Waiting on Wednesday: Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala is set to come out January 3 of 2012. It's rather crazy to think that I'm already gearing up to read 2012 releases & it's only October! This one sounds very real in a gritty, but not overly gripping way. I might just enjoy it. :)

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 dangerous Ashlyn, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take her 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 hurt of bullying, family strength and endurance, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

From Goodreads

I like the sound of this book & what the description says takes place. Books where the main character has a self-actualizing transformation can be some of the most uplifting books to read. Honestly, this one sounds along the same lines as Elisa Carbone's Jump which I thoroughly enjoyed as well. Here's hoping this one is just as good. What are you waiting on this week?

P.S. I've never read a Holly Cupala book. Thoughts? Comments? Just thought I'd ask.

Jump by Elisa Carbone

P.K. flat-out refuses to go to boarding school. Just because she ditches her boring classes at her stupid high school and spends more time climbing a rock wall and dreaming of being outdoors does not mean she is boarding school material. That's when she comes up with the great idea of running away with a climbing buddy to the Western wilds in search of primo rock. The downside is that none of her friends want to go with her.

That is until Critter comes bouldering her way in the rock gym. They make off the next morning and make their way out to the Red Rocks. Hooking up with another climber, they manage to put in a new route and start to make their way out of the canyon. That's when things get a little... complicated.

It turns out that Critter is on the run... from the cops... for breaking out of a mental hospital. P.K. and Critter have to decide if they can continue to trust one another and how far they are willing to go to preserve their freedom. There's only so much rock to be climbed and what will happen when they get to the top?

This was an amazing book! I spent a good part of my teenage years playing weekend excursioner by hiking and rock climbing and generally enjoying myself. This book appealed to my outdoorsy side. There is a lot of technical rock climbing speak used in the book, which may turn many people off, but I found it interesting and just as easy to skip over since it wasn't vital information.

P.K. was a typically disgruntled teenager with a free spirit. While I don't think running away is a smart idea, ever, I still admire her courage for seizing her opportunity at a life-long dream. Critter was a big old mess, but in a fun way. His brain, actions, and general demeanor were like a puzzle that every time I thought I was getting it all put together, another piece jumbled my plan. He was a real riot to watch evolve.

The storyline was quite amusing in that "highly improbable" way because the universe would have to be perfectly aligned for everything to go exactly how they needed it to in order for the story to work. Although, I like to think it's totally plausible. This is a nice read that I think is perfect for those looking for some outdoorsy fun, that they can safely do from their favorite reading spot. Enjoy!