Breath by Jackie Morse Kessler

I've been a huge fan of the Riders of the Apocalypse series. While I was sad to see the end, I was anxious to read Breath and see how the Riders ended.
We start with Xander, a slightly shy high school senior. Xander really likes a girl in his class, Riley. He dreams of asking her out but hasn't been confident enough to do it. Xander finally does and falls hard for Riley.
In the meantime, Death is becoming suicidal. He's become disillusioned with humanity. Can Xander help Death see that there is more to life? Can Xander save Death and the world?
I had a hard time getting into Breath. The previous books have been pretty clear cut. Teen in trouble, Death offers them a chance to be a Rider, and they work out their problem or at least confront it. Xander seems to have no problem. He's got a great life and a promising future. But there's a twist. I almost started the book over once I got to the twist because how could I have missed it. Kessler does an excellent job in this one. I really loved Xander. He's trying so hard and I wanted him to succeed.
I also enjoyed getting to know Death better. Come on, he's Kurt Cobain. That helped me connect with Death. Because I could see Kurt in my head it was easier to see Death. I appreciated the depth Kessler gave Death.
Overall, excellent end to the series. I suspect I'll reread the series again at some point. Others who shared their thoughts on Breath: The Diary of  A Bookworm, Basia's Bookshelf, Birth of A New Witch, and Parajunkee.