Throwback Thursday Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker

Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #1

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Release Date: September 24, 2013

Format: Trade Paperback

Source: Purchased

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Four years ago Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, holding her boyfriend’s lifeless hand and listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, twenty-year-old Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. Struggling to make ends meet, Kacey needs to figure out how to get by. But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has blue eyes, deep dimples, and he perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable and Trent is determined to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means that an explosive secret could shatter both their worlds.

Originally Read and Reviewed: November 2014

I'm not sure how I first came across Ten Tiny Breaths but it was my first by K.A. Tucker and remains my favorite (although last years Until It Fades is a close second). As a side note, the novella In Her Wake is listed as #0.5 in the Ten Tiny Breaths companion series, but I highly recommend reading it after Ten Tiny Breaths. 

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This book. OMG, this book. Ten Tiny Breaths took me by surprise and it was so much more than I was expecting.

Four years ago Kacey lost almost everything - her parents, her best friend, her boyfriend - in a car accident. All she has left is her younger sister Livie who she is determined to protect. Even so, Kacey descends into the escapism of alcohol, drugs and sex to help numb her loss. Even when she moves past those vices she is still closed off to those around her. And when Livie's well-being is threatened Kacey packs their bags and they flee to Miami for a new start.

"No human can bury their past indefinitely.

"It's only a matter of time before you crack."

Once there she meets Trent, who has just moved into the apartment next door. Trent is the first person she's been drawn to and had feelings for since the accident. As much as she tries to fight against it, she finds herself allowing Trent glimpses of the real Kacey. Her other neighbor is Nora/Storm, a young woman with her own difficult past but is doing her best to raise her five year old daughter.

Despite Kacey's best efforts, these people become an integral part of her new life and she comes to count on them and the friendship and support they offer. But even as she tries to start over, the past won't stay buried and she'll have to confront it if she has any hope of truly moving on.

"Isn't it exhausting?"

"What?"

"Keeping people out."

My first status update when reading this book commented on what a closed-off, prickly character Kacey was. I was worried that it might wear thin fast and I would have difficulty feeling any connection to her. Not so. I warmed to Kacey quickly and wanted so much more for her. She was so completely defined by her past and convinced there was no happiness left for her. Her constant struggle was painful to witness, her tentative steps toward opening herself up to others was hopeful, and her final acceptance was heart wrenching. The 'twist' (which seemed obvious to me, though not in a bad way) was so well done and added so much to the story.

"Give me your heart, Kacey. 

I'll take everything that comes with it."

The secondary characters throughout were so well written and made me want to know more about each of them. I loved the part they each played in Kacey's life. 

"I'll make you whole again, Kacey.

I promise you, I will."

Ten Tiny Breaths is about grief and acceptance, loss and forgiveness, and, ultimately, redemption. And I loved it start to finish.

4.5/5 STARS

Throwback Thursday Review: Leo by Mia Sheridan

Leo by Mia Sheridan

Series: No

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Release Date: November 27, 2013

Format: Kindle

Source: Purchased

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?

My Thoughts

A sure sign you are about to read a story that simply captivates you? When you read a line and fall in love on PAGE TWO. Yes, page two. That's how quickly I fell under the spell of this incredibly moving and heartfelt story. 

Evie and Leo meet while in foster care. She is 10 and he is 11. They form an unbreakable bond that sees them through tough circumstances. By the age of 14, Evie knows she's in love with Leo, which makes it even more heartbreaking when he announces that he is being adopted and he'll be moving across the country with his new parents. But they promise to wait for one another and Leo swears he will return for Evie when she turns 18 so they can start their life together. But that doesn't happen.

"No matter how far apart we are. No matter the distance or time, I will never love anyone except you. Not ever."

Eight years later Evie is 22 years old, working as a hotel maid to support herself, and has a few friends. But she's never forgotten Leo. When an attractive man approaches her and says that Leo sent him she is more hurt and confused than ever. But her attraction to this new man, Jake, cannot be denied and even as they start a passionate affair she questions what Jake may be hiding and what his connection to Leo really is.

