Review: Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer

Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer

Book 2.5 of the Elemental series

Publisher: K Teen

Publication Date: April 30, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Too many secrets. Not enough time.

Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic.

But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive.

His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark.

He can feel it—the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.

What I Liked:

This will be a rather short review, because I'm reviewing a novella, and the novella itself is pretty short.

I feel so bad because I've had an eARC of this one for MONTHS now - nearly a year, to be honest. My bad, K Teen! Forgive me, please! I really enjoyed the novella, if that helps!

I think this novella is well-placed. It comes between books two and three. Book four is the full-length novella featuring Nick and his story. So, it's kind of cool to get to see what Nick is all about, before his book comes out. I've already read and reviewed Secret, but I still totally appreciate the purpose and timing of this novella.

This novella is a novella - therefore, it is very short. So, I'm not going to summarize the story. But I like the pacing of the novella, because Kemmerer does manage to fit in a story with a plot and a climax into this short story. She keeps readers interested with several key events, and even integrates a bit of character development in the story.

Nick is so confused about himself, and that is evident in this novella. His whole life, he seems to have had things figured out. In reality, nothing is concrete with Nick. His academics, his social life, his familial life, his being... he doesn't have everything mapped out for himself.

You have to feel for Nick. He always appears to be the one that's totally put-together, but in reality, he's confused. He needs to get away, to get out. Once again, Kemmerer has worked her magic, and she has successfully made readers FEEL. Love!

What I Did Not Like:

There wasn't anything I didn't like. This just wasn't a 5-star read for me. An awesome novella for sure though!

Would I Recommend It:

As with most novellas, this one is not necessary to read, to understand the rest of the series. In fact, each full-length novel in this series acts as a companion novel in the series. So, you could read any of the books or novellas without having to read any of the others.

That being said, I still think fans of this series, or new readers of this series should read this novella. It gives so much perspective, in terms of Nick and his quiet, private nature. And if you have not read Secret yet, you'll know that any peek at Nick's personal life is a gift, because he doesn't reveal much.

Rating:

4 stars. A wonderful novella! Short, sweet, and to the point. Nick's point of view is exactly what I thought it would be!

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