I received this book for free from Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Unbreathable by Hafsah Laziaf Series: Unbreathable #1
Published by Self Pub on October 29th, 2013
Genres: Sci-Fi, YA
Goodreads
One hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was destroyed, and the remaining humans fled to the dusty red planet of Jutaire, where the only oxygen is manufactured, food is scarce, and death strikes often.
When Lissa's father discovers Earth still exists, she accidentally inhales the toxic air of Jutaire, and in one breath, discovers she isn't quite human.
Her father hangs for his discovery, and Lissa knows the Chancellors will come for her, for she saw the Earth that night too. With nothing to lose, she sets out to expose the truth. It isn't long before she meets Julian, a beautiful boy who can breathe the toxic air like she can - and shows her that the Jute, the original inhabitants of the planet, are more tangled in their lives than she knows.
But the Chancellors are only pawns in a greater game - one where the Jute control everything. Worse, the Jute plan to leave Jutaire for Earth, but to get there, they need her. And they'll stop at nothing until Lissa is in their clutches, even if they kill every human in the process.
The race for Earth has begun.
Unbreathable is a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice, and one girl's struggle to find her place in a world where she doesn't belong.
First, a word to the author, Hafsah. I respect and admire how brave you were when it came to trusting us, those who are close to you, with reading and JUDGING your baby, Unbreathable. Thank you for having that courage, because you really are talented and I’m so damn happy I was given the chance to read it.
Now…on to the review!
I’m going to stay on topic here, and give you a review filled with substance. Well, I’m going to TRY to stay on topic and give you a review filled with substance. But, it’s kind of hard when all I really want to say is “Trust me! I’m always right and this book is kick ass, so go pre-order it yo!” See how I got all gangster there at the end? That shows just how serious I am.
I was originally really afraid to read Unbreathable. Why? Well:
1. It’s written by a friend
If that doesn’t scare you NOTHING will.
2. It’s Sci-Fi
I’m still really new to Sci-Fi, and I’m the first to tell you that change makes me want to pee my pants.
3. You guys.
Don’t even act like you didn’t think for 5 seconds that my review would be biased because Hafsah is my friend! Don’t.
But in the end none of that mattered. Unbreathable was a book that mixed so many elements that I loved (and some I didn’t) and mashed them up into this book that I can see myself re-reading…and re-reading…and re-reading. I loved the world building, I loved the characters (especially Lissa our MC!), and the writing was ah-mazing! The book starts with an action scene involving Lissa, and FYI, I’m always cautious of books that start with action, mostly because after that initial kick ass moment the story seems to drag, but Unbreathable didn’t! But it wasn’t necessarily faced paced, if that makes sense. No? Ok, um… it was like a fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookie. The first bite is great, and your all “mmm this is soo good” but then you reach that gooey hot center and you’re just like
So of course you have 6 more because why not! THAT, was Unbreathable! It was perfectly paced from the beginning, and somehow only got better until you sadly realized the book was over, your cookies are gone and now you have chipmunk cheeks.
Then you add in this “huge” ensemble of characters and I about died. Typically when a book includes more than 3 characters I tap out. I don’t have the attention span and I just can not remember everyone’s name or motive or THINGS, but again this is Unbreathable and it has changed my view…sort of. See, there are a wide assortment of characters and on occasion I did have to stop and think about where I’ve seen x-y-z before but it was only for a moment. Each character has its own dynamic, its own personality, it’s on MOTIVES! And what motives they were! No silly, “well I want her because she’s pretty so everyone must DIE!” mess. Or “I’ll leave to get away from him, but I won’t like it because secretly I really want him back” garbage. When someone said or did something that made my eyebrows raise it was for a reason that made me go, “yeah, I can see myself doing the same thing”, and I loved that most of all because it made the characters REAL! Ahh, the mere fact that everyone made each step based off of logical thinking and facts and true emotions just made me all kinds of giddy!
But, and there is always a but, I do wish that the language would have been a little different. I’m still new to Sci-Fi but I do believe that an alien planet should have different words for the same occurrences. Like rain on Earth should be “insert cool name I can’t think of here”, you know? I also wish that the “revelations” weren’t so easily spotted. Not everything was clear as crystal, but there were a few things that I knew as soon as a character opened his/her mouth and I like to work for my info. Other than those two, tiny things, I genuinely loved Unbreathable and I’m beyond flipping excited for the sequel, because there WILL be a sequel right? RIGHT?!
And don’t forget to follow the rest of the tour!
