Barely Breathing: Breathing, Book 2 Author: | Language: English | ISBN:
B00D4BBSQW | Format: EPUB
Barely Breathing: Breathing, Book 2 Description
"I've spent most of my life trying to make it to a future that still hasn't happened, or avoid a past that won't let me go. I don't remember when I've ever just stopped to live in the present, to hold on to the seconds I'm in."Emma Thomas's struggle with an abusive home life came to a heart-pounding conclusion in the final chapters of
Reason to Breathe, the first installment of The Breathing Series - Rebecca's Donovan's bestselling romantic thriller (
USA Today). Now her secret life has been exposed, and her tormentor can't hurt her anymore. Yet, some are still haunted by that night. The bruises may have faded, but scars and fears remain. How will she reclaim her life when she's barely breathing?
- Audible Audio Edition
- Listening Length: 15 hours and 47 minutes
- Program Type: Audiobook
- Version: Unabridged
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
- Audible.com Release Date: June 18, 2013
- Whispersync for Voice: Ready
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00D4BBSQW
I have never reviewed a book, but after finishing last night, I felt I needed to. Let me first say that I love this series and am a huge fan of Rebecca Donovan, but I think she failed to deliver with "Barely Breathing". Although this is not a review for "Reason to Breathe", I feel that RTB was much more thought out and an altogether better story line. I felt it was completely believable, other than Evan's random move across country, but I realize why she had to make him disappear for a while. RTB had such raw emotion, with a well-thought out plot and the perfect cliff hanger ending that left you begging for more. We saw fantastic character development with Emma and fell in love with her relationship with Evan.
That being said... I was hugely disappointed with BB. I read every teaser Donovan gave and anticipated where the story would go. Little did I know, it was going nowhere close to what I had envisioned. I was disappointed, initially, with the fact that the story picks up about 6 months after the attack. I wanted to badly to go through the healing with her. I wanted to see how relationships would change. I wanted to know the reactions people had when they found out. I wanted to sit next to her in the courtroom. We got absolutely nothing but a vague account from Evan near the end of the story.
My major gripe with this book, however, was the lack of any type of plot development. There were so many story lines that seemed so suspenseful, but went absolutely nowhere. For example, I thought Analise would have a pivotal role in this book. So much led up to there being more going on between her and Evan, but that story line ended with her giving up and telling Emma not to break his heart?? And what about Drew?
To avoid sounding redundant, I'll give my take on both books here...
Let me start by saying, Out of Breath is basically a story all about high school life- the classes, the activities and the inevitable drama. Boring drama. A lot of rich kid parties and constant rumors swirling (probably because the kids are just as bored as I was while reading this book). There IS violent abuse spread throughout, but its fleeting and the main character, Emma, spends more time talking about how afraid she is OF her aunt's wrath, than how she feels in the aftermath of each attack. Her lack of will to help herself is pretty infuriating ....and that does not a strong heroine make.
Barely Breathing picks up with Emma already submerged into her new life without the *physical* abuse. Its another boring, drawn out mess! By the end of this book, you'll be picturing your own hands around Emma's neck, strangling the life out of her. I don't think I've ever come across such a weak, helpless, 'poor me' character. She's tough to like and/or root for. She second guesses every decision, she puts others before her to the point where she allows it to interfere with the future she had worked so hard for. I really got the impression that since she escaped from hell house, she no longer had goals to work towards. I know this wasn't the case, but she just stopped trying/caring. Again... hard to root for. :\
Spoiler- The end didn't bother me at all. Emma and Evan didn't have a believable connection, or one that the author put enough time in to build. Evan was written off as on vacation or spending entirely too much time with a female friend of his for about 85% of this book. How could you really be upset by that?
Barely Breathing: Breathing, Book 2 Preview
Link
Please Wait...