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The Falling Between Us

Ash Parsons (Goodreads Author)

3.60 · Rating details · 227 ratings · 61 reviews

All-consuming fame and fortune prove too much for a teen popstar who suddenly goes missing--Eddie and the Cruisers for the Justin Bieber era.

After 15-year-old Joshua Blackbird posts a performance of an original song on YouTube, he becomes an overnight sensation, catapulting to the dizzying heights of celebrity. Joshua is plucked from his middle-of-nowhere small town to pur ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published March 13th 2018 by Philomel Books

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Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn

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Apr 07, 2018 Stay Fetters rated it really liked it

"A blade of grass is connected to the others all around it, multiple blades pressed close, connected at the root, touching above it. Joshua’s absence is like that. It spreads through me and touches every thought."

We’ve probably all thought about what it would be like to be rich and famous. To wake up and know that somewhere somebody is thinking about you and the enjoyment you bring to their lives. We always assume it would make your life better but we never really look at the outcome. How it tak ...more

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Mar 31, 2018 Mandy rated it liked it

Shelves: contemp, the-bookshelf-of-actual-bookshelves, review-copies

**Thank you so much to the lovely people at Penguin Teen for sending me over a review copy of this!! I really appreciate it, but it didn't change my opinion of it!**

Oh, this is a tough one to pinpoint a rating. I'm going to go with three crowns at the moment, but it was super super close to getting a 3.5 crown.

This book was mesmerizing in a weird way, and it just emotionally pulled me in so deep. I felt like I was in such a different head space in this book, and I really have to commend Parsons **Thank you so much to the lovely people at Penguin Teen for sending me over a review copy of this!! I really appreciate it, but it didn't change my opinion of it!**

Oh, this is a tough one to pinpoint a rating. I'm going to go with three crowns at the moment, but it was super super close to getting a 3.5 crown.

This book was mesmerizing in a weird way, and it just emotionally pulled me in so deep. I felt like I was in such a different head space in this book, and I really have to commend Parsons for this. I don't think I've ever been in this deep with a novel in...such a long time. I have to give major kudos, but I will admit that if you're in a head space that is depressed, I'm not entirely sure this the right book to pick up. It wasn't dark per say, but it deeps with a few people that are struggling with mental wellness and mental health.

To be completely honest, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into. Was it a mystery? Was it a story of self-discovery? Some kind of fluffy contemporary? However, the story that I got was a deep look into the struggles that Joshua, an viral young musician, and the deep grief that Roxanne faces after she loses him. It's an interesting, emotional look into the dark descent into depression and helplessness that Joshua faces along with the consuming grief that Roxanne feels. They're both done so well done and realistically. Joshua's descent just felt so REAL and my heart ached for him. The same for the way that Roxanne reacted. There was no quickly getting over it. Most the YA novels that deal with grief show only one way and then are like, okay, I spent a chapter, LET'S MOVE ONTO HAPPINESS AND BRUSH THIS ALL AWAY. However, this book did such a wonderful job with the deepness and emotional impact and realisticness.

I'm a tiny bit torn about the characters. To be completely honest, I felt this was kind of a Great Gatsby situation. I did feel for a majorly big part of the story, Roxanne was just the narrator like Nick Carraway was. It wasn't her story because I never really felt her other than her grief. I kind of forgot sometimes she was a big history love because I was so wrapped up in the other characters. I wouldn't have really blinked if someone had told me this was inspired by The Great Gatsby with the narrator that was just along for the ride and questionable side characters in their pursuit of wanting something from the Gatsby character (Joshua) - which was a cool feeling, but I did want more from her heroine. I wanted to know what made her tick, and other than Joshua love, I'm not entirely sure I got much from her. Her connections to Lillian were interesting, though.

Joshua was really the shining star to me. He had such detail to him. Wow, he was defined, and I feltttttttttttttt for him. He was so intriguing for me with all of his little complexities. Speed, Ty, Artie, and even Grandma were well done as well. I got them, I saw them, and I liked them. Other than Roxanne, I thought most of the characters were pretty well done and I got what I wanted from them.

