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The Speed of Falling Objects
Danger "Danny" Danielle Warren is no stranger to falling. After losing an eye in a childhood accident, she had to relearn her perception of movement and space. Now Danny keeps her head down, studies hard, and works to fulfill everyone else's needs. She's certain that her mom's bitterness and her TV star father's absence are her fault. If only she were more―more athletic, charismatic, attractive―life would be perfect.
When her dad calls with an offer to join him to film the next episode of his popular survivalist show, Danny jumps at the chance to prove she's not the disappointment he left behind. Being on set with the hottest teen movie idol of the moment, Gus Price, should be the cherry on top. But when their small plane crashes in the Amazon, and a terrible secret is revealed, Danny must face the truth about the parent she worships and falling for Gus, and find her own inner strength and worth to light the way home.
When her dad calls with an offer to join him to film the next episode of his popular survivalist show, Danny jumps at the chance to prove she's not the disappointment he left behind. Being on set with the hottest teen movie idol of the moment, Gus Price, should be the cherry on top. But when their small plane crashes in the Amazon, and a terrible secret is revealed, Danny must face the truth about the parent she worships and falling for Gus, and find her own inner strength and worth to light the way home.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
39 people are currently reading
7173 people want to read
About the author
Nan Fischer
14 books426 followersWelcome to my author page!
Here’s a bit about my books...
Novels under the name Nan Fischer:
The Book of Silver Linings (Berkley Publishing, August 15, 2023)
Some Of It Was Real (Berkley Publishing)
Novels under the name Nancy Richardson Fischer:
The Speed of Falling Objects (HarperCollins/Inkyard Press).
When Elephants Fly (HarperCollin/Inkyard Press.
Novels under the name Nancy Richardson:
Middle Grade:
Junior Jedi Knights Trilogy for LucasFilm (Berkeley Press).
Sport Autobiographies:
Feel No Fear, The Power, Passion and Politics of a Life in Gymnastics (Hyperion).
Riding For My Life (LIttle Brown)
Monica: From Fear to Victory (HarperCollins)
A Journey: The Autobiography of Apolo Anton Ohno (Simon & Schuster)
Nadia Comaneci: Letters to a Young Gymnast (Basic Books)
Winning Every Day with Shannon Miller (Bantam Books).
If you'd like to learn more about my novels, events, or sign up for my newsletter, please visit www.nancyrichardsonfischer.com
Here’s a bit about my books...
Novels under the name Nan Fischer:
The Book of Silver Linings (Berkley Publishing, August 15, 2023)
Some Of It Was Real (Berkley Publishing)
Novels under the name Nancy Richardson Fischer:
The Speed of Falling Objects (HarperCollins/Inkyard Press).
When Elephants Fly (HarperCollin/Inkyard Press.
Novels under the name Nancy Richardson:
Middle Grade:
Junior Jedi Knights Trilogy for LucasFilm (Berkeley Press).
Sport Autobiographies:
Feel No Fear, The Power, Passion and Politics of a Life in Gymnastics (Hyperion).
Riding For My Life (LIttle Brown)
Monica: From Fear to Victory (HarperCollins)
A Journey: The Autobiography of Apolo Anton Ohno (Simon & Schuster)
Nadia Comaneci: Letters to a Young Gymnast (Basic Books)
Winning Every Day with Shannon Miller (Bantam Books).
If you'd like to learn more about my novels, events, or sign up for my newsletter, please visit www.nancyrichardsonfischer.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
December 23, 2022
A compelling and unpredictable story!
This was so good, I have already added it to my favorites list! It was a story about plane crash, survival, it had bullies, a romance, a broken family, a journey, It was about fame and what people will do for fame, about overcoming fears and insecurities, and learning to live with your disabilities and how someone can internalize feelings from childhood and let that affect their entire life. Especially it is a story about communication and how the ability to communicate or a lack of communication can affect people.
The main character in the book is a girl named Danielle “Danny” who is about to turn seventeen. She lost one of her eyes in accident when she was younger and it seems that the kids at her school bully her because of it. They don’t tease her as much as they used to, due to the fact that her father is famous for hosting a survival show where he takes Hollywood celebrities out into the wild for different treks and adventures. Though the students at her school don’t realize that she hardly knows her father since her parents divorced when she was younger.
Her father calls out of the blue and invites her on his next adventure along with one of the biggest movie stars in the world. They travel with some of his crew into the Amazon when the plane crashes after veering off course in a storm. Her father is a huge jerk and makes a good villain. Most reviews I’ve read so far are similar in that everyone is hating on the father. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but the journey they go through as they trek through the Amazon is full of danger, surprises and quite a few twists and turns in the plot.
There are so many unexpected moments and feelings that come up. Not only for Danny, but for her Mom Sam, her Dad John “Cougar” Warren, his assistant Cass, camera man Sean, sound guy Jupiter, Movie Star Gus Price “GP”, and pilot Mack. They all bring up so many emotions as you get to know them and they get to know each other.
In a weird way it reminds me of the breakfast club in how they all get to know each other. But so much more emotional because Danny is dealing with so many things. She is trying to get to know her father again and trying not to disappoint him. She used to be very close with him, but now she never sees him, so she wants this to be a new beginning for them. The ending was so great also. I am finding it hard to put into words how much I liked it. A real standout!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This was so good, I have already added it to my favorites list! It was a story about plane crash, survival, it had bullies, a romance, a broken family, a journey, It was about fame and what people will do for fame, about overcoming fears and insecurities, and learning to live with your disabilities and how someone can internalize feelings from childhood and let that affect their entire life. Especially it is a story about communication and how the ability to communicate or a lack of communication can affect people.
The main character in the book is a girl named Danielle “Danny” who is about to turn seventeen. She lost one of her eyes in accident when she was younger and it seems that the kids at her school bully her because of it. They don’t tease her as much as they used to, due to the fact that her father is famous for hosting a survival show where he takes Hollywood celebrities out into the wild for different treks and adventures. Though the students at her school don’t realize that she hardly knows her father since her parents divorced when she was younger.
Her father calls out of the blue and invites her on his next adventure along with one of the biggest movie stars in the world. They travel with some of his crew into the Amazon when the plane crashes after veering off course in a storm. Her father is a huge jerk and makes a good villain. Most reviews I’ve read so far are similar in that everyone is hating on the father. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but the journey they go through as they trek through the Amazon is full of danger, surprises and quite a few twists and turns in the plot.
There are so many unexpected moments and feelings that come up. Not only for Danny, but for her Mom Sam, her Dad John “Cougar” Warren, his assistant Cass, camera man Sean, sound guy Jupiter, Movie Star Gus Price “GP”, and pilot Mack. They all bring up so many emotions as you get to know them and they get to know each other.
In a weird way it reminds me of the breakfast club in how they all get to know each other. But so much more emotional because Danny is dealing with so many things. She is trying to get to know her father again and trying not to disappoint him. She used to be very close with him, but now she never sees him, so she wants this to be a new beginning for them. The ending was so great also. I am finding it hard to put into words how much I liked it. A real standout!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Amazon|Twitter|BookBub
December 10, 2019
Strength, endurance, & love!
*One Word - Truth*
THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS by NANCY RICHARDSON FISCHER is an entertaining, action-packed, suspenseful, thrilling, and edge-of-your-seat YA survivalist story that immediately hooked and captivated me. The backdrop of the Amazon rainforest and the premise of this novel totally intrigued and enthralled me, I was totally taken with this adventurous tale and loved Danny’s story. The action was so fierce that I literally could not put this book down.
NANCY RICHARDSON FISCHER delivers an atmospheric, vividly descriptive, fascinating, adventurous, engaging, and well-written coming-of-age story here that is packed full of adventure, explores a complex father-daughter relationship, and a touch of romance to lighten the mood.
Danger “Danny” Danielle Warren and her TV celebrity survivalist dad were interesting characters to say the least. Even though the father wasn’t the greatest dad out there he definitely had his purpose in this story and I loved how Danny ended up coming to terms with so many different aspects to her character. She definitely grew as a character and the underlying message and love emanating from the words written were extremely palpable and packed quite the punch. Danny was definitely the shining star in this novel!
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: A beautiful, eye-catching, appealing, intriguing and fitting representation to storyline. I love the fall colours to the cover design.
Title: Intriguing, interesting, metaphorical and a meaningful and significant representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Beautifully written, expressive, passionate, vividly descriptive, engaging, and compulsively readable. I immediately connected with the author’s prose.
