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The Breathless #1
Suffocate
Suffocate is the first novelette in THE BREATHLESS series. It is a 15,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres.
For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times.
It's a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy in her perfect bubble. If those responsible find out what she knows, they won't stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.
For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times.
It's a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy in her perfect bubble. If those responsible find out what she knows, they won't stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.
30 pages, ebook
First published May 16, 2012
3 people are currently reading
623 people want to read
About the author
Shelli R. Johannes
41 books425 followersShelli R. Johannes is the author of 18 books (out and forthcoming). She is the coauthor (with Kimberly Derting) of the popular CECE LOVES SCIENCE series and PENNY (An Engineering Tale of the Fourth Pig). In addition to her tween and teen novels, she is also the author of the THEO THESAURUS series and SHINE LIKE A UNICORN. Her new chapter book in Chelsea Clinton’s “She Persisted” series on FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE comes out in March 2023.
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
You can find her online at srjohannes.com
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
You can find her online at srjohannes.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 11, 2013
Eria lives inside the Biome. The Biome is a giant dome that all of the remaining humans inhabit on Earth. It is not safe to travel outside of the dome. However Eria’s father, who is a scientist, has invented the EcoSys Biosuit. Today he is going to try it out. This is huge news because if Eria’s father succeeds then people will be able to venture outside of the dome.
Unfortunately, Eria’s father does not succeed. In fact he combusted in front of her and everyone’s eyes. Eria have an odd feeling about her father’s death. She and her father’s assistant, Ash joins Eria to uncover the truth.
Suffocate is the first book in the Breathless series. Ok, so where have I been that I have not heard about this book until now? Must be living until a rock. Even at about 30 pages this short story reads like a full length novel. I really enjoy the world that the author has built.
Just when I was about to the end of this book, the author throws in a big twist. One that had me reading the line twice. A happy surprise however. The ending leaves me counting down until book two. I can not wait to see what happens next.
Unfortunately, Eria’s father does not succeed. In fact he combusted in front of her and everyone’s eyes. Eria have an odd feeling about her father’s death. She and her father’s assistant, Ash joins Eria to uncover the truth.
Suffocate is the first book in the Breathless series. Ok, so where have I been that I have not heard about this book until now? Must be living until a rock. Even at about 30 pages this short story reads like a full length novel. I really enjoy the world that the author has built.
Just when I was about to the end of this book, the author throws in a big twist. One that had me reading the line twice. A happy surprise however. The ending leaves me counting down until book two. I can not wait to see what happens next.
February 20, 2015
The world outside the Biome is unlivable.
Earth is a hot desert, air is poisonous and everyone is trapped in this man made Biome.
One man will venture out. He suits up in a sweet biosuit. Will he survive????
This is a short story available on kindle and it was simply amazing. The only complaint I have is that I wish it was 500 pages.
Earth is a hot desert, air is poisonous and everyone is trapped in this man made Biome.
One man will venture out. He suits up in a sweet biosuit. Will he survive????
This is a short story available on kindle and it was simply amazing. The only complaint I have is that I wish it was 500 pages.
May 27, 2012
Wow. Shelli? That ending was KILLER! I want to read part 2 now, please!!
November 5, 2012
what a good writer
very good book
keeps you guessing to the end
i have read 4 of her books and all i can say is
more more write faster
love these books
very good book
keeps you guessing to the end
i have read 4 of her books and all i can say is
more more write faster
love these books
September 16, 2023
1.7 it wasn't this book
I read suffocation on wattpad.
It was okayish, not the best.
I read suffocation on wattpad.
It was okayish, not the best.
May 21, 2012
Both a prison and salvation, the Biome has allowed the continued survival of mankind for centuries on an Earth that’s grown hostile, deadly and barren. However, Eria’s father, a brilliant scientist, has been working on a project that’ll let human begin moving beyond the Biome. It’s a project that promises hope, but that instead delivers catastrophe. In a single moment, Eria’s life alters forever, exposing the dark underbelly of her perfect, snow-globe world and revealing secrets that’ll challenge her perception of reality and put her life in danger.
Eria Stevenson dreams of a day when she’ll escape the Biome – to feel the sun on her face and the wind in her hair. At the outset, there’s nothing extraordinarily remarkable about Eria. She’s a normal teenager with a great sense of humor who can’t cook, hates her hair, and who’s nursing a longtime crush on her dad’s lab assistant/childhood friend, Ash. All in all, pretty relatable. I wouldn’t call her a kick-butt kind of girl, but more of a dreamer who shares her dad’s vision of the future. However, because of certain events and situations that arise, Eri is about to undergo an unavoidable change, a loss of innocence, and I’m extremely excited to see where Johannes will take her character in this series.
While an extremely fast read, Suffocate packs a lot of punch into its short page count. Eria’s world, though a bit vague, is detailed enough to satisfy, with sci-fi overtones and dystopian undertones. Even more impressive is how well Johannes develops her cast of characters with such limited page time – I was surprised how emotionally invested I found myself, considering I had literally just met these characters. The pacing was also very well done. Pacing is of utter importance in a novel of normal length, but it’s paramount in a novelette – not a word or moment wasted. There’s no time to wander or stray, and Johannes doesn’t disappoint here either. After a short introduction to the characters and the world, you are immediately thrown in the action and it doesn’t let up at all, right until the fantastic ending that left me staring at my Kindle saying, “WHAT?!” Which brings me to another aspect of Johannes’ stories that I’ve discovered in the two I’ve read so far: She’s willing to take risks with her story. I admire when an author is willing to do that which is necessary for the sake of the plot or the characters, and I absolutely love when an author manages to catch me off guard.
Overall, an exciting introduction to The Breathless series, Suffocate delivers an action-packed plot full of unexpected twists, an interesting and dangerous world, and a cast of characters that hold wonderful emotional resonance.
Eria Stevenson dreams of a day when she’ll escape the Biome – to feel the sun on her face and the wind in her hair. At the outset, there’s nothing extraordinarily remarkable about Eria. She’s a normal teenager with a great sense of humor who can’t cook, hates her hair, and who’s nursing a longtime crush on her dad’s lab assistant/childhood friend, Ash. All in all, pretty relatable. I wouldn’t call her a kick-butt kind of girl, but more of a dreamer who shares her dad’s vision of the future. However, because of certain events and situations that arise, Eri is about to undergo an unavoidable change, a loss of innocence, and I’m extremely excited to see where Johannes will take her character in this series.
While an extremely fast read, Suffocate packs a lot of punch into its short page count. Eria’s world, though a bit vague, is detailed enough to satisfy, with sci-fi overtones and dystopian undertones. Even more impressive is how well Johannes develops her cast of characters with such limited page time – I was surprised how emotionally invested I found myself, considering I had literally just met these characters. The pacing was also very well done. Pacing is of utter importance in a novel of normal length, but it’s paramount in a novelette – not a word or moment wasted. There’s no time to wander or stray, and Johannes doesn’t disappoint here either. After a short introduction to the characters and the world, you are immediately thrown in the action and it doesn’t let up at all, right until the fantastic ending that left me staring at my Kindle saying, “WHAT?!” Which brings me to another aspect of Johannes’ stories that I’ve discovered in the two I’ve read so far: She’s willing to take risks with her story. I admire when an author is willing to do that which is necessary for the sake of the plot or the characters, and I absolutely love when an author manages to catch me off guard.
Overall, an exciting introduction to The Breathless series, Suffocate delivers an action-packed plot full of unexpected twists, an interesting and dangerous world, and a cast of characters that hold wonderful emotional resonance.
June 30, 2012
"Suffocate" by S.R. Johannes is a 15,000 word novelette that is the first in a new series of short stories that will explore a dystopian future world. This novel follows Eria who lives within the Biome, a structure that has helped humanity survive over the centuries whilst Earth has grown hostile and barren. Like everyone else, she has never been able to leave the sanctuary of the Biome and longs to visit the world that has long been thought lost. This hope is fuelled by her own father, a brilliant scientist who has been working on a suit that would finally enable people to leave in safety. But, when one of his experiments ends in tragedy, Eria's grief leads her to uncover a secret and dangerous underbelly to the Biome that could threaten her own life.
The short novel length results in an incredibly fast paced read that I found myself rocketing through as I wanted to see what would happen next. Johannes has done a great job in ripping out every piece of filler you could imagine to ensure that she could pack so much into a limited number of pages, there is even a couple of plot twists thrown in for fun, one of which I didn't see coming at all. What I was really impressed with though was that novel also includes a fair amount about Eria and her past which I usually find missing in short novels like this. This ensured that it was possible to actually understand Eria and her actions so she appeared to be a believable and realistic character.
In Summary, this was an enjoyable and entertaining short novel that showcased the great possibilities within this form of literature. It was action packed, fast moving and included enough details to enable the reader to understand the main characters and form a decent image in their head about what was occurring. In all honesty though, there was part of me that actually wished this had been a full length novel as the story contains so many possibilities that could have been further explored. Either way though, I am now looking forward to the sequel and I really do recommend this novelette to any fans of dystopian fiction who are looking for a quick and enjoyable read.
The short novel length results in an incredibly fast paced read that I found myself rocketing through as I wanted to see what would happen next. Johannes has done a great job in ripping out every piece of filler you could imagine to ensure that she could pack so much into a limited number of pages, there is even a couple of plot twists thrown in for fun, one of which I didn't see coming at all. What I was really impressed with though was that novel also includes a fair amount about Eria and her past which I usually find missing in short novels like this. This ensured that it was possible to actually understand Eria and her actions so she appeared to be a believable and realistic character.
