Even if the Sky Falls

by Mia Garcia

All she needs is one night to be anyone she wants.

Julie is desperate for a change. So she heads to New Orleans with her youth group to rebuild houses and pretend her life isn’t a total mess. But between her super-clingy team leader and her way-too-chipper companions, Julie feels more trapped than ever.

In a moment of daring, she ditches her work clothes for DIY fairy wings and heads straight into the heart of Mid-Summer Mardi Gras, where she locks eyes with Miles, an utterly irresistible guy with a complicated story of his own. And for once, Julie isn’t looking back. She jumps at the chance to see the real New Orleans, and in one surreal night, they dance under the stars, share their most shameful secrets, and fall in love.

But their adventure takes an unexpected turn when an oncoming hurricane changes course. As the storm gains power and Julie is pulled back into chaos she finds pretending everything is fine is no longer an option.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, Young Adult Romance

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2016

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“The night has been amazing so far, but I need another jolt – I need my heart to beat out of my chest – I need to feel alive if only for short bursts of time.”

This was a YA contemporary romance about two people who meet in New Orleans.

Julie was a bit of a crazy girl, and she certainly showed this when she ran away from her youth group and found romance with a random boy who was just as flamboyant as she was.

The storyline in this was basically just Julie (‘Lulu’) and ‘Miles’ chatting and running around New Orleans getting to know each other and falling in love. I have to say that it was a bit weird and wild, but the ending did make up for that a bit. This really wasn’t your average contemporary romance though, as we also got a hurricane, and a side story about PTSD.



6 out of 10

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. It was utterly adorable, incredibly easy to read and although the romance was definitely instalove (which I usually don’t warm to) it didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed the romance. Both of the main characters were wonderfully cute and both dealing with their own issues and wanted to escape them for one night and I loved it. I absolutely adored the descriptions of Mardi Gras and New Orleans. It was fun, immersive, captivating and made me want to go there even more than I already do. It also had a really diverse cast of characters, with Julie being Puerto Rican and other than maybe two or three characters, the rest of the cast were POC. with two characters in or having been in M/M relationships. Even If The Sky Falls was an utterly cute, quick and easy read, with adorably witty characters, an equally adorable romance and an added depth bought to it through discussion of money and mental illness. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, adorable contemporary and one I’d definitely recommend.

[Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

review to come
key points
- The writing is beautiful
- The characters are meh. Julie's 'problem' is meh and a bit self centered
- the whole romance in a day doesn't work for me
- could not connect to characters
- the storyline between Julie and Tavis is completely odd and unnecessary
- the whole 20% ending off the book was odd. What kind of a doctor just takes a patient out of the hospital in the name of 'love' and how can no one tell her that Miles was the one that bought her in.. come on

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Brb, caught up in a hurricane of emotion and I'm not ready to come back down yet.*

Sometimes a book sneaks up on you, kicks you in the feels and steals your heart all while making you laugh and swoon. That's what this book did to me.

When I picked it up at 11:00 last night, I only expected to read a few pages. By 1:30a.m., I had to force myself to put it down. Because sleep. And kids. And life. When I picked it back up again today, I didn't stop until I reached the end. Then, I wanted to go back to the beginning and start all over again.

I've never visited New Orleans, but Mia Garcia made me feel as though I was a character in the story, watching from the sidelines, covered in glitter and stuffing my face full of beignets.

And Miles...Oh.My.Miles. Charismatic, witty, charming, and almost too cute for his own good, Miles is the kind of boy who makes you believe in love at first sight. He's sweet too, with a genuineness about him that makes it easy to see how Julie could get swept up into an adventure with him, even if only for a night.

This book delivers a hearty kick in the feels; Julie and Miles are both dealing with issues, but Mia Garcia does a great job of weaving romance and humor into their story. It left me with a feeling of hope, new discoveries, and healing.

Adventure. Romance. Diversity. Swoon. This book has a little of everything. Fans of Paula Stokes, Sarah Dessen, and Gayle Foreman will enjoy this.

Read it.

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I don’t care how much truth there is to this night. I’m not looking for truth, I’m looking to escape”

Even If the Sky Falls was told on Julie’s point of view. It was mostly set on one night: the Mid-Summer Mardi Gras, where Julie met Miles – the one she spent the magical night of Mid-Summer Mardi Gras with. A love story was where the story was focused but it also tackled teenagers’ way of coping with their personal problems and mental health.



