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heyjudy's review against another edition
3.0
~3.5/5
Joy can’t take it anymore. From her severe asthma and her overprotective parents, to her abusive boyfriend. She needs to get out. And when she meets a homeless boy, she takes the chance and runs away. It’s tough, but she finds friendships with Asher and his group, and they’re handling it.
This is definitely a harsh, realistic look at being homeless. Joy and them are homeless in Seattle, and they have a hard time getting money, finding food and shelter, staying clean. There are pimps and women who are abused and whored out. Stealing stuff is an inevitable, and they have a hard time of that. Asher plays music for money when he can, the other do what they’re able to. And Joy doesn’t really fit.
The homeless part definitely made me look at it differently. Which is good, that it changed my perspective a little. But it also made the ending a little less believable.
I wanted all four of them to have a happy ending, of course. They’d been through terrible stuff, and I wanted them to be okay. But after everything, I had a hard time believing it was that easy for them to come out okay and start working. I’m happy that they did, but still. The way Joy stood up for herself to her ex-boyfriend at the end, though, also seemed too easy.
It took a while for me to feel the chemistry between Joy and Asher, too, but I liked where they were at the end.
There were parts that didn’t quite work for me, but I do think that it was worth reading if for nothing else than the look at being homeless.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
Joy can’t take it anymore. From her severe asthma and her overprotective parents, to her abusive boyfriend. She needs to get out. And when she meets a homeless boy, she takes the chance and runs away. It’s tough, but she finds friendships with Asher and his group, and they’re handling it.
This is definitely a harsh, realistic look at being homeless. Joy and them are homeless in Seattle, and they have a hard time getting money, finding food and shelter, staying clean. There are pimps and women who are abused and whored out. Stealing stuff is an inevitable, and they have a hard time of that. Asher plays music for money when he can, the other do what they’re able to. And Joy doesn’t really fit.
The homeless part definitely made me look at it differently. Which is good, that it changed my perspective a little. But it also made the ending a little less believable.
I wanted all four of them to have a happy ending, of course. They’d been through terrible stuff, and I wanted them to be okay. But after everything, I had a hard time believing it was that easy for them to come out okay and start working. I’m happy that they did, but still. The way Joy stood up for herself to her ex-boyfriend at the end, though, also seemed too easy.
It took a while for me to feel the chemistry between Joy and Asher, too, but I liked where they were at the end.
There were parts that didn’t quite work for me, but I do think that it was worth reading if for nothing else than the look at being homeless.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
kaitrosereads's review against another edition
5.0
Holly Cupala has done it again. Two years ago I was super impressed by her debut novel, Tell Me a Secret. This year I am even more impressed with her sophomore novel, Don’t Breathe a Word. Holly Cupala writes YA contemporary with an edge and I adore it.
Joy starts out seeming a bit like a spoiled kid who has everything in life handed to her. It’s partly because she is so sheltered because of her asthma but she really doesn’t seem to know how to survive on her own. Taking to the streets seems to be a bit of an overreaction on her part but as the book goes on it’s easier to see how she might think it’s a good idea. She’s a smart girl who’s very brave and strong but it takes a lot to make her realize that about herself. I started out feeling sorry for her but that quickly changed and I grew to love her and my whole view of her changed. By the end of the book she was fierce, strong, and pretty much a completely different person than when she first left home. Being on the streets forced her to see things about herself that were there all along but that she just couldn’t see.
Creed, May, and Santos are the characters that really made this book for me. It’s been a long time since I loved characters as much as I loved these three. Creed is the white knight, the protector, the one who feels like he has to take care of everyone. May is the badass, the troublemaker, the one who doesn’t need anyone. Santos is the mystery, the kind one, the one who has quite a few secrets. They don’t seem at all like a group that would end up together but they do. They balance each other out and they are always there for each other. They describe each other as family and they truly are. Joy isn’t exactly easily accepted into their group but she does eventually become part of that family. And let me just say, some of the trials they put her through are quite hilarious. Oh and hey there’s a ferret named Faulkner. I loved him!
The story is remarkably fast-paced and the book is impossible to put down. From the moment Joy runs away from home her life changes and she finds danger, drama, and even some romance while living on the streets. As she gets to know more people out on the streets she learns more and more about secrets that her new friends are hiding and nothing is ever as it seems. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out everyone’s secrets and whether or not any of them would get their happy endings. While everything is pretty well tied up with this one I would love to read a companion novel more about Santos and May. I didn’t get nearly enough of them for my liking! And you know, I wouldn’t mind more of Creed and Joy.
Warning: I would recommend this one for older teens though because it does touch on some topics like prostitution, abuse, and drugs.
Overall, Don’t Breathe a Word is a must-read for fans of contemporary. Holly Cupala is a fabulous writer and I am eager to see what she does next!
Joy starts out seeming a bit like a spoiled kid who has everything in life handed to her. It’s partly because she is so sheltered because of her asthma but she really doesn’t seem to know how to survive on her own. Taking to the streets seems to be a bit of an overreaction on her part but as the book goes on it’s easier to see how she might think it’s a good idea. She’s a smart girl who’s very brave and strong but it takes a lot to make her realize that about herself. I started out feeling sorry for her but that quickly changed and I grew to love her and my whole view of her changed. By the end of the book she was fierce, strong, and pretty much a completely different person than when she first left home. Being on the streets forced her to see things about herself that were there all along but that she just couldn’t see.
Creed, May, and Santos are the characters that really made this book for me. It’s been a long time since I loved characters as much as I loved these three. Creed is the white knight, the protector, the one who feels like he has to take care of everyone. May is the badass, the troublemaker, the one who doesn’t need anyone. Santos is the mystery, the kind one, the one who has quite a few secrets. They don’t seem at all like a group that would end up together but they do. They balance each other out and they are always there for each other. They describe each other as family and they truly are. Joy isn’t exactly easily accepted into their group but she does eventually become part of that family. And let me just say, some of the trials they put her through are quite hilarious. Oh and hey there’s a ferret named Faulkner. I loved him!
The story is remarkably fast-paced and the book is impossible to put down. From the moment Joy runs away from home her life changes and she finds danger, drama, and even some romance while living on the streets. As she gets to know more people out on the streets she learns more and more about secrets that her new friends are hiding and nothing is ever as it seems. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out everyone’s secrets and whether or not any of them would get their happy endings. While everything is pretty well tied up with this one I would love to read a companion novel more about Santos and May. I didn’t get nearly enough of them for my liking! And you know, I wouldn’t mind more of Creed and Joy.
Warning: I would recommend this one for older teens though because it does touch on some topics like prostitution, abuse, and drugs.
Overall, Don’t Breathe a Word is a must-read for fans of contemporary. Holly Cupala is a fabulous writer and I am eager to see what she does next!
beth_mn's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful, heart-wrenching read. Holly Cupala's prose is nothing less than brilliant. The first sentence pulls the reader in and trust me, it only gets better. Don't Breathe A Word is filled with rich, flawed characters in a complex story -- what more could you ask for?
I had some minor issues with the plot (choices Joy made as she left -- bringing her cell phone and her backpack, and the slight Disneyesque ending) but it didn't detract from me falling head over heels in love with the story. I can't wait to read more by Holly Cupala.
I had some minor issues with the plot (choices Joy made as she left -- bringing her cell phone and her backpack, and the slight Disneyesque ending) but it didn't detract from me falling head over heels in love with the story. I can't wait to read more by Holly Cupala.
heather4994's review against another edition
5.0
This novel shows just how little it takes for a girl to go from happy and somewhat normal to controlled and abused. Joy, though having severe asthma and being constantly watched by her family for the first signs of an illness, has friends that she laughs with and talks to. She is well adjusted and generally okay, though feeling a bit suffocated by all the attention at home. But along comes Asher, much older and wiser, rich, powerful, mysterious and he shows an interest in Joy. That's almost all it takes. She gives up complete control to him and loses herself to his needs, wants and desires. She believes everything he tells her, his threats, his anger-she did this, she brought it on herself, she belongs to him-she is his property.
Again, she is suffocated by his attention, his "love", his threats.
The book opens with her cutting her long hair off, twenty inches of it and stuffing it in an envelope. She dyes her dark hair blonde, white blonde along with her eyebrows. She doesn't want to be found. She fakes her own kidnapping. And she flees to the "safety" of the streets of Seattle. The streets where she saw a boy who told her he could help her.