In Summary, this was an enjoyable and entertaining short novel that showcased the great possibilities within this form of literature. It was action packed, fast moving and included enough details to enable the reader to understand the main characters and form a decent image in their head about what was occurring. In all honesty though, there was part of me that actually wished this had been a full length novel as the story contains so many possibilities that could have been further explored. Either way though, I am now looking forward to the sequel and I really do recommend this novelette to any fans of dystopian fiction who are looking for a quick and enjoyable read.
June 24, 2012
SUFFOCATE (The Breathless Novelette Series #1) YA by S.R. Johannes
SPOILER ALERT
SUFFOCATE is a short story introducing the premise to S.R. Johannes new young adult The Breathless Novelette series.
Eria Stevenson is excited. Today her father, Dr. Duke Stevenson will step out of the artificial eco-system that for centuries everyone on the planet has called home. The promise of another life outside of the Biome will be greatly increased if the suit lives up to the hype and testing that her father and his young assistant Ash have worked so diligently trying to perfect. With the thousands of spectators in attendance, Duke enters into a world of the unknown, only to find himself suddenly in a fight for his life.
Eria is stunned. Everyone around appears oblivious to the horror that is claiming her father. But with sudden clarity Eria knows what was happening to her father is no accident.
Ash has been taken hostage. Blamed for Dr. Stevenson’s accident, he has been imprisoned in a holding room, while the soldiers and security hunt for Eria. Escape is not an option when the only safe place is outside the Biome where no human is able to survive. But Ash has one more hurdle, to access the computer data surrounding the EcoSys projects and the bio-suit, only he finds more damning information against EcoSys then he first thought possible. Knowing there was only one remaining suit, Ash and Eria will have to make a decision that could end one of their lives. But what Ash reveals to Eria will make the young woman re-consider everything anyone has ever told her. Has her entire life been a lie?
SUFFOCATE is a great short story. Fast paced, interesting premise and a curve-ball that no one saw coming. I am looking forward to reading the next book in S.R. Johannes’ Breathless series-Eria is in for the ride of her ‘life’.
see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com
SPOILER ALERT
SUFFOCATE is a short story introducing the premise to S.R. Johannes new young adult The Breathless Novelette series.
Eria Stevenson is excited. Today her father, Dr. Duke Stevenson will step out of the artificial eco-system that for centuries everyone on the planet has called home. The promise of another life outside of the Biome will be greatly increased if the suit lives up to the hype and testing that her father and his young assistant Ash have worked so diligently trying to perfect. With the thousands of spectators in attendance, Duke enters into a world of the unknown, only to find himself suddenly in a fight for his life.
Eria is stunned. Everyone around appears oblivious to the horror that is claiming her father. But with sudden clarity Eria knows what was happening to her father is no accident.
Ash has been taken hostage. Blamed for Dr. Stevenson’s accident, he has been imprisoned in a holding room, while the soldiers and security hunt for Eria. Escape is not an option when the only safe place is outside the Biome where no human is able to survive. But Ash has one more hurdle, to access the computer data surrounding the EcoSys projects and the bio-suit, only he finds more damning information against EcoSys then he first thought possible. Knowing there was only one remaining suit, Ash and Eria will have to make a decision that could end one of their lives. But what Ash reveals to Eria will make the young woman re-consider everything anyone has ever told her. Has her entire life been a lie?
SUFFOCATE is a great short story. Fast paced, interesting premise and a curve-ball that no one saw coming. I am looking forward to reading the next book in S.R. Johannes’ Breathless series-Eria is in for the ride of her ‘life’.
see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com
June 2, 2012
Eria lives inside the Biome, a structure where people have lived since D-day. Several generations have passed since that day, and now Eria's father has finally completed a Bio-suit that will allow them to return to the world outside. A world that its poison and heat. Everyone is celebrating because he will be "the first man to step out of the artificial ecosystem in almost a century." But something goes wrong and in the blink of an eye, her dad to ashes. Literally. Before letting her grief drown her Eria sets out to uncover the truth about the accident, and what she uncovers is darker than she could've imagined.
This little novelette certainly packs a mean punch. Intrigue, deception, romance, action, all mixed up to create a riveting story. Eria was a surprisingly strong character. She's fun and loving with her family, has a cute crush on her dad's assistant, and when the tough gets going she steels herself and sets emotions aside to survive. Ash was very cute, and I was glad that he got a bigger part than just of romantic interest. He also shows to be very valiant and not afraid to fight back. The short glimpses we get of the other characters, were really well done. I found myself feeling bad for her Nana, and when her dad died I felt sad. Point is, that in just a few pages I was emotionally invested in this story, and that’s something I know is really hard to accomplish when one is writing. So kudos to Johannes!