I enjoyed reading this book, it was fun but it was not really overall good.



I didn’t like the female main character. She’s the kind who I found very hard to comprehend and like in the very beginning and I miserably failed on each attempts to like her until the very end. I felt like she’s just a weakly written character and she just didn’t have something to make a reader connect with her.



Miles – Julie’s love interest – never failed on making me feel giddy. His character was pretty well written. He’s so good on making my heart leap because he’s always making me swoon. It was a really good thing that his character existed because I am not quite sure if I’ll enjoy this if there was just Julie’s character in it. I just really do not like the fmc.



Though I always say that I do not like it when two characters will see each other for the first time and they will suddenly like each other on an instant, this book was different. I do not know how it happened but in Julie and Miles’ case, I totally did not dislike it. It was like:



Julie & Miles: Okay, we just met. You’re interesting. Let’s get to know each other more and just enjoy the night. *later on, as the night goes deeper they’re already developing feelings for each other*



Me: Oh! Good. Just go on *eats popcorn* continue making me feel jealous because you’re so perfect for each other and you make finding your perfect lover look easy when it’s actually not.



I like them combined because they’re both imperfect with their own troubles in life but they’re perfect together. Though I honestly came to a point where I found it really ridiculous for them to feel something towards each other just because of one magical night. But what can I do? I can’t blame Julie because I liked Miles either. But if we’re going to think of it realistically, this is really ridiculous and unbelievable.



A mental issue was also tackled. I liked this part but I was also left hanging with this one. Julie’s older brother Adam went to become a soldier and when he came back, he’s just not the same Adam anymore which truly bothered and affected Julie because they were both very close before. That was also the reason why Julie got to this cell group and eventually ended up on the Mid-Summer Mardi Gras. Adam had PTSD or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and that part of the book – Adam’s story – was what I’ve been always waiting for because some chapters were just solely dedicated to Adam’s story when he came back home from the war and why it affected Julie that much while the other chapters were set on the present where Julie was in the Mid-Summer Mardi Gras together with Miles, her love interest. I was a little bit unsatisfied but not in that negative way (does that makes sense?) it’s just that I enjoyed reading these parts about Adam and how he changed when he came back. I wanted to know more about his experience and him having PTSD. I wanted more because it honestly felt like Adam was my own brother. Miss Garcia did a great job on making me feel that way. The representation of the said mental condition was good but there could just be more with it.



The best part I like about this book was how magical it was. The atmosphere was just incredible. It was magical and truly fascinating. It is the kind of book that will make us remember how one magical night can change everything. The setting and the vibes it gives is really not one to miss. And if you’re finding novels with poetry inside, you should also check this one. There were poems inside the book and I truly liked most of them. In fact, there’s one which is my favorite from them and it was entitled Here’s to Remembering. The poems mostly served as a break from the two stories being told: present (Mid-Summer Mardi Gras) and past (Adam’s story).



There’s a part of me that really liked the end but there’s also a part that does not. I was not satisfied and satisfied at the same time because I loved how Julie and Miles made me feel giddy one last time. It was like making me fall in love all over again. But I was just also hoping more from Adam’s case and his mental condition. I was really left hanging on that part.



The writing style failed to impress me because there were a couple of times where I felt like it was flat and the story was just dragging. But on the other hand, Mia Garcia was good on making me feel everything the characters inside the book were feeling.



Overall, I still truly enjoyed the story despite of the few things that I didn’t like. It was a quick heart-warming read that has an atmospheric setting you wouldn’t really want to miss, lovable male main character and a little dark touch from the mental issue tackled. It’s perfect for those who want to read a quick contemporary novel to temporarily escape from reality.

"I'm not judging you, but you were just one night, Julie, and that night is over."

[Stacee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book. I was excited for the promise of a swoony boy and leaving problems behind for a 24 hour slice of time.

Right off the bat, I struggled with the back and forth of the chapters. At first didn't realize that it was supposed to be a time shift. There isn't a heading indicating anything and I'm guessing it's supposed to like Julia is rehashing the past in her mind, for me it didn't work.

