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Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies
Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow in this paranormal suspense novel about a boy who can reach inside people and steal their innermost things—fears, memories, scars, even love—and his family's secret ritual that for centuries has kept the cliff above their small town from collapsing.
Aspen Quick has never really worried about how he's affecting people when he steals from them. But this summer he'll discover just how strong the Quick family magic is—and how far they'll go to keep their secrets safe.
With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won't see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are.
Aspen Quick has never really worried about how he's affecting people when he steals from them. But this summer he'll discover just how strong the Quick family magic is—and how far they'll go to keep their secrets safe.
With a smart, arrogant protagonist, a sinister family tradition, and an ending you won't see coming, this is a fast-paced, twisty story about power, addiction, and deciding what kind of person you want to be, in a family that has the ability to control everything you are.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2016
49 people are currently reading
3795 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Ribar
5 books221 followersLindsay Ribar lives in New York City, where she works in book publishing by day and writes YA novels by night. She attends far too many concerts, watches far too much nerdy TV, and consumes fanfiction like it's made out of chocolate. She is fond of wine, cheese, and countries where they speak English with cool accents.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 375 reviews
June 3, 2016
Pitched as Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow, I was immediately sold. Yes, please! It ends up being a really fun, suspenseful, original YA with a great dose of magical realism. Other’s describe it as paranormal. I think that could steer some readers wrong as it is paranormal in the sense that there are powers beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding, but it’s not ghosts or anything like that.
Aspen Quick and his family have the ability to reach inside people and steal what ultimately makes someone who they are - memories, fears, motivations, feelings, ideas, personality traits, etc. They use their “gift” to protect the town, which in their eyes justifies what they are doing. A cliff above their small town will crumble and crush them all if the Quick family doesn’t use their ability to perform a magical ritual keeping the cliff satisfied. Eventually things come to a head when Aspen begins to question the truth about his family, the cliff, and his cousin’s death that happened months prior.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a great exploration of the meaning of free will and if sacrifice for the greater good is really worth it. Lindsay Ribar created a vivid world truly bringing the setting to life. I enjoyed how different this was from anything else out there. The ending felt realistic in that the author didn’t wrap everything up in a nice neat bow. I preferred it this way. I’m excited to see what she does next.
Our main protagonist, Aspen, is male and falls a bit on the unlikable side due to his arrogance. He’s quite selfish often choosing to use his “gift” to manipulate things or people for his benefit. Luckily Aspen gets some excellent character development throughout making him somewhat redeemable.
It’s interesting to think of who we would or would not be without certain characteristics we may have. Would I still be the same person if you took some of the “bad” traits out of my personality? Or the good? This book also makes you ponder whether good intentions are enough to justify a means. There’s the discussions of power and free will. Really..this was such a thought-provoking book. I appreciated the themes and lessons portrayed throughout. It sparked some deep thoughts that led to wonderful discussions on such topics.
Aspen Quick and his family have the ability to reach inside people and steal what ultimately makes someone who they are - memories, fears, motivations, feelings, ideas, personality traits, etc. They use their “gift” to protect the town, which in their eyes justifies what they are doing. A cliff above their small town will crumble and crush them all if the Quick family doesn’t use their ability to perform a magical ritual keeping the cliff satisfied. Eventually things come to a head when Aspen begins to question the truth about his family, the cliff, and his cousin’s death that happened months prior.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a great exploration of the meaning of free will and if sacrifice for the greater good is really worth it. Lindsay Ribar created a vivid world truly bringing the setting to life. I enjoyed how different this was from anything else out there. The ending felt realistic in that the author didn’t wrap everything up in a nice neat bow. I preferred it this way. I’m excited to see what she does next.
Our main protagonist, Aspen, is male and falls a bit on the unlikable side due to his arrogance. He’s quite selfish often choosing to use his “gift” to manipulate things or people for his benefit. Luckily Aspen gets some excellent character development throughout making him somewhat redeemable.
It’s interesting to think of who we would or would not be without certain characteristics we may have. Would I still be the same person if you took some of the “bad” traits out of my personality? Or the good? This book also makes you ponder whether good intentions are enough to justify a means. There’s the discussions of power and free will. Really..this was such a thought-provoking book. I appreciated the themes and lessons portrayed throughout. It sparked some deep thoughts that led to wonderful discussions on such topics.
February 15, 2021
I'll be upfront with you : If you can't stand unlikeable MCs, you may want to steer clear of this book.*
While we're at it, I need to point that the Paranormal label is misleading in my opinion : Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies (how's that for an awesome title?!) reads more like a coming-of-age/mystery novel with important magical-realism elements (I know, it looks complicated XD). Look, I'm the first to say that genres aren't important and that we shouldn't choose our books because of some marketing categorization, and I still stand by it, but going into this book expecting some action-packed plot and detailed world-building would only lead to disappointment.
What is it about, then? Well. Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies primarily deals with Aspen's character growth and what it means to be who we are. All the tiny traits that define us.... What if they'd been stolen? At which point do we stop being ourselves?
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies (I do love this title, sorry) can also count on its captivating mystery to keep the tension growing.
But mostly, it's about following Aspen while he's busy being an asshole. No, really. Trust me on this. At first I thought, oh, hey, he reminds me of Cassel**, arrogant but sarcastic and I love his voice? Then he did something and I was all -
DON'T YOU DARE!!!
*Yell and throw my hands out in a frustrated fashion*
But then, his voice was still compelling? Sorry? Still, every time that *insert swearing terms* decision was mentioned I felt icky. I mentioned character growth, and yes, there is, but don't go in there expecting that Aspen will become a nice guy at 20%. Or 50%, for that matter. I'm not even sure he is a nice guy in the end - but I'll come back to that.
If I take a close look at his flaws, I genuinely can't fathom how and why I was able to stand him. The guy pushed All. My. Buttons. Every time I thought that I would be able to get past some shitty decision he took, he had to go and - Ugh. Facepalm and swearing ensued.
Yet the thing is, his behavior was believable : it rang so, so true.
See, Aspen's family has an original power : all of them are able to reach into someone - anyone - and steal a part of them for their own benefit : their sight, their ability to do Math, their sadness, their memories - you name it. Grade-A thieves, the bunch of them. Granted, the first purpose of their power is to prevent the cliff from Three Peaks, their town, to fall and well, kill everyone. But would they be humans if they didn't use this amazing power in their everyday life? Of course they wouldn't.
We love reading about magical characters who are so selfless and genuine and martyrs and nice and kind and... really? Who are we kidding? No matter how insufferable Aspen was, oh my gosh, that was so much more believable and - hate me for this but - so satisfying. A teenager, who grew up with the ability to (basically) manipulate people, ever since he was a toddler?! Of course he's an arrogant asshole! It doesn't mean that I love these parts of him, but they make sense, even if the guy is an hypocrite piece of shit.
Yet more and more along the way, we start getting the impression that something... isn't quite right. Is Aspen genuinely clueless, delusional or a damn SOCIOPATH?
What? The guy can't be bothered with empathy, or so it seems.
About that : (do not read before finishing the book)
Most of all, I loved that Aspen's character development was slow and incomplete, because no matter what romance novels tell us, a complete 360 in someone's personality isn't really a thing. Also, he really made me laugh. Oops.
The relative predictability - I guessed one major plot point early on - actually HELPED me to enjoy the book better, but that doesn't mean that I saw everything coming : I did not. So many lies, really : the questions surrounding Aspen's family made for the most unsettling mystery, keeping me eager to turn the pages, because I really, really needed to know if I was right. Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies was thoroughly engrossing and fascinating, albeit disturbing. As I said, though, it was certainly not an action-packed novel, and there were many random everyday life events pictured (including romance, but...). I couldn't stop reading all the same.
The ending wasn't wrapped in a neat bow but I thought that its honesty suited the book perfectly : Some readers can find it unsatisfying, but for me Lindsay Ribar couldn't have taken a better decision.
