberty's story. I guess that's why I don't usually read short stories - if they're any good, it's a disappointment when they're over!

[Maryanna Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

I loved this book. I stopped in the middle of another book when I read a little of this one and couldn't put it down.

[Shellie Uchtman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading this author's short stories. They are very intriguing and each one takes you on a different journey. I am looking forward to reading her next one.