The writing was a bit interesting for me as well. In the beginning, it was a lot of telling. You know the rule show, don't tell? It was a lottttttttttttt of telling. It didn't really throw me off that much, but it did get a little annoying once I picked up on it and it was all I could read. However, by the middle, it totally hits its groove. Parsons definitely shows a lot of promise for her first novel, since it just hits you quite hard in the feels and completely engrosses you. I binge read this literally in two sittings and it was so, so easy to read. Pacing was on par.

The mystery/plot was interesting as well. Once we got to the BIG change in the story, I was super lost on where it was going to go. However, I thought it did a pretty good job with keeping it still interesting and giving us a few twists and turns. The mystery aspect doesn't really show up until quite late in the story, and while I did have my guesses, I wasn't entirely sure how it would pan out. I'm not entirely sure how I felt about the ending, though. It did feel a bit abrupt, and I kind of felt like it might have been better if it had entered just a slight bit differently. But it still was quite interesting.

Overall, this was quite an interesting little read that was super different than anything I've read in such a long time. I don't remember feeling as engrossed in a novel as I had in such a long time. It was so different and I still feel so suckered into this book world. However, it did have a few issues like a weak main character and some writing/small plot issues. That being said, I did think this was a great debut, and I would recommend it if you're looking for a contemporary that is totally different and you just want to be hit in the feels. It is a bit dark and does talk about mental health/wellness, so warning for that. Three crowns - that might eventually be turned into a 3.5 - and a Jasmine rating because this was a whole new world. ...more

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Apr 04, 2018 Shelby rated it liked it

*I was sent a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I ended up giving THE FALLING BETWEEN US 3.5 stars.
I did enjoy my time reading this novel. It explored the struggles that celebrities experience with fame and expectations, but a few things didn’t flow as I would have liked. For one, I felt some of the characters weren’t developed well. Rox, the narrator, Joshua, and the entourage traveling with them were all described vaguely, and I would have loved to see mor ...more

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Mar 09, 2018 Alexis Jackson rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 18, 2018 Barbara rated it liked it

Shelves: community, romance, compassion, conflict, economics, education, emotions, elderly-characters, facing-fears, empathy

It's been a wild ride for Joshua Blackbird and his girlfriend, Roxanne Stewart. After posting his original song on YouTube, the musician was snapped up by the music machine and became wildly famous, setting off on a nation-wide tour and leaving his small town home of Marchant, Georgia, far behind. From that promising, fairy tale beginning, Roxanne looks back on the eighteen months that have taken a toll on Joshua. It's pretty clear from the get-go that Joshua is done, completely used up by the e It's been a wild ride for Joshua Blackbird and his girlfriend, Roxanne Stewart. After posting his original song on YouTube, the musician was snapped up by the music machine and became wildly famous, setting off on a nation-wide tour and leaving his small town home of Marchant, Georgia, far behind. From that promising, fairy tale beginning, Roxanne looks back on the eighteen months that have taken a toll on Joshua. It's pretty clear from the get-go that Joshua is done, completely used up by the expectations of his manager, Artie; his fans, the Birdies; even his own mother who seems only to want more money from him. Everything in his life has been carefully orchestrated, even his for PR purposes, girlfriend, Angel Rey. He even experienced being stalked and attacked by a deranged fan, necessitating tighter security to insulate him from the masses. But none of this fame or fortune has brought Joshua happiness, and now that he's on the verge of another tour to support his new album, he needs to step off the carousel. But there seems to be no way to do so. When he disappears while on a yacht, the world is devastated, and Roxanne goes home to heal while his younger brother, Ty, seems poised to take his place. Roxanne can't make sense of the fact that Joshua left no suicide note other than some lyrics. Eventually, she tracks down the truth behind his disappearance. I was pretty sure how all this was going to play out, and wasn't surprised by the ending although I wondered about the riskiness of some of the clues he left behind. If nothing else, this is a cautionary tale about the price of fame and how impossible it becomes to trust anyone when you are their meal ticket. Honestly, given what often happens with celebs of all stripes, I was a bit surprised that Joshua didn't replace Roxanne with a different model along the way. But perhaps he could see the writing on the wall and realized that it might be just a matter of time. Many teens may enjoy imagining what they'd do with so much adulation, fame, and fortune, but it seems clear to me that it would be hard to remain true to oneself amid all those temptations. While I enjoyed this, I was expecting more from the story. It felt as though I'd read similar tales before. I hardly felt that I knew much about Roxanne's grandmother, and would have appreciated more details about life before fame hit. ...more

