3 stars for decent writing and keeping my interest....somewhat! This was on my Kindle for many months and I kept passing by it because of a gut feeling I wish I had listened to. I'm in the minority on this book...I thought Emma was STUPID, selfish, and so immature! I think a better title would have been "Too Stupid To Breathe". Nobody in their right mind would have continued to live with that type of physical abuse without getting out. She was at Sara's house all the time which led me as the reader to believe she could have gone there at anytime. In fact, Sara asked her to move there many times. Emma's belief she couldn't take her cousins parents away didn't make a bit of sense even in fiction! George might have ignored what was happening but he was not guilty of actual abuse....not saying he was right by any means. George got the kids anyway, so why that couldn't have happened sooner?? Sara's Dad was a judge for goodness sakes! It was too long with too much angst. I would never read it again and almost did a DNF several times. I don't mind high school books with drama if the main characters are worthy. I don't even care all that much if it makes total sense as it's fiction anyway. I just can't take reading about stupid people when I deal with too many in real life as it is. I like books where people are at least strong enough to protect themselves and not hateful to the few folks who actually love/care about them when they try to get them to act smart for a change! The best part of the book was when Sara and Evan finally walked away from her stupidity....too bad they came back. I already purchased the next book but I'm sorry I did! ( )

Where do I start? Amazing, heart wrenching, extremely emotional, beautifully written novel.

I loved it! I just couldn’t put it down, I just had to see what happened next. It’s definitely one of those books that just lingers for a while after being read. One of my favorite books that I’ve read this year.
Emma Thomas is every parent’s dream. She’s an excellent student. She does her chores without complaint and helps with the younger kids at home. She’s a star athlete and a talented artist. Her best friend, Sara, is one of the most popular girls in school. So why then does she live her life in a perpetual state of fear? Emma has a dark secret about which no one, not even Sara, knows the truth. Emma is not looking for someone to rescue her. She keeps a safe distance from those around her, never wanting anyone to get close enough to discover what she’s hiding. She is barely coping with the terror, but telling someone the truth would have devastating consequences.......

Read more of this review on myblog
-------------------------------------------
UPDATE: 10/09/16
Ahhhhhh!!! I forgot how much I love this boook ( )

Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
I had been excited to read this book because of it's high reviews/ratings but I was sad that it didn't meet my expectations.
I just couldn't bring myself to like Emma. I didn't understand half of the decisions she made. The only reason I kept on reading this was because of Evan and Emma's relationship. Even with the cliffhanger at the end, I most likely won't be reading the rest of the series. ( )

I just finished this book and cannot decide how many stars to give it. I truly think this is a book most will either love or hate. It was a difficult book for me to read. I think because as a survivor of abuse there were so many parts I could relate to but also parts that didn't feel real to me. For those who think that if you are being abused you cannot be an A student, you can. For me, my grades were the one thing I had control over. And, like Emma, I had no doubt that was my exit. I dreamed of getting out by going away to school. I could believe the school part because she was focused on getting out that way. For those who didn't understand why she wouldn't tell, *sigh*, there are so many jumbled reasons why people don't tell. It is not exactly fear of the abuser alone that keeps you from telling. The thing with Drew I understood and didn't understand. The part I understood was the ease she fell into him and her responses to him. The parts I didn't really get were why she could date him but not Ethan and her ability to set boundaries. For much of my life I had problems with boundaries, especially if I felt threatened by the person. Emma had no problem with keeping her boundaries even in the face of Drew being angry. I couldn't connect with that. I was dissatisfied with the ending. I have heard there is a sequel coming. I am curious to see what the author does with it. The book held my interest all the way through. I would recommend it, but be aware that it is the type of book you either really like or really dislike. It is a tough subject matter and for the most part I thought the author handled it well. The truth of the matter is that, realistically, sometimes the ending is bad. Realistically sometimes even when the ending is good, it is still not happy. It may take years before you get to happy. ( )

This book was riveting but I was very frustrated with the characters and super-disappointed with the ending. ( )