Plot: Detailed, atmospheric, suspenseful, interesting, authentic, action-packed, fast-paced, and entertaining.
Ending: A deeply touching, satisfying and great ending that made me ugly cry.
Overall: I absolutely loved the adventurous and emotional journey this book took me on! Would highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Nancy Richardson Fischer for gifting me a copy of this book! It was an absolute pleasure reading this book and I thoroughly enjoyed Danny’s story.
This review can also be seen at Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
*One Word - Truth*
THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS by NANCY RICHARDSON FISCHER is an entertaining, action-packed, suspenseful, thrilling, and edge-of-your-seat YA survivalist story that immediately hooked and captivated me. The backdrop of the Amazon rainforest and the premise of this novel totally intrigued and enthralled me, I was totally taken with this adventurous tale and loved Danny’s story. The action was so fierce that I literally could not put this book down.
NANCY RICHARDSON FISCHER delivers an atmospheric, vividly descriptive, fascinating, adventurous, engaging, and well-written coming-of-age story here that is packed full of adventure, explores a complex father-daughter relationship, and a touch of romance to lighten the mood.
Danger “Danny” Danielle Warren and her TV celebrity survivalist dad were interesting characters to say the least. Even though the father wasn’t the greatest dad out there he definitely had his purpose in this story and I loved how Danny ended up coming to terms with so many different aspects to her character. She definitely grew as a character and the underlying message and love emanating from the words written were extremely palpable and packed quite the punch. Danny was definitely the shining star in this novel!
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: A beautiful, eye-catching, appealing, intriguing and fitting representation to storyline. I love the fall colours to the cover design.
Title: Intriguing, interesting, metaphorical and a meaningful and significant representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Beautifully written, expressive, passionate, vividly descriptive, engaging, and compulsively readable. I immediately connected with the author’s prose.
Plot: Detailed, atmospheric, suspenseful, interesting, authentic, action-packed, fast-paced, and entertaining.
Ending: A deeply touching, satisfying and great ending that made me ugly cry.
Overall: I absolutely loved the adventurous and emotional journey this book took me on! Would highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Nancy Richardson Fischer for gifting me a copy of this book! It was an absolute pleasure reading this book and I thoroughly enjoyed Danny’s story.
This review can also be seen at Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
September 30, 2019
I took a step out of my normal here with reading The Speed of Falling Objects, and I am so glad I did. What a great surprise this one was. I loved the self-discovery adventure here I took with our main character Danger "Danny" Danielle Warren.
The Speed of Falling Objects has all the elements here to make this a thrilling edge of your seat emotional YA adventure for me. It's an action-packed story of survival, a coming of age story with a touch of romance.
Nancy Richardson Fischer does such a great job here creating exciting characters. I am not a big fan of young voices at times, and it took me a bit to get into the head of Danny. Once I was, I was hooked and loved the personal and emotional conflicts Danny experiences and the adventure she took me on. I enjoyed seeing her grow and develop with each page. Now her Dad Cougar is a very unlikable character here, making his character a hard one to enjoy but he creates some interesting dynamics here to the story of survival for both the jungle and Danny.
The rainforest is brought alive and I was fascinated and terrified at the same time with the dangerous bugs and reptiles in the story. There is a lot of danger here and there is no shying away from details. It did feel at times a bit much with one thing after another; however I enjoy the thrilling fight of survival. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Nancy Richardson Fischer for thinking of us and giving us the opportunity to read something different than we usually do.
The Speed of Falling Objects has all the elements here to make this a thrilling edge of your seat emotional YA adventure for me. It's an action-packed story of survival, a coming of age story with a touch of romance.
Nancy Richardson Fischer does such a great job here creating exciting characters. I am not a big fan of young voices at times, and it took me a bit to get into the head of Danny. Once I was, I was hooked and loved the personal and emotional conflicts Danny experiences and the adventure she took me on. I enjoyed seeing her grow and develop with each page. Now her Dad Cougar is a very unlikable character here, making his character a hard one to enjoy but he creates some interesting dynamics here to the story of survival for both the jungle and Danny.
The rainforest is brought alive and I was fascinated and terrified at the same time with the dangerous bugs and reptiles in the story. There is a lot of danger here and there is no shying away from details. It did feel at times a bit much with one thing after another; however I enjoy the thrilling fight of survival. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Nancy Richardson Fischer for thinking of us and giving us the opportunity to read something different than we usually do.
November 9, 2019
3.5 stars
Danny, sixteen about to be seventeen, lives with her mom. Her dad is famous but she has little to no relationship with him because he is too busy as a survivalist TV star; her relationship with him consists of watching all of his shows on TV. When her dad calls to invite her to be on his next survivalist show, she hastily accepts. But, the plane crashes, lives are lost, and they are faced with the true wilderness. Danny begins to see her dad for who he truly is, but can she forgive him? Sacrifices are made in order to survive, but does that mean sacrificing human decency? While the group struggles to survive in the Amazon wild, they also struggle to cope with each other.
Family resentment and forgiveness is celebrated through Danny's tale of survival. She battles the ghosts of her parents decisions: Did her mom keep her from having a relationship with her dad? Why didn't her dad try harder to see her and form a meaningful relationship with her?
The beginning is mostly about the background relationship between Danny, her mom, and her dad until 24%. Because of this, the beginning was slow. Danny's dad had little to no redeeming qualities throughout the entire story. Danny wants to be part of his life so bad, and wants to be accepted by him for who she is. Manipulative and egotistical, I did not like him and he is a major character. Without him though, Danny could not experience the growth she had in the end. I did enjoy the constant reminder of how manipulated the world we live in is; the insurmountable negation of our natural world even to the state of death itself is echoed in this novel.
This is a small spoiler, but important to read because it concerns sex education.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy. Opinions are my own.
Danny, sixteen about to be seventeen, lives with her mom. Her dad is famous but she has little to no relationship with him because he is too busy as a survivalist TV star; her relationship with him consists of watching all of his shows on TV. When her dad calls to invite her to be on his next survivalist show, she hastily accepts. But, the plane crashes, lives are lost, and they are faced with the true wilderness. Danny begins to see her dad for who he truly is, but can she forgive him? Sacrifices are made in order to survive, but does that mean sacrificing human decency? While the group struggles to survive in the Amazon wild, they also struggle to cope with each other.
Family resentment and forgiveness is celebrated through Danny's tale of survival. She battles the ghosts of her parents decisions: Did her mom keep her from having a relationship with her dad? Why didn't her dad try harder to see her and form a meaningful relationship with her?
The beginning is mostly about the background relationship between Danny, her mom, and her dad until 24%. Because of this, the beginning was slow. Danny's dad had little to no redeeming qualities throughout the entire story. Danny wants to be part of his life so bad, and wants to be accepted by him for who she is. Manipulative and egotistical, I did not like him and he is a major character. Without him though, Danny could not experience the growth she had in the end. I did enjoy the constant reminder of how manipulated the world we live in is; the insurmountable negation of our natural world even to the state of death itself is echoed in this novel.
This is a small spoiler, but important to read because it concerns sex education.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy. Opinions are my own.
October 9, 2019
3 stars.
An entertaining and highly atmospheric step outside of my usual reading genre. A journey into the vast, lush and beautiful jungle where danger lurks at every step. A loveable, brave, quirky and unique teenage main character who had me rooting for her. A little too high on the drama, but it kept this YA story fast-paced and entertaining.
Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me a physical copy to read and review!
An entertaining and highly atmospheric step outside of my usual reading genre. A journey into the vast, lush and beautiful jungle where danger lurks at every step. A loveable, brave, quirky and unique teenage main character who had me rooting for her. A little too high on the drama, but it kept this YA story fast-paced and entertaining.
Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me a physical copy to read and review!
September 25, 2021
3.5 Stars
Well that was a gritty survival story with a surprising amount of depth.
I think that whilst there was a degree of predictability about it the story was still quite captivating. Survival situations really test people's endurance and resilience, but also bring out heroes and inner demons. This story had it all in there. I did find some of the motivations for choices our main character made a tad annoying, but overall it was a great story.
CWs to come when I'm on my computer and not a phone.
Well that was a gritty survival story with a surprising amount of depth.
I think that whilst there was a degree of predictability about it the story was still quite captivating. Survival situations really test people's endurance and resilience, but also bring out heroes and inner demons. This story had it all in there. I did find some of the motivations for choices our main character made a tad annoying, but overall it was a great story.
CWs to come when I'm on my computer and not a phone.