It's risky and I think Joy is reckless considering how close she comes to dying when she even gets a cold. She prepares with several inhalers, but what good is that against infection? She's doe eyed when she hits the streets. She doesn't realize what could happen to her. I think it's stupid considering what you read in the papers. Her goal is to find the boy who said he could help her. In the meantime, she stick out like a sore thumb. I also don't think her reaction to living on the street is quite what it should be. In just a few days, she goes from eating at a table and wearing designer clothes, to eating out of a dumpster and wearing Salvation Army clothes. But she doesn't seem to be as bothered by it as she should be. She lives in a house that smells like crap, literally and that's where she goes to the bathroom. In a toilet that hasn't flushed for years.
However, I don't think this was a book so much about living on the streets as it was about Joy, being so desperate, that she gave up her life of middle class luxury and her family, to live on the streets to escape an abusive boyfriend because that was the only way out that she saw. She'd never told anyone so she didn't have anyone to turn to for help. She doesn't even confide in her "street family". There are some realities of
what it's like for teens living on the street and the reasons they do. Abusive parents, foster care, drugs. The reasons go on and when they hit the streets bad things can happen.
But this novel shows how good things can happen, too. Not necessarily from living on the street, but from finding people to care about and care about you. How to start healing from the hurt. How to get stronger and believe in yourself. What it takes to walk away.
Yes, there is some romance, not much of it, but Creed, the protector of the group and the boy that said he could help Joy is one of a kind. He's sensitive and tough all at once. But not the brooding type. Tough as in street smarts. I liked his character a lot. He was always worried about his friends/family.
May, the other girl in the story was an enigma to me. I wasn't sure what was going on with her. I liked her at times and not at others and never really figured out her relationship with Santos, the other member of the "family." We never get the full story on Santos, at least not from his lips, but I think we can piece it together and it's sad.
The author's note in the back of the book states that Seattle has one of the highest population of homeless teens in the United States. In the US alone we have 1.6 million homeless teens. The story in this book was just a sampling of the reasons teens leave home.
For me, the title had so many meanings. Asher would not want her to Breathe a Word of what he was doing to her. She couldn't Breathe a Word to her family without jeopardizing the family's well being. And on the street she couldn't have anyone Breathe a Word because she'd be found out. Then, when she has an asthma attack, she literally can't Breathe a Word. Best use of a title ever!
I liked how things worked out in the end. Not everyone can be saved from their demons, but maybe one person can help. And you will definitely fall for Creed. He's like a big wall that stands between you and the rest of the world keeping the bad things away as much as he's capable of doing. And he plays the guitar.
Highly recommended for all ages. There is some drug use and reference to sex, but no actual scenes with it or descriptions.
Again, she is suffocated by his attention, his "love", his threats.
The book opens with her cutting her long hair off, twenty inches of it and stuffing it in an envelope. She dyes her dark hair blonde, white blonde along with her eyebrows. She doesn't want to be found. She fakes her own kidnapping. And she flees to the "safety" of the streets of Seattle. The streets where she saw a boy who told her he could help her.
It's risky and I think Joy is reckless considering how close she comes to dying when she even gets a cold. She prepares with several inhalers, but what good is that against infection? She's doe eyed when she hits the streets. She doesn't realize what could happen to her. I think it's stupid considering what you read in the papers. Her goal is to find the boy who said he could help her. In the meantime, she stick out like a sore thumb. I also don't think her reaction to living on the street is quite what it should be. In just a few days, she goes from eating at a table and wearing designer clothes, to eating out of a dumpster and wearing Salvation Army clothes. But she doesn't seem to be as bothered by it as she should be. She lives in a house that smells like crap, literally and that's where she goes to the bathroom. In a toilet that hasn't flushed for years.
However, I don't think this was a book so much about living on the streets as it was about Joy, being so desperate, that she gave up her life of middle class luxury and her family, to live on the streets to escape an abusive boyfriend because that was the only way out that she saw. She'd never told anyone so she didn't have anyone to turn to for help. She doesn't even confide in her "street family". There are some realities of
what it's like for teens living on the street and the reasons they do. Abusive parents, foster care, drugs. The reasons go on and when they hit the streets bad things can happen.
But this novel shows how good things can happen, too. Not necessarily from living on the street, but from finding people to care about and care about you. How to start healing from the hurt. How to get stronger and believe in yourself. What it takes to walk away.
