Review:(ARC) Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

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Title- Falling Under

Author- Gwen Hayes

Publisher-New American Library
Want to read an excerpt? Read the first chapter here! I liked the first chapter a lot. Started with a BANG!

"Up is down and down is up"- repetitious quote in book

Synopsis-

      Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.                                                                                                                         As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.                                                            And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

So I had really high hopes for this book. The book kept me reading but I really did not find anything that stood out in this book that made me want to go look up if theres a sequel to it (there will be). Lets just say It kept me entertained for a while.

First, as a couple of reviewers have said, the books starts off a little slow.To me the story picked up and got a little more interesting around chapter 18 and there's a total of 26 chapters so that says a lot. Actually to be more specific, it picked up when they went into the world of 'Under'. Not going to say much about that.

The MC, Theia, was raised by a strict father and is portrayed as someone who is independent and rational.Basically more mature than those around her. So how come almost ALL of the decisions she makes in the story are irrational and stupid? Yeah, love blinds you, blagh blagh but seriously? She meets this guy from her dream in real life and the second she sees him she goes gaga. Of course this was obvious from the synopsis but she doesn't even know him yet she feels more attracted to him. From the synopsis it even states she's willing to 'give up her soul' to be with him. What kind of rational character does that? In the book she certainly has given up her common sense might as well give up her soul while shes at it.

Haden on the other hand has his own agenda. He is there for another reason but he soon begins to feel something for Theia to the point where he is teasing her and then pushing her away. Claiming that if they touch then terrible things would happen like global warming. Oh wait that already exists
 So then they touch. And as Laura would put it
""Imagine my disappointment when they to do finally touch and their heads don’t explode and the world doesn’t collapse in upon itself" 
This is exactly how I felt. If you could only read how many times Haden told a horny desperate confused Theia they couldn't touch because 'bad things would happen'. It pissed me off. I expected him to eat her or something. That would have made the story more believable. Other than that Haden didn't really have much of a personality in my opinion but was much better and bearable than Theia. 

Usually I don't like to compare books but this one had a few scenes where I automatically thought 'Twilight'. In one instance is where Haden refers to Theia as 'little lamb'.  There are other scenes but i'm not going to get into it. I just couldn't enjoy this book as others did.

The plot was unique and original. I really liked the concept of 'stranger in my dreams coming out in real life'. It has some original twists but the whole thing was predictable and didn't really surprise me as he revealed what he was. The characters were flat and I just couldn't get into it at all. 


I would recommend this book when it comes out and it's in the library. Maybe it's just me but I couldn't get into it. 


Rating- 2/5 (goodreads) 


Laura at Read Between The Lines also reviewed Falling under. To check out the review go here