Add a compelling writing, and you get an unputdownable book. A weird, but thought-provoking one, for which I developed a strange fondness.
*Yes, in the end, I cared about him anyway. Sigh.
**There were similarities with White Cat, by the way. They didn't bother me, but they were here.
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October 9, 2015
ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES: A PLAYLIST
1. Lonely Boy (The Black Keys)
2. Girl That You Love (Panic! at the Disco)
3. Turn It Around (Lucius)
4. Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons)
5. Hurricane (MS MR)
6. I Will Never Die (Delta Rae)
7. Oh Glory (Panic! at the Disco)
8. The Great Unknown (Jukebox the Ghost)
1. Lonely Boy (The Black Keys)
2. Girl That You Love (Panic! at the Disco)
3. Turn It Around (Lucius)
4. Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons)
5. Hurricane (MS MR)
6. I Will Never Die (Delta Rae)
7. Oh Glory (Panic! at the Disco)
8. The Great Unknown (Jukebox the Ghost)
November 29, 2021
Aspen Quick can reach into people and remove things from them, literally separate out parts of their personality or even physical aspects like a mole or freckles, and make it like those things were never there. He can also choose to absorb those things he steals from others into himself.
The whole of the Quick family wields this magic, this ability to "reach" into others, but it is particularly strong in Aspen. The Quick family is rooted in the town of Three Peaks in upstate New York, where for generations at least some of them have lived and, in secret, regularly performed a ritual where they take some of what they steal from others and use it to prevent the Cliff that rises over the town from falling.
Given the nature of his ability it's not particularly surprising that Aspen is not your standard disaffected teenage boy, but has a whole other layer of selfishness and apparent lack of empathy to his personality. He doesn't seem to think twice about reaching into people and taking things from them to adjust his own life for the better, with little thought for how that might affect the person who has now lost something.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a great coming of age story with a bit of a mystery to it as, during a summer vacation in Three Peaks, Aspen slowly comes to realize that his family is not what he thought, and that there are secrets being kept that could change his life. Ribar has done an excellent job with the characters in the story, Aspen in particular. Aspen starts out as a mostly unlikeable protagonist, and while he doesn't undergo a magical transformation of personality, he does gain some self-awareness and at least the potential to change.
I said in my review for Silver on the Road recently that magical realism books are touch and go for me, but maybe I need to rethink that because lately they seem to have been a go. If you like YA contemporary with strong elements of magical realism, this is definitely a book you should try.
The whole of the Quick family wields this magic, this ability to "reach" into others, but it is particularly strong in Aspen. The Quick family is rooted in the town of Three Peaks in upstate New York, where for generations at least some of them have lived and, in secret, regularly performed a ritual where they take some of what they steal from others and use it to prevent the Cliff that rises over the town from falling.
Given the nature of his ability it's not particularly surprising that Aspen is not your standard disaffected teenage boy, but has a whole other layer of selfishness and apparent lack of empathy to his personality. He doesn't seem to think twice about reaching into people and taking things from them to adjust his own life for the better, with little thought for how that might affect the person who has now lost something.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a great coming of age story with a bit of a mystery to it as, during a summer vacation in Three Peaks, Aspen slowly comes to realize that his family is not what he thought, and that there are secrets being kept that could change his life. Ribar has done an excellent job with the characters in the story, Aspen in particular. Aspen starts out as a mostly unlikeable protagonist, and while he doesn't undergo a magical transformation of personality, he does gain some self-awareness and at least the potential to change.
I said in my review for Silver on the Road recently that magical realism books are touch and go for me, but maybe I need to rethink that because lately they seem to have been a go. If you like YA contemporary with strong elements of magical realism, this is definitely a book you should try.
June 18, 2016
I strongly suspect that a title like Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies will make just about everyone grab this book from the shelf. It’s a title that demands attention, but luckily for us (and for debut author Lindsey Ribar) the rest of the book absolutely deserves it. Closer to magical realism than just about anything else, this debut title is funny, quirky and unique.
The story is told by a 17-year-old boy from a family with magical abilities. Member’s of Aspen’s family can reach into people and take things – feelings, affinities, personality traits and even physical characteristic. They do it mostly to keep the Cliff from falling and destroying the inhabitants of Three Peaks. They can also use it for personal gain, the only rule being that they can’t turn on each other.
Our narrator Aspen is no hero. He’s quite the opposite, in fact. His moral compass is seriously malfunctioning and it continually leads him to highly questionable choices. It doesn’t take more than a few pages for us to understand that Aspen won’t be an easy one to like. As he sits and gleefully watches his best friends breaking up, we have to reach deep into ourselves to find some sympathy and understanding. And yet, Aspen turns our feelings around unusually fast. He doesn’t change his personality, if anything he keeps making more and more mistakes, but his dry humor and his almost childlike understanding of his own powers makes him somehow dear to us despite our best efforts. Power corrupts, of course, and when you’ve had such immense power from early childhood and no one strong enough to teach you right from wrong, you can’t become anything other than an anti-hero.
Aspen does a lot of harm along the way, but it does it almost like a child handling his father’s gun, with no real grasp of the consequences. Still, he isn’t entirely blameless and most of his use of magic is absolutely self-serving. Ribar doesn’t offer easy fixes, not even at the end of Aspen’s journey. She merely gives us hope that he might approach things differently in the future.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is unusual from start to finish, filled with original ideas and flawless execution. Ribar’s teenagers are true teens and she doesn’t shy away from them. They engage in casual sex and they drink at every available opportunity. The story is completely free of any type of moralizing, be it about drinking, sex or Aspen’s reckless actions. Things just are, as they are in life, and just like in life, there are no clean solutions.
July 28, 2024
Прилична, но не особено оригинална YA история.
Срещал съм подобен сюжет в разказа на Орсън Скот Кард - "Око за око". Там той е една идея по-мрачно и по-добре развит.
Не знам защо, но в синопсиса на книгата са я преразказали почти напълно, добре че не го прочетох предварително... 🤯
Срещал съм подобен сюжет в разказа на Орсън Скот Кард - "Око за око". Там той е една идея по-мрачно и по-добре развит.
Не знам защо, но в синопсиса на книгата са я преразказали почти напълно, добре че не го прочетох предварително... 🤯
May 18, 2016
Very different from anything I've read before, in a good way. I liked how the MC developed in particular, and that the story keeps you guessing. Review to come.
But I gotta say, women writers are ON FIRE this year with the sly digs at Jonathan Franzen. *insert smirk emoji*
But I gotta say, women writers are ON FIRE this year with the sly digs at Jonathan Franzen. *insert smirk emoji*
November 17, 2017
Напоследък все попадам на някакви странни книги, които са извън зоната ми на комфорт и тази не прави изключение. Нямах никакви очаквания, защото я грабнах от книжарницата без да съм чела анотацията, само защото заглавието ме впечатли. И в крайна сметка ми хареса.
