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Even If I Fall
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A year ago, Brooke Covington lost everything when her beloved older brother, Jason, confessed to the murder of his best friend, Calvin. Brooke and her family became social pariahs, broken and unable to console one another. Brooke’s only solace remains the ice-skating rink, where she works but no longer lets herself dream about a future skating professionally.
When Brooke en ...more
When Brooke en ...more
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Rachel
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen has a similar plot and I really enjoyed it too
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Start your review of Even If I Fall
"The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it..."
- Nicholas Sparks
A book that emotionally captures you, breaks your heart and still manages to simultaneously fill you with hope. Even if I Fall was all that for me and more!
Brooke Covington's brother is in jail after confessing to his best friend Calvin's murder and as a result her once close knit, loving family is unravelling around her. Being the family of a murderer in a small town isn't easy. They become ...more
A book that emotionally captures you, breaks your heart and still manages to simultaneously fill you with hope. Even if I Fall was all that for me and more!
Brooke Covington's brother is in jail after confessing to his best friend Calvin's murder and as a result her once close knit, loving family is unravelling around her. Being the family of a murderer in a small town isn't easy. They become ...more
"The first fireworks burst in the darkening sky. I'm suddenly afraid, and my feet have barely left the ground."
Even if I Fall is a stunningly spectacular emotional read that deserves all the rare 5 stars.
Brooke's older brother Jason has been in prison serving time for the murder of his best friend Cal. Brooke and her family have been trying their best to keep the family unit together but the town continues to shun the family away for the murder.
Brooke has ultimately given up her dream of being ...more
Even if I Fall is a stunningly spectacular emotional read that deserves all the rare 5 stars.
Brooke's older brother Jason has been in prison serving time for the murder of his best friend Cal. Brooke and her family have been trying their best to keep the family unit together but the town continues to shun the family away for the murder.
Brooke has ultimately given up her dream of being ...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1614916030p2/15335689.jpg)
The world has been a scary place for Brooke ever since her older brother—her hero—confessed to murdering his best friend a year ago. She’s tried so hard to stay under the radar and keep her family afloat, but how can she be strong when the murder victim’s younger brother suddenly appears in her life, and an unexpected bond forms despite the haunting past between their families?
I love a good, tragic romantic contemporary read, so when I saw the synopsis for Even if I Fall, I was like, yo, sig ...more
Wow, this is one of the very best books I’ve read so far this year! What a tearjerker. Brooke’s brother is “gone.” Heath’s brother is “gone.” But we find out as the book progresses that “gone” has very different meanings, and that one was responsible for the other’s death. Brooke is now the town pariah. Her mother runs obsessively, cries in closets, and relies on Brooke to keep the house functioning. Her dad doesn’t leave the basement and talks in grunts. Little sister has gone nearly catatonic.
...more
Nov 20, 2018
Abigail Johnson
marked it as i-wrote-this
· (Review from the author)
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
tx-set-ya
My third book is available now! Check out the book trailer if you haven't already!
...more
***4.5 stars!***
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for my honest review.
I am completely blown away by this book. I had all the feelings and am in awe. I loved the writing style and was completely absorbed in this story. My heart broke for Brooke and her whole family .It was so painful to see how everyone suffered, but so worth it to see how they came through in the end. A magnificent story and I can’t wait to read others by This author. I just ordered some!! I will hav ...more
I am completely blown away by this book. I had all the feelings and am in awe. I loved the writing style and was completely absorbed in this story. My heart broke for Brooke and her whole family .It was so painful to see how everyone suffered, but so worth it to see how they came through in the end. A magnificent story and I can’t wait to read others by This author. I just ordered some!! I will hav ...more
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Brooke's brother may have been the one, who committed the crime, but her whole family became prisoners. They were shunned by their neighbors and friends, and forced to give up their jobs and their dreams, but the worst part was that they abandoned each other. Then Brooke found comfort in an unlikely source, but nurturing this forbidden friendship could shatter her already fragile family.
• Pro: Abigail Johnson is so good at taking me on an emotional roller coaster! I swear I exp ...more
Brooke's brother may have been the one, who committed the crime, but her whole family became prisoners. They were shunned by their neighbors and friends, and forced to give up their jobs and their dreams, but the worst part was that they abandoned each other. Then Brooke found comfort in an unlikely source, but nurturing this forbidden friendship could shatter her already fragile family.