September 10, 2019
4 Stars - I REALLY enjoyed this one! Great story, setting and characters. I love a book that allows the reader to follow along with a character or characters emotional journey to grow and change and find out more of who they are or want to me. And this one more than fits that.
Danny wants the love of her parents. She wants to fit in and she wants to be strong. With her father mostly absent in her life, she jumps at the chance to get the one thing she’s been missing since an accident happened when she was younger - the love and attention of her father and to make him proud.
Her story is a journey from the first page right through until the last. Her voice starts out meek and as she’s forced to face some extremely harsh and real challenges she’s also forced to find out who she is.
I loved all the characters in this story. Even her father who I w Ted to scream at more often than not. He needed to be better for Danny yet if he was any different she’d never learn who she was.
It’s a story about finding ones self, becoming stronger because of it. It’s about..... well, you just need to read it.
The book is very well written and reads super easy and fast. With excitement that’ll keep all readers on the edge of their seats.
I for one will be on the look out for future titles from this author.
I highly recommend this title.
Danny wants the love of her parents. She wants to fit in and she wants to be strong. With her father mostly absent in her life, she jumps at the chance to get the one thing she’s been missing since an accident happened when she was younger - the love and attention of her father and to make him proud.
Her story is a journey from the first page right through until the last. Her voice starts out meek and as she’s forced to face some extremely harsh and real challenges she’s also forced to find out who she is.
I loved all the characters in this story. Even her father who I w Ted to scream at more often than not. He needed to be better for Danny yet if he was any different she’d never learn who she was.
It’s a story about finding ones self, becoming stronger because of it. It’s about..... well, you just need to read it.
The book is very well written and reads super easy and fast. With excitement that’ll keep all readers on the edge of their seats.
I for one will be on the look out for future titles from this author.
I highly recommend this title.
September 13, 2019
I fell in love with the cover of this book and had to get my hands on it!
The Speed of Falling Objects was a pretty quick read for me. The novel explores romance, coming of age, relationships, survival, overcoming fears, and family.
The book is well written and leaves readers on the edge with all the action in the jungle! I loved the setting and I felt like I was really in the Amazon.
I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of the main character's father Cougar. Cougar is an ass and all he cares about is his tv lifestyle. He was the absolute worst father to Danny and basically demeaning his own daughter. This bugged THE heck out of me. I had a hard time getting past this character.
The majority of the characters weren't my cup of tea and I had a hard time rooting for anyone to be honest and this is about a story of survival.
Overall, was a decent read and would be interested in seeing more from this author.
3.25 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 10/1/19
Published to GR: 9/12/19
The Speed of Falling Objects was a pretty quick read for me. The novel explores romance, coming of age, relationships, survival, overcoming fears, and family.
The book is well written and leaves readers on the edge with all the action in the jungle! I loved the setting and I felt like I was really in the Amazon.
I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of the main character's father Cougar. Cougar is an ass and all he cares about is his tv lifestyle. He was the absolute worst father to Danny and basically demeaning his own daughter. This bugged THE heck out of me. I had a hard time getting past this character.
The majority of the characters weren't my cup of tea and I had a hard time rooting for anyone to be honest and this is about a story of survival.
Overall, was a decent read and would be interested in seeing more from this author.
3.25 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 10/1/19
Published to GR: 9/12/19
July 25, 2019
A quick hate-read
Surprisingly, I think I blew through this book so quickly because of how much I hated the main character's father, Cougar. I kept reading in hopes that the asshat would be eaten by wild hyenas, kind of like that scene in the animated Lion King or something.
(I know hyenas don't live in the rainforest, where this book takes place, but that would be the only appropriate end for Cougar!) Going in, I thought Dad would have more redeeming qualities, but really, there's only a glimmer of any of that in his character. Mostly, I wanted him to get his just desserts.
I didn't quite expect Danny, the main character, to be such a brat, either. In the initial chapters, I was a little taken aback in the parts when she treats her mom and best friend like absolute garbage. Luckily, *she* shows some growth.
Until the last 15% or so, I would have rated this a 3.5 out of 5, and I probably would've rounded up. It's a quick, entertaining read. However, the ending annoyed me enough to knock it down to a 3. An encounter between two characters was just far too saccharine.
On top of that, the ways some things were wrapped up didn't seem consistent with the rest of the book.
Note--Chapter 1 begins at the plane crash, but chapter 2 flashes back to detail Danny's fetal pig dissection in science class. If that sort of thing bugs you, skip that chapter! :)
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for giving me a DRC of this novel, which will be available for purchase on October 1st.
Surprisingly, I think I blew through this book so quickly because of how much I hated the main character's father, Cougar. I kept reading in hopes that the asshat would be eaten by wild hyenas, kind of like that scene in the animated Lion King or something.
(I know hyenas don't live in the rainforest, where this book takes place, but that would be the only appropriate end for Cougar!) Going in, I thought Dad would have more redeeming qualities, but really, there's only a glimmer of any of that in his character. Mostly, I wanted him to get his just desserts.
I didn't quite expect Danny, the main character, to be such a brat, either. In the initial chapters, I was a little taken aback in the parts when she treats her mom and best friend like absolute garbage. Luckily, *she* shows some growth.
Until the last 15% or so, I would have rated this a 3.5 out of 5, and I probably would've rounded up. It's a quick, entertaining read. However, the ending annoyed me enough to knock it down to a 3. An encounter between two characters was just far too saccharine.
On top of that, the ways some things were wrapped up didn't seem consistent with the rest of the book.
Note--Chapter 1 begins at the plane crash, but chapter 2 flashes back to detail Danny's fetal pig dissection in science class. If that sort of thing bugs you, skip that chapter! :)
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for giving me a DRC of this novel, which will be available for purchase on October 1st.
November 7, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
I totally wanted to read this because its set in the Amazon. Since my own world is a jungle world I love reading books set in the jungle. That is the only reason I wanted to read it... But it also includes disability (loss of an eye) and survival (another genre I love)!!
The title is very fascinating and really kind of symbolically encapsulates what The Speed of Falling Objects is really about... which is not survival or disability though those are part of the story. It's hard to settle on a title like this but with the right story it fits perfectly!! I don't hate the cover but kind of wish it had the tail end of a plane or a golden frog on the cover instead.
The Premise
Danny lost her eye in an accident when she was little... and then her dad left her and her mom. It's not a big leap for a kid to equate that to her accident being the cause of the divorce. Even when you become a teenager you aren't necessarily going to separate the two. Because kids are cruel and when you lose an eye there are physical signs that you're different. So it kind of supports the idea that not having an eye means people may not want to be around you. To me Danny's low self esteem made sense.
What I didn't like was her louse of a father. It made reading the beginning of The Speed of Falling Objects really, really hard. Because Danny is really, really delusional that her father is a great guy. And we could totally see where the story was going... from her low self esteem, to her parent's divorce, to her father's love, and even the plane crash! But once we hit the Amazon I was really pleasantly surprised (though her dad never does get better all the way to the bitter end!)
I loved how the author used the sounds and animals of the Amazon to really make the setting come alive. And despite her fears Danny really pushed herself to have a positive experience. Sure she's delusional but it motivated her to approach the experience with the right mindset. I thought Cass, Jupiter (especially my boy here!) and Gus really helped here too being a buffer that kept the reader from having to focus on just Danny and Cougar (her dad.)
I thought it was really smart how the author used this extreme situation to help Danny come into herself. Some of her loves that she didn't realize she had come to the surface as she has to face the past, face the truth about her parents and accept who she is because of it all. I could really appreciate how neither parent was painted with a hateful brush (no matter how much I disliked Cougar!) and was left realistic, even if that was painful to Danny.
While I loved the character arc in The Speed of Falling Objects I did find the end a tad disturbing with teen sex at a pivotal moment when dying people were waiting for them. However Danny's journey to acceptance of her parents and herself was really inspiring. I was so happy she figured out how she wanted to proceed with life.
My Experience
During the entire beginning of The Speed of Falling Objects I was preoccupied with how Danny saw her dad. While I think it’s realistic how she’s panting after her daddy’s love I also think it’s unhealthy the way she obsessed over it and pursued it at her mom's expense. It verged on problematic to me. I kept thinking that its telling girls to listen to a man's words and not his actions. This kind of thinking will lead readers to unhealthy relationships.
I did however like how the author showed Cougar did do somethings that showed his love. And Danny was able to recognize those things. But I wished it were addressed a little clearer that Cougar's actions were really selfish. And I really was dismayed at how Cougar decided to handle his own health issues. That is not right!! Suicide is not the answer. However, it did fit Cougar and who he was shown to us as being... a really prideful jerk who put being a celebrity above being a father.