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Sep 02, 2020 Samantha (WLABB) rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, mentalhealth, audiobooks, ya

This definitely had those Eddie and the Cruisers vibe, but it was about so much more. It was about watching someone you love fade before your eyes and feeling helpless. It was about love, loss, and the different ways we grieve. It also took a hard look at teen celebrity, which is always fraught with pitfalls. I liked the bit history between Joshua and Roxy and enjoyed the touch of mystery in the story.

BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS ...more

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Aug 02, 2018 Debra Mayhew rated it liked it

While the writing for this novel is beautiful, the subject was just too dark and heavy for me. Perhaps the author intended it to be this way, but I felt myself being pulled into the oppressive world of Joshua Blackbird and the wearing push and pull of fame. Flashback scenes from simpler and happier times began to feel like the sun trying to push through before the clouds swallowed it back. The ending was not a satisfying resolution for me either, especially after the painful road to get there. I ...more

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Jan 25, 2019 Martha Schwalbe rated it did not like it

Throughout the book, the characters remained flat. The historical figure, Lillian Leitzel, offered the only more fully-developed character. I'm curious to know what appealed to the student who recommended this title.
I'd recommend it to strong readers since it took the fact that it is on the NYRA list for me to finish it. ...more

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May 04, 2018 Les rated it it was ok

Implausible that in 8 months that he would rise from being discovered on YouTube to having literally millions of dollars to throw away. The ending was pretty telegraphed as well, but it did show how being a "star" can destroy your psyche. ...more

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Apr 07, 2018 Kelly (Simply Kelina) C. rated it liked it

I was sent this book by the publisher. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

I have not heard anyone talking about this book. Before agreeing to review this, I looked it up on Goodreads. The first thing I saw was this was the perfect read for the Justin Bieber era (which is not me). Do not let that stop you from picking this up though. I read the premise and still wanted to give this a tr I was sent this book by the publisher. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

I have not heard anyone talking about this book. Before agreeing to review this, I looked it up on Goodreads. The first thing I saw was this was the perfect read for the Justin Bieber era (which is not me). Do not let that stop you from picking this up though. I read the premise and still wanted to give this a try as it sounded like something I would enjoy. As I started reading, I was thinking this was going to be your typical YA Rockstar romance. I was wrong and in the best kind of way.

This is a story about fame, social media, love, loss, and so much more. There is also a little mystery thrown in to make it stand out even more. There was just something about the writing and the story that was memorizing. I cannot really explain it. I just loved the direction this was taking as you learn more about Joshua through the eyes of his best friend/girlfriend Roxie. You not only learn about Joshua and his breakthrough into the entertainment world, but about their childhood and his path to and after fame. My heart really broke as I read about their story and the demons we all hide from the outside world.

The mystery is much different than I thought it was going to be. You actually do not have a mystery around what happened at first, but more of why it happened. I wish the second half of the book focused more on the mystery. I lost interest once it started to follow Tyler, the brother of Joshua. It does all come together in the end though. I got really excited once the mystery started back up again. I would give the first half of this story 5 stars. The middle half started to take a direction I did not enjoy as much, but it was still good.

I read this in one sitting and is perfect if you are looking for a quick read. It is very fast paced and just under 300 pages. I would have liked a little more at the end and wanted more of Roxie and Joshua.

