When We Fall

by Peter Giglio

In the summer of 1985, thirteen-year-old Ben Brendel, still grieving the loss of his best friend, forms an unlikely friendship with the seventeen-year-old girl across the street. Aubrey Rose shares his love for film and soon helps him rekindle his passion for filmmaking.

But shortly after their first film is sent to the developing lab, Ben finds himself haunted by bizarre visions and nightmares. And when he brings the film home, nothing can prepare him for the dark secret it will reveal, bending the fragile bonds of family and friendship past the breaking point, and testing the courage and strength of a boy on the cusp of manhood.

WHEN WE FALL is a dark coming-of-age tale you won't soon forget.

Genres: Horror, Coming Of Age, Novella

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

An active member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers, Peter Giglio is the author of five novels, four novellas, and his short fiction can be found in several books, including two comprehensive genre anthologies edited by New York Times Bestselling author John Skipp. With co-writer Scott Bradley, Peter is actively shopping a feature-length screen adaptation of Joe R. Lansdale's "The Night They Missed the Horror Show," and Sunfall Manor, one of Giglio's novellas, is currently under option with a screenwriting team based in Los Angeles. Giglio lives on the Georgia coast with his fiancé and frequent collaborator, Shannon Michaels, and he always has time for readers at www.petergiglio.com.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a friendless 13 year old boy named Ben befriends the 17 year old girl across the street, things seem to be going pretty good. Until, that is, they make a film together that has a deceased boy making a cameo appearance...

I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.

So why is it the best coming of age stories come from authors primarily known for horror? Stephen King had The Body. Joe Lansdale had The Bottoms. And now Peter Giglio has When We Fall.

When We Fall is the story of a 13 year old boy coming to grips with the death of his best friend, the death of his worst enemy, and his first love.

Ben is a 13 year old with a passion for making Super 8 movies. Aubrey is his babysitter turned best friend/love interest. When the film they shoot shows his dead worst enemy, things quickly fall apart.

This is a pretty short novella so I can't divulge too much of what happens. Lets just say there's nothing like a couple deaths to turn a boy into a man. I found Ben to be a very relatable 13 year old and his feelings for Aubrey were very well done. Giglio did a good job of reminding me what it was like to be a 13 year old boy. For a novella from a horror publisher, there wasn't a lot of horror in it apart from a surprising death late in the story.

So far, the DarkFuse novella series can do no wrong for me. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I didn't find this book to be horrific, so much as "dark" with intense emotion. I felt that Peter Giglio did a fantastic job with bringing us into 13 year-old, Ben's world. Having lost his best friend the year before, and more recently, his biggest bully, Ben's life has certainly been radically altered in a short period of time. As he turns his focus on Audrey, his older neighbor, strange things begin filtering into his dreams.

This was a story that I was really able to "feel" the characterizations of. Each person introduced had a part to play, and the scenes flowed together well. The ending was something that I didn't see ahead of time, and yet I felt that it was the most perfect conclusion to this very well written novella.

Recommended!

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben is living the dream of most thirteen-year-old boys. His babysitter (although he realizes that he doesn't need one) who is four years his senior, seems to be showering him with attention since the death of his best friend and also the death of his tormentor. (The deaths should probably be omitted from that dream I just mentioned)

I have been on a kick this year to read books that frighten me. I guess I need a little excitement in my life or something. Although I wouldn't consider this read to be frightening, it is dark. And that is plenty of excitement for me.

I find it challenging to write reviews for novella's as they are short and it's hard to give hearty feedback without giving it all away. What I can say is that this piece was very well-written. I felt engaged with the main character and could really get a sense of the turmoil and confusion that he was dealing with. This story was well-crafted and I recommend for those looking for that dark, coming-of-age type of read.

[Paul Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy coming of age stories with a little darkness to them, something that provides an edge and Peter Giglio has written a little gem in When We Fall. On the heels of two classics that I’ve read this year, Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon and The German by Lee Thomas, the only thing that lets this down is the fact that it’s too short but I certainly hold all three in very high regard.

This is a novella set in the summer of 1985, thirteen year old Ben Brendel has seen in the past year both his best friend and the kid he despised most, die in differing circumstances.

Ben and Johnny had shared an interest in filmmaking and both were considered outcasts at school, not part of any particular group, now all alone Ben sees reflections, ghosts of his friend and his dreams come steeped in darkness.

