Just Breathe by Andrew Daddo

Just Breathe

Author: Andrew Daddo

Publisher: Penguin Teen Australia

Release date: 30th July 2018

Pages: 361 pages

R.R.P: $17.99

Hendrix's father has a vision- to see Hendrix run for Australia at the Olympics. His days are completely mapped out- what he eats, when he trains, when he sleeps, even the air he breathes.

There was never room in that vision for a girl, especially in the lad-up to the Nationals, yet fate works in funny ways, and when Hendrix literally bowls Emily over on a training run, he just can't get her out of his head. His life and priorities take a turn as he falls for her.

But Emily has a deadly secret she's scared to share, even with Hendrix. As their bond grows and Hendrix strays further from his father's strict regime, the tension builds to a heart-wrenching climax.

My Review

Thoughts on the book: Just Breathe is the new YA novel from media personality and Australian author, Andrew Daddo. It centres around teenagers Hendrix and Emily who are both going through some major life moments during the novel. Hendrix has known nothing but what he needs to do to go to the olympics and run for his country, everything is mapped out for him by his dad and he does everything his dad says because this is what he wants in life isn't it? Emily has made the big move from her little country town down to the big smoke because of some life altering headaches she was having and being down here closer to the doctors that can help her is where she needs to be. But it's hard leaving your home, friends and family behind and when you are given news you weren't quite expecting it makes it that bit harder. A chance meeting between the two sets both their worlds spinning and soon they are both defying the paths that have been set out for them and living their own lives with no regrets. But just when everything seems to finally be coming together for Emily and Hendrix a tragedy occurs. Will Emily and Hendix have the strength to make it out the other side?

First off a massive thank you to Tina from Penguin Teen Australia for sending me a copy of Breathe by Andrew Daddo to read and review it was an amazing surprise book mail day when I recieved it. I hadn't heard too much about Breathe and when I read the back of the book I knew it sounded familiar for some reason. Upon thinking on it I realised it sounded like one of the chapter samples of the 2018 new release books that I had read about in the Penguin Teen Australia 2018 Super-Proof so I went and pulled out my copy and had a look. I was right that it was in there but it was under a different name in the superproof, that name being Oxygen, and I remembered I really like the sampler and was looking at getting the book when it came out. So after sitting on my TBR pile for a week I finally caved in and started reading Breathe and it wasn't long before I was captivated in Hendrix and Emily's lives and steam rolling through the book. 

Breathe is one of those books that just hooks you from the start and never lets you go. Hendrix is this boy who is basically a goody too shoes shoes best friend is basically his dad because he spends all his time with him training for this big Olympic campaign that he has been working for his whole life. Then he accidentally runs straight into a girl and literally falls head over heals for her. His whole world changes and he realises that life isn't just about training and calculating every calorie, he can have friends, goof off and do things that normal teenagers do like eat pizza and go to the beach for a swim instead of rehab or a cool down. The girl he falls head over heels for, Emily, on the other hand is the complete opposite. She has drank alcohol, smoked, has heaps of friends and has been living life to the fullest up until she starts getting these headaches and has to move. After moving and meeting Hendrix he turns into the only thing that is keeping her grounded and when things start to fall apart for both of them hey cling to each other tighter than ever. This relationship that Emily and Hendrix has is what people wait a lifetime for and they both learn to live in the moment because you never know when your moment might end. I'll finish off by saying make sure that you have some tissues ready because Breathe has all the feels and caught me off guard a few times. 

Rating: 4/5