Yes, there is some romance, not much of it, but Creed, the protector of the group and the boy that said he could help Joy is one of a kind. He's sensitive and tough all at once. But not the brooding type. Tough as in street smarts. I liked his character a lot. He was always worried about his friends/family.
May, the other girl in the story was an enigma to me. I wasn't sure what was going on with her. I liked her at times and not at others and never really figured out her relationship with Santos, the other member of the "family." We never get the full story on Santos, at least not from his lips, but I think we can piece it together and it's sad.
The author's note in the back of the book states that Seattle has one of the highest population of homeless teens in the United States. In the US alone we have 1.6 million homeless teens. The story in this book was just a sampling of the reasons teens leave home.
For me, the title had so many meanings. Asher would not want her to Breathe a Word of what he was doing to her. She couldn't Breathe a Word to her family without jeopardizing the family's well being. And on the street she couldn't have anyone Breathe a Word because she'd be found out. Then, when she has an asthma attack, she literally can't Breathe a Word. Best use of a title ever!
I liked how things worked out in the end. Not everyone can be saved from their demons, but maybe one person can help. And you will definitely fall for Creed. He's like a big wall that stands between you and the rest of the world keeping the bad things away as much as he's capable of doing. And he plays the guitar.
Highly recommended for all ages. There is some drug use and reference to sex, but no actual scenes with it or descriptions.
blakehalsey's review against another edition
5.0
I. Love. This. Book. Poetic, visually stimulating, sexy, tense, empowering. DON'T BREATHE A WORD has it all. I love Joy/Triste's journey, full of realistic heartbreak and fear and courage. A fabulous read and an eye-opener about the teenage homeless.
emiliebookworld's review against another edition
When Holly Cupala's debut book Tell Me a Secret Came Out in 2010, I heard nothing but good things about her and her book but never really got around to reading it. So when I got the opportunity to read Don't Breathe a Word, I jumped at the chance. And of course I found out for myself just how great Holly Cupala is.
Though on the surface Joy appears to be living the perfect life in the suburbs with her family, when you scratch the surface a little everything isn't so idyllic. The truth is, Joy is suffocating in more ways than one. To escape the suffocation, Joy runs away to the streets of Seattle, hoping to find the boy who once said he would help her if she needed it. Now living as a homeless teen on the streets of Seattle, Joy finds running away may be more difficult than she originally thought. But with Creed's help, Joy just may be able to survive and escape her old life. But there are some parts of her life she just may not be able to leave behind.
Wow. Just wow. That was pretty much my initial reaction when I finished reading the book. Right from the start I found myself getting very invested in Joy's story. But soon that story grew to involve more and more people who lives I also found myself getting invested in. Everyone felt very real, an I couldn't help but want things to work out for the best for everyone. But aside from the characters and their lives, I loved just about everything about this book. I most especially loved how well it dealt with the subjects of teen homelessness and abuse. Nothing felt overdone, it was just perfect.
Like I've already said, right from the start of the book I found myself getting invested in Joy's life. But I also found myself loving her as a person right from the start. I could really feel her pain despite having never gone through what she has. But more than anything, Joy was just someone trying to find her place in the world in order to survive. And that's something I admired about her. She definitely had some good people looking out for her, the best probably being Creed. Right from the start, Creed seemed like someone you could count on despite the fact that he didn't even know Joy. And I'll admit that I even developed a bit of a crush on him. He was just so great with Hoy, always reading to jump in and defend and protect her, even when he barely knew her. And that's something that really made me respect him.
Dont't Breathe a Word was absolutely amazing. The further I got into the book, the more I loved it. Definitely pick this book up if you get the chance, you might just be surprised by how much this book as to offer.
Though on the surface Joy appears to be living the perfect life in the suburbs with her family, when you scratch the surface a little everything isn't so idyllic. The truth is, Joy is suffocating in more ways than one. To escape the suffocation, Joy runs away to the streets of Seattle, hoping to find the boy who once said he would help her if she needed it. Now living as a homeless teen on the streets of Seattle, Joy finds running away may be more difficult than she originally thought. But with Creed's help, Joy just may be able to survive and escape her old life. But there are some parts of her life she just may not be able to leave behind.
