Review: Silencing Breath by Joanne Brothwell

Goodreads Summary:

Silencing Breath, book two in the Stealing Breath series.
Just as Sarah Ross is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an Indigo Child and settling into a normal life with her beloved Evan, her entire world shatters when Evan disappears without a trace.

Desperate to find him, Sarah’s search leads her to a sadistic serial killer who confirms her worst fears are true; Evan has been kidnapped, and he is once again in the clutches of his abusive family of necromancers.

Sarah uncovers not only Evan's dark past he tried so desperately to protect her from, but also The Key of Solomon, an ancient text for summoning the dead.

Knowing her abilities are limited in the face of this ancient power, Sarah is forced to face the Malandanti in order to save him. However, one question remains: once he is found, will Evan be the same man she fell in love with?

Publication Date: March 15, 2013

This was a dark and intense read, much more so than the first book in the series Stealing Breath. In this novel, it is four years after the events of the first novel and Sarah and Evan are still in love and living together. Evan makes only a short appearance before his reincarnated father and his brother Stefano abduct him.

The story is told in dual POVs (Sarah in first person and Stefano in third person). This is the second time I’ve seen a writer do this lately and I think the author pulled it off well. For me personally, I would’ve found the constant switching difficult to do. Honestly, I think I preferred Stefano’s chapters, I found him to be such an intriguing character.

The characters were all well developed. Stefano really grows as a character and I liked Alex as a new addition to the series. However, I really missed Evan in this book. Since he was such a favorite of mine from the first book, it was tough to read what he goes through while in the evil clutches of Stefano and his dad.

Silencing Breath is DARK. There are a few scenes that were really tough to read, especially for me since I’m squeamish. The author has a talent for gritty descriptions and this was one of the few books lately to scare the pants off of me. There’s everything from human sacrifice, necromancy, skinwalking and torture. Plan to sleep with the lights on if you read Silencing Breath.

The book leaves off on a cliffhanger and I’m anxious to get my hands on the next installment. This is one of the most creative paranormal series I’ve read and I hope Sarah’s Indigo powers continue to develop along with her relationships.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this novel for my honest review!  

Young Adult Novel Reader Blog Tour: Review of Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell

Title: Stealing Breath

Author: Joanne Brothwell

Pages: 258

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Description:

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent... creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn't even know she had. Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning? Turning to a healer, Sarah is shocked to learn her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child-an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others. But her indigo aura also makes her an easy target for those who wish to consume her powerful essence. Soon, Sarah is falling deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart and trust that he is the man he says he is. But she can't ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, leading her on a course that will force her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

Author Links:

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About Joanne Brothwell

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis.

My Review:

This book was so good! It exceeded my expectations and I think it may have led to a new book crush. Evan made me swoon in so many of the scenes. The book kept me guessing and it was left open-ended enough that I’m really hoping there’s a sequel in the works.

The premise for Stealing Breath is what really pulled me in. I’ve never read a book where the focus is on Indigo Children and Skinwalkers. I loved learning about these new supernatural creatures and what types of powers they had. I especially liked learning about Evan’s background and his ties to warlocks that were based out of Italy.

Sarah was a very relatable character. She had a very every-day girl feel to her and I found myself liking her early on. At times, some of her actions were a little reckless, but I think she became blinded by her feelings for Evan. It was interesting to see her develop her powers along with the progression of her relationship with this mysterious guy.

Evan was such a great character! I couldn’t for the life of me get a read on whether he was a good or bad guy. Usually I’m good at figuring out the motivations of a character, but I was stumped until his family history was revealed. His scenes with Sarah were so sexy and romantic! Between the author’s description of his good looks and heart-wrenching background, I was melting.

The pacing was good except for a few scenes on the Reservation that I felt were a little rushed. I liked how the author incorporated Native American rituals like smudging into the plot. I was never bored while reading and I flew through the book in a couple of days.

A must read with a great cast of characters! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a paranormal romance with a unique plot.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.