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on January 26, 2017
This book is the absolute best one ever.Rebecca writes so well that the bond you form with the characters becomes your life and when the book ends it crushes your life.I've never formed a connection like the one I have with Emma,Sara,and Evan.It's a beautiful story that deserves all of the readers and success it can get.After reading this book (and the rest of The Breathing Series) my outlook on life has changed and I've never cried so much when reading. The love story in this book is touching and Carol adds a aspect to the story that gives a villain that you can't relate to but,you want to get to know.READ THIS BOOK!!! You won't regret it (unless you hate crying).
on July 17, 2012
First, let me start by saying that I enjoy reading YA books much more than books suited for my "age group" (I'm 33). Secondly, I will add that if the author had not written a follow up to "Reason to Breathe" (even though I have yet to read it), I would have only given this book three stars due to the ending (not that the ending is terrible). With that being said, this was a difficult book to read at times, simply due to how closely I could relate to the subject matter. Without giving too much away, the story focuses on Emily (aka Emma) and her abusive home life. Emma's main focus is on academics and extracurricular activities that keep her away from home as much as possible. She struggles to maintain her relationship with her best friend Sara, while longing to form a relationship with her "friend" Evan. The situations Emma encounters with her abuser are very realistic, and like many victims of physical abuse, she tries to cover up for her abuser in order to keep her "family" intact. As I read, I found myself recalling how my best friend growing up went through similar situations, as she dealt with physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her mother's boyfriend. This is probably the reason why I found the abuser to be the most believable character and why I felt such anger and hatred toward the character. Yes, many of us think/have thought that someone who is abused should just "leave" the situation or report their abuser and if you are of this mindset, you may find this book and Emma's character frustrating. But, those that suffer abuse truly evaluate all the possible repercussions of just "leaving"/reporting and little can be done to change an abused person's mind until they have had enough.
on October 13, 2013
This is a powerful, moving story about the strength and selflessness of the human spirit in the worst of situations. It is a poignant story about abuse and victimization. The story's protagonist is Emma, a 16 year old junior in high school when the story begins. Only the first seven years of her life was filled with love and normalcy. That ended with the death of her father. The last nine years had been hell. First, uncared for by her selfish, drunken mother. Then, when she was twelve years old she was left with her aunt and uncle where she was physically and mentally abused. She tolerated it because she didn't want her two younger cousins to suffer the breakup of their homelife.
Emma was intelligent, talented, and excelled in three sports. She had one friend, Sara. Sara was her support, her reality. Then along came Evan, a new guy to Weslyn. He immediately noticed Emma and was drawn to her. So began Emma's transition from total victim to beginning to test living. An interplay between Emma and Evan commenced; their dance of friendship leading to love.
The story was tragic. It made you feel. It made you hurt. It made you feel vulnerable. It made you cheer for Emma's strength. It made you want her to succeed in finding happiness. It made you want justice for those that mistreated her. It made you sad because people everywhere are experiencing the same abuses the story highlighted. It made you think.
I loved it. I just finished reading it a second time. I recommend it highly. It is beautifully written with strong character development. I congratulate Ms. Donovan's success in handling a painful subject like abuse with boldness and integrity.
Emma was intelligent, talented, and excelled in three sports. She had one friend, Sara. Sara was her support, her reality. Then along came Evan, a new guy to Weslyn. He immediately noticed Emma and was drawn to her. So began Emma's transition from total victim to beginning to test living. An interplay between Emma and Evan commenced; their dance of friendship leading to love.
The story was tragic. It made you feel. It made you hurt. It made you feel vulnerable. It made you cheer for Emma's strength. It made you want her to succeed in finding happiness. It made you want justice for those that mistreated her. It made you sad because people everywhere are experiencing the same abuses the story highlighted. It made you think.
I loved it. I just finished reading it a second time. I recommend it highly. It is beautifully written with strong character development. I congratulate Ms. Donovan's success in handling a painful subject like abuse with boldness and integrity.
on August 11, 2013
Do you want to know what a 5 star dark and deeply beautifully written, emotional book looks like? It looks like Rebecca Donovan¡¦s Reason to Breathe. Oh. My. God. There are no words. Who am I kidding? There are plenty of words and emotions that I felt throughout this book and I had some a couple of pretty ugly cries on this one.
I went into this a little differently. I stumbled upon this gem of a book when its sequel was already out. So I didn't have to wait the tortuous wait like so many did for the second book. Yay me. But regardless of that fact, I could not put the book down. This was one of those reads. The one that you are dead tired from an exhausting day at work and all you want to do is immerse yourself into someone else's world and feel their joys, their pain, their fears, and well, being the romance junkie that I am, their love. This book was exactly what I needed and I thank the reading gods and Rebecca Donovan for writing such an amazing and powerful book.
This is the story of Emma and Evan and what an emotionally draining story it is! I loved every minute of it. I sobbed my heart out for Emma. The things that she had to live through were unbearable. This is a story that deals with physical and emotional abuse from someone who is supposed to be nurturing her and guiding her. This is the story about how one brave girl endures all of this pain and hatred for the love of her cousins. They were what kept her going in that house. The sun or light in her very dark home.
Emma is a successful and overachieving 16 year old high school student with a 4.0 grade point average in advanced classes. She tries to lay low because she wants to remain invisible to people. She likes to keep her interactions limited. She can't allow for anyone to get too close. She just wants to do what she has to do and make it to the end of high school. She is a talented soccer player as well, which helps her release a lot of tension from the pain she endures on a daily basis, plus she's banking on that soccer scholarship to help her escape from the hell she was living in.
"I wasn't embarrassed by my grades or what other students thought of my high marks. I knew I earned them. And I also knew that they were going to save me someday." -Emma
Her home life is awful. No child should ever have to live that way. Her father passed away and her mother is non-existent and the only family she had left is her aunt and uncle. Her brutally abusive and appalling aunt, Carol, is a monster. I have never witnessed a more hateful character than Carol. Holy. Crap. I wanted to kill her. Have you ever wanted to reach in a book and truly hurt someone? Well, yeah. That was me. The sadness and hurt I felt for Emma nearly engulfed me until the extreme hate and rage took its place. What an incredibly detestable character. I now dislike the name Carol. No, I don't. Yeah, well, maybe a little. It will always remind me of that woman. Then, there's the person that you would think would help her. Her uncle George? I have a few choice words for him as well that I will not add to this review because I'd like to keep it clean, but it's a name we use for cats or in erotica novels. Just sayin. Oooooh, if I could bitchslap him, I would. What a spineless animal! Grow a pair, George!
I feel the need to express my emotions on these characters because Rebecca's brilliant writing, this brilliant story does just that to you. She makes you feel each and every character in the story. From the monster Carol, to the moron George, to the delightful Jack and Leyla that you can't help fall in love with, to Sara, who is Emma's best friend and Sara's parents. Each character comes to life, making you feel something . . . .anything for them. This is one of the many reasons you as a reader, become so invested in this story. You feel like you know them well enough to be a part of it. You are there . . .feeling it all in the most overwhelming way.
Emma's social life is really nonexistent. She participates in afterschool activities, mostly to stay out of the house and out of Carol's way. She really only talks to her soccer teammates and to her best friend Sara. Emma chooses to keep her head down, and her interactions very limited. Being the best friend of the most popular girl in school (Sara) is enough of a social life for her. And her best friend knows exactly why Emma is the way she is.
"What no one understood, besides Sara, was that all I really cared about were the days I counted down until I moved out of my aunt and uncle's house to go to college. So if I had to put up with the whispers behind my back as I received the highest marks in the class, then so be it. They weren't going to be there to save me if I did anything but succeed, so I didn't need to get involved in the gossip and typical teenage tripe"-Emma
Nothing could have prepared her though for what was awaiting her. There was one thing that Emma hadn't banked on.
Enter Evan. *sigh* The new boy in school. They very good-looking, caring new boy in school.
She didn't want to get noticed. She didn't want to make those connections. She never counted on the new boy in school to take notice of her.
