Plot:
Chandler Raines and her “dad” are on the run. Never staying in one place for very long. It’s just not safe. When they arrive in Lafayette, Louisiana, Chandler quickly realizes this is the place she wants to call home. Friends, a cute boy, and competitive cheerleading have her taking dangerous risks to have the life she always wanted. Risks she promised she wouldn’t take.
When her lies catch up to her, a decision has to be made. Stay or run? Will the evil that’s chased them for the last four years catch up to them? When Chandler’s past comes screeching into the present she’ll have to sacrifice everything to keep what she loves safe. But will it be enough?
Review:
When I started to read this book, I was immediately disappointed by it—but not for very long! The story starts off with the main character—who doesn’t actually use her real name but is referred to as Chandler Raines throughout the majority of the book—and right away I was wondering if I was actually reading the right book. As a sequel to Breathe, I was expecting Shimmer to follow the same characters (Jasmine, Easton, Lily, Caedan, etc.). And it did, eventually. While at first it was a little bit shocking, I actually really enjoyed this type of a sequel where it followed a new character but also showed their life interacting with the characters that had already been established.
So, with that being said, Shimmer takes place four years after Breathe, and follows Chandler and her father, who are on the run from some mysterious man who is chasing after them. They don’t stay in any one place for too long and try to keep as low a profile as possible. However, Chandler is quite skilled at gymnastic tumbling and finds a gym in every city she moves to. This time is different though, as Chandler gets noticed by the cheer squad and quickly gets wrapped up in the world of competitive cheer, all behind her father’s back. This, of course, is a horrible idea for keeping a low profile, as cheerleading is not the type of sport where one can hide in the crowd, and especially not with tumbling skills as good as Chandler’s.
There is a lot of good drama, romance and plot in this book and I absolutely breezed through it I enjoyed it so much. After I got over my initial aversion to the introduction of a new main character, I fell in love with Chandler and her story. Overall I give this book 5/5 stars.
