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Breathe by Sarah Crossan

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Book title and author
Breathe, by Sarah Crossan

Brief synopsis (no spoilers)
The inhabitants of the earth made a huge mistake in the past- they cut down all of the trees to allow for more farmland, and now the oxygen supply in the world is restricted to sealed buildings. The people in charge in the society may not have everyone's best interests in mind, either. Can the rebellion change things, or is the government just too strong?

Why I chose this book
This was a recommended series for anyone who read Maze Runner by James Dashner

My personal opinion (the review)
The premise is intriguing- people live in a giant glass bubble called "the Pod". Definitely room for technology-based issues there (leave the Pod, and you die horribly). Class warfare is strong- 3 classes of citizens, living in 3 zones of the city. Definitely room for plenty of tension there. But everyone is mostly happy and nice to each other. There's a love triangle going on, which is always fun. And the main characters are young and full of angst about love and life. The story gets even better when some leave the Pod. Overall, it's a good book. I might even read it again, just in case I missed details the first time around. But I wouldn't call it "awesome".

Warnings
Language: mild
Violence: some fighting near the end, some imprisonment
Romantic situations: mild
Death: yes- oxygen is scarce, so suffocation is on everyone's mind; people close to the main characters die; people rebel against the government and die

Movie rating equivalent
PG-13

Protagonist description
Bea starts out very sheltered and weak, becomes very brave and motivating to others. Quinn starts out strong, takes a back seat to Bea. Alina is part of the Resistance.

Point of view of story
First person, but flips between 3 characters: Bea, Alina, Quinn

Book length
Medium, less than a week

Story flow
Strong, all the way through. No slow parts.

Grammar and spelling issues
None

Character connection (no spoilers)
None

For series:
Independent or integral (stand-alone or back story dependent)
Independent. This is the first in the series, so it can be stand-alone. Not a cliffhanger, but it definitely leaves the future "open" and several ends left untied.

Series review as a whole
First book is good/great, second is disappointing.

If you only have time for one, read:
This one. The second has several uncomfortable situations.

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