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kyleechris's review
5.0
This review along with others can also be found on http://babblingofabookaholic.blogspot.com
It has been far too long since the last time I reviewed a book let alone got to even read a book! I finished Inhale a week or two ago and didn't know if I was going to review it or not on the blog just because it's for a mature audience and I usually review YA but it's too good not to rave about to the world. Kendall Grey has got some serious talent and I wish more people knew about this book!
Zoe Morgan has carried guilt with her for a long time because of an incident that happened in the past, her goal in life is to try and make up for the accident and I think it really drove her to be the best whale biologist she can be. She's sent on a mission to Australia with her best friend and a few crew members. At first everything is okay and then she hears a whales voice inside her head calling out to her and starts having these crazy dreams where a drop dead gorgeous guy seems to always pop up. Zoe believes Gavin is just a figment of her imagination for almost the entire book and I really, really liked that because it leaves you with a sort of cliff hanger at the end full of hope. Anyways back to Gavin, I really liked Gavin's character! I felt like we watched him grow up and snap out of his little pity party and truly come to love Zoe. The tension between these two in this book is absolutely ridiculous, I swear you could feel it every single time they talked or saw each other. I like how it wasn't necessarily an instant love in this book, just an instant lust. I liked watching them grow fond of each other and start to care about each other throughout the book.
The idea of this dream world was really unique and unlike anything I've read before. I really liked how we got to see a point of view from a fyre, a water, and someone who had all of these elements. I have to admit that I didn't fully understand the Dreaming at first but I like how it was explained in just the right amount of detail throughout the book instead of under detailed or over detailed, two of a readers biggest pet peeves! I also loved how Kendall Grey described the world, I could picture it all in my head so easily! By the time this book was over I had yelled at the characters a few times, I had laughed, and by the very end I was screaming WHYYYYY?! I highly recommend this book to all of you, just a fair warning like it says in the synopsis, this book is for mature/adult audiences. So if you don't feel comfortable or can't read through a few sex scenes then don't read this book. I can't wait to purchase the second book, find out what happens between Gavin and Zoe and also what's going to happen in the Dreaming and all of the humans/wyldlings in Realis! Also, the first book is free and all of the profits from the Just Breathe trilogy go to programs to help educate people about whales.
It has been far too long since the last time I reviewed a book let alone got to even read a book! I finished Inhale a week or two ago and didn't know if I was going to review it or not on the blog just because it's for a mature audience and I usually review YA but it's too good not to rave about to the world. Kendall Grey has got some serious talent and I wish more people knew about this book!
Zoe Morgan has carried guilt with her for a long time because of an incident that happened in the past, her goal in life is to try and make up for the accident and I think it really drove her to be the best whale biologist she can be. She's sent on a mission to Australia with her best friend and a few crew members. At first everything is okay and then she hears a whales voice inside her head calling out to her and starts having these crazy dreams where a drop dead gorgeous guy seems to always pop up. Zoe believes Gavin is just a figment of her imagination for almost the entire book and I really, really liked that because it leaves you with a sort of cliff hanger at the end full of hope. Anyways back to Gavin, I really liked Gavin's character! I felt like we watched him grow up and snap out of his little pity party and truly come to love Zoe. The tension between these two in this book is absolutely ridiculous, I swear you could feel it every single time they talked or saw each other. I like how it wasn't necessarily an instant love in this book, just an instant lust. I liked watching them grow fond of each other and start to care about each other throughout the book.
The idea of this dream world was really unique and unlike anything I've read before. I really liked how we got to see a point of view from a fyre, a water, and someone who had all of these elements. I have to admit that I didn't fully understand the Dreaming at first but I like how it was explained in just the right amount of detail throughout the book instead of under detailed or over detailed, two of a readers biggest pet peeves! I also loved how Kendall Grey described the world, I could picture it all in my head so easily! By the time this book was over I had yelled at the characters a few times, I had laughed, and by the very end I was screaming WHYYYYY?! I highly recommend this book to all of you, just a fair warning like it says in the synopsis, this book is for mature/adult audiences. So if you don't feel comfortable or can't read through a few sex scenes then don't read this book. I can't wait to purchase the second book, find out what happens between Gavin and Zoe and also what's going to happen in the Dreaming and all of the humans/wyldlings in Realis! Also, the first book is free and all of the profits from the Just Breathe trilogy go to programs to help educate people about whales.
