{Ten Tiny Breaths} by K.A. Tucker {50¢}

Plot -  10¢

Wow. This was a superior plot. It had all of my favorite ingredients, originality, sincerity, and reality. Ten Tiny Breaths is overflowing with smart writing, unique characters, poignant issues, conflict, drama, humor, love and redemption. Many times while reading this book I would stop and just think. What would I do? What would I have done? It’s strangling. The thought of being in Kacey’s place, in her shoes. It wrecks me.

There were times when I thought that a character or place would be bad for her and her sister, Livie. Then, I was wrong. These random people bloomed into a weird and beautiful family of sorts.

Was I judging books by their covers? (Speaking of covers, this one is flawless.)

The timing and pace were great. The building of both character and plot, executed with tender detail, catapults this story into a magical, haunting and emotional climax. I was speechless.

I’ve never cried that hard for a book. It really spoke to me and I couldn’t help but feel like this could have been me. This situation is one that many people in my life could be living.

Then, I was just thankful.

Main Characters – 5¢

It’s hard to say who the main characters really were.  There were so many crucial people in the book.

Kacey Cleary is the leading main character. The story has her POV. She is hurt and not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. In every way a person can be damaged, she’s that kind of damaged.  Even though she’s broken, she fights. She fights for her sister. She fights for herself. She fights for people she loves. And she fights just to breathe. She is probably one of the strongest female leads I have ever read. She’s a survivor in every way. I adored her. Her heart was so big and so resilient. I hope I’m like Kacey Cleary.

Trent Emerson. What an evolving character. My thoughts about him were ever-changing. It was conflicting how I battled with my love for him. He was kind. He was funny. He was beautiful. He was desperate. He was haunted, too. Through all of this, even when I wanted to banish him, I couldn’t let go of my sympathy for him. I couldn’t discount his pain.

I also want to include Livie as a main character. I know it doesn’t really fit the mold, but this book didn’t either. She was such a huge entity. She had just as much part in the book as Trent did. She was the mature younger sister, that bit her tongue and did the right things. She took care of Kacey. I adored Livie. She earns a seat on the main character bus, because I said so.

Secondary Characters – 5¢

This book was full of really top-notch secondaries. They flowed in and out. There were new ones introduced throughout the entire story. Just like life. I don’t think that even one was disposable. They each served a meaningful purpose and added so much, opposed to cluttering it up like in other books.

My favorites were Storm, Ben, and the few that come along at the end. The later are game changers for me. The book took a twist and turn with later-half secondaries that magnified my emotions and made me think long and hard about empathy. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I’ll say the unconventional character near the end was one of my favorites…ever. Wow.

Setting – 4¢

The author did a fantastic job of constructing Kacey’s world. I liked all the odd or just original places in the book. The laundromat, the club, the Everglades, the apartments, and the places towards the end. I was really comfortable navigating the scenes.

Same goes for the chilling ones. I found myself living those nightmares so many times along with her. Vivid. Devastating. Frightening.  I winced when she did as she recalled them. It made my stomach hurt when I paused and let my imagination run. Some of the settings and surroundings in this book are  crippling, beautifully written, and  almost realistic to a fault.

Humor – 4¢

I am surprised lately how well these writers are writing humor in hopeless places. It speaks to their own sense of humor some, but more to their ability to write humanity. You know when you have to laugh to keep from crying sometimes?  I suppose that’s true in books, too.

Kacey and Trent were such asses to each other. There were so many light-hearted moments that I felt pacified at times. Kacey thought the weirdest things and the way she describes them is brilliant and twisted. I would read her thoughts sometimes and think, “huh, I get that.” She was really human and I related with that style of funny. Although some of the story  isn’t funny, sometimes irony can give you that same feeling.

A/R – 4¢

It was one of those I’m-gonna-need-a-minute kind of books. The beginning read quick. I was such the Eager Beaver. I knew she had a sad and painful past. Then, the last twenty-five percent of this book had me so engulfed and possessed with these people.  I had to take a break every few minutes to calm down. I know I sound like a whack job, but a novel has never made me feel this much before. I had to stop reading, calm the F down, and then continue.

One…two…three… I found myself thankful for the breathing reminders. I was using them.

Vocab – 5¢

Intelligent. There were only a few times when my brain said, “repeat.” Judging on the big picture, it was special. She wrote emotions and thoughts so candidly that it was easy to feel it, think it. There were so many short, concise sentences that spoke pages worth of emotion perfectly. How better to you say those things, than just saying it? No flowery, wordy prose. It was harsh and blunt, but essential. Like a perfectly timed slap. It’s hard to describe.

Edited very well, it felt like the complete book not chopped up. It was exceptional writing.

Steam – 3¢

This book had me hard up. I wanted it so bad for these two. I waited. They got closer. I waited some more, closer they went. Then the sentence that doused my libido with thirty-three degree water. Period. End of sex and that was their first time! Up until that I was so …there! She wrote smoking hot scenes, but then transitioned them like a light switch at a lock-in.

Finishing the book and reading it’s author blurb, and what not, I learned that she wasn’t comfortable with writing the sexy bits at first. I don’t know why though. She has much talent for it. Everything she gave me as a romance reader I gobbled up ungratefully. I WANTED MORE! (You had it in you, K.A. Tucker!) I hope she enjoyed writing it and that her boundaries stretched. I hope she continues with this genre. She’s made for it.

Value – 5¢

I paid $2.99 on Barnes and Noble for the Nook version. I got a great deal. The book was lengthy, not that it was too long. I just really got a lot for my three dollars. I’m beginning to see a pattern. These three dollar books are great! I am always skeptical when I see the price that low and wonder: Is this book  short? Is it on a promotion? Is the book not that great? Anal? haha! None of those worries were realized with this purchase. I would certainly say I underpaid, not that I’d pay more for anal. *wink

Ending – 5¢

Not often am I actually ‘happy’ at the end of a book. Either I’m upset that it sucked, or sad that it’s over.  I know. Tough crowd! I always want my way. After I take the journey with characters through tribulations and victories, I feel like I need to get something out of it. Weather it be a really good sense of closure or just more.

Ten Tiny Breaths didn’t disappoint me at all. It was the perfect end to this story. All of the clues and pieces fit magically into the conclusion of the book.

As it was a great read for me,  I won’t even hint at the finale of this one. Just know that if you read this book, then you will come out the other side different. You’ll look at anger and pain in a new light. Maybe you’ll be more open to forgiving. Maybe you’ll gain perspective on things that have haunted your past. You will, without a doubt, see that there are two (or more) sides to every story. You’ll learn by just breathing you’ve already won the hardest part of the battle.

You may buy Ten tiny Breaths, but it will own you.

I wink, putting on a brave face for her. “See you above water.”

Just breathe. Ten tiny breaths… Seize them. Feel them. Love them.

K.A.Tucker’s website

K.A. Tucker’s blog

The National Center for PTSD

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