Breathless by Lurlene Mcdaniel

Summary:

What is the toughest request anyone can be asked to fulfill?
Travis Morrison is a champion diver and one of the most popular kids at school. On the first day of summer vacation, while boating on the lake with his friends, Travis attempts a silly stunt dive that goes wrong. He fears he has broken his leg. Instead, his trip to the hospital reveals he has a rare form of cancer, and to save him, the doctors tell his parents they must amputate. In an instant, Travis’s life and the lives of everyone around him are forever changed.

Travis is determined that he and only he should decide the course of his life. He has a plan, but he can’t carry it out alone. Will he convince one of his friends to fulfill his most important request?

Lurlene McDaniel tackles a controversial subject, probing the issues of personal choice and quality of life.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

I have been reading Lurlene Mcdaniel's books since I was 11 and I found a copy of one of her Dawn Rochelle novels that used to belong to my sister (who is 15 years older) so you could say that this author is like an old family friend.

I don't think that the fact that she writes juvenile fiction is any reason to keep me away from her books despite the fact that I'm not that 11 year old little girl anymore but a young woman who is yearning to start her own family. I honestly believe that I will be reading her books for  the rest of my life and I plan on passing these books down to my own daughters (if I have them).

Her books have seen me through some hard times especially when I was a teenager and for that I am grateful to her.

Now on the review!

It's been awhile since I've picked up one of her books to read and I just happened to grab this one and within an hour and a half I was already done it. Yes it's a juvenile fiction book but it as always has a powerful message.

For the first time, the author has tackled the issue of assisted suicide when Travis dives from a high cliff he hits the water and his leg snaps. Luckily, his best friend Cooper, girlfriend Darla and little sister Emily are there to save him.

Once at the hospital the waiting game begins. Something caused Travis's bone to snap and it's cancer. The only way to try and salvage his life is to amputate his leg. The promising star of the dive team sees how bleak his future is and as he slowly gets better he thinks things may be going alright. Unfortunately he has a relapse and this time nothing is working.

Prompted by his constant pain and the knowledge that he will not be making it through this illness he searches for an alternative and he enlists Cooper's help. Sadly before he was going to end his life on his own terms he's hospitalized.

This book was interesting because it was written from the point of view of 4 people. Those four people being Travis, Cooper, Emily and Darla.  I liked the style a lot. I think she should continue writing in this manner as long as she continues to write the way she usually does.

I found this book to be thought provoking and sad but with a message. To be thankful for the time we have on the planet. I even liked the ending. It was overall a well written book.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★