elliefufu's review against another edition
4.0
LOVED THIS BOOK! It has been a very long time since I read something so different and so fresh from everything else out there. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to Zoe and Gavin (who I love!)
meganmreads's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting book with a very creative paranormal element. There are two worlds- the Dreaming and Realis. Even though the Dreaming is just a dream for regular people – called Wyldings—the unbalanced Fyre elementals are starting to kill off unsuspecting humans in their dreams. Protecting the balance are the Sentinels, who are regular people with special gifts. Each element has a different impact on people and Gavin is mostly out of his normal Waeter and cannot seem to get it back after the death of his charge. He is assigned to protect Zoe in the Dreaming and the plot thickens from there. This whole world is very clever and relatively well executed, too.
The problem that I had with this book was getting into the story. Only certain sections would grab my attention and hold it, while I found myself trudging along trying to get through the rest. This doesn’t usually happen to me, so I couldn’t figure out why it was happening with this book. It was well written, clever, creative, and interesting, but something about it just wasn’t grabbing me.
This book also suffered from being fairly predictable. Gavin was a broken hearted shell of a person dealing with so much guilt after not being there for his partner when she died. He lost the element that made him whole and he also lost his direction. Zoe was a wonderful and smart girl working hard to get a promotion in her whale research organization and was perfectly happy, but missing something in her life. Of course, these two would somehow connect and be their own missing puzzle piece. Gavin meets her in the Dreaming and she is just a normal person, so she doesn’t think he’s real. Gavin gets close to her to some degree, while also pushing her away continuously. He’s so worried about her safety by getting close to her, especially in Realis, but he also doesn’t prepare her for the danger that the whole concept poses for her.
I started to really get into the story near the end, when the action speeds up. Without giving anything away, Zoe becomes incredibly important to the balancing of the Dreaming and Gavin is the only one who can help her. They work together to restore order.
I thought the ending left something to be desired, which is probably why this is just book 1 and it’s part of a series. Nothing was really solved besides the conflict in the Dreaming, so it left me feeling deflated. As the book neared it’s end, I felt like finally Gavin was going to stop being overrun by guilt and Zoe finally understood this entire Dreaming world. What’s left but for the two of them to explore their feelings for each other? Apparently, it takes a whole other book for this to happen and I have to admit, it was frustrating to me. The reason I avoid a lot of romantic comedy movies is that the entire conflict is based on preconceived notions that the characters have and so much of the conflict is in their own miscommunications and missed opportunities, while the viewer is fully aware that both of the characters just need to get it together. This book felt the same the way to me. I couldn’t fully enjoy all the wonderful aspects of it because of this romantic conflict.
I loved the character of Yileen. He was a pretty minor character, but he was the steady rock that both Gavin and Zoe needed. He was full of great advice and cryptic instructions on how to restore order. Also, I connected with him because I know he knew those two idiots belonged together and needed to just DO that. Sinnder was another interesting character and I wished his inner person was explored a little more. Perhaps in the next book, it will be. There was just something about him that made me think he wasn’t necessarily a bad guy, but at the same time, he was so terrible. I would have liked that angle to be played a little better.
This book was definitely interesting and well written, but it just left something to be desired. I probably will not read the rest of the series because it took so long for this book to grab me. I don’t know if I can take any more of Gavin and Zoe trying to get it together. If these sort of romantic conflicts are totally your thing, then you’ll LOVE this book. I definitely recommend it to others. I know my patience with love stories wears a lot thinner than most other people I know and I think others should give this book a chance.
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/07/reviewinhale-by-kendall-grey.html
The problem that I had with this book was getting into the story. Only certain sections would grab my attention and hold it, while I found myself trudging along trying to get through the rest. This doesn’t usually happen to me, so I couldn’t figure out why it was happening with this book. It was well written, clever, creative, and interesting, but something about it just wasn’t grabbing me.
