The Odyssey of Falling by Paige Crutcher

3 Stars

 

Or maybe looking back is the only way to light the path of what is to come????

Audrey’s (a/k/a Odd) best friend Meredith died in a car accident and Odd has blamed herself ever since. Not only is she riddled with feelings of guilt about maybe causing Meredith’s death due to texting her while she was driving, Odd is also dealing with the guilt she has for having an infatuation with Meredith’s former boyfriend, Chase. When Odd discovers Meredith’s diary in Chase’s truck, she decides to complete the “Great 8” (a bucket list, of sorts) she finds contained in inside.

Over the course of the school year Odd vows to:

1. Get noticed;
2. Go to one of the popular parties, play Truth or Dare, and make out with the hottest guy there;
3. Do something that scares the pants off of her (be fearless);
4. Make a mistake;
5. Broaden horizons (must locate horizon);
6. Be Meredith Audrey (without having to apologize for it);
7. Tell my parents I don’t want to go to Brown, then defer for a semester to travel Europe (this one will need to be switched up a bit since Audrey dreams of the Manhattan School of Music rather than a gap year); and
8. Fall in love.

I requested The Odyssey of Falling for the cover. Yep. I’m that shallow. It’s purrrrty and I’m a cheap sell. Thank goodness the book ended up being a pleasant surprise for me . . . and that change in title should have been my first clue I would like this a little more than I expected. This story wasn’t particularly deep or life altering, but it was a good glimpse into some realistic high school experiences. Audrey was definitely a little “odd,” well more like super naïve, but she was a relatable character who simply trying to discover who she is and simultaneously worrying about popularity, grades, crushes, etc.

While discovering herself, Audrey also discovers some truths about those around her. Truths like:

“Let’s face it, the universe is kind of an asshole.”

or the discovery that Meredith may have been super-sweet on the outside, but in reality she was maybe a real bitch who didn’t have so many nice things to say . . .



or that her crush Mike Dexter Chase might not be the Mr. Wonderful she always pegged him to be . . .



or that true love was maybe there all along and she just didn’t see it . . .



If you’re looking for a quick little escape from reality and a YA with a little humor, a little romance and a lot of truth, The Odyssey of Falling might be for you.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

Oh, and just because there’s no way I’m using “Can’t Hardly Wait” .gifs and NOT including this one: