Don’t Fade. Breathe Easy.
TNT Trilogy (book 3)
Sarah Delany
Self-published 2021

June 29, 2021

Don’t Fade. Breathe Easy. by Sarah Delany is the third book in the TNT Trilogy series. I have read the first two of these books and I can easily say that this was a beautiful way to end the series. The TNT Trilogy is the best New Zealand-written book series that I have ever read.

As with the first two books, Don’t Fade. Breathe Easy. is continuing on the story of Tate and Tamsyn. These two characters have been through everything together; Tamsyn’s attempts to fade out of the world unnoticed and the death of Tate’s twin. Now they must face their best friend who recently tried to commit suicide but survived thanks to Tamsyn’s knowledge of CPR.

The attempt is especially hard for Tamsyn as Rafe, the friend, was the one who looked after her when Tate couldn’t be there. The two grew closer over the time and developed a best friend relationship people could only dream of. Rafe was the type of person who always made her smile and could brighten the room, so it came as a shock to her when he tried to kill himself.

It’s also hard for Tate as his own twin sister tried to commit suicide not six months earlier and passed away after being in a medically-induced coma for a while. This event with Rafe digs up some memories and emotions that he tries to deal with himself. It is only when his counsellor suggests that he tries to talk about it with Tamsyn as she is a strong girl who is probably also experiencing these emotions.

In Don’t Fade. Breathe Easy. Tate and Tamsyn begin to define their relationship. They go from not talking to being kind-of friends (book one: Don’t think. Just Breathe), to not wanting to define their relationship (book 2: Don’t Panic. Keep Breathing), to being together and proud. They learn about each other and things that come along with being in a relationship: the arguments, the special moments and many more things that just make it stronger.

This is definitely my favourite in the series as it was hard to put down, and had me expressing many emotions: happy, sad, proud and many more. This book was absolutely beautiful and I really enjoyed it. I think that people need to put the series on their to-read list. However, Don’t Fade. Breathe Easy. is a story I would only recommend for older teenagers as it has some more explicit, detailed and heavy topics.

This book wrapped the series up in a way that doesn’t leave the reader hanging like others sometimes do.  It leaves you wanting more but at the same time it leaves you in a peaceful mind as it ends in such a beautiful manner.

• Caitlin Fuldseth is 16 and lives in Palmerston North.