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The Year We Fell Apart
by
Few things come as naturally to Harper as epic mistakes. In the past year she was kicked off the swim team, earned a reputation as Carson High’s easiest hook-up, and officially became the black sheep of her family. But her worst mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend, Declan.
Now, after two semesters of silence, Declan is home from boarding school for ...more
Now, after two semesters of silence, Declan is home from boarding school for ...more
Hardcover, 316 pages
Published
January 26th 2016
by Simon Pulse
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This book was very frustrating and got me super annoyed. The main character and love interest, Declan can burn in the pits of Tartarus because they are absolute shit characters and I don't think I've ever been so annoyed and hated someone as much as these two fucks.
Spoilers, spoilers everywhere.
This book is about something that happened last year which caused Declan and the MC (uh it's been a day and I already forgot her name lmao yikes) to drift apart and creat a rift in their friendship/relati ...more
Spoilers, spoilers everywhere.
This book is about something that happened last year which caused Declan and the MC (uh it's been a day and I already forgot her name lmao yikes) to drift apart and creat a rift in their friendship/relati ...more


After years of reading, I finally realized why over the top angst didn't always cause the same kind of reaction in me. The fact is, although angsty driven plots can captivate me, my frustration will know no bounds when,
a) The plot is focused on the romance and the outcome is one of will they/will they not kind of drama (and overshadows everything else, even when other important issues are simultaneously (trying to be) tackle(d) ;
b) The MC rambles about that submentioned romance without never l ...more

MY TEARS. MY EMOTIONS. SOMEONE HOLD ME.
On a more serious note, I think this is a book not everyone will enjoy--it's got lots of drama, angst, and mistakes that are repeated over and over again. But it's also heartfelt, emotional and honest. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written romance!
Full review soon. ...more
On a more serious note, I think this is a book not everyone will enjoy--it's got lots of drama, angst, and mistakes that are repeated over and over again. But it's also heartfelt, emotional and honest. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written romance!
Full review soon. ...more

*No rating*
"I know what you’re probably thinking after tonight. But it’s not…I mean, people say things that aren’t…”
The rest dissolves on my tongue. Declan’s fingers graze my collarbone and grasp the chain of my necklace. He pulls it out from underneath my shirt and slides it down to the infinity pendant at the bottom before letting it go.
“I know who you are.”
Yeah yeah I know……I read this book a week or more ago. Well, I just now feel like reviewing it and I don’t feel like skipping ...more

I love realistic fiction and love flawed characters, but had mixed feelings about this book. It was a second-chance-at-love story, a redeem-the-misunderstood-girl story, and a illness story all in one. For me, that was too much.
The way the story was told -- at least for the first half of the book -- was confusing and a little alienating. There are a bunch of characters, all of whom refer to some drama that happened in the past. For the first half of the book, I felt a little like the person at a ...more
The way the story was told -- at least for the first half of the book -- was confusing and a little alienating. There are a bunch of characters, all of whom refer to some drama that happened in the past. For the first half of the book, I felt a little like the person at a ...more

*I received an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. All quotes taken from a pre-published copy may be altered or omitted from the final version. *
** 5+ STARS!!**
Opening Lines
I first came across The Year We Fell Apart on Goodreads back in November 2014 and instantly added it t ...more
** 5+ STARS!!**
Opening Lines
"Sometimes I think the white oak tree was listening that night last August. That it knows about the promise we made to each other up in our treehouse. That it knows I kept only half of mine."
I first came across The Year We Fell Apart on Goodreads back in November 2014 and instantly added it t ...more

Have you ever felt, while reading a book, that you were just "too old for this shit"? My first experience with that moment was with Emily Martin's The Year We Fell Apart. In retrospect, this book had everything that I ask for in a YA contemporary romance - a second- chance attempt at love with a dash of angst to make my chest ache - but this time around, that combination didn't work very well for me.
Meet Harper, the self-absorbed, selfish and pretty terrible heroine of The Year We Fell Apart ...more

