kakunie's review against another edition
2.0
YOU BORROWED HIS TOOTHBRUSH CAUSE YOU KNEW HE WOULD BE OK WITH IT? I'm shooketh. This is where I draw the line.
The good
- Whole story felt cute. Was easy to read. I did not disslike the book but it wasn't interesting enough to hype me to read another book from this author.
- The relationship between main characters was pretty realistic, I would prefer them as friends tho.
- Corey's developement. It was actually interesting seeing her explore her options and slowly get over being stuck on what she can't do.
The bad
-
- The sex was just so lackluster.
- Hartley's family drama was complete afterthought and it had no significance for the book.
- You simply don't borrow people's toothbrushes without asking first.
- Corey's hope fairy? Reminds me too much of Anastasia's inner goddes in 50 shades. Ouu heeeeeeel no. I'm still cringing.
The good
- Whole story felt cute. Was easy to read. I did not disslike the book but it wasn't interesting enough to hype me to read another book from this author.
- The relationship between main characters was pretty realistic, I would prefer them as friends tho.
- Corey's developement. It was actually interesting seeing her explore her options and slowly get over being stuck on what she can't do.
The bad
-
Spoiler
The cheating. Stacia wasn't even that bad and unpopular opinion, she deserved better.- The sex was just so lackluster.
- Hartley's family drama was complete afterthought and it had no significance for the book.
- You simply don't borrow people's toothbrushes without asking first.
- Corey's hope fairy? Reminds me too much of Anastasia's inner goddes in 50 shades. Ouu heeeeeeel no. I'm still cringing.
mbuetow's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my gosh. This book was absolutely amazing. I loved the friends to lovers aspect and their banter was everything. Hartley was hilarious and so freaking sweet I could die. Corey made my heart ache for her. Their story was absolutely incredible.
tessxox's review against another edition
5.0
Also ich bin verliebt, vollkommen verliebt in dieses Buch.
Genau so sollte New Adult sein! Genau so! Das war einfach alles in allem einfach wundertoll?
Generell finde ich es mutig und toll,dass hier jemand der eine Behinderung hat im Mittelpunkt steht und ich fand, dass Coreys Behinderung in diesem Buch sehr gut beschrieben wurde. Es war logisch und nachvollziehbar wie die Autorin die Behinderung erklärt hatte , was mich sehr erleichtert hat, denn das war meine größte Angst, dass eben das unlogisch hätte sein können.
Aber Corey an sich war auch einfach super? Sie war stark, lustig, sarkastisch, schlau, stur und jemand der sich nicht unterkriegen lässt. Sie ist nicht perfekt und sie hat auch viele Probleme, aber die Art und Weise wie sie mit ihrer Behinderung umgeht, wie sie sich nicht darüber identifizieren will und wie sie trotzdem ihr Leben leben will, war so toll? Und ich fand dass ihre Situation ihre Gefühle so realisitisch beschrieben wurden?
Ich konnte nachvollziehen warum Corey so handelte und sich so fühlt & argh ich liebe sie. Sie war mal ein weiblicher Charakter, der nicht rumheult sondern Dinge in die Hand nimmt, der sich nicht über den Typ definiert und der keinen Scheiß von anderen Leuten annimmt und arghh. Es war so toll, mal von so jemanden zu lesen.
Dann zu Hartley und gott. Hartley ist ... Hartley ist der Burner. Er ist offiziell einer meiner liebsten männlichen Buchcharaktere geworden weil argghh.
Hartley ist ein Sportler, aber er ist kein Arschloch, er ist lustig, verrückt , zu gutaussehend und ein toller Freund. Und mir gefiel es so gut, dass es mal einen Jungen gab der so verdammt real war? Weil Hartley war das für mich.
Er war wie jemand den man kennen könnte, und ich mochte es dass er kein mysteriöser Bad boy war, sondern für mich einfach nur real und da. Er war kein Pixie Maniac Dream Boy, nicht jemand, der hundert dunkle Probleme versteckt und diese versucht mit bescheuerten Verhalten zu kompensieren und das hat man momentan selten.
