I received this ARC from Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After the Fall by Kate Hart on January 24th 2017
Pages: 336
Goodreads
A YA debut about a teen girl who wrestles with rumors, reputation, and her relationships with two brothers.
Seventeen-year-old Raychel is sleeping with two boys: her overachieving best friend Matt…and his slacker brother, Andrew. Raychel sneaks into Matt’s bed after nightmares, but nothing ever happens. He doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a girl, except when he decides she needs rescuing. But Raychel doesn't want to be his girl anyway. She just needs his support as she deals with the classmate who assaulted her, the constant threat of her family’s eviction, and the dream of college slipping quickly out of reach. Matt tries to help, but he doesn’t really get it… and he’d never understand why she’s fallen into a secret relationship with his brother. The friendships are a precarious balance, and when tragedy strikes, everything falls apart. Raychel has to decide which pieces she can pick up – and which ones are worth putting back together.
My Thoughts:
I honestly don’t really know how to talk about this book! I usually either like a book or it’s not my thing. I’ve never been in a situation like I am with this one.
To be clear: I did not dislike After the Fall. It was interesting and intense and emotional. I wanted to keep reading. It had me thinking and looking at the way I viewed the characters in a new light. There were parts where I laughed and parts where I teared up. I appreciated so many important issues that are addressed.
But maybe that was the problem for me… too much going on? I guess the pacing just felt off. We get a lot up front – before the fall. And with the title being After the Fall I think I wanted to see more development in the second half. I spent a lot of the first half just waiting to get to the “after.” But then I got so caught up in the “before” that the “after” was too abrupt. When I finished the book I was left feeling at loose ends. It made me wonder if I missed something.
I would really love to hear from some others who have read it! Also, I will totally pick up Kate Hart’s next book because this one really was interesting and dealt with important issues!
Stephanie
This is basically how I felt about the book as well! I just reviewed it last week and it was such a tough one to rate, because I didn’t exactly dislike it but I didn’t completely love it. There were some good points and then others felt rushed, especially the ending. Also call me oblivious but I was not expecting the actual “Fall” to be what it was. I assumed it was going to be more…metaphorical, lol.
I’d check out her next book, though, because aside from parts, I liked the realistic vibe of the book, so there’s definitely potential to grow!
Heidi
Exactly, Stephanie! Glad it’s not just me.