"I get that you're new, and I must seem intriguing to you. But I assure you, I'm not that interesting. You really don't need to get to know me. I get good grades. I'm decent at sports, and I keep myself busy. I like my privacy I like my space, and I like to be left alone. That's it. You can get to know everyone else in this school who's dying to know you. I'm not. Sorry"- Emma
Ooooooh Emma! This is where it gets interesting. She tries to deny, she tries to push him away. This is where we see her come to life, even if she if she refuses to admit it or see it. He's the boy that she didn't want to fall in love but inevitably did and boy did he push her boundaries! Emma's focus alters when Evan disturbs her comfort zone. He is everything she needs, but everything she knows she can't have or that she deserves to have. She can't have a normal relationship because she doesn't have a normal life. However, Evan sees the gem underneath Emma's cold exterior. He is determined to be there for her even though he doesn't know what she goes through on a daily basis.
Can I tell you how much I swoon over Evan??? I fell head over heels in love with him, and I am sure you will too. He loves Emma the way she deserves to be loved. But . . . Emma is broken. She holds everyone at arm's length because if they get close to her, they might discover the truth and she couldn't have that.
"I love that picture, he admitted softly.I think it's because I love the girl in the picture." Evan as they look at a picture of Emma. *Swooooon*
But this is Emma's life and story and it's not a very happy one unfortunately. Her aunt Carol makes it impossible for Emma to be happy and well, things get ugly. Things get even uglier towards the end of the book when Emma's trouble is no longer as invisible as she thinks. The end of this story leaves you with the most heart-wrenching cliffhanger that I have endured in a long time, if not ever and I thanked my lucky stars that I had book 2 (Barely Breathing) on my kindle ready and waiting for me. I don't know what I would have done with myself had I had to wait. It was a deeply painful, intense, splendid emotional rollercoaster that I enjoyed to the fullest.
What happens to Emma? What happens to Evan? I guess you're going to have to find out for yourself. Grab a box of Kleenex and make sure you have the time to spare or stay up all night to read it. I guarantee that you won't put it down and . . . you won't be sorry. It's a solid 5 stars for me.
I went into this a little differently. I stumbled upon this gem of a book when its sequel was already out. So I didn't have to wait the tortuous wait like so many did for the second book. Yay me. But regardless of that fact, I could not put the book down. This was one of those reads. The one that you are dead tired from an exhausting day at work and all you want to do is immerse yourself into someone else's world and feel their joys, their pain, their fears, and well, being the romance junkie that I am, their love. This book was exactly what I needed and I thank the reading gods and Rebecca Donovan for writing such an amazing and powerful book.
This is the story of Emma and Evan and what an emotionally draining story it is! I loved every minute of it. I sobbed my heart out for Emma. The things that she had to live through were unbearable. This is a story that deals with physical and emotional abuse from someone who is supposed to be nurturing her and guiding her. This is the story about how one brave girl endures all of this pain and hatred for the love of her cousins. They were what kept her going in that house. The sun or light in her very dark home.
Emma is a successful and overachieving 16 year old high school student with a 4.0 grade point average in advanced classes. She tries to lay low because she wants to remain invisible to people. She likes to keep her interactions limited. She can't allow for anyone to get too close. She just wants to do what she has to do and make it to the end of high school. She is a talented soccer player as well, which helps her release a lot of tension from the pain she endures on a daily basis, plus she's banking on that soccer scholarship to help her escape from the hell she was living in.
"I wasn't embarrassed by my grades or what other students thought of my high marks. I knew I earned them. And I also knew that they were going to save me someday." -Emma
Her home life is awful. No child should ever have to live that way. Her father passed away and her mother is non-existent and the only family she had left is her aunt and uncle. Her brutally abusive and appalling aunt, Carol, is a monster. I have never witnessed a more hateful character than Carol. Holy. Crap. I wanted to kill her. Have you ever wanted to reach in a book and truly hurt someone? Well, yeah. That was me. The sadness and hurt I felt for Emma nearly engulfed me until the extreme hate and rage took its place. What an incredibly detestable character. I now dislike the name Carol. No, I don't. Yeah, well, maybe a little. It will always remind me of that woman. Then, there's the person that you would think would help her. Her uncle George? I have a few choice words for him as well that I will not add to this review because I'd like to keep it clean, but it's a name we use for cats or in erotica novels. Just sayin. Oooooh, if I could bitchslap him, I would. What a spineless animal! Grow a pair, George!
