****THIS WAS A GOODREADS.COM FIRST READ CONTEST WIN!****

This was a wonderful interesting book to read. I felt this book would be better for Young Adult/Teenager but books really do not cater to a specific age. The author wrote a very good book. Thanks for an interesting read.

****THIS WAS A GOODREADS.COM FIRST READ CONTEST WIN!**** ( )

Kat has been running her whole life. Not just competitively, but recently for her life. Her latest journey leads her to the small town of Lithia, a place she recalls from her childhood. But shortly after her arrival, strange things occur and Kat comes to realize that the inhabitants of this town are not what they seem.

This book was much better than I expected it to be. When I received it as an ARC from LibraryThing I figured it would be a decent book, but I found that it was one that I was unable to put down.

The characters are engaging and likeable and the story was filled with enough surprises to keep me guessing and on the edge of my seat.

Would definitely recommend to fans of the paranormal. I personally can't wait to get my hands on the next installment in this series! ( )

This book was different. Another twist to the many vampire tales. Why I found it interesting, I don't think I would really continue with the series. However I will recommend it as a light/quick read, or at least a book to borrow from the local library. While I may have not liked it, doesn't mean you won't. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Till I can write a proper review, which will hopefully be real soon. ( )

One of the very wonderful things about reading books is that they take us into worlds we might never be able to experience and into the heads and hearts of characters we wish we could be. That being the case, it was a fascinating place to find myself inside the head and physical surroundings of Kat Jones.

I'm not and never have been a runner. It's something that has interested me over many years because I've come across friends and acquaintences who love to run. What makes "Out of Breath" so unique is the experiences shared about this lifestyle and its character building benefits. It was an educational and emotional experience to read.

From the perspective of strictly a YA novel, you'll find this one a treat because it's much along the lines of a "Twilight" venue. There is the dark and handsome vampire, Roman; the somewhat innocent and caring nature-boy, Alex; and Kat, who is new to town, a loner and quietly beautiful. But from that point the novel takes a direction that is explosive in character pulling us into the world of running, vegan lifestyles versus blood-feeding, and murder in the woodlands above the town called "Lithia" for its calmning drinking water.

Blair Richmond is a very strong author. Her style is not only agreeable, but engaging and it has a flow that makes one want to keep digging for answers that she poses in her story. I was hooked from the beginning, and I found the mysteries she posed in the novel grabbers! Her characters are also likeable; even the strangest of the vampires, and I'm anxious to know more about all of them.

This is the first in a series around Kat, Roman and Alex. I'm very much looking forward to reading more about them and the town of Lithia. There are open-ended questions I have and I'm dying to know the answers to.

Ease of reading and a great story will make this a sure-to-be loved novel and series. I recommend it for those who love vampires!

4 stars a running

Deborah/TheBookishDame ( )

For starters, I won this on LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I had no idea what to expect other than it was a paranormal romance and involved running.

This story was dark, mysterious, and had a certain depth to it.

Kat. Well, she has a past. Throughout the entire novel, she didn't reveal much about her life. The main things I got what that she was a runner, she was running from and to her past, in a way. You'd have to read the book to understand what I mean by that. Her character definitely mystery to it. I can't wait to figure out more about her in the sequels.

Roman. He's, uh, well, something. I didn't like him. It frustrated me throughout the book that Kat was hung up on him because she felt this "connection". Let's just say, my intuition was right about him towards the end.

Alex. He's such a sweetie! I liked him right off the bat. It kind of irritated me that Kat couldn't choose between him and Roman. When, obviously, Alex is the better choice.

Stacey&David. Well, for Stacey I have nothing to say other than she and the events around her confused me. David, I felt bad for him. He didn't deserve the heartbreak he got.

Now, on to the plot. Without giving away details, I'll say that it was well written. I liked the flow of the story. The fact that Kat was a vegan and a runner set in this dark world somehow made the story realistic. I like dark fiction. Or rather, the kind of fiction that has a dark undertone. And Blair Richmond portrayed the darkness well. In my opinion, that darkness seemed to sprout mostly from Kat, but there was a little of all the major character's there, too. Lithia seems to have a darkness. I just can't explain it right.

Overall, this book was definitely interesting. I really enjoyed it. There was such great plot twists! I simply cannot wait for the next book, The Ghost Runner, coming out in 2012.