4.5 stars

ONE LAST BREATH is an atmospheric thriller about a historical murderer coming back to a small town and with a speculative edge of past lives.

There are similarities to gothic horror in how the atmosphere of unease is built, the location as much a character as the people. It's a slow build of tension, a slow build of the mystery as it gradually weaves together in a rich sense of place and uncertainty and lies.

The book incorporates the ideas of past lives. What if parts of people came back, searching for loved ones - or the answers to their own murders? It's an interesting slant, clues popping up in memories that should not exist and being unsure where you start and someone else ends. I also liked how it tied this 20 year old murder into the present, giving an added motive to solve it.

There is a tangle of two mysteries here - the murder in the town and a serial killer much further south. I enjoyed all the misdirection about if and how they were connected as well as who the suspects might be. The end result was very satisfying.

The book also features freediving, both as a way for Tru to escape the world, to feel present, and as an important plot point. It was a fascinating aspect of the tale, a sport I know little about but had a serene beauty and an inherent danger that complimented the rest of the plot well.

Sophie Amoss narrates, really bringing it all together, echoing the suspended nature of being under water, the slowly rising tension and thick atmosphere, and knife edge of danger. The pacing of the narration was brilliant, altering with which element was being discussed.

For years now I have been searching for a book that gave me the same vibes as Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain... and I finally found it, back with Ginny Myers Sain. The book follows Tru as she grapples with leaving high school, not knowing where she wants her life to go, feeling tied down with her long time boyfriend and longer time best friend. But she's also been focused on the murders of two girls - Celeste and Bailey - twenty years ago. Her town can't let go of the murders, and neither can she, especially when a stranger turns up poking around and making her question things about the murders that she hadn't thought of before. The supernatural, spooky element of this book is exactly what I've been looking for and is exactly why I adored this and Dark and Shallow Lies so much. The story was fascinating and parts of it were not something I necessarily believe in, but it was still written in a way where I wanted to, and I was willing to for this story. This is one of my favourite reads of the year so far and I already miss reading it! I even loved the diving parts of it, and as someone who knows nothing about the technique for breathing or anything, I found it massively accessible and interesting.

This book would have been better without the paranormal aspect which was used heavily as a plot device thus breaking the narrative flow and suspense. I did enjoy the rich environment.

This is a paranormal thriller, meaning there are "forces" that will guide Tru in discovering what happened. I cannot say more as I am weary of spoilers, but I recommend this book if you enjoyed Murder Road.

A high quality audio that pulls together a long standing whodunit with elements of supernatural. I found there seemed to be a few adhic characters who didnt drive the story forward. The supernatural element seemed to build up and then nothing major but a series of conveniences. . At times the emergance of the highly seductive complex relationship between the two girl distracting and irrelevant.
I loved the descriptive nature of the novel. I think this wouldcappeal more to a young adult.
Thank you netgallery and publisher and author and narrator

5⭐️

Mount Orange, Florida is a small town known for some less than desirable events. Bailey and Celeste were murdered in their tent during a storm, and years later, Tru is constantly woken up by nightmares of being stabbed in a tent.

That’s not all there is to Tru’s life, though. She works part time at the local paper, free dives with the local hippies, deals with her alcoholic mother, and is planning on attending FSU in the fall-at least everyone thinks that’s her plan, but she never applied.

When a new girl, Rio, shows up out of nowhere, Tru’s life is seriously rocked. Are the nightmares she’s having actually a memory? Are she and Rio the reincarnations of murdered girls?

•••

Ginny Myers Sain is truly a remarkable author. She can seamlessly intertwine supernatural elements into thrillers. Though this is my least favorite of her works, it still earned 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Audio, and Ginny Myers Sain for providing me with a copy of the audiobook.

Audiobooks are a little out of my comfort zone, so it took me a while to get into it. But the second the story started unfolding, I barely realised the audiobook. It was as if I saw everything happen in front of my own eyes. Really great!

Thanks Netgalley for my copy.

I hate to do this for an ARC but I didn't enjoy this book at all. The Tru and Rio were just mentally unwell children and everyone seemed happy to feed into their delusions. Like, why? Even if the useless mothers didn't care, they went around telling people who should have been like, just stop, you need to see a therapist.

The twist was okay but it was pretty obvious from the start.

This did nothing for me.

