Coutney Summers Week: FALL FOR ANYTHING

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: Dec 21, 2010

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN:  0312656734

Format: Paperback, 224 pages

Description: 

When Eddie Reeves's father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why. Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, former student of her father's and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie's vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on... but some questions should be left unanswered.

First Line: My hands are dying.

I've said a lot this week that Courtney Summers is brilliant/genius/every other adjective for amazing. I say that because it’s true—and never in my wildest dreams did I think she would extend beyond that. She did though, because Fall For Anything does exactly that.

She said in her interview with me earlier this week: “On the surface, Fall for Anything is similar to Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are in that it's a book about a girl with a problem.  But in terms of tone, in terms of style, I think it is a quite different book.  Readers who go in expecting to read about the misadventures of a mean girl are going to be disappointed. Eddie is very vulnerable and broken.”

I can’t explain this book any better than that. Eddie’s one of those characters that makes you feel—because the things she feels and wonders and searches for scream off the page. The grief and the nothingness that she experiences are the things that propels this book from first page to last. The images that Courtney Summers uses to portray all Eddie’s emotions, the small actions, the lyrical prose all makes this story so unbelievably vivid. Eddie is indeed broken, as you see from the first lines. She tries to hide her vulnerability but she carries it on her like a flag. She doesn’t really see it, but everyone else does.

I need to talk about Milo. He’s Eddie’s best friend and it’s the first time I’ve really, really connected with one of her male characters. Don’t get me wrong; they are all wonderful in previous books. I like them. But Milo is different. He’s a constant player in the story, in Eddie’s life, in the mystery of what happened the night Eddie’s life changed. He’s real and powerful and very swoonworthy; he cares so much for Eddie that the things he’s had to endure as well are just as traumatic for the reader. He helped make this book.

I’ll even mention Culler Evans, just to say that I get Eddie's appeal toward him. I felt her struggle and her desire and her confusion. She was confused about almost everything in her life—and it was beautiful.

Even in her grief and pain Eddie is a strong character. She still searches for answers, wants to understand things, desires things that maybe she shouldn’t. It’s a theme that lives in each of Summers’ characters. Eddie is no exception.

I can’t express how much I loved this book. It was remarkable. It’s my favorite of hers to date—which is a huge statement because I adore Some Girls Are. This book only proves the genius and extraordinary talent that Summers’ possesses. If you’ve ever dealt with loss and grief, this story will resonate with you…but probably not in the way you expect.
 

FALL FOR ANYTHING comes out Tuesday!! Don't forget to enter the CS Prize Pack! It ends Monday!