As for Julia, she was a bit meh. I didn't have a reason to root for her. The issues she has {which took way way way too long to be revealed} are horrible, but I didn't get the importance of them. I didn't feel it. Miles is okay, but definitely not was I was expecting.

I kept reading because I was expecting something epic to happen. The city they're in, the circumstances, the history, it's all so amazing. Sadly, the story failed to carry that spark over.

**Huge thanks to Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Jackie]

I've decided I can't live without this book.

[Sara (Freadom Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/

Critically
Plot – 3 out of 5 stars
This story was quite cute, and interesting as well. It was fast paced and easy to read. It dealt with themes of family, PTSD, adventure, violence and guilt. There was a mystery involved and unfortunately, the romance moved a bit too fast in my opinion. I like my contemporary to be light but real and this book didn’t have the depth I wanted. It took the time to mention real life heartache yet not follow it through.

Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
This was my favorite part about this book. The writing style is very atmospheric and detailed and the descriptions of the beautiful setting of New Orleans are breathtaking. It’s descriptive and simple and engaging. It had a very good balance between the past and the present of the main character’s life.

Characters – 3.5 out of 5 stars
I struggle a little bit with these characters. Julie is likeable, I guess. There wasn’t anything about her that bothered me but I didn’t love her either. She’s overwhelmed and stressed and has a lot of feelings and thoughts bottled up within her. However, she’s really sweet and has an adventurous spirit. She just wants to forget for awhile and let her hair down and let go of her worries. Then we obviously have the male love interest, name Miles, who was okay. I found him to be a little flat. It’s like on paper he’s a great guy, but there was nothing really special about him that made me want to relationship to work. He was sweet and charming. He wanted to share his life with her and talk to her and get to know her and that was all fine and great but there was no spark for me. Or even between them in my opinion. So that put a damper on the romance too. I found both of their backgrounds and back stories to be intriguing and interesting, but there wasn’t enough about them. I needed more to see them as well rounded, believable characters.

Emotionally
I didn’t know what to expect from this book going in, but overall I really enjoyed reading it.

The plot is vivid. We follow Julie, who in a moment of being completely overwhelmed runs away from her Habitat for Humanities group and gets swept away by a boy and into a Mid-Summer celebration in the heart of New Orleans. My absolutely favorite thing about this book is the imagery and the way the writing style portrays New Orleans. The author paints the city so well, from the atmosphere, to the sights, to the people and even to the weather. Everything feels tangible. I could picture it perfectly and it was almost like I was there with them myself. Especially since it’s during a festival, there’s such a spirit to New Orleans and to the people that are celebrating and it leaps off the page (well off the Kindle but you know what I mean). On the other hand, the romance felt rushed to me. I believed the connection between the characters in the beginning. Their flirtation and banter were all on point and felt just as genuine as the city around them. But once we got deeper and deeper into the story, and their feelings were getting stronger, it didn’t feel as real to me and it got too serious and intimate too quickly and that’s when it turned me off. It started off so well but it could’ve been so much better towards the end. I really liked learning about the character’s life before their encounter, their “baggage” as the story refers to it, but it just felt like surface information. It was just something to share with each other and to make them more interesting characters but nothing came from it. Everything was left unresolved and the ending was very loose. Too loose in my opinion for such an intense story and that was disappointing.

Julie was okay. I connected with her feeling of stress and inner guilt, but she let it go on too long. She ran from her problems for too much of the book and since we don’t get everything from her past all at once, it just felt long and drawn out. I would’ve liked to see more character development from her but she held on to her pain too closely and for so long that once she got herself together it was the end of the book and not much changed with her. It was a little disappointing but not the worst of characters that I could see.

Miles was a sweet guy and an okay love interest, but he wasn’t developed enough as a character. Even his background didn’t feel as deep as it was meant to. He was nice and a good guy but that was it. Nothing about it him made me fall in love or swoon with his words. It was just nice. I actually felt like his friends had a lot more spark and personality than he did. They were funny and interesting and entertaining. They packed more diversity and ingenuity than he did. There was also another character named Tavis that I had to mention because he has a pretty important part in the story. He really creeped me out, and I didn’t understand what his purpose was besides just being a freaking weirdo. He pushed himself onto the main character with supposed noble intentions but things were never really settled with him. It’s still something that bothers me.

