Review: Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

                                             E-book: Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
                                             *May contain spoilers
                                             Pages: 374
                                             Genre: Young Adult
                                             Source: Bought

Short Synopsis: Emma has a secret. No one tries to get involved with her, and the only other person who knows what's going on is her best friend, Sara. But can Emma survive her secret long enough until graduation? 

My Thoughts: Wow. A very emotional tale, I was bawling my eyes out till the end, and I couldn't get enough.

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"
He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…
Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible secret.
Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

Donovan knows how to twist a story that tears up your heart. Emma Thompson is the girl everyone wants to be. A perfect grade point average, being scouted by major  colleges for her talent in soccer, and contributing in numerous after school projects. But she has a secret. Her father has died awhile back, and her mother abandoned her when she was little. She lives with her aunt and uncle who aren't always the most understanding people. Her aunt, Carol, despises Emma, and keeps her on a very tight leash and doesn't always treat Emma like a normal person. 

There were numerous times where I wanted to slap both Carol and Emma. Carol is a mean witch who thinks she can boss and control Emma at every whim. Emma, is a selfless and caring person, who only wants what's best for her cousins, who she loves uncontrollably. The only salvation that Emma gets is through her best friend, Sara. 

It isn't until she meets a boy named Evan Mathews, that Emma starts to become more daring, and wishing for a better life. But as Emma starts to really become happy and starts to become more of an individual, Carol starts to notice what's going on, and tries to gain control of the situation. 

A few things bugged me with this novel. First, the fact that when Emma starts to come out of her shell, she practically becomes a boy magnet. Why is it, when someone changes a little bit, all the boys start noticing and start acting like idiots because of it? 

I also didn't enjoy the fact that Emma turned Sara away, when all Sara was trying to help Emma and her situation. I was also surprised that Emma really let Evan know what the situation was at her house, even though Evan already figured it out. 

The ending was very "oh my god" which made me want to read the second novel. But when I looked at the reviews for it, I'm not sure if I would continue. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and Donovan certainly has a way with words, leaving you wanting more.

Would I recommend this book: Yes

Rating: I give this book a 4/5.