Aubrey is seventeen years old, a popular girl, a cheerleader, his babysitter that had become to Ben’s amazement something of a friend and a hope for even more than that. When she offers to help him make a new film, Ben is delighted but his life is about to change when he sees the film and the darkness of his dreams is about to show itself in reality.

Ben is a real and relatable character that Peter Giglio fleshes out really well, you can’t help getting pulled in by this compelling story and being my first read from this author, I’ll certainly be picking up more.
Recommended.

http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...

[Pamellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Giglio is an author I do not believe I have ever read before. Today I received his novella, WHEN WE FALL, from Dark Fuse and because it seemed short, I decided to jump right in an read it today.

What a delightful read! The story was well organized, well written with wonderfully believable characters. I do love a good coming of age story and this was that story.

At the beginning of the story the protagonist, Ben Brendel, is at a funeral of a school mate that he greatly disliked. The boy was his enemy, a thorn in his side. However just the year before Ben had lost his very best friend, a boy he called brother for he loved him as a brother. They had a lot in common and were close friends. Ben is from a middle class home with good parents. He is an only child.

Many things happen to Ben in this story including some very strange dreams that leads him to some very painful truths. Ben follows his heart and what he know to be the right thing to do.

Because the book is a novella there is not a lot I can say about the story, as I do not want to give any thing away.

Lately I have decided I will no longer be giving books 5 stars, but I'm breaking my own standards here and saying that I loved this book and therefore am giving it 5 brightly color stars. I hope to read more of Peter Giglio very soon. I would recommend this book to a wide range of people: those liking coming of age stories, well written good stories, quick reads, stories with a moral and life/death situations. Try it out, I think you will like it.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkfuse is publishing some very fine fiction in the mystery/crime, horror, and science fiction genres, and I was excited to see Giglio join their group of authors. I first encountered Giglio in his really fine collection of short stories, Sunfall Manor, which I also wholeheartedly recommend.

Peter Giglio is a very good writer. I don’t like comparisions with other writers and I seldom make them but I will drop the name of Stephen King to the extent that Giglio, like King, fills his stories with characters that are full of heart. We feel deeply for these people and it engages us in the story. When We Fall is a particularly good example---a nostalgic coming of age novel about first love, loss, childhood friends, horror movies and why we love them, and the narrow (and very fragile) thread that holds our lives together and keeps us safe. The thread that sometimes breaks and alters the course of our life. More supernatural than horror, more haunting than thrilling, When We Fall is an example of fine fiction, no matter what genre. This novella packs quite a punch.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading a book by Giglio and I was impressed! He expertly created a cast of characters that I loved and drew me right into this tale. I normally do not read books in one sitting but I couldn't put this one down. If you haven't read anything by Giglio, this is a good one to start with. Highly recommended!

[Rob Twinem · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so finally after some poor offerings from DarkFuse publishing I read a short novella that is simple slick and brilliant. Ben is in the process of making the short but painful journey from boy to man where those care free days of childhood are left behind and the harsh world of the adult with all the accompanying pain makes itself known. Two of his childhood friends have been tragically killed and he must seek solace in the company of Aubrey who has a dreadful secret that she will not disclose...dear reader...until the end of the story. You will not see or understand what is happening until it is too late, and by then Ben's pain and suffering will continue as he learns to accept what fate has in store for him and how decisions that we take and our taken has a great influence on the direction of our lives.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say after reading his first two books from DarkFuse I have become a fan of his work. I will have to go and read some of his earlier books. The main character in the story is a thirteen year old boy named Ben Brendel. Its set in the summer of 1985 and tells about what happens after the death of his best friend Ryan. Ben and Ryan were into making short 8mm movies. When Ben decides to make another movie, his neighbor Aubrey Rose says she will help. This is when the story starts taking off. This story reminded me of another coming of age story I read a while back. Joe Lansdale's A Fine Dark Line. Both had a young boy, something tragic happens and that drive to find out what happened. I enjoyed reading this book a lot and liked the ending how everything came together. If you have never read anything by Peter, this is a good place to start. I gave When We Fall 4 1/2 stars.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really dug this one from Peter Giglio. It read quick and smooth. The characters were fleshed out very well and the story had a rhythm and flow that sucked me into the story and kept me flipping pages late into the night.

Very solid work from Mr Giglio. I don’t know how I have not read more of his work, but I will be. Very shortly. An easy 4.5 Stars. Highly Recommended.

[Lonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read of this author and I was truly impressed. I always enjoyed coming of age that are intermixed with theme of horror/supernatural tales and this one is no exception. No analysis, just a simple tugging of the heart's string that touched me. Highly recommended.

[Mommacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A coming of age story that was dark, well written and had an ending that I did not see coming. Peter Giglio wrote an amazing story about teenage death that had me reading this story in one sitting.

Highly recommended.

[Majanka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...

When We Fall isn’t exactly terrifying. In fact, it’s anything but terrifying. It’s dark though, with emotional themes that rock main character, thirteen-year-old Ben, to his core. After his best friend dies, Ben’s world is turned upside down. There’s no one left to help him make the films he and his best buddy always dreamed of. Then another death occurs, this time that of his nemesis, a boy who always bullied him. Meanwhile, Ben strikes up an unusual friendship with the seventeen-year-old girl next door, Aubrey Rose.

The characterization of thirteen-year-old Ben was spot on. He acts and behaves like a typical boy his age. The severity of the events that happened is also described well, and the reader can genuinely relate to Ben’s pain over losing his friend. The tone is dark, unsettling, and one senses right away something bad is about to happen.

For a dark fiction novella, the plot wasn’t all that dark though. The writing was all right, but I missed the creepy factor in this book.

All in all, an okay read, but I would’ve preferred had the story been a bit darker and scarier.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1985 and 13 year old Ben has just attended the funeral of a boy he despised, he still grieves for his best friend who died the year before, they were inseparable and were obsessed with making 8mm movies. Ben soon strikes up a friendship with Aubrey Rose who agrees to help him make one of his 8mm movies. Ben is ecstatic that the friendship shows promise of leading to more but he starts to have strange dreams and once his movie is developed he sees something that will change their friendship forever.
This is a very dark coming of age tale, it isn't up til the last third of the novella that things start to come together and although I enjoyed it I felt it was a little rushed at the end. The characters were well developed for such a short read, Ben's character was especially engaging.
Of the two books I've read from this author I enjoyed Lesser Creatures more but he is definitely someone I will be reading more of in the future.

[Padders · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didnt even realise this was a novella until I fired it up on my kindle and saw there were only 10 chapters, meaning I was able to sit down with a nice cuppa and read 'When We Fall' in one smooth sitting before bed.

I wouldnt call this book horrific, and maybe not the horror that see in the form of ghost and goblins, vampires and werewolves. No, this is the all too real horror that could quite easily happen to any 13 year old kid. I felt Giglio did a really great job in such a short amount of time to be able to really feel the emotions from each character, most of us will have suffered loss and also at a similar age and I definitely feel this book did a great job at taking us through the emotions of what a 13 year old goes through when loosing someone.

The story was definitely a coming of age story, the only supernatural element is barely implied and for me personally is just a way for our MC to deal with what he is going through, as I say though this is definitely horror, but more tragic horror and true life horror. While I guessed how the story would end it still hit the gut nonetheless and didnt make it any less impact.

I'm glad I decided to pick this up, I dont read novellas all too often so it was nice to sit down and read in a sitting and it not take hours I may have to make more of a habit of throwing these in between bigger reads. Anyway real little gem this one, a solid 3 stars!