Overall, I liked the book. The story was interesting but the characters felt a little flat and needed more development. There could’ve been more resolution not only within the main story but with the character’s backgrounds as well as with their relationship. Yet I really loved the writing style and the way it painted the setting so I’m looking forward to see what she comes up with next.

[Kim at Divergent Gryffindor · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I first read about Even If the Sky Falls, I wanted to read it immediately. It also helps that the cover looks amazing, so of course I really wanted to read it. However, I must say that I am disappointed by the book. The first few pages were very promising, but as I read on, I hated it more and more.

At almost 10% of the book, I felt like there was something about the way it was written that didn’t fly well with me. Although it was very interesting, I just didn’t feel connected to the story nor the main character. I didn't feel any feels from the romance, and the way it went just felt weird and unnatural to me. I thought that there was no chemistry at all between the two characters.

I also hated the fact that there were quite a lot of things written in Spanish, when I don’t know a single word of Spanish. I always hate that because how the heck would I understand it? Another thing that I hated is the fact that it seemed to jump between past and present per chapter without any warning, so you’d read the first sentence in a chapter and think it’s a continuation, only to learn later on that the chapter is actually about something from the past. It was very confusing, and I just got annoyed when I learned about it.

I actually had luck in the past with books that happen in a span of 24 hours like Where She Went and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, but this one just didn’t go well for me. For contemporary novels, especially those that happen in just a day, I usually fly through them quickly. However, I read this one in a number of days. I just wasn’t grasped by the story, and I just really didn’t like it.

I also hated how the ending felt lacking somehow. I felt like it just ended abruptly, and there were still so many questions left unanswered. I mean, they didn't even talk, they just kissed and it ended right there! I feel cheated somehow.

I tried so badly to like this because the premise is very interesting and it seemed like my type of read, but I just really didn't enjoy this one. I also think that it put me in a mini reading slump, which just sucks for me. However, I also think that Mia Garcia is a promising author, but just not with this particular novel. After all, the story in itself is well written for the most part.

[Vee_Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been in a reading slump lately, reading bad book after bad book so when I picked this up, I was really hoping that it wouldn't let me down - and somehow the book gods heard me and granted my wish. This is a really cute contemporary romance story, showing 24 hours of Jules life - a bit like The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight. I wasn't expecting the whirlwind of emotion that hit me but I loved every moment.

The story is simple, Jules is volunteering with a group of other teenagers, helping to build houses in New Orleans, while she tries to escape her home life. Then she has to escape her overbearing, extremely creepy group leader and finds herself in the middle of Mardi Gras. Connecting with a beautiful stranger, they spend the night exploring the city, not realising that a terrible storm is on the way.

I only know of New Orleans, as I don't typically read books about it, watch it on TV and I'm certainly not lucky enough to visit. Still, I had a vague concept of Mardi Gras when I started reading. Somehow I was still completely transported into that world thanks to Mia's incredible writing and much like Jules, I just let myself be dragged along for the ride.

I really liked the romance between Miles and Jules. It wasn't quite insta love, more realistic. Like when you see a cute person at a club and decide they're cute so spend the night with them (I've literally never done I don't even venture out for necessities what am I talking about). Also (SPOILERY CONTENT WARNING) there is a bit of the old shimmy shimmy later in the book so this may be one for older YA readers.

The ending was one of those "would rip the pages if my kindle had any" moments and quickly switched for a summery romance to a horrifying action packed drama. It worked though, I realised just how much I loved these characters and had to stop myself skim reading to see if any of them were hurt or worse. I was pretty sad to leave the book but I'm looking forward to seeing what Mia releases next.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm so disappointed, guys. I was expecting so much more from Even if the Sky Falls, but it really didn't work for me.

Here are some quick thoughts I had about the book:

- The New Orleans Mardi Gras setting was lovely and beautifully written. I found myself being easily transported to the city. Mia Garcia's writing was definitely vibrant and lively.

- I didn't care about any of the characters at all. They weren't developed enough for me to form a connection.

- The love story was really "meh".

- The characters pulled off really a dumb stunt towards the end of the book that had me scratching my head and shaking my head in disappointment.

