Review: Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan

Emma’s struggle with an abusive home life came to a heart pounding conclusion in the final chapters of Reason to Breathe. Now everyone in Weslyn knows Emma’s secret, but Carol can’t hurt Emma anymore. Some are still haunted by the horror of that night, and some must face the repercussions of their choices. Fans of Rebecca Donovan’s debut novel will discover there’s still much to learn about Emma’s life.

"OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD," That has been running through my head on continuous repeat ever since I read Reason to Breathe a year ago. Rebecca Donovan's famous cliffhanger, the mother of all cliffhangers, gave life and meaning to the phrase, just left hanging. With an ending like that, you would assume Ms. Donovan did nothing but set herself up for failure. I mean how can you possibly follow an ending like that without coming up short? Emma f--king died in Reason to Breathe. How the hell do you top that? I don't know how, but she did it!! Oh my God! Rebecca Donovan totally did it!! She answers by writing a kick ass sequel! 


This book was better than the first! I can barely f--king breathe! There wasn't anything I didn't like; my stomach stayed tied up in knots the whole time. The plot contained so many twists and jaw dropping surprises; it was flawless. The author slowly unraveled such a shocking turn of events; I never saw it coming. The romance is so heartwarming, heartbreaking, and INCREDIBLY HOT!!! To say this was an emotional ride would mean to redefine the term understatement.  


So how does the ending compare to Reason to Breathe? Well, I was left screaming, "NO, NO, NO! She did it, AGAIN!!! It's like her first cliffhanger had a little cliffhanger baby. As much as it kills me to admit it, I think the huge wait for Barely Breathing and being left with such uncertainty after Reason to Breathe made this such an amazing experience. To be left not knowing for a whole year, what an incredible ride. Those who will read Reason to Breathe with the sequel immediately available will miss out on some of the intensity (even though the wait really did suck), but either way you'll get a great experience and  definitely need to read this series. I just pray we don't have to wait another year for book three. I just might die!