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roousc's review against another edition
4.0
I like when I read a book in a day because I can't put it down, and even though this wasn't a book that has those big moments of tension I couldn't stop reading. I liked the theme of the story and how it was developed. I really enjoyed reading this.
mrsryankfollese's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book was well written. It did, however, take me two weeks to read, which is crazy for a 233 page book. The plot isn't really a plot, but more like a series of events. Ryan was very slowly, falling for Nicki, and getting healthier, which made me really happy.
I always enjoy reading books about mental health, because it's something that we should concern ourselves with, and I think Hubbard did a good job portraying a boy who almost committed suicide.
I feel that this book isn't all that great, even though I was SO excited for it. I've been waiting for it for a year, and when I finally got my hands on it, I was off the walls. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as I hoped it would.
I always enjoy reading books about mental health, because it's something that we should concern ourselves with, and I think Hubbard did a good job portraying a boy who almost committed suicide.
I feel that this book isn't all that great, even though I was SO excited for it. I've been waiting for it for a year, and when I finally got my hands on it, I was off the walls. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as I hoped it would.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
3.0
With a story as important and serious as teen suicide and losing your parent, I was expecting so much more. There are interesting things that we find out about Nikki and Ryan along the way, but there was something holding it back from being as powerful.
The narrator, Ryan, was certainly a good example of a depressed teenager. But I don't know if the way his depression manifested itself was conducive to being a faithful and good, and "entertaining" narrator. He's stuck in this eternal lethargic pity party, and while I understand that yes, he is depressed... I couldn't feel it. Before someone gets irritated at the "pity party" comment, I'm not referring to his depression, but of an event in his life that he couldn't get over. I won't reveal it, but as he was talking about it, I kept thinking, "This is it? Seriously? Really?"
Maybe I was missing something while reading it, maybe I'm not good at connecting with depressed boys as much as depressed girls, but this was disappointing.
The narrator, Ryan, was certainly a good example of a depressed teenager. But I don't know if the way his depression manifested itself was conducive to being a faithful and good, and "entertaining" narrator. He's stuck in this eternal lethargic pity party, and while I understand that yes, he is depressed... I couldn't feel it. Before someone gets irritated at the "pity party" comment, I'm not referring to his depression, but of an event in his life that he couldn't get over. I won't reveal it, but as he was talking about it, I kept thinking, "This is it? Seriously? Really?"
Maybe I was missing something while reading it, maybe I'm not good at connecting with depressed boys as much as depressed girls, but this was disappointing.
michelle_pink_polka_dot's review against another edition
5.0
Ryan lives in a world of solitude. He recently was released from a mental hospital over a semi-suicide attempt and people at school steer clear of him. Ryan hangs out at the waterfall near his house because he feels like he can block out all his thoughts while he's there... that is until Nicki shows up. Nicki wants to talk to Ryan, to know why he wanted to die. And surprisingly, Ryan trusts Nicki. She's bold and somehow different, which makes him feel like he's not living behind glass anymore. As Ryan opens up more and more to Nicki, he starts discovering that she has secrets of her own...
Ok Jennifer R. Hubbard can for real write a male character! I read The Secret Year last year, and fell in love with Colt, and now I feel the same way about Ryan. She just has this way of writing these guys who maybe aren't your typical teenage guy, because they're sensitive and are sort of self-aware, but they're so freaking real! I fell for this book.
Ryan lives in a world that from the outside looks pretty idyllic... and even from the inside it looks pretty good too. His house sounds pretty amazing, his parents are more than attentive, he played sports. He really doesn't have the big problems that one would think would lead to suicide, but I don't think that that's always where depression comes from. I think some people are just depressed and don't know why... and that's Ryan. He starts feeling like he's invisible at school and after some embarrassing social situations, he's just doesn't want to keep going. I love that he wasn't abused or traumatized... he was just a normal kid with normal problems who didn't know how to cope with what he was feeling.
Nicki on the other hand, was not depressed. She was a ball-full of life. She was just what someone like Ryan needed. Someone without a filter, who would just straight-up ask him the hard questions. He responded to her bluntness and he didn't even know why. She was just one of those people that you tell things to. Ryan had the friends that he made at the hospital, and those were people who maybe related more to how he was feeling, but Nicki wanted answers, she wanted the why of it even if there wasn't a why.
I seriously LOVE the way this author writes male M/C's. I can't wait to read more because her first 2 books were just my kind of books!
OVERALL: Amazing, beautifully written, something you can read in one night! If you liked The Secret Year, you will like this.
Quote I liked:
"Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die."
My blog:
http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot.com
Ok Jennifer R. Hubbard can for real write a male character! I read The Secret Year last year, and fell in love with Colt, and now I feel the same way about Ryan. She just has this way of writing these guys who maybe aren't your typical teenage guy, because they're sensitive and are sort of self-aware, but they're so freaking real! I fell for this book.
