Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally


Welcome to my tour review stop for Breath, Annie, Breath by Miranda Kenneally!

Breathe, Annie, BreatheBreathe, Annie, Breathe
(Hundred Oaks #5)
by Miranda Kenneally
YA/NA Contemporary
Hardcover, 306 Pages
July 15th 2014 by Sourcebooks Fire

Summary

Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

"Breathe, Annie, Breathe is an emotional, heartfelt, and beautiful story about finding yourself after loss and learning to love. It gave me so many feels. Her best book yet." — Jennifer Armentrout, New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

You can read an excerpt here.
     

My Review

I do really enjoy contemporary YA when it is done right. How do you do it right? Well, you have full characters that readers can connect to, a plot that is engaging, a different take on the genre, and plenty of heart. Breathe, Annie, Breathe definitely has these with Annie and Jeremiah and the other fabulous secondary characters. You have Annie training for a marathon and trying to move on after her boyfriend's death. Then there's Jeremiah, who is trying to partially let go of something he loves. The running log for Annie and her transition from graduating high school to beginning college and some serious emotions as Annie and Jeremiah learn when to hold back, when to push, and when to let go make this a great story!

For those who follow my reviews, I will say that this is definitely not as clean a read as I prefer. I've read the first book from this series, Catching Jordan, and really enjoyed it. I'm also planning on reading the rest of the books in this series. So why, when I prefer my books clean, do I pick up Kenneally's books? It's because the writing and characters are all really good! It's also because there is always some struggle that the main character or both MC's deal with that endears me to them. They don't always handle things perfectly, but they do it authentically, and that makes them perfectly imperfect characters and ones I can cheer on and connect with. I also like that there is some drama, but the plots aren't overly dramatized as many YA books are. Now, if these books were clean, then they would definitely earn my full five stars. :)

Breath, Annie, Breathe was just so heart-wrenching in places, so beautiful in others, and so sweet. I loved how Annie wasn't afraid to challenge Jeremiah and, in turn, he wasn't afraid to throw some things out there and to be there for her. I loved how honest they felt to me. Here Annie is throwing everything into being able to race a marathon for her deceased boyfriend and it's so hard. Jeremiah totally supports her and he's seen her at her absolute messiest and worst and still loves her anyway. It's a pretty rough starting point for a relationship, but that was another thing that endeared me to their story, how much they grew together and that they were friends first.

Have you picked up any of Kenneally's Hundred Oaks books? If you enjoy contemporary YA and don't mind the content, then you should, and I would say that Breath, Annie, Breathe is definitely a fabulous place to start and a great book from this series! Do you have to read them in order? It's ideal, but not necessary. The characters from the other books pop up, so it's kind of like seeing an old friend, but each book can easily stand on its own just as well.

Content: There is some consistent language including some of the heavier words. There is also sexual content, mostly non-descriptive, making out, and innuendo.

Source: From the tour host through NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.

About the Author

Growing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes, and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband.



Tour-Wide Giveaway

-2x 50$ B&N Gift Card
-3x Signed copy of Breathe, Annie, Breathe

Ends July 29th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Xpresso Book Tours

79 comments

  1. I am in love with this series and this one sounds like another winner. I love the sounds of Annie and I'll def click with her and with her and Jeremiah. I also love the cameos and seeing what old favorites are up to! :)

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  2. Linda Szymoniak7/14/14, 11:20 AM

    I haven't read any of your books yet, but this one has me interested. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for the great giveaway.

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  3. Linda Szymoniak7/14/14, 11:23 AM

    I wouldn't want to be a pirate - at least not one like Captain Hook.

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  4. Charlie Anderson7/14/14, 11:26 AM

    I would love to be a pirate! I can't say I'd want to be one like Hook, but I would like to be one like Jacky Faber (LA Meyer).

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  5. Charlie Anderson7/14/14, 11:28 AM

    Oh, what a terrible guilt to carry around!

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  6. looks cute - I hope I win

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  7. Thanks for the giveaway! And i want to read this cuz i run often! Lol

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  8. looks like a good story. thanks for the giveaway

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  9. Thank you for the giveaway , win or not will definitely read your books:)

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  10. I always wanted to be a pirate.

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  11. Zonell Conant7/14/14, 3:21 PM

    I haven't read the first book, but from your review, I'm going to start.

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  12. So excited to read this one! It looks great!

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  13. I usally don't dream that much, but when i do i often wake up crying most of the time I can't rember all of it, but it usally has somthing to do with someone dying and it is horrible. thank you so much

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  14. I usually dream a lot of talking w/ friends & family. I'll wake up & think I've had a conversation w/ that person & my jaw hurts.

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  15. Ashley Jellison7/14/14, 7:22 PM

    Ooh this sounds really good! I love the running aspect; I'm a runner training for my second marathon, so maybe this will help inspire me.

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  16. Seriously, I had not heard of this series, and dang...now I am dying to read it. :) Great review

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  17. This sounds like a sweet read, despite the content. I've eyed her books for a while, just haven't had the time to read them. Yet. ;)

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  18. Sounds like such a sweet book.

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  19. Melissa Benson7/15/14, 2:03 AM

    Sounds like a great book.

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  20. Grace Fonseca7/15/14, 4:55 AM

    A lot of your titles are new to me. I haven't seen a few of these titles before.

    Grace
    Books of Love

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  21. Sounds like a good read.