Auch war die Liebesgeschichte so süüß. Die beiden beginnen als Freunde und man fühlt ihre Freundschaft einfach, sie ist da, sie ist real, und die beiden haben so viele lustige Szenen zusammen und es war realistisch mal zu sehen, dass ein Paar sich zuerst anfreundet, beginnt sich zu vertrauen und alter, die beiden haben sich vertraut & ich bin bis jetzt nicht über sein Geburstagsgeschenk hinweg :D
Und wie sich die Liebe dann entwickelt, weil es so verdammt nachvollziehbar war? Und gott, diese eine Szene auf dem Eis? Ich habe so geheult und fand das so verdammt passend und wichtig & es war glaub ich meine absolute Lieblingsszene :D
Natürlich gab es auch sexy Times, aber die nahmen nicht die ganze Handlung ein, sondern waren wirklich dezent und passend gewählt und wenn sie vorkamen fand ich sie durchaus relevant und habe es gerne gelesen: D ( Ab und zu braucht man das nämlich :DD)
Ich mochte es, dass er hier zwar Drama gab, aber dieses nicht an den Haaren herbeigezogen war, sondern realistisch war . Sich besonders auf Coreys Umgang mit ihrer Behinderung und ihrer Entwicklung dahingehend konzentriert hat und ein wenig auf Hartleys Hintergrundstory, aber das hat einfach gepasst und war nicht zu dramatisch.
Und die Nebencharaktere waren auch so verdammt liebenswert, zwar war der Fokus wirklich mehr auf Hartley und Corey gelegt, aber die Nebencharaktere waren trotzdem alle liebenswert und kamen nicht flach rüber .
Generell ich bin vollkommen verliebt in dieses Buch, obwohl ich es erst nicht lesen wollte , aber jetzt frage ich mich warum. Weil es alles war, was ich mir von einem New Adult Roman wünsche & jetzt werde ich noch ein wenig weiter über dieses Buch fangirlen :D
Genau so sollte New Adult sein! Genau so! Das war einfach alles in allem einfach wundertoll?
Generell finde ich es mutig und toll,dass hier jemand der eine Behinderung hat im Mittelpunkt steht und ich fand, dass Coreys Behinderung in diesem Buch sehr gut beschrieben wurde. Es war logisch und nachvollziehbar wie die Autorin die Behinderung erklärt hatte , was mich sehr erleichtert hat, denn das war meine größte Angst, dass eben das unlogisch hätte sein können.
Aber Corey an sich war auch einfach super? Sie war stark, lustig, sarkastisch, schlau, stur und jemand der sich nicht unterkriegen lässt. Sie ist nicht perfekt und sie hat auch viele Probleme, aber die Art und Weise wie sie mit ihrer Behinderung umgeht, wie sie sich nicht darüber identifizieren will und wie sie trotzdem ihr Leben leben will, war so toll? Und ich fand dass ihre Situation ihre Gefühle so realisitisch beschrieben wurden?
Ich konnte nachvollziehen warum Corey so handelte und sich so fühlt & argh ich liebe sie. Sie war mal ein weiblicher Charakter, der nicht rumheult sondern Dinge in die Hand nimmt, der sich nicht über den Typ definiert und der keinen Scheiß von anderen Leuten annimmt und arghh. Es war so toll, mal von so jemanden zu lesen.
Dann zu Hartley und gott. Hartley ist ... Hartley ist der Burner. Er ist offiziell einer meiner liebsten männlichen Buchcharaktere geworden weil argghh.
Hartley ist ein Sportler, aber er ist kein Arschloch, er ist lustig, verrückt , zu gutaussehend und ein toller Freund. Und mir gefiel es so gut, dass es mal einen Jungen gab der so verdammt real war? Weil Hartley war das für mich.
Er war wie jemand den man kennen könnte, und ich mochte es dass er kein mysteriöser Bad boy war, sondern für mich einfach nur real und da. Er war kein Pixie Maniac Dream Boy, nicht jemand, der hundert dunkle Probleme versteckt und diese versucht mit bescheuerten Verhalten zu kompensieren und das hat man momentan selten.
Auch war die Liebesgeschichte so süüß. Die beiden beginnen als Freunde und man fühlt ihre Freundschaft einfach, sie ist da, sie ist real, und die beiden haben so viele lustige Szenen zusammen und es war realistisch mal zu sehen, dass ein Paar sich zuerst anfreundet, beginnt sich zu vertrauen und alter, die beiden haben sich vertraut & ich bin bis jetzt nicht über sein Geburstagsgeschenk hinweg :D
Und wie sich die Liebe dann entwickelt, weil es so verdammt nachvollziehbar war? Und gott, diese eine Szene auf dem Eis? Ich habe so geheult und fand das so verdammt passend und wichtig & es war glaub ich meine absolute Lieblingsszene :D
Natürlich gab es auch sexy Times, aber die nahmen nicht die ganze Handlung ein, sondern waren wirklich dezent und passend gewählt und wenn sie vorkamen fand ich sie durchaus relevant und habe es gerne gelesen: D ( Ab und zu braucht man das nämlich :DD)
Ich mochte es, dass er hier zwar Drama gab, aber dieses nicht an den Haaren herbeigezogen war, sondern realistisch war . Sich besonders auf Coreys Umgang mit ihrer Behinderung und ihrer Entwicklung dahingehend konzentriert hat und ein wenig auf Hartleys Hintergrundstory, aber das hat einfach gepasst und war nicht zu dramatisch.