I feel the need to express my emotions on these characters because Rebecca's brilliant writing, this brilliant story does just that to you. She makes you feel each and every character in the story. From the monster Carol, to the moron George, to the delightful Jack and Leyla that you can't help fall in love with, to Sara, who is Emma's best friend and Sara's parents. Each character comes to life, making you feel something . . . .anything for them. This is one of the many reasons you as a reader, become so invested in this story. You feel like you know them well enough to be a part of it. You are there . . .feeling it all in the most overwhelming way.
Emma's social life is really nonexistent. She participates in afterschool activities, mostly to stay out of the house and out of Carol's way. She really only talks to her soccer teammates and to her best friend Sara. Emma chooses to keep her head down, and her interactions very limited. Being the best friend of the most popular girl in school (Sara) is enough of a social life for her. And her best friend knows exactly why Emma is the way she is.
"What no one understood, besides Sara, was that all I really cared about were the days I counted down until I moved out of my aunt and uncle's house to go to college. So if I had to put up with the whispers behind my back as I received the highest marks in the class, then so be it. They weren't going to be there to save me if I did anything but succeed, so I didn't need to get involved in the gossip and typical teenage tripe"-Emma
Nothing could have prepared her though for what was awaiting her. There was one thing that Emma hadn't banked on.
Enter Evan. *sigh* The new boy in school. They very good-looking, caring new boy in school.
She didn't want to get noticed. She didn't want to make those connections. She never counted on the new boy in school to take notice of her.
"I get that you're new, and I must seem intriguing to you. But I assure you, I'm not that interesting. You really don't need to get to know me. I get good grades. I'm decent at sports, and I keep myself busy. I like my privacy I like my space, and I like to be left alone. That's it. You can get to know everyone else in this school who's dying to know you. I'm not. Sorry"- Emma
Ooooooh Emma! This is where it gets interesting. She tries to deny, she tries to push him away. This is where we see her come to life, even if she if she refuses to admit it or see it. He's the boy that she didn't want to fall in love but inevitably did and boy did he push her boundaries! Emma's focus alters when Evan disturbs her comfort zone. He is everything she needs, but everything she knows she can't have or that she deserves to have. She can't have a normal relationship because she doesn't have a normal life. However, Evan sees the gem underneath Emma's cold exterior. He is determined to be there for her even though he doesn't know what she goes through on a daily basis.
Can I tell you how much I swoon over Evan??? I fell head over heels in love with him, and I am sure you will too. He loves Emma the way she deserves to be loved. But . . . Emma is broken. She holds everyone at arm's length because if they get close to her, they might discover the truth and she couldn't have that.
"I love that picture, he admitted softly.I think it's because I love the girl in the picture." Evan as they look at a picture of Emma. *Swooooon*
But this is Emma's life and story and it's not a very happy one unfortunately. Her aunt Carol makes it impossible for Emma to be happy and well, things get ugly. Things get even uglier towards the end of the book when Emma's trouble is no longer as invisible as she thinks. The end of this story leaves you with the most heart-wrenching cliffhanger that I have endured in a long time, if not ever and I thanked my lucky stars that I had book 2 (Barely Breathing) on my kindle ready and waiting for me. I don't know what I would have done with myself had I had to wait. It was a deeply painful, intense, splendid emotional rollercoaster that I enjoyed to the fullest.
What happens to Emma? What happens to Evan? I guess you're going to have to find out for yourself. Grab a box of Kleenex and make sure you have the time to spare or stay up all night to read it. I guarantee that you won't put it down and . . . you won't be sorry. It's a solid 5 stars for me.
on August 1, 2014
An extremely well-written, well put together work of art that I could not put down.