Wow. Just wow. That was pretty much my initial reaction when I finished reading the book. Right from the start I found myself getting very invested in Joy's story. But soon that story grew to involve more and more people who lives I also found myself getting invested in. Everyone felt very real, an I couldn't help but want things to work out for the best for everyone. But aside from the characters and their lives, I loved just about everything about this book. I most especially loved how well it dealt with the subjects of teen homelessness and abuse. Nothing felt overdone, it was just perfect.
Like I've already said, right from the start of the book I found myself getting invested in Joy's life. But I also found myself loving her as a person right from the start. I could really feel her pain despite having never gone through what she has. But more than anything, Joy was just someone trying to find her place in the world in order to survive. And that's something I admired about her. She definitely had some good people looking out for her, the best probably being Creed. Right from the start, Creed seemed like someone you could count on despite the fact that he didn't even know Joy. And I'll admit that I even developed a bit of a crush on him. He was just so great with Hoy, always reading to jump in and defend and protect her, even when he barely knew her. And that's something that really made me respect him.
Dont't Breathe a Word was absolutely amazing. The further I got into the book, the more I loved it. Definitely pick this book up if you get the chance, you might just be surprised by how much this book as to offer.
jlove731's review against another edition
4.0
Don't Breathe A Word is a moving, emotional story about dealing with struggles and learning that even if you think you've hit rock bottom, there's a way to come out on top.
Joy suffers from asthma but that's not all. Her parents are too overprotective and her boyfriend, Asher, is way too possessive. Joy feels like she's completely suffocating and cannot take anymore, so she decides to run away. She takes to the streets of Seattle to try and live on her own, but she quickly realizes how harsh it is on her own. Joy knows whatever happens, that she cannot risk going home. After changing her name to Triste and meeting Creed, she hopes that she'll be able to finally breathe, but things don't always get better right away.
Firstly, I love this cover. The girl with her eyes closed, blonde hair flowing around her face it's beautiful and perfectly describes the whirlwind Joy is thrown into. Also the fact that it's purple and yellow which is two of my favorite colors! Just gorgeous!
Don't Breathe A Word is a very gritty, but powerful book. It shows you what can happen when someone is pushed too far, when someone is forced to do the unthinkable just to stay alive, and what can happen if you give yourself hope. Living on the street is not the freedom Joy wanted, what she finds is a harsh world that she's not so sure she fits into. Could you imagine selling your body for money? Digging in the trash for food? Stealing? I know I couldn't and wouldn't want to.
Joy is an admirable character. After all she goes through she still comes out on top. She gives herself and those around her hope and things to look forward to. She also finds love in the most unexpected way, which I believe is the best way. The other characters in the story I enjoyed as well. May and Santos, who are part of her "street crew" are exactly the kind of homeless teens that show you how strong or how weak (depending on how you look at it) you have to be to survive on the streets. But, beneath all the tough exterior are soft hearts if you just dig enough to look for them. And finally, Creed. I loved Creed. He is very into his music and I so admire that about him. He also, is the "big brother" to their crew and he does what he can to look out for them all and keep them safe. Yet, Creed still has a smart head on his shoulders and in the end he sets things right for himself.
Holly Cupala created a very enjoyable, dark story... a story I really loved reading. I love to read about teens who hit rock bottom and then crawl their way back up. It's the darkness of a book I believe that grabs hold of you at first and pulls you in, but then ends up being very encouraging and inspiring in the end. If you're considering reading Don't Breathe A Word, I say go for it, it's a great read.
**Special thank you to Fiktshun, since I won this book from her! Thank you!!**
Joy suffers from asthma but that's not all. Her parents are too overprotective and her boyfriend, Asher, is way too possessive. Joy feels like she's completely suffocating and cannot take anymore, so she decides to run away. She takes to the streets of Seattle to try and live on her own, but she quickly realizes how harsh it is on her own. Joy knows whatever happens, that she cannot risk going home. After changing her name to Triste and meeting Creed, she hopes that she'll be able to finally breathe, but things don't always get better right away.
Firstly, I love this cover. The girl with her eyes closed, blonde hair flowing around her face it's beautiful and perfectly describes the whirlwind Joy is thrown into. Also the fact that it's purple and yellow which is two of my favorite colors! Just gorgeous!
