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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
oh BOY
my heart melted right into a puddle with this one
4.5 stars, but I found the idea of the book really different and not just a common romance, so I'm more inclined to 5 stars, and it was just sooo *lovely*
my heart melted right into a puddle with this one
4.5 stars, but I found the idea of the book really different and not just a common romance, so I'm more inclined to 5 stars, and it was just sooo *lovely*
Quick, fun read - scenario is a bit far fetched but that allows for some interesting "what ifs" as well as plot twists and turns.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy from Skyscape and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
“I’ve accumulated one day’s worth of memories. That’s better than nothing.”
This book caught my attention with its premise of a plane crash survivor who might possibly be suffering from retrograde amnesia, as well as the Irish setting. Also, the romance sounded as if it would be fairly swoon-worthy. Who wouldn’t be wooed by a charming blue-eyed Irishman? However, I can’t say that I was completely impressed by the story as a whole. That’s not to say that there weren’t some things I enjoyed! So let’s start there.
The supporting or secondary characters of this story are possibly its strength. While not ethnically diverse, the novel benefits greatly from the presence of charming individuals with unique lifestyles and differing sexual orientations. I found myself more attached to the secondary characters than Clementine and Kieran, both of whom I thought were somewhat dull.
“‘My therapist says it all starts with telling the truth.'”
Ireland, specifically Galway, was my home during Spring of 2016 and so I was really looking forward to reading about some locations I may have visited. The nostalgia allowed me to enjoy the setting more than usual, but with my bias removed, I’d have to say that there wasn’t much visual or sensory detail given to the protagonists’ surrounding environment. My memory helped lend vibrancy to the setting, but without it, I’m not so sure Ireland was given much chance to shine. But again, I am ridiculously biased in this case.
Besides the setting, the secondary characters, and even the emotional weight attached to the idea of losing one’s memory, there wasn’t much that held my attention. The romance between Clementine and Kieran was not all that romantic, especially since it was built on impulse and a string of lies that were often unnecessary.
“We are electric together.”
Thinking back now, they didn’t really have much page time together. Clementine was alone or with friends for most of the book, trying to find pieces of herself, while Kieran was off doing something…else. The few times they were actually together weren’t all the memorable or even believable. By the end of the book, their connection just felt forced.
Clementine, as an individual, wasn’t all that bad. It was easy to sympathize with her insecurities and emotional conflicts surrounding her identity. Her thoughts, however, could be repetitive and cliché at times, and her dialogue with some of the other characters (particularly Kieran) felt stilted.
“I am a mighty creature!”
Overall, the book was just kind of boring. There wasn’t much going on. It felt like there was limited movement in both plot and character development and the fairy-tale ending was underwhelming. I can’t say the book was badly written or was filled with any serious issues; it was a cute read, but there just wasn’t all that much to help the book stand out for me.
“I’ve accumulated one day’s worth of memories. That’s better than nothing.”
This book caught my attention with its premise of a plane crash survivor who might possibly be suffering from retrograde amnesia, as well as the Irish setting. Also, the romance sounded as if it would be fairly swoon-worthy. Who wouldn’t be wooed by a charming blue-eyed Irishman? However, I can’t say that I was completely impressed by the story as a whole. That’s not to say that there weren’t some things I enjoyed! So let’s start there.
The supporting or secondary characters of this story are possibly its strength. While not ethnically diverse, the novel benefits greatly from the presence of charming individuals with unique lifestyles and differing sexual orientations. I found myself more attached to the secondary characters than Clementine and Kieran, both of whom I thought were somewhat dull.
“‘My therapist says it all starts with telling the truth.'”
Ireland, specifically Galway, was my home during Spring of 2016 and so I was really looking forward to reading about some locations I may have visited. The nostalgia allowed me to enjoy the setting more than usual, but with my bias removed, I’d have to say that there wasn’t much visual or sensory detail given to the protagonists’ surrounding environment. My memory helped lend vibrancy to the setting, but without it, I’m not so sure Ireland was given much chance to shine. But again, I am ridiculously biased in this case.
Besides the setting, the secondary characters, and even the emotional weight attached to the idea of losing one’s memory, there wasn’t much that held my attention. The romance between Clementine and Kieran was not all that romantic, especially since it was built on impulse and a string of lies that were often unnecessary.
“We are electric together.”
Thinking back now, they didn’t really have much page time together. Clementine was alone or with friends for most of the book, trying to find pieces of herself, while Kieran was off doing something…else. The few times they were actually together weren’t all the memorable or even believable. By the end of the book, their connection just felt forced.
Clementine, as an individual, wasn’t all that bad. It was easy to sympathize with her insecurities and emotional conflicts surrounding her identity. Her thoughts, however, could be repetitive and cliché at times, and her dialogue with some of the other characters (particularly Kieran) felt stilted.
“I am a mighty creature!”
Overall, the book was just kind of boring. There wasn’t much going on. It felt like there was limited movement in both plot and character development and the fairy-tale ending was underwhelming. I can’t say the book was badly written or was filled with any serious issues; it was a cute read, but there just wasn’t all that much to help the book stand out for me.
I didn’t even want this book! It was very dull. She had amnesia so she forgot everything! Wow big deal. So she ran off and met this guy Kieran ( if you know you know). He had a bitchy sister who was so annoying and the end just pissed me off like wth! Ugh I can’t with this book. Waste of time!
The lovely folks over at Skyscape/Amazon publishing surprised me and sent me an ARC of The Upside of Falling Down, in exchange for a review. Thank you very much!
This was the book that helped pull me out of a huge reading slump. I couldn’t pick up any new books, nothing was really sticking with me. But then I started reading this, and I fell in love with the story.