Това е една книга, в която едно семейство има магически способности, но чрез тях пази града от рухването на скалата над него. Тези способности се изразяват в крадене - да, точно крадене. Могат да откраднат спомени, мисли, чувства, физически белези и всичко в името скалата да си стои на мястото. На пръв поглед много благородно начинание, докато всъщност не се оказва, че те крадат и за себе си. Четох няколко коментара, които определят главният герой Аспън като "задник", но аз не мисля така. То е 17-т годишен тинейджър влюбил се за първи път и в някаква степен използва магическите си способности, за да се добере до момичето, което харесва - Бранди. Само, че всеки път се бори със себе си дали е правилно или не е да го прави, т.е. ако беше наистина задник, той щеше да действа със замах без да се замисля. В книгата има доста житейски разсъждения за това, кое е редно или не е редно и колко човек, който има такива способности трябва да действа в своя изгода. И все пак, когато в един момент Аспън разбира, че има начин да премахне магията си, той не се поколебава да действа. Иска да живее като нормално момче без това бреме. Той израства доста като характер и според мен действията му бяха на доста зряло ниво. Така, че аз го харесах като герой. :)
Това е една книга, в която едно семейство има магически способности, но чрез тях пази града от рухването на скалата над него. Тези способности се изразяват в крадене - да, точно крадене. Могат да откраднат спомени, мисли, чувства, физически белези и всичко в името скалата да си стои на мястото. На пръв поглед много благородно начинание, докато всъщност не се оказва, че те крадат и за себе си. Четох няколко коментара, които определят главният герой Аспън като "задник", но аз не мисля така. То е 17-т годишен тинейджър влюбил се за първи път и в някаква степен използва магическите си способности, за да се добере до момичето, което харесва - Бранди. Само, че всеки път се бори със себе си дали е правилно или не е да го прави, т.е. ако беше наистина задник, той щеше да действа със замах без да се замисля. В книгата има доста житейски разсъждения за това, кое е редно или не е редно и колко човек, който има такива способности трябва да действа в своя изгода. И все пак, когато в един момент Аспън разбира, че има начин да премахне магията си, той не се поколебава да действа. Иска да живее като нормално момче без това бреме. Той израства доста като характер и според мен действията му бяха на доста зряло ниво. Така, че аз го харесах като герой. :)
August 20, 2016
This book broke me. And not in the good way. Can I give a book negative stars? Please? Cause this one gets all the negative stars.
This review is not going to be coherent. Sorry, but I'm not sorry. It has literally reduced to me to wanting to curl up in the corner and cry.
Also, spoilers (and swearing) ahoy!
Let me numerate my issues with this book:
1) Why the fuck did they compare this book's setting to Stars Hollow? There is nothing remotely the same about Stars Hollow and the town where this book is set (god, did we ever get a name of the town? I may have blacked out.) There are no crazy, but loving, supporting characters in this book. I'm not convinced there were actual characters in this book. There's a lake in the book - Stars Hollow doesn't have a lake. Look, just say that the setting is a small town. Don't get people's hopes up that the town is similar to Stars Hollow. Because you are a Lying Liar who Lies and who just took a shit on my childhood.
2) Sluty McAsshole, er, Aspen Quick. He is the douchest douche bag to ever come out of Male Chauvinist Land. He takes away people's feelings/emotions without consent and is okay with that. He sleeps with his bff's ex-girlfriend (and oh, hey, he's the reason they broke up. Aspen took away their feelings for each other) and THEN PROCEEDS TO CHEAT ON HER WITH ANOTHER GIRL. WAY TO BE CLASSY, ASSHOLE. (Don't worry, girlfriend breaks up with Aspen when she learns about his Powers AND THEN WE NEVER HEAR FROM HER AGAIN. Did she make it home? I don't know. Does she ever forgive Aspen? I don't know. Was she abducted by aliens? WHO THE FUCK KNOWS. The main focus of the plot for the first 150 or so pages JUST FUCKING UP AND LEAVES AND WHO THE FUCK CARES.) However, when Aspen finds out that his memories/emotions have been tampered with, oh-ho! That's a Problem. And Aspen gets pissed at the person who would dare take away his precious memories. But, no worries, not two pages later, Aspen's back to his old tricks - he magically gives his neck pain to a gymnast. Fucking asshole. The last time I was so thoroughly annoyed by such a useless main character I was reading Twilight.
3) The climax. Where in the matter of about, oh, five pages, Aspen goes from sleeping around and being upset because all the girls in his life don't want to be his friend because he keeps stealing their memories/emotions/freckles to I'MMA STOP THE FAMILY CURSE. OH, I'VE FIGURED OUT THE CURSE. I'VE SOLVED THE CURSE AND KILLED MY NOT-GRANDMA (more on that shit in a minute). Seriously, I got whiplash at how fast Aspen decided to give a fuck about something.
4) Grandma Willow. And no, not the freaking awesome tree from Pocahontas. So, Aspen starts off the book thinking she's his grandma. Only, turns out, she isn't. Real granny is dead. Terribly sad. This grandma? Is from the 1690s and is only staying alive because she made a magic deal with the Cliffs that border Not-Stars Hollow after she was crushed to death. Look, I read the damn book and it still doesn't make a lick of sense.
5) There is no resolution in this book. We have the climax AND BOOM, BOOK IS OVER, YOU CAN GO HOME NOW. I kind of felt like someone who was on a roller coaster and the roller coaster didn't stop at the end of the ride; it just plowed through a brick wall and there was an explosion and now I'm dead. The end.
This review is not going to be coherent. Sorry, but I'm not sorry. It has literally reduced to me to wanting to curl up in the corner and cry.
Also, spoilers (and swearing) ahoy!
Let me numerate my issues with this book:
1) Why the fuck did they compare this book's setting to Stars Hollow? There is nothing remotely the same about Stars Hollow and the town where this book is set (god, did we ever get a name of the town? I may have blacked out.) There are no crazy, but loving, supporting characters in this book. I'm not convinced there were actual characters in this book. There's a lake in the book - Stars Hollow doesn't have a lake. Look, just say that the setting is a small town. Don't get people's hopes up that the town is similar to Stars Hollow. Because you are a Lying Liar who Lies and who just took a shit on my childhood.
2) Sluty McAsshole, er, Aspen Quick. He is the douchest douche bag to ever come out of Male Chauvinist Land. He takes away people's feelings/emotions without consent and is okay with that. He sleeps with his bff's ex-girlfriend (and oh, hey, he's the reason they broke up. Aspen took away their feelings for each other) and THEN PROCEEDS TO CHEAT ON HER WITH ANOTHER GIRL. WAY TO BE CLASSY, ASSHOLE. (Don't worry, girlfriend breaks up with Aspen when she learns about his Powers AND THEN WE NEVER HEAR FROM HER AGAIN. Did she make it home? I don't know. Does she ever forgive Aspen? I don't know. Was she abducted by aliens? WHO THE FUCK KNOWS. The main focus of the plot for the first 150 or so pages JUST FUCKING UP AND LEAVES AND WHO THE FUCK CARES.) However, when Aspen finds out that his memories/emotions have been tampered with, oh-ho! That's a Problem. And Aspen gets pissed at the person who would dare take away his precious memories. But, no worries, not two pages later, Aspen's back to his old tricks - he magically gives his neck pain to a gymnast. Fucking asshole. The last time I was so thoroughly annoyed by such a useless main character I was reading Twilight.
3) The climax. Where in the matter of about, oh, five pages, Aspen goes from sleeping around and being upset because all the girls in his life don't want to be his friend because he keeps stealing their memories/emotions/freckles to I'MMA STOP THE FAMILY CURSE. OH, I'VE FIGURED OUT THE CURSE. I'VE SOLVED THE CURSE AND KILLED MY NOT-GRANDMA (more on that shit in a minute). Seriously, I got whiplash at how fast Aspen decided to give a fuck about something.
4) Grandma Willow. And no, not the freaking awesome tree from Pocahontas. So, Aspen starts off the book thinking she's his grandma. Only, turns out, she isn't. Real granny is dead. Terribly sad. This grandma? Is from the 1690s and is only staying alive because she made a magic deal with the Cliffs that border Not-Stars Hollow after she was crushed to death. Look, I read the damn book and it still doesn't make a lick of sense.
5) There is no resolution in this book. We have the climax AND BOOM, BOOK IS OVER, YOU CAN GO HOME NOW. I kind of felt like someone who was on a roller coaster and the roller coaster didn't stop at the end of the ride; it just plowed through a brick wall and there was an explosion and now I'm dead. The end.
March 20, 2021
Спойлер:
История за един гъзоподобен малък подлец, който краде, откакто се помни, следвайки стъпките на също толкова подлото си крадливо семейство Куик, докато накрая не осъзнава, че да св краде е лошо. Щях да дам 3 звезди (тъй като книгата ми хареса), но реших, че "Камъните падат, всички умират" си заслужи 3.5 звезди, понеже не е лесно да решиш да започнеш всичко отначало, особено когато си крадлив-на-тате-глезльото, свикнал да се придвижва винаги по тънката лайсна. А и наистина е яко да четеш история за себичен малък негодник, който още не е разбрал, че е себичен малък негодник.
История за един гъзоподобен малък подлец, който краде, откакто се помни, следвайки стъпките на също толкова подлото си крадливо семейство Куик, докато накрая не осъзнава, че да св краде е лошо. Щях да дам 3 звезди (тъй като книгата ми хареса), но реших, че "Камъните падат, всички умират" си заслужи 3.5 звезди, понеже не е лесно да решиш да започнеш всичко отначало, особено когато си крадлив-на-тате-глезльото, свикнал да се придвижва винаги по тънката лайсна. А и наистина е яко да четеш история за себичен малък негодник, който още не е разбрал, че е себичен малък негодник.
August 2, 2017
Actual review: 2.5 stars
First things first, I hated the characters, basically every single one of them, except Leah. Leah was really the only one I liked. But the rest of them either had extremely unlikable personalities and characteristics, or they were completely flat.
The only thing that made me want to finish this book was the plot. It was a well thought out, interestingly different plot. For me, the plot is what made a book with 1 star characters into a 2.5 star book.
Next, the ending. I might have made this review 3-3.5 stars had the ending been a little bit better. The climax and lead up to the climax was great and I was totally into it. But after the climax, it all just felt rushed and I was confused as to what Aspen was doing. I feel like this part needed to be a little longer and more explained. I would have liked to know how the confrontation with his dad went, what's in store with Leah, and just the overall effects of the events in the climax. It was just too rushed for me.
And finally, I would have liked a better story for Theo and Brandy. I don't hate these 2 as much, however, they were very flat. I wish they could have had a better story line and just a better ending. It's sad to say that I was more interested in these 2 and what they were going to do after they left than I was in Aspen's stupid little life.
But that's the end of my rant on this book. I tried to avoid spoilers for those who do want to read it.
First things first, I hated the characters, basically every single one of them, except Leah. Leah was really the only one I liked. But the rest of them either had extremely unlikable personalities and characteristics, or they were completely flat.
The only thing that made me want to finish this book was the plot. It was a well thought out, interestingly different plot. For me, the plot is what made a book with 1 star characters into a 2.5 star book.
Next, the ending. I might have made this review 3-3.5 stars had the ending been a little bit better. The climax and lead up to the climax was great and I was totally into it. But after the climax, it all just felt rushed and I was confused as to what Aspen was doing. I feel like this part needed to be a little longer and more explained. I would have liked to know how the confrontation with his dad went, what's in store with Leah, and just the overall effects of the events in the climax. It was just too rushed for me.
And finally, I would have liked a better story for Theo and Brandy. I don't hate these 2 as much, however, they were very flat. I wish they could have had a better story line and just a better ending. It's sad to say that I was more interested in these 2 and what they were going to do after they left than I was in Aspen's stupid little life.
But that's the end of my rant on this book. I tried to avoid spoilers for those who do want to read it.
January 16, 2018
Нелоша тийн книга, която освен това си е и page-turner. Забелязах, че читателите ѝ дружно рейджват срещу главния герой, а се басирам, че ако притежаваха неговите способности, щяха да постъпват баш като него ;) Или поне в повечето случаи. Всъщност задникът не е Аспън, а . Да си знаете.
March 26, 2018
По-скоро бих казала 2,5 звезди. Не беше моята книга, но пък краят беше неочакван.
May 27, 2016
An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
Weird and different and weirdly different. That about sums up this book. It's quirky AF, but perfect for a reader like me who's pretty much read it all and ready for an odd little novel like this. Also, to be fair, I would consider it more magical realism than outright paranormal. And for most readers, it probably will seem suspenseful, but with regards to that "ending you won't see coming"...I totally did. Way, way, way before I was supposed to...and yet it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story one bit. Probably because it didn't make the story predictable; I simply understood something early on that made everything else make a whole lot more sense.
This book is really off the beaten path. It started off slow but as my theory came to fruition, I couldn't put the book down. The protagonist is from a family of thieves, but what they steal will never be missed. The family justifies their theft of feelings and personality traits by using their gift to protect the town from the cliff that looms above them. And that suits Aspen fine until he meets a townie who makes him question the truth about his family and his cousin's tragic death months earlier.
Aspen is kind of a prick when the story begins, every bit the "smart, arrogant protagonist" he's described as in the summary, and he remains such for the better part of the book. He doesn't know the people making the sacrifices for the greater good, and so he shrugs off any guilt he might feel. He's very talented, too, but he doesn't just use his gift with respect to the cliff. He's but a mere visitor to Three Peaks, but he's been using the gift all his life: on his friends, to get out of trouble, even to sober up after a night of drinking. But never on family.
When using the gift on the love of his life starts to have repercussions, Aspen has to reevaluate his actions. Especially when he realizes that someone he trusted has been using their gift on him...all his life. He goes through a crisis of conscience, worrying about the people he's changed and his own free will and who he might have been, had his own personality not been altered. And I've got to admit, the drastic change in his demeanor endeared him to me.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a clever and introspective look at free will and sacrifice and family. It's not for everybody and it doesn't wrap up perfectly, but it does end on a hopeful note. If you like shrewdly different stories, this book might be up your alley...or take you down the path less traveled. (Watch out for falling rocks!) Either way, it's an excellent read.
GIF it to me straight:
Weird and different and weirdly different. That about sums up this book. It's quirky AF, but perfect for a reader like me who's pretty much read it all and ready for an odd little novel like this. Also, to be fair, I would consider it more magical realism than outright paranormal. And for most readers, it probably will seem suspenseful, but with regards to that "ending you won't see coming"...I totally did. Way, way, way before I was supposed to...and yet it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story one bit. Probably because it didn't make the story predictable; I simply understood something early on that made everything else make a whole lot more sense.
This book is really off the beaten path. It started off slow but as my theory came to fruition, I couldn't put the book down. The protagonist is from a family of thieves, but what they steal will never be missed. The family justifies their theft of feelings and personality traits by using their gift to protect the town from the cliff that looms above them. And that suits Aspen fine until he meets a townie who makes him question the truth about his family and his cousin's tragic death months earlier.
Aspen is kind of a prick when the story begins, every bit the "smart, arrogant protagonist" he's described as in the summary, and he remains such for the better part of the book. He doesn't know the people making the sacrifices for the greater good, and so he shrugs off any guilt he might feel. He's very talented, too, but he doesn't just use his gift with respect to the cliff. He's but a mere visitor to Three Peaks, but he's been using the gift all his life: on his friends, to get out of trouble, even to sober up after a night of drinking. But never on family.
When using the gift on the love of his life starts to have repercussions, Aspen has to reevaluate his actions. Especially when he realizes that someone he trusted has been using their gift on him...all his life. He goes through a crisis of conscience, worrying about the people he's changed and his own free will and who he might have been, had his own personality not been altered. And I've got to admit, the drastic change in his demeanor endeared him to me.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a clever and introspective look at free will and sacrifice and family. It's not for everybody and it doesn't wrap up perfectly, but it does end on a hopeful note. If you like shrewdly different stories, this book might be up your alley...or take you down the path less traveled. (Watch out for falling rocks!) Either way, it's an excellent read.
GIF it to me straight:
June 1, 2016
The idea was original, but the book suffered from a severe lack of likeable characters.
Check out my full review on FYA.
Check out my full review on FYA.
May 11, 2021
What a unique concept! I absolutely love the magical realism of this book. There are obvious influences from pagan sacrifice lore peppered throughout the story.
Aspen is a great protagonist in the sense that he’s a typical teenager. He’s not a good person, but he’s funny and has a unique perspective. I think one of the reasons why others didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did is because of how awful of a person Aspen is in the beginning. He justifies using his abilities to further his own goals (mostly getting his best friend’s girlfriend to fall in love with him) and doesn’t care about the consequences. This is a 100% realistic portrayal of power corrupting the young, and just how a teenager would truly react to having this kind of strength.