This book also suffered from being fairly predictable. Gavin was a broken hearted shell of a person dealing with so much guilt after not being there for his partner when she died. He lost the element that made him whole and he also lost his direction. Zoe was a wonderful and smart girl working hard to get a promotion in her whale research organization and was perfectly happy, but missing something in her life. Of course, these two would somehow connect and be their own missing puzzle piece. Gavin meets her in the Dreaming and she is just a normal person, so she doesn’t think he’s real. Gavin gets close to her to some degree, while also pushing her away continuously. He’s so worried about her safety by getting close to her, especially in Realis, but he also doesn’t prepare her for the danger that the whole concept poses for her.
I started to really get into the story near the end, when the action speeds up. Without giving anything away, Zoe becomes incredibly important to the balancing of the Dreaming and Gavin is the only one who can help her. They work together to restore order.
I thought the ending left something to be desired, which is probably why this is just book 1 and it’s part of a series. Nothing was really solved besides the conflict in the Dreaming, so it left me feeling deflated. As the book neared it’s end, I felt like finally Gavin was going to stop being overrun by guilt and Zoe finally understood this entire Dreaming world. What’s left but for the two of them to explore their feelings for each other? Apparently, it takes a whole other book for this to happen and I have to admit, it was frustrating to me. The reason I avoid a lot of romantic comedy movies is that the entire conflict is based on preconceived notions that the characters have and so much of the conflict is in their own miscommunications and missed opportunities, while the viewer is fully aware that both of the characters just need to get it together. This book felt the same the way to me. I couldn’t fully enjoy all the wonderful aspects of it because of this romantic conflict.
I loved the character of Yileen. He was a pretty minor character, but he was the steady rock that both Gavin and Zoe needed. He was full of great advice and cryptic instructions on how to restore order. Also, I connected with him because I know he knew those two idiots belonged together and needed to just DO that. Sinnder was another interesting character and I wished his inner person was explored a little more. Perhaps in the next book, it will be. There was just something about him that made me think he wasn’t necessarily a bad guy, but at the same time, he was so terrible. I would have liked that angle to be played a little better.
This book was definitely interesting and well written, but it just left something to be desired. I probably will not read the rest of the series because it took so long for this book to grab me. I don’t know if I can take any more of Gavin and Zoe trying to get it together. If these sort of romantic conflicts are totally your thing, then you’ll LOVE this book. I definitely recommend it to others. I know my patience with love stories wears a lot thinner than most other people I know and I think others should give this book a chance.
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/07/reviewinhale-by-kendall-grey.html
evrydyrncss's review against another edition
Was not impressed ... did not finish. Too much profanity.
tarazagata's review against another edition
2.0
So I gave this book 2 stars... It was hard to follow with the bouncing between dreams and reality for me. All the other reviews love it so I feel really bad but I just couldn't get into the book... And I tried really hard to like it ;(
authorcpeace's review against another edition
5.0
Inhale is a beautiful story about love and fate wrapped up in dreams come true and topped off with a hot bow of luvst (that fun stage between lust and love) to tie it all together.
Can you fall in love with a dream? Zoe Morgan did. First, her lifelong dream to work with whales that led her to the Cetacean Research Network, and then her encounters with her dream man, whom she deems Mr. Perfect, a hard-bodied Aussie rockstar named Gavin Cassidy in real life.
Meanwhile, Gavin, lead singer of popular Australian rock band Just Breathe, is dealing with his demons, namely a Fyre elemental called Scarlett. As a Sentinel, his duty is to protect the Wyldlings (regular humans) from Elementals like Scarlett while they dream and to try to restore the Balance of Elements—fire, earth, water, and air. Unfortunately, Fyres like Scarlett are overrunning the Dreaming, causing people to die and go nuts in the real world. Only with Zoe’s help can Gavin hope to set things right.
Inhale follows Gavin, Zoe and Scarlett through the craziness that is the Dreaming and real life. Though a bit confusing in the beginning, with everything concerning the Dreaming, Realis (reality), and the Veil separating the two, along with the Elementals and their power struggle, the book is well worth diving into. Grey gives us an impressive mythology to inform her Australian setting. With a diverse group of main and secondary characters, Inhale becomes a story with a life of its own. Love, lust, betrayal, intrigue, and a Prophecy? Yes please.
