Not the Breast Year of My Life: Finding Hope and Resilience After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

by Cara Sapida

This captivating memoir has won the hearts of readers everywhere and become an overnight #1 bestseller in the Breast Cancer books category!

From the first page, readers are drawn into the author's journey of strength, resilience, and hope. With candid honesty and raw emotion, this inspiring memoir explores the challenges and triumphs of facing a cancer diagnosis. Readers have praised the book for its ability to make them both laugh and cry, describing it as the book they want to share with loved ones to help explain this experience.

Cara Sapida, author and television news reporter, shares an unfiltered journey, juggling chemo treatments, a global pandemic, and divorce— all while caring for her young children. Written with heart and humor, her powerful memoir is an uplifting tribute to the human spirit, and an instant classic that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Beyond being a story of breast cancer, it is a story of human resilience and the power of hope. This book will resonate not just with those facing a cancer diagnosis, but with anyone who has experienced layers of hardship and is working on rebuilding their life. With every chapter, readers will find themselves inspired to approach life’s obstacles with greater courage and determination.

Whether you're a patient, survivor, or caretaker, this memoir is a must-read that will leave you feeling uplifted and empowered. Don’t miss this unforgettable account of resilience, determination, and hope.

Through the author’s heartfelt storytelling, you’ll feel like you have a friend by your side who finally gets it, and offers a light of hope that shines through even the darkest of days.

Get your copy of "Not the Breast Year of My Life" today!"

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

198 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2023

Reviews

[Alexa Vanosdol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing and just what I needed to hear before my fight with breast cancer begins! Thank you Cara for sharing your story with us!

[Melinda Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flew through the pages of this book. The author did an amazing job capturing the emotions and challenges of experiencing a breast cancer diagnosis and enduring treatments, among other things. I wish they handed this book out at doctor appointments so others could immediately understand how common these feelings are throughout this process. What I also appreciate about the author is her ability to provide a balanced mix of storytelling, emotions, and humor without drawing out the chapters longer than they need to be. A must read for the recently diagnosed!

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written with truth and honesty. It was hard to read sometimes because I’m dealing with the exact same things. However, you must believe in healing and as difficult as it can be sometimes, try to remain positive. If you know someone going through this, pray for her and encourage her.

[Breanne Bachovchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming and inspiring. I can’t wait to hear her speak with our women’s group at work tomorrow.

[Sarah Sudar · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiration! Cara penned this beautiful, raw account of her journey. This will definitely help and supports others.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed and I cried. I could've written this, minus the term "Godwinks" bc I honestly hate that word. As I'm 16 days post-chemo and starting to lose my hair, I'm thankful for Cara's honesty. I can't imagine going through all of this during a separation/divorce and the pandemic with 2 small children. I'm grateful for her memoir.

[Tony Ruffolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cara,
There wasn’t a page that left me dry-eyed. This diary of your diagnosis, your day-to-day experiences, your healing has been cathartic. I was unaware of my need to cry like this. Beautifully written and expressed. Thank you.
Tony

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Cara for capturing the pure hell of being diagnosed with breast cancer so honestly. By pg 27 I was crying, laughing my pg 45 and highlighting along the way. I appreciate this book so much not only as a breast cancer survivor myself, but also as someone who has had a loved one with cancer. It was raw. Cara’s writing is so thoughtful with the words she uses. The poem, Dear Breast Cancer, wow.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful quick memoir with which I really connected. While the author and I have a few different ways we respond to trauma, she very much so hits the nails on their heads with all the aspects of breast cancer from finding the lump to survivorship. I think this is a great book for family and friends because it’s quick with easily digestible entries and she nails it.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it was to go through cancer treatments at the same time as your marriage was ending, while having two small children who depend on you. Cara has shown that she is an independent, strong woman. She fought a fight she didn’t sign up for and she did it without looking back, for her children and herself.

[Kirsten Ditzler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cara Sapida did an excellent job or capturing her journey through a diagnosis of breast cancer and the tests, treatment, feelings and fear that come along with it. As a physical therapist who specializes in breast cancer rehab, I really appreciated her putting pen to paper and recording her experience. It is hope, but it’s raw and real, without breast cancer pink. Thank you Cara!

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong Ending Chapters

The final chapters of this memoir are quite moving and speak, without fanfare but string writing, about resilience. The author also explains in detail about her chemotherapy treatment, what she calls her Dark Days. She gives shape to something that is often sort of nondescript, but the detail is useful in showing what chemotherapy actually is.

