1/5/13

BookHounds Review FALLING FOR YOU by LISA SCHROEDER @SimonTeen @lisa_schroeder


Book Description

January 1, 2013

Affection turns to obsession—and love means both devastation and redemption—in this gripping novel from the author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me.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. He’s not about to let her go. And with danger following her every move, Rae must fight for the life and love she deserves if she’s going to survive.

About the Author
Lisa Schroeder is the author of the teen verse novels The Day BeforeI Heart You, You Haunt Me and its companion novel, Chasing BrooklynFar from You; and the teen prose novel Falling for You. She is also the author of the middle-grade prose novels It’s Raining Cupcakes and Sprinkles and Secrets . She lives in Beaverton, Oregon. Find out more about Lisa and her books at LisaSchroederBooks.com or on Twitter at @Lisa_Schroeder.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Rae's father left when she was a baby and her mother has moved on and in with Dean, a man Rae is not fond of.  The only thing she really knows about her father is that he was a fan of Nirvana and that leads to her love of the Foo Fighters whose songs carry her through the worst of days.  She works at a job she adores, assisting at Full Bloom, the only flower shop in her small town.  She has a close circle of friends and never fails to go out of her way to be kind, even though life hasn't been kind to her.  When her English teacher suggests the students submit their poems for an anthology, Rae will only submit hers as "anonymous" and the school seem to explode with hidden grief as the submissions grow with deep revelations to spark a poetry revolution.  

When Nathan, the son of a nationally known author, moves to town, he is everything that Rae thinks she wants in a boyfriend until he becomes obsessive and possessive.  As Rae feels that she finally has everything a teen her age could desire, she knows something is wrong with Nathan, something she can't deal with at all right now. Things get progressively worse at home with her step father, Rae finds herself keeping secrets from everyone who reaches out to her with offers of help.  At this point, I am seriously in tears. I think Rae will never find peace or the happiness that she deserves.  

On the other hand, is Leo, who works next door at a coffee shop for his parents.  He has been the constant in Rae's life, always being there for her even when she doesn't realize it.  He pays attention to her, talks to her and lets her forget that she has trouble at home.  The story is told through flashbacks between the past few months and the present while Rae is in the hospital in horrible pain.  What puts her there will stun even the most jaded reader.  I am leaving out a lot of details but this is really a story of good triumphing over evil even though there is so much pain that Rae must endure.  I wonder how many kids endure what she did?  

Even though this is Schroeder's first book that isn't written entirely in verse, the same emotional story telling and gorgeous writing is wonderfully put together.  There are lots of poems sprinkled through the story in the form of Rae's poetry journal and brings a lot of emotional background to her personality.  Parents:  There are mentions of domestic violence, stalking, alcohol and drug abuse, and some kissing, none of which are overtly graphic.  Overall this is really a clean read which is a real lesson in empathy towards others.  

Details

  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Simon Pulse (January 1, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1442443995
  • ISBN-13: 978-1442443990




2 comments:

  1. Lisa S Heart you Haunt you was my first verse novel and they became my simple pleasure. I look forward to this one with a mix of novel and poems. Sounds like an intense YA, should be good.

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  2. Sounds like a great read. I'll have to give it a read. Great review.

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