Don't Breathe A Word is a very gritty, but powerful book. It shows you what can happen when someone is pushed too far, when someone is forced to do the unthinkable just to stay alive, and what can happen if you give yourself hope. Living on the street is not the freedom Joy wanted, what she finds is a harsh world that she's not so sure she fits into. Could you imagine selling your body for money? Digging in the trash for food? Stealing? I know I couldn't and wouldn't want to.
Joy is an admirable character. After all she goes through she still comes out on top. She gives herself and those around her hope and things to look forward to. She also finds love in the most unexpected way, which I believe is the best way. The other characters in the story I enjoyed as well. May and Santos, who are part of her "street crew" are exactly the kind of homeless teens that show you how strong or how weak (depending on how you look at it) you have to be to survive on the streets. But, beneath all the tough exterior are soft hearts if you just dig enough to look for them. And finally, Creed. I loved Creed. He is very into his music and I so admire that about him. He also, is the "big brother" to their crew and he does what he can to look out for them all and keep them safe. Yet, Creed still has a smart head on his shoulders and in the end he sets things right for himself.
Holly Cupala created a very enjoyable, dark story... a story I really loved reading. I love to read about teens who hit rock bottom and then crawl their way back up. It's the darkness of a book I believe that grabs hold of you at first and pulls you in, but then ends up being very encouraging and inspiring in the end. If you're considering reading Don't Breathe A Word, I say go for it, it's a great read.
**Special thank you to Fiktshun, since I won this book from her! Thank you!!**
jackiestone's review against another edition
2.0
I was really dissapointed. It really wasn't as good as I had hoped.
I felt it was anticlimactic, and not a lot happened.
I don't recommend it.
I felt it was anticlimactic, and not a lot happened.
I don't recommend it.
bookladysreviews's review against another edition
4.0
I've been meaning to pick this book up for a while now but I had my doubts.I didn't know if I was gonna like it so I kept putting it off but...I had to read it.And I have to admit that,while reading it,I liked and enjoyed it more than I expected.It was a great read and I love Holly Cupala's writing.And as things got more and more interesting,I couldn't put the book down.But of course it was a quick read and it finished a bit too soon but,can't do anything about that.It was really easy to connect with the characters and fall in love with them,and the plot was just so realistic and touching!The events were just moving inside my head like a movie and I love it when that happens!
The main character,Joy went through so much and I understand why she did what she did.I would've done the same thing.She was really brave and strong and I loved the way she handled things in the end.She should've done it sooner but better late than never.I think the author did a great job describing Joy's life on the streets and it really got me thinking about those homeless teenagers and what they must have been through in their lives.Life one the streets is rough and impossible and the worst thing is that,there is no hope.And yes,if you really think about it you'll realized that there isn't.The end was a bit abrupt and really rushed but that way,the author made you believe that there is hope,somewhere.And that after all the difficulties and obstacles the characters face in their lives,they finally got something close to a happily ever after.And that's something...
Not let's talk about Creed.I loved him as a character but sometimes,I just felt like he was really cold and detached from the rest of the characters.And sometimes,it was like he wasn't ''there'' if you know what I mean.But if you put that aside,he was a great character who cared about his little family and they watched out for each other.May was not a character I liked but by the end of the book,that changed.Even though the choices she made made me hate her,she had to do it and in the end,she was just someone that life disappointed.Even though it seemed like she betrayed them in the end,she was loyal and did whatever she could to survive.Even though I really really liked Creed as the main character,Santos holds that special place in my heart Creed should've held.I loved his relationship with Joy,the things he did for her,his personality.He's become one of my favorite male characters.
Don't Breathe A Word was an easy and quick read I thoroughly enjoyed.If you haven't picked it up yet,well what are you waiting for?Of course I wish there were books about May and Santos as well.Explaining what happened to them after the end of Don't Breathe A Word and what they did with their lives.What they went through before.Because seriously?I think they both deserve their happily ever after as well after all they've been through...
The main character,Joy went through so much and I understand why she did what she did.I would've done the same thing.She was really brave and strong and I loved the way she handled things in the end.She should've done it sooner but better late than never.I think the author did a great job describing Joy's life on the streets and it really got me thinking about those homeless teenagers and what they must have been through in their lives.Life one the streets is rough and impossible and the worst thing is that,there is no hope.And yes,if you really think about it you'll realized that there isn't.The end was a bit abrupt and really rushed but that way,the author made you believe that there is hope,somewhere.And that after all the difficulties and obstacles the characters face in their lives,they finally got something close to a happily ever after.And that's something...
