The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe Release Date: January 24, 2012 Source: NetGalley Rating: Buy It: Amazon

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.

Review
I know that Tina already reviewed this one, but I loved it so much that I had to review it myself.  I don’t even know what to begin with because there is so much to love about this book.  I was really weary of it, to be honest, because it seemed kind of like a zombie apocalypse book without the zombies and that’s just not my jam.  But Tina told me that it was a must read and I am so very glad that I gave in to peer pressure on this one.

The best and worst part of the book is that it’s written in the style of a journal addressed to Kaelyn’s estranged best friend, Leo.  I say the best because it’s truly the best look into Kaelyn’s psyche and it gives a look into the past without long drawn out explanations or extraneous flashbacks.  And the worst because the end is soooooooooooo nuts.  Because it’s written as a journal, however, the story ends very abruptly.  I’m honestly still unsure how I feel about the end.  I loved the story so much that I would love a sequel, but at the same time I know that the end was pretty much perfect and that it may have a better impact as a stand-alone novel.

As far as the plot goes…there’s so much great and heart-wrenching stuff that happens.  A vicious virus hits the small island that Kaelyn lives on in Canada and doctors can’t find a cure.  People are literally dropping like flies and, as fate would have it, the survivors begin to take on a Lord of the Flies mentality and turn on each other.  From the beginning, very little is easy for Kaelyn which makes it all the more believable (and scary for that matter.)  While she, her family and friends tries to deal with the virus and its consequences certain things continue on as normal – her father and brother still have a strained relationship based on her brother’s sexuality, everyone’s hobbies are still maintained and feelings still form.  I was worried because I almost always need a love story to keep me interested in a story and while this novel doesn’t focus on a love story whatsoever, there is still one there which was quite the happy surprise for me.

I’m afraid to keep writing and spoil anything else for you all, but basically – you need to get your hands on this book as soon as it hits the shelves.  You definitely won’t regret it and I won’t say “I told you so” too smugly.