The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

Nov 22, 2017 Sana rated it did not like it

Shelves: romance, young-adult, cut-my-left-nut-off-instead, boring-af, kill-this-character-pls, contemporary, pukeworthy-romance, i-dont-get-the-hype

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 ...more

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Jan 26, 2016 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf, young-adult, 2016-reads

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 ...more

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Aug 05, 2015 Aimee ♥ | Aimee, Always rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, let-me-gouge-your-eyeballs-out, predictable, swoony-book-boys, arc, i-cried, review-soon, i-think-my-heart-stopped, grinning-like-an-idiot

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.

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Jan 21, 2016 Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ added it

Recommended to Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ by: Laurie Flynn

Shelves: could-read-over-and-over-again, unforgettable-male-leads, my-favorite-covers, buddy-read, blur-rating

*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 it ...more

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Jan 09, 2016 Jen Ryland added it

Shelves: debut-challenge-2016

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 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 party where everyone already knows one another and talks in shorthand.

When I finally understood what happened ... I didn't. Note: what's hidden is NOT spoiler-y; all of it is revealed either in the blurb or pretty early on, but just in case, I'll hide it:(view spoiler) The whole sequence of events didn't seem to flow logically. The main thing I never understood was what made Harper push Declan away, and when she finally explained, it made no sense at all. (view spoiler) What? I was hoping the situation with Harper's mom would make Harper realize how totally and completely she'd failed him as a friend and girlfriend, but she didn't seem to make the connection.

While I did empathize with Harper, I also found her hard to understand and relate to. Because we're all flawed, I find it immensely satisfying to watch a character face up to that. But Harper made the same mistakes over and over and then complained about being judged and misunderstood. It also seemed to me that she had an obvious drinking problem -- every time she drank, she made choices that she later regretted.

Because having to face her mother's illness didn't really seem to change Harper, just offer more opportunities for angst, I think this book would have worked better without that subplot. Then the story could have focused more on what the book seemed to want to be about: a girl trying to come to terms with mistakes she's made and redefine herself as a person. That was the story I would have liked to read, but I don't really feel like that Harper got there in the end. As much as I want characters in books to get a happy ending, I couldn't help feeling that the book copped out on making Harper do the work that she needed to get one. And I thought Declan deserved someone a little more considerate and self-aware.

One final thing I'll add: the sweet, whimsical cover is lovely, but to me it conveys a completely different feeling than the angsty story I got.

Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin

Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review. ...more

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Nov 14, 2014 Patty rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, own, young-adult

*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

"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 ...more

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Jun 13, 2015 nick rated it liked it

Shelves: arc

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- chanceattempt 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, theself-absorbed, selfish and pretty terrible heroine of The Year We Fell Apart. ...more

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Aug 10, 2015 Paula M. of Her Book Thoughts! rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc

The disappointment makes me cry.

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Nov 10, 2015 The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, 2016-releases, young-adult

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 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 We Fell Apart is the realistic portrayal of the characters and the main character’s mother’s cancer. For instance, the details surrounding the diagnosis of the cancer and the ongoing treatment that Harper’s mother endures are very believable. Even the depictions of the side-effects she experiences are portrayed accurately. However, cancer is not the main idea of the story, which makes it compelling because we are seeing the story unfold through the eyes of Harper.

Harper is a perfect main character in The Year We Fell Apart because she is both relatable and extremely flawed. She makes so many poor choices and big mistakes that are honestly very cringe-worthy. Also, Harper destroys so many of her relationships throughout the novel that she becomes a dislikable character. As the book progresses, however, Harper makes many realizations and her actions become quite admirable.

Another enjoyable aspect of The Year We Fell Apart is the theme of friendship that is presented by Martin. As Harper grows and becomes self-aware, the friends that she needs and searches for become the focus of the story as opposed to a romantic relationship. I appreciated this so much as I was reading because the importance of friends is a message that is often brushed to the side so that the character can focus on a love interest in some young adult novels. This was so refreshing!

