Rating: 3 stars
Having lost her mother after complications due to childbirth, seventeen-year-old Theia lives a solitary life with her excessively over-protective father, who is often away on business. Forced to act, dress and be rigid, Theia yearns to be a normal teen, to just have fun and let her hair down—literally.
Theia’s best friends, Donny and Amelia are very supportive and provide the occasional, but necessary, bad influence that helps keep Theia somewhat grounded. Donny is the brash outspoken one with commitment issues and Amelia’s interest in all things metaphysical may be more than just a hobby.
When the dark and delicious Haden appears at school, Theia’s intense attraction to him knows no bounds, especially when she realizes that he began haunting her in her dreams—before she met him. Now each day at school Haden taunts her with his good looks and sinister sneer, while each night Theia meets a softer, sweeter Haden in her dreams.
When Haden and Theia can no longer ignore their feelings for each other, Haden reveals his secret and why they can never be together. However, Theia isn’t giving up that easily and is willing to fight for Haden; even if it means leaving everything and everyone behind.
Gwen Hayes’ YA debut, Falling Under contains the standard elements of teen paranormal, along with the usual suspects: the amazing best friends, the beautiful main character and the handsome, mysterious stranger for whom the protagonist has feelings that alternate between love and hate.
Though the writing was solid, the characters were just a bit too flimsy and one-dimensional. Theia’s father is too cold and unyielding, while Donny and Amelia come off as flat. Despite her talents, Amelia just seems clueless and Donny constantly acts like a shrew. Despite the insinuation that she has a warm heart under all that ice, I don’t know any high school boy would work so hard to be with a girl like that—especially one as wonderful as Gabe.
Although the ending was a bit soft—playing out to be more of a launch for the next book—Falling Under has set the stage for a new series with great potential.
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Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: NAL Trade (March 1, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0451232687