I really applauded how the author wasn't afraid to kill off her characters. That was really brave for a YA book and really quite true to a small plane crash. And I felt many of survival situations and knowledge were quite spot on (I've researched these myself!)
Here are my three favorite things about The Speed of Falling Objects...
-Channeling her mom to deal with her dad!
“Show me.”
“Kid, leave it alone.”
I summon Commander Samantha’s bluntness. “Now.”
-Her conclusion about Cougar is so realistic!!
"Everything Cougar does goes to feed his ego. That’s a sad way to live. But I still want to know my father and have the time to forgive him."
-From the author's note... she totally hit this perfectly!!!
"Many of us, especially as teens, face a moment like Danny does, when we see our parents for who they truly are for the first time and must decide whether to pardon them for not being the superhero we imagined."
The Speed of Falling Objects is a crazy survival adventure through the Amazon jungle. It has celebrities, dad troubles, medical emergencies and many, many bugs and snakes! Meet Danny and see that losing her eye when she was young is the least of her troubles...
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
A- Cover & Title grade
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
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March 23, 2019
I picked this book up intending to read just one chapter and found that was completely impossible (the book STARTS with a plane disaster). Teenaged Danny's plane crashes in THE Amazon rain forest and she’s stranded there with her wilderness-survival celebrity dad, his filming crew and teen movie star Gus in a fight for survival (a brilliant set-up if every there was one). And yes, there are a plethora of terrifying bugs, reptiles and other lethal dangers, but what this story is about, at its heart (to me at least) is how real people get with each other when thrown into a life-and-death situation (with people they barely know - including Danny's arrogant, survivalist, absentee dad) and how our protagonist discovers courage and strength that she never knew she had. And did I mention the terrifying bugs? (I'm scared of bugs and got a vicarious thrill reading about Danny coming to grips with the constant presence of rainforest insects - which, apparently, are like Vermont insects on steroids). I highly recommend this completely addictive (and emotionally moving) thrill ride which had me googling one too many types of spiders. Seriously - don't miss this one.
October 29, 2019
Would you travel through the Amazon as part of a survivalist TV show in order to reconnect with your Dad and learn his truth? Well that’s what Danger Danielle (Danny) Warren does in The Speed of Falling Objects. This YA book is a fun and fast read that’s an adventure with a romance subplot. It’s a coming-of-age story filled with courage, the will to survive, love, family, friendship, bullying, and living with a disability.
The first sentence pulled me right in and the second sentence kept me there.
I don’t remember impact. There’s silence, followed by by individual sounds, like someone conducting a nature symphony - first birds with different songs, then the deep vibration of frogs, the buzz of myriad insects and an undercurrent of slithering that might be my imagination.
I could not put this book down. The suspense and the survivalist angle kept me turning the pages, as did the romantic angle. Fischer uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the rainforest and all of its “inhabitants.” A lot of research went into this book and it shows.
At its essence, the story is about Danny coming into her own. Danny has lived with a disability since she was 7, when she lost an eye in an accident. Not surprisingly, this disability had a major impact on her life - her father disappeared shortly thereafter, she was subjected to bullying in school and she suffered from numerous psychological issues.
..came up with their own dance. It was called “The Pigeon.” They stood in a circle flapping their arms like wings and poked their heads left and right, imitating me. I’d never realized that was how I looked. I was just trying to see better because having only one working eye makes judging depth and the speed of moving objects, like people dancing with abandon, a bitch. Until then, though, I’d thought I was doing a pretty good job. Funny how a single moment changed my self-perception forever.
Danny admits to being scared of “everything” now because of her disability, the exact opposite of who she was before. While the trip is a scary proposition because of all these fears, it is more important to Danny to get to know her Father and prove to him that she is worthy of his attention and love.
...this is my chance to prove to my dad that I can be the kid he used to love.
Tomorrow will be the first step to getting back to the Danny before the accident. Someone my dad will be proud to call his daughter.
As a way to have some sort of connection to her Dad a.k.a. Cougar, Danny has watched all the episodes of his TV show, some even multiple times. Granted it was a one-sided relationship but It was her only way to know him.
I’ve seen every one of my dad’s shows, watched when my mom isn’t home. Cougar eats snakes, bugs, raw eggs and maggots to survive. He suffers in extreme heat, cold and torrential rainstorms that make his skin blister, pucker, crack, bleed. In one episode. My dad almost died from a killer bee attack. In another, he was charged by a grizzly bear.
We really get to know Danny well and witness her personal development while she gets to know her Father and has to face some of her fears. It becomes an even greater challenge because Cougar is a dislikable person. The reader will easily root for Danny every time. In this way, it is a story of surviving the rainforest as well as surviving her father’s dysfunction.
The first sentence pulled me right in and the second sentence kept me there.
I don’t remember impact. There’s silence, followed by by individual sounds, like someone conducting a nature symphony - first birds with different songs, then the deep vibration of frogs, the buzz of myriad insects and an undercurrent of slithering that might be my imagination.
I could not put this book down. The suspense and the survivalist angle kept me turning the pages, as did the romantic angle. Fischer uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the rainforest and all of its “inhabitants.” A lot of research went into this book and it shows.
At its essence, the story is about Danny coming into her own. Danny has lived with a disability since she was 7, when she lost an eye in an accident. Not surprisingly, this disability had a major impact on her life - her father disappeared shortly thereafter, she was subjected to bullying in school and she suffered from numerous psychological issues.
..came up with their own dance. It was called “The Pigeon.” They stood in a circle flapping their arms like wings and poked their heads left and right, imitating me. I’d never realized that was how I looked. I was just trying to see better because having only one working eye makes judging depth and the speed of moving objects, like people dancing with abandon, a bitch. Until then, though, I’d thought I was doing a pretty good job. Funny how a single moment changed my self-perception forever.
Danny admits to being scared of “everything” now because of her disability, the exact opposite of who she was before. While the trip is a scary proposition because of all these fears, it is more important to Danny to get to know her Father and prove to him that she is worthy of his attention and love.
...this is my chance to prove to my dad that I can be the kid he used to love.
Tomorrow will be the first step to getting back to the Danny before the accident. Someone my dad will be proud to call his daughter.
As a way to have some sort of connection to her Dad a.k.a. Cougar, Danny has watched all the episodes of his TV show, some even multiple times. Granted it was a one-sided relationship but It was her only way to know him.
I’ve seen every one of my dad’s shows, watched when my mom isn’t home. Cougar eats snakes, bugs, raw eggs and maggots to survive. He suffers in extreme heat, cold and torrential rainstorms that make his skin blister, pucker, crack, bleed. In one episode. My dad almost died from a killer bee attack. In another, he was charged by a grizzly bear.
We really get to know Danny well and witness her personal development while she gets to know her Father and has to face some of her fears. It becomes an even greater challenge because Cougar is a dislikable person. The reader will easily root for Danny every time. In this way, it is a story of surviving the rainforest as well as surviving her father’s dysfunction.
June 10, 2020
This book was okay. I thought it was fairly action packed and I loved the adventure in the Amazon rainforest atmosphere and survivalist aspect but the characters and their relationships were a bit flat and one dimensional and the sniffing dead animals thing was really weird. It was an interesting book just to kind of learn what being in the rainforest would be like but other than that I wouldn't really recommend it.
June 30, 2020
An ARC was provided to me for free by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My number one advice for this book? Don't read it while on an airplane. After all, it literally begins with a plane crash.
I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved Danny and her narration. She lost one eye in an accident when she was younger and has been scared of the world - and losing her other good eye - since. She also has barely seen her father, a man who reinvented himself as Cougar - a fearless adventurer with his own television show about surviving in the wild with clueless celebrities. When Cougar returns just before Danny's 17th birthday with the offer of going to the Amazon rain forest, Danny can't help but want to go and redeem herself - and win back her dad's approval and love.
I've never been a fan of survival shows and I definitely don't like bugs or any sort of creepy crawlie, but something about this story was super compelling and I couldn't put it down. It's clear the author did her research into creatures living in the Amazon (in both appearance and behaviour), injuries sustained in airplane crashes, and how to realistically treat those injuries. Danny is super smart and resourceful, trying to help and save her travelling companions from being killed by basically everything. In the rain forest, everything is a threat.
I loved her relationship with her parents. It was really hard to see her discover some less-than-flattering things about both her mom and dad. I really loved to hate Cougar (though he had his redeeming moments) and I adored Jupiter!