Overall, I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would. I definitely recommend it as I do think it brings something different to the YA world. I will be picking up the other book by the author soon! ...more

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Mar 30, 2018 Mackenzie Jager rated it did not like it

To start, something positive. This book had a few beautiful sentences worth lingering over. The types of sentences that make you feel seen and understood--or even consider the world from another angle. Sadly, the one-dimensional characters and tired plot drowned most of those moments. I might have given this book two stars if not for the ending. (view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Heather Montgomery rated it it was amazing

You know when you pick up a book and you expect it to be full of the same old, same old, teen story? That is what I expected when I picked up a young adult that advertised teen love and a rock star. But Parson's writing blew me away. Fresh figurative language sucked me into the experience and kept me turning page after page. Yes, this is a teen love story. Yes, it is about a rock star. Yes, it includes all of the expected pieces. But, no, you won't be putting this book down. Enjoy! ...more

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Mar 21, 2018 Brinsley rated it liked it

I loved the way this book explored fame, grief, love, family relationships and other big topics. It was hard-hitting and emotional. HOWEVER, I really didn’t like the ending at all. It seemed unrealistic and was definitely unsatisfying. I liked it, but I won’t read it again.

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Mar 21, 2018 Isaac Marie rated it really liked it

Shelves: eighth-grade

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The story The Falling Between Us By Jean Kwok is a very compelling yet complicated love story. Where overnight Joshua Blackbird becomes an overnight sensation after posting a song cover and it went viral. Soon after, Roxanne Stewart’s life also gets flipped upside down as the girlfriend of Joshua. The two of them will travel together as Joshua’s tour starts. However, one night Joshua suddenly disappeared and Roxanne's life gets turned around again however in the worst possible way. The story gi The story The Falling Between Us By Jean Kwok is a very compelling yet complicated love story. Where overnight Joshua Blackbird becomes an overnight sensation after posting a song cover and it went viral. Soon after, Roxanne Stewart’s life also gets flipped upside down as the girlfriend of Joshua. The two of them will travel together as Joshua’s tour starts. However, one night Joshua suddenly disappeared and Roxanne's life gets turned around again however in the worst possible way. The story gives us a very in depth and haunting insight into the prices you pay for fame, fortune, and love.
Something that was really effective and nice about the story was the point of view. The author's view is Roxanne’s or Roxy’s ( for short) point of view and it’s really enjoyable. Throughout the story, you can feel and sense the feelings friends and family feel for the celebrity. It also gives you an insight the way things work in the industry. For example, in the story, Roxy can’t be named as Joshua’s girlfriend. Instead, he has a fake relationship with a girl named Angel Rey, who is another celebrity. Roxy gets put to the side however once cameras are out of their faces, Joshua really tries to give her all the attention he has. Roxy can’t help but notice all the fatigue and bags under his eyes and the fact that he looks like he’s about to collapse I to himself. The point of view also helps you see how the managers and people act behind the scenes. Like the nicest person, you think could be the meanest and it takes you by surprise. The point of view really made me enjoy the story more and helped me understand what these people are going through and how sometimes these things are happening with actual celebrities right now.
The characterization was something I also enjoyed about this book. However, it didn’t give you too much information about the characters but that made it more open-minded and helped you imagined the story more in your own way. The story did give basic characteristics and throughout the story, you really get to see a lot of the characters personalities. The main characters are:

Roxanne Stewart (Rox/ Roxy): a smart 15 years old who is Joshua Blackbirds girlfriend. She supports her man through any decision he makes but also leads him to the right decisions. She’s very open-minded and speaks her opinions out to people she trusts and knows.

Joshua Blackbird: a 17-year-old who turned into a superstar overnight after posting an original song on the internet. The boyfriend of Roxy and the heartthrob of the so-called “birdies”. He’s very soft spoken and very hardworking, but an amazing singer and secretive person.