Beautiful writing, a sweet, believably twisty romance, a terrific portrayal of illness and an example of another way to tell that kind of story than what we're used to -- and my new YA crush, Declan. OMG:



I can't wait until you guys can get your hands on this book!
...more



I can't wait until you guys can get your hands on this book!
...more

UGHHHHHHHHH.
Okay that's out of my system.
I just don't have a lot of patience for novels like this. I am all for flawed main characters, but the main protagonist Harper is not just flawed. She's aggravating, selfish, lies, is self absorbed and also solely fixated on the character of Declan. I just kept hoping for something, anything to redeem this character in my eyes and nope, she just kept on sucking til the end. I will add that sometimes having a flawed main character can still make a great b ...more
Okay that's out of my system.
I just don't have a lot of patience for novels like this. I am all for flawed main characters, but the main protagonist Harper is not just flawed. She's aggravating, selfish, lies, is self absorbed and also solely fixated on the character of Declan. I just kept hoping for something, anything to redeem this character in my eyes and nope, she just kept on sucking til the end. I will add that sometimes having a flawed main character can still make a great b ...more

Actual rating: 4.5 stars
When I first read the synopsis of The Year We Fell Apart, I immediately felt that I would click with this book, and click I did. I feel so emotionally invested and connected with this book that I still feel the feelings that I felt when I read this book whenever I remember it. One of the most emotional books that I've ever read, The Year We Fell Apart definitely tore my heart into a million pieces.
Gosh, I can't believe this book has 320 pages because I flew through it! Th ...more
When I first read the synopsis of The Year We Fell Apart, I immediately felt that I would click with this book, and click I did. I feel so emotionally invested and connected with this book that I still feel the feelings that I felt when I read this book whenever I remember it. One of the most emotional books that I've ever read, The Year We Fell Apart definitely tore my heart into a million pieces.
Gosh, I can't believe this book has 320 pages because I flew through it! Th ...more

Full Review on The Candid Cover
There have been quite a few young adult books lately that focus on cancer or some sort of life altering disease. The Year We Fell Apart is a uniquely different book that contains a character who has cancer, yet doesn’t evolve around this theme. This novel is very realistic and relatable with a main character who is definitely not perfect. Also, the theme of friendship is explored beautifully by Martin in this debut novel.
One of the greatest features about The Year ...more
There have been quite a few young adult books lately that focus on cancer or some sort of life altering disease. The Year We Fell Apart is a uniquely different book that contains a character who has cancer, yet doesn’t evolve around this theme. This novel is very realistic and relatable with a main character who is definitely not perfect. Also, the theme of friendship is explored beautifully by Martin in this debut novel.
One of the greatest features about The Year ...more

Let me just start this review by saying that I have been dying to get my hands on it since I read the summary… I just knew that this was my kind of book. Once I started it, I didn’t put it down until I finished.
The Year We Fell Apart is a book about a lot of different things, but most of all, I think it’s about friendship and forgiveness. I say that because Harper, our main character, has made a ton of bad mistakes over the last year. The one she regrets most… pulling away from her best friend ...more
The Year We Fell Apart is a book about a lot of different things, but most of all, I think it’s about friendship and forgiveness. I say that because Harper, our main character, has made a ton of bad mistakes over the last year. The one she regrets most… pulling away from her best friend ...more

Thank you to SIMON PULSE and Edelweiss for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Phew. What a ride! So, this was one of those books where I look around questioning if I just read the same thing everyone else did. And I wonder if part of this was my expectations going in. I’ve just started reading (and loving!) Sarah Dessen, and since this book was touted as being ‘In the tradition of Sarah Dessen,’ I was excited to give it a go. Now let me just say, I have only three SD ...more
Phew. What a ride! So, this was one of those books where I look around questioning if I just read the same thing everyone else did. And I wonder if part of this was my expectations going in. I’ve just started reading (and loving!) Sarah Dessen, and since this book was touted as being ‘In the tradition of Sarah Dessen,’ I was excited to give it a go. Now let me just say, I have only three SD ...more