Und die Nebencharaktere waren auch so verdammt liebenswert, zwar war der Fokus wirklich mehr auf Hartley und Corey gelegt, aber die Nebencharaktere waren trotzdem alle liebenswert und kamen nicht flach rüber .
Generell ich bin vollkommen verliebt in dieses Buch, obwohl ich es erst nicht lesen wollte , aber jetzt frage ich mich warum. Weil es alles war, was ich mir von einem New Adult Roman wünsche & jetzt werde ich noch ein wenig weiter über dieses Buch fangirlen :D
rotellareads's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
The premise of the story was ingriguing and The Year We Fell Down came highly recommended when I was looking for a handicapped/differently abled main character. I found that the actual story itself fell a bit short for me. There wasn't a lot of depth to the plot and everything about the story was very surface level. I really liked both of the main characters, even though Hartley had his head up his ass for the majority of the book. I just could not wrap my brain around his relationship with Stacia, even after it was explained. He had the perfect woman in front of him and yet he still held onto the shiny pretty arm candy that gave him nothing in return.
Hartley's absentee father storyline was vague and then resolved at the end without enough followup. It seemed just haphazardly thrown in.
I appreciated the amount of detail that the author put into Corie's life after her injury and just how difficult it was to blend in during your first year of college. The authenticity was there when it came to navigating an older college campus and the nuances of trying to access buildings and participate in activities. I loved the outside the box ways that Corie and Hartley made the best of the situation and found ways to bring the world to them instead of adapting.
I was pretty bummed by the abrupt ending of the book. I guess you could call it a HFN. I wanted more with regards to how Adam and Corie's relationship progressed. How they navigated the bumps and struggles of being a differently abled young adult couple.
The premise of the story was ingriguing and The Year We Fell Down came highly recommended when I was looking for a handicapped/differently abled main character. I found that the actual story itself fell a bit short for me. There wasn't a lot of depth to the plot and everything about the story was very surface level. I really liked both of the main characters, even though Hartley had his head up his ass for the majority of the book. I just could not wrap my brain around his relationship with Stacia, even after it was explained. He had the perfect woman in front of him and yet he still held onto the shiny pretty arm candy that gave him nothing in return.
Hartley's absentee father storyline was vague and then resolved at the end without enough followup. It seemed just haphazardly thrown in.
I appreciated the amount of detail that the author put into Corie's life after her injury and just how difficult it was to blend in during your first year of college. The authenticity was there when it came to navigating an older college campus and the nuances of trying to access buildings and participate in activities. I loved the outside the box ways that Corie and Hartley made the best of the situation and found ways to bring the world to them instead of adapting.
I was pretty bummed by the abrupt ending of the book. I guess you could call it a HFN. I wanted more with regards to how Adam and Corie's relationship progressed. How they navigated the bumps and struggles of being a differently abled young adult couple.
atwade's review against another edition
4.0
This was cute! It was a super quick and easy read. The only thing I was kinda confused about was the fact Adam cheated on his gf but no one ever really talked about it? Like they acknowledged what happened but never called it cheating?? Anyways it was still good and cute
izzy_happyfornow's review against another edition
4.0
I'm shocked by this book. I was totally expecting to not love it. I actually kind of loved it and was comfortable with Corey's character. For a book I picked up as a kindle freebie I loved it. Definitely recommend if you want to read something different. I did find the hero (Hartley) to be slightly unlikeable for a while though.
mae_trollnenette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
reclusivereader's review against another edition
4.0
THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN is a story unlike any I've read before. In the post-John Green craze of books featuring girls and boys falling in love despite life-threatening illnesses, here's a love story about a girl in a wheelchair and a boy with a broken leg. One's circumstance is permanent, the result of a hockey injury, the other's is temporary, the result of drunken foolery. You'd almost think the situations should be reversed, how unfair it all is, except this isn't that kind of book. Yes, there's some moping, some struggle, but this book takes place quite a few months after Callahan's injury as she aims to move forward and start her first year of university.