• Pro: Abigail Johnson is so good at taking me on an emotional roller coaster! I swear I exp ...more
I loved Even If I Fall! It's an outstanding contemporary ya about Brooke, a 17 year old who has seen her family fall apart after her brother, Jason, was convicted of murdering his friend Cal. Brooke has given up on her dream of ice skating professionally to be with her her mother, who basically lives to see Jason once a week in prison, her father, who has thrown himself into his woodworking career, and her little sister, Laura, who has withdrawn from everything and everyone.
It's summer, and apar ...more
It's summer, and apar ...more
I enjoyed this heart-warming spin on the Romeo/Juliet tragedy, but this story focuses on the ones left behind: how the death of a loved one affects the family members who are left behind.
Brooke's brother Jason is in jail for killing Heath's brother Cal. Brooke's and Heath's families are still struggling to come to terms with the terrible tragedy that has changed all of their lives. When Brooke and Heath become unlikely friends, they find an outlet for their grief by talking about their difficul ...more
Brooke's brother Jason is in jail for killing Heath's brother Cal. Brooke's and Heath's families are still struggling to come to terms with the terrible tragedy that has changed all of their lives. When Brooke and Heath become unlikely friends, they find an outlet for their grief by talking about their difficul ...more
*** 4 Stars***
Expected Publication: Jan 8th, 2019
What an emotional story this was. Brooke's older brother Jason, confessed to murdering his best friend Cal and is in prison. Brooke ends up offering to help Cal's younger brother, Heath, with a ride in the rain. From there a friendship and quite unique relationship ensues. Reading the pain that Brooke is dealing with what her brother did and Heath's pain from losing his brother, you can only imagine how damaged these two people are and why they ma ...more
Expected Publication: Jan 8th, 2019
What an emotional story this was. Brooke's older brother Jason, confessed to murdering his best friend Cal and is in prison. Brooke ends up offering to help Cal's younger brother, Heath, with a ride in the rain. From there a friendship and quite unique relationship ensues. Reading the pain that Brooke is dealing with what her brother did and Heath's pain from losing his brother, you can only imagine how damaged these two people are and why they ma ...more
I'm emotional y'all.
This is one of the best contemporaries I've read EVER. If you adored Letters to the Lost by Brigit Kemmerer, I think you might like this too ♥
This book is about two people battling with grief and loving someone they shouldn't. Abigail writes their emotions so beautifully, I couldn't help but actually get teary eyed at some point. It's so raw and so real. This isn't merely a romance story, it's so much more.
This book deals with the consequences of a tragedy and how people de ...more
This is one of the best contemporaries I've read EVER. If you adored Letters to the Lost by Brigit Kemmerer, I think you might like this too ♥
This book is about two people battling with grief and loving someone they shouldn't. Abigail writes their emotions so beautifully, I couldn't help but actually get teary eyed at some point. It's so raw and so real. This isn't merely a romance story, it's so much more.
This book deals with the consequences of a tragedy and how people de ...more
This is the third un-put-downable book from this author that I've read, and although I loved them all, I think this is my favorite. Author Johnson seems to excel at throwing up pretty impossible barriers between her romantic protagonists (in this book, Brooke's older brother killed Heath's brother - that's about as impossible as it gets), but then weaves tales around these set-ups that are anything but trite, exploring deep themes in the process (the transformative power of forgiveness seems to
...more
Brilliant, gut wrenching, and gorgeous. MY POOR HEART.
I absolutely love picking up books by Abigail Johnson because I know that I will adore them. They put your through an emotional wringer but they never disappoint. Such is true of her latest title, Even If I Fall. Stunning and heartfelt writing combine with an incredible story of loss, anger, guilt and family breakdown. A story about things you can’t explain much less come to terms with. A story of hope and love, friendship and support. Even If I Fall will entrance readers; perfect for fans of em
...more
This Ya novel which I won from Goodreads is a very emotional read. It is the story of two broken families trying to cope and heal after a murder. The son/brother of one family is murdered and the other son/brother has been convicted of the crime. Both families are broken, hurting, and deal with their loss in sad ways. An unlikely relationship develops between Brooke, the sister of the convicted, and Heath, the younger brother of the young man that died. The story is sad but so well written that
...more
Of all the fascinating, heartbreaking, compelling storylines - this one just might take the cake. I was drawn to the premise immediately, and the writing sucked me right in. It's an interesting story, and the writing is smart and relatable and the whole thing felt so REAL sometimes.