The ending left me scrambling and searching all over the place for when the sequel would come out. The Breathless series has left me, well…breathless. If I have any complains about this is that I would've love it to be a longer work. I can't wait until the next installment comes out. I'll be waiting for Choke (The Breathless 2)!
This little novelette certainly packs a mean punch. Intrigue, deception, romance, action, all mixed up to create a riveting story. Eria was a surprisingly strong character. She's fun and loving with her family, has a cute crush on her dad's assistant, and when the tough gets going she steels herself and sets emotions aside to survive. Ash was very cute, and I was glad that he got a bigger part than just of romantic interest. He also shows to be very valiant and not afraid to fight back. The short glimpses we get of the other characters, were really well done. I found myself feeling bad for her Nana, and when her dad died I felt sad. Point is, that in just a few pages I was emotionally invested in this story, and that’s something I know is really hard to accomplish when one is writing. So kudos to Johannes!
The ending left me scrambling and searching all over the place for when the sequel would come out. The Breathless series has left me, well…breathless. If I have any complains about this is that I would've love it to be a longer work. I can't wait until the next installment comes out. I'll be waiting for Choke (The Breathless 2)!
July 7, 2012
It has taken me way too long to read Suffocate by S.R Johannes. I really enjoyed this short story. It was just what I needed to get me back into my reading mood, though not quite my reviewing mood! ;) S.R. has done another amazing job with Suffocate. Sure, the MC in Suffocate seemed a lot like the MC in Untraceable, but that wasn’t that much of a big deal.
Cover:
The cover is gorgeous. It takes some getting used to, but once you do it really is exceptional.
Plot/Writing:
The book is so short that it is hard to get a feel for the story. Everything is thrown at you so quickly that you’re getting whiplash from one page to the next. It was very fast paced and everything happened right away. There wasn’t much suspense building, but that was what was good about the story. I didn’t have to worry about being kept in the dark, except it did have a nasty cliffhanger.
Characters:
Eria is a very sweet girl. You start the book with her taking care of her grandmother, who doesn’t love that! You see her go through so much change and destruction in such a short amount of time that it is amazing that she doesn’t just collapse and fall apart. She keeps trucking along and I can’t wait to see what she is like in the next book after that cliff hanger.
Ash is the nerdy, sexy science assistant. He protects Eria with everything he’s got, even when he’s in a crappy situation himself. I really can’t add much about Ash without spoiling the whole book, so I’m going to stop there!
All in All:
Cute quick read! There were minor typos, but those were easily overlooked! I should’ve read this about two months ago, but better late than never!
Cover:
The cover is gorgeous. It takes some getting used to, but once you do it really is exceptional.
Plot/Writing:
The book is so short that it is hard to get a feel for the story. Everything is thrown at you so quickly that you’re getting whiplash from one page to the next. It was very fast paced and everything happened right away. There wasn’t much suspense building, but that was what was good about the story. I didn’t have to worry about being kept in the dark, except it did have a nasty cliffhanger.
Characters:
Eria is a very sweet girl. You start the book with her taking care of her grandmother, who doesn’t love that! You see her go through so much change and destruction in such a short amount of time that it is amazing that she doesn’t just collapse and fall apart. She keeps trucking along and I can’t wait to see what she is like in the next book after that cliff hanger.
Ash is the nerdy, sexy science assistant. He protects Eria with everything he’s got, even when he’s in a crappy situation himself. I really can’t add much about Ash without spoiling the whole book, so I’m going to stop there!
All in All:
Cute quick read! There were minor typos, but those were easily overlooked! I should’ve read this about two months ago, but better late than never!
Want to read
August 5, 2012"They say you don't miss what you never had. But, that doesn't mean I can't miss what life could have been."
Inside the Biome, everyone is safe from the harsh, unlivable climate outside. Yet, Eria longs to go outside, and with her father's newest invention, it may even be possible to do so safely. Excitement is high as Eria's father's big day arrives -- the day he will test the Bio-Suit outside of the Biome. But when everything begins to fall apart, Eria has to move quickly to unravel the lies with the help of her father's assistant, Ash. But what they discover is far from what either expects....Suffocate is a fast-paced and intriguing novelette. Johannes takes time to show Eria's relationships with her father and grandmother, as well as to give tantalizing little glimpses into Eria's inclusive world. It's only after tragedy strikes halfway through that the pace picks up and then the tension never ceases. Prepare to be hooked by the surprising conclusion, because Suffocate will leave you wanting so much more.
Highlights: The ending was a nice surprise (it was only after this revelation that I noticed the subtle hints the author left leading up to it) and left me very curious for the sequel. Eria's voice was easy to enjoy, and I found her genuinely kind and determined personality refreshing. Once the action began, I was hooked. This novelette is thoroughly gripping and difficult to set aside.
Lowlights: Because this is only around 15,000 words, it does go by fairly quickly, so certain things felt a bit rushed.