[deannaturnsthepage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super easy read, since typos threw me off but overall this is a really great book filled with useful information.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book to give your lived one, or buy for yourself if you were recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Cara went through breast cancer treatments in the pandemic years, and a divorce while raising very young children m. She is on the other side and this book offers her emotional experiences and most of all, hope.
It does not hide the ugly, but it does not make it scary.

I found her Facebook page (she is a journalist) to write to her to thank her.

[Audra Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

No words

I felt this book to my core. I truly don’t have the words to describe the emotion. Cara is the storm.

[Rachel Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who is battling breast cancer myself, this book hit all the notes of what it feels like to go through this. It felt even more personal as she has young children and how to navigate all her feelings. I felt like I wasn’t alone in what I was feeling and navigating with my own children. This is a great book to read if someone you know is going through breast cancer or someone caring for some diagnosed.

[Drena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being recently diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer this is the book I needed! I can’t recommend this book enough! It is so down to earth and real. It’s like being with a friend who’s going through the same horrific thing as you. I don’t need to read any other breast cancer books. This will stay with me, and my highlighted prompts will carry me through this cancer journey fighting and coming out like a “flower blooming in concrete”!

[Krista Merlini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m grateful to not know the battle that cancer brings, but wanted to read this to support Cara, as I’m a fan of her. She was very raw and unapologetic about her story. I cried many times reading her words. I highly recommend reading this book, even if you can’t relate to what the subject matter is. It will resonate with you.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional but very inspiring book that not only raises awareness of the experience of breast cancer but offers women hope, support and the strength to keep going throughout this horrendous experience. The author has a passion for life and this shines through and motivates throughout the entire book.

[Madi Moffat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Such a beautiful story from my brilliant step mom. Putting this whole journey into a book i'm sure was no easy task- but Cara did it to inspire others, encourage breast cancer fighters, and show the world how anything is possible. Incredible 🩷

[Glmomich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Not because she sugar coated the cancer treatments but because she told the truth. While I was inspired by her book I'm not sure I would have maintained the positivity she had. She is an inspiration.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good writing and a heartfelt memoir of a young mother fighting triple negative breast cancer. She tries to prepare anyone getting this diagnosis with the realities of chemotherapy, mastectomy, and the emotional roller coaster the disease brings. This book could also help anyone fighting cancer.

[Maggie Weagley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful memoir. I also was going through a breast cancer diagnosis in 2020 and there were parts of this that rang so true. Your children are lucky to have you as a mother💗

[Leah Fidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is authentic and funny. A truly raw and beautiful journey for a young mom diagnosed with breast cancer.

[McKenna Ferris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Cara had me giggling and in tears the entire way through the book. A raw book filled with inspiring words, heartfelt moments and so much more.

[Andrea L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book will inspire me & haunt me forever.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you or anyone you love is going through breast cancer, this is a great book to shed light on the ups and downs - both expected and unexpected.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!!!! I read it between my 7th and 8th week of chemo for triple negative breast cancer and it was so incredibly relatable and warm and funny and true.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read. So relatable.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Not the Breast Year of My Life
Author: Cara Sapida

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers:
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
15 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘subject knowledge’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘clarity of message’.
15 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
“I would strongly recommend this book to anybody battling cancer. I think they’d find it inspirational. Thanks to Cara Sapida for sharing her story. I look forward to seeing MORE books from her in the future.” Male reader, aged 45
“A perfect balance of inspiring and uplifting. The writing style is accessible, the author capable of putting over the ups and considerable downs of cancer. But it’s not all doom and gloom – there’s always a feeling of hope, and the author’s wit jumps off the page.” Female reader, aged 53
“With a very relaxed, informal sort of writing style, the author helps the reader to feel they just met in a café for a long chat.” Female reader, aged 76
“This book charts a woman’s journey dealing with breast cancer. With total honesty, she helps the reader understand not just what is happening in simple medical terms but also, importantly, how she feels. Yes, it is sad in parts, horrible so, but there’s hope there – and where there’s hope, there’s life. Wonderful book!” Female reader, aged 44
“I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry – so I did both. Many thanks for sharing your story with me. I wish you all the best.” Female reader, aged 55

To Sum It Up:
‘An inspiring and utterly compelling story of a woman battling breast cancer. A SILVER MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended! ’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards