Week in Review

Author: Kendall Grey
Title: Inhale
Release: May 1 2012
Series: Just Breath #1
Reviewer: Noa
Source: Personal library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Strangers in reality, inseparable in dreams…

After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.

Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country.

I do love discovering new series with new premises especially when they come along just as your stuck in a book rut wishing you had something new and exciting to read. It was thanks to my friend Bama that I discovered Inhale, the first in the Just Breath trilogy.

Here we are introduced to the world of wyldlings (humans) elementals and sentinels… a world where fire, air, water and earth are what makes the different elementals tick and in this case, the problems created when fire decides it’s just a bit too hungry and starts to invade human dreams, causing nightmares that in some cases, even lead to deaths. Enter the sentinels, super humans who can control dreams and manipulate Elements to either defend against or attack Elementals with Elemental magic. A Sentinel’s purpose is to maintain the balance and protect the wyldlings…or at least are attempting to do so.

Zoe a marine biologist specializing in whale research has finally gotten the opportunity she has been waiting for – a position in Australia leading a research team that could mean a major promotion and an escape from an annoying ex who happens to be her boss. She has a lot to prove but it might be a lot easier if she didn’t hear voices – the whales talking to her …and then there’s her panic attacks and the extremely strange dreams she’s been having.

Gavin Cassidy is a musician and sentinel without a cause. Ever since he lost his partner his control over his elements has been nil – just like his ability to write new songs. But then he’s called in to protect one wyldling – Zoe.

With fire trying to take over the dreaming, elemental leaders being killed off and changes coming to the ranks of the sentinels, Inhale introduces a fascinating new world with vivid imagery and almost poetic descriptions and let’s not forget sensual… Gavin and Zoe spend most of the book meeting in the Dreaming and well, things get interesting, very interesting. Sadly though Zoe is in danger in the Dreaming and in the ‘normal’ world. Some of the enemies are known – like a vindictive fire elemental named Scarlett, while others remain in the shadows.

I really did enjoy this book but at the same time I felt like I was missing something. The world of Inhale was beautifully presented but I wished there had been a little more background information. I realize that as a first book in a series there is always a lot to put on paper and some things get rushed so I hope this means that the second book in the series will clear things up on that front.

I also have to say that at some point in the book I really, really, wanted to find out more about Sinnder – the mysterious fire elemental. So much so that it took over the book from my perspective. That actually means I and seriously looking forward to read the next installment… with high hopes that Sinnder gets a more central role.

All in all Inhale was an intriguing and well written introduction to a new PNR/UF series; one I am looking forward to reading more of.

Noa first fell in love with books when she discovered 100 acre wood and its inhabitants. To this day, the last pages of “The House at Pooh Corner” make her cry. In a good way. From“Calvin and Hobbes” to “The Iliad and the Odyssey” and lets not forget “Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes”. Biographies, mysteries, history books and romances all have a place on her bookshelves. Who needs furniture? This 29 year old singleton’s dream is to invent the zero-calorie chocolate. But until that day arrives, she tries to create sweet confections with whatever chocolate she can find. An MA in conflict studies (need a mediator?) means Noa loves a good debate, especially when she wins. If she were in charge, books would be free for everyone.

Doll Noa

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