Inside the Biome, everyone is safe from the harsh, unlivable climate outside. Yet, Eria longs to go outside, and with her father's newest invention, it may even be possible to do so safely. Excitement is high as Eria's father's big day arrives -- the day he will test the Bio-Suit outside of the Biome. But when everything begins to fall apart, Eria has to move quickly to unravel the lies with the help of her father's assistant, Ash. But what they discover is far from what either expects....Suffocate is a fast-paced and intriguing novelette. Johannes takes time to show Eria's relationships with her father and grandmother, as well as to give tantalizing little glimpses into Eria's inclusive world. It's only after tragedy strikes halfway through that the pace picks up and then the tension never ceases. Prepare to be hooked by the surprising conclusion, because Suffocate will leave you wanting so much more.
Highlights: The ending was a nice surprise (it was only after this revelation that I noticed the subtle hints the author left leading up to it) and left me very curious for the sequel. Eria's voice was easy to enjoy, and I found her genuinely kind and determined personality refreshing. Once the action began, I was hooked. This novelette is thoroughly gripping and difficult to set aside.
Lowlights: Because this is only around 15,000 words, it does go by fairly quickly, so certain things felt a bit rushed.
July 10, 2014
See more of my reviews on my blog Thoughts At One In The Morning.
My Thoughts:
I really love young adult dystopian stories. After reading Untraceable by S.R. Johannes, and loving it, I really wanted to read Suffocate. And while it is a novella, and very short, it is still an excellent read.
The story itself is more fast paced than most dystopian stories. It dives right in to the action and takes us for a ride immediately. Eria faces a very intense situation, and following that she learns some crazy things about herself, and about life in the Biome. Not only that but there's a nice little bit of sexual tension between her and Ash, her father's assistant, and you guys know how much I love that. Within a matter of a few hours, things change drastically. And when you reach the end, you want to know what will happen next.
Suffocate was a great start to the series. It got me interested right away. The only thing I would have liked to see is the story being more detailed. I know, it's a novella, but it would have been awesome to see a little more to it, like some build up to this day. But, if that's my only complaint, that's a good thing. I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see what happens in Choke, the second book in this series.
My Rating: Very Good
My Thoughts:
I really love young adult dystopian stories. After reading Untraceable by S.R. Johannes, and loving it, I really wanted to read Suffocate. And while it is a novella, and very short, it is still an excellent read.
The story itself is more fast paced than most dystopian stories. It dives right in to the action and takes us for a ride immediately. Eria faces a very intense situation, and following that she learns some crazy things about herself, and about life in the Biome. Not only that but there's a nice little bit of sexual tension between her and Ash, her father's assistant, and you guys know how much I love that. Within a matter of a few hours, things change drastically. And when you reach the end, you want to know what will happen next.
Suffocate was a great start to the series. It got me interested right away. The only thing I would have liked to see is the story being more detailed. I know, it's a novella, but it would have been awesome to see a little more to it, like some build up to this day. But, if that's my only complaint, that's a good thing. I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see what happens in Choke, the second book in this series.
My Rating: Very Good
May 25, 2012
I first fell in love with S.R Johannes writing style after reading her book Untraceable. I was very excited to read her newest piece of work Suffocate. The book was very short, however the author managed to pack a lot of excitement into this short story. She quickly captured my interest with her description of the current condition of the world and the ecosphere where people now live. The main character Eria, is a unique character and by the end I felt like I had connected with her character, I knew I was going to want to know what happens with her and be excited to read the next novelette. I was so pleasantly surprised by how many twist and turns the author was able to fit into this story. She revealed enough to get the reader interested while leaving enough unknown to make the reader hungry to read the next part of the story. I did guess the reasoning behind the accident fairly quickly after starting the book having read the goodreads description however I did not feel like that took away from the book as I still wanted to see what Eria would do. The twist at the end is a big one that I would have never guessed. I cannot wait to read the next part of the story and I urge you to get a copy of Suffocate from amazon, you can read it within an hour or so and I promise you will not be disappointed!
July 15, 2014
Review can be found at: www.the-reading-pile.blogspot.co.uk
Wow, was I shocked when I read this novelette. First of all, I need to say that Suffocate is a novelette, 15,000 words, and a very quick, addictive, fast paced read.
Eria watches as her father steps out into the unknown (ish), out of the Biome wearing the Bio-Suit he created. Every test he'd conducted on the suit had been successful, so when something goes horribly wrong on the day when he finally tests it out for the world (or rather the dome), Eria and Ash (her father's intern) are quick to find out who is behind this horrible accident... if it was an accident at all...
In Johannes' novelette I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next, talking to myself in my bedroom as I read it, desperately trying to figure out who was behind what happened. Though, it seemed like an accident to me at first... But once Eria and Ash begin snooping, it became clear who was responsible - and although it was a cliché idea, it works.