That said, I would have given this book a much lower rating if Aspen hadn’t evolved through the course of the book’s events. Ribar’s portrayal of his gradual recognition that his power can hurt others and his realization that he should have empathy was incredibly well executed.
That said, the overall plotline was a little underwhelming. I wanted more from this book. The plot of this book reads a little like it would make a fantastic first in a series. I want to dig a lot deeper into this unique and fantastical world that Ribar has created and encounter more moral dilemmas that characters with this original ability might face.
All in all, this is an entertaining, short read (or in my case, listen) and has some deeper themes that will give me something to dwell on until I find my next supernatural thriller to escape into.
Aspen is a great protagonist in the sense that he’s a typical teenager. He’s not a good person, but he’s funny and has a unique perspective. I think one of the reasons why others didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did is because of how awful of a person Aspen is in the beginning. He justifies using his abilities to further his own goals (mostly getting his best friend’s girlfriend to fall in love with him) and doesn’t care about the consequences. This is a 100% realistic portrayal of power corrupting the young, and just how a teenager would truly react to having this kind of strength.
That said, I would have given this book a much lower rating if Aspen hadn’t evolved through the course of the book’s events. Ribar’s portrayal of his gradual recognition that his power can hurt others and his realization that he should have empathy was incredibly well executed.
That said, the overall plotline was a little underwhelming. I wanted more from this book. The plot of this book reads a little like it would make a fantastic first in a series. I want to dig a lot deeper into this unique and fantastical world that Ribar has created and encounter more moral dilemmas that characters with this original ability might face.
All in all, this is an entertaining, short read (or in my case, listen) and has some deeper themes that will give me something to dwell on until I find my next supernatural thriller to escape into.
October 14, 2017
DNF :(
Simplemente no puedo seguir leyendo. La trama es prometedora y el título es genial, pero NO soporto a Aspen. Y no porque sea un antihéroe, hay antihéroes geniales y entretenidos, pero Aspen es como el adolescente más malcriado, egoísta y sin moral que he leído. Y lo peor, es que sé que nunca cambiará ni se arrepentirá de nada.
Lo siento, pero no va conmigo. Solo quiero dispararle.
Simplemente no puedo seguir leyendo. La trama es prometedora y el título es genial, pero NO soporto a Aspen. Y no porque sea un antihéroe, hay antihéroes geniales y entretenidos, pero Aspen es como el adolescente más malcriado, egoísta y sin moral que he leído. Y lo peor, es que sé que nunca cambiará ni se arrepentirá de nada.
Lo siento, pero no va conmigo. Solo quiero dispararle.
October 17, 2017
Хмм, като че ли имах по-различни виждания за тази книга, някак по-фантастични, не чак толкова философски и битово ориентирани честно казано. Не че това направи историята по-лоша, но и не е чак такъв феномен за съжаление. Поне за мен. Има какво да се помисли над героите и действията им, но има и още какво да се пипне, та да те разтресе и накара да не пускаш книгата до самия й край. Нито лоша, нито тотално интригуваща - добра история за един задник (да, Аспън е задник!) :)
July 11, 2016
Initial Impressions 6/12/16: 4 stars
This was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed the magical realism side of it (I think magical realism is probably the best way to describe it, right? Family with abilities that no one else has. I think that's the best categorization).
I was hoping for a bit more sarcasm - just because I love it so much - but there was still some snark and humor there. (I think I was more thinking it'd be a little more "campy" like Hold Me Closer, Necromancer but still a good comp read!)
I was really impressed with how deep the book actually went. It wasn't just something on the surface where it was like, "Here. This family has abilities." There was a deeper story to the Quicks as well as their interactions with everyone in the town.
I also liked that Aspen wasn't a perfect hero character. He had some serious flaws of his own and he mad a few mistakes along the way. He learned from what happened and tried to be a better person after realizing what he had gone through.
I think a little more humor/sarcasm would have really pushed this one a little higher for me but overall, really enjoyed the story quite a bit!
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 7/11/16: As much as I distrust THIS meets THAT comparisons on books, I’m always intrigued when something good pops out at me. When I heard that ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES was Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow, I knew I had to read it. I just love quirky, a little dark, and small town so this book was calling my name!
I haven’t watched Twin Peaks so I can’t say how accurate that comparison is, but I really was hoping for a little bit more of that Gilmore Girls sass, snark, and clever turn of phrases throughout the book. It was entertaining throughout and did have its own sass but it wasn’t quite as snarky and clever as I hate hoped for. The concept itself was clever and the book took a few turns I wasn’t expecting, but I was hoping for a little bit more in the character development based on that comparison alone (hence why I don’t like THIS meets THAT comparisons unless you REALLY mean them).
ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES was a interesting concept! I loved the magical realism concept which was great since magical realism is really hit or miss for me! It was right on that line that dances between magical realism and urban fantasy but I think it really leaned more toward the former since it’s just Aspen’s family with these unique abilities. The way the powers connected to the town and to nature were really great and I love how it seemed fairly straight forward right off the bat… until the book digs deeper and then everything becomes even more meaningful. I loved Lindsay Ribar’s ability to tell a story on so many levels and then bring you even further into the book than you were expecting.
Aspen’s character was wonderfully complex and I appreciated his struggle with morality when it came to using his abilities. Aspen is able to “take” things from people and this could mean many things — a physical feature (such as a mole or scar), a personality trait (competitiveness), or a fondness/affinity (a love of the water). His ability to do these things, especially without the subject’s knowledge, really brings in a level of morality that we never have to worry about contemplating. The magic to “take” gives Aspen a power that’s higher than human will. Even if he takes a thing that a person finds a negative thing about themselves, is removing that fear/embarrassment/ailment making their lives better or simply avoiding a problem that could make them a stronger person? Does he help improve someone’s quality of life or does that change destiny? It was a really interesting moral argument and I especially enjoyed this part of the book!
The characters had a delightful amount of quirk to them. The families were a bit eccentric, the love interest strong and independent, and the history between everyone long and complicated. The small town setting was really fun and I love how it makes everyone’s relationships that much more complicated. I was hoping for just a few more witticisms — mostly because I just had that expectation set up in my mind about the tone of the book — but it was a solid read and I definitely want to read more from Lindsay Ribar!
This was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed the magical realism side of it (I think magical realism is probably the best way to describe it, right? Family with abilities that no one else has. I think that's the best categorization).
I was hoping for a bit more sarcasm - just because I love it so much - but there was still some snark and humor there. (I think I was more thinking it'd be a little more "campy" like Hold Me Closer, Necromancer but still a good comp read!)
I was really impressed with how deep the book actually went. It wasn't just something on the surface where it was like, "Here. This family has abilities." There was a deeper story to the Quicks as well as their interactions with everyone in the town.
I also liked that Aspen wasn't a perfect hero character. He had some serious flaws of his own and he mad a few mistakes along the way. He learned from what happened and tried to be a better person after realizing what he had gone through.
I think a little more humor/sarcasm would have really pushed this one a little higher for me but overall, really enjoyed the story quite a bit!
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 7/11/16: As much as I distrust THIS meets THAT comparisons on books, I’m always intrigued when something good pops out at me. When I heard that ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES was Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow, I knew I had to read it. I just love quirky, a little dark, and small town so this book was calling my name!
I haven’t watched Twin Peaks so I can’t say how accurate that comparison is, but I really was hoping for a little bit more of that Gilmore Girls sass, snark, and clever turn of phrases throughout the book. It was entertaining throughout and did have its own sass but it wasn’t quite as snarky and clever as I hate hoped for. The concept itself was clever and the book took a few turns I wasn’t expecting, but I was hoping for a little bit more in the character development based on that comparison alone (hence why I don’t like THIS meets THAT comparisons unless you REALLY mean them).
ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES was a interesting concept! I loved the magical realism concept which was great since magical realism is really hit or miss for me! It was right on that line that dances between magical realism and urban fantasy but I think it really leaned more toward the former since it’s just Aspen’s family with these unique abilities. The way the powers connected to the town and to nature were really great and I love how it seemed fairly straight forward right off the bat… until the book digs deeper and then everything becomes even more meaningful. I loved Lindsay Ribar’s ability to tell a story on so many levels and then bring you even further into the book than you were expecting.
Aspen’s character was wonderfully complex and I appreciated his struggle with morality when it came to using his abilities. Aspen is able to “take” things from people and this could mean many things — a physical feature (such as a mole or scar), a personality trait (competitiveness), or a fondness/affinity (a love of the water). His ability to do these things, especially without the subject’s knowledge, really brings in a level of morality that we never have to worry about contemplating. The magic to “take” gives Aspen a power that’s higher than human will. Even if he takes a thing that a person finds a negative thing about themselves, is removing that fear/embarrassment/ailment making their lives better or simply avoiding a problem that could make them a stronger person? Does he help improve someone’s quality of life or does that change destiny? It was a really interesting moral argument and I especially enjoyed this part of the book!
The characters had a delightful amount of quirk to them. The families were a bit eccentric, the love interest strong and independent, and the history between everyone long and complicated. The small town setting was really fun and I love how it makes everyone’s relationships that much more complicated. I was hoping for just a few more witticisms — mostly because I just had that expectation set up in my mind about the tone of the book — but it was a solid read and I definitely want to read more from Lindsay Ribar!
September 2, 2018
http://www.writingis.fun/%D1%82%D1%80...
Тази година издателство „Orange Books“ зарадваха читателите си с новото попълнение в семейството им – книгата „Камъните падат, всички умират“ на Линдзи Рибар. Линдзи работи в издателския бизнес през деня и пише YA книги вечер (тя е от онези супергерои, които най-много обичам). Самата тя е огромен Хари Потър фен и има мастилото да го докаже с тематичната си татуировка.
Макар и писателката да има и други написани книги, тази определено грабва повече вниманието на YA читателите с различния си сюжет.
Аспън Куик е едно необикновено момче в един крайно необикновен град.
Да си обикновен е крайно скучно.
Високо над града се извисява огромна скала – там Аспън живее с леля си и баба си. Със срутването си скалата би могла да помете цялото градче под нея. Зачудихте ли се как така тази скала не е паднала през всичките тези години? Много просто – с помощта на Аспън и семейството му. Всички от семейство Куик имат специална дарба – те захранват скалата със спомени, желания, копнежите на хората – извличат ги от предмети оставени под Майското дърво:
Тук всички жители на Три Пийкс оставяха малки подаръчета един път в годината, нещо като знак на… признателност? Отплата? Нещо от сорта. В действителност никога не съм присъствал на тържество в чест на Майското дърво, така че нямах представа какъв е смисълът на тези подаръци. Но знаех, че те остават под дървото, докато семейство Куик – моето семейство – не дойде да ги прибере.
Един вид ги крадат, все едно определените хора никога не са ги притежавали или чувствали. Лесно е да откраднеш спомен от детството на някого, спортния му хъс или любовта му към някого.
В началото на книгата, сигурно и вие като мен, бихте помислили Аспън за пълен егоист – използвайки силите си за щяло и нещяло; за всичко, което би могло да бъде в негова полза. Самият той използва силите си върху приятелите си, за да ги раздели и най-сетне да има шанс с момичето му мечта – толкова лесно е за него.
Но както в ��руги подобни истории – гърнето си намира похлупака – той среща момиче върху, което силите му „не действат“. И така сюжета се завива около Аспън , странното му семейство и необичайното момиче. Най-вече историята следва истината за това, какво се е случило с братовчедка му и защо всички от града мислят, че тя е заминала – след като е била погребана наскоро от семейството му, Аспън е бил даже на погребението й…
Време е Аспън да разбере на какво е готово семейството му, за да опази тайните си.
Три Пийкс беше кръстен така по най-очевидната причина на света: беше малък град в долината, сгушен между приятно релефен терен, ако не броим трите върха, за които не можеше да се каже, че се издигаха особено приятно. Третият беше Скалата. Същата тази Скала, за чието възстановяване бях помогнал едва преди няколко вечери. Същата Скала, която семейство Куик обгрижваха от… ами всъщност не знам откога. Според баба, ако някога престанем да извършваме ритуала на триадата, ще се откърти цяла стена от камъни, ще предизвика лавина надолу по склона, ще помете къщата ни, Майското поле и ще се стовари право върху града, като опустоши всичко по пътя си.
***
Книгата беше доста поглъщащ паронормален съспенс, точно като всичко, което сте прочели за нея в интернет. Признавам, че в началото не бях сигурна, че е моето четиво – но останах странно и приятно изненада. Наистина книгта малко ми напомни на Туйн Пийкс, но без убийствата. Хареса ми как писателката беше избрала да раздели главите от книгата – на събития от миналото на главния герои и такива, които се случват в настоящето. Самото им редуване допълва историята на Аспън, прави картинката пълна и разбулва мъглявата мистерия в началото на книгата. Макар и една идея по-странен от обикновено и напълно различен от всички книги в този жанр, сюжета ме грабна и ми беше трудно да оставя книгата. Лично я прочетох за общо 2 дни – true story. Самата развръзка ме остави напълно без думи и буквално бях като плесната през лицето с мокър парцал. Ето затова ви препоръчвам книгата – увлекателна е, стилът на писателката е интересен – може да ви допадне – и е точно както трябва да си е.
Тази година издателство „Orange Books“ зарадваха читателите си с новото попълнение в семейството им – книгата „Камъните падат, всички умират“ на Линдзи Рибар. Линдзи работи в издателския бизнес през деня и пише YA книги вечер (тя е от онези супергерои, които най-много обичам). Самата тя е огромен Хари Потър фен и има мастилото да го докаже с тематичната си татуировка.
Макар и писателката да има и други написани книги, тази определено грабва повече вниманието на YA читателите с различния си сюжет.
Аспън Куик е едно необикновено момче в един крайно необикновен град.
Да си обикновен е крайно скучно.
Високо над града се извисява огромна скала – там Аспън живее с леля си и баба си. Със срутването си скалата би могла да помете цялото градче под нея. Зачудихте ли се как така тази скала не е паднала през всичките тези години? Много просто – с помощта на Аспън и семейството му. Всички от семейство Куик имат специална дарба – те захранват скалата със спомени, желания, копнежите на хората – извличат ги от предмети оставени под Майското дърво:
Тук всички жители на Три Пийкс оставяха малки подаръчета един път в годината, нещо като знак на… признателност? Отплата? Нещо от сорта. В действителност никога не съм присъствал на тържество в чест на Майското дърво, така че нямах представа какъв е смисълът на тези подаръци. Но знаех, че те остават под дървото, докато семейство Куик – моето семейство – не дойде да ги прибере.
Един вид ги крадат, все едно определените хора никога не са ги притежавали или чувствали. Лесно е да откраднеш спомен от детството на някого, спортния му хъс или любовта му към някого.
В началото на книгата, сигурно и вие като мен, бихте помислили Аспън за пълен егоист – използвайки силите си за щяло и нещяло; за всичко, което би могло да бъде в негова полза. Самият той използва силите си върху приятелите си, за да ги раздели и най-сетне да има шанс с момичето му мечта – толкова лесно е за него.
Но както в ��руги подобни истории – гърнето си намира похлупака – той среща момиче върху, което силите му „не действат“. И така сюжета се завива около Аспън , странното му семейство и необичайното момиче. Най-вече историята следва истината за това, какво се е случило с братовчедка му и защо всички от града мислят, че тя е заминала – след като е била погребана наскоро от семейството му, Аспън е бил даже на погребението й…
Време е Аспън да разбере на какво е готово семейството му, за да опази тайните си.
