Reason to Breath and 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge Part 4

Funny that you should ask that, because the last book that I flung across the room was, 

“No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?” 

He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers… Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible a secret.Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

I had this book recommended to me by someone at my school.  She stated that she couldn’t put it down!  I checked it out from the school library and got permission took keep it over the summer after not having enough time to even start it in the mess of the last couple weeks of school.  Then this summer I picked it up, not having really even read the blurb.  This book was an amazing surprise.

 I found Donovan’s writing absolutely breathtaking.  It had the perfect mix of maturity and description, and yet still had it’s young points and qualities that made it feel like a “regular” YA book.  The plot was rather exciting, because at first the reader does not know Emma’s secret, because she is so reserved.  I often found that as the reader I was dumbfound or blindsided as much as the characters were, Donovan really brought me into the story!

Emma was a protagonist that I often yelled at.  You totally understand where she’s coming from, but you look at the situation and think “No!  Do this!”  While sometimes this was often frustrating, she was absolutely lovely; determined, kind, soft-spoken.  Although had closed herself off to most people, the year portrayed in the book is definitely  a time of change for Emma, the way people saw her, and even the way she saw herself.

Sara starts off as the one person in Emma’s life that actually cares about her, and Emma is grateful.  Yet despite the fact that Sara is Emma’s only friend, Sara is in the dark.  Not completely, but enough.  That secret puts a toll on their relationship.  Sara is brave to be so popular and yet still hang out with Emma, but you can tell that there is no pity in their friendship.  

I don’t  know how to describe Carol’s character with out spoiling some things, so spoil I shall!  

It’s obvious that Carol wanted a perfect life, two kids, a house, ect.  When Emma is dropped in on her family by her drunk mother and dead father, Carol’s perfect world collapses.  In addition to the trigger of the outbursts, Carol obviously has some anger/brain issues to cause the rage that she has.

*END SPOILER*

Evan comes into the story completely new to Emma, so he is oblivious to the walls that she’s built around herself.  As their relationship progresses, he eventually gets hurt and frustrated by Emma’s secret, although he never doubts that she can take care of herself.  While Evan is known as hot and cute, he makes his own decisions of who do date and be friends with, making him an all around cool guy.

 My final findings were that THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!  I loved every aspect and little detail!  Ahhhhh!!  It was just so good!!!!!

Oh, and why I flung it across the room?  THE CLIFFHANGER EPILOGUE!!!  

Except that I can’t really say that, because while the ending was a cliffhanger, it left me with some satisfaction too!!

~Remedyleaf

P.S.  Here is my favorite quote from the book, but beware of 

*SPOILERS*

“In the balance of love and loss, it was love that me me struggle to…. Breathe.”

-Emma Thomas, Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

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