Review: Fall for Anything

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
Released: December 21, 2010
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Young Adult
Pages: 230, Paperback
Source: Purchased
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Overall: Fabulous!

From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.
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 seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler 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 are some questions better left unanswered?

My Thoughts:

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers is the first book of hers I've read.  If I could say only one statement about this book it would be, "A book has never made me so angry, sad, hopeful, and crushed all at once.  If you are looking for a happily ever after, keep looking because Fall for Anything is anything but that- but it is something.  It's insanely raw and brow furrowing."

Our main character, Eddie, sure had it hard.  Her father checked out on her via suicide not leaving any adequate reasoning leaving the question in the air 'was it me.'  Her mother checked out on her emotionally, crawling into her father's housecoat and failing to realize she wasn't the only one who suffered a loss.  Beth, her mother's best friend, truly needed a foot up her butt.  I have never wanted to rip the pages out of a book, but when Beth 'blessed' us with her presence that is exactly what happened.  Then there was Milo, the best and loyal friend, and Culler, the wild card with possible answers.

Eddie was a likable character, I think.  Honestly, I felt a huge disconnect from Eddie.  I believe this is possibly from the fact of where Fall for Anything picked up in her life.  The only Eddie I had a chance to meet was the incredibly, lost, alone, and confused seventeen year old girl who was only dragging herself out of bed to search for answers.  I never had a chance to make a connection with her, she was sort of untouchable from the beginning, though, that didn't stop me from caring about her and wanting to rip into those around her for doing one thing or another.

Everyone had their roll in this book and contributed to Eddie's downfall, even those who never wanted to.  I'm not sure who I can really blame.  I can't put myself in her shoes, nor would I ever want to.  I couldn't imagine losing my husband like that.  I'm not sure as a daughter or wife if I could handle the feeling that I was not enough to live for.  So even though Eddie's mom checked out on her, I put some of the blame on Beth.  Beth refused to look at what Eddie needed, she only looked at how it affected Eddie's mom despite her protests saying it was for everyone's good.  I sometimes think that maybe things would have started to mend themselves sooner if it weren't for her.

Milo was a character I really did adore.  He was Eddie's rock, overlooking her behavior as best as he could to be there as best as he could.  Unfortunately, Milo was battling several demons where Eddie was concerned, some that don't come out until the end of the book and make you nod your head in understanding and want you to draw them both in for a hug and to tell them to never let go of each other because there is a piece of them in each other and they have to cherish it.

Enter the previously mentioned Culler.  The wild card, the unknown student of Eddie's father.  The photographer with a complicated passion for Eddie's father and his work which was his driving point for what he offered Eddie, to help her solve the mystery of her father's death, and what he did....  At first, I thought Culler would be the person to help put together Eddie's life, offer her friendship and possibly love.  I thought so many things about him, how extraordinary he was and how he offered Eddie a last glimpse of her father.  But I was wrong, Eddie was wrong.  I have never felt so sad for one person and hated them so much at one time.  I mean, really?  I think I get it.  I really do.  Photography was his passion and Eddie's father was his idol and the person who he admired most.  He felt for him.  He felt for her.  But still, I ask, really?

I'm not sure what happened to Eddie.  We are left with a somewhat content picture of her and we can thank goodness for that.  Just like my detachment from Eddie, I'm not sure if I was supposed to get something more from this book.  I got it, but I didn't.  Maybe that is one of the charms to this book.  Like I said, it isn't a fairytale and it's obvious it was never meant to be.

This is definitely one of those books that you have to read to get.  I'm glad I bought it, I'm glad I read it, and I'm glad that I was given what little I was given at the end.