It didn't take long for me to finish this, it's a pretty short book. I have mixed feelings.
Straight from the beginning, I knew Harper needed to go through a huge character arc. I was waiting for her to get her act together and realize how self-destructive and bratty she was. But I felt so frustrated by her because she kept flopping back and forth. Because she would say she learned and then do it all over again. I guess that's realistic to a tee..Kicking a habit is harder.
The big thing that happ ...more
Straight from the beginning, I knew Harper needed to go through a huge character arc. I was waiting for her to get her act together and realize how self-destructive and bratty she was. But I felt so frustrated by her because she kept flopping back and forth. Because she would say she learned and then do it all over again. I guess that's realistic to a tee..Kicking a habit is harder.
The big thing that happ ...more

Oh my gosh, THIS BOOK! The wonderful writing completely pulled me in and didn't let go until the end. I know it's a little cliche to be all, "I laughed, I cried!" but there really is no better way to describe what I did for all 320 pages.
Harper is a character who makes a lot of mistakes, but you feel for her, because she acknowledges that she knows what she's about to do probably isn't a good idea (but then goes and does it anyway.) If you're human, you've probably been in a similar situation/m ...more
Harper is a character who makes a lot of mistakes, but you feel for her, because she acknowledges that she knows what she's about to do probably isn't a good idea (but then goes and does it anyway.) If you're human, you've probably been in a similar situation/m ...more

Full disclosure: I have known Emily since Pitch Wars in early 2014, when we were both on the same team. (Go Team Evelyn!) Emily and I became CPs through the contest and I read an early draft of the book that would turn into THE YEAR WE FELL APART. And now, after reading the finished version, my heart feels both wrecked and put back together at the same time. That’s the power of this book, folks.
As a main character, Harper is flawed. She makes mistakes, both big and small, and carries around gui ...more
As a main character, Harper is flawed. She makes mistakes, both big and small, and carries around gui ...more

Oh how I loved this contemporary YA! The story is all about the very fantastically awesome Harper, who is trying to find her way back to her old self and the book-boyfriend-worthy Declan. I loved each of them as they lived on the page and I was cheering for them to find common ground, middle ground. Martin is a gifted writer whose beautiful prose stopped me in my tracks over and over again (so awesome). The book takes a close look at mistakes. Redemption. Trust. Love. Friendship. And all of it i
...more

Oct 05, 2014
Ashley Blake
added it
This book was one giant ball of TENSE. So beautifully written and real. Definitely one for YA contemporary romance fans!

An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own. This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
If nothing else, this book really reminded me of 99 Days , which I read earlier this year and kind of adored. But I know that a lot of people couldn't connect to the very flawed, very hurtful main character in that novel, which is why I'm putting this out there: Harper is the same type of character and she will make you wa ...more
If nothing else, this book really reminded me of 99 Days , which I read earlier this year and kind of adored. But I know that a lot of people couldn't connect to the very flawed, very hurtful main character in that novel, which is why I'm putting this out there: Harper is the same type of character and she will make you wa ...more

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a pretty jaded person. I've had a lot of bad shit happen to me and it has given me a cynical outlook on life, especially about giving people second chances because they usually just fuck you over again. Sorry, that's life. But. And this is a huge but. THE YEAR WE FELL APART might have changed my mind. It handles the second chances, especially the ones we give ourselves, so wonderfully and perfectly, that I almo ...more
I'm a pretty jaded person. I've had a lot of bad shit happen to me and it has given me a cynical outlook on life, especially about giving people second chances because they usually just fuck you over again. Sorry, that's life. But. And this is a huge but. THE YEAR WE FELL APART might have changed my mind. It handles the second chances, especially the ones we give ourselves, so wonderfully and perfectly, that I almo ...more

You know that moment when you finish a book and you lay your hand on top of the book and hold it there a moment to absorb every ounce of emotion you’re feeling. That’s what I did with The Year We Fell Apart.
Martin gently weaves this story of a hollow girl and her broken tale with a boy. Each word pushed the emotion inside me until I was filled up with her pain and fear and regret. It was simply beautiful. All the characters were so well-written I feel like they exist somewhere beyond the pages. ...more
Martin gently weaves this story of a hollow girl and her broken tale with a boy. Each word pushed the emotion inside me until I was filled up with her pain and fear and regret. It was simply beautiful. All the characters were so well-written I feel like they exist somewhere beyond the pages. ...more

This is a book I didn't know I needed until now. Wow, I really truly loved this one. I was so hoked onto every word and every page and I just couldn't stop reading it. There were so many different themes and situations going on in this story (dealing with grief, relationships, friendships, cheating, moving, illnesses, forgiveness & more) and everything was just so perfectly woven together. I felt for the characters and I wanted everyone to have their own perfect and happy endings. The writing st
...more

This book stole my heart while making it ache with every page. (Seriously, I had heart pangs!) Super lovely writing and a strong, smart, flawed female character whose journey was a delight to read. (All the hugs for Harper!) Mark down January 26th, because you're going to want this book immediately!
...more
...more

A lot of teens will recognize aspects of themselves in Harper Sloan. The soon-to-be high school senior is coming off a rough year, in which her best friend-turned-boyfriend Declan was sent away to boarding school, and Harper coped the only way she (and her new best friend Sadie) knew how to, which led to one mistake after another . . . and ultimately losing Declan. But now it's summer, and Declan is back from boarding school, and all Harper wants to do is right the wrongs.
But Harper's life has o ...more
But Harper's life has o ...more

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK!
It's nearing 4:30 am right now as I write this and I'm running on no sleep, but I don't care! This book is fricken-fabulous! It's a true masterpiece! Contemporaries don't usually hook you, often because they're slow and the characters have charity case stories. But that was not the plot line here, I have never been so hooked to a contemporary novel as I was this. The story was fast paced, created an elaborate picture in my head, and had an interesting plot with a set o ...more
It's nearing 4:30 am right now as I write this and I'm running on no sleep, but I don't care! This book is fricken-fabulous! It's a true masterpiece! Contemporaries don't usually hook you, often because they're slow and the characters have charity case stories. But that was not the plot line here, I have never been so hooked to a contemporary novel as I was this. The story was fast paced, created an elaborate picture in my head, and had an interesting plot with a set o ...more

I have to be honest with you and say that it was really the cover of this book that first caught my attention because of my, IT IS BEAUTIFUL! But once I read the synopsis, I realized that it very much sounds like "my kind" of book - contemporary about best friends who might have been and could be more dealing with family drama in a Southern setting. The "in the tradition of Sarah Dessen" line definitely hits home, though it would be unfair to say that this novel is just a Sarah Dessen rip-off, b
...more

Here’s the thing with this book: it was too angsty. If that’s a thing. It was also too dramatic. Again, if that’s a thing. I went into
The Year We Fell Apart
with huge expectations because honestly. Have you looked at the book? The cover? The frigging synopsis that promises much romance and drama and friendship???? But what do I get? A main character I couldn’t tolerate because of her melodramatic inclinations and a piece of cardboard that everyone else in the book was cut out of.
In all hone ...more
In all hone ...more

Jun 05, 2015
Jen
added it
I was really looking forward to this one--second-chance at love is my favorite trope--but I prefer my angst to be balanced out with feel-good moments, and this fell short for me.

I have not read an addicting contemporary in so long. The Year We Fell Apart reminded me of why contemporary books are my choice of addiction. I could not put the book down and ended up reading it in one sitting. This is coming from my current state of reading maybe one or two books a month lately. I wanted more more more from this book and when it ended I couldn't stop thinking about it.
The plot line is on I highly enjoy. Our main protagonist, Harper has a childhood best friend, Declan. Howeve ...more
The plot line is on I highly enjoy. Our main protagonist, Harper has a childhood best friend, Declan. Howeve ...more
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“Distance between us. That's what I need. Otherwise, the whole last year of avoiding Declan—of forcing myself to let him go—was pointless.”
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