[Anthony Hains · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the combined dark fiction/horror and coming of age stories. The masters of the genre have turned out classics: Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Dan Simmons, and Robert McCammon have all tired their hand at this blend. Authors are able to instill chills in their readers through the not-yet-cynical eyes of an early adolescent – where wonder and terror are still possible and adult reason hasn’t yet diminished the sense of imagination. Not to be outdone, lesser known authors have also produced works of marvel in this area, suggesting that this combined genre has a broad appeal. So, I was excited to sit down and read When We Fall, a dark fiction, coming-of-age tale by Peter Giglio published by Darkfuse.
For the most part the author did a fine job balancing the coming of age and dark fiction components of the story. As some reviewers have noted, this isn’t a frightening read. In fact, I don’t think this is the intention of the author. Rather, he is trying to present a story of uncanny events within the context of a young adolescent’s tragic summer. Thirteen year old Ben is grieving the death of his best friend. Both boys were amateur filmmakers, making their own horror movie. With Johnny’s death, however, things come to a grinding halt as Ben is trying to make sense of things. With the untimely death of yet another 13-year-old boy in town, Ben has nightmares involving the two boys and then he begins to sense of their presence all around him during his waking hours. The creepiest feature in the story is when an image of the second dead kid appears in Ben’s latest film effort. This was a decent jolt within the story. By the way, I learned quite a bit about the making of short 8mm movies (the setting is 1985 – so no digital).
I struggled, however, with the characterizations. Characters should be internally consistent. That is, they should act, think, and feel in a reliable way based on how they are portrayed. If their behavior changes unpredictably to only serve the needs of the plot, then credibility is strained. Unfortunately, I think this happens fairly often in When We Fall. Ben is portrayed as a lonely, grieving, socially awkward, self-described dork. Yet, when the plot requires it, Ben begins speaking, behaving, and thinking like someone considerably more advanced. He handles romantic situations with aplomb (especially with an experienced older girl), drinks beer like a pro, verbally outwits bullying high school seniors with great comeback lines, and can out argue his parents with advanced-SAT level vocabulary.
Ben’s love interest is his (former) babysitter, 17 year old Aubrey. Initially portrayed as a good friend, Aubrey’s behavior is erratic and inconsistent. At times she is like a supportive, older sister while at other times she is coming on to a boy four years younger than her in manner that is a tad weird. Near the end of the story, Aubrey takes a dramatic course of action that is shocking for two reasons. One, you care about her as a character. But, more importantly, what makes this shocking is that the event is entirely unpredictable. It serves the plot well, but is ultimately unbelievable because there was nothing in her behavior to suggest anything like this would happen. There are other inconsistent characterizations in the novel among the secondary players. Ben’s mom goes from an overly protective mother (who wouldn’t be in a town where 13-year olds are dropping like flies) to a woman who willingly allows her kid to sneak out of his bedroom window at night (depending on the plot requirements). She also goes into uncontrolled rages in which she says the nastiest things about her son, while she will not speak up despite her reservations about her boy dating a much older girl. Aubrey’s ex-boyfriend is portrayed one moment as a cruel jerk and then at another as a sensitive, disarmingly friendly guy. Even the ghosts don’t play consistently to their true natures.
I’ve run on a bit about these inconsistent characterizations – only because I think they interfere with the author’s story. I seem to be in the minority, however. Other reviewers were not troubled by these issues. Therefore, you can take my comments with a grain of salt. So, where do I stand on When We Fall? Overall, I liked the story and the pacing. The general feel of a young teen’s world and his despair over losing his friend is nicely presented. I think the story would have had a greater impact had the characters not been sacrificed by plot needs. As it stands, it is a good read, a nice entry into the dark fiction, coming-of-age genre.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This review can be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).


I wanted to love When We Fall by Peter Giglio because it sounded so ominous and scary. However, it was only an alright read that wasn't very scary at all. In fact, I didn't think there was enough ghostliness. All in all, this is a book that's not very memorable at all.

I don't feel like the title conveys what the book is about in the slightest. Personally, I like books to at least give a subtle hint in their title.

I do like the cover however. Ben loves making Super 8 films, and it's on the roll of film that he notices a ghostly image.

The world building was fairly believable. The problem that I had with this book is that a popular 17 year old girl would want to hang out with a unpopular 13 year old boy. Yes, I understand that she's his babysitter, but she spends time with him just because as well. Not only that, but she ends up kissing him at one point!

The pacing was alright. When We Fall is a novella so it can be easily read in one sitting. The pacing did hold my attention until the very end which I was happy about.

I felt that the plot was a bit weak. It was as if this book didn't know if it wanted to be a coming of age story or a paranormal story. The coming of age side of the story works rather well, but it was the paranormal side that was a bit weak. For example, we're led to believe that Ben is seeing and hearing his dead best friend in his room. Yet that's the only encounter we ever read about. So was that all in Ben's mind or was Johnny, his best friend, actually a ghost? There's only one more incident where there's possibly a ghost. I really wish this focused more on the horror/paranormal aspect.

Ben felt like a well developed character. It was easy enough to believe what he was feeling especially when it came to his crush on Aubrey. Ben seemed like a "normal" 13 year old boy. I didn't like Audrey. She didn't feel like an average 17 year old girl. As I said before, she's a popular girl hanging out with a 13 year old boy when she could be hanging out with friends her own age. Plus, I felt as if she took advantage of Ben sometimes.

The dialogue seemed to flow rather well. I also loved reading about how Ben was feeling. There were a few swear words throughout the book.

Overall, while When We Fall is an alright book, it lacks a certain something. Perhaps it needed more of a horror element to it especially as the blurb leads us to believe this is going to be a scary horror book. Unfortunately, When We Fall by Peter Giglio is a forgettable book.