Let me preface this with some backdrop: I'm a college-aged guy who was simply looking for a new book to read. While browsing the titles in the popular titles section. Nothing caught my eye until I saw the title "Reason to Breathe". It seemed like a good enough title, and after reading the teaser, I thought I'd download the sample, and from there I was enraptured until I hit the end of the book. I'm not the type of guy to get emotionally entrenched in anything, but this book left me feeling useless. Like I could do nothing to help Em out. I hated that feeling. But not as much as I hated Carol. I actually felt like crying during my reading. It was like I could feel exactly what Em was feeling emotionally. The hopelessness resonated with me, yet Em's quiet resolve was comforting in a weird sort of way. As far as I knew, if she could make it through whatever was happening, then so could I.
I've never hated a character in a book before. Most of the time, the antagonists were just kinda lackluster in my eyes and left me wanting. However, with this book, I found that I could not stand one more instance of her name, but she kept showing up. I remember telling my girlfriend that I've never had a book do this to me. I was actually scared of what Carol would do next. It seemed that the book was too real - too intense for me, but I kept on reading. I couldn't put it down. I couldn't let Em down. I had to keep reading. I had to power through, just as Em was, because I knew she could do it.
Then the ending came. This book left me staring blankly at the screen (I was reading on my iPad), I didn't know if I could process what just transpired. The ending, the freaking ending. Some would say that they hated it, but I really -in a morbid sort of way - liked it. It was fitting. It had to be done. I knew it, but I just couldn't process what my eyes told me had happened. I stared into space while I contemplated my existence. What Rebecca had done was something that has never happened in my life. Her work rocked me to my core. I can't wait to see what happens in the next two books. I know that whatever happens, I'll be in for a wild ride.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone. However, that being said, prepare yourself. This story may be too intense for some, or too real. It was definitely a shock, but the underlying fact is there: love conquers all. All in all, this is a very good book. Read it if you want. It is a very, very good book. Thought provoking and raw, Reason To Breathe is a book that will stick with me for many years to come.
Let me preface this with some backdrop: I'm a college-aged guy who was simply looking for a new book to read. While browsing the titles in the popular titles section. Nothing caught my eye until I saw the title "Reason to Breathe". It seemed like a good enough title, and after reading the teaser, I thought I'd download the sample, and from there I was enraptured until I hit the end of the book. I'm not the type of guy to get emotionally entrenched in anything, but this book left me feeling useless. Like I could do nothing to help Em out. I hated that feeling. But not as much as I hated Carol. I actually felt like crying during my reading. It was like I could feel exactly what Em was feeling emotionally. The hopelessness resonated with me, yet Em's quiet resolve was comforting in a weird sort of way. As far as I knew, if she could make it through whatever was happening, then so could I.
I've never hated a character in a book before. Most of the time, the antagonists were just kinda lackluster in my eyes and left me wanting. However, with this book, I found that I could not stand one more instance of her name, but she kept showing up. I remember telling my girlfriend that I've never had a book do this to me. I was actually scared of what Carol would do next. It seemed that the book was too real - too intense for me, but I kept on reading. I couldn't put it down. I couldn't let Em down. I had to keep reading. I had to power through, just as Em was, because I knew she could do it.
Then the ending came. This book left me staring blankly at the screen (I was reading on my iPad), I didn't know if I could process what just transpired. The ending, the freaking ending. Some would say that they hated it, but I really -in a morbid sort of way - liked it. It was fitting. It had to be done. I knew it, but I just couldn't process what my eyes told me had happened. I stared into space while I contemplated my existence. What Rebecca had done was something that has never happened in my life. Her work rocked me to my core. I can't wait to see what happens in the next two books. I know that whatever happens, I'll be in for a wild ride.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone. However, that being said, prepare yourself. This story may be too intense for some, or too real. It was definitely a shock, but the underlying fact is there: love conquers all. All in all, this is a very good book. Read it if you want. It is a very, very good book. Thought provoking and raw, Reason To Breathe is a book that will stick with me for many years to come.
on July 18, 2011
All I can say is WOW! Reason to Breathe was an extremely emotional (The best and the very worst) story of Emma and this life she has been forced to live.