Ryan lives in a world that from the outside looks pretty idyllic... and even from the inside it looks pretty good too. His house sounds pretty amazing, his parents are more than attentive, he played sports. He really doesn't have the big problems that one would think would lead to suicide, but I don't think that that's always where depression comes from. I think some people are just depressed and don't know why... and that's Ryan. He starts feeling like he's invisible at school and after some embarrassing social situations, he's just doesn't want to keep going. I love that he wasn't abused or traumatized... he was just a normal kid with normal problems who didn't know how to cope with what he was feeling.
Nicki on the other hand, was not depressed. She was a ball-full of life. She was just what someone like Ryan needed. Someone without a filter, who would just straight-up ask him the hard questions. He responded to her bluntness and he didn't even know why. She was just one of those people that you tell things to. Ryan had the friends that he made at the hospital, and those were people who maybe related more to how he was feeling, but Nicki wanted answers, she wanted the why of it even if there wasn't a why.
I seriously LOVE the way this author writes male M/C's. I can't wait to read more because her first 2 books were just my kind of books!
OVERALL: Amazing, beautifully written, something you can read in one night! If you liked The Secret Year, you will like this.
Quote I liked:
"Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die."
My blog:
http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot.com
ninatest's review against another edition
3.0
I like that this book dealt with suicide is a serious and realistic way, but I felt bored with the plot. I never really understood our main female character and it was bordering on annoyance. It wasn't a bad read ... just not a great read
curiosityp's review against another edition
4.0
The ending was just TOO abrupt. So disappointingly abrupt. But that's because I was so involved in the story and the characters. I wanted more. I was totally sucked into the story and loved it.
speakinglatin's review against another edition
4.0
Try Not to Breathe is a breath of fresh air (pun intended?). It gave me a nice break from all of the supernatural and dystopian YA books out in the world. Surprisingly, with the main subject of depression and suicide, it's not depressing so chances are you won't be balling your eyes out by the end. Yay, you can read it in public! I instantly connected with the main character Ryan. All of the characters are well-fleshed out and Ryan and Nicki are perfect foils of each other. The book is a slow build, but it never left me bored. Hubbard has a fantastic and very mature "show, don't tell" writing style. I enjoyed her writing up until the end. And by the way, there is a shocking "reveal" that I was not expecting.
Try Not to Breathe is a real book dealing with a real issue that most people don't talk about, so I enjoyed following Ryan's story. It's not a book that changed my life or taught me anything new, but I was so disappointed when I had to leave Ryan behind at the end of the book!
P.S. I've been trying to write this book review for four days. It's a book that resonated with me on a personal level so it was difficult writing the review without sharing too much personal information that I didn't feel comfortable with sharing. Hence, the feeling of disconnect and suckiness in the review. ;) I did like the book, though. I liked it a lot and just wanted to share it.
Try Not to Breathe is a real book dealing with a real issue that most people don't talk about, so I enjoyed following Ryan's story. It's not a book that changed my life or taught me anything new, but I was so disappointed when I had to leave Ryan behind at the end of the book!
P.S. I've been trying to write this book review for four days. It's a book that resonated with me on a personal level so it was difficult writing the review without sharing too much personal information that I didn't feel comfortable with sharing. Hence, the feeling of disconnect and suckiness in the review. ;) I did like the book, though. I liked it a lot and just wanted to share it.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
2.0
Ryan spends his time by the waterfall, where he meets Nicki. Nicki wants to get to know him better and understand why he chose to attempt suicide -- she's known about this because suicide has impacted her life, and she hopes through him, she can better understand the choice her own father made. Of course, there are never any answers. Along the way, we learn about what made Ryan act as he did, and we better understand the lies Nicki constructed to protect herself from the loss of her father.
This is a quieter book. More than once I was ready to put it down because it wasn't gripping. The writing is fine and the story is pretty spare, but I was compelled enough to finish it. It's not intense or gritty, despite tackling a huge issue, and I think that's where the appeal is. Readers who want an emotionally-driven story about suicide and about what goes into the thinking behind those who chose to attempt it, will appreciate this story. Bonus is that there's not a traditional romance here.
I did find Ryan's male voice a little hard to buy, but I think the right readers are going to be just fine with it.
This is a quieter book. More than once I was ready to put it down because it wasn't gripping. The writing is fine and the story is pretty spare, but I was compelled enough to finish it. It's not intense or gritty, despite tackling a huge issue, and I think that's where the appeal is. Readers who want an emotionally-driven story about suicide and about what goes into the thinking behind those who chose to attempt it, will appreciate this story. Bonus is that there's not a traditional romance here.
I did find Ryan's male voice a little hard to buy, but I think the right readers are going to be just fine with it.