Grey’s writing is strong, fluid. Each point of view she provides has his/her own style of narrating, so it doesn’t feel like you’re reading a story from a master narrator. It’s apparent that each character has been crafted with love and care, even the villains. From Yileen, the mentor to Sentinel Gavin, to Zoe’s BFF Adriene, to the elemental hierarchy, Scarlett, and her cohort Sinnder, Grey’s given us a world that’s not only imaginable, but likely. At least this would explain all those effed up dreams I have…
I would strongly urge fans of any kind of urban fantasy to pick up this book.
Can you fall in love with a dream? Zoe Morgan did. First, her lifelong dream to work with whales that led her to the Cetacean Research Network, and then her encounters with her dream man, whom she deems Mr. Perfect, a hard-bodied Aussie rockstar named Gavin Cassidy in real life.
Meanwhile, Gavin, lead singer of popular Australian rock band Just Breathe, is dealing with his demons, namely a Fyre elemental called Scarlett. As a Sentinel, his duty is to protect the Wyldlings (regular humans) from Elementals like Scarlett while they dream and to try to restore the Balance of Elements—fire, earth, water, and air. Unfortunately, Fyres like Scarlett are overrunning the Dreaming, causing people to die and go nuts in the real world. Only with Zoe’s help can Gavin hope to set things right.
Inhale follows Gavin, Zoe and Scarlett through the craziness that is the Dreaming and real life. Though a bit confusing in the beginning, with everything concerning the Dreaming, Realis (reality), and the Veil separating the two, along with the Elementals and their power struggle, the book is well worth diving into. Grey gives us an impressive mythology to inform her Australian setting. With a diverse group of main and secondary characters, Inhale becomes a story with a life of its own. Love, lust, betrayal, intrigue, and a Prophecy? Yes please.
Grey’s writing is strong, fluid. Each point of view she provides has his/her own style of narrating, so it doesn’t feel like you’re reading a story from a master narrator. It’s apparent that each character has been crafted with love and care, even the villains. From Yileen, the mentor to Sentinel Gavin, to Zoe’s BFF Adriene, to the elemental hierarchy, Scarlett, and her cohort Sinnder, Grey’s given us a world that’s not only imaginable, but likely. At least this would explain all those effed up dreams I have…
I would strongly urge fans of any kind of urban fantasy to pick up this book.
osoordinary's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars! I almost REALLY liked this book. I did like it though! It was creative! I was originally drawn in because of the idea of reality versus dream worlds and how the characters interact within the two. It took a bit of time to wrap my brain around all the terminology and the world building and whale biology. And about halfway through the book, I got super confused about some things but pushed through. But overall it's a creative story and I liked the main characters and the secondary. And I enjoyed the author's writing. It's vivid. A bit overly so sometimes, but still enjoyable. But pay attention that warning! This is an adult book! There are some seriously explicit scenes in this book. Oh! And I liked how it ended - nice resolution. I was satisfied and don't have to pick up the next books unless I really feel a desire to.
nadybl's review against another edition
3.0
Original and fun book. Love the characters. And the love scenes ar HOT.
jkwomack's review against another edition
1.0
By the time I'm 15% into a book, I should have a reasonable idea of what is going on. I didn't. There is a lot of telling, instead of showing, in regards to world building, and one would think that, in itself, would be sufficient for the reader to have some basic concept of these elemental powers that are in this book, but again - I didn't. It just sort of drops you off in the middle of the action, which is fine - great even, to hook your attention and then the author proceeds to use terms like "fire" and "Fyre" seemingly interchangeably and without explanation.
Do I want a long exposition about these powers? No, but a line here and there, to drop hints to the reader as to what in the heck is going on is a nice way to gently educate the reader without entirely stalling the storyline. This subtlety is completely lost on the writer. Instead, we're left to make a whole lot of assumptions. As a reader, I like having the chance to be able to bring the story to life in my imagination - coloring in the picture the author is painting, so to speak. However, there just aren't enough lines to color in here. It's more like playing connect the dots where the artist has forgot or flat out refused to number them.
Do I want a long exposition about these powers? No, but a line here and there, to drop hints to the reader as to what in the heck is going on is a nice way to gently educate the reader without entirely stalling the storyline. This subtlety is completely lost on the writer. Instead, we're left to make a whole lot of assumptions. As a reader, I like having the chance to be able to bring the story to life in my imagination - coloring in the picture the author is painting, so to speak. However, there just aren't enough lines to color in here. It's more like playing connect the dots where the artist has forgot or flat out refused to number them.