Though it was short, I'm looking forward to Choke which is scheduled to come out later this year! I do want to know what happened after Eria found out the truth about her and watched two horrific acts in one day, knowing that another one is happening at the same time, one she has no choice but to let happen if she wants to escape.
Wow, was I shocked when I read this novelette. First of all, I need to say that Suffocate is a novelette, 15,000 words, and a very quick, addictive, fast paced read.
Eria watches as her father steps out into the unknown (ish), out of the Biome wearing the Bio-Suit he created. Every test he'd conducted on the suit had been successful, so when something goes horribly wrong on the day when he finally tests it out for the world (or rather the dome), Eria and Ash (her father's intern) are quick to find out who is behind this horrible accident... if it was an accident at all...
In Johannes' novelette I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next, talking to myself in my bedroom as I read it, desperately trying to figure out who was behind what happened. Though, it seemed like an accident to me at first... But once Eria and Ash begin snooping, it became clear who was responsible - and although it was a cliché idea, it works.
Though it was short, I'm looking forward to Choke which is scheduled to come out later this year! I do want to know what happened after Eria found out the truth about her and watched two horrific acts in one day, knowing that another one is happening at the same time, one she has no choice but to let happen if she wants to escape.
June 9, 2012
I will be the first to admit that novella's are not really my thing. While, it's nice to pick up something and finish it within a few hours, I just find that there is never enough time to get fully invested in it. And Suffocate...totally changed my thinking! Wow! This one starts with a bang, takes hold and does not let you go. The characters were believable and so engaging. The story line is so utterly up my alley and that ending?? Awesome. I am very excited to see where author S R Johannes takes this story in the next installment. Shelli...Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me review this one.
I became a fan of Shelli's after reading On The Bright Side and she now has a new fan...my 10 year old. She absolutely LOVED OTBS as well. With Suffocate, I think Shelli has managed to bring the genre of Dystopian to a larger audience. This book is definitely suited for all ages, not just the older YA readers as many of the Dystopian books out there are geared for. However, coming from a 40+ mindset, I really enjoyed this one as well!
If you are a lover of YA Dystopian...as you all know that I am...or if you are a fan of author S R Johannes other novels...pick this one up. You will enjoy the ride!!
I became a fan of Shelli's after reading On The Bright Side and she now has a new fan...my 10 year old. She absolutely LOVED OTBS as well. With Suffocate, I think Shelli has managed to bring the genre of Dystopian to a larger audience. This book is definitely suited for all ages, not just the older YA readers as many of the Dystopian books out there are geared for. However, coming from a 40+ mindset, I really enjoyed this one as well!
If you are a lover of YA Dystopian...as you all know that I am...or if you are a fan of author S R Johannes other novels...pick this one up. You will enjoy the ride!!
February 24, 2013
“For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable.”
And with that we are introduced to this dystopian society. Post-apocalyptic? I’m not sure. I don’t think that was really said. And that’s the one thing that wasn’t answered for me in this novelette. How did the world become this way? You can’t go outside the Biome or you will burn to death in searing heat. I can only imagine that information will come out as the series moves on.
As for Suffocate, I am totally impressed. I love a good dystopian book, and SR Johannes does it well. Eria (bonus points on the name, btw) is a young woman, but she’s not a child. She’s not to be underestimated. And when the bad thing happens and shit gets real, she doesn’t collapse and cry “why me?!?” She gets up and handles business. I like her, and I can’t wait to see more of her.
This story is bringing about a great promise of a series. It’s set up perfectly. People have died, secrets have been uncovered, and the line in the sand is most definitely drawn. Genetically modified food, meatless meals, artificial sun and oxygen, purified water. But the Biome is not quite the utopia the people in charge want you to think it is. Oh yes, I am very eager to read the rest of this series!
And with that we are introduced to this dystopian society. Post-apocalyptic? I’m not sure. I don’t think that was really said. And that’s the one thing that wasn’t answered for me in this novelette. How did the world become this way? You can’t go outside the Biome or you will burn to death in searing heat. I can only imagine that information will come out as the series moves on.
As for Suffocate, I am totally impressed. I love a good dystopian book, and SR Johannes does it well. Eria (bonus points on the name, btw) is a young woman, but she’s not a child. She’s not to be underestimated. And when the bad thing happens and shit gets real, she doesn’t collapse and cry “why me?!?” She gets up and handles business. I like her, and I can’t wait to see more of her.
This story is bringing about a great promise of a series. It’s set up perfectly. People have died, secrets have been uncovered, and the line in the sand is most definitely drawn. Genetically modified food, meatless meals, artificial sun and oxygen, purified water. But the Biome is not quite the utopia the people in charge want you to think it is. Oh yes, I am very eager to read the rest of this series!
