{Review} Ten Tiny Breaths - K. A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker
Release Date: Dec 11 / 2012
Publisher: Atria Books

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D. Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair. But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

He cranes his neck to look up at me while still hunched over. "If you're not interested in me, just tell me. You don't have to ruin me for all women." "I'm more about action than words." I'm glad he's making jokes, but I still wince. I drop to a crouch in front of Trent and ask in a low voice, "Are you okay? Seriously?" "Yeah, I'll live. And by live, I mean curl up in a fetal position on my couch with a bag of ice on my nuts for the rest of the night."

I have no idea why I waited so long to read this. It completely blew me away. This was such a great contemporary that as I went along with the story, I was feeling what the characters were feeling. I had an emotional breakdown. 

Kacey is broken. After her parents, her boyfriend, and her best friend all died, she became a completely different person. She toughened up and decided not to be the Old Kacey anymore. Her past added another dimension to her character. The book even labeled all the stages. It labelled all the stages toward her recovery and her journey to be her own person again and bring her wall down. Trent was an amazing character as well and I can see how he fell for Kacey and really loved her.

There was a big plot twist in the book that I never saw coming. When it happened, I was just like, *wait a few seconds* oh shit. That was my reaction. It was just so surprising! I never even imagine that would happen! I must not spoil for you guys but if you read this, prepare yourselves.

I think this book really showed recovery and forgiveness. It showed that it's okay to live your life even though your loved ones are gone. It also showed that love stays strong through trials and forgiveness. I feel like forgiveness and recovery are both big themes for this story and I feel like the author has shown both of them well.

How can I describe Ten Tiny Breaths? It's an absolutely amazing read that had me sobbing and feeling and looking for all those deep hidden meanings. Read it. You won't be disappointed :)

P. S. I just had to share that quote with y'all. You probably don't know what happened there but basically, Kacey was practicing her boxing with Trent but she accidentally kicked him in the nuts lol

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