Book Review: Falling for You

Falling for You

By: Lisa Schroeder

Published By: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: January 1, 2013

Page Count: 355

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Gifted ARC

Audience: Young Adult - Contemporary

I have been a fan of Lisa Schroeder's work since I first read I Heart You, You Haunt Me a few years ago. She has this uncanny ability to take painful, raw situations and add a silver lining. I know whenever I pick up when of her novels that it isn't just entertainment that will find me, but rather emotions will bombard me. It's possible to read one of her novels and not care about the characters. They become so real and I can't help but want them to get happy endings. 

Falling for You holds true to the things I have come to expect from Schroeder's work, but this time the structure was new and different. Typically, Schroeder writes her novels in verse, but I really enjoyed that this one was a mixture of prose and poetry. The main character, Rae, writes poems to help her deal with all of the negative aspects of her life. Instead of the poems being the driving force behind the narration, they serve only to allow the reader to connect with Rae on a deeper level. Her poetry is the only place she feels comfortable to truly express her emotions and thoughts. I loved seeing this format and hope that Schroeder will continue to do more things like this in the future. I do hope that poetry will always find some way into her works though as I feel it is one of her major strengths. 

Another interesting structural component is that time transitions between the present and the past. When the novel begins, you know that Rae is in the hospital and things are looking pretty bleak, but you have no idea who she is or why she's there. Knowing that something awful was going to happen kept me flipping the pages. I polished this read off in one day. I couldn't stop until I had all of Rae's story. I was compelled to know every detail. Falling for You ran me through an emotional gauntlet - there were smiles, angry moments, heart seized by panic moments, and tears. I love books that make me feel and pause to consider how lucky I am to have the life that I do. Rae's story isn't all negative - she taught me many things throughout the course of this novel. I am in awe of her strength and outlook on life. She is an inspiration that I needed and one that will benefit others.

This novel, like many of Schroeder's other novels, deals with some pretty difficult subject matter. Abuse (both physical and emotional) and neglect play a dominant role in the plot. Many novels have called attention to physical abuse, but I feel that teens need strong models in fiction for handling emotional abuse. Rae's response to these elements is something that filled me with awe. I do not know that I could have faced such difficulties. I also loved seeing that in spite of everything, Rae was such a source of happiness for so many others. She didn't allow her circumstances to dictate her other relationships. There were moments - particularly when she was with Nathan - that were hard for me to read. I think this sort of relationship is one that is really important for teen girls to see in fiction. 

This novel does a gorgeous job of balancing the darkness with the light. Even in the bleakest moments, Rae never loses hope and always seeks out the silver lining. I find stories like this one to be incredibly valuable. There is just something about Schroeder's writing that always speaks to me. Each time I pick up one of her novels, I learn something new about myself and my place in the world. You can't help thinking about things on that level if you allow yourself to become immersed in the story. Lastly, I loved the friendship between Rae and Leo. It was the perfect contrast to the relationship between Rae and Nathan.

One Last Gripe: I don't have one. I was totally lost in this story and its characters.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: I loved the secret flower sender and the lessons Rae learned from those deliveries.

First Sentence: At last I can breathe.

Favorite Character: Rae

Least Favorite Character: Nathan

Summary:

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give. 

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. 

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.