That said, it wasn't a flawless read for me. I felt like the pacing was a little off and there were times I felt things got bogged down and maybe a little repetitive. It was also downright depressing sometimes. Which ...more
That said, it wasn't a flawless read for me. I felt like the pacing was a little off and there were times I felt things got bogged down and maybe a little repetitive. It was also downright depressing sometimes. Which ...more
• Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings
- - -
** 3.5 stars **
This is going to be nearly impossible for me to review without spoiling, but I am going to try my best!
One year ago, Brooke's family fell apart. Her brother, Jason, confessed to the murder of his best friend Cal. Brooke's mom is in denial, her dad is angry and isolated, and her sister has gone silent and barely takes care of herself. Brooke feels as if she is the only one trying to hold the family together, but... She's hurting too. ...more
Nov 28, 2018
Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Even If I Fall is an incredibly raw and emotional story that will pull on your heart strings. Brooke and Heath's journey to healing and acceptance was so tentative and awkward in the best possible ways. They were stilted and unsure and realistic. It was so easy to become completely invested in their story and what they were going through - no matter how not universal their situations were.
Once I picked this up, I couldn't put it down. It reminded me that getting so completely lost in a story is ...more
Once I picked this up, I couldn't put it down. It reminded me that getting so completely lost in a story is ...more
”Even if I fall, it’s worth it.”
This may seem like a contradictory statement, but I have never been more enthralled in reading a book that’s steeped in a cesspool of sadness.
Brooke Covington’s brother is a murderer. One year ago, he confessed to murdering his best friend Calvin. The ramifications of his act are nothing short of horrific to Brooke and her family. They are falling apart at the seams within and living in a small town makes the shocking nature of his crime unbearable. There are ...more
This may seem like a contradictory statement, but I have never been more enthralled in reading a book that’s steeped in a cesspool of sadness.
Brooke Covington’s brother is a murderer. One year ago, he confessed to murdering his best friend Calvin. The ramifications of his act are nothing short of horrific to Brooke and her family. They are falling apart at the seams within and living in a small town makes the shocking nature of his crime unbearable. There are ...more
Aug 29, 2018
Hayley
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
contemporary-romance
This book was beautiful. Its a contemporary romance so you get some heat but nothing to drastic which I like. Our main character Brooke, and her family, are trying to heal after Brooke's older brother, Jason, did the unthinkable. The unthinkable being the murder of his best friend, Cal. The family moves to a new city and Brooke tries everything she can think of to stop from fixating on her brother's terrible crime. With everyone in town looking at her like she is a pariah she tries her best to
...more
This was an ugly cry [book] for me, I was reading with tears streaming down my cheeks only quarter into the book. It grabbed a hold of my heart and wouldn't let go. I have become pretty picky about what YA I read as most of it - well I won't go there.
I was pulled into this book very easily at the beginning of this book. It's the kind of struggle/uphill battle book. It reminds you that life is hard, but if you keep taking action to move you forward and not stuck in the past, as Brooke finds out ...more
I was pulled into this book very easily at the beginning of this book. It's the kind of struggle/uphill battle book. It reminds you that life is hard, but if you keep taking action to move you forward and not stuck in the past, as Brooke finds out ...more
85 pages in and have zero desire to continue. How does this get such great ratings? The characters are boring, there’s no real mystery going on, and I just don’t care! Not to mention the annoyingly dull writing style. Meh.