Mia Garcia has a lovely writing, but her characters aren't for me unfortunately. But I'll definitely try out more books by her.

[Stacie (Shy Book Nerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awww, this was so sweet and romantic. I really enjoyed reading this one! From the food in New Orleans, to the atmosphere, all the way down to the culture of New Orleans, I really felt like I was living the story myself. If you're a hopeless romantic that loves reading love at first sight type books, then I highly recommend this one. It was truly amazing.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julie thought she could escape the situation back at home by joining her church youth group for a service project in New Orleans, but what she really needed to do was escape herself. While fleeing herself, she finds "Miles", and was swept away by a whirlwind romance.

This was quite an emotional journey for both Miles and Julie. Both were trying to reconcile their feelings for something major, that was happening in their home lives, and they slowly got there during this 24 hour adventure.

I thought it was sort of brilliant the way Garcia let the story unfold. It started with a light rain and a light mood, the early stirrings of attraction, but as the night wore on, the storm grew stronger and stronger, as did Miles and Julie's emotions.

Not only did I ride out a hurricane in New Orleans, I also got a grand tour of the city. Garcia brought me to many of Miles' favorite places. She took me to Mid-Summer Mardi Gras, let me listen to a live music, had me join a ghost tour, and even treated me to beignets. She enveloped me in the sights, sounds, smells, and spirit of NoLa, and I really enjoyed it.

I fell in love with both Julie and Miles, and man! Did I ship them. The air between them crackled with sparks, and I thought they brought out a lot in each other. As with most of these all-in-one-day books, I wanted to know what happened after. I sort of always beg for epilogues, but in the case of a book that takes place over a 24-hour period, I need it. An epilogue would have let me know know how the romance panned out, as well as how things back home went for both Julie and Miles.

Other than that, I found myself fully immersed in this story, and I was rooting for these two the whole time.

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[Lauren (TheBookishTwins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.

I went into Even if the Sky Falls with high hopes, eager for a light-hearted contemporary romance. It turned out to be a good read, but not a fantastic one.

Julie heads to New Orleans, re-building houses with her youth group in order to escape from the troubles at home. One day, after having enough of feeling trapped with her clingy, over-bearing team leader, Julie ditches the programme for the day and heads into the heart of New Orleans in the midst of Mardi Gras. There she meets Miles, and the two quickly connect, explore New Orleans, and fall in love. In the midst of a hurricane, however, things quickly turn dangerous.

What I really loved about Even if the Sky Falls was the atmospheric setting of New Orleans in the midst of Mardi Gras. The book placed you right there, singing and dancing, and like Julie, you fall in love with the vibrant city. I also really enjoyed the exploration of both Miles and Julie's culture and background. These two aspects were the strongest points of Even if the Sky Falls.

However, I found that there was little time for any sort of relationship development between Julie and Miles, and thus it comes across as very insta-love, which I'm not a fan of.

For a quick summer read, I think this is a solid novel, as well as a solid debut, but I was hoping for a bit more from Even if the Sky Falls, which it ultimately failed to deliver.

Nonetheless, I will keep an eye out for Garcia's future works.

[Rachel Bea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book had some interesting aspects to it, but unfortunately I felt like as soon as it was getting interesting (a little bit past the halfway point), it ended. A lot of what the main character, Julie, did, made me SMH with frustration.

Maybe I missed something, but I don't really get why she was sent to New Orleans. Also, when she told "Miles" that she had thrown herself into traffic, I thought it was a super big deal but when that scene actually replayed it was just like a blip in the paragraph. It also really bothered me that Tavis was so creepy with his sexual harassment toward Julie. I get that he was SUPPOSED to be a slimy character, but I really wanted her to tell him to go screw like, from page one.

[Christy LoveOfBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

What to say … I thought I would actually like this. Go figure. I mean, it has its moments, but it mostly just fell flat. Usually I’m drawn to characters like Julie and connect with them when others don’t, but that didn’t happen here. I get what she was going through, but it all felt so superficial. There was little depth, and she was pretty annoying.

There were a couple of bright spots. I loved the atmosphere of the festival in NOLA and the incoming hurricane. I also enjoyed the boys. I wish there had been more interaction and time spent with Mile’s friends.

