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howifeelaboutbooks's review against another edition
5.0
If I could give this book ten stars I would. It's well written and emotional without being overwhelmingly so. After Eddie's photographer father kills himself, she is determined to find out why. Despite his sparse suicide note, she knows there must be a bigger reason. Her best friend Milo alternately helps and restrains her attempts to find an answer. Then she meets Culler Evans, a student of her father's. She's swept up into his world and struggles to understand his art, as well as the art her father had produced just before he died. This leads her on a scavenger hunt for what her father left behind. The suspense builds up perfectly, to the extent where my stomach was actually tied in knots at the climax. Though I predicted a third of the way in what the resolution would be, it wasn't a let-down when it was revealed. I also have to applaud the realistic ending; a small part of me is hoping for a continuation just because I loved the characters so much, but the rest of me loves that I can let the story play out in my mind.
robotnik's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
And, Courtney SUmmers stabs me in the heart yet again.
I don't know what it is with her writing. This is the third book by her that I've read after Some Girls Are and Cracked Up to Be. It has a similar theme to the two in that it goes straight for the jugular and never gives you any hope. I've come by a lot of stories that talk about the same heavy subjects, but none of them seem to do it quite as well as Summers does.
Eddie's story really shows what happens when someone's grieving over the loss of someone that they can't explain. This isn't someone in an accident or dying of old age or disease. It's taking their own life, and she can't come to terms with why her father would do such a thing. So, she looks for answers, no matter how much it seems to pain her. Because that's what people do. They just can't deal with knowing someone they loved wanted to do such a thing, and how they couldn't possibly notice it.
Nothing in this book sugarcoats anything either. All of it is straight up, and it doesn't, for a second, let you feel comfortable or happy. It's emotional, and sad, and powerful. And, it's the type of story that more teens who are interested in reading need to read.
Courtney Summers is really the type of writer more people need to be reading. My hat's off to her. It truly is.
I don't know what it is with her writing. This is the third book by her that I've read after Some Girls Are and Cracked Up to Be. It has a similar theme to the two in that it goes straight for the jugular and never gives you any hope. I've come by a lot of stories that talk about the same heavy subjects, but none of them seem to do it quite as well as Summers does.
Eddie's story really shows what happens when someone's grieving over the loss of someone that they can't explain. This isn't someone in an accident or dying of old age or disease. It's taking their own life, and she can't come to terms with why her father would do such a thing. So, she looks for answers, no matter how much it seems to pain her. Because that's what people do. They just can't deal with knowing someone they loved wanted to do such a thing, and how they couldn't possibly notice it.
Nothing in this book sugarcoats anything either. All of it is straight up, and it doesn't, for a second, let you feel comfortable or happy. It's emotional, and sad, and powerful. And, it's the type of story that more teens who are interested in reading need to read.
Courtney Summers is really the type of writer more people need to be reading. My hat's off to her. It truly is.
beingfacetious's review against another edition
5.0
On pace for 365 books this year! Just have to not work or touch my phone and also read shortish books I know by heart already
anyway this crushed me more than I remember it doing in the past, which is saying something! coincidentally also felt like I loved it more this time hm
anyway this crushed me more than I remember it doing in the past, which is saying something! coincidentally also felt like I loved it more this time hm
thefoxy_booklady's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lorilaws's review against another edition
4.0
I read Cracked Up to Be last year and to put it nicely, I was not a fan. Everyone raves about Courtney's books so I wanted to give her another try and I'm happy I did! Fall for Anything was a raw, tough book, and Courtney's writing style will keep you flipping pages.
I'm always drawn to these emotional gritty kind of books for some reason. This book was no exception, I had to find more. I had to find out why, just like Eddie did. But to be honest Eddie's emotions and struggle didn't come through as loud and clear as I would have liked. I couldn't completely relate to her, but I can't pinpoint the reason why. I do know that her relationship with Culler didn't make much sense to me. Eddie seemed to think his loss was as big as her's, but it was her father that died! Her father! I know that she was just confused and looking for answers, but still...
I really liked Milo and even though I wanted to slap Beth a few times she was a great character too. Overall, I enjoyed the book and I will be reading Courtney's books in the future!
