Reading Metrics
Description
At boarding school, Katie tries to focus on swimming and becoming popular instead of the painful memories of her institutionalized schizophrenic older brother. The plot contains mild sexual references and drug and alcohol use.
Quick Summary
Breathless drops you into a boarding school where swimming is the ticket to popularity, but the real drama is the stuff Katie keeps buried about her brother's schizophrenia. The writing is straightforward and moves at a clip that makes it easy to finish in a weekend, which is perfect for teens who want a fast read. It mixes the usual teen pressures friendships, parties, a little drinking and drug use, and mild romantic tension with a deeper look at how mental illness can echo in a family. Parents will want to know there are some scenes with alcohol, a bit of drug talk, and a few sexual references, but nothing is overly graphic, and the book handles the mental health angle with honesty. If you've ever liked a story about a teen trying to balance sport, social status, and personal baggage, this is for you; think of it as a grittier, more realistic cousin to The Princess Diaries.