Ty Blackbird: Joshua’s little brother and the one who takes after Joshua’s career after his disappearance

Artie: Joshua’s manager from the start. She seems pretty two-faced and harsh. She somehow gets what she wants by putting on this “motherly tone” that Joshua always listens to however she puts too much work and pressure on Joshua.

Speed: the drummer of Joshua’s band and goes on tour with him. Joshua and Roxy’s really good friend that they can trust with anything.

Santiago: Joshua’s bodyguard who is also very secretive and mysterious. He is the only one Joshua tells his secret too and knows about it.
However, I did like how the author made it like your own story and how you could imagine the characters the way you wanted and it didn’t have this sort of exact thing of what they looked like.
In the end, I found this book really enjoyable to read and it kept me wondering where Joshua was the entire book. I also enjoyed how I could relate to the characters lots and how they were so realistic and modern for us teen to relate to easily. I think that people who enjoy things like love stories and mysteries would enjoy this book a lot. People who may have read the stories like The way I used to be By Amber Smith or Girl in Pieces By Kathleen Glasgow might enjoy this book. In general, this book is great and I would totally read the sequel if it comes out with one!

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Jan 10, 2021 Angela rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The perfect balance between sweet and edgy, but The Falling Between Us requires too much suspension of disbelief.

Roxanne, a misfit teen with a blood-red homemade pixie cut and a wardrobe from the Army Surplus store, tells the story of her boyfriend, superstar Joshua Blackbird. Joshua is a cute guy from a trailer park with a love of blues guitar, but when his Youtube videos go viral, he gets snapped up by a music studio and is manufactured into a heartthrob pop star. Although Joshua never loses The perfect balance between sweet and edgy, but The Falling Between Us requires too much suspension of disbelief.

Roxanne, a misfit teen with a blood-red homemade pixie cut and a wardrobe from the Army Surplus store, tells the story of her boyfriend, superstar Joshua Blackbird. Joshua is a cute guy from a trailer park with a love of blues guitar, but when his Youtube videos go viral, he gets snapped up by a music studio and is manufactured into a heartthrob pop star. Although Joshua never loses his love for music, he doesn't care much for fame, fortune, and his fake identity. One night he goes missing from a yacht party and no one knows if it was a suicide, accidental drowning, or an elaborate plot to fake his death...

His younger brother Ty makes a blues version of Joshua's final lyrics and the same story starts to play out again: the viral Youtube video, his dead brother's production team swooping in, the rise to fame and fortune, even a fling with Rox. Although Ty doesn't have the same unique talent that Joshua had, the teen fans are salivating for anything Blackbird. Meanwhile, Rox is uncovering some strange clues that her dead boyfriend may be alive, after all.

I can understand the appeal of this book. Rox is an embodiment of a cliché teen fantasy: the unpopular girl from nowhere who wins the heart of a drop-dead gorgeous star. Somehow, the teens' turbulent relationship turns out to be an unbreakable love (I guess she never told Joshua that she slept with his brother. Although Ash Parsons's style is so squeaky clean that there isn't any real proof that Rox had sex with anyone). As a romance, this novel is a rollercoaster with a sappy ending, so I guess fans of the genre will enjoy it. It's tame even by YA standards, though.

Some parts, like Rox's grief and the the be-careful-what-you-wish for element of Joshua's fame are done well. Otherwise, I didn't enjoy much of the novel. The story with Ty is too convenient and so is the ending where Rox tracks down Joshua to a house he bought in rural Mexico. I'm ambivalent about Parsons's style. She writes with a lot of metaphor, but they're equal parts good and terrible. The plot is really slow, especially in the beginning, but somehow each chapter ends on a cliffhanger. I admit that the book is hard to put down. I just wish that it were more believable. ...more

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Jun 26, 2019 Desiree Pekar rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I thought the writing was beautiful. There were many sentences that just were unique and scrupulous.

However, the plot and the characters disappointed me.

