Shiirleyy's Bookshelf has migrated to Dear Shirley ! I will continue to post book reviews but there will also be a lot of personal and travel-related posts :)

Book Review: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

6 Jan 2012

Title: The Way We Fall 
Author: Megan Crewe 
Publisher: Murdoch Books Australia/Disney-Hyperion 
Release Date: January 24th 2012/December 2011 (Aus)
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)


It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.


And then you're dead.


When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

The Way We Fall follows Kaelyn’s life once a deadly virus starts spreading through her island. No one knows anything about this virus, and there is no cure. Everyday, more and more people are getting infected by this unknown virus, and even more people are dying. The government has quarantined the island, preventing anyone from neither arriving nor leaving. It’s pretty much a death sentence for everyone on the island.

Megan has delivered a heartbreaking story of love, loss and one’s need for survival. I was constantly asking myself, ‘ What if this happened to everyone around me? How do I endure watching everyone around me, everyone I love change from a perfectly normal person one day, to an insane person the next, and then, just.. die?’Needless to say, I really did not want to answer those questions. Yet that’s exactly what 16 year old Kaelyn is experiencing. She has to watch her family,friends, neighbours, , people she’s known her whole life just suddenly disappear in the blink of an eye. I really enjoyed Kaelyn’s voice- she’s level-headed and brave, and always thinking of others before herself. Her feelings of fear, hopelessness, and desperation were contagious; every feeling she felt, I felt it too. This is definitely a raw, gripping and realistic read.

is written in the form of a series of diary entries/ letters to Kaelyn’s best friend, L eo who left the island two years earlier after a dispute between the two. While I found this style interesting and refreshing, I have to admit, it didn’t work too well at times. It was only the beginning and ending of each entry and the occasional second-person narration that indicated it was written in a diary/letter form, but the rest of book felt more like a first-narration prose. The writing seemed too formal and there was too much re-telling for a letter addressed to one’s best friend. But I was able to overlook this, once Kaelyn’s story drew me in.

I also wished that Leo had played a more prominent role in this book; he’s mentioned throughout, yet he never made an appearance. There was also an unexpected romance but unfortunately, I wasn’t entirely moved by it. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed The Way We Fall!

I’ve been debating whether to give this 4 or 5 star, so I’ll settle on 4.5 stars. I feel like my rating contradicts my review but my since my rating system’s an indication of my overall enjoyment of the book, and this was definitely one of those‘unputdownable’ books for me, despite its flaws, I think I'll just settle on 4.5 stars :)


Watch the trailer below!



9 comments:

  1. While disappointing about the romance and style of narration, I think you've really hooked me with how her emotions and story drew you in. That it can make you question your own reaction in those type of situations and FEEL the emotions... I love when books can do that! So eager to dive into this! Amazing review, Shirley <3

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  2. I've heard mixed things about this book. I might borrow it from the library. Great review. Love the cover.

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  3. ahh Great review. Im so glad you enjoyed this book. somehow I did like this book, like ive said the story was gripping after the slow start, and I also got teary eyes with some scenes it was just so sad. Also I am so intrigued with Leo, I want to know him more!

    ✿FICBOOKREVIEWS✿

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  4. I'm glad you enjoyed this! :) I thought one particular letter scene was VERRRY well done. I think you know which one I'm talking about ;)

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  5. Great review! I was really underwhelmed with Crewe's Give Up The Ghost, so I didn't really plan on reading this--now I might, lol.

    Oh, and in response you your rant....err, I mean comment on my 2012 TRB Pile sign up, yes, I know I'm sooooo behind with some books. I'm gonna read Anna soon. I hope. LOL. First I think Hunger Games. Jess has been at me, and Braiden, and Brodie, so I'm gonna give 'em a go. Hahaha! And there's no need to stalk....um, I mean encourage me to read those books like you did with Brodie and TIF. I'm gonna get stuck into these book.

    Great new look for the your blog too! And thank-you--I'm thrilled to be back ^_^

    Rachel @ The Rest Is Still Unwritten

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  6. Thank you Rachel <3 Awww...I haven't read any of Crewe's other books, but I was definitely impressed with The Way We Fall!

    haha, yes it was a rant :S
    YESSSS!!! HUNGER GAMES!!! READREADREADREADREAD.
    LOL Brodie & TIF! That was pretty hilarious <3 At least she ended up LOVING it! Which means, IF i stalk you (encourage you) to read ANNA & all those other amazing books, you'll probably end up LOVING them as well!!!! hehee :D

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  7. I have to read this book ASAP. Glad you enjoyed the book! The cover actually looks really cool. Great review, Shirley!!

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  8. Oh this sounds neat! The diary format can be really cool. I've never really looked into this one before but it's going on my wishlist! :D

    Giselle
    Xpresso Reads

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  9. You're welcome. Yeah, Give Up The Ghost.....thought I'd love it. I didn't. But I may give this a shot. It looks completely different from the first book of hers.

    Yeah, but rants are good. Sometimes ;)
    I've been looking for the boxed set with all three books, but can't seem to find it anywhere locally. Perhaps I'll just get it from TBD. I wanna be able to go from one to the next. Plus, I wanna read them BEFORE the movie hits stores :)
    It was! I know she did--bet she wished she'd read them sooner, huh? LOL. Most likely! Often with books I put off I end up adoring them. Fingers crossed this'll be the case. With Anna it's a case of my loving the supernatural too much and only reading contemporary novels every now and then. I need to be in the mood for it, or I get bored.

    Chao darling <3

    Rachel @ The Rest Is Still Unwritten

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