Read
November 29, 2023If novels are like a television series or mini-series, a novelette is like a single episode. Suffocate didn’t waste any time in getting to the heart of the story: a terrible accident, and Eria’s frantic search to discover what went wrong, accompanied by her father’s intern, Ash. As they search through the mysterious innards of the Biome for the truth, they are pursued by mysterious baddies, and lots of crazy sci-fi discoveries are made amidst nonstop action. There’s even a brief moment of romance squeezed in. And then it winds up with a great twist ending that I kind of suspected (but not really).
This book was fun, fast and furious. I liked reading about the world of the Biome, and even though the book is short, the world-building was decent and the pacing was good. I never felt like I was being rushed or that the story was being crammed into a too-small space; this is just one of those stories that didn’t need 100,000 words to tell it properly.
If you’re looking for a quick, exciting sci-fi read to fill a couple hours by the pool or on a rainy day, I’d recommend picking this one up!
This book was fun, fast and furious. I liked reading about the world of the Biome, and even though the book is short, the world-building was decent and the pacing was good. I never felt like I was being rushed or that the story was being crammed into a too-small space; this is just one of those stories that didn’t need 100,000 words to tell it properly.
If you’re looking for a quick, exciting sci-fi read to fill a couple hours by the pool or on a rainy day, I’d recommend picking this one up!
June 30, 2012
First in the Breathless novelette series, Suffocate does a wonderfully intriguing job of creating a future world, peopling it with characters, and seeding it with questions. The story has a pleasing completeness, like a single episode of a long-running TV series, which bodes well for further novelettes.
Eria’s father is about to be the first person in centuries to leave the Biome and walk in the hotly poisoned air outside. He’s tested and retested his suit, and everyone’s gathered to watch the spectacle. The story’s told through Eria’s eyes in a very convincing young teen voice. Hints of what’s to come are scattered gently between her thoughts, coming together very naturally as the story progresses. Tragedy and conspiracy loom in this fast-moving sci-fi action adventure with surprises at every turn. The world-building is convincing. Explanations are kept to a well-timed minimum. And the reader is quickly invested in Eria’s family, hopes and dreams.
I hope there’ll be more. I hope there’ll be more soon. This looks like a really fun series.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novelette from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Eria’s father is about to be the first person in centuries to leave the Biome and walk in the hotly poisoned air outside. He’s tested and retested his suit, and everyone’s gathered to watch the spectacle. The story’s told through Eria’s eyes in a very convincing young teen voice. Hints of what’s to come are scattered gently between her thoughts, coming together very naturally as the story progresses. Tragedy and conspiracy loom in this fast-moving sci-fi action adventure with surprises at every turn. The world-building is convincing. Explanations are kept to a well-timed minimum. And the reader is quickly invested in Eria’s family, hopes and dreams.
I hope there’ll be more. I hope there’ll be more soon. This looks like a really fun series.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novelette from the author in exchange for my honest review.
May 31, 2012
Suffocate by S.R. Johannes is the first novelette in the Breathless series. Suffocate is an action packed thriller filled with twists and turns that are sure to keep you guessing. It's about a girl living in a dome sometime after the earth is declared unlivable. The air unbreathable. You step outside the dome, you die. Only, not everything inside the dome is as it seems...
Eria is a strong character who, despite the tragedies she goes through in such a short amount of time, is desperate to stop a larger conspiracy. She gets help from her friend Ash, her father's research assistant. Ash is a smart and sexy edition to the story. He's sure to intrigue you the same way he does Eria.
But as cute as Eria and Ash are, there are bigger things happening behind the scenes of the Biome, and they are on a mission to find out just what's going on. And the ending will have you reeling. I can't wait to read the next two editions to the Breathless series. Suffocate is a captivating short that will pull you in from the very first page. I recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi or dystopian novels.
Eria is a strong character who, despite the tragedies she goes through in such a short amount of time, is desperate to stop a larger conspiracy. She gets help from her friend Ash, her father's research assistant. Ash is a smart and sexy edition to the story. He's sure to intrigue you the same way he does Eria.
But as cute as Eria and Ash are, there are bigger things happening behind the scenes of the Biome, and they are on a mission to find out just what's going on. And the ending will have you reeling. I can't wait to read the next two editions to the Breathless series. Suffocate is a captivating short that will pull you in from the very first page. I recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi or dystopian novels.
September 28, 2012
This is a 3.5 review.
This is an incredibly fast read. It's not very long. Basically it's a long short story, or a short novella.
I really enjoyed the story as a whole. It has a surprising amount of world-building considering how short the story is, but it's never cumbersome. The characters are easy to grasp and understand. The action is swift and exciting. What little romance is in the book feels very real and a bit bittersweet. The big reveal at the end was a nice surprise, though in retrospect the author had given plenty of hints.
The science part of the story is a bit wonky and took me a little out of the story, but by the time I reached the end I was willing to let it slide because I was already invested in the characters.
I'm looking forward to the final two installments in this novella trilogy.
This is an incredibly fast read. It's not very long. Basically it's a long short story, or a short novella.