***Contains Spoilers***
Emma is a strong, smart, beautiful girl who throws herself into her school work and extra curricular activities to avoid going home and facing her true reality. She tries to stay distant from everyone but we quickly learn throughout the book that Emma is well liked even though she doesn't want to be. After losing her father and her mother dealing with alcoholism Emma is forced to live with her Aunt and Uncle.
The bad that Emma has to endure is Abuse. It's such tough subject to approach and as most people would say that Emma had options to bring it to end but she felt she really didn't. Carol, her aunt, is a downright sick and cruel woman towards Emma but Emma being the very strong and compassionate person she is (especially to her 2 young cousins) chose to deal with the wrath of her Aunt so her cousins wouldn't lose their mother and father. The horror of what Emma has to live through while her aunt verbally and physically abuses her while her uncle pretty much turned his head the other way was so hard to read and brought tears to my eyes and had my stomach in knots.
The good and let me say how sweet it was is the love and friendship Emma has on her side. Sara (Emma's best friend) is a sweetheart. Yes she really probably should have told someone, anyone about what Emma was facing but she couldn't because she understood the tight spot in which Emma felt trapped. Sara was there for Emma as a true friend always is and you could see the love between the two of them. Evan...sweet Evan! He is a sweet boy who has fallen unconditionally in love with Emma even though they are just friends at first. At one point he walks away from Emma because he wants her to trust him but she can't bring herself to tell him the truth about her home life. Of course he comes back and they proclaim their love for one another. Their love for each other is so sweet and innocent that you can't help but smile when they are together and find yourself hoping for their happily ever after!
While I may not be a fan of the cliffhanger ending I can only say that it's because I want to know what happens and I don't want to have to wait for the sequel to find out. I saw a lot of other comments about not knowing if Emma survived and I found myself rereading the last chapter along with the epilogue, slowly reading each word and coming to my own conclusion after reading that last word of the book. At least until the sequel comes out ;)
I have to give huge props to the Author Rebecca Donovan by her choices in her words while writing this book. I did find myself having to struggle to read through the encounters with Carol and as crazy as it might sound I have to say thank you Ms. Donovan. By writing this book you brought out the unfortunate reality of so many kids in the world and by reading it I have found myself realizing how big a problem this really is in our world. My hat is off to you Ms. Donovan for creating such and ugly situation to which you ultimately turned into something beautiful by giving Emma the love of both Evan and Sara. More importantly you have made me want to make a difference so one less beautiful child has to endure this kind of pain. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to see if my personal gut conclusion is correct. Keep up the amazing writing skills as you have definitely found yourself a new and dedicated fan of your work! :)
***Contains Spoilers***
Emma is a strong, smart, beautiful girl who throws herself into her school work and extra curricular activities to avoid going home and facing her true reality. She tries to stay distant from everyone but we quickly learn throughout the book that Emma is well liked even though she doesn't want to be. After losing her father and her mother dealing with alcoholism Emma is forced to live with her Aunt and Uncle.
The bad that Emma has to endure is Abuse. It's such tough subject to approach and as most people would say that Emma had options to bring it to end but she felt she really didn't. Carol, her aunt, is a downright sick and cruel woman towards Emma but Emma being the very strong and compassionate person she is (especially to her 2 young cousins) chose to deal with the wrath of her Aunt so her cousins wouldn't lose their mother and father. The horror of what Emma has to live through while her aunt verbally and physically abuses her while her uncle pretty much turned his head the other way was so hard to read and brought tears to my eyes and had my stomach in knots.
The good and let me say how sweet it was is the love and friendship Emma has on her side. Sara (Emma's best friend) is a sweetheart. Yes she really probably should have told someone, anyone about what Emma was facing but she couldn't because she understood the tight spot in which Emma felt trapped. Sara was there for Emma as a true friend always is and you could see the love between the two of them. Evan...sweet Evan! He is a sweet boy who has fallen unconditionally in love with Emma even though they are just friends at first. At one point he walks away from Emma because he wants her to trust him but she can't bring herself to tell him the truth about her home life. Of course he comes back and they proclaim their love for one another. Their love for each other is so sweet and innocent that you can't help but smile when they are together and find yourself hoping for their happily ever after!