That’s it. That’s all I have.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really adore being pleasantly surprised by books, and that happened with Even If the Sky Falls! Really like how this author approached her story, and also loved the New Orleans setting.

[Deniz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I like the idea, I quite liked the writing style, I loved the setting, I quite enjoyed the first quarter... and then I lost interest somehow.

story line
The plor should actually totally my kinda thing. I love those one-night-that-change-your-life adventures. Maybe because that's my own story? Anyway, I did like the plot. Except I kept expecting something epic, something more... and that somehow never happened. So at the end, I was left kinda wanting and unsatisfied. Because the romance, though cute was never quite given enough time to grow, there were hints at some more serious issues like the hurricane and PTSD. Somehow non was touched on enough however to give it enough depth for my taste. So what I was left with was the two MCs running around New Orleans all night and falling in love, which in the end felt to insta for my tastes.

writing style
Probably my favorite part of the book. I like Garcia's writing style. I loved her descriptions of mardi gras, of New Orleans and there are some sweet and witty dialogues. Based on this I will definitely read more by Garcia!

character building
I think here lies by troubles with the book. The characters were not developed enough for me to connect with them properly, and with hints about their secrets dragging on for so long over the book, I found that I ended up not caring. While there were some amazing moments, like the interactions and banter between the boys, overall I kept feeling like something just fell short. I kept feeling like I am not quite connecting and like the most important bits are just out of my grasp. Which left me hoping that somehow, it will happen. That I will actually connect with the character that slowly as things unfold I would finally grasp this elusive thing. But I never did. I just lost interest.


So to my own surprise. This isn't really for me. But I am certainly happy to read more by Garcia.

[alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

find this and other reviews at http://arcticbooks.wordpress.com!!

Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

Like the cover-lover I am, I was really excited to read this book. I hadn’t heard much about EVEN IF THE SKY FALLS around, so I was sort of nervous, but fortunately, I really enjoyed this novel. EVEN IF THE SKY FALLS follows Julie as she decides to wander away from her Habitats for Humanity group and visits the Mardi Gras celebration and meets Miles. The two develop a romance and we are soon able to learn more about our main characters as they learn more about each other.

I really loved the imagery throughout this book. The descriptions of the celebration were vivid and I just really adored the setting of this novel. The environments contrast wildly with each other; between the Mardi Gras celebration and the hurricane, this book does a fantastic job with describing the setting and transporting readers into the novel.

The only complaint (for lack of a better word) about this novel is that I didn’t really feel like there was a conclusion to either Miles’ or Julie’s backstory. I did enjoy reading about their backstories, no matter how painful and sad they seemed; they gave the characters a layer to their personalities, which was nice, but it seemed too inconclusive by the end of the novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. Although there were a few aspects I didn’t entirely love, the lovely romance and the beautiful descriptions of setting made up for it. If you’re looking for a swoon-worthy romance and a unique setting, I recommend this gorgeous book!

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy New Orleans! Hurricanes, love, stars,dancing, and falling in love who needs more. This story is so amazing that I loved it right from the start. I started reading it at 11:00am and finished it the nest day at 3:00am in the morning. I just could not put it down.

Julie is an amazing main character. She has so much going on in her life right now. Her brother is home from war not the same. He is suffering from PTSD and the family is not handling it well. Her parents are just acting like nothing is wrong and Julie can't take it anymore. She needs a break and she knows just what to do, she signs up to volunteer in New Orleans.

Off to New Orleans to build houses she is excited about the change in her life. But she can't stand her companions and her staff leader is way to friendly for her liking. Julie is feeling trapped again so she decides to hang up her work outfit and go to Mardi Gras. Once she is in the thick of Mardi Gras she sees a handsome guy. Miles sees Julie and he knows he must get to know her. They start talking and before you know it they are sharing secrets and dancing under the stars.

Soon Julie is falling in love with Miles when she realizes that the weather is changing and bells and alarms are sounding off because a hurricane is coming. Will it destroy New Orleans and Julie and Miles new found love or will they survive this hurricane......

[Kelly Hager]

This book snuck up on me. It starts out as being about a girl who's trying to get over her weird and horrible family situation (which is parceled out incredibly slowly over the course of the book, so I don't want to spoil anything) and turns into an incredibly sweet and swoon-worthy romance.

I'm not entirely sure when I started thinking of Miles as an actual boyfriend-type and not just a fun guy to flirt with (probably about the same time Jules does, right?) but it absolutely happened.

This is the kind of book that will make you smile and probably hug it when you're done. And yeah, there will probably be some tears. It's worth it.

Recommended.

[Kelly Gunderman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!

Alright, let me start off by saying that it's been a while since I've written a review for a book that I didn't really click with, and you all know that I really don't like writing negative reviews, because an author works really hard on their books and they deserve to have great things said about what they've written. So I'm going to make this review as positive as I can!

The book starts off with our main character, Julie, going to New Orleans to help with Habitat for Humanity - build houses and help out. She figures with the mess that's going on at home (which I won't spoil, since we learn about it in snippets over the course of the novel), she needs to get out of the house and away from her parents, brother, and friends. While there, she notices the Mardi Gras celebration going on, and decides that she needs some time to really enjoy her life - so she takes off to attend the celebration, dressing up and dancing and having a good of a time as she can before the leader of her group she abandoned comes looking for her.

"For a moment I close my eyes. I want to let go and dance until my body breaks away into hundreds of little notes, floating above the crowd until I disappear. Truly free."

When Julie meets a boy she calls Miles, the two of them instantly decide to spend time together. So Julie joins in with the group "Miles" is part of - hanging out with him and his friends and talking and enjoying the festivities. However, when the group slowly gets disbanded for various reasons (girls, other parties, etc.), it comes down to just Miles and Julie, and the two of them enjoy what they can of the night, even though it starts to rain and it turns out the small storm they thought was approaching is a hurricane.

From then on, Julie and Miles do what they can to stay safe - getting snacks and spending the night in a hotel that is undergoing renovations and staying out of harm's way - at least for the most part. But then the unexpected happens and Julie must fight to find her way back to the boy she has started to fall in love with.

The entire premise for Even if the Sky Falls is absolutely beautiful. Two strangers spending the night together in New Orleans on Mardi Gras with absolutely no baggage - no mention of the past, no phones, and they don't even know each each others' real names. Partner that promise of a steamy, beautiful YA romance with that gorgeous cover with all the pretty swirlies and the couple kissing and it seems like the perfect summer read. I wish I had fallen more in love with this book than I did. The book takes place over a single night, which is nice - I often like books that span over a short time period, because it gives the author plenty of chances to pay attention to details and really make you love the characters.

The whole New Orleans setting was nicely written. I don't remember the last book I have read with that as the setting, but I really enjoyed reading all of the special details, like the way the buildings were constructed, how lively the Mardi Gras parade was, and even how good the food was.

However, I didn't find myself able to connect to any of the characters in this book, and that was a real bummer for me. Because the book is written to span over the course of a single night, I expected to be wowed by the personality of the two main characters, but I simply wasn't. I couldn't connect to either of the main characters, and to be honest I had a hard time even keeping track of the supporting characters' names, because they didn't have much in the way of identifying traits or personalities.

I knew going into this that it was probably going to be slow paced, due to the short amount of time that goes by in the book, and I was okay with it - I tend to read a lot of books in one day, anyway, so I usually don't mind this. However, I was completely bored while reading the first 60% or so of this book, and I almost DNF'd it because I found if uninteresting. Nothing much happens for the majority of it, except for the two main characters running around and trying to enjoy the celebration before the impending hurricane hits. When the storm starts to pick up, things actually get interesting - the couple spend the night together in an empty hotel and share secrets, etc. It's kind of anti-climactic, but it does have the whole sweet romance going for it, so I was easily able to enjoy it a little more after that mark.

The writing is really pretty - the way things are described kind of makes you feel like you're actually in New Orleans, but after a while, I found myself skimming over some of the more descriptive parts because while it was really nice, it didn't add much to the story and got a little repetitive after a while.

All in all, if you're looking for a summery read, this might be a good one to check out. It definitely would be a great read for a rainy summer night with a cup of tea (or lemonade, depending on your beverage of choice), but unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.