Три Пийкс беше кръстен така по най-очевидната причина на света: беше малък град в долината, сгушен между приятно релефен терен, ако не броим трите върха, за които не можеше да се каже, че се издигаха особено приятно. Третият беше Скалата. Същата тази Скала, за чието възстановяване бях помогнал едва преди няколко вечери. Същата Скала, която семейство Куик обгрижваха от… ами всъщност не знам откога. Според баба, ако някога престанем да извършваме ритуала на триадата, ще се откърти цяла стена от камъни, ще предизвика лавина надолу по склона, ще помете къщата ни, Майското поле и ще се стовари право върху града, като опустоши всичко по пътя си.
***
Книгата беше доста поглъщащ паронормален съспенс, точно като всичко, което сте прочели за нея в интернет. Признавам, че в началото не бях сигурна, че е моето четиво – но останах странно и приятно изненада. Наистина книгта малко ми напомни на Туйн Пийкс, но без убийствата. Хареса ми как писателката беше избрала да раздели главите от книгата – на събития от миналото на главния герои и такива, които се случват в настоящето. Самото им редуване допълва историята на Аспън, прави картинката пълна и разбулва мъглявата мистерия в началото на книгата. Макар и една идея по-странен от обикновено и напълно различен от всички книги в този жанр, сюжета ме грабна и ми беше трудно да оставя книгата. Лично я прочетох за общо 2 дни – true story. Самата развръзка ме остави напълно без думи и буквално бях като плесната през лицето с мокър парцал. Ето затова ви препоръчвам книгата – увлекателна е, стилът на писателката е интересен – може да ви допадне – и е точно както трябва да си е.
August 7, 2020
Добре, да бъда честен първите 100 страници бяха изключително скучни и не виждах никакъв смисъл в книгата, а за посока на развитие да не говорим. След това обаче се случи някаква магия и историята ми стана интересна.
В нея проследяваме едно необичайно семейство, което има тежката задача, със способностите си, да предотвратява една скала от срутването ѝ. До тук не звучи интересно, но когато навлезете в семейната динамика и разкриете тайните на магията им всъщност се залепяте за страниците.
В началото не бих препоръчал книгата, но сега бих - ако търсите бързо, неангажиращо и магично четиво.
В нея проследяваме едно необичайно семейство, което има тежката задача, със способностите си, да предотвратява една скала от срутването ѝ. До тук не звучи интересно, но когато навлезете в семейната динамика и разкриете тайните на магията им всъщност се залепяте за страниците.
В началото не бих препоръчал книгата, но сега бих - ако търсите бързо, неангажиращо и магично четиво.
November 15, 2017
Айде още малко, айде още малко и те страниците свършиха. Определено се чете бързо и неусетно. Историята ми хареса, беше нещо различно за мен, а Аспън не е чак такъв дявол, на какъвто го оприличават в няколко от ревютата, които прочетох.
January 7, 2018
this was very very weird???
but i think i liked it???
but i think i liked it???
October 23, 2017
Ха, оказа се, че не съм отбелязала тук, че съм прочела книгата :)
Така. Прочетох я поне два пъти и мнението ми не се промени. "Камъните падат, всички умират" е супер YA роман, с готини герои и много чувство за хумор.
Сюжетът ви е ясен (най-вероятно) - Аспън Куик е член на семейство, което притежава способността да краде мисли, чувства и физически белези от останалите и това остана напълно незабелязано. Аспън е тийндейджър, който с лекота постига онова, което иска, защото може да манипулира всеки и по всяко време. Но той не го прави долно или гадно, независимо какво смятат повечето читатели на книгата. Сериозно, бъдете честни. Вие нямаше ли да помогнете на момичето, което харесвате, да види НАИСТИНА колко феноменален сте и да разкара онзи льольо, с когото в момента ходи? Въпросът наистина е спорен, но романът ти дава много време да опознаеш Аспън и да започнеш да го харесваш.
Освен това в картинката се появява Лия, която е книжар в градската книжарница. Тя е супер яка, може да отгатне какво четеш само по дрехите ти и може да накара тийнейджър да прочете "Разказът на прислужницата". Тя ще се окаже твърде специална и Аспън ще се види в чудо с нея. Хо-хо-хо.ДА ЖИВЕЯТ УМНИТЕ И САРКАСТИЧНИ КНИЖАРКИ!
Романът има противоречиви герои, но страхотно послание и последните няколко реда ще ви го докажат.
Мисълта ми е да прочетете "Камъните падат", защото ще ви изкефи. Сто процента.
Така. Прочетох я поне два пъти и мнението ми не се промени. "Камъните падат, всички умират" е супер YA роман, с готини герои и много чувство за хумор.
Сюжетът ви е ясен (най-вероятно) - Аспън Куик е член на семейство, което притежава способността да краде мисли, чувства и физически белези от останалите и това остана напълно незабелязано. Аспън е тийндейджър, който с лекота постига онова, което иска, защото може да манипулира всеки и по всяко време. Но той не го прави долно или гадно, независимо какво смятат повечето читатели на книгата. Сериозно, бъдете честни. Вие нямаше ли да помогнете на момичето, което харесвате, да види НАИСТИНА колко феноменален сте и да разкара онзи льольо, с когото в момента ходи? Въпросът наистина е спорен, но романът ти дава много време да опознаеш Аспън и да започнеш да го харесваш.
Освен това в картинката се появява Лия, която е книжар в градската книжарница. Тя е супер яка, може да отгатне какво четеш само по дрехите ти и може да накара тийнейджър да прочете "Разказът на прислужницата". Тя ще се окаже твърде специална и Аспън ще се види в чудо с нея. Хо-хо-хо.ДА ЖИВЕЯТ УМНИТЕ И САРКАСТИЧНИ КНИЖАРКИ!
Романът има противоречиви герои, но страхотно послание и последните няколко реда ще ви го докажат.
Мисълта ми е да прочетете "Камъните падат", защото ще ви изкефи. Сто процента.
December 12, 2017
Ако сте истински RPG нърд и винаги имате под ръка шепа многостенни зарчета, то няма как автоматично да не грабнете книга със заглавието „Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies”. А ако не сте... е, тогава има доволно много други възможни асоциации с „Камъните падат, всички умират“ (изд. "Orange Books") и положително поне една-две ще ви хрумнат веднага. Във всеки случай, ударното заглавие на романа на Линдзи Рибар със сигурност буди любопитство. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
July 7, 2016
***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
Isn’t the title of this book just great? It’s even awesomer when the author drops it into some of the conversations in the book. But really, this book is amazing. It seems like it would either be full of dark humor or fluff and while it has both, Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is surprisingly dark and wonderfully mysterious. I had to take several breaks throughout because there was so much tension and so much build-up to a really fucking great climax.
Aspen is a great main character and completely unlikeable when you are first introduced to him, but as we find out more about him and his family, we learn more about why he is this way and what made him this way. And of course, not all hope is lost even though Aspen makes some really bad decisions over the course of the novel.
There are some notable secondary characters present but it is Aspen’s relationship with his family members that is most interesting to me. We already know that this family really isn’t normal but as Aspen finds out more about their ritual, we find that nothing is what it seems and that there are even more hidden depths to this family than we first thought.
Ribar also really spends a lot of time making the Quick family truly unique instead of just magical. They aren’t just a family with a secret and magical powers, they have sob stories, differences amongst each other, and significant others who are scared of these powers. Magic does not always equal rainbows and unicorns but also, their magic is actually really cool and interesting and not at all generic.
Lies, secrets and all that fun stuff obviously makes the plot all the more exciting--to the point where there is no coming back. I mean, I put down the book during some really stressful moments but all I could think about was the book and how much I needed to know what would happen next and how this story would unravel.
And it really does unravel. There is nothing easy or clean about how this book concludes and it becomes clear towards the end that there really isn’t an easy solution to all the problems and perhaps a happy ending might not even be possible (but you’ll have to read to find out more about that ;).) I will say that the ending is fitting for the book and not at all disappointing. I would definitely not mind a sequel though.
