Jennifer Hubbard (1)

I was really looking forward to reading this book. One of the reasons for that is its beautiful cover. It's intriguing, beautiful and hot - just like the book.

I love the stories that are narrated from a boy's point of view so this was another bonus. Also, Colt is such an appealing character that he makes you really want to know what's going on in his mind throughout the novel. And even Julia, who is essentially never really present as an active character, is so well-drawn that it's a joy to show more read about her.

The complexity of these two characters is one of the strong points of Hubbard's book. As a reader, you never quite know why Julia and Colt started and kept their 'riverside' relationship - and it seems that neither do they. Colt can never be quite sure why Julia is with him or whether she's just a stuck-up bitch or a girl that can't afford to be anything but a stuck-up bitch because of the world she lives in. She's an ambiguous character and she stays that way right till the end, and that's what I really like about this book. Hubbard doesn't try to make Julia look nice and that's what makes Colt and Julia's relationship look real and the characters true and believable.

The same goes for secondary characters, they're all well-developed and true. The plotting is well done with the coexisting past and present stories that emphasize how stuck in the past Colt really is and how he has to realize that Julia's death wasn't his fault before he can go on and really live in the present.

The concept of the book is brilliant, characters are appealing and easy to identify with, and Hubbard's writing style draws the reader's attention to the important issues. show less

This was my first Jennifer Hubbard read and it was pretty good! It was an extremely well written, moving story, but it did leave me wanting in parts, which is something I frequently say about Realistic Fiction - Psychology/Mental Health books, I'm not sure why, but there always just feels like there are little holes left over when I finish.

TRY NOT TO BREATHE was, in my opinion and I’m no expert, an extremely accurate portal of suicide and the ripple effect it has from that person on show more throughout their family, friends, town, school, etc. When I first started reading I didn’t feel like I was going to connect with Ryan at all, but as the story progressed I clutched to him. Which worked well, it allowed that reader/character relationship to grow in a natural way, allowing myself/readers to take their time to understand and feel what the character is feeling and develop and understanding of their personality and how they deal. I really loved Ryan’s quirky attitude about everything, it really helped to take what could have been an extremely dark book (which would have been good too) and brought light to it, kept me smiling while still gripping the emotion behind his story. And, if Ryan didn’t give me a good chuckle in the moment, well, I’m sure Nikki took that moment over! I loved Nikki, and while I’m usually a die-hard rooter for the “person who saw them first” (which wasn’t Nikki) Nikki stole this race for me. The combination of issues between the two of them was a perfect weaving of mystery, suspense, sadness, pain and hope, keeps you on the edge of your seat for a very hilly emotional roller coaster.

The overall most amazing thing about this book for me was Jennifer Hubbard’s ability to cover such a tough, rash subject. There is never any rhyme or reason that individuals commit suicide, and by that I mean that there is typically no real “tell” sign, no real understanding and very little similarity from situation to situation. Hubbard’s story was spectacular in relaying not only that, but the importance of the people around you and how to lean on one another for support. It was…sad…and I should really say happy…but having dealt with my own issues, I know there is never no end to the need for support, so while you do get some sort of good ending to the book, you know that Ryan and Nikki’s journeys are far from over. show less

This tale is every student’s nightmare of bullying. Maggie is so deeply scarred by the taunts and cruelty from 7th grade that it still haunts her three years later. Everything she does is tainted by her insecurities and fear. Maggie’s anxiety is heightened and she is paralyzed by her dread of a renewal of the bullying when her old nemesis moves back to town from years spent in Italy. During the three years since being victimized, Maggie has found comfort in her piano and her hiking with show more her friend Nick. Recently she seems to be finding her buddy Nick to be more and more alluring, but her self-doubt gets in her way. Hubbard has captured the agony bullying causes and the long-term effects of being a target of mean girls. Maggie’s entire life has been shaped by her middle school horrific experience and it even incapacitates her in her relationships with friends – both girls and boys.
In her attempt to cope, Maggie pushes herself with more difficult hikes and this is emblematic of her pushing herself toward being more assertive in her personal life. The book nails meanness at its worst and reminds us of the devastating impact it can have on a person’s psyche. show less

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 show more 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
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