Book Reviews: Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

So, here's another review from me. And this time, I want to talk about two books that had grabbed my attention awhile ago. I might've forgotten some of the story plot but I'll write what I can remember from it now.

         Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie are connected series. I accidentally read the second book, One Tiny Lie first because I didn't know it has a first book. But, it didn't reveal a lot of spoilers (thank God for that). By the way, I'm going to drop a major SPOILER down here. Don't read them if you haven't read them yet.

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 unforgivable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.


         Okay, the first book is about Kacey Cleary who had a traumatic accident that killed her parents, best friend and her boyfriend. The accident was caused by a drunk driver. Since then, her life changed forever. She was in a coma for some time and had to undergo physical therapy for a long time before she can walk again. The only person left in her world is her sister, Livie.

          So, Kacey brought Livie away from her relative after found out what his uncle tried to do to Livie. They ran away. They lived in an apartment with several other occupants. One that stands out the most is the guy in apartment 1D, Trent Emerson. Trent was a secluded guy but in the same time, he was persistent.

          Meanwhile, Kacey can't help but feel attracted to him, since she first met him in the laundry room.

For two years, I haven’t given anyone the time of day. Now, here I am, day one into our new life, and I’m ready to straddle this guy on the washer. -- Kacey, Ten Tiny Breaths. 

There’s something different about him, and I don’t have to think hard to see it. Something about the way he takes over a room, the way he looks at me, like he has already identified and can disarm every one of my defense mechanisms with no effort, like he sees through them to the disaster lying beneath. And he wants it. -- Kacey, Ten Tiny Breaths. 

          Trent kept pursuing Kacey and Kacey, little by little, fell in love with Trent. Trent taught Kacey how to live her life and smiles more. And Kacey did.

“I want to make you smile. For real. Always. We're going to go for dinners, and see movies, and walk on the beach. We'll go hang-gliding, or bungee jumping, or whatever you want to do. Whatever makes you smile and laugh more. Let me make you smile.” -- Trent, Ten Tiny Breaths. 

I can feel his very existence as if it's wrapping its hand around my soul, cradling it, trying to protect it from harm and I'm terrified. Terrified because I don't ever want the feeling to end. -- Kacey, Ten Tiny Breaths. 

          However, things were going to change when Kacey found out who Trent Emerson really is. The only thing I could say is, the fate was really cruel when it causes these two poor souls to cross their path together. Trent was actually responsible for the death of Kacey's parents, friend and boyfriend. He, indirectly, caused the accident that killed them. Trent followed Kacey to Miami so that he could atone for his mistake in the past and along the journey, he found himself falling in love with the person whom he had hurt the most.

          I went ballistic mad when I reached that part in the story. I might have cried a little bit there. The story turned so depressing after that. If I was in the same place as Kacey, I might've turned crazy. I cannot wrap the idea of the person who make you feel alive again was the one who killed you in the first place. I totally can't. I forced myself to end this book after that because I was partly mad at Trent for hiding his identity and partly too depressed to move on. It really was one of most hardest thing to do when you found out the guy you love was the one responsible for the deaths of your beloved. It was sad, people.

          Anyhow, Kacey got through it. So did Trent. And at the end, they got together again after a long period of time coping with the situation. I do love how the author ended the story. Surely, they do need more time to recuperate with their feelings and their past together because what they've been through, it wasn't easy. As people always say, time heals the wound.

I feel happiness.  Happiness that Trent is here. 

Longing. Longing to feel him against my skin again, his arms protecting me, his mouth on mine. 

Love. Whatever happened between us, it was real. I know it was real. And I love him for letting me experience that. 

Hope. Hope that something beautiful may come from this tragic story. 

Fear. Fear that it won’t. 

Forgiveness . . . forgiveness. -- Ten Tiny Breaths. 

           Overall, it was one depressing story. It was quite lucky that I was in the right mood when I read this novel or maybe I won't even get to finish it at all. It's another book that belongs in the category, Good-but-never-going-to-pick-it-up-again.

           However, different thing happened with the second book. One Tiny Lie has a lighter mood than Ten Tiny Breaths and I don't think it's that depressing at all.

Livie Cleary has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

I walk away. I walk away from the voices, the shouts, the disappointment. I walk away from my deceptions, my mistakes, my regrets. I walk away from all that I am supposed to be and all I cannot be. For all of it is a lie. -- Livie, One Tiny Lie.

         The second book of this series is about Kacey's sister, Livie. Livie is smart and highly organised and a mature girl. She knew what she wanted and fought hard for it. But she didn't realize that everything she had worked for, wasn't what she actually wanted in her life.

          I knew I would love this story even from the first line in the book.

“Livie, I think you’re completely fucked up.” 

Chunks of cheesecake fly out of my mouth and splatter against the deck’s glass panel as I choke on my fork. My sister has a twisted sense of humor. 

          Livie knew Ashton at a party when he suddenly kissed her. Then, Livie went out and got super drunk. The next day, she woke up, naked with Ashton sleeping in the same room as she did (nothing happened, guys).

Dr. Stayner: Tell me you did one out-of-character thing last night.

Livie: I drank enough Jell-O shots to fill a small pool, and then proceeded to break out every terrible dance move known to mankind. I am now the proud owner of a tattoo and if I didn’t have a video to prove otherwise, I’d believe I had it done in a back alley with hepatitis-laced needles. Satisfied?

Dr. Stayner: That’s a good start. Did you talk to a guy?

Kacey (answering for Livie): Not only did I talk to a guy but I’ve now seen two penises, including the one attached to the naked man in my room this morning when I woke up. I have pictures. Would you like to see one?

Dr. Stayner: Glad you’re making friends. Talk to you on Saturday

        Oh, did I mention that Dr. Stayner is the best shrink ever?? He was the one that helped Kacey and Trent reconnected in the first book and here he is, again, fixing Livie. (I'm not kidding when I said he's the best shrink. You should've seen his method to help people. It's amazing!) Besides Dr. Stayner, I also like Ty, another side character in this novel. This novel seriously has amazing side characters, you know.

Livie: Connor where's your bathroom?

Connor: there's one through that doorway, around the corner. First right.

Grant: Oh, I'd give that one hour. Ty was in there. It's not suitable for ladies. Or most humans.

Ty: It's that damn chilli your mama made!

         Anyway back to the story, Connor and Ashton were two different people that Livie wants in her life. One was the one she should be with and another is the one who she wanted to be with. Connor was the kinda guy that she would choose without a doubt if Ashton didn't step into her life. Meanwhile, Ashton made her revalue about everything she had in life.

          Ashton, on the other hand, had a secret that he could never tell anybody. Not even Livie.

          After one horrible encounter between the three of them in Ashton's bedroom, Livie cracked under pressure and everything she thought should've happened in her life went down the drain.

Life has a funny way of creating it's own tests. It throws curve balls that make you do and think and feel things that are in direct conflict with what you had planned and don't allow you to operate in terms of black and white.

          Overall, I like One Tiny Lie better than Ten Tiny Breaths. The latter is just too depressing for me and One Tiny Lie is just fit as a glove with my heart. Plus, I think Ashton is more charming than Trent. (I have a thing lately for men with 'A' as the initial. Ashton. Asher *cringe*.)

          That is all, that I could say from now. I maybe will add more when I can think of something. Now, it is the time for me to enjoy my sleep and maybe read some novels before it.

           Bye, y'all.

Would Do Anything To Live In a Library,

Liely