Onto the negative (ish):
I didn't love how Danny's relationship with Trix worked out; Trix is Danny's best friend, but Danny's own coldness to her was a bit off-putting. Also, the book was somehow sex positive, but it felt like it was only positive for Danny; other characters who sleep around a lot are judged for their decision, which felt rather hypocritical. Finally, I wasn't a fan of how the story's romance progressed.
To be fair, these are small quibbles. Overall, I really enjoyed the story! Danny was whip-smart and honestly did her damn best in the circumstances she was stuck in, and I felt she grew a lot over the course of the novel. If you're looking for an adventure into a dangerous rain forest from the comfort of your own bed, this book is an excellent choice.
My number one advice for this book? Don't read it while on an airplane. After all, it literally begins with a plane crash.
I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved Danny and her narration. She lost one eye in an accident when she was younger and has been scared of the world - and losing her other good eye - since. She also has barely seen her father, a man who reinvented himself as Cougar - a fearless adventurer with his own television show about surviving in the wild with clueless celebrities. When Cougar returns just before Danny's 17th birthday with the offer of going to the Amazon rain forest, Danny can't help but want to go and redeem herself - and win back her dad's approval and love.
I've never been a fan of survival shows and I definitely don't like bugs or any sort of creepy crawlie, but something about this story was super compelling and I couldn't put it down. It's clear the author did her research into creatures living in the Amazon (in both appearance and behaviour), injuries sustained in airplane crashes, and how to realistically treat those injuries. Danny is super smart and resourceful, trying to help and save her travelling companions from being killed by basically everything. In the rain forest, everything is a threat.
I loved her relationship with her parents. It was really hard to see her discover some less-than-flattering things about both her mom and dad. I really loved to hate Cougar (though he had his redeeming moments) and I adored Jupiter!
Onto the negative (ish):
I didn't love how Danny's relationship with Trix worked out; Trix is Danny's best friend, but Danny's own coldness to her was a bit off-putting. Also, the book was somehow sex positive, but it felt like it was only positive for Danny; other characters who sleep around a lot are judged for their decision, which felt rather hypocritical. Finally, I wasn't a fan of how the story's romance progressed.
To be fair, these are small quibbles. Overall, I really enjoyed the story! Danny was whip-smart and honestly did her damn best in the circumstances she was stuck in, and I felt she grew a lot over the course of the novel. If you're looking for an adventure into a dangerous rain forest from the comfort of your own bed, this book is an excellent choice.
March 26, 2020
A clear five star YA read. It has everything, depth, breadth and best of all it has pace. Thank goodness for a breath of fresh air, something new and different and not full of sword wielding magic people.
Danny is blind in one eye, has a mum who is driven, for Danny and for herself. Her Dad is a TV survival documentary star and a proper pain in the arse, unreliable and emotionally distant. He invites Danny to come along on a trip to the Amazon, Danny hopes it will be a chance to repair her relationship with her Dad. They and the documentary crew and star are in a plane crash in the Amazon, people die and are injured. Danny and the survivors must make their way to safety but they don't know where they are and everything in the jungle is trying to kill them.
This is a love story combined with a survival nightmare. I loved the way the characters interacted with each other. The writing is great, this is an author who knows her audience and can hold suspense with just the right amount of tension. I devoured it in 2 days, it is one of the best YA novels I've read in ages.
Danny is blind in one eye, has a mum who is driven, for Danny and for herself. Her Dad is a TV survival documentary star and a proper pain in the arse, unreliable and emotionally distant. He invites Danny to come along on a trip to the Amazon, Danny hopes it will be a chance to repair her relationship with her Dad. They and the documentary crew and star are in a plane crash in the Amazon, people die and are injured. Danny and the survivors must make their way to safety but they don't know where they are and everything in the jungle is trying to kill them.
This is a love story combined with a survival nightmare. I loved the way the characters interacted with each other. The writing is great, this is an author who knows her audience and can hold suspense with just the right amount of tension. I devoured it in 2 days, it is one of the best YA novels I've read in ages.
October 4, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice
Survivalist stories are brutal. They excel at tearing away hope in favour of exposing the true grit of human nature. This story is no exception, and I felt that it offered a very interesting exploration into the human spirit when it seems as though there is nothing left to lose. Emotions run high, raw, and rampant here, and there’s no turning back once you’ve started. I found the characters compelling, and the sheer hatred that I had for one character in particular showed just how close to reality some of the relationships in this book were treading. The imagery in this book was phenomenal, you can almost feel the stifling humidity of the amazon come to life as you’re reading. Naturally, since this book is about the survival of characters after a plane crash, if you’re easily triggered by death or gore, this might be a book to approach with caution.
In this book we meet Danger “Danny” Danielle Warren, a young woman who lost her eye in a childhood accident, and is no stranger to falling. She’s had to relearn her perception of movement and space, so she prefers to keep her nose down to her studies instead. Danny feels at fault for her mother’s bitterness and separation from her father, if only she could be better, more athletic…just more. When her TV star father calls with an opportunity to participate on his next episode of his popular TV series, Danny jumps at the chance, eager to show her father, she isn’t the disappointment that he left behind. Not only that, but getting to hang out with the hottest actor around should be the cherry on top. However, when their plane crashes in the Amazon and some horrifying secrets are revealed, Danny finds out some terrible truths about her father. She’ll have to find her own inner strength and hope if she’s ever going to make it out of the Amazon alive.
When I first started this story, I was so engrossed by Danny. She doesn’t let her vision impairment become a hindrance, and has learned to adapt. Although she harbours feelings of self-loathing because of the accident, Danny has also come so far when you first meet her. She’s fascinated by science and medicine, and I loved that this is a trait of hers that gets to be displayed throughout the book. Unfortunately because of her accident, Danny does suffer from low self-confidence, which is also prominently displayed throughout the book, to the point of pain in some parts. She’s bullied by her classmates and at times it feels that all Danny seems to embody is her disability. Moreover, it was hard to read about her relationship with her father because it reminded me of an experience of a close family member had.
This story is definitely more of an emotional journey. Very similar to the five stages of grief, Danny goes on this emotional journey not only with her dad, but with herself. How effective communication means nothing when a person only cares about themselves. And a lot of these characters only seem to care about themselves in the long run. It’s hard to root for anyone at first because you find out just how horrid human nature can be. As you dig deeper, you find out what’s truly at the core of these characters and just how determined they are to survive.
Of course, there’s a romance that kindles between Danny and Gus Price, a famous actor. Without being too spoilery, I enjoyed the relationship development, despite some of the setbacks in the book. Some of my favourite scenes in the book are with these two characters at the center. Of course, there’s also the relationship that we see between Danny and her best friend, which was sweet because of some of the issues they share, but I didn’t get enough of. I would have liked to see more of Danny and Trix’s relationship.
If you’ve ever wanted a clearer definition of the dangers of being stranded to survive in a rainforest, this is definitely the book to read. The vivid imagery of some of the things happening in this book would definitely make some queasy. I mean, I knew I wasn’t going to be sitting down to read about gourmet meals in the book, but I definitely had no appetite by the end of it. The juxtaposition of having a lush rainforest and yet having almost nothing to eat or drink was definitely a frightening scene.
My rating for this book would be an 8/10. It was a strong read, but I wish we’d had a little more development between some of the relationships that Danny has in the book. However, the emotional journey is certainly worthwhile, and will definitely make readers more introspective when they reach the end.
Survivalist stories are brutal. They excel at tearing away hope in favour of exposing the true grit of human nature. This story is no exception, and I felt that it offered a very interesting exploration into the human spirit when it seems as though there is nothing left to lose. Emotions run high, raw, and rampant here, and there’s no turning back once you’ve started. I found the characters compelling, and the sheer hatred that I had for one character in particular showed just how close to reality some of the relationships in this book were treading. The imagery in this book was phenomenal, you can almost feel the stifling humidity of the amazon come to life as you’re reading. Naturally, since this book is about the survival of characters after a plane crash, if you’re easily triggered by death or gore, this might be a book to approach with caution.
In this book we meet Danger “Danny” Danielle Warren, a young woman who lost her eye in a childhood accident, and is no stranger to falling. She’s had to relearn her perception of movement and space, so she prefers to keep her nose down to her studies instead. Danny feels at fault for her mother’s bitterness and separation from her father, if only she could be better, more athletic…just more. When her TV star father calls with an opportunity to participate on his next episode of his popular TV series, Danny jumps at the chance, eager to show her father, she isn’t the disappointment that he left behind. Not only that, but getting to hang out with the hottest actor around should be the cherry on top. However, when their plane crashes in the Amazon and some horrifying secrets are revealed, Danny finds out some terrible truths about her father. She’ll have to find her own inner strength and hope if she’s ever going to make it out of the Amazon alive.
