Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer Hubbard

(Excerpt taken from Goodreads)

Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feelings. Then he befriends Nicki, who is using psychics to seek contact with her dead father. This unlikely friendship thaws Ryan to the point where he can face the worst in himself. He and Nicki confide in one another the things they never thought they’d tell anyone—but their confessions are trickier than they seem, and the fallout tests the bounds of friendship and forgiveness.

 I don't usually do reviews, but I had to tell you all about this book, because I really, really loved it.  I actually won this book in a blog contest, so a quick thanks to Jenny Phresh for sending it my way!

Try Not to Breath is a very raw and honest story of one teen's journey through and out of the depths of depression.  At so many points during this book, I found myself thinking, Wow, I've been there! I remember being treated like that and feeling exactly the same way!  Jennifer Hubbard was able to capture the emotions and thoughts of a depressed teen with unbelievable accuracy and detail--without it coming off as overdone or cliche.  I'm still in awe of how well written this story was. 

My only complaint about this book was the cover itself.  It leads the reader to believe they're going to experience a love story, but really, the "romance" element is very minor.  It's more about the friendship (in my opinion) between Ryan and Nicki than anything else.

The book was a very quick read, which is good, considering the topic is kind of a downer.  If your looking for something fresh and different, I highly recommend checking it out.