Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
Published: September 24, 2013Publisher: Atria BooksPages: 304Received: ARC for review from Simon & Schuster Canada for honest reviewBuy Now: Amazon | Simon & Schuster | Book DepositoryKacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.
Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.
But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.
I devoured this book. I pretty much
read it in a few hours once I had the chance to just sit and absorb
it all. The subject matter was appealing to me as I haven't read many
books that deal with the aftermath of a drunk driving accident. It's
amazing to see how people are affected in such incidents and I was
immediately drawn to Kacey and Livie. They lost everything with that
accident – poor Livie has lost the most since Kacey changed the day
the accident happened and Livie is stuck trying to put all the pieces
together again.
“Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths … Seize them. Feel them. Love them.”
Kacey is the kind of girl who pushes
everyone away from her. She won't let anyone in – not even her
sister. She feels so broken inside that it takes everything she has
to cope day to day. She blocks it all with a hard exterior and a
sassy attitude.
Livie is much wiser than her 15 years.
She has had to grow up fast after everything that happened four years
ago. She is stronger than her sister gives her credit for and I
cannot wait to read about Livie's story in One Tiny Lie.
With a new start under their belts –
I was cheering for the girls to make it through this and to come out
stronger and more together than ever before. I actually laughed,
cried and yelled while reading this book as it brings you through a
full gambet of emotions.
Kacey and Livie begin to trust people
and form a sort of pseudo-family with some of the neighbours. I
adored the relationship between the girls and their neighbours, Storm
and little Mia. It makes you realize there are good people out there
and if you have a little trust, things can get better.
And then enter Trent. The smoking hot
neighbour from 1D. He's mysterious, sexy and charming. At first I
wasn't sure about him, but as his relationship with Kacey develops, I
fell for him just as hard as she does. Taking things slow, realizing
she needs help with her issues, and just loving her for her.
I will say that I wasn't totally
prepared for the twist, though I had started guessing that this
specific twist might be a possibility. I'm notorious for figuring out
twists in books and movies before they happen and then I'm frustrated
for not just letting it unravel on it's own, but this time even
though I figured it out, it was still shocking and emotional as hell.
I can't say enough about this story and
I am eagerly hoping to get my hands on a copy of One Tiny Lie to
read about Livie's story. Also, hoping for more in this series from
other character POVs – there are so many great characters in this
story that I find intriguing.
CHECK OUT MY AUTHOR INTERVIEW HERE!
About the Author:
Next in the series:
One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker
Livie has always been
the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic
death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But
underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words
her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised
she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with
every choice, with every word, with every action.
Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?
As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.
Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?
As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.
I also really enjoyed this one. I thought Kathleen did an amazing job at conveying Kacey's brokenness in a way that wasn't eye rolling. I am super excited for Livie's story! She was a fantastic character.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review,
Sara @ Just Another Story
Me too... I'm excited to start Livie's story once I get back from my vacation in October. :) And there are a few more listed up on Goodreads that I found last night. Looks like an awesome series.
DeleteI read and reviewed this book as well. Although I didn't cry, the scene with the one-way mirror was pretty intense and so, so sad. I have One Tiny Lie waiting to be read, but for some reason Four Seconds to Lose does not appeal to me as much. I guess it's because I found Cain to be pretty greasy, even though he was not meant to be perceived in that way. But, c'mon, he's a strip club owner! I'm still likely to read it though, just to continue with the series.
ReplyDeleteI still need to read One Tiny Lie as well. I really want to get to it, but I have a few others ahead of it in my TBR pile. :) And ya, I'm not sure about Cain, but I will probably read it to as I like finishing series.
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