When I first started this story, I was so engrossed by Danny. She doesn’t let her vision impairment become a hindrance, and has learned to adapt. Although she harbours feelings of self-loathing because of the accident, Danny has also come so far when you first meet her. She’s fascinated by science and medicine, and I loved that this is a trait of hers that gets to be displayed throughout the book. Unfortunately because of her accident, Danny does suffer from low self-confidence, which is also prominently displayed throughout the book, to the point of pain in some parts. She’s bullied by her classmates and at times it feels that all Danny seems to embody is her disability. Moreover, it was hard to read about her relationship with her father because it reminded me of an experience of a close family member had.
This story is definitely more of an emotional journey. Very similar to the five stages of grief, Danny goes on this emotional journey not only with her dad, but with herself. How effective communication means nothing when a person only cares about themselves. And a lot of these characters only seem to care about themselves in the long run. It’s hard to root for anyone at first because you find out just how horrid human nature can be. As you dig deeper, you find out what’s truly at the core of these characters and just how determined they are to survive.
Of course, there’s a romance that kindles between Danny and Gus Price, a famous actor. Without being too spoilery, I enjoyed the relationship development, despite some of the setbacks in the book. Some of my favourite scenes in the book are with these two characters at the center. Of course, there’s also the relationship that we see between Danny and her best friend, which was sweet because of some of the issues they share, but I didn’t get enough of. I would have liked to see more of Danny and Trix’s relationship.
If you’ve ever wanted a clearer definition of the dangers of being stranded to survive in a rainforest, this is definitely the book to read. The vivid imagery of some of the things happening in this book would definitely make some queasy. I mean, I knew I wasn’t going to be sitting down to read about gourmet meals in the book, but I definitely had no appetite by the end of it. The juxtaposition of having a lush rainforest and yet having almost nothing to eat or drink was definitely a frightening scene.
My rating for this book would be an 8/10. It was a strong read, but I wish we’d had a little more development between some of the relationships that Danny has in the book. However, the emotional journey is certainly worthwhile, and will definitely make readers more introspective when they reach the end.
March 27, 2020
4 1/2 Stars ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ Rounded up
October 10, 2019
For other fun bookish stuff, check out my blog!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. The Speed of Falling Objects debuted October 1st.
If there ever was a book to convince me that I don’t want to visit the Amazon rain forest, this is it. The book progresses from a page one plane crash to poison dart frogs, killer snakes, leeches, and all the creepy crawlies you could ever want. MC Danny, short for Danielle, must confront all these and more as she and her survival TV star father, along with a reality television crew and a teen heartthrob movie star, endeavor to make their way to safety.
But this book isn’t just about the perils of the Amazon. Danny’s mission is to use the time in the jungle to get closer to her dad, who, to put it bluntly, is a total dick. She hardly knows him, but has spent most of her life obsessed with his wilderness survival television show. Much of the book revolves around her hopes and expectations about her father being summarily dashed; she has to learn who her father really is and whether she can accept that reality or not. The book was a bit introspective for my taste, but that’s a personal preference thing.
The writing is strong, and Fischer holds no punches. The inclusion of the teen heartthrob character made me think at the outset that this would be a bit of a fluffier read, but it’s definitely not. People die in this book, permanently, and not just the ones you’re kind of hoping might. If you’re looking for a wilderness-themed page-turner, this is definitely a book to pick up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. The Speed of Falling Objects debuted October 1st.
If there ever was a book to convince me that I don’t want to visit the Amazon rain forest, this is it. The book progresses from a page one plane crash to poison dart frogs, killer snakes, leeches, and all the creepy crawlies you could ever want. MC Danny, short for Danielle, must confront all these and more as she and her survival TV star father, along with a reality television crew and a teen heartthrob movie star, endeavor to make their way to safety.
But this book isn’t just about the perils of the Amazon. Danny’s mission is to use the time in the jungle to get closer to her dad, who, to put it bluntly, is a total dick. She hardly knows him, but has spent most of her life obsessed with his wilderness survival television show. Much of the book revolves around her hopes and expectations about her father being summarily dashed; she has to learn who her father really is and whether she can accept that reality or not. The book was a bit introspective for my taste, but that’s a personal preference thing.
The writing is strong, and Fischer holds no punches. The inclusion of the teen heartthrob character made me think at the outset that this would be a bit of a fluffier read, but it’s definitely not. People die in this book, permanently, and not just the ones you’re kind of hoping might. If you’re looking for a wilderness-themed page-turner, this is definitely a book to pick up!
Read
September 23, 2019If this one doesn't make you want to crawl under your covers and grab a can of Raid, I'd be shocked. Gah! The snakes, the bugs, the sweat, the rain...what didn't happen to this poor kid? I was glued to every page. Loved that there was absolutely no pull back on what really happens when the unthinkable happens in the Amazon jungle. Scary!
December 16, 2019
The beginning of this book had me absolutely hooked. It starts out with a plane crash and leaves you wanting to know more. It was a super fast paced and action packed read. BUT there were some super problematic things throughout the book that knocked my rating down from a solid 4 to a 3 stars.
I wouldn't say I felt connected to our MC Danny, but I was super interested in the survivalist aspect of the story. Also the writing was very good in terms of description. I felt like I was really in the rain forest seeing all the deadly animals & insects and being in the midst of the sticky jungle. The writing was so visceral.
The last 15% of the book too a downhill turn for me. Character development felt a bit shunted, other developments progressed too quickly and felt unwarranted, and the ending wrapped up in a way that didn't feel satisfying enough for the conclusion of such an epic story. This is a very subjective feeling, but I think that things could have been wrapped up with a little more time given to flesh things out.
If the ending hadn't ruined my last feelings towards the book I may have been more inclined to give this a 4 stars. I will be happy to check out more of this author's stuff though because the writing is very good and she really knows how to write intense action scenes!
TW: Gore and death
I wouldn't say I felt connected to our MC Danny, but I was super interested in the survivalist aspect of the story. Also the writing was very good in terms of description. I felt like I was really in the rain forest seeing all the deadly animals & insects and being in the midst of the sticky jungle. The writing was so visceral.
The last 15% of the book too a downhill turn for me. Character development felt a bit shunted, other developments progressed too quickly and felt unwarranted, and the ending wrapped up in a way that didn't feel satisfying enough for the conclusion of such an epic story. This is a very subjective feeling, but I think that things could have been wrapped up with a little more time given to flesh things out.
If the ending hadn't ruined my last feelings towards the book I may have been more inclined to give this a 4 stars. I will be happy to check out more of this author's stuff though because the writing is very good and she really knows how to write intense action scenes!
TW: Gore and death
April 18, 2020
3.5 Stars
(Audio and Story)
The action, adventure, and survival elements were probably the best things about this story. There were also a couple of great characters that I loved, but neither happened to be the main character, Dani. In essence, this was Dani’s story of growth and acceptance, but unfortunately she spent 2/3 of the book undermining herself, while also tying to impress a narcissistic father. It became a bit tedious. I wanted her to get out of her head and stick up for herself sooner, but she ultimately didn't show any true strength of character until towards the end. There was a also little romance in the story, but it only felt contrived next to everything else. Surprisingly, coming from a reader who loves a good romance, I felt like the author should have left that element out and focused more on the harrowing, suspenseful, and heartbreaking moments. That was where the true strength of this story had been.
October 29, 2019
How long would you survive lost in the Amazon?
Huge fan of Bear Grylls and Naked & Afraid type survival shows - but I still don’t think that if my plane crashed in the South American jungle I’d survive 5 minutes. I’d get hungry & cranky and itchy & bitchy. The Amazon is pretty but I’ll stick to the one that sells books!
When Danny’s estranged father - a famous TV survivalist - asks her to come along on a shoot, she instantly says yes. Forget that that she’s terrified of everything, and not very athletic, and that the hottest teen movie idol of the moment is joining them. She's determined to prove once and for all to her dad that she’s no disappointment.
But when the plane crashes in the Amazon - all bets are off. Surviving isn’t the only thing Danny and the others need to contend with. There’s emotions and secrets that sting just as bad as fire ants. Sharp tongued words that bite harder than poisonous snakes. And as deadly as the rainforest may be - it’s nothing compared to the strength Danny must find within to survive her inner struggles.