I really enjoyed the story as a whole. It has a surprising amount of world-building considering how short the story is, but it's never cumbersome. The characters are easy to grasp and understand. The action is swift and exciting. What little romance is in the book feels very real and a bit bittersweet. The big reveal at the end was a nice surprise, though in retrospect the author had given plenty of hints.
The science part of the story is a bit wonky and took me a little out of the story, but by the time I reached the end I was willing to let it slide because I was already invested in the characters.
I'm looking forward to the final two installments in this novella trilogy.
August 26, 2012
This is a short novelette that is fast paced and thrilling. Eria is a bright and strong teenage girl who is excited yet fearful about her father going out into the world that has temperatures of up to 2000 degrees. When tragedy strikes Eria is able to keep her head about her and with the help of Ash, her father's assistant and her best friend, she searches to find what happened to him.
I found Eria and Ash to be strong, young adult characters that were able to keep their wits about them but still showed teenage fear. The book is filled with action as one event after another crops up. I found it to be a page turner and a unique concept. There are a lot of twists to the book, almost too many for it to be believable. The twist at the end was crazy but perfect for the story. This is a quick read perfect for teenagers/young adults.
I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
I found Eria and Ash to be strong, young adult characters that were able to keep their wits about them but still showed teenage fear. The book is filled with action as one event after another crops up. I found it to be a page turner and a unique concept. There are a lot of twists to the book, almost too many for it to be believable. The twist at the end was crazy but perfect for the story. This is a quick read perfect for teenagers/young adults.
I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
March 10, 2014
Ends a bit too abruptly
This book definitely fit the term short story it appears that when things were starting to get "good" it ends. I personally have no problem waiting 50 pages or so until the book becomes interesting but it was only those 50 pages! It kind of makes me feel like I wasted my time because it is all background information interesting, but to a certain extent. I think the second book would be more of the story itself but you must purchase it. I can only hope that it won't be the let down it is now.
This book definitely fit the term short story it appears that when things were starting to get "good" it ends. I personally have no problem waiting 50 pages or so until the book becomes interesting but it was only those 50 pages! It kind of makes me feel like I wasted my time because it is all background information interesting, but to a certain extent. I think the second book would be more of the story itself but you must purchase it. I can only hope that it won't be the let down it is now.
February 20, 2014
The outside world is a barren desert. All Eria's dad and Ash want to do is build a suit so they can go outside again, out of the Biome. Eria hopes it will work too. Yet, mayhem ensues.
An action packed, fast paced, easy to read narrative fill this short narrative introducing the environment and characters. Characters are authentic for their reality and promise additional growth in future episodes.
Overall, a fun read.
An action packed, fast paced, easy to read narrative fill this short narrative introducing the environment and characters. Characters are authentic for their reality and promise additional growth in future episodes.
Overall, a fun read.
November 16, 2013
I enjoyed the start of the book more than the second half. I think it suffered from being a short story, as I felt that the story built up too quickly and I hadn't had enough time to get attached to the main characters before the 'big finale' happened. This had the unfortunate effect that I ultimately didn't care as much about them as I was supposed to.
January 9, 2014
intriguing short story of a girl who lives in a biodome after the earth turned uninhabitable. the story revolves around a monumental day in which her father plans to test a suit that could allow people to go outside the dome for the first time in a century. a joyous celebration goes awry when the suit fails, spurring the protagonist to find out what is really going on.
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January 25, 2014Short but memorable
I really enjoyed this novella. The story is quite engaging and the characters are well developed. There are a couple of twists that I didn't see coming at all. You get a wide spectrum of emotions in this quick read, including joy, terror, sadness, hope, loss, and betrayal. I will definitely read more by this author.
I really enjoyed this novella. The story is quite engaging and the characters are well developed. There are a couple of twists that I didn't see coming at all. You get a wide spectrum of emotions in this quick read, including joy, terror, sadness, hope, loss, and betrayal. I will definitely read more by this author.
July 18, 2012
a very high 4 though. Was not expecting that ending which was great! Would recommend to anyone who likes dystopian stories. You might want to wait for the next book though. Very big cliffhanger ending. Really good short story.
February 2, 2014
I don't usually get into the sci-fi books but this one was actually really good and not what I was expecting. I feel for Eria with all of the loss, heartache, new found love, and finding out so many things that are surprising throughout this short story. Not your typical sci-fi short story.
March 23, 2014
Too short
Too short
this is more like a short story with an ending that is excruciating because it really leaves you hanging. I wanted more more more. excellent writing and story telling.
Too short
this is more like a short story with an ending that is excruciating because it really leaves you hanging. I wanted more more more. excellent writing and story telling.
May 19, 2015
Got this book free from Amazon and went ahead with it because it came under the genre of science fiction. A very short story but still interesting. Would have been better if it was a full fledged novel.
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