Not let's talk about Creed.I loved him as a character but sometimes,I just felt like he was really cold and detached from the rest of the characters.And sometimes,it was like he wasn't ''there'' if you know what I mean.But if you put that aside,he was a great character who cared about his little family and they watched out for each other.May was not a character I liked but by the end of the book,that changed.Even though the choices she made made me hate her,she had to do it and in the end,she was just someone that life disappointed.Even though it seemed like she betrayed them in the end,she was loyal and did whatever she could to survive.Even though I really really liked Creed as the main character,Santos holds that special place in my heart Creed should've held.I loved his relationship with Joy,the things he did for her,his personality.He's become one of my favorite male characters.
Don't Breathe A Word was an easy and quick read I thoroughly enjoyed.If you haven't picked it up yet,well what are you waiting for?Of course I wish there were books about May and Santos as well.Explaining what happened to them after the end of Don't Breathe A Word and what they did with their lives.What they went through before.Because seriously?I think they both deserve their happily ever after as well after all they've been through...
cupcakegirly's review against another edition
5.0
Another beautifully written book by Holly Cupala that's heartbreaking, gritty and real. Everyone needs some breathing room in their lives but for Joy, it's become a struggle of life or death. Each breathe leads her one step closer to suffocation or one step closer to freedom. Freedom from her parents constant worry, freedom from her boyfriend Asher's control and freedom to figure out who she's meant to be. If she can manage to escape, to find the homeless boy who offered to help her, maybe she'll be able to breathe again.
Joy, a life-long asthma sufferer is literally suffocating in her life. Her family suffocates her with their constant worry about her health - is she taking her medicine? Does she have her emergency inhalers? Will the next coughing fit land her in the hospital again, or worse, will this be the time she stops breathing for good? The medical bills and her parents job situations have taken a toll on everyone in the family. Then there's her asthma. If the air isn't clean enough or she strains her lungs too much she literally suffocates.
Her boyfriend Asher, who is the definition of "control freak", suffocates her with his words, affection and the manipulative way he shows his love to her. (which isn't love at all) He leaves scars that are both seen and unseen. Her family either doesn't notice or chooses to not to notice how much of driving force he is in her life.
Joy's relationship with Asher is unhealthy right from the start. The pull she feels towards him is a powerful one and she recognizes the control he has over her but she can't seem to make herself leave. After awhile, he won't let her. When things go too far one night, farther than just cruel words, or mere threats, Joy realizes the only way to protect herself and her family is to escape.
She's convinced that the best place to go is the streets of Seattle, to disappear into the homeless population there. She's seen them numerous times, even accompanied her older brother Jesse while he handed out sandwiches but it was the last time with her friends that's etched in her mind. Asher had been upset with her and after the homeless boy witnessed Asher's harsh treatment, he'd offered Joy his help, saying, "If you ever need help, you know where to find me." (pg 79) She believes if she can just find that boy again, she'll be okay.
With a drastic new appearance and only a backpack to her name Joy sets off to search for the boy and begin her new life on the street. When she finally does catch up with "Creed", she discovers that life out there is much harder and more dangerous than she ever imagined. He lives with two others, Santos and May, in an abandon house with no running water which means no bathroom facilities and no showers. They sleep on dirty mattresses while scavenging for food in dumpsters or shoplifting it. Joy meets other people too, many of whom are not as nice and who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive on the streets. Whether it's selling drugs, prostitution, panhandling or modeling (nude) for local art students these teens will do whatever is necessary to survive. There are shelters nearby offering clean showers, hot meals and warm beds but many of the kids are afraid of being returned to foster care or in Joy's case, turned into the police if her family or Asher is looking for her.
Joy learns that looks can be deceiving and even though Santos is a tough kid, he has a kind heart and a love of reading. He takes Joy under his wing and shows her how to acquire food and gets her asthma medicine when she needs it. May was the character who broke my heart. She's a product of the streets with a drug addict Mom who proves the point that many homeless kids feel living on the street is safer than at home. As a result, she's built a wall around herself using sarcasm as a means of protection.
