The first book in the series is Reason to Breathe and I've got to be honest, this is a really tough read.
This book is the story of Emma Thomas. After the death of her father and the demise of her mother, Emma is sent to live with her aunt and uncle at the age of 12. Now 16, Emma is a 4.0 high school student, editor of the newspaper, star soccer and basketball player who is being scouted by college recruits. She is also a victim of child abuse in her home. Emma keeps her abuse a secret because she is trying to protect her two small cousins that live with her. To Leyla and Jack, their mother is loving and affectionate. To Emma, she is a cruel, vindictive monster.
She has a best friend named Sara and is the interest of a new boy in town named Evan. Sara knows the truth behind the life Emma leads, but Emma is terrified of letting Evan get close enough to find out. She can't fight her feelings towards Evan and soon finds herself falling in love with him.
Oye. This one is a doozy. The entire time I was reading this book my heart was breaking for her. There is always a way out. Her best friends' dad is a judge, her best friends' mom has an idea about what is going on, HELLO?! Can someone please step in a be a hero here? There were a few times during this book that I had to take a step back and take a break. I will say that the last few chapters of the book were really good and the ending really leaves you hanging, so you'll want the second book lined up.
I've said before that reading is my getaway. Most of the time, I like happy, positive, feel good stories and, ofcourse, there is always some conflict, but this one was a little too real for me. I knew that this series was highly recommended online and had a huge following, so I decided to trudge on and move onto the second book.
Barely Breathing
This cover alone gives me the creeps.
After surviving Carol's torture, Emma is living with Sara and her parents, but knows that her mother is trying to make amends on the past. She decides to move in with her mom, Rachel, and work on their relationship. Its awkward for the both of them. Rachel has never been a mom and Emma is suffering through horrible nightmares that keep her up at night.
Evan and Sara continue to do their best to help Emma any and every way they can, but she continues to push them away. She meets someone who has suffered a past like hers and he becomes her friend and confidant, but even he has secrets.
The conflict in this book is Emma finally gets to the root of her problems and she has to learn how to rebuild her life. Many may not agree, but I loved how this book ended. I think going into the 3rd (and last book), Emma is finally going to be able to heal from all the physical and emotional abuse and I'm really looking forward to reading it.
I know I haven't said very many positive things about this series, but it was really good. Its the subject that is hard. Ultimately, you're following this girl as she pushes her way out of the darkness and into the light. You are pulling for her to heal and to live a normal, happy life. In the end, I hope she will.
Here are the amazon links.
Reason to Breathe
Barely Breathing
No comments:
Post a Comment