Note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the evening of the Mid-Summer Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. Julie runs away from everyone she knows because she needs time on her own and space to breathe and is being swept up in the party atmosphere. There she meets someone wonderful, he has blue hair and they instantly feel a connection. Julie calls him Miles. They don't know anything about each other, but it feels like they've always been friends.

In the whirlwind of the celebrations Julie thinks about her brother. When he came home from the army he was damaged because of the atrocities of the war he fought in. He doesn't talk and Julie doesn't know who he is any longer. In the arms of Miles Julie can forget everything that happened to her, which is exactly what she needs. She and Miles are having a great time. Only then the festivities in New Orleans come to an abrupt halt. A storm suddenly becomes a hurricane and now they have to fight for their lives.

Even if the Sky Falls is a fast-paced story about two strangers who instantly like each other. I'm a big fan of stories about love at first sight and immediately loved this story. Everyone in New Orleans is dressed up, they're dancing and they're having a good time. Mia Garcia perfectly describes the beauty and the chaos of the event. Her vivid descriptions make the city come to life very well. Julie and Miles are perfect together which makes it believable that they fall in love so quickly. Of course Mardi Gras enhances feelings and possibilities which is the perfect basis for an intense romantic story.

After the dancing comes the storm. The transition felt natural, but at the same time it's shocking that something that's so much fun can turn into something that's really scary so easily. I liked how Mia Garcia uses that contrast to write about strong emotions. The story is a rollercoaster of events and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I had find out what would happen next as fast as I could and let myself be sucked into the feverish tempo completely. Even if the Sky Falls is a real page-turner and at the same time it's romantic and sweet, which is a fabulous combination. I absolutely loved this fantastic unique story.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

This is a really cute story about two teenagers who meet on the night of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and spend the rest of the night together, exploring the city and learning about each other but leaving their baggage behind.

This had a lot of potential and I really loved the setting. New Orleans really just drags me in, I love the way in every book it comes alive and almost has a personality of its own. There is always a huge sense of living in the moment and not taking things for granted and i felt it in this book too with a city and its people that had to build it and themselves back up after Hurricane Katrina but didn't let anything keep them down. The book is full of energy and fun and this is pretty much all it was. Julie and 'Miles' were a bit of an insta-love connection, and the chemistry was there but the way they sucked into each other straight away was a bit implausible at times. I kind of just had to accept it to have fun with the rest of the story. I did feel like this must have been the longest night ever as so much stuff seemed to happen, it was a bit unreal at times.

I think this book would actually make a really cute 'chick flick/romance' movie as with the combination of the setting and the adventures and the 'tragic' backstories (which weren't actually that tragic and seemed like it was being blown out of proportion) but as a book it didn't quite do it for me.

[Kaitlyn Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, a good friend of mine is the author...and her book is amazing!! I totally fell in love with New Orleans and the journey the characters took! You will get swept away with this read :)

[Margarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whirlwind romance, a once in a life time adventure, a story of friendship, love and this above all: to thine own self be true. I fell instantly in love!

[Alicia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why this was on my TBR- perhaps with a setting as rich as New Orleans, maybe it was about war/PTSD, maybe it was the religious aspect. All were present but none of it came together to create an engaging read. The main character comes from a Christian family and is in New Orleans for a retreat. She has flashbacks to her brother returning from war with PTSD and the struggles they had as a family. She also falls into an insta-romance with a boy after she "escapes" the home-build on the retreat and enters a summer Mardi Gras festival.

All of these things never connected with me in a meaningful way and the language wasn't rich enough to detail the city as setting as character to engage me either. Disappointed.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was awarded the 'Hot Under the Cover Award' in Epic Reads 2016 Book Shimmy Awards. While the romance was nice, the fact that the main character absconds from her church group to have a solo adventure and turns her phone off after the predictable litany of 'where are you' and 'are you okay' texts from the church group leader, her parents etc really made me angry. I get teens are somewhat selfish etc, but a simple 'i'm fine will get back to you later' or something to her parents at least would have still let the story continue without her being recklessly inconsiderate and self centered.

[𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚⋆. · ⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not what I hoped for, at all... Might just say that there were good parts, but the boring ones outweighed more. I'm sorry. I really wanted to at least like this one, but I just wanted it to be over already! It was too... unrealistic? I don't know...

Anyways, I read it, mission accomplished.

[vic · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing!!!!