Saturday, August 23, 2014

Review: Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang

Falling into Place 
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 304
Source: eARC for Review
ISBN-10:  0062367889
Rating: 4 Hearts
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22103884-falling-into-place

Book Description


"On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road. Why? Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? Vividly told by an unexpected and surprising narrator, this heartbreaking and nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher."


Review

Short and Sweet:

I think that Falling Into Place is a really beautiful book. I loved reading it and would definitely recommend it, but it wasn't my favorite. 

To Elaborate...

Liv Emerson seems to have it all, a hot on-again/off-again boyfriend, loyal best friends, popularity, and a mean-girl attitude that demands respect. But no one knows what's going on in her head, what causes her to drive her car off the road on purpose. As she lays in the hospital, bits and pieces of her life are revealed to show how she got there and why. 

The writing in this is stunningly beautiful. It looks at some very serious and dark concepts, but has strong glimmers of hope throughout. The best friends, Kennie and Julia, each have their own unique problems that they struggle with (that Liv might have encouraged), but they are completely loyal. I especially enjoyed Liam, Liv's quiet admirer, who saw how she really felt. 

Even though I loved so many aspects of Falling Into Place, I still felt like I was waiting on something more to happen. I thought a big twist might show up around a few corners, or some different scenes would be looked at that would take the story up to a new level. The lack of this suspected twist didn't necessarily disappoint me, but it was kind of like, "Oh...ok...that's it....alright" by the time I finished. 

I still think Falling Into Place is a great story, and it is a good read for anyone who enjoyed Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.  

4 Hearts! 

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13 comments:

  1. Bookaddict BiekeAugust 23, 2014 at 2:07 AM

    I really liked this one too! :D It was pretty amazing!

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  2. Amber (@ YA Indulgences)August 23, 2014 at 2:23 AM

    I am completely dying to get my hands on this book! It sounds so interesting. Aw, too bad a twist didn't happen and didn't quite meet your expectations. That's really unfortunate. Before I Fall is on my TBR list! And in a box in my room... Anyway, good review. :)

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  3. AliciaAugust 23, 2014 at 5:48 AM

    I've read an excerpt of Falling Into Place and omg it breaks my heart Summer Next Top Story

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  4. Samantha RandolphAugust 23, 2014 at 9:12 AM

    Glad you enjoyed it as well! :)

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  5. Samantha RandolphAugust 23, 2014 at 9:14 AM

    If you like one, there's a strong chance you might like the other. There are a lot of similar themes in them. I was a bit disappointed by the end, but it definitely isn't something that will be an issue for everyone.

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  6. Samantha RandolphAugust 23, 2014 at 9:15 AM

    Debuts are really fun! I am excited to see what else the author does after this, especially after writing it at such a young age.

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  7. Samantha RandolphAugust 24, 2014 at 3:18 PM

    Yes, it's interesting how everything unfolds! :)

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  8. nereydaG1003August 24, 2014 at 9:03 PM

    Harper seems to have those really beautiful books that are hard to love. Like Tease and Things you kiss goodbye....

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  9. Samantha RandolphAugust 24, 2014 at 9:59 PM

    I really loved Tease, but yeah, some of their contemporary titles are a hit or miss.

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  10. Amber (@ YA Indulgences)August 25, 2014 at 12:49 AM

    That's good to know. I'll be sure to check it out. :) I've been interested in it since I heard about it.

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  11. Jen RylandAugust 25, 2014 at 9:49 PM

    I was definitely thrown by the similarity to Before I Fall....

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  12. Sara GAugust 27, 2014 at 12:27 AM

    I did like BEFORE I FALL, but I don't know if I want another book just like it... I'll be reading it (because it's on the Autumn Next List - which I'll be doing a challenge for, like the Summer list!!), but I don't know how excited I am about it. It's on the Top 10 list, which surprised me...

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  13. Laura Plus BooksAugust 30, 2014 at 8:54 AM

    I have this book on my shelves and I'm really hoping the lack of action won't affect me too much. Most of the time I don't mind but I hate waiting for something that never comes you know? I'm happy it was good overall for you! Fantastic review Samantha! :D

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