Wednesday, August 14, 2013

If I Fall Review...


Title:  If I Fall
Author:  Anna Cruise
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Mission Bay Publishing
Publication Date:  April 6th


Meg Calloway is at the edge.

Reeling from her parent's sudden divorce, fifteen-year-old Meg has never felt more alone.  Her father is about to marry a woman she can't stand and her mother's only companion is an endless supply of alcohol.  When Aidan Westwood, an older boy at school, shows interest in her, she grabs on and doesn't let go, thinking he's exactly what she needs to help stem her loneliness and despair.  She quickly learns that Aidan lives a darker, more dangerous life than she does and the more isolated she feels from her family, the more willing she is to step into Aidan's world.

As Meg drifts further from her friends, she tries to find comfort with a boy who is opening her eyes up to new things, none of them good.  Will she listen to those around her who are warning her that she's headed down a path of self-destruction?

Or will she fall too far...too fast...too deep?


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“All I'm saying is I think you deserve better,” Case said. “From my point of view, anyway. You deserve better.”
I threw my head back on the sofa and laughed. It was a harsh laugh with no mirth. “Most of the time, I don't think I deserve better.”
“Everyone deserves better.”
“Not me.” I didn't look at him. “No one else would want me. I've royally fucked up. Everything. There isn't anything better out there. Anything or anyone.”
“Yeah, there is.”
“Oh, really?” I brought my eyes back to him. “And where exactly would I find better?”
It was quiet for a moment. Then he said,“Well, you might start with me.”
My eyes widened. “With you?”
His cheeks flushed just a bit. “You don't have to sound so surprised.”
I immediately felt bad. “That's not what I meant. Sorry.”
He laughed. “It's fine. I'm kidding. About you being surprised. Not about being better.”
“Well how would I know you were better?” I said. “It's not like you've ever asked me out.”
He thought about this for a minute. “So if I asked you out, you'd go?”
I honestly had no idea where the conversation was headed. He was confusing me like crazy and I wasn't sure what to say to him. I thought maybe he was just screwing around with me.
“Yeah, I would,” I said, calling his bluff.
“What about Aidan?” he asked.
“What about him?” I said, shrugging. “You just pointed out all the reasons I shouldn't be with him. Maybe you're right and I've just been too dumb to see it.”
I didn't know if I believed what I was saying but it felt like the truth was on the wall, some message that everyone had deciphered but me. And I was going to try my hardest to translate it, however I could.
He stared at me for a long time. I didn't say anything, just stared into those eyes that were always friendly, always honest.

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Can you share your playlist of favorite 80’s songs with us?

This is going to be soooooo difficult. Not because I don’t know many songs from the 80’s but because I’m a child of the 80’s. I could probably do my Top 100 if necessary, but I will just offer up my Top 10.

10. The Warrior - Scandal. Any song that has “bang bang” on the lyrics is automatically included. But then you add in Patty Smythe’s awesome voice and a killer rock hook and you get one of the least appreciated songs of the 80’s.

9. Shadows of the Night - Pat Benatar. Picking one Benatar song is nearly impossible, but I’ll go with this one simply because the video is TREMENDOUS as well.

8. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go’s. Greatest girl band of all-time? Greatest girl band of all-time. The opening notes to this song always put me in a good mood.

7. Keep On Lovin’ You - REO Speedwagon. Dare me to sing along to any REO song. Go ahead. I dare you.

6. Into The Groove - Madonna. I could probably put ten Madonna songs on here, but I really, really love this one and it makes me want to break out my awkward dance moves.

5. Jessie’s Girl - Rick Springfield. A great song that would hold up in any decade. And I always wondered what her name was.

4. Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty. A song that just makes it under the wire for the 80s, as it was realeased in 1989. Great hook, great lyrics, totally sing-a-long-able.

3. You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi. Another song that holds up for any decade. It feels like the ultimate rock anthem and MUST be turned up loud when it comes on the radio.

2. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson. I was tempted to just put the entire Thriller album on here, but I went with the song that introduced the world to the album and that made Michael a superstar. I can still picture him moonwalking across the stage at the Motown awards and trying to figure out what I just saw.

1. Photograph/Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard. Fine. It’s a Top 11. But picking between these two songs is like picking between my kids - I can’t choose a favorite. They are both awesome in their awesomeness.

And now I’m off to crimp my hair, get my lace bow headband and my neon green earrings so I’ll be ready to go out tonight...

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Can you share your idea of the perfect soundtrack to ‘If I Fall’ with us?

I don’t know if I could choose the perfect soundtrack but I do know that these songs are ones that I listened to over and over again while writing If I Fall. And these songs are the ones I hear when I see certain scenes.
                                   
Nobody's HomeAvril Lavigne

This song pretty much sums up Meg's life. She wants to go home—but nobody's there. Nobody she can connect with, anyway, and certainly no one who can help her navigate everything that's going on in her life.

Le Pony – Italian Japanese

This is an obscure, brilliant band from Southern California. Listen beyond the instrumental opening and you'll hear a sweetly haunting song about saying “your last goodbye”just like Meg did when her father drives away in the opening scene.

Free FallingTom Petty

One of my most favorite songs in the Universe. The first four words of the song pretty much sum up Meg: “She's a good girl...” and these words, “And I'm a bad boy 'cuz I don't even miss her...” have Aidan written all over them.

Wanted -- Hunter Hayes

I can totally see Case singing this song to Meg. He wants to make her feel loved, make her feel wanted, even when she doesn’t think she deserves him.

Just The Way You AreBruno Mars

I'm not a big Bruno Mars fan, but this song—for me, anyway—speaks exactly to how Case feels about Meg. He's not trying to change her, he's not trying to make her into someone she's not and he's not trying to make her feel bad about who she's become. He doesn't care about any of that. He likes her for who she is, flaws and all. Just the way she is.
I’d love to hear what readers think, too! What songs do you see on the soundtrack?

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This was an amazing book and I would highly recommend it to any teenager or adult who is struggling through life.  It was completely well written and thoroughly thought out.  It delved into topics that I have never read about in any book before.  It was a book that made me think about my own life and whether I am on the right path myself.  It was very thought provoking and I encourage all teens to read this book.

Megan deals with her parent's divorce, dad's remarriage and mother's going to rehab all at the same time and she doesn't deal well.  With help from her aunt and a new friend she finally realizes it and gets better.  Her life choices may have changed but she finally fixes things and goes back to her normal life.  

This book teaches that life is precious and Anna Cruise has written a GREAT yet heartbreaking book.  I can't wait to read more by Anna!

RATING:

5 out of 5 stars
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Anna Cruise has been writing -- and drooling over boys -- since middle school.  Lots of years have passed but some things never change...

Her books include the best-seller IT WAS YOU (New Adult), IF I FALL (Mature YA) and MAVERICK (New Adult).  Additional titles releasing in 2013 will include a follow-up to Abby and West's story from IT WAS YOU.  Anna loves to hear from readers and authors.  Email her at authorannacruise@gmail.com.  You can also like her Facebook page, find her on Twitter or friend her on Goodreads.


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