"Breathe, Annie, Breathe" Review

"Breathe, Annie, Breathe" By Miranda Kenneally 

Stars: 5!!!

Source: Library (Ordering my own copy ASAP)

"Breathe, Annie, Breathe" Is the story of Annie Winters, Annie hates running, she gets bored easily, her legs get wobbly, her breathing becomes uneven. She doesn't find passion in it like most runners, nor does she appreciate the silence that accompanies running. 

However Annie isn't running for herself, she's running for Kyle. But no matter how fast she runs Annie cant outrun the guilt that weights her down. The little voice in the back of her head that whispers to her, if only she and Kyle hadn't broken up he would still be alive. 

While training Annie meets Jere, a self proclaimed dare devil, always on the hunt for his next adrenaline rush. They are instantly attracted to one another and sparks fly both on and off the trails. Yet Annie can't seem to let her guard down. She knows what it's like to lose someone and with Jeremiahs crazy stunts she's afraid she'll lose him like she lost Kyle. 

In "Breathe, Annie, Breathe" Annie pushes her body and heart to the extreme and in the end learns that while crossing the finish line is important, it's just as important whose waiting for you once you do. 

Do you ever finish a book, read the last page, slowly close it and then spend the next twenty minutes staring at the wall? 

I have a love/hate relationship with these kinds of books. 

On the one hand, they are amazing, I could read them over and over again and never tire of the characters, the story, the quotes. I instantly want two copies. One to keep pretty on my bookshelf, displayed for everyone to see. One to keep in the bottom of my purse, the edges frayed, the pages highlighted. 

On the other hand they give me the worst book hangover. Any book I pick up for the next couple of weeks just can't hold a candle to it and thus I get in a reading slump. I end up comparing every book to the one I've put on a pedestal. I have to force myself to put it aside and simply pray that the author is currently drafting another masterpiece. 

(Someone please tell me Miranda Kenneally has a new book coming out sometime soon!)

"Breathe, Annie, Breathe" is most definitely one of my favorite books that I've read this year. It had everything I could possibly hope for. Love, love lost and love found. Heart, determination and adventure. Challenges, family, friends, emotions, feelings and conflicts. All intertwined together with just the right amount.

 It left me breathless, as if I was the one running 20+ miles, I kept forcing myself to put it down so I could draw out the story, yet I couldn't stay away for long. Ten minutes later my nose was back in the book. 

This book gave me one of thee worst book hangovers I have ever had. I desperately want to throw my to-be-read pile out the window and just re-read Annie's story over and over again. 

The only downside to this book and is that it makes me want to run. The entire time I was reading it I kept looking over at my running shoes giving them the evil eye and shaking my head no- hell no. After finishing it though and reading the acknowledgments I've decided if Annie and Miranda can do it then so can I. Time to lace up those shoes, pull my hair back and silently remind myself to breathe, just breathe.  

And while I'm running you should run too, run over to Barnes and Noble or better yet your local bookstore and grab yourself a copy of this book! You won't regret it! 

Until next time, 
Ginger