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liakeller's review against another edition
3.0
4 stars for enjoyability (?) and 3 for story. Super quick and exciting read about a woman surviving - the story unfolds with two narrators going back and forth in time (which usually I detest, but it actually seemed to work in this one).
horsley123's review against another edition
4.0
An easy reading thriller - curl up on your sofa or deck chair and whip through scheming, evil deeds and the heroics of the small man standing up against big pharma.
The tale is told in a split narrative and time frame which from my recent reads I now understand to be compulsory in contemporary fiction. I enjoyed it, I did not work out the plot twist until it was upon me - so job done.
As an aside, for some reason the copy I read was missing the 'fi' and 'fl' - so the heroine was watching 're ies' which I presume were fireflies. Amusingly her mother regularly talked about her 'oral dress' - the mind boggles.
The tale is told in a split narrative and time frame which from my recent reads I now understand to be compulsory in contemporary fiction. I enjoyed it, I did not work out the plot twist until it was upon me - so job done.
As an aside, for some reason the copy I read was missing the 'fi' and 'fl' - so the heroine was watching 're ies' which I presume were fireflies. Amusingly her mother regularly talked about her 'oral dress' - the mind boggles.
uhhrissaa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
scknitter's review against another edition
5.0
Freefall is a terrific character driven thriller which is told from two perspectives: that of the mother who is still grieving the loss of her husband to cancer two years earlier and of the daughter who ran away when she saw her mother do as her father wished and help him die. This thriller comes out of the gate at top speed. The mother is told her daughter and her daughter’s fiancée were killed in a plane crash and the mother decides she has to learn what her daughter’s life was like for the past two years. The daughter made some really bad choices including not contacting her mother when she needed help, but she had finally found what she thought was true love and was in a good place when the plane went down. She is now determined to survive. Both women display remarkable strength as they each attempt to save the other from the madman who is attempting to kill them both.
larseb13's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this book on audible and the mother drove me crazy!! It was funny how a character can emotionally effect you. There were some slow parts with too much explanation on things that didn’t mean anything but overall was a good book!
lovelykd's review
3.0
Here are the facts: I am alone. I am on a mountain. The plane I was on has crashed...I want, very badly, to lie back on the bank of grass and let my heavy eyelids close. I wonder what it will be like to die. Will it be like the tilt and drop of sleep? Will there be a light to follow, or just the dark?
Stop.
I don't want to die. What I need is a plan.
You have to go.
The voice in my head is urgent, insistent.
Youhavetogoyouhavetogoyouhavetogo.
Stay alive.
"Freefall" is a scintillating thriller by Jessica Barry. It takes its time leading you over and through a story which twists and turns with ease and, to be honest, with only a few surprises here and there. I was rarely taken aback by even the most startling reveals, but the book moved so quick and effortless I wasn't bothered by the time it took to get from the here to the there.
Allison and her fiance are presumed dead after their charter plan crashes in the mountains of Colorado. Little does anyone know, Allison has not only survived the crash but is on the run from a sinister past which promises to destroy everything she holds dear.
Meanwhile, Allison's mother Maggie is devastated as she tries to piece together the wreckage of her estranged daughter's life; slowly uncovering the pieces of the puzzle which led to her daughter having boarded the plane which, apparently, has led to her untimely death--potentially putting her own well-being at risk in the process.
I enjoyed the short chapters and steady pacing as they eliminated the sluggish nature books of this ilk sometimes take in their attempt to draw out an otherwise lukewarm plot; while the ending of "Freefall" wasn't as much obvious as unsurprising, it still offered enough twists and turns to not disappoint.
While Allison's voice is riveting--as we're taken through the gamut of emotions she encounters while struggling to survive the crash--it was the pain of her mother which gutted me the most.
Maggies pain is almost palpable as she struggles not only with the loss of a presumed dead daugther, but with the lingering heartbreak she suffered after the loss of her own husband, Allison's father, Charles; his role in their estrangement is just as much a part of the story and gives it an intimacy that may otherwise not have existed.
This one is sure to be talked about in the weeks to come.
Thanks to Edelweiss+ and HarperCollins for this Advanced eGalley of "Freefall".
adfish's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
emleemay's review against another edition
3.0
This is the kind of pulpy, plot-based read that you can power through in a single sitting, preferably on the beach or during a plane ride (if the plane crash aspect doesn't make you too nervous). The short chapters keep the pacing up and make it easy to zip through.
However, seasoned thriller readers might be a little disappointed by the lack of surprises. Most of the plot is fairly easy to predict and the one promised "twist" felt a lot more like deus ex machina to me. That being said, this can be forgiven if you just sit back and enjoy the ride, which is admittedly a fun and easy one.
Maggie learns that her estranged daughter Allison died in a plane crash with her fiance and attempts to piece together the last couple years of her life. Meanwhile, Allison's perspective instantly reveals that she is not actually dead but running from a mysterious someone. Maggie's digging and Allison's desperate bid for survival race against each other, until it all comes together at the climax.
The characters are somewhat interesting. They have a sort of general appeal to anyone who is a worried parent or has a difficult relationship with their own parents. But fans of lots of character development should probably seek out a [a: Tana French|138825|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1535655031p2/138825.jpg] or [a: Jane Harper|556546|Jane Harper|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470105315p2/556546.jpg] instead. I felt it was a book focused on discovering the whats and hows, without spending too long on the whys.
[b: Freefall|39855088|Freefall|Jessica Barry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1529056927s/39855088.jpg|60406408] is an easy, escapist piece of fiction. Nothing demanding or life-changing, but fun nevertheless.
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However, seasoned thriller readers might be a little disappointed by the lack of surprises. Most of the plot is fairly easy to predict and the one promised "twist" felt a lot more like deus ex machina to me. That being said, this can be forgiven if you just sit back and enjoy the ride, which is admittedly a fun and easy one.
Maggie learns that her estranged daughter Allison died in a plane crash with her fiance and attempts to piece together the last couple years of her life. Meanwhile, Allison's perspective instantly reveals that she is not actually dead but running from a mysterious someone. Maggie's digging and Allison's desperate bid for survival race against each other, until it all comes together at the climax.
The characters are somewhat interesting. They have a sort of general appeal to anyone who is a worried parent or has a difficult relationship with their own parents. But fans of lots of character development should probably seek out a [a: Tana French|138825|Tana French|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1535655031p2/138825.jpg] or [a: Jane Harper|556546|Jane Harper|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470105315p2/556546.jpg] instead. I felt it was a book focused on discovering the whats and hows, without spending too long on the whys.
[b: Freefall|39855088|Freefall|Jessica Barry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1529056927s/39855088.jpg|60406408] is an easy, escapist piece of fiction. Nothing demanding or life-changing, but fun nevertheless.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
cassidys_bookshelf32's review against another edition
4.0
I'm super picky with my thrillers and this was one that actually worked for me. Freefall has strong female characters which I absolutely loved. Allison has survived a plane crash in the Rockies that claimed her fiancee's life and everyone presumes she is dead as well. As she makes her way down the mountain you find out the back story up to the crash. In Maine, her estranged mother won't give up hope that her only child is still alive. These plot lines intertwine very well at the end and for me the story moved very fast. I think if you liked The Banker's Wife you would really enjoy Freefall. 4/5🌟