Creed is the self appointed protector of the group. (He was also my favorite) He wasn't able to protect those he loved back home so he did was he thought was best and left. His dream is to be a musician and he plays on street corners and fills in at gigs when he can. He's kind and generous and doing what he needs to in order to provide for those around him. It's obvious that he cares for Joy or Triste, as she goes by on the street but he doesn't allow anything to happen between them. This frustrates her but he knows what Asher did to her and the last thing she needs is another guy trying to control her.
Joy and Creed grow closer the longer she spends on the street and she begins to realize that neither one of them can run away from their pasts forever. Eventually, you have to decide to stop struggling and face your life in order to become the person you were meant to be. When she does return home, she's forced to face the truth - about her family, Asher and why she left. She comes through her experience stronger and more aware of who she is and the she also learns what real love is. Real love isn't cruel or hurtful and it certainly doesn't leave scars. Real love is joy, pure joy.
Joy, a life-long asthma sufferer is literally suffocating in her life. Her family suffocates her with their constant worry about her health - is she taking her medicine? Does she have her emergency inhalers? Will the next coughing fit land her in the hospital again, or worse, will this be the time she stops breathing for good? The medical bills and her parents job situations have taken a toll on everyone in the family. Then there's her asthma. If the air isn't clean enough or she strains her lungs too much she literally suffocates.
Her boyfriend Asher, who is the definition of "control freak", suffocates her with his words, affection and the manipulative way he shows his love to her. (which isn't love at all) He leaves scars that are both seen and unseen. Her family either doesn't notice or chooses to not to notice how much of driving force he is in her life.
Joy's relationship with Asher is unhealthy right from the start. The pull she feels towards him is a powerful one and she recognizes the control he has over her but she can't seem to make herself leave. After awhile, he won't let her. When things go too far one night, farther than just cruel words, or mere threats, Joy realizes the only way to protect herself and her family is to escape.
She's convinced that the best place to go is the streets of Seattle, to disappear into the homeless population there. She's seen them numerous times, even accompanied her older brother Jesse while he handed out sandwiches but it was the last time with her friends that's etched in her mind. Asher had been upset with her and after the homeless boy witnessed Asher's harsh treatment, he'd offered Joy his help, saying, "If you ever need help, you know where to find me." (pg 79) She believes if she can just find that boy again, she'll be okay.
With a drastic new appearance and only a backpack to her name Joy sets off to search for the boy and begin her new life on the street. When she finally does catch up with "Creed", she discovers that life out there is much harder and more dangerous than she ever imagined. He lives with two others, Santos and May, in an abandon house with no running water which means no bathroom facilities and no showers. They sleep on dirty mattresses while scavenging for food in dumpsters or shoplifting it. Joy meets other people too, many of whom are not as nice and who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive on the streets. Whether it's selling drugs, prostitution, panhandling or modeling (nude) for local art students these teens will do whatever is necessary to survive. There are shelters nearby offering clean showers, hot meals and warm beds but many of the kids are afraid of being returned to foster care or in Joy's case, turned into the police if her family or Asher is looking for her.
Joy learns that looks can be deceiving and even though Santos is a tough kid, he has a kind heart and a love of reading. He takes Joy under his wing and shows her how to acquire food and gets her asthma medicine when she needs it. May was the character who broke my heart. She's a product of the streets with a drug addict Mom who proves the point that many homeless kids feel living on the street is safer than at home. As a result, she's built a wall around herself using sarcasm as a means of protection.
Creed is the self appointed protector of the group. (He was also my favorite) He wasn't able to protect those he loved back home so he did was he thought was best and left. His dream is to be a musician and he plays on street corners and fills in at gigs when he can. He's kind and generous and doing what he needs to in order to provide for those around him. It's obvious that he cares for Joy or Triste, as she goes by on the street but he doesn't allow anything to happen between them. This frustrates her but he knows what Asher did to her and the last thing she needs is another guy trying to control her.
Joy and Creed grow closer the longer she spends on the street and she begins to realize that neither one of them can run away from their pasts forever. Eventually, you have to decide to stop struggling and face your life in order to become the person you were meant to be. When she does return home, she's forced to face the truth - about her family, Asher and why she left. She comes through her experience stronger and more aware of who she is and the she also learns what real love is. Real love isn't cruel or hurtful and it certainly doesn't leave scars. Real love is joy, pure joy.