In her chair-accessible housing, she finds herself rooming across the hall from Hartley, a beautiful boy with his leg in a boot.. with an equally beautiful, but bitchy, girlfriend (tried so hard for alliteration, couldn't keep it up). Though Callahan all but falls in love with him the moment she lays her eyes on him, she doesn't make her feelings known and they actually become friends. Really good friends. Not only do we get to see Corey navigate through the perils of being in love with another girl's boyfriend, we get to see her navigate life without the use of her legs. The struggle not only for her to adapt but how it impacts the people around her. The simplest things like going to a cafeteria that isn't elevator accessible, meeting on the steps of the administrator's building to talk with the Dean to change classes. Even something as thoughtless (to me) as sitting on a couch. Likewise, Hartley has his own struggles to manage much of these situations as well but the difference is his inconvenience has an expiry date.
With Hartley's girlfriend in France for the term, he and Callahan grow close, with one moment pushing them well beyond the safe boundaries of friendship -- in a very emotional and sweet and simultaneously hot scene that changes a lot for both of them, and reveals something very important to Callahan. But that's also when she puts on the brakes, distancing herself, knowing he isn't for her.
As much as I loved the characters, the circumstances, something just felt a bit off. Maybe it was Hartley. Maybe he waited too long in regards to waking the hell up about his feelings, or maybe there wasn't enough transition from one to the other. It just seemed like everything flipped really quickly. To totally contradict my "waited too long" comment, I will say : I could've done with another hundred pages of this story, maybe drag it out a little longer with a few extra epiphanies along the way so it didn't feel as rushed. I might've just wanted more of this story, full stop, but I think a few more Hartley POVs to balance Callahan's would've done the story a world of good.
However, almost every interaction between the two was sweet. Adorable. Wonderful. Callahan was a superstar. Biting and honest but brave. Openly admitting when she was feeling shitty or down or frustrated and I honestly could never put myself in her shoes but I was rooting for her the whole time. Hartley, despite my previously mentioned gripes, was also great. At least when he excluded from his interactions with Stacia, the bitchy girlfriend. He was supporting, encouraging and openly appreciative without ever treating Callahan differently. At least beyond the obvious reasons as to why he would (ie, spoiler, the fact that he liked her). We also had a great support of secondary characters that I'm hoping we get to see a lot more of as the series progresses.
THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN isn't quite adult, isn't quite YA, and isn't quite perfect. But I loved it.
In her chair-accessible housing, she finds herself rooming across the hall from Hartley, a beautiful boy with his leg in a boot.. with an equally beautiful, but bitchy, girlfriend (tried so hard for alliteration, couldn't keep it up). Though Callahan all but falls in love with him the moment she lays her eyes on him, she doesn't make her feelings known and they actually become friends. Really good friends. Not only do we get to see Corey navigate through the perils of being in love with another girl's boyfriend, we get to see her navigate life without the use of her legs. The struggle not only for her to adapt but how it impacts the people around her. The simplest things like going to a cafeteria that isn't elevator accessible, meeting on the steps of the administrator's building to talk with the Dean to change classes. Even something as thoughtless (to me) as sitting on a couch. Likewise, Hartley has his own struggles to manage much of these situations as well but the difference is his inconvenience has an expiry date.
With Hartley's girlfriend in France for the term, he and Callahan grow close, with one moment pushing them well beyond the safe boundaries of friendship -- in a very emotional and sweet and simultaneously hot scene that changes a lot for both of them, and reveals something very important to Callahan. But that's also when she puts on the brakes, distancing herself, knowing he isn't for her.
As much as I loved the characters, the circumstances, something just felt a bit off. Maybe it was Hartley. Maybe he waited too long in regards to waking the hell up about his feelings, or maybe there wasn't enough transition from one to the other. It just seemed like everything flipped really quickly. To totally contradict my "waited too long" comment, I will say : I could've done with another hundred pages of this story, maybe drag it out a little longer with a few extra epiphanies along the way so it didn't feel as rushed. I might've just wanted more of this story, full stop, but I think a few more Hartley POVs to balance Callahan's would've done the story a world of good.
However, almost every interaction between the two was sweet. Adorable. Wonderful. Callahan was a superstar. Biting and honest but brave. Openly admitting when she was feeling shitty or down or frustrated and I honestly could never put myself in her shoes but I was rooting for her the whole time. Hartley, despite my previously mentioned gripes, was also great. At least when he excluded from his interactions with Stacia, the bitchy girlfriend. He was supporting, encouraging and openly appreciative without ever treating Callahan differently. At least beyond the obvious reasons as to why he would (ie, spoiler, the fact that he liked her). We also had a great support of secondary characters that I'm hoping we get to see a lot more of as the series progresses.
THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN isn't quite adult, isn't quite YA, and isn't quite perfect. But I loved it.