I'm always drawn to these emotional gritty kind of books for some reason. This book was no exception, I had to find more. I had to find out why, just like Eddie did. But to be honest Eddie's emotions and struggle didn't come through as loud and clear as I would have liked. I couldn't completely relate to her, but I can't pinpoint the reason why. I do know that her relationship with Culler didn't make much sense to me. Eddie seemed to think his loss was as big as her's, but it was her father that died! Her father! I know that she was just confused and looking for answers, but still...
I really liked Milo and even though I wanted to slap Beth a few times she was a great character too. Overall, I enjoyed the book and I will be reading Courtney's books in the future!
cgreaderbee's review
4.0
"I try to imagine what it must be like to have art inside of you and then to not have it anymore. To lose it, to not be able to find it, to search for it ... Maybe that is a good reason to kill yourself."
A bit of a change of pace from Summer's previous works, but just as emotive and addictive.
And I loved it.
I loved the mystery, the grief, the hope. I loved Eddie's complicated relationships - with her mother, her best friend, and the new stranger that walks into her life.
Despite the change in subject matter, I was still on the edge of my seat. The punches still hit me where it hurts.
A bit of a change of pace from Summer's previous works, but just as emotive and addictive.
And I loved it.
I loved the mystery, the grief, the hope. I loved Eddie's complicated relationships - with her mother, her best friend, and the new stranger that walks into her life.
Despite the change in subject matter, I was still on the edge of my seat. The punches still hit me where it hurts.
emleemay's review against another edition
5.0
I can't imagine why [a:Courtney Summers|1487748|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1324454937p2/1487748.jpg]' novels aren't more widely read, I guess it might have something to do with [b:Cracked Up to Be|3521484|Cracked Up to Be|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316728526s/3521484.jpg|3563198] and [b:Some Girls Are|6624871|Some Girls Are|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317791700s/6624871.jpg|6819111] being marketed as your typical high school clique-y/boy-obsessed novels. Their covers suggest something you'd find in every American high school movie and even the quote from the School Library Journal about [b:Some Girls Are|6624871|Some Girls Are|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317791700s/6624871.jpg|6819111] is: "Fans of the film Mean Girls will enjoy this tale of redemption and forgiveness".
Well, let me tell you this... [a:Courtney Summers|1487748|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1324454937p2/1487748.jpg]' books are incredibly raw and emotional, they are addictive in that "just one more chapter" way, even when it's 2am and you have to get up early. She gets right inside the mind of her protagonist like so few authors manage to do. Even this book, a story so different from her two previous novels, was utterly mesmerizing. Though, if you only like happy books she probably isn't the right choice for you.
It's insane how many popular novels tackle the same subjects such as loss, sexual assault, and bullying but are far less effective. So many try and fail to capture the sadness, loneliness and guilt that [a:Courtney Summers|1487748|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1324454937p2/1487748.jpg] repeatedly manages to deliver so expertly. These books need to be read.
As for [b:Fall for Anything|8470445|Fall for Anything|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317791263s/8470445.jpg|13335096], it's the story of Eddie, a girl whose father has just commit suicide. Desperate for answers as to why a successful photographer would choose to end his life, Eddie teams up with his ex-student in an attempt to decode what may be the troubled artist's final message to the world. With her mother sinking deeper into depression and her mother's friend taking over their home with little regard for Eddie's grief, this could be her only chance to regain some of her previous life back... but what if the answer she finds is the last thing she wanted to hear?
Trust me, if you're not familiar with [a:Courtney Summers|1487748|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1324454937p2/1487748.jpg], get to it! And I highly recommend you start with [b:Some Girls Are|6624871|Some Girls Are|Courtney Summers|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317791700s/6624871.jpg|6819111].
kirstenrose22's review against another edition
4.0
This was pretty good - and fairly compelling - even though I could clearly see all the WTF moments as they approached. You pretty much want to take Eddie by the shoulders and give her a good shake... but it wouldn't do any good, right? I found I sympathized with some of the "bad" characters - particularly Beth - quite a bit. Tthe climax was creepy.. Very powerful and moving.