The Year We Fell Apart is a very realistic book with a flawed main character who slowly learns how to change her ways. This book is all about friendship, which will inspire and enlighten many readers. Fans of Jenny Han will definitely enjoy The Year We Fell Apart. ...more

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Jul 27, 2015 Brittany Cavallaro rated it it was amazing

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!

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Jan 28, 2016 Obsidian rated it it was ok

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 ...more

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Jan 07, 2016 Kim at Divergent Gryffindor rated it really liked it

Shelves: rating-4-stars

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! 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! That hasn't happened to me in quite a long time now, and I'm so glad that this book made me realize that I can still fly through books. While some people might think that this book is overly dramatic or even annoying, I vote on the contrary. Yes, I know that this book would not be for some people, but I always love an amazing contemporary romance novel, and I definitely got it with this book.

One of my favorite things about this book is how Cory never crushed on Harper, like what happens in most stories. Okay, some back story here; Harper, Cory and Declan are childhood best friends, and Harper and Declan ended up together but broke up because Declan moved away for school. The story of Declan and Harper is told in flashbacks, and that's how I came to really appreciate the character of Cory. Cory never liked Harper, and even if Declan and Harper hung out on their own, he never got jealous or annoying about it. After Declan left, he was still supportive and always looked out for Harper. Cory truly is the bestest best friend anyone could ever ask for, and he is one of my favorite characters of all time.

My gosh, the things that this book made me feel! I really felt connected to all the characters, and I really saw myself in the main character's shoes. I felt every emotion she felt, and my heart bled alongside hers. This book kind of reminds me of Lauren Gibaldi's The Night We Said Yes, only this one is much more emotional. It's so hard for me to put things into words because they're all in the heart, which is why it's been so hard for me to write this review.

I can't say more, but trust me when I say that I really loved this book and I feel really connected to it. I hope you guys would give this book a chance, and I hope that you enjoy it as much, or even more, than I did. Happy reading! ...more

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Jul 09, 2015 Jaime Arkin rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, stand-alone-books, galley-arc, ebook-format, 2016, edelweiss-arc, simon-schuster, contemporary, on-my-real-shelves, read-in-2015

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 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 and boyfriend Declan.

For what seems like ever, it’s always been her, Cory & Declan. They were each other’s best friends and extended family and eventually Harper and Declan became so much more to each other. They shared so many highs and lows over the years. The loss of Declan’s mom the ultimate low… not only because she was suddenly gone, but because it changed things in so many ways for them going forward.

Harper is horribly flawed, if you’re like me, you’ll turn page after page with your brain screaming “UGH why are you doing that Harper!” She makes horrible choices, she makes mistakes, but she’s relatable. I also think that her actions fit who she is perfectly. She carries around a lot of guilt and sadness and having to watch her first, attempt to bury it in things she knows she shouldn’t, then, try to dig her way out of it was done really, really well.

When Declan returns for the summer, Harper is reminded of the reasons she pushed him away and she also has to face the fact that he just may have moved on even if she can’t seem to. That said, the exploration of their relationship, the rebuilding of trust and friendship and ultimately the determination to commit to something more was lovely to read. Though it was frustrating at times, because you don’t really, truly know the full story of what happened right away to cause Harper to give up, you’re given bits and pieces as the story unfolds ultimately and it makes her actions, the thing you know that happened, make more sense.

This story isn’t just about a romantic relationship though. The story puts a big focus on friendships, both the good and the bad. I know it’s hard for you to see it here, but Harper truly is a good friend. Even when she knows she should probably give up on a friend because they’re toxic to her, she struggles to do so. I’m just going to say it… I really struggled to like Sadie, and I feel like you probably will too. I’m not saying she’s all bad, because she truly wasn’t, but I could absolutely see the differences between unhealthy and healthy friendships here, especially when we meet Gwen and McKenzie and then compare her to Harper’s other best friend Cory.