When I first picked the book up, as I do with each book I read, I read the summary on the inside cover of what I could expect from the book. There, it said already that Joshua was going to disappear. So, as I was reading, I expected his vanishing to happen towards the exposition of the book. However, the picture of Joshua and Roxanne being bea I thought the writing was beautiful. There were many sentences that just were unique and scrupulous.

However, the plot and the characters disappointed me.

When I first picked the book up, as I do with each book I read, I read the summary on the inside cover of what I could expect from the book. There, it said already that Joshua was going to disappear. So, as I was reading, I expected his vanishing to happen towards the exposition of the book. However, the picture of Joshua and Roxanne being beaten by life on the road as rockstars was a lengthy part of the book. I did enjoy reading that, but I felt it was a bit pointless because I was already aware that Joshua was going to disappear and at some points I was just waiting for it to happen.

In addition to that portion of the book, there were hints of Joshua's morbid encounters with fans and the show life, but it was vaguely described. That part was actually interesting to me and I wish that it had been included more.

After Joshua disappeared, I really lost interest in the book. Roxanne wasn't doing anything really (which I do understand was part of her depressing over losing her beloved boyfriend) but I feel like that was dragged out, and when she did do stuff, I wasn't necessarily happy with it. (i.e. making out with Joshua's little brother). I kept holding out, hoping that the end would satisfy me.

When Ty took over as the next Joshua Blackbird, I didn't really have any opinion on that. To me, it was irrelevant to the story plot besides the fact that it brought Roxanne to California.

Now, the ending wasn't as satisfying as I hoped. But the plot was okay and the writing was amazing so I landed on 3 stars.

Roxanne has NO personality. Besides her fascination with Lillian Leitzel, we don't really see her as a person but as the unwanted girlfriend of a rockstar. I didn't really see her personality at all so it was hard to have empathy for her.

Overall, I think it had potential to be a really great book and I'm sure the author will do better next time.

...more

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May 03, 2019 Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* rated it liked it

Shelves: high-school, advisable

The Falling Between Us by Ash Parsons, 283 pages. Philomel Books (Penguin), 2018. $18.

Language: PG-13 (15 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Roxanne and Joshua have been friends forever, long before Joshua became famous. Now everything has changed and his manager, Artie, controls everything. She’s decided it’s time for him to have a new girlfriend, she’s decided who he can talk to and what questions the media can ask, and now ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Jonathan Gentry rated it really liked it

In Parson’s sophomore novel we follow Roxanne Stewart on a mystery of sorts. After her boyfriend, Joshua “Shu” Blackbird, posts a performance of an original song online, he goes from small town native to international pop-star. But out of the blue he disappears eight months after stardom finds him. Was he murdered by an insane fan? Did he kill himself to escape a life he didn’t intend living? These are the questions that plague his girlfriend Roxanne’s mind. And she will stop at nothing to disco ...more

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May 28, 2018 JoJo rated it liked it

I gave this book 3 stars, mostly for the final third of the book.

This story follows Roxy a teenager girl who has followed her boyfriend, Joshua, into the chaotic world of being an adored superstar. The character describes the world around them as a machine that once living in it, takes over and moves everyone impassively forward. Joshua aware at his own loss of agency becomes distant and isolated. Roxy tries to hang on to their relationship and remain a grounded reminder of simpler times.

I actua ...more

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Jan 21, 2020 Kate rated it it was ok

2.5 stars.

I finished this last night, and at first, I had a relatively positive reaction to it. The more I've thought about it though, the weirder I feel about it. It's not bad. I mostly enjoyed reading it. It's just the story that didn't really do it for me. I saw a review on here that compared Rox to Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, and I think that's perfect. She feels so unimportant except to fill the role as narrator.

