Review: Word and Breath

Title: Word and Breath
Author: Susannah Noel
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Source: Review copy from Author 

Format: Ebook

Summary from Goodreads:

Riana has learned how to stay out of trouble. She spends her days studying written texts in the government’s Office of Readers, and she spends her nights taking care of her sick sister. She always—always—follows the rules. Despite her low profile, she has mysteriously become a target. Someone has kidnapped her sister. Someone else is trying to kill her. And someone has sent a Soul-Breather to beguile her out of her secrets.

Her help comes from the mythic leader of an underground rebel movement. A man who used to be her friend. A man who has silently loved her for years. He disappeared from her life without a word, and now he expects her to trust him again.

Then there’s the Soul-Breather, a man who can taste her spirit with only a touch. He makes her feel things she’s never experienced before, but she doesn’t know if the feelings are real. Hired to deceive and betray her, he offers to help her instead.

Without both men, she can’t rescue her sister. And she can’t discover the world-changing knowledge—buried in her memory—that has made her a target in the first place.

Review:

Word and Breath is unlike any book that I have ever read.  The layers in this book were just remarkable.  Susannah Noel did her homework when writing this novel.    The world that she created was dangerous and fun all at the same time.  Her characters were witty, charming and just plain fantastic. 

While I was reading this book I felt like I was watching one of those old time black and white movies set in a dystopian world.  The suspense was slowly killing me while I was reading.  Even when I thought I had it all figured out something subtle would happen that would change it all.  Everything and everyone is revealed at just the right moment.  Even the bad guy has a noble motive!

I don't think I have ever been so engulfed in a story.  I felt like I was right there and I even tried talking to the characters more than once to give advise on what I thought they should do next.  Good thing they didn't listen to me.  I would have gotten everyone killed!  (Yes that's right I was talking to fictional characters in a book, but they didn't talk back so I guess I'm still okay!)

The paranormal aspect of the book came in the form of a Soul-Breather.  This is a new species to me but I quickly fell in love with them.  The idea of being able to taste someones spirit with one touch was sexy as hell.  I loved it!

Word and Breath is filled with mystery, suspense and lots of romance.  I am impatiently awaiting the next novel in this series.  I have to know what the answers are and how this amazing group of people are going to change the world.