The Upside of Falling Down follows a young Clementine who’s the sole survivor of a plane crash. Only she has no memory of it, nor does she know who she is. She escapes the hospital with no memories with a handsome stranger, Kieran, as she’s not ready to meet her father when she has no idea who she is. She goes on a bit of a trip of self discovery, and little by little memories are revealed, until they all come together for the final puzzle, the big picture.
This novel had some of the best characters I have ever read. They each had personalities that leaped off the page. Kieran, Clementine, Kieran’s sister, and Kieran’s sisters friend…they made the story feel so real. And I love how at the end, these people you think are complete strangers end up linking in a way you wouldn’t have guessed.
This plotline is also very clever, and so brilliantly charming I could barely put the book down. I am a sucker for cute contemporary love stories, so I adored the moments between Clementine and Kieran as they got to know each other. The ending though…it will break your heart but also make you smile. If you pay close enough attention to the memories and flashbacks you may be able to predict it all, but I was so surprised! The ending honestly made the whole story complete, and anything that didn’t make sense in the beginning did by the end.
I highly recommend picking this contemporary up when it comes out next year in January. It’s quirky, romantic, and has a twist to the story that I think a lot of readers will enjoy. Thank you again to Skyscape for the opportunity to read this early!
This was the book that helped pull me out of a huge reading slump. I couldn’t pick up any new books, nothing was really sticking with me. But then I started reading this, and I fell in love with the story.
The Upside of Falling Down follows a young Clementine who’s the sole survivor of a plane crash. Only she has no memory of it, nor does she know who she is. She escapes the hospital with no memories with a handsome stranger, Kieran, as she’s not ready to meet her father when she has no idea who she is. She goes on a bit of a trip of self discovery, and little by little memories are revealed, until they all come together for the final puzzle, the big picture.
This novel had some of the best characters I have ever read. They each had personalities that leaped off the page. Kieran, Clementine, Kieran’s sister, and Kieran’s sisters friend…they made the story feel so real. And I love how at the end, these people you think are complete strangers end up linking in a way you wouldn’t have guessed.
This plotline is also very clever, and so brilliantly charming I could barely put the book down. I am a sucker for cute contemporary love stories, so I adored the moments between Clementine and Kieran as they got to know each other. The ending though…it will break your heart but also make you smile. If you pay close enough attention to the memories and flashbacks you may be able to predict it all, but I was so surprised! The ending honestly made the whole story complete, and anything that didn’t make sense in the beginning did by the end.
I highly recommend picking this contemporary up when it comes out next year in January. It’s quirky, romantic, and has a twist to the story that I think a lot of readers will enjoy. Thank you again to Skyscape for the opportunity to read this early!
This isn't exactly a fun and fluffy romance story, but it's not especially heavy either. It strikes a nice balance between the two and was a solid four stars for me.
Set in Ireland, it's about an eighteen year old girl from Cleveland who ends up in the middle of Ireland. The sole survivor of a horrific plane crash, the only things she knows about herself are what other people tell her. This book follows her on her adventure to remember who she is without hurting anyone along the way, but what happens if she never remembers who she was, and what if she does and the answer is more painful than she imagined? Can the life she's built without her memories survive?
Set in Ireland, it's about an eighteen year old girl from Cleveland who ends up in the middle of Ireland. The sole survivor of a horrific plane crash, the only things she knows about herself are what other people tell her. This book follows her on her adventure to remember who she is without hurting anyone along the way, but what happens if she never remembers who she was, and what if she does and the answer is more painful than she imagined? Can the life she's built without her memories survive?
ok so this is either a cute shitty lil romance ya or the best captain swan fanfic out there apart from the baseball manager au that shit was magical
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Contains minor spoilers*
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Even though I read the synopsis, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth to the story and the level of character development that it achieved. From Clementine/Jane and Kieran to Siobhan and Nurse Stephen, I felt as if I knew each one of them, no matter how small their part in the story.
At first, I had a hard time believing that Clementine would make some of the choices she made, but then I thought back to when I was 18 (a long time ago) and wondered how I would have handled losing all of my memories. I had no clue how I would have reacted, but it wasn't a stretch to think that I would have run away from everything. The other piece that made me pause for a moment was Kieran agreeing to take her away from the hospital. Having lived in Europe, though, I know that it's not outside the realm of possibility for one to take home a "stray" in need.
I was not expecting a twist at the end of the story. While I did guess part of it pretty early on, I was surprised by the other part. I think it's a credit to the story that I was so focused on how it was progressing that I didn't even bother considering who knew what when. Overall, it is a wonderful story about lies that lead to truths and allowing others to help you find yourself when you aren't really sure who you are, or who you want to be.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Even though I read the synopsis, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth to the story and the level of character development that it achieved. From Clementine/Jane and Kieran to Siobhan and Nurse Stephen, I felt as if I knew each one of them, no matter how small their part in the story.
At first, I had a hard time believing that Clementine would make some of the choices she made, but then I thought back to when I was 18 (a long time ago) and wondered how I would have handled losing all of my memories. I had no clue how I would have reacted, but it wasn't a stretch to think that I would have run away from everything. The other piece that made me pause for a moment was Kieran agreeing to take her away from the hospital. Having lived in Europe, though, I know that it's not outside the realm of possibility for one to take home a "stray" in need.
I was not expecting a twist at the end of the story. While I did guess part of it pretty early on, I was surprised by the other part. I think it's a credit to the story that I was so focused on how it was progressing that I didn't even bother considering who knew what when. Overall, it is a wonderful story about lies that lead to truths and allowing others to help you find yourself when you aren't really sure who you are, or who you want to be.