Now to the weird parts. I think the book was pretty good up to the poin ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Heather Mayberry rated it it was ok

An interesting plot, but many of the characters other than Joshua and the manager seem too forced. Roxanne, the main character, is so bland it’s scary. Her appearance is heavily described, and from that description you expect her to have a lot of spark, but honestly other than her obsession with the circus she doesn’t have a personality other than “Joshua’s girlfriend.” Ty was an interesting plot development, although his short make-out session with Roxanne seems fo have came out of nowhere. The ...more

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Sep 05, 2018 Rollinspineville rated it it was amazing

You want to believe in these characters from the first pages. You want to imagine they are some kind of star crossed couple under the controlling umbrella of a latter-day Col Tom Parker. You think you can understand their trailer park backgrounds and their motivations to use talent and opportunity to escape. But you"d be wrong. As in her first book (Still Waters) Ash
Parsons crafts superbly authentic, intelligent, and non-traditional young adult characters and places them in the unrealistic and h ...more

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Jul 08, 2018 Nicole rated it really liked it

Easy to follow and had characters who were fairly complex despite the lack of focus on anyone but the two protagonists and one of their siblings. It was a nice read for slow night shifts and I think it did a good job illustrating how complicated and constant and frustrating fame can be, especially for someone with legions of obsessive fans. It also does a decent job of representing depression and how it manifests itself in different ways. But I can't five star it, because there were a few parts ...more

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Mar 29, 2018 Karen Gedeon rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, music, death, grief, love, missing-parent, mother-son-relationship, romance, teens

The Falling Between Us by Ash Parsons - Seventeen year old Rox tells the story of her boyfriend Joshua Blackbird from the time they first started dating in ninth grade through his discovery and into his name becoming the name on the lips of every teenage girl in the world. She narrates the reader through her observations of the price he pays for stardom and compares her life to the famous acrobat Lillian Leitzel. Heartbroken over his death/disappearance she continues her story of grief and recon ...more

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Mar 31, 2018 K.C. Maguire rated it it was amazing

I loved this book. Not what I expected as a follow-up to Ash Parsons' previous book and it certainly demonstrates her range as a writer.
The story was unexpected and unusual - plays with our fascination with social media, fanfiction and the price of fame via social media. It also weaves in grief, love, and a healthy dose of mystery. The genre-blending and intriguing characters kept me on my toes as a reader and I was engaged until the last minute.
In some ways it reminded me a little of "Eliza and ...more

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Jul 05, 2018 Kara rated it it was amazing

Haunting and gorgeously written, The Falling Between Us is the story of one boy's meteoric rise to fame, told from the point of view of his longtime girlfriend Roxy. Roxy lives on the sidelines of her boyfriend Joshua Blackbird's superstardom, but that just means she has a front row seat to the ups and downs of the music industry. The price of fame is all-consuming for both Roxy and Joshua, and before long, the cracks begin to show. When Joshua disappears, the public is devastated, as is Roxy. N ...more

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Mar 17, 2019 Brittany rated it liked it

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May 21, 2019 Amelia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

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Jun 19, 2020 Amanda Studer rated it liked it

2.5 stars

Maybe I read too many Wattpad stories like this when I was a teenager, but... this book was very average to me. Predictable a lot of the time. The only thing about this book that stood out to me was the author's inclusion of Rox's love for Lillian Leitzel, which often seemed misplaced or as if it didn't fit properly in the context of the situation she was trying to place it in?? I do think this book gives a good perspective on the negative aspects to being famous, but the comparisons, ...more

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Mar 22, 2018 Lovely Loveday rated it really liked it

The Falling Between Us is full of love, loss, heartache, and friendship. You will be drawn into the relationship between Joshua and Rox as they try to remain, normal teenagers while dealing with the side effects of fame. Parsons writes with an easy and fun style that will make this one a fun read for everyone. The characters are realistic and easy to relate to making them memorable. A story that is hard to put down once you start reading. Parsons draws you in from the first page with a complex ...more

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About Ash Parsons

Ash Parsons

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Ash Parsons has been involved in Child and Youth Advocacy since college. Recently she taught English to middle- and high-school students in rural Alabama. Watching some of her students face seemingly impossible problems helped inspire her first novel, Still Waters. Additionally she has taught creative writing for Troy University’s ACCESS program and media studies at Auburn University. Ash lives in ...more