I loved this sweet, heartbreaking story of two families dealing with grief and tragedy. It has been a year since Brooke’s brother Jason has been in jail, since he confessed to the murder of his best friend, Cal. For a year Brooke and her family have been barely getting by. They have been living in almost isolation due to the shame and rejection of their community. When Brooke offers a ride to Cal’s brother Heath on a rainy day, she finds that he is one person who can relate to the terrible loss
...more
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of EVEN IF I FALL by Abigail Johnson in exchange for my honest review.***
After Jason kills his best friend Cal, his sister Brooke’s life shatters. She no longer training to become a competitive skater and studying online instead of in school. Betrayed by her friends, Brooke meets Maggie, new to town, the only person who doesn’t look at her like a murderer’s sister. To keep Maggie’s friendship, Brooke lies about her brother. The only pe ...more
After Jason kills his best friend Cal, his sister Brooke’s life shatters. She no longer training to become a competitive skater and studying online instead of in school. Betrayed by her friends, Brooke meets Maggie, new to town, the only person who doesn’t look at her like a murderer’s sister. To keep Maggie’s friendship, Brooke lies about her brother. The only pe ...more
I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is my third Abigail Johnson read, and I have to say I love them all so much. I think her stories and characters are some of my favorite in YA Contemporary, even over Morgan Matson and Kasie West. Why aren't more people reading her books?!
I loved every person in this novel - each character had their own personality and I was invested in them. Especially Brooke's best friend, Maggie, and her younger sis ...more
This is my third Abigail Johnson read, and I have to say I love them all so much. I think her stories and characters are some of my favorite in YA Contemporary, even over Morgan Matson and Kasie West. Why aren't more people reading her books?!
I loved every person in this novel - each character had their own personality and I was invested in them. Especially Brooke's best friend, Maggie, and her younger sis ...more
Falling for this book is easy!
This is only the second Abigail Johnson book I've read and I can already tell she is a new favorite author for me. I won't tell you how messed up this story is (the synopsis does that), but I will say that the delivery and the twists are not ones I saw coming. I'm loved the way it was messy and broken, while also being beautiful and healing. I'm glad to have been in a world with these wonderful characters. Such a great read! ...more
This is only the second Abigail Johnson book I've read and I can already tell she is a new favorite author for me. I won't tell you how messed up this story is (the synopsis does that), but I will say that the delivery and the twists are not ones I saw coming. I'm loved the way it was messy and broken, while also being beautiful and healing. I'm glad to have been in a world with these wonderful characters. Such a great read! ...more
***Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review***
“I can’t find the words to explain myself or to tell her that just because I’m not slamming things or crying doesn’t mean I’m not hurting any less.”
Prepare to feel all of the emotions with this stunningly heart-wrenching contemporary novel. This is the first book I have read by Abigail Johnson, and now I’m scrambling to add all of her others to my TBR list. That is how much I love her writi ...more
“I can’t find the words to explain myself or to tell her that just because I’m not slamming things or crying doesn’t mean I’m not hurting any less.”
Prepare to feel all of the emotions with this stunningly heart-wrenching contemporary novel. This is the first book I have read by Abigail Johnson, and now I’m scrambling to add all of her others to my TBR list. That is how much I love her writi ...more
I loved this book! And it was a bit of a surprise because I went into it thinking I might like it but not love it. Now, I'm just glad I've requested it on Netgalley a while ago because otherwise, I don't think I would have picked it up.
I wish the cover would do justice to this story but unfortunately I don't find the cover very attracting and considering the lack of ratings on this book, I can only think this book should have a better cover. Especially since the content was amazing.
Even if I f ...more
I wish the cover would do justice to this story but unfortunately I don't find the cover very attracting and considering the lack of ratings on this book, I can only think this book should have a better cover. Especially since the content was amazing.
Even if I f ...more
The day her brother confessed to killing his best friend, Brooke’s world implodes and she refuses to believe that the brother she adored could do something so evil and terrible. What could have triggered him?
The quest to find out the truth kept me turning pages and wincing (and doing some ugly crying) as painful confessions come to light.
This was such a tough subject and the author did justice to showing how one action changed the lives of so many.
The quest to find out the truth kept me turning pages and wincing (and doing some ugly crying) as painful confessions come to light.
This was such a tough subject and the author did justice to showing how one action changed the lives of so many.
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Abigail Johnson was born in Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her family traded in snowstorms for year-round summers and moved to Arizona. Abigail chronicled the entire cross-country road trip in a purple spiral-bound notebook that she still has, and has been writing ever since. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her
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