Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Amy's 3.5 star ARC Review of Falling to Pieces by Leddy Harper





How do you repair a broken life?

Home is a dark place of anguish and pain for seventeen-year-old Bree Jacobs, forced to endure emotional and physical torment daily at the hands of a violently unstable mother. Bree’s only escape is high school, particularly her history class taught by young, handsome, kind and caring Axel Taylor. Mr. Taylor becomes Bree’s dearest friend, a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on, and soon their shared affection grows into something greater. But by reaching out to protect her—to mend her breaks and soothe her wounds—Axel has crossed a dangerous line, resulting in two shattered lives instead of just one.

Six years later, they will meet again: Bree, still battling the demons that continue to possess her, and Axel, reduced to taking work as a substitute teacher wherever he can find it. Once again he will feel compelled to rescue her. But this time it will be different, because now the yearnings of a loving heart won’t be silenced by suspicious minds. And now there’s more than one life that desperately needs saving



3.5 stars

So .. I have to be really honest about this book – being a teacher I'm just having an issue wrapping my head around this. As a female the thought of finding a student attractive is just no. . . especially a 17 year old boy. HELL TO THE NO! But if that is your thing then this is for sure the book for you. 

Bree Jacobs endures abuse at the hands of a violent and extremely unstable mother. Home is the last place she wants to be .. ever especially when her mother drank and it didn’t take much. Bree has no friends to confide in and no one that cares anything about what happens to her. Her teacher Axel brings something out in her. She shouldn’t feel the way that she does but she cannot help it. He seems to care and that is something new to Bree. No one has ever cared before. Axel is seven years older than her .. its not that bad .. is it? 

Axel crosses the line repeatedly in this story. When Bree gets sick he cares for her in every way. I'm not sure if Axel’s intentions were innocent or not. The need to protect a student from an abusive home is something that would be handled completely different than this. Yes I know its fiction and it’s a story but this being my profession I was constantly finding huge bouts of “oh god no” coming out of my mouth. 

Years later the two cross paths again. Bree still is hiding her demons and Axel’s life has changed a great deal. Things are different now and there is more at stake for Bree and Axel. Both are consumed with things that could end up destroying them. 

Again if this is your type of reading you should click it up. The writing is good and there are no major flaws there. The characters are well written but I just couldn’t hardly finish as it is totally against anything that I could bring into my life much less want to with a seventeen year old. The channel I would take would be extremely different! 

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