Basically, if you love mystery and suspense with a dash of complicated families and magic, this book is for YOU. So go forth and devour.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Isn’t the title of this book just great? It’s even awesomer when the author drops it into some of the conversations in the book. But really, this book is amazing. It seems like it would either be full of dark humor or fluff and while it has both, Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is surprisingly dark and wonderfully mysterious. I had to take several breaks throughout because there was so much tension and so much build-up to a really fucking great climax.
Aspen is a great main character and completely unlikeable when you are first introduced to him, but as we find out more about him and his family, we learn more about why he is this way and what made him this way. And of course, not all hope is lost even though Aspen makes some really bad decisions over the course of the novel.
There are some notable secondary characters present but it is Aspen’s relationship with his family members that is most interesting to me. We already know that this family really isn’t normal but as Aspen finds out more about their ritual, we find that nothing is what it seems and that there are even more hidden depths to this family than we first thought.
Ribar also really spends a lot of time making the Quick family truly unique instead of just magical. They aren’t just a family with a secret and magical powers, they have sob stories, differences amongst each other, and significant others who are scared of these powers. Magic does not always equal rainbows and unicorns but also, their magic is actually really cool and interesting and not at all generic.
Lies, secrets and all that fun stuff obviously makes the plot all the more exciting--to the point where there is no coming back. I mean, I put down the book during some really stressful moments but all I could think about was the book and how much I needed to know what would happen next and how this story would unravel.
And it really does unravel. There is nothing easy or clean about how this book concludes and it becomes clear towards the end that there really isn’t an easy solution to all the problems and perhaps a happy ending might not even be possible (but you’ll have to read to find out more about that ;).) I will say that the ending is fitting for the book and not at all disappointing. I would definitely not mind a sequel though.
Basically, if you love mystery and suspense with a dash of complicated families and magic, this book is for YOU. So go forth and devour.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 13, 2016
I was intrigued by this book when I first learned about it. Nevermind the Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow comparison, a magical realism and paranormal mystery with a crazy family dynamic.... yes, please. And this book did not disappoint. It was weird in the best possible way and one of the most unique YA fantasies I have read in awhile.
I think my favorite thing about this book was the magical realism aspects. It's a subgenre of fantasy that I have really enjoyed lately and I loved it here. The magical system was so interesting an unique. Like all good magic systems it had clear rules and guidelines but was something all it's own. What I really liked is that it explored the idea of whether or not magic helps or harms. I loved seeing the magic in effect and learning more about it as the book developed.
And it's a good thing that I enjoyed the magic because it was very much a part of the plot of the book. And a great plot it was too. Great and weird. It's one of the most unique books I have read in awhile. It was so enthralling that I could not stop reading it. Not to mention that it slowly built to an absolutely thrilling conclusion. It effortlessly combined the magic and mystery to create something so compelling.
But it also effortlessly built in a fascinating family dynamic. That was the real drama with this book. There was so much going on with the Quick family. Learning their history and seeming them interact in both positive and negative ways was one of the best parts of the book. Messed up family dynamics are nothing new in literature but here it was handled so well that it was engaging and complex.
Which I guess brings me to the characters. They were just as complex and weird as the book. There was so much to these secondary characters. They are quirky in a different kind of way. They are quirky in a dramatic kind of way. They are also terrible. So many of the characters in this book are terrible people, especially the MC. Aspen Quick is not at all likable. He's a self-centered jerk who does things out of selfish person interest. There were so many moments where I wanted to punch him. But he also had a great development throughout the book and in the end I wanted him to succeed.
I listened to the audiobook for this and it was a really great audio. Michael Crouch, the narrator, did a great job of creating the emotion and characters of this book. His tone and inflection did a great job in feeling what the characters were feeling. When the action started picking up you felt the suspense. I also really liked the way he developed the characters. His accents help you not only differentiate but get to know them on a deeper level. It was a fantastic audiobook and I'm glad I listened.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a unique and thrilling read full of mystery, magic, and complex characters. It's one of the most unique books I read in a long times and I rally loved it. If you are looking for something different and suspenseful definitively check this one out.
I think my favorite thing about this book was the magical realism aspects. It's a subgenre of fantasy that I have really enjoyed lately and I loved it here. The magical system was so interesting an unique. Like all good magic systems it had clear rules and guidelines but was something all it's own. What I really liked is that it explored the idea of whether or not magic helps or harms. I loved seeing the magic in effect and learning more about it as the book developed.
And it's a good thing that I enjoyed the magic because it was very much a part of the plot of the book. And a great plot it was too. Great and weird. It's one of the most unique books I have read in awhile. It was so enthralling that I could not stop reading it. Not to mention that it slowly built to an absolutely thrilling conclusion. It effortlessly combined the magic and mystery to create something so compelling.
But it also effortlessly built in a fascinating family dynamic. That was the real drama with this book. There was so much going on with the Quick family. Learning their history and seeming them interact in both positive and negative ways was one of the best parts of the book. Messed up family dynamics are nothing new in literature but here it was handled so well that it was engaging and complex.
Which I guess brings me to the characters. They were just as complex and weird as the book. There was so much to these secondary characters. They are quirky in a different kind of way. They are quirky in a dramatic kind of way. They are also terrible. So many of the characters in this book are terrible people, especially the MC. Aspen Quick is not at all likable. He's a self-centered jerk who does things out of selfish person interest. There were so many moments where I wanted to punch him. But he also had a great development throughout the book and in the end I wanted him to succeed.
I listened to the audiobook for this and it was a really great audio. Michael Crouch, the narrator, did a great job of creating the emotion and characters of this book. His tone and inflection did a great job in feeling what the characters were feeling. When the action started picking up you felt the suspense. I also really liked the way he developed the characters. His accents help you not only differentiate but get to know them on a deeper level. It was a fantastic audiobook and I'm glad I listened.
Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies is a unique and thrilling read full of mystery, magic, and complex characters. It's one of the most unique books I read in a long times and I rally loved it. If you are looking for something different and suspenseful definitively check this one out.
May 8, 2019
I definitely cannot recommend this book to YA audiences, or really anyone for that matter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2016
Totally creepy and cool and mind bend-y, when it's not busy being funny and clever. So yeah... I loved it.
July 15, 2018
A really intriguing premise: a whole family possessing the ability to steal people's feelings, memories and personality traits and absorb them or transfer them to others. Plus an ancient ritual to keep a cliff from crashing and burying an entire town. And a self-centered, uncaring MC who feels justified in using his powers even on his closest friends ... I admit, I was hooked from the very start!
And the novel did not disappoint. The plot twisted and turned in ways that I never saw coming, and mystery after mystery kept me glued to the page. Most importantly, however, there is great character development: gradual, pain-staking, and real. I very much enjoyed Aspen's struggle to understand the full implications of his family's actions on the life of others - and on his own. He really learns and grows, and the reader's sympathy grows with him. It's a thrilling, fast-paced, unforgettable journey, and one that lingers in your mind long after you've read the last page.
To be honest, I'm a little bit in awe of Lindsay Ribar's ability to combine such realistic, compelling narrative voice with a great mystery and an original magical realism element. The result is a YA book that manages to pack a bunch of ethical dilemmas right alongside the romantic pursuits and superhuman abilities. I'm sooo sorry it's already over!
And the novel did not disappoint. The plot twisted and turned in ways that I never saw coming, and mystery after mystery kept me glued to the page. Most importantly, however, there is great character development: gradual, pain-staking, and real. I very much enjoyed Aspen's struggle to understand the full implications of his family's actions on the life of others - and on his own. He really learns and grows, and the reader's sympathy grows with him. It's a thrilling, fast-paced, unforgettable journey, and one that lingers in your mind long after you've read the last page.
To be honest, I'm a little bit in awe of Lindsay Ribar's ability to combine such realistic, compelling narrative voice with a great mystery and an original magical realism element. The result is a YA book that manages to pack a bunch of ethical dilemmas right alongside the romantic pursuits and superhuman abilities. I'm sooo sorry it's already over!
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