Evie and Leo captured my heart from the very beginning with the strength and the sweetness of their feelings for one another. These two special people found each other early in life but both had already endured so much. Although they were young, there love was pure and true and my heart ached for them both. Seeing Evie eight years later was satisfying in that, while she still loved and missed Leo, she had overcome her circumstances and worked hard to create a new life for herself. She was equal parts strong and vulnerable and I loved that about her. She hadn't allowed her past to make her bitter or hard. Instead, she was kind and compassionate.

Maybe I'm an open book, or maybe love is like a magnifying glass straight into the souls of those who own your heart.

Jake was an intriguing character. He was attractive and charming and a gentleman (with some alpha tendencies that just made him even harder to resist). He was kind and sweet and generous to Evie and wanted to give her so much. I never doubted his feelings for her. But there was also plenty of mystery surrounding Jake. Many questions about his past that he said he would share with Evie, but only later. I had so many questions and so many theories and learning the truth was heartbreaking. 

I loved the flashbacks that provided more of Evie and Leo's story. It really drove home what these two meant to one another and how much of a support system they were for each other. Growing up where they may have had food and shelter but sorely lacked any love or (foster) parental guidance only strengthened their bond.

I can't say enough (without gushing) about how much I enjoyed Mia Sheridan's writing. It was perfect in its simplicity (and I mean that in the very best way possible). Her writing had an ease and a flow that drew me right in and had me completely immersed in these characters and their story. My only complaint? I wanted more of this incredible love story. I've become an instant fan of Mia Sheridan and I know I'll be reading all her other works very soon.

4.5/5 Stars
Originally read/reviewed January 2015

 

Have you ever read a book that you loved instantly?

Throwback Thursday Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Series: No

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 15, 2014

Originally Read/Reviewed: June, 2014

Format: Kindle

Source: NetGalley

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they’re rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen’s relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and—finally—a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

My Thoughts

Fans of Jennifer E. Smith know what to expect with her YA novels. Contemporary setting, likable characters and a sweet romance. The Geography of You and Me is no exception. Lucy and Owen are teenagers who have a happenstance meeting and spend a brief but unforgettable time together during a blackout. Before they have a chance to truly get to know one another and find out if there could be more, they both move away and are an ocean apart.

And therein lies the story. This is not a typical romance in that the main characters are separated for the vast majority of the book. They do keep in touch somewhat but the story largely revolves around their lives while they are apart. Owen embarks on a cross country road trip with his father, searching for a place to call home. Lucy lives and travels across Europe with her parents. It was during this part that I felt the story lagged a bit and became somewhat repetitive. Two teenagers, unsure of what is coming next in their lives, feeling somewhat directionless about the future, and continually plagued by what-if's over their initial meeting. The re-connection about three-quarters through the book was too brief to be satisfying. While I enjoyed the premise, I felt there was simply too much separation to truly be effective. After so much time apart I found myself losing interest in the would-be relationship.

On the plus side, I really enjoyed the dual POV. It worked perfectly for this story and both Lucy and Owen had unique voices. The multiple settings was also interesting and I enjoyed the brief looks at Lucy's travels through London, Edinburgh, Paris and Prague.

I would recommend this one to fans of Jennifer E. Smith and to those who like their YA romance on the sweet, 'clean teen" side.

3.5/5 Stars 

Do you prefer to read "sweet" YA contemporary or something a little edgier? 

Throwback Thursday Review: The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
Series: No
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Release Date: August 27, 2013 by Amulet Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library Loan
Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon












Kudos to Lauren Myracle. When I picked up The Infinite Moment of Us and read the synopsis I expected a cutesy, sweet (possibly saccharine) romance. Instead it manages to capture the intense, sometimes overwhelming, feelings of first love in a very real (and non-cutesy) way.

Charlie and Wren were both likable characters and I enjoyed seeing their relationship unfold. Wren did seem a bit immature at times and her inner dialogue bordered on whining but otherwise she was a young woman doing her best to pull away from her parents, make her own decisions for the first time, and navigate a new and heady relationship. I hesitate to use the term 'damaged' for Charlie but he definitely had a difficult childhood. Despite that, or maybe because of it, he was sweet and loving and very protective of those he cared about. Wren's friend Tessa was a lot of fun and I kept picturing Rhiannon, Olive's best friend from the movie Easy A.

I would even compare this to Judy Blume's iconic Forever for a new generation. A realistic account of finding your way through a new and "adult" relationship while finding your own way as well.