Reviews

Breathless by Jennifer Niven

cover_2_covered's review against another edition

4.0

Favourite Quote- "ᴍʏ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴜʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ. ɪ ᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ɪ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ: ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴀᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴜʀʙɪɴɢ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɢʟʏ. ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏF ᴡʜʏ ɪ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛ ʙᴏɴᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ. ᴜꜱᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴀ ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜᴇʏ' ʀᴇ ʙᴏɴᴇꜱ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ'ꜱ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ." -Jeramiah Crew

A beautifully written story centered around two teenagers- one who is a struggling writer and one who is a gifted photographer.

After her world is turned upside down by her parents Claudine - Known to everyone as Claude- finds herself exciled to a remote island where she meets a bunch of misfits who become some what of a found family. Respected by said band of misfits is Jeremiah Crew- known to everyone as Miah. Together, the two of them navigate their way through life to find where they truly belong.

The ending was somewhat frustrating because of how it is executed but it's bittersweet and beautiful.

A perfect summer read for anyone who is looking to relate to a teenaged light read.

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livrawds's review against another edition

3.0

I loveeed all the bright places it was my first real step into YA and this had its gripping moments and I prefer the two leads in this to ATBP because I could see myself in Claude but something felt off and the plot didn’t fully keep me gripped I don’t think JN is for me anymore

abbsbookies's review against another edition

emotional

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

m3ganmacd's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

canni06's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

virginiais4lovers's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I wanted to read this book because I wanted to read more work from authors that I've enjoyed previously. I enjoyed All the Bright Places and I’ve seen this book in bookshops and online that I thought I would give it a go. This book hurt my head and I didn’t really care for the main characters. 

This book is based on Claudine Henry, and she wasn’t supposed to be spending her summer on this remote island off the coast of Georgia. She was supposed to be on a road trip with her best friend and spending every minute together before they go to college. But after her father makes a shock announcement, she is exiled with her shaken mother, with no phone service and no one she knows. She is completely cut off. Until she meets Jeremiah who is free spirited, mysterious and beautiful. Their chemistry is immediate and irresistible. They both know that whatever they have can only last the summer, but maybe one summer is enough. 

My issue with this book is that nothing happens. Absolutely nothing interesting. It just sort of moves along, there are no twists, no turns. It was very predictable. Coming of age learns her father is a cheater and now she has daddy issues and she hates her mother for ruining her summer, she falls out with her best friend because her mother ruins their summer, she falls in love with the bad boy, they have sex, they fall out, get back together and then they leave to carry on with their lives. I wasn’t shocked or hooked, I was getting bored, and I had a headache from rolling my eyes too much. Claudine was annoying me for like 65% of this book, her thoughts were exhausting, and she was making everything sound like the end of the world. Miah was just shut off and then became too emotional when the flip was switched, I would’ve liked to see more of a slow change. The ending wasn’t the ending, because it felt like it was setting itself for a sequel that hasn’t happened.  

Like most people, I liked the island aspect of it and I would have LOVED for this to be a self-growth journey for Claud rather than the fact that she spend 20% complaining about the fact that she was a virgin and wanted to sleep with someone else and then she loses her virginity and all of a sudden she’s not self-conscious or overthinking anything? Bullshit.  

I just wanted more from this book, I think my expectations was way too high after All the Bright Places and I don’t know if I will be reading Holding Up the Universe after reading this.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Suicide

Moderate: Death

riacamden's review against another edition

4.0

it’s probably more 3.5 stars.

i kinda like and dislike this book at the same time.
so my main concern: the main character was too obsessed with sex, even tho we didn’t get any spice. it was so weird, but maybe i forgot about “how it is to be a teen” (no). so this was a little be meh.

but the story is beautiful and heartshaking at the same time. it’s a lot about family issues, how hard it is to go though your family falling apart. and it’s coming of age. it’s romantic.

at the end i just wanna scream here: I WANT MY SUMMER LOVE ADVENTURE, pls?

also, the cliffhanger! f!

christinaglenn's review against another edition

5.0

This will definitely be one I revisit often.

Claude is relatable and a pretty typical young girl. Miah is book boyfriend worthy. This story definitely gives off some feels and emotions - and totally not what you’re expecting.

I really enjoyed it - as I do all of the authors books.

bubbataylor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0