bog's review against another edition
5.0
“All I want is to be wanted by someone. Just as I am. That may be the only thing I’ve ever wanted.” Rae the protagonist of Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder is a true hero. Rae’s father left when she was just a baby. Her stepfather Dean is abusive and cruel; her mother is distant, and her oh so seemingly perfect boyfriend Nathan, is a psychotic stalker. The one person who she had a true connection to, was her grandmother who recently passed due to cancer. While Rae has a sad life at home, she manages to find comfort and happiness in the pages of her poetry journal and making bouquets at the flower shop. Her circumstances helped mold her into who she is. As a result of feeling so alone, Rae assumed many traits that create a heroic personality. The traits of a hero vary from hero to hero but the ones that Rae shows throughout, are selflessness, inner strength, bravery, passion, empathy, and optimism. The challenges Rae faces mainly revolve around her stepfather. He is demanding, cruel, and abusive yet she faces her challenges with great courage and moxie. Dealing with an abusive person is scary, but speaking up against them takes true bravery. Dean attempted an armed robbery at the flower shop that Rae worked at and when she refused to give him money, he threatened to shoot. Rae took the bullet to save her co workers ending Dean’s malicious rule over her life, once and for all. The definition of a hero is someone who is admired or idealized for their courage, and Rae is just that. After reading Falling For You, you cannot help but admire Rae for her raw courage and the way she handled everything. The development in Rae is immense. She is an admirable young woman and when you add-on her selflessness, the ability to find her inner power, and strength you have a hero.
AMAZING BOOK LIKE I CANT EVEN
RAE IS A HERO
AMAZING BOOK LIKE I CANT EVEN
RAE IS A HERO
sc104906's review against another edition
2.0
Rae's stepfather is an abusive jerk who takes all of her money. Her mother is completely checked out and no help. Rae can only find solace in her friends at school, her coworkers, and possibly Nathan, a new kid who is showing romantic interest in her. Rae uses poetry to talk about her feelings. Even though poetry helps release her emotions, she still keeps much bottled up- her friends don't really even know her.
The concept was great, but there was just too much working against the main character, with no real options of resolution. Plus, I screamed at this book like I scream at talk shows on tv. I don't even know how or why the main character put up with what she did.
The concept was great, but there was just too much working against the main character, with no real options of resolution. Plus, I screamed at this book like I scream at talk shows on tv. I don't even know how or why the main character put up with what she did.
readingwithemmett's review against another edition
5.0
Everyone makes mistakes, I guess. We do the best we can with what we're given.
This is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend.
This is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
4.0
This book came from, then went in, a completely different direction than what I was expecting. I mean, the summary is fairly obvious. And in a way, I think I wanted it to be that sort of carbon-copy book that's out there about teenagers in abusive relationships. But the coolest thing? Like, really super cool? It's not like that at all.
Rae's a sweet girl brimming with the need to do something good. She works part-time at a flower shop and sticks her money to the side. She needs a ticket to get out of her crummy household, with a neglectful mother and emotionally (and physically) volatile step-father. Rae comes across as sort of the everygirl at first -- someone we could all relate to, someone we could all see a bit of ourselves in. With all that nervous energy, she writes poetry that's incredibly telling of her state of mind.
This is one of the first things that really sold the book for me. If you're not familiar with Lisa Schroeder, she has written a number of (really good) novels in verse. They're really great, but they obviously have a polished, streamlined quality to them that you don't expect from a teenager. So while it's fine to read about them in verse, having a teenage girl write such awesome poetry would stick out. But Rae's is true to life, not the worst I've ever read, but definitely believably juvenile. And by the way, if you haven't read Chasing Brooklyn, you should.
Anyhow, enters Nathan. Right off the bat, Rae is worried and skeptical about this kid. He's aggressive from the start, has a mouth on him -- and even she admits that she doesn't know if she should slap him or laugh with him. But it's that kind of affection and attention, where he's calling her beautiful and making her feel wanted, that gets through to her. All those nerves working through her body, the months and years of being ignored by her mother and yelled at by her step-father, take a backseat to feel even just a little good about herself.
But it doesn't last, and the doubt Rae had at first comes to a head. She sees Nathan for what he is, a stalkery, creepy, angry person who needs help that she can't provide. But when he throws out phrases suggesting he'd hurt himself if she stops being there for him, she concedes and sticks by him. And though it's hard to read and you want to push Rae in the direction she's leaning, it's true to life.
Let me make it clear, at no point are Nathan's actions made to be anything but creepy and overwhelming. Faulting Rae for her reactions to his reactions is outlandish and downright wrong. People don't always have the resources -- emotionally, physically, to get up and leave someone toxic behind. Nathan doesn't want to give up that comfort he created in his own mind, and he makes damn well sure everyone's aware. Rae has a hard time deciding what to do, and eventually gathers the courage and strength to handle it on her own terms.
Some of that strength comes from the light inside of her, some of it comes from the encouragement she gets from her friends -- especially Leo, the ridiculously caramel sweet coffee shop boy. I've never liked a book boy like I've liked Leo, both wanting to pat him on the head, and wanting to giggle at him for being silly. Leo is such a sharp, albeit slow-moving contrast to the impulsive and dangerous Nathan. Leo's earnest and cute, he's there for Rae, and most of all, he doesn't solve all of her problems. Leo is not the one who saves Rae from the cruelties of the people around her.
It's all Rae -- and it has a lot to do with what she does at work. I don't want to go into detail into that, because all of it was a pleasant surprise for me. But she delivers flowers to people, and it's actually a little inspiring how Rae takes some "random" acts of kindness and passes it on the the people she goes to school with. This isn't the story of a girl in a crappy relationship at all. This is the story of Rae's darkness, and her trying to battle it with light, just like it says in the summary. It's heartwarming and inspiring, but definitely not over-the-top or saccharine. The author takes the same care she does with her verse novels -- and although I think I do like those a little more, I absolutely enjoyed this book.
That being said, if you liked Jennifer Brown's Bitter End, you might like Falling For You. But if you liked 40 Things I Want to Tell You, take a look at Falling For You. There are some similarities between the characters and their circumstances that would make for happy readers.
Rae's a sweet girl brimming with the need to do something good. She works part-time at a flower shop and sticks her money to the side. She needs a ticket to get out of her crummy household, with a neglectful mother and emotionally (and physically) volatile step-father. Rae comes across as sort of the everygirl at first -- someone we could all relate to, someone we could all see a bit of ourselves in. With all that nervous energy, she writes poetry that's incredibly telling of her state of mind.
This is one of the first things that really sold the book for me. If you're not familiar with Lisa Schroeder, she has written a number of (really good) novels in verse. They're really great, but they obviously have a polished, streamlined quality to them that you don't expect from a teenager. So while it's fine to read about them in verse, having a teenage girl write such awesome poetry would stick out. But Rae's is true to life, not the worst I've ever read, but definitely believably juvenile. And by the way, if you haven't read Chasing Brooklyn, you should.
Anyhow, enters Nathan. Right off the bat, Rae is worried and skeptical about this kid. He's aggressive from the start, has a mouth on him -- and even she admits that she doesn't know if she should slap him or laugh with him. But it's that kind of affection and attention, where he's calling her beautiful and making her feel wanted, that gets through to her. All those nerves working through her body, the months and years of being ignored by her mother and yelled at by her step-father, take a backseat to feel even just a little good about herself.
But it doesn't last, and the doubt Rae had at first comes to a head. She sees Nathan for what he is, a stalkery, creepy, angry person who needs help that she can't provide. But when he throws out phrases suggesting he'd hurt himself if she stops being there for him, she concedes and sticks by him. And though it's hard to read and you want to push Rae in the direction she's leaning, it's true to life.
Let me make it clear, at no point are Nathan's actions made to be anything but creepy and overwhelming. Faulting Rae for her reactions to his reactions is outlandish and downright wrong. People don't always have the resources -- emotionally, physically, to get up and leave someone toxic behind. Nathan doesn't want to give up that comfort he created in his own mind, and he makes damn well sure everyone's aware. Rae has a hard time deciding what to do, and eventually gathers the courage and strength to handle it on her own terms.
Some of that strength comes from the light inside of her, some of it comes from the encouragement she gets from her friends -- especially Leo, the ridiculously caramel sweet coffee shop boy. I've never liked a book boy like I've liked Leo, both wanting to pat him on the head, and wanting to giggle at him for being silly. Leo is such a sharp, albeit slow-moving contrast to the impulsive and dangerous Nathan. Leo's earnest and cute, he's there for Rae, and most of all, he doesn't solve all of her problems. Leo is not the one who saves Rae from the cruelties of the people around her.
It's all Rae -- and it has a lot to do with what she does at work. I don't want to go into detail into that, because all of it was a pleasant surprise for me. But she delivers flowers to people, and it's actually a little inspiring how Rae takes some "random" acts of kindness and passes it on the the people she goes to school with. This isn't the story of a girl in a crappy relationship at all. This is the story of Rae's darkness, and her trying to battle it with light, just like it says in the summary. It's heartwarming and inspiring, but definitely not over-the-top or saccharine. The author takes the same care she does with her verse novels -- and although I think I do like those a little more, I absolutely enjoyed this book.
That being said, if you liked Jennifer Brown's Bitter End, you might like Falling For You. But if you liked 40 Things I Want to Tell You, take a look at Falling For You. There are some similarities between the characters and their circumstances that would make for happy readers.
bibliofiendlm's review against another edition
4.0
A good quick read. Recommended for teens who like angsty, realistic fiction. This is working its ways to being new adult without but not quite. Deals with rocky family issues, depression, breakups, romance, financial issues.
hanna41's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure I've ever hated a character more than I hated Dean. What a doucher! I was so glad the main character stood up for herself, especially in her relationship with Nathan. Awesome book; will buy for my Media Center :-)
thenoveloracle's review against another edition
5.0
this book is nothing like I expected it to be. I expected a story of an abusive teenage relationship gone wrong, what I read was a completely different story entirely. I can sincerely say this book will stay with me for the long haul as one of those books you never forget the title of, or the emotions it made you feel. Rae is an amazing girl with a huge heart. i can honestly say I could not have forgiven her mother like she had. I was angry and it wasn't even really happening. read this. stop reading reviews and read it.
dnyameke's review against another edition
3.0
It was good. not the best but still good. some parts made me cringe because they were so unrealistic and cliche but I still recommend.