Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala

Don't Breathe a Word
Holly Cupala
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Pages: 299

Rating: 4.5 stars

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

Don't Breathe A Word is a book that is just heart-breakingly beautiful. It was a story that was so worth telling and was powerful. I read straight through it, and did not want to put it down for a moment.

The story was so intriguing. Going in, I really had no idea what to expect, and even in the first few chapters, you get a general idea, but I didn't get the whole picture. Just as Joy is experiencing life on the streets and figuring that out, you have to piece together her history and everything that has gone on. The book was a mix of the present day, with little snippets of the past, which was super awesome.

The plot was intriguing and I was always wondering what was going to happen next. There was such a mix of these heartwarming moments mixed with the grittiness of reality in others. Holly Cupala keeps readers on their toes with the story she has to tell in Don't Breathe a Word.

I loved the characters. From the start, I was intrigued about the characters in that first flash back scene. I loved Creed - he was one of those just genuinely good hearted people.He had me when I found out he played music, but everything about his character was just great. I really admired Joy, for what she has the strength to do. Santos and May were an interesting duo, and I really liked both of them. All the characters in Don't Breathe a Word were so vastly different from one another - they all had their own unique story to tell.

After reading this one, I am very excited to pick up Holly Cupala's other novel, Don't Breathe a Word. I fell in love with the writing, the characters, and the story. And after this brave, raw story I cannot wait tot see what is next for Holly Cupala.