Let me tell you…. I FELT like I was in the Amazon and found myself itching and scratching away invisible creepy crawlies. The suspense is thrilling and riveting from the very beginning to the very end. You FEEL like you are there. You feel the emotions, the sadness, the danger and the triumphs and you will be on the edge of your seat reading this. It’s written so fantastically well, you don’t ever want to put it down. You almost don’t WANT them to get out, because you won’t want the book the end!
It’s definitely a new favorite!
Huge fan of Bear Grylls and Naked & Afraid type survival shows - but I still don’t think that if my plane crashed in the South American jungle I’d survive 5 minutes. I’d get hungry & cranky and itchy & bitchy. The Amazon is pretty but I’ll stick to the one that sells books!
When Danny’s estranged father - a famous TV survivalist - asks her to come along on a shoot, she instantly says yes. Forget that that she’s terrified of everything, and not very athletic, and that the hottest teen movie idol of the moment is joining them. She's determined to prove once and for all to her dad that she’s no disappointment.
But when the plane crashes in the Amazon - all bets are off. Surviving isn’t the only thing Danny and the others need to contend with. There’s emotions and secrets that sting just as bad as fire ants. Sharp tongued words that bite harder than poisonous snakes. And as deadly as the rainforest may be - it’s nothing compared to the strength Danny must find within to survive her inner struggles.
Let me tell you…. I FELT like I was in the Amazon and found myself itching and scratching away invisible creepy crawlies. The suspense is thrilling and riveting from the very beginning to the very end. You FEEL like you are there. You feel the emotions, the sadness, the danger and the triumphs and you will be on the edge of your seat reading this. It’s written so fantastically well, you don’t ever want to put it down. You almost don’t WANT them to get out, because you won’t want the book the end!
It’s definitely a new favorite!
February 4, 2020
4.5 stars
I picked this up on a whim and it was everything. I loved the writing, the setting, the characters and the complicated/emotional relationships. Danny is a great lead who had very childlike qualities and enough complexity that made her well rounded. Her relationship with her dad is a key focus of the story and by the time we head towards the end, we find her becoming more confident and in tune with herself. My view of her father changed so many times throughout the story that by the time I got to the end, I was all up in my feels. Gus was a cute addition because, why not have a love interest in the jungle, and their camaraderie was sweet up until the very last line.
A great read for anyone that loves a character driven book. Don't pass this up - it may become your new favourite!
I picked this up on a whim and it was everything. I loved the writing, the setting, the characters and the complicated/emotional relationships. Danny is a great lead who had very childlike qualities and enough complexity that made her well rounded. Her relationship with her dad is a key focus of the story and by the time we head towards the end, we find her becoming more confident and in tune with herself. My view of her father changed so many times throughout the story that by the time I got to the end, I was all up in my feels. Gus was a cute addition because, why not have a love interest in the jungle, and their camaraderie was sweet up until the very last line.
A great read for anyone that loves a character driven book. Don't pass this up - it may become your new favourite!
November 7, 2019
This book was a solid 4 Stars, I enjoyed the heck out of it. Let me tell you how I read it (insert flashback/ dream sequence music here).
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I read the first 50ish pages and was a little anxious to get past it. You see, I get super uncomfortable and then uninterested in naive and keenly desperate characters. And that’s the entire set up of this story, it’s a place to start. I also knew that it would evolve and grow past that phase for the main character. I had faith in Nan’s writing but I also had another theory on the storyline that I had to put to rest before I could continue. So I did something I never do... skip to a vital end point and read it, thereby spoiling myself (I wrote an IG story about it at the time). It allowed me to allay my suspicions, prove me wrong, and put me right back on track with reading.
.
The next night I settle in to read 50 more pages before bed. It still seems like a great pace. Some reading and then shut eye... (cue dramatic music here)... cut to me staying up ALL NIGHT to finish the book. It was addicting as hell. I could not stop reading.
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I mean, a small plane crash in the Amazon with a popular tv survivalist, his risk averse estranged daughter, a movie star, and some various crew... it sounds promising but could also have veered into Gilligan’s Island cheesy territory. Luckily the author did not pull and punches. It was raw and emotional one moment, and then entertaining and adventurous the next. The book still had the bones of a great YA Contemporary but with twist of an amazing, dangerous, and lush setting.
•
I still had a couple small quibbles (I’m critical like that) but ultimately it was such a compulsively readable book. I can definitely recommend.
* I recieved a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
.
I read the first 50ish pages and was a little anxious to get past it. You see, I get super uncomfortable and then uninterested in naive and keenly desperate characters. And that’s the entire set up of this story, it’s a place to start. I also knew that it would evolve and grow past that phase for the main character. I had faith in Nan’s writing but I also had another theory on the storyline that I had to put to rest before I could continue. So I did something I never do... skip to a vital end point and read it, thereby spoiling myself (I wrote an IG story about it at the time). It allowed me to allay my suspicions, prove me wrong, and put me right back on track with reading.
.
The next night I settle in to read 50 more pages before bed. It still seems like a great pace. Some reading and then shut eye... (cue dramatic music here)... cut to me staying up ALL NIGHT to finish the book. It was addicting as hell. I could not stop reading.
.
I mean, a small plane crash in the Amazon with a popular tv survivalist, his risk averse estranged daughter, a movie star, and some various crew... it sounds promising but could also have veered into Gilligan’s Island cheesy territory. Luckily the author did not pull and punches. It was raw and emotional one moment, and then entertaining and adventurous the next. The book still had the bones of a great YA Contemporary but with twist of an amazing, dangerous, and lush setting.
•
I still had a couple small quibbles (I’m critical like that) but ultimately it was such a compulsively readable book. I can definitely recommend.
* I recieved a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2019
Hello, everyone, I Received this Advance reader copy from Harlequin TEEN (US and Canada) on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
I highly recommend this to those who are looking for a story where one discovers self and who needs that type of read where a character, after going through so much, uplifts herself and just realized they are worth it.
This book is about a 17-year-old girl discovering her true self and family through the hardships she went through as a child and what her parents went through as well.
The character really finds her worth and I am really proud of her for that. What she went through, taught me a few lessons. I think more people should read books like this one to break out of that shell of insecurity. For which, I’m so grateful to have devoured this book. It was an incredible read. I can not believe I got my hands on this ARC. Everyone and their pets need to read this book. I haven’t read a book as good as this in a while and I mean A WHILE. The character development was awesome. The author did an excellent job of creating the characters and the setting. I sat here and thought about how can she even think about making an adventure filled and suspenseful book such as this. Therefore, I went through all the feels while reading this. I was sad, happy, laughing, and angry. A magnificent page turner.
I rated this 5 out of 5 stars
I highly recommend this to those who are looking for a story where one discovers self and who needs that type of read where a character, after going through so much, uplifts herself and just realized they are worth it.
This book is about a 17-year-old girl discovering her true self and family through the hardships she went through as a child and what her parents went through as well.
The character really finds her worth and I am really proud of her for that. What she went through, taught me a few lessons. I think more people should read books like this one to break out of that shell of insecurity. For which, I’m so grateful to have devoured this book. It was an incredible read. I can not believe I got my hands on this ARC. Everyone and their pets need to read this book. I haven’t read a book as good as this in a while and I mean A WHILE. The character development was awesome. The author did an excellent job of creating the characters and the setting. I sat here and thought about how can she even think about making an adventure filled and suspenseful book such as this. Therefore, I went through all the feels while reading this. I was sad, happy, laughing, and angry. A magnificent page turner.
September 3, 2019
Loved it. Full review to come.
February 6, 2021
"Gus said Cougar is a bright light, and that's true. I thought I wanted to live in his glow. But you can't hitch a ride on someone else's star---You have to be your own star." (Fischer 297)
October 1, 2019
Since this is my book...
I hope readers will fall in love with Danger Danielle Warren as I did while creating her. I hope they'll understand her weaknesses and perceived flaws and cheer when Danny realizes that she has the strength to become the hero of her own life's story. And I hope that they'll relate to her relationship with her parents, to wanting them to be perfect, to discovering they're not, and to finding a way to forgive their flaws and practice kindness in order to move forward.
I hope readers will fall in love with Danger Danielle Warren as I did while creating her. I hope they'll understand her weaknesses and perceived flaws and cheer when Danny realizes that she has the strength to become the hero of her own life's story. And I hope that they'll relate to her relationship with her parents, to wanting them to be perfect, to discovering they're not, and to finding a way to forgive their flaws and practice kindness in order to move forward.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2019
Thank you so much to Edelweiss for this ARC! I read the synopsis and was automatically excited to read it, but I had no idea the heart that lay beneath the brush of the Amazon. This tale was expertly wound, and our little heroine felt like an extension of my soul. Watching Danny make her journey from Pigeon to Danielle to Danny to Danger was the the most cathartic thing, and it's amazing that it happened all within these 336 pages. She grew so much, and it really inspired me. Beneath the actual surviving happening as these characters are stranded in an unfamiliar and hostile environment, you also get to see the inner turmoil that they have been living through.
Danny is sixteen going on seventeen, and she lives with her mom. Her dad is off recording his survival show, 'Cougar', and hasn't been in her life since the accident where she lost her eye. So, when he invites her to go on a trip with him to Peru, despite all of her inner fears of wildlife and disease, she accepts just to spend time with him. I connected with her so deeply here, seeing a younger version of myself, wanting to be the rough and tumble kid who everyone wanted to be around and love. I also saw myself as I am now, scared of rejection and of not being good enough, and Danny's inner voice might be the true villain of this story. To prove that nagging sound wrong, she goes, but things fall apart much quicker than expected.
This novel had me on the edge of my seat from the plane crash on. There was no holds barred as gore, creatures, and the landscape of this beauty country are all explored. I've never been to that side of the world, but after reading this, I feel like I had also gone down and was stranded amongst the flora and fauna. As traumatizing as the events were, I had such a reverence for it, just thinking about seeing, tasting, and experiencing all these things. From poison dart frogs to grilled snake to capturing first love, it was sensory magic. I appreciated the cast of characters we are presented with, and how their varied injuries and backstories make them unforgettable. I don't think I could ever make it in this situation, and watching Danny wrestle with the illusion of her dad shattering, getting to know the movie star who is her age, and discovering her inner power is simply beautiful.
I think my favorite thing about the whole novel is that we start out with Cougar being the hero. It's all WWCD? (what would cougar do) and putting him on a pedestal, while he berates Danny for her inexperience. Of course, he's her father, so it feels like he should be right and the leader and a superhero 100% of the time. As the course of the book goes on, Danny does a lot of growing up. She recognizes her dad's flaws at the same time as she's finding out that she can be her own hero. Her inner monologue slowly changes from self-doubt to an admirable self-confidence, and the first time I ever saw WWDD? (what would danny do) I cheered. She lost a lot in that rainforest; friends, her childhood, and nearly her life, multiple times. The fact that she was able to rise above it all and find peace within is the best lesson I think this novel could teach. Truth.
Danny is sixteen going on seventeen, and she lives with her mom. Her dad is off recording his survival show, 'Cougar', and hasn't been in her life since the accident where she lost her eye. So, when he invites her to go on a trip with him to Peru, despite all of her inner fears of wildlife and disease, she accepts just to spend time with him. I connected with her so deeply here, seeing a younger version of myself, wanting to be the rough and tumble kid who everyone wanted to be around and love. I also saw myself as I am now, scared of rejection and of not being good enough, and Danny's inner voice might be the true villain of this story. To prove that nagging sound wrong, she goes, but things fall apart much quicker than expected.
This novel had me on the edge of my seat from the plane crash on. There was no holds barred as gore, creatures, and the landscape of this beauty country are all explored. I've never been to that side of the world, but after reading this, I feel like I had also gone down and was stranded amongst the flora and fauna. As traumatizing as the events were, I had such a reverence for it, just thinking about seeing, tasting, and experiencing all these things. From poison dart frogs to grilled snake to capturing first love, it was sensory magic. I appreciated the cast of characters we are presented with, and how their varied injuries and backstories make them unforgettable. I don't think I could ever make it in this situation, and watching Danny wrestle with the illusion of her dad shattering, getting to know the movie star who is her age, and discovering her inner power is simply beautiful.
I think my favorite thing about the whole novel is that we start out with Cougar being the hero. It's all WWCD? (what would cougar do) and putting him on a pedestal, while he berates Danny for her inexperience. Of course, he's her father, so it feels like he should be right and the leader and a superhero 100% of the time. As the course of the book goes on, Danny does a lot of growing up. She recognizes her dad's flaws at the same time as she's finding out that she can be her own hero. Her inner monologue slowly changes from self-doubt to an admirable self-confidence, and the first time I ever saw WWDD? (what would danny do) I cheered. She lost a lot in that rainforest; friends, her childhood, and nearly her life, multiple times. The fact that she was able to rise above it all and find peace within is the best lesson I think this novel could teach. Truth.
September 24, 2019
Equally thrilling and heartfelt, THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS is a fantastic novel about facing your fears and pushing beyond what you think your limits are to figure out who you really are as a person.
The main character is the daughter of a man who’s a bit of a combination of two famous Steves: Steve-O and Steve Irwin. He’s knowledgeable but pompous, capable but a bit cold-hearted at times, not to mention very selfish. “Danielle” (a name I’m very partial to), or Danny for short, doesn’t think she’s any of that. So when she’s invited on a survival excursion through the rainforest with her dad and a current Hollywood heartthrob, she sees it as her chance to reconnect with her dad and prove to him (and herself) that she’s neither a failure nor a letdown of a daughter, friend, or human being. The problem is that she’s afraid of a lot of things, many that happen to pose a threat to her in the Amazon. When nothing goes according to plan and the adventurers (as well as the crew) find themselves in mortal danger, Danny has to search within for her true potential and survive while helping others do the same.
I really, really enjoyed this novel. For a YA novel, it was far less forgiving than I’d assumed it’d be. The dangers of the rainforest are very real and have very real, very fatal consequences. While reading this book, you’ll find yourself grimacing while excitedly turning the page. Descriptions are incredibly vivid, both of rainforest flora and fauna as well as of injuries, death, and human anatomy. This book doesn’t pull any punches. The survival situation here is very much life or death, with death being the more likely.
But that’s what makes it great. It’s a beautiful novel that follows one young woman’s journey toward discovering her true self that she hid away long ago. While outside forces such as other people (like her deadbeat dad) and the rainforest help her along a bit, ultimately she finds her strength from within.
Her relationship with her father is incredibly frustrating, but in the best way possible. He’s a textbook narcissist but he’s hard not to have a soft spot for. It’s easy to understand how Danny takes so much shit from him but keeps yearning for his approval. Their relationship is beautifully nuanced and, while frustrating, ultimately satisfying.
THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS is a book you won’t soon forget due to its beautiful imagery, vivid descriptions of death and danger, and carefully drawn characters. I definitely recommend it.
The main character is the daughter of a man who’s a bit of a combination of two famous Steves: Steve-O and Steve Irwin. He’s knowledgeable but pompous, capable but a bit cold-hearted at times, not to mention very selfish. “Danielle” (a name I’m very partial to), or Danny for short, doesn’t think she’s any of that. So when she’s invited on a survival excursion through the rainforest with her dad and a current Hollywood heartthrob, she sees it as her chance to reconnect with her dad and prove to him (and herself) that she’s neither a failure nor a letdown of a daughter, friend, or human being. The problem is that she’s afraid of a lot of things, many that happen to pose a threat to her in the Amazon. When nothing goes according to plan and the adventurers (as well as the crew) find themselves in mortal danger, Danny has to search within for her true potential and survive while helping others do the same.
I really, really enjoyed this novel. For a YA novel, it was far less forgiving than I’d assumed it’d be. The dangers of the rainforest are very real and have very real, very fatal consequences. While reading this book, you’ll find yourself grimacing while excitedly turning the page. Descriptions are incredibly vivid, both of rainforest flora and fauna as well as of injuries, death, and human anatomy. This book doesn’t pull any punches. The survival situation here is very much life or death, with death being the more likely.
But that’s what makes it great. It’s a beautiful novel that follows one young woman’s journey toward discovering her true self that she hid away long ago. While outside forces such as other people (like her deadbeat dad) and the rainforest help her along a bit, ultimately she finds her strength from within.
Her relationship with her father is incredibly frustrating, but in the best way possible. He’s a textbook narcissist but he’s hard not to have a soft spot for. It’s easy to understand how Danny takes so much shit from him but keeps yearning for his approval. Their relationship is beautifully nuanced and, while frustrating, ultimately satisfying.
THE SPEED OF FALLING OBJECTS is a book you won’t soon forget due to its beautiful imagery, vivid descriptions of death and danger, and carefully drawn characters. I definitely recommend it.
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