While I may not be a fan of the cliffhanger ending I can only say that it's because I want to know what happens and I don't want to have to wait for the sequel to find out. I saw a lot of other comments about not knowing if Emma survived and I found myself rereading the last chapter along with the epilogue, slowly reading each word and coming to my own conclusion after reading that last word of the book. At least until the sequel comes out ;)
I have to give huge props to the Author Rebecca Donovan by her choices in her words while writing this book. I did find myself having to struggle to read through the encounters with Carol and as crazy as it might sound I have to say thank you Ms. Donovan. By writing this book you brought out the unfortunate reality of so many kids in the world and by reading it I have found myself realizing how big a problem this really is in our world. My hat is off to you Ms. Donovan for creating such and ugly situation to which you ultimately turned into something beautiful by giving Emma the love of both Evan and Sara. More importantly you have made me want to make a difference so one less beautiful child has to endure this kind of pain. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to see if my personal gut conclusion is correct. Keep up the amazing writing skills as you have definitely found yourself a new and dedicated fan of your work! :)
on July 28, 2013
I sped through Rebecca Donovan's Breathing series too quickly to stop and write individual reviews for each book in the series. I really loved this intense, heart-stopping series. I thought Rebecca Donovan did an excellent job characterizing Emma and writing about difficult subjects: abuse, mental illness, and addiction. Donovan approaches these issues without trepidation, and their inclusion in the series is what made the books so unforgettable and emotional.
My recurring thought as I read these books was: how much can one person handle before they break? Emma has had so much loss, heartbreak and hardship in her life. She has no one who truly loves her, yet her circumstances never change who she is at her core: a good, loving, loyal person.
Donovan excels at writing emotion, and it felt like the books got more emotional the more I read. Each book was so intense, and I found myself feeling so many of Emma's emotions. My heart would race as I read, desperate to find out what would happen to Emma next.
I had a couple of complaints about the series. First, because of the heavy subject matter and intensity of the books, they were not always easy to read. There were a lot of hard times to get through, and I would have liked to read about more "good times" after the conflict resolution. What I mean is that I wanted to spend more time with Emma once she finally got her well-deserved happy ending. Speaking of endings, I loved that the endings of the books were realistic instead of your typical rainbows and sunshine happily ever afters. My second complaint is a minor one, but it recurred throughout the series and it started to bug me. The phrase "flipped her eyes to..." was overused. I've never even read or heard that phrase before, and every time I read it, the flow of the story stopped for me as I remembered, "oh, that's how Donovan describes a glance."
Despite my two complaints, overall, I really enjoyed these books. I highly recommend this series, and I would definitely read Rebecca Donovan again. I'm glad I bought these books, and very glad I read them!
My recurring thought as I read these books was: how much can one person handle before they break? Emma has had so much loss, heartbreak and hardship in her life. She has no one who truly loves her, yet her circumstances never change who she is at her core: a good, loving, loyal person.
Donovan excels at writing emotion, and it felt like the books got more emotional the more I read. Each book was so intense, and I found myself feeling so many of Emma's emotions. My heart would race as I read, desperate to find out what would happen to Emma next.
I had a couple of complaints about the series. First, because of the heavy subject matter and intensity of the books, they were not always easy to read. There were a lot of hard times to get through, and I would have liked to read about more "good times" after the conflict resolution. What I mean is that I wanted to spend more time with Emma once she finally got her well-deserved happy ending. Speaking of endings, I loved that the endings of the books were realistic instead of your typical rainbows and sunshine happily ever afters. My second complaint is a minor one, but it recurred throughout the series and it started to bug me. The phrase "flipped her eyes to..." was overused. I've never even read or heard that phrase before, and every time I read it, the flow of the story stopped for me as I remembered, "oh, that's how Donovan describes a glance."