Compared to Sain's debut, there was absolutely no atmosphere. The characters felt generic and predictable and the narrator didn't keep me engaged.
It wasn't bad, but it just didn't work for me. The whole "reincarnation" type aspect bordered on cheesy (coming from someone who is very open to that idea and would love to see books explore that idea more). When it first was introduced in the book, it had me intrigued as it does make for a really interesting premise but ultimately it felt as if it was just there as an easy way to explain how the characters could know things that would solve the mystery and it fell flat.

Hold onto your hats, folks! Ginny Myers Sain is back at it with another heart-pounding YA thriller that'll have you on the edge of your seat! March 2, 2024, marks the day when I dove headfirst into the gripping world of One Last Breath and boy, oh boy, did it take my breath away!

Remember Dark and Shallow Lies? Well, consider One Last Breath its equally thrilling sibling. Once I cracked open that spine, there was no turning back until I reached the very last page. I practically disregarded reality, flipping through the chapters like a person possessed!

But what sets Ginny Myers Sain apart from the rest? It's simple – her writing doesn't just tell a story; it transports you right into the heart of the action! Picture yourself sweltering under the Florida sun, feeling the weight of the town's history bearing down on your shoulders since that fateful night two decades ago when tragedy struck.

Enter Tru, our fearless protagonist on a mission to unravel the mysteries surrounding the chilling murders of Celeste and Bailey. Why does it feel like her duty to uncover the truth? Well, you'll have to read to find out!

One Last Breath serves up all the delicious small-town vibes you crave, wrapped in a cloak of mystery that'll keep you guessing until the very end. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, buckle up for a twist so wild, it'll leave your head spinning!

But wait, there's more! The supporting cast isn't just window dressing – they're fully fleshed-out characters who play a vital role in this dark and eerie tale. From start to finish, each page is dripping with tension, keeping you glued to the story until the final, heart-stopping revelation.

So, if you're in the market for a rollercoaster ride of a YA thriller, look no further than One Last Breath – you won't regret it!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a small town murder mtstery which I usually adore, but the reincarnation trope wasn't for me - I prefer when the mystery is solved by being smart and not through supernatural means. And while it was quite easy to spot the killer, I quite liked his motivation - it was a new spin on the usual tropes.

3 stars

This was a unique take on the typical mystery, adding a supernatural element without overpowering the main 'whodunnit' storyline.

Rio and Try are both teenagers and many of the decisions they make/options they take are understandable of people in their age range.

The pacing is a little slower than I would normally enjoy but the way the twists, turns and red herrings are scattered throughout prevents it from being boring or from dragging on.

The supernatural element is not one that I have come across myself and, as a result, I was hooked by it. The same can be said for the free-diving - it's not a sport (in fact, I'm not even sure it is classed as a sport) that I have come across in mainstream media and it tied in perfectly with the concept.

The slow-burn of the romance and the innocence of much of it really is heart warming and something I enjoyed, without there being too many cutesy-eyeroll moments.

🎧4.5⭐️

A supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance and a decades old mystery.

My first delve into this author’s work. I had the audiobook read by Sophie Amos who does a great job with distinct voices, and adding tension and emotion.

This is descriptive slower paced, you get a good feel of the location and is very character driven.

Tru finds her freedom free diving in the deep Hidden Glen Springs. She meets Rio who comes to the town determined to solve the mystery of the decades old deaths of Bailey and Celeste.

There are two elements that made this a bit different for me, the supernatural element was a bit different, and I think it worked really well. The other is the free diving, the description is so good that you felt that you were there with them on the water.
The characters are well developed so that you easily engage with them, there’s plenty of tension and emotion too, I was close to tears at one point.

The romance element fits in well, it doesn’t overpower the story but gives an extra reason to root for Tru and Rio.

The plot has a good complexity which really ramps up well for the end. It’s so much more than the usual coming of age trope. The complexity gives this plenty of interest for an adult audience, the content level keeps it suitable for YA along with the age of the protagonists.

So i thought the book started out really good, but I was never able to get back into it after my initial hour. Every time I tried, the author's voice almost put me to sleep. Very monotone and not really into what she was reading. I tried jumping ahead a few times in hopes it would get better, but once it was all about girls and sexual things, i just stopped.

It took me a little bit of time to get into this, to become used to the author, get to know True, then Rio and then Dill and Derry but my goodness once I was in I was all in. And I guessed the ending again and again and was wrong at every single turn. Amazing!!!

Do you believe in past lives? What would it take to convince you and those around you that you’d been here already? Suspenseful, eerie and captivating.

An easy 5 🌟 #Jorecommends

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins U.K. audio for permission to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.