Publisher’s Description of Every Stolen Breath
The Swarm is unrecognizable, untraceable, and unpredictable—random attacks on the streets of Chicago by a mob of crazed teens that leaves death in its wake. It’s been two years since the last attack, but Lia Finch has found clues that reveal the Swarm is ready to claim a new victim.
Lia is the only one still pursuing her father’s killers, two years after attorney Steven Finch’s murder by the Swarm. Devastated and desperate for answers, Lia will do anything to uncover the reasons behind his death and to stop someone else from being struck down. But due to debilitating asthma and PTSD that leaves her with a tenuous hold on reality, Lia is the last person to mount a crusade on her own.
After a close encounter with the Swarm puts Lia on their radar, she teams up with a teen hacker, a reporter, and a mysterious stranger who knows firsthand how the mob works. Together, they work to uncover the master puppeteer behind the group. Though if Lia and her network don’t stop the person pulling the strings—and fast—Lia may end up the next target.
Rebecca’s Thoughts on Every Stolen Breath
Inspired by the real-life “flash mob” violence that struck Chicago in 2011, Every Stolen Breath by debut author Kimberly Gabriel is a fast-paced and immersive thriller that shows just how hard one girl will fight back, knowing any breath might be her last. The story is propelled forward equally by character and action.
Having lived in Chicago for 7 years, I loved the reminders of the city’s fun tourist spots and architectural treasures. The descriptions brought me right back. As a fan of thrillers, I found the action scenes fast-paced and gripping.
But what really pulls the reader into the story is Lia, a teen girl struggling with both asthma and PTSD in the wake of her father’s murder. Lia is driven to find out more about the killings by the swarm and to prevent another one from happening.
I felt Lia’s stress at not getting enough oxygen into her lungs at the moments when she was in jeopardy and learned a lot about her conditions. The fact that Lia struggled to keep up with or get away from the bad guys and while also struggling for breath added to the tension.
I also loved the fact that teens were the center of a thriller encompassing politics and murder rather than a typical high school setting.
I’d recommend Every Stolen Breath for fans of YA thrillers, those looking for a book set in Chicago, and readers who’d like to cheer on a teen girl with asthma but not letting her illness stop her.
Highly Recommended.
I received an advanced reader copy
Every Stolen Breath will be released on November 5th. You can check it out on Goodreads, or pre-order via Indiebound, Barnes
If Every Stolen Breath sounds like a book you’d like, you might be interested in other young adult books we’ve reviewed recently on the Winged Pen:
DEV1AT3 by Jay Kristoff
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I’m Not Dying With You Tonight by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones
The 2018 CYBILS Book Award Short List – a
Enchantée by Gita Trelease
