{Book Review:} Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala

Title: Don't Breathe A Word
Author: Holly Cupala
Number of pages: 299

Published: January 3rd 2012 by HarperTeen

Source: Local library
Star Rating:  ★★★★

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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.

Sometimes you pick up a book knowing you can relate to what the author wrote about and with Holly Cupala's new debut novel; Don't Breathe a Word I knew it would be one of those books. Not because I personally have been homeless or felt I needed to live in the streets because of issues that have taken place in my life but I have a dear friend of mine who shall be remain nameless who is homeless and is living a daily hard life on the streets of the city of where I live. So when I saw this book all over Goodreads and book blogs I knew it was something I had to read. You just can't understand what a homeless person's life really is like unless you live a day in there shoes. Don't Breathe a Word does a perfect job at helping the reader feel what it would be like to be homeless and lost with no way out. When I first started reading about Joy I did not understand why she was choosing to leave her home and live alone on the street on Seattle. What could be that bad in her life that she felt she had to leave? But once you read more into the book and the back-story of the events that take place with certain people you begin to understand why Joy felt she had no other choice. My heard just went out for her and the unfairness of it all. That fact that Joy felt she had no one she could turn to. When she made the hard decision to leave and try to make it out on the streets it seemed like she still could not have been cut a break. Joy learned the hard way that things are not easy wherever she went. Dealing with her asthma was beginning to break her down. The story really began to pick up when another homeless boy named Creed came into the picture. Creed, along with his friends (who are also homeless) slowing helped Joy adjust to her new surroundings, even got her some new medicine after Joy's inhalers where stolen. I felt like each of the character's that Holly added to this book where so likable and had there own unique story about how they ended up on the streets. While reading I just felt like I was there with them and could relate to what they were going through, such a real and scary experience. A few parts of the book I just cried because I know these are real problems and the author did a beautiful job at capturing each event and experience the character's felt and went through. The main thing I also loved about Don't Breath A Word was is not just a book about abuse, sadness, making hard decisions, heartbreak, or surviving but about finding yourself, learning to be strong, and love!