Despite my two complaints, overall, I really enjoyed these books. I highly recommend this series, and I would definitely read Rebecca Donovan again. I'm glad I bought these books, and very glad I read them!
on July 7, 2014
Rating: 7/10
Synopsis: Emma does everything she can to blend in while maintaining a perfect GPA, being the star athlete of the basketball and soccer teams, and having the most popular girl in school as a best friend. But she’s hiding a secret that nobody can know, a secret that keeps her from talking to just about anyone. Until Evan walks into her life and she just can’t shut him out. Follow Emma’s struggle for courage, strength, and identity as she hides the physical and emotional marks of living under abuse.
Reason to Breathe deals with an incredibly intense subject – child abuse. Donovan does a great job of recreating the fear that an abused child lives with, as well as the damaged pschye they face. Unfortunately, many readers may not make it past the first fifty pages to realize it.
Donovan’s writing feels…juvenile and reminiscent of the Twilight series, for better or worse depending on your taste. It’s simple to read and has lots of drama. Once I could adjust to that type of novel, Reason to Breathe really grew on me.
Despite the constant dialogue about how incredibly hot Evan is and far fetched wealth of almost all her peers, Emma is such a strong and daring character that you can’t help but love her. Reading from her perspective makes Carol’s abuse come to life, where you are literally cringing at a page turn, unsure if Emma’s living nightmare will jump out at you or not.
There are flaws. I had to suspend my disbelief throughout the novel constantly – the partying, the money, Emma’s uncanny talent at literally everything, except for when it comes to social situations. While I think that last flaw makes sense given the abuse she’s suffered throughout her entire life, it’s stretched to the limit at times. Since Donovan writes about such a difficult experience with real depth, I felt it was a shame that in other ways, her novel felt shallow.
Overall, it’s a great read that will really open you up to a rainbow of emotions. Prepare to laugh and cry while reading this substantial novel (it’s quite long), but love every minute of it!
For more Young Adult book reviews, visit my blog at: www.YABookReview.com !
Synopsis: Emma does everything she can to blend in while maintaining a perfect GPA, being the star athlete of the basketball and soccer teams, and having the most popular girl in school as a best friend. But she’s hiding a secret that nobody can know, a secret that keeps her from talking to just about anyone. Until Evan walks into her life and she just can’t shut him out. Follow Emma’s struggle for courage, strength, and identity as she hides the physical and emotional marks of living under abuse.
Reason to Breathe deals with an incredibly intense subject – child abuse. Donovan does a great job of recreating the fear that an abused child lives with, as well as the damaged pschye they face. Unfortunately, many readers may not make it past the first fifty pages to realize it.
Donovan’s writing feels…juvenile and reminiscent of the Twilight series, for better or worse depending on your taste. It’s simple to read and has lots of drama. Once I could adjust to that type of novel, Reason to Breathe really grew on me.
Despite the constant dialogue about how incredibly hot Evan is and far fetched wealth of almost all her peers, Emma is such a strong and daring character that you can’t help but love her. Reading from her perspective makes Carol’s abuse come to life, where you are literally cringing at a page turn, unsure if Emma’s living nightmare will jump out at you or not.
There are flaws. I had to suspend my disbelief throughout the novel constantly – the partying, the money, Emma’s uncanny talent at literally everything, except for when it comes to social situations. While I think that last flaw makes sense given the abuse she’s suffered throughout her entire life, it’s stretched to the limit at times. Since Donovan writes about such a difficult experience with real depth, I felt it was a shame that in other ways, her novel felt shallow.
Overall, it’s a great read that will really open you up to a rainbow of emotions. Prepare to laugh and cry while reading this substantial novel (it’s quite long), but love every minute of it!
For more Young Adult book reviews, visit my blog at: www.YABookReview.com !
on July 1, 2017
I have to give this 5 stars because it pulled me in. It made me feel just about every emotion that exists 60% into it I thought I would DNF but it wasn't a choice. I couldn't put it down as much as I was frustrated this story kept me going