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  22. For some reason, I usually dream of myself getting stuck in a bad situation, and a no-faced guy comes to save me from said bad situation. Sigh.

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  23. I, too, enjoy reading about them. I always felt bad for Captain Hook. I think he got a bum rap. :)

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  24. I just bought this one the other day so I'm glad to hear you liked it so much! I actually didn't like Catching Jordan, but I'm hoping I'll like this one. ~Pam

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  25. Alisha Sienkiel7/17/14, 9:16 PM

    Thanks for the giveaway! This looks like it would be an awesome summer read!! :)

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  26. Natalie Carlson Brown7/17/14, 9:41 PM

    Hi! I haven't read any of her books yet but this sounds like a fun romantic novel. I'd certainly like to read it. Thank-you for the chance!

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  27. I am the same way. Sometimes I find a book I haven't seen before but ends up interesting me or can check back later to see what someone thought about a book I've read. Thanks for stopping by, Sherry!

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  28. Glad I could broaden your scope. ;)

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  29. No I despise violence. I do like the old romantic Swashbuckler movies & "good" Pirates ho were more political rebels than simply Pirates.

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  30. :Donna Marie7/20/14, 9:46 AM

    Hmmm....it's so hard to say, really, since the ones I remember (which I rarely remember them) are the ones which cause me pain or fear :( Many times it's stuff I angst about with my boyfriend, or someone I love getting hurt, etc. :( Though last night I had a GOOD dream about an editor loving my work :) hehehe

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  31. It was fun to see Jordan from Catching Jordan as well as some others. She just has a great way of writing and her characters are always so strong. I get sucked in every time.

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  32. I hope you enjoy her books if you get to try them!

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  33. It was and unnecessarily so, but I loved how the author let the MC work through it and wallow as well. It felt authentic.

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  34. I hope you enjoy the author's books when you read them!

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  35. I really enjoyed it. Just good characters and plot.

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  36. Oooh. Perfect timing for you! There are some pretty honest parts of that in here and she puts some great humor in there too.

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  37. Lol! I wish they were cleaner, but I have enjoyed the ones I've read and will read the others.

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  38. I have connected with all her characters and there is always some good humor, but also some really good serious and sweet moments. Of course I wish they were cleaner, but I have enjoyed them.

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  39. It was. It had some fun parts too!

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  40. I hope you do like it. I'll have to catch your review to see what you end up thinking.

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  41. It is perfect for summer. :)

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  42. Good luck for the giveaway!

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  43. I wouldn't mind being a good pirate, not that those actually existed. :)

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  44. Well, not like I think Captain Hook was. This story has a very different twist on him.

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  45. I'll have to look Jacky up. :)

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  46. I would agree, Elizabeth. I like the twist you have on that classic story.

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  47. I agree and those are the pirates I like better, or maybe more like Captain Jack Sparrow. ;)

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  48. I hate the feeling of falling and then getting scared awake!

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  49. Lol! That's how a lot of my dreams, at least when I remember them, are as well.

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  50. Those would be nice dreams.

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  51. I normally get up so quickly and have so much to do that I don't even really think about what I dreamed about.

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  52. Lol! Maybe I would like roller coasters there versus not liking them in reality. ;)

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  53. That is generally what I remember from my dreams as well.

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  54. Oh, goodness! I did have a nightmare about separating from my husband after we'd only been married a couple of years and woke up crying and then was so weepy around him for a few days. It's funny because we're really stuck on each other, so it was a very unrealistic dream, but maybe that's what made it a nightmare.

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  55. Ah, the dreams of kids. Thanks for sharing!

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  56. I would too! I have had bad dreams about spiders. I do really not like them, so I'm sure that's why.

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  57. What an interesting thing to dream about. Thanks for stopping by and sharing!

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  58. Oh, goodness! That is not fun at all!

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  59. Lol! That is hilarious!! Have you ever thought one of those conversations really happened in real life? I wonder if you really talk in your sleep too?

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  60. Ahhh. Except, I'd want to have a gorgeous face on there. ;)

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  61. I don't tend to remember dreams that aren't really memorable either. That would be a good dream. :)

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  62. I dream of weird random things, being lost, falling....

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  63. I really hate the feel of falling when I'm dreaming! It always wakes me up.

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  64. Natalie Hughes7/24/14, 12:01 PM

    Sounds like a good series :) Thanks for the chance!

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  65. Rita Spratlen7/24/14, 1:06 PM

    I am always having horrible dreams. I don't remember anything good.

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  66. How depressing! I will send some positive thoughts your way for some happy dreams.

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  67. Sherry Hoernig7/26/14, 10:15 AM

    I dream of being back in high school,,,,,Don't ask me why, cuz I have no clue!!! lololol!!!

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  68. Lol! I don't mind reading YA in a high school settings sometimes, but I definitely wouldn't want to relive it. ;)

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  69. Sherry Hoernig7/28/14, 10:35 AM

    Guess I need to start reading Miranda's books. Thanks for the introduction!!!

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  70. I really have enjoyed them. I hope you do to when you do get to them. :)

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  71. Sherry Hoernig8/3/14, 9:10 AM

    No. I would prefer to be Wendy....

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  72. Thanks for sharing, Sherry!

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I love comments! I try to read and reply to them all. Feel free to agree or disagree and generally share your thoughts with me.