I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who are looking for a read that will help them pass some time or for those who like books with a light paranormal theme.

I'd give When We Fall by Peter Giglio a 2.5 out of 5.


(I received this ebook for free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review).

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When We Fall by Peter Giglio is a highly recommended dark coming-of-age novella.

Ben Brendel is sure Billy Joel got it wrong. "The bad die, too. Young, old, and all points in between. Everyone dies." He knows this because a year after his best friend, Johnny, dies, thirteen year old Ben finds himself going to another funeral, this time for his worst enemy. Ben still misses Johnny and the Super 8 movies they made together. When seventeen year old Aubrey Rose, the girl across the street who babysat him buys film for him and offers to make a movie with him, Ben is thrilled. Aubrey is the only other person he knows who is nice to him and doesn't treat him like an outcast.

Ben plans to do part 4 of the series he and Johnny were filming and lets Audrey know about the plot: “But I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble figuring it out. It’s not like we really followed a story for any of them. We just set up weird ways for evil spirits to get loose and attack people. A reel of Super 8 film is about three minutes long with no sound, so there’s not a lot of room for a story.”

After the two make their film, Ben makes a frightening discovery. Unknown to him Audrey is fighting some demons of her own.

This isn't really a terrifying novella, but it is dark. Actually it is the coming-of-age story that works better than the creepy paranormal elements of the plot. Ben was a believable thirteen year old boy and Giglio does an excellent job developing his character. Although When We Fall is listed as 220 pages it did seem much shorter thus my calling it a novella. Perhaps that perception could be due to the intensity of the story too. The ending was a shocking surprise for me.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of DarkFuse via Netgalley for review purposes.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben's a bit of a geek and, due to the loss of his best friend Johnny a year ago, a loner. He and Johnny used to make Super 8 movies in their free time, but Ben's barely thought about that recently. That is, until Audrey, a neighbor a few years his senior (a his babysitter) asks about making a film with him. This simple request sets Ben on a path to discover a lot of things about himself, his family, his friends, and his community.

When We Fall bears a number of similarities to Giglio's last DarkFuse title, Lesser Creatures. Both stories concern troubled youths with a certain something that sets them apart from everyone else. (And while Lesser Creatures follows Stephen Lingk into adulthood, he is still largely a boy that never grew up.) However, on a thematic level, the two stories diverge wildly. Lesser Creatures is about a boy who can fix everything, but still somehow manages to wreck the world. When We Fall is about a boy who feels powerless to fix anything, but still makes the journey and is better for it.

This is a story that is, at times, very hard to read. It covers pain and loss and how these things are felt by children. But it's a story worth reading.

[Christopher Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Story!

I am not going to follow my usual format for this one. I don’t think a collegiate dissection of plot, character, voice, and guts of WHEN WE FALL will do justice for a reader wondering whether this is worth the investment and time.

Let me take care of that for you here. The answer is, “Yes!” And trust me: time won’t mean a thing after the first chapter.
I expected a lot of macabre and conflict going by the cover copy and artwork, but not a shot in the heart like author Peter Giglio delivers. Sure, there are plenty of darker moments to leave a reader with a wake of goose bumps running up the arms, but this is a minor detail. Mr. Giglio’s perfect snapshot of the 80s wrapped around a soft, heartwarming middle, teaches us how to live… and love.

If you remember what it was like to be a kid so lost in a summer Spielberg movie you never wanted it to end, and felt your feet tread on some harsh alien planet in the theater lobby afterwards, WHEN WE FALL is sure to carry you away. I can’t recommend this book enough and am damned glad I got a chance to read.

[Kim (Wistfulskimmies Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Ben. He has lost his best friend and worst enemy in quick succession and is at his lowest ebb. All that is keeping him going is his filmmaking and his burgeoning friendship with a neighbour, Aubrey. When he picks up his latest film from the developers, he suddenly starts seeing strange visions and has terrible nightmares.What is going on, and how can he stop it?

This is the second novella I have read by this author and I enjoyed both very much. This is more dark than horrific and comes across as a coming of age/paranormal sort of story. The pace was consistent and the characters sound. It started off quite light and then we were taken down a very dark tunnel until the end when all the pieces fell into place. I enjoyed this so much I read it in one sitting. I hope that there is more to come from this author from DarkFuse as I am loving his style!

[Angela Oatham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review for When we fall by Peter Giglio
(