Breathless (Jessica Warman)

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         Katie Kitrell can't help but be a little relieved when her parents send her away to boarding school; after all, her family situation isn't exactly ideal.  Katie's brother Will is schizophrenic, and getting more aggressive every day.  Boarding school is a chance for Katie to get a fresh start and pursue her swimming dreams.  In an effort to move past her difficult relationship with Will, Katie tells her new classmates that her brother is dead.  She then falls into a rhythm of studying, swimming, and hanging out with the in-crowd.  A secret as big as Katie's can't stay buried for long, though.  As Will continues to get worse, the truth about Katie threatens to surface.

         I wasn't a huge fan of the characters in Breathless.  Katie's family problems were pushed aside for a good part of the story, eclipsed by issues with boys and catty girls.  This made her seem more immature than troubled, and therefore much less likable.  Also, it didn't feel right that Katie's family was so rarely present, seeing as they were a big part of the conflict in the story.  Katie and her peers spent a lot of time drinking and smoking as well - I understand that this does happen, but it seemed overdone.  I tend not to like characters who make bad decisions, so I had a hard time with Katie and her friends.  Since I didn't connect well with the characters, I didn't particularly enjoy this book.

Rating: 2/5
Completed: June 29, 2012