I also really loved the relationship portrayed here between Harper and her parents. It was once again refreshing to see responsible parents… parents who weren’t just off in the periphery and not paying attention, especially because there definitely could have been a lot of that here with Harper’s mom’s medical issues.

Martin has created a story that really shows how hard it can be being a teen… specifically a teen girl growing up today. She hits on topics of love, loss, friendship, forgiveness, romance, family and consequence and she does it all with a story that will break your heart and then slowly mend it back together. I can definitely see fans of Sarah Dessen really enjoying this story and Martin’s writing style. I definitely did and for sure can’t wait to see what she has coming next!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
...more

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Oct 21, 2015 Angie Elle rated it did not like it

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 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 books under my belt, but this is only similar to her style in the very bare bones of the plot. Yes, there is always a boy involved, but the girl’s entire life does not revolve around said boy. In fact, she has several other things that her life revolves round. I didn’t find that to be the case with The Year We Fell Apart. I found this book to be very clinical – a simple recounting of events as opposed to an experience, and it was mostly about a lukewarm relationship with a boy. So, it’s safe to say this review may be slightly rant-y.

The blurb led me to believe that Harper’s mother’s cancer is a prominent part of the story, but it’s barely mentioned until a catalyst is needed to bring Harper and Declan together. If the cancer portion of the story had been removed, it wouldn’t have changed much. And Harper and Declan – it’s hard to even put into my words how I feel about their…relationship? Both of them bring new meaning to hot and cold. I don’t know what they see in each other, as they seem to bring out the worst sides of each other.

Harper’s bad girl image was very hard for me to swallow. The reasons she acted the way she did ‘back in October’ didn’t ring true to me, so I couldn’t help but doubt everything after that. We’re given a few different reasons why she does the things she does throughout the book (one that was actually quite major, but was glossed over and never revisited again,) and her friends rarely call her on it and ask her what’s going on. Except occasionally Dec, but since he’s hot one minute and cold the next, how is he supposed to get anywhere with that? At the end of the book, Harper’s relationship with Dec felt like it wasn’t resolved at all, and I wish it had just been ixnayed from the story. There was bullying and slut shaming going on in this book, and while it wasn’t glossed over, it was never fully explored. Why not throw some cyber and text bullying in there? Why not bring Harper through a really tough time, and show girls and boys that what others think of you doesn’t define who you are? And the mistakes we make, while haunting, are learning opportunities no matter our age? Amp up the plot and give us something to focus on besides Declan and his moods.

I did enjoy Harper’s best friend, Cory, and the friends she made in her photography class. They were a breath of fresh air in an otherwise angst-ridden story, and they really gave me hope that they could help Harper turn her life around. But alas, Harper’s ‘bad influence’ friend Sadie reigned, popping up in spurts long enough to let us know that maybe if Harper wasn’t friends with her, she’d be making better choices. Sadie led Harper to those parties where she made bad decisions, and if it weren’t for her…you get the gist.

I almost abandoned this story at 23%, and I wish I’d have done that. In the end nothing was resolved, and I feel like this book was trying too hard to be something it wasn’t. It just didn’t work for me.

This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews. ...more

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Feb 01, 2016 Giselle rated it liked it

Shelves: borrowed, 2016, ebook, genre-romance-slow-burn, 3-star, genre-contemporary, genre-romance, genre-friendship-first, age-young-adult, from-overdrive-3m

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 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 happened was the biggest anti-climax of them all. I didn't get it. The whole reason she was pushing him away didn't make any sense to me. I wished that was embellished more. Also the self-destructive phase of these teens are a little frightening and scary considering they're smart enough in the first place to not drink when they fully know what could happen. But yes okay, teens need to learn their lesson and both Harper and Declan find out what happens when alcohol gets thrown in the mix. I thought their relationship was one of the most on-and-off relationships I have read lately. I also felt her insights to the past were disorganized and chaotic, but guess that was made to be that way since Harper is extreme with her emotions. Both of them needed to talk to a good psychiatrist. Declan was nice and supportive at times but he also showed his flaws. Good God I wanted to cut his hair though. I hate long hair on guys... The side characters were just great though.. Love Cory, Mackenzie and Gwen. Not so much Kyle or Sadie.

This is that book where you think if they only communicated better things wouldn't have escalated.. Get the characters to talk sensibly and just get on with their lives. There were cute parts like swimming at the quarry and painting the house, but other than that I didn't feel their connection had any chemistry. I also wanted more of a focus on friendships that Harper broke but it was shoved in and came out of nowhere. Liked the talks with the mom though. She was one fighter!

Also that cover does not depict the story at all. It needs to go a bit darker because the main character parties a lot with teenagers drinking, and smoking pot. The cover right now is too fluffy and definitely needs a change to convey the story more. ...more

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Nov 06, 2014 Laurie Flynn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-contemporary, sweet-sixteens

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 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 guilt and regret. Her biggest mistake was destroying her relationship with her best friend and first love, Declan. When Declan comes home for the summer, Harper wants to make things right and win back his friendship—and possibly his love. But she’s not sure how.

Harper feels so relatable to me. She’s exactly the kind of protagonist I want to spend a whole book with. She’s not perfect—not even close. But she’s so real that she ceases to feel like a character and instead is a person. At times, things she was feeling were things I have felt in the past and the experience was very visceral. I wish I would have been able to read this book as a teenager.

This book is about a lot of things. It’s about mistakes, rumors, first love, friendship, family, and the nature of forgiveness. I love that nothing falls easily into place, because that’s real life. The past can be seriously hard to overcome, and Emily writes beautifully about this. The relationship between Harper and Declan is complicated: it’s intense and passionate and also broken, but there’s hope, and both Harper and Declan cling to it in different ways. The hurt and tension and longing is palpable on the pages.

I also loved Harper’s other relationships. Her relationship with her mom, who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her relationship with her friend Cory, and her new friendships with Gwen and Mackenzie, who she meets at a summer photography class she’s corralled into taking. Her friendship with Sadie, which especially struck a chord with me because I’ve had friends like that too—friends who may not have your best interests in mind.

Reality is messy. Being a teenage girl is the messiest of all. THE YEAR WE FELL APART took me back to that time of life, to all of the emotions that come with it. There’s no sugarcoating or finessing or dodging around difficult topics. And for that reason, THE YEAR WE FELL APART is one of the best contemporary YA books I’ve had the pleasure of reading.
...more

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Feb 07, 2015 Abby Cooper rated it it was amazing

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 ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 S.M. Parker rated it it was amazing

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 ...more

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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!

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Oct 18, 2015 Jamie (Books and Ladders) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, romance, contemporary, 2016-release, january-2016, simon-pulse

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 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 almost want to give second chances a second chance.

I loved Harper. I loved how selfish she was and that she was doing anything she could to escape. I liked that she acknowledged that she was even imperfect and selfish because that made me like her even more. I think we have too high of standards for female protagonists but Harper screws up multiple times in this book and it just made her feel all the more real. And I loved her for it. I loved that she struggled to be the person she was Before Declan Left and After Declan Left and had to settle for somewhere in between. Because a lot of us are the in between people -- not quite the person we were Before and not quite the person we were immediately After. I also really liked that she didn't try to stop the rumours or try to really set them straight except to the people who mattered. I liked that she kind of wore them as badges of "oh man I effed up and continued to eff up" because that's the only way we learn. And ugh, I just really liked that she was willing to give herself a second chance, because we don't do that in real life too often.

I liked Declan because he wasn't perfect either. He made mistakes and had a bit of a hard time owning up to them but I just really enjoyed him and everything about him. I liked that he tried to give Harper the second chance he thought she deserved and that he was willing to (almost) look past the things she had done. It made me really like them as a couple.

I would have liked just a tad bit more about her mother and the illness but I think because Harper avoids it so much that it made it okay to sort of skim it in the book. I think the brief glimpses we get in the book were enough to have the reader realize that it is tough to live with someone who has this sort of problem. Because it's excruciating for them, but it is difficult for those on the outside too. Harper couldn't handle it and escaped the only way she knew how.

I highly recommend this one. If it melted my cold, cold heart, I would imagine it will do the same to those of you that have a real live beating one there too.

Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin' ...more

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Sep 09, 2015 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, edelweiss, tough-subject, summer, 2016

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 want 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 want to smack some sense into her.

I love reading about imperfect characters. It's so much more fun to get inside their heads, even if you don't always like what you find. Something happened prior to the events of this story that sent the main character into a tailspin, and only her best friend can set things right again. Trouble is, she can't tell him what happened because the fallout would be devastating. Much like in 99 Days, the story rewinds now and again to show snippets of Harper's life before now and what led up to her partying ways, and it isn't always pretty.

I really could have done without all of the miscommunication and misunderstandings. It was almost enough to make me want to quit reading at times, just so I wouldn't have to see the aftermath. And I know that if Harper had just owned up to what happened, the story wouldn't have been what it was, but it also didn't have to be so drawn out, especially when the actual incident was relatively minor. In my opinion, anyway. Though, if we're being honest, there was more than one incident she needed forgiveness for.

Maybe the reason I relate to these types of characters so much is because I was like them in high school. I had none of my shit figured out and I was making mistakes left and right, and so when one big thing didn't go right for me, I went off the rails. It basically took from 17 to 21 before I turned my life around, and even then I wasn't perfect. So, I don't expect a neat and tidy ending to a book like this. That said, I would have appreciated a bit more insight into how things worked out when all was said and done...just as proof that Harper didn't chicken out and resort to her old ways.

Still, it verged on unputdownable, with me trying to sneak in reading at work - even with all of the cringeworthy moments - so that's saying something. =) I really enjoyed this novel about forgiveness and second chances, and I wouldn't hesitate to read more from this debut author.

GIF it to me straight:

...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Dana Elmendorf rated it it was amazing

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

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Nov 01, 2015 Jacquelyn rated it it was amazing

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 ...more

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Sep 20, 2015 Michelle Andreani rated it it was amazing

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!

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Jun 22, 2015 Jenn Bishop rated it it was amazing

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 ...more

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Jan 03, 2016 Gaby (lookingatbooks) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 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 of characters all over the place. This was definitely my type of book.
First off, I've been eyeing this for months. So naturally I requested it on Edelweiss. And of all the books I requested that day, this was the one I wanted the most. So when I was gifted the arc, I screeched like the teenage girl I am.

The characters were perfectly depicted. From their moods to their daily lives. Everything was explained in the right amount of detail but also leaving the reader to want more. And that was what hooked me, that feelings of wanting to know Harper's past and why Declan left for boarding school. Everything was a mystery and over time Emily Martin explained in a way that only experienced authors can, which is why it surprised me to find that this was her first novel. This story is explained as a "Sarah Dessen novel", but in my opinion, I've read Dessen's work and Emily Martin does it better.

So it starts off with Harper struggling to understand her mom's health problem, she's been diagnosed with breast cancer. Add in the mix that Harper's old beau Declan has come home from boarding school for the summer, and Harper starts to struggle. Things between Declan and her did not end well, leaving them stuck in the past. So Harper parties, a thing now common to her post-Declan. Because she's changed. Sneaking into a pool with another girl's boyfriend, getting drunk, making out with whatever guy is near her-changed. But now she's stuck between the girl she was and is, as she makes new friends and starts realizing what's right. But Harper and Declan have a long history and talking about it might prove to be too much.

In a way you want to hate Harper. She's a selfish girl who keeps making mistakes knowingly. Like hanging out with the wrong guys and surrounding herself with Sadie, her best friend who's a bad influence. But then you understand as Declan joins the mix and slowly you learn the past. Because Harper was on the end of the giving stick and it just seems Declan kept taking. Metaphorically of course.
Declan lost his mother at 15, leaving his father a single parent with no idea how to handle Declan. So he ships him off to a boarding school, which leaves Declan bitter and holding so much hate for his dad. Harper was his peace until she ruined what they had, but now that he's back he wants Harper as a friend but it proves harder than it looks. I loved Declan, for the most part he had a level head and always looked out for Harper in most instances. Declan was moody and mean sometimes and yet you still adore him, because he's a sweet guy. He was definitely a swoon worthy character.

I'm very grateful to have been given the arc for this. It's a wonderful book with great characters and a fantastic story line. I hope anyone reading this review goes and preorders this on Amazon, because it is definitely a must read!

5 stars

I was gifted this arc in exchange for an honest review by the publisher ...more

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Jul 20, 2015 Rhea Dsouza rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss, overhyped-af, 2016-releases, 2016-debuts, reviews-not-on-blog

Here’s the thing with this book: it was too angsty. If that’s a thing. It was also toodramatic. 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 honesty, 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 honesty, the story of this book didn’t bother me at all. I’m all for making mistakes and learning from them, making mistakes again and learning something new, and second chances, and the best friend-to-lover trope. Go, book! But what was possibly the only reason that this book didn’t work out for me—at all—was each and every character in this book. The drama that each of these people put up? Pathetic. Too many facts and back stories and diseases and misunderstandings were cramped in the book, and by 40% or so, I just wanted to be DONE with it.

Our MC Harper was basically a pain in my ass. She was selfish and honest to God, she was so fucking stupid. She made some decisions that I just couldn’t understand, no matter how hard I tried. She was stuck in the whole drinking-to-drown-my-guilt phase and after a while, it got old. She knew just how miserable she felt when the high died down, and yet she got drunk every other day, and did the stupidest things while she was at it. And what’s worse is that her “friendship” with the other people in the book seemed to just magically disappear every time she had alcohol in her body. It would all just be Harper this and Harper that, and she wouldn’t even allow people to help her, the harder headed fool that she was. Also, the book does nothing to address the fact that Harper genuinely had a drinking problem—by the end of the book, obviously, the reader is supposed to assume that all her problems (including her addiction) is left behind in the wake of her HEA.

Our male lead Declan, in true YA Contemporary fashion, is supposed to be an enigma. He’ll give Harper these longing looks from across a camp fire, and then he’ll cozy up to this other random girl who isn’t all that bad at all, resulting in adding more fuel to Harper’s self-hating fire. All of his character is explained in Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold, so there’s that. Believe me, that’s all there is to him. Declan makes the entire book read like it’s straight out of your worst confused-love-interest nightmare, and there wasn’t one moment where I felt like the romance was making me swoon. All the swooning I felt was thanks to the super huge headache that these two gave me together. PASS.

The cover and synopsis for this book are misleading, you guys, don’t you forget that. The book promises to be “in the tradition of Sarah Dessen” and I haven’t read any of her works, but judging by a few reviews on GR, this book doesn’t really keep up with that expectation. I’m hoping to see so much more from Emily Martin than just this book. Final verdict? A big, bright, well-fed NOPE.

I was provided a free earc of this book by Simon Pulse through Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review. ...more

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Jun 28, 2015 Milka rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-releases, 2016-debuts, 2016

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, 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, because it definitely isn't that. Emily Martin gives her story and her characters a distinctive voice that makes The Year We Fell Apart a contemporary YA debut definitely worth looking forward to.

Harper, Cory and Declan have done everything together since they were children. As hormones started to kick in, Harper and Declan started to slowly fall in love and for a while, it seemed like everything was perfect. Then Declan's mother died and his father shipped him off to school elsewhere, and suddenly a relationship the two had been building for years started to feel illogical. After Harper and Declan fall out of contact with each other, Harper starts to hang out with a new set of people and does things that she even herself seems to consider as epic mistakes.

When Declan comes back home after two semesters of silence, Harper quickly notices that he has changed. He is taller, more handsome and most importantly, not "her Declan" any longer. But Harper has changed too - her mother's cancer diagnosis has made her want to try and to fix her mistakes, but as the events that unfold show her, changing your habits even if you desperately want it, might not actually be that easy of a task.

I really liked the connection between Declan and Harper and the way Emily Martin builds the relationship between the two quite slowly. There's no instalove or instaromance here and a lot of pages are used to establish the characters and the setting, which reminded me of Sarah Dessen's novels. I would say in many ways The Year We Fell Apart is a "quiet novel" in the sense that there are really no epic or spectacular scenes, but rather the novel feels like something that could happen to you, or to someone you know. Emily Martin succeeds in creating characters that are not one-sided, characters that you can easily feel for, characters that you can connect with.

In addition to being a tale about a new chance in love, The Year We Fell Apart is about forgiveness, friendships and family. Emily Martin brilliantly writer Harper as a flawed character whose actions can seem frustrating, but at the same time, you just get her. She makes mistakes, but I think she tries her best to stop making them. Declan is no prince either and I loved the fact that Martin wasn't afraid to show a side of Declan that might push him away from some readers. I think in general Martin succeeds in telling a tale of two very confused teenagers who are dying to find a connection and happiness despite the mistakes and decisions they have made in the past.

The things Harper goes through really made me happy about the fact that I am not a teenager anymore. I am blessed to say that my teenage years were quite drama and angst free, and I think that is mostly why I love books like this so much. The Year We Fell Apart might not be for everyone, but it definitely was a novel perfect for me! ...more

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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.

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Nov 29, 2015 Juhina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-review, own, my-arcs, simon-and-schuster

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. 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. However the book starts almost a year later after they have become estranged.. but we don't know what happened. Declan has come back for the summer vacation and Harper's emotions become all over the place. Not only that, but Harper is currently trying to deal with the news of her mother's cancer. I found that so heart wrenching. She really didn't know how to deal with it and wanted to talk about it to Declan since he lost his mother years ago.. but she couldn't because of this huge elephant in the room that the readers don't know about. The book kept on alluding to Harper making some decisions she regrets and that hints to the reason why her and Declan are no longer friends (or something more?). I loved how the author kept us in the dark. It really upped the tension factor as well as the need to continue reading to find out what really happened.

I think Emily painted a very realistic story. Harper and Declan end up having to hang out due to their mutual childhood friend (no love triangle though!) as well as new friends come in, slight misunderstands happen (though funny and never really lasting for long). I enjoyed the summer, leisure feel, along with the mix of anguish and emotional turmoil Harper is going through. The secondary characters were all fantastic too. I love that just as much as the romance, Emily focused on the old and new found friendships and what you really lose once you step out of the friendship zone to the relationship zone.

The build up to the last couple of scenes in the book were done so well that my heart was literally beating fast reading those last several pages. I couldn't read fast enough but at the same time I had to backtrack and reread because my emotions were everywhere. I literally would read two pages, then go back and reread those two pages because I was in a state of total "mind blown". Martin seriously knows how to hook you in and not let you go until the book ends (and not even then apparently). I can't wait to see more of Emily Martin's contemporaries. She's honestly on my to watch list from now on. If her sophomore contemporary is close to how good The Year We Fell Apart was.. then she's going to graduate to favourite contemporary authors and the auto-buy and read list. The Year We Fell Apart has become the first (and so far only) book on my "2016 favourites list". ...more

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