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izzieburns's review
5.0
I could keep reading about Evan Matthews forever. I love this series beyond belief. It's so beautiful, and I'm so sad to have finished it. I can't even find the words to say how I feel about these books and these characters. I've grown so attached to them.
kristamarshae's review against another edition
5.0
I am beyond content with the ending of this series. <3
thebooktrollop's review against another edition
5.0
God, I really want to fangirl all over this series and jump up and down and scream and cry about how amazing I find these three books and how amazing I find Rebecca Donovan at the same damn time.
She is so effing sweet and nice and yeah I probably will blow her head up but hey we all need our heads blown up a bit, especially if your name is Rebecca Donovan and you wrote the amazing Breathing Series.
This series touched a part of my heart and soul and I haven't been the same since. If you have been following me you know that Rebecca Donovan is THE REASON I started reading indie books and authors. At the time I was reading Nicholas Sparks, Stephanie Meyers (over and over and over again), and other mainstream authors who are just as incredible but I wanted something different, I needed something different. So I was browsing through Amazon and landed on Reason to Breathe, it called out to me, I don't remember why I finally downloaded it but I did, and I have been WOWED from the very first chapter in the first book to the very last word in the third one.
So lets get started so I can blow up Rebecca Donovan's head and fangirl over this shit because let me be honest and tell you that there is no way I cannot write these reviews and not gush over them.. its just not possible..
Again.. PLEASE do NOT read this if you have not read the other two books in this series. You will be ruined..
I am going to try VERY HARD not to give anything away with this review, I want to make this as spoil free as possible..
When the second book left off, Emma left Weslyn and everything that was there behind.
She left Evan behind because she did not want to ruin his life, she felt like she was going to break him like she broke everything else.
She left her mother because her mother did nothing but blame Emma for every bad thing in her life. She never loved Emma like she should have and Emma was even more damaged after living with her mother than she was before. Emma left Johnathan and Evan after their epic battle of testosterone. She didn't go to graduation, she didn't go to prom, she just went straight to Stanford with no explanations to anyone.
When we see Emma again in this book she is still cracked, damaged, and barely holding it together.
She is now a sophomore at Stanford living with other members of her soccer team. Her and Sara are still as close as ever but they no longer live in the same zipcode.
We are introduced to new characters, whom I absolutely LOVE. These new friends have no idea about Emma's past except for Meg, but she doesn't hear it from Emma she hears everything from Sara and not even Sara knows EVERYTHING that happened.
This group of girls try to pull Emma out of her own head and into reality but it isn't possible, there is just too much stuff left unresolved from her past and she isn't letting herself FEEL anything because she likes to be numb, which only damages her more.
This becomes theme that is being made.
Emma needing to FEEL and HEAL
She will never get over her past and live her future unless she begins to mend her heart and soul.
“She’s just… broken.” Her voice cracked. “And I’m not sure how to help her.”
So you guys know what that means??
She needs Evan, she has to explain, she has to talk to him and let herself feel the heartbreak that she caused herself.
After some intense moments Emma begins to do just that.
Evan is back in her life because he wants answers, he DESERVES answers and Emma knows this but how can she begin to open up to what happened when she is so use to keeping everything buried deep, deep, insider her?
It's so frustrating and at times I wanted to scream but Ms. Donovan did this on purpose, she had to have done this on purpose.
If Emma just all of a sudden opens up and spills her inner secrets and turmoil then she wouldn't have kept true to Emma's character.
It doesn't work like that and yeah I was aggravated with Emma but I understood and gave the author tons of kudos for making the book the way she did. It took guts to not just make everything all rainbows and sunshine just to appease her readers.
This book wasn't about getting Emma and Evan back together..
It was about getting Emma's pieces put back together to make her whole again, even if there are still a few cracks left because lets face it, there is no way someone could go through everything that Emma went through without some cracks being leftover.
All I wanted to do was lose myself in the strokes of my brush. Gain control over the chaos that was tearing me apart. And find myself in the one place I would forever feel safe.
And Evan.. oh god as if I needed anymore reasons to love him.. He proves a whole new level of admiration.
Everyone needs an Evan in their lives, someone to love them as fiercely and as whole-heartedly as he loves in general.
I LOVED that the author put his POV in this book, it didn't confuse me, and if anything it added more heart to the book.
Evan was different in this book, he was more mature, he knew what he wanted and he was finally standing up for himself to everyone and especially to the one girl that practically damaged him in more ways than one.
He wants answers but does he get them? Can he actually forgive her if he does? Even though he still loves her, he can't get too close because he KNOWS he will get burned. So where does that leave Emma and Evan?
“Emma, I could never hate you. I’ve told you that before, and it’s still true.” Her expectation that I could made me feel like she’d just punched a hole through my chest. “But I need closure, so I can move on.”
I think the author ended the book how it should have ended and I read on Twitter that the unanswered questions are going to be answered in her new series with..
Johnathan..
And of course she hints that it'll be even darker than Emma's story..
GAAAHH
I really need to start taking anxiety meds with these authors and their dark, twisted, amazing stories!!
pheeewww... If you haven't figured it out already, this series is amazing and as far as series go, it is tied with how I feel about the Twilight series. I could read these books over and over again and still would love them..
They put me on an emotional roller coaster, I experienced every damn emotion under the sun..
AND
I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Ok I'm done raving and if you don't read these books then you are missing out
ON
LIFE..
5/5 amazing stars for this incredible series
For the FULL review go to: thebooktrollop.blogspot.com
She is so effing sweet and nice and yeah I probably will blow her head up but hey we all need our heads blown up a bit, especially if your name is Rebecca Donovan and you wrote the amazing Breathing Series.
This series touched a part of my heart and soul and I haven't been the same since. If you have been following me you know that Rebecca Donovan is THE REASON I started reading indie books and authors. At the time I was reading Nicholas Sparks, Stephanie Meyers (over and over and over again), and other mainstream authors who are just as incredible but I wanted something different, I needed something different. So I was browsing through Amazon and landed on Reason to Breathe, it called out to me, I don't remember why I finally downloaded it but I did, and I have been WOWED from the very first chapter in the first book to the very last word in the third one.
So lets get started so I can blow up Rebecca Donovan's head and fangirl over this shit because let me be honest and tell you that there is no way I cannot write these reviews and not gush over them.. its just not possible..
Again.. PLEASE do NOT read this if you have not read the other two books in this series. You will be ruined..
I am going to try VERY HARD not to give anything away with this review, I want to make this as spoil free as possible..
When the second book left off, Emma left Weslyn and everything that was there behind.
She left Evan behind because she did not want to ruin his life, she felt like she was going to break him like she broke everything else.
She left her mother because her mother did nothing but blame Emma for every bad thing in her life. She never loved Emma like she should have and Emma was even more damaged after living with her mother than she was before. Emma left Johnathan and Evan after their epic battle of testosterone. She didn't go to graduation, she didn't go to prom, she just went straight to Stanford with no explanations to anyone.
When we see Emma again in this book she is still cracked, damaged, and barely holding it together.
She is now a sophomore at Stanford living with other members of her soccer team. Her and Sara are still as close as ever but they no longer live in the same zipcode.
We are introduced to new characters, whom I absolutely LOVE. These new friends have no idea about Emma's past except for Meg, but she doesn't hear it from Emma she hears everything from Sara and not even Sara knows EVERYTHING that happened.
This group of girls try to pull Emma out of her own head and into reality but it isn't possible, there is just too much stuff left unresolved from her past and she isn't letting herself FEEL anything because she likes to be numb, which only damages her more.
This becomes theme that is being made.
Emma needing to FEEL and HEAL
She will never get over her past and live her future unless she begins to mend her heart and soul.
“She’s just… broken.” Her voice cracked. “And I’m not sure how to help her.”
So you guys know what that means??
She needs Evan, she has to explain, she has to talk to him and let herself feel the heartbreak that she caused herself.
After some intense moments Emma begins to do just that.
Evan is back in her life because he wants answers, he DESERVES answers and Emma knows this but how can she begin to open up to what happened when she is so use to keeping everything buried deep, deep, insider her?
It's so frustrating and at times I wanted to scream but Ms. Donovan did this on purpose, she had to have done this on purpose.
If Emma just all of a sudden opens up and spills her inner secrets and turmoil then she wouldn't have kept true to Emma's character.
It doesn't work like that and yeah I was aggravated with Emma but I understood and gave the author tons of kudos for making the book the way she did. It took guts to not just make everything all rainbows and sunshine just to appease her readers.
This book wasn't about getting Emma and Evan back together..
It was about getting Emma's pieces put back together to make her whole again, even if there are still a few cracks left because lets face it, there is no way someone could go through everything that Emma went through without some cracks being leftover.
All I wanted to do was lose myself in the strokes of my brush. Gain control over the chaos that was tearing me apart. And find myself in the one place I would forever feel safe.
And Evan.. oh god as if I needed anymore reasons to love him.. He proves a whole new level of admiration.
Everyone needs an Evan in their lives, someone to love them as fiercely and as whole-heartedly as he loves in general.
I LOVED that the author put his POV in this book, it didn't confuse me, and if anything it added more heart to the book.
Evan was different in this book, he was more mature, he knew what he wanted and he was finally standing up for himself to everyone and especially to the one girl that practically damaged him in more ways than one.
He wants answers but does he get them? Can he actually forgive her if he does? Even though he still loves her, he can't get too close because he KNOWS he will get burned. So where does that leave Emma and Evan?
“Emma, I could never hate you. I’ve told you that before, and it’s still true.” Her expectation that I could made me feel like she’d just punched a hole through my chest. “But I need closure, so I can move on.”
I think the author ended the book how it should have ended and I read on Twitter that the unanswered questions are going to be answered in her new series with..
Johnathan..
And of course she hints that it'll be even darker than Emma's story..
GAAAHH
I really need to start taking anxiety meds with these authors and their dark, twisted, amazing stories!!
pheeewww... If you haven't figured it out already, this series is amazing and as far as series go, it is tied with how I feel about the Twilight series. I could read these books over and over again and still would love them..
They put me on an emotional roller coaster, I experienced every damn emotion under the sun..
AND
I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
Ok I'm done raving and if you don't read these books then you are missing out
ON
LIFE..
5/5 amazing stars for this incredible series
For the FULL review go to: thebooktrollop.blogspot.com
nayabimtiaz's review against another edition
4.0
I almost loved it. The first book of this trilogy was better.
samiam308's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely the weakest of the series. I partly appreciated they wrapped things up so nicely, but it seemed like that was the whole motivation.
jaimejustreadsromance's review against another edition
5.0
Still crying, and running on only two hours of sleep I cracked open the final installment of this series. Evan you better be back! I swear I'm going to keep hating you Rebecca...this better play out in his favor!!
"And this is Cole," Tom said, directing my attention to the blond guy with broad shoulders standing next to him.
WHAT?!? NO!! How could you Emma, how could you? You aren't supposed to even think about any other guy let alone date one! Focus on your friends, you know all your new roomies. Where's Evan, when does he come back? Put down that alcohol and...well just go find Evan!!
^^My crazy thought process throughout the first 1/4 of the book^^
Although I will admit that I did like Cole and in a way he was good for Emma, one of the thousand pieces to help put her back together and make something beautiful.
"But if you need to walk away, then go ahead. Emma, I'm not asking for anything. I like what this is. There're no expectations. So, if you can...just for this week, I'd like it if you didn't walk away."
It was great to see Emma make more friends now that she was away at college and Sara was out of the country. Each of them had a role in helping her too. Peyton helped her move on (I hate this but can appreciate it at the same time), Meg was the only one who knew what had happened and did her best to watch over her, and Serena was determined to save her.
Then Rachel killed herself and I knew it was just all down hill from there. But Evan was finally back! Woohoo!!
I fell in love with him all over again reading as he tried to help put Emma back together again.
"Let it all out, Emma. Find your way back to us."
"Now I had a choice. I could let her push me away, fearing she'd continue to hurt me. Or I could fight for us. Convince her that we were worth it. Any pain she could inflict would never come close to the pain of being without her. I could never give up on her...on us."
"Emma, there was never a choice. I will always choose you. Always."
As the description promised I was holding my breathe until the very end. This book was everything and more than I heard about it. The way that Rebecca tackled all forms of abuse in this book was captivating, thoughtful and...powerful. Kudos to her for having the strength to write these books and to share all of these emotions with us. Even her acknowledgements brought me to tears.
"Lastly, I must express my admiration for the strength and perseverance of every survivor of abuse. There is hope. There is love. There is help. You are not alone."
See full series review
http://fortheloveofbooksbyjaime.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-breathing-series-by-rebecca.html
"And this is Cole," Tom said, directing my attention to the blond guy with broad shoulders standing next to him.
WHAT?!? NO!! How could you Emma, how could you? You aren't supposed to even think about any other guy let alone date one! Focus on your friends, you know all your new roomies. Where's Evan, when does he come back? Put down that alcohol and...well just go find Evan!!
^^My crazy thought process throughout the first 1/4 of the book^^
Although I will admit that I did like Cole and in a way he was good for Emma, one of the thousand pieces to help put her back together and make something beautiful.
"But if you need to walk away, then go ahead. Emma, I'm not asking for anything. I like what this is. There're no expectations. So, if you can...just for this week, I'd like it if you didn't walk away."
It was great to see Emma make more friends now that she was away at college and Sara was out of the country. Each of them had a role in helping her too. Peyton helped her move on (I hate this but can appreciate it at the same time), Meg was the only one who knew what had happened and did her best to watch over her, and Serena was determined to save her.
Then Rachel killed herself and I knew it was just all down hill from there. But Evan was finally back! Woohoo!!
I fell in love with him all over again reading as he tried to help put Emma back together again.
"Let it all out, Emma. Find your way back to us."
"Now I had a choice. I could let her push me away, fearing she'd continue to hurt me. Or I could fight for us. Convince her that we were worth it. Any pain she could inflict would never come close to the pain of being without her. I could never give up on her...on us."
"Emma, there was never a choice. I will always choose you. Always."
As the description promised I was holding my breathe until the very end. This book was everything and more than I heard about it. The way that Rebecca tackled all forms of abuse in this book was captivating, thoughtful and...powerful. Kudos to her for having the strength to write these books and to share all of these emotions with us. Even her acknowledgements brought me to tears.
"Lastly, I must express my admiration for the strength and perseverance of every survivor of abuse. There is hope. There is love. There is help. You are not alone."
See full series review
http://fortheloveofbooksbyjaime.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-breathing-series-by-rebecca.html
tstreet's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t like that Emma turned to sleeping with Cole instead of trying to face her problems. I like that Meg was caring and able to take care of Emma. I like that even though Sara was not with her, she still got updates on her and was still there for her. I like that her and Evan were able to find peace with each other and forgive each other. I feel bad for Emma, when she finds the letter from her mom. I like that she visits Jack and Leyla again.
10/9/19 Re-read
I loved this book. I was glad when Emma moved in with her mother Rachel and out of the house with Rachel. I love Evan and Sarah and how much they love Emma. I love that they are willing to do anything for her. I loved it when Sarah and Jared got together. I think that they’ll be happy. I was gald when Emma was finally able to forgive herself and move on from her past. I really loved this book and I absolutely love Rebecca Donovan’s books. 5 stars!
10/9/19 Re-read
I loved this book. I was glad when Emma moved in with her mother Rachel and out of the house with Rachel. I love Evan and Sarah and how much they love Emma. I love that they are willing to do anything for her. I loved it when Sarah and Jared got together. I think that they’ll be happy. I was gald when Emma was finally able to forgive herself and move on from her past. I really loved this book and I absolutely love Rebecca Donovan’s books. 5 stars!
mrsgalvan23's review against another edition
4.0
I will start off with the good points of this book bc I really did love it. The writing was flawless. I absolutely loved the alternating POV between Evan and Emma. It was perfect and flowed beautifully. I absolutely love Evan. He is actually a bit too perfect. You can tell he is a fictional character bc no man is as wonderful in real life, but I don't care; I love him anyway. I also loved Emma's Stanford friends and Evan's CA friends. They were so entertaining. I loved the ending, not the epilogue, but what happened prior.
Now complaints, Emma has a semi love interest in the book, Cole. I could have done w.o him. I don't think he was needed at all. This was abut Emma and Evan and should have stayed that way. Next, Emma has been through a lot in her life, I get that, but she annoyed me at times. She was so self loathing, and while I completely understood why, it was aggravating bc she was surrounded by so much love...I think it took her too long to realize that. Lastly, I did not love the epilogue. I feel it was lacking.
Overall, I think this was a great ending to the series and I loved it. It was full of emotion, angst, and I loved the chemistry between Evan and Emma. 4.5 stars.
Now complaints, Emma has a semi love interest in the book, Cole. I could have done w.o him. I don't think he was needed at all. This was abut Emma and Evan and should have stayed that way. Next, Emma has been through a lot in her life, I get that, but she annoyed me at times. She was so self loathing, and while I completely understood why, it was aggravating bc she was surrounded by so much love...I think it took her too long to realize that. Lastly, I did not love the epilogue. I feel it was lacking.
Overall, I think this was a great ending to the series and I loved it. It was full of emotion, angst, and I loved the chemistry between Evan and Emma. 4.5 stars.