Monday 20 February 2012

#60 Book Review: The Way We Fall [ARC]

The Way We Fall [ARC]
Release Date: It's already out!
Author: Megan Crewe
Publisher: Pier 9 (Murdoch Books)
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Amazon & The Book Depository
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.
When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?
Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series. 

My review:

Cover:
My review copy was the uncorrected proof edition so it didn't have a finalized cover but the cover that's supposed to be used is the picture on top and I really love the optical illusion and how the letters of the title seem to 'fall down'!
4 Forget-Me-Not flowers for the cover!
Story:

An unstoppable virus. No way out.

After letting her bestfriend go, Kaelyn never thought her life would change drastically. A virus is spreading around the island, and she can't escape. When the virus starts attacking her loved ones, Kaelyn must think of a way to save them and how to survive..

I definitely did not expect to enjoy this book so much! I've been hearing mixed things about this book and was quite unsure whether I would enjoy this book or not but I certainly did! Set in Toronto, Canada, The Way We Fall is written in the format of diary or journal, where Kaelyn writes a journal entry or diary for almost every single day as readers get to read about Kaelyn's story from the start of the virus spreding until the end. The journal entry is mostly written to Leo, Kaelyn's bestfriend who she lets go in the beginning of the book. This is a very heart-breaking story because imagine living in a world where a unknown virus is attacking all the people around you and you can't do anything to stop it? Not to mention you're also struggling to survive and not get infected by the virus. Megan Crewe's idea of the symptoms of the virus was really interesting and the way she writes the story makes you have shivers and wondering what it would be like if you actually live inside this world Crewe has built in the story. The book started out quite slow for me, but then it gets very exciting and I loved the ending! It wasn't a cliffhanger, but it makes you want to read the sequel already!

Characters:
Kaelyn was a very well-written character. I can feel her emotions, grief, sadness through her journal entries. When she finds herself falling in love, she feels like there's this hope that she can survive and light in the darkness. I like the way she wants to help everybody around her, and how she never gives up trying to find a way to stop the disease. I also really enjoyed reading about other characters such as Gav, Kaelyn's love interest, Meredith, Kaelyn's relatives and also her brother, Drew. I enjoyed reading about the characters and their story of survival among the population which keeps decreasing because of the virus.

Since Kaelyn is writing the letters to Leo, I thought that he will make an appearance in the book but in fact, he doesn't! I really wanted to read about him, since he sounds like such a nice character! I do know that Megan has announced in her blog that the second book (The Lives We Lost) will feature Leo too and it will not be written in the format of a diary or journal anymore.

Overall:
The Way We Fall is a story of survival and hope. It will make you imagine what it's like to live in a world where a virus is spreading and you have nowhere to go. Heart-breaking and emotional, The Way We Fall is a book that will last in your mind for a long time...

4 Forget-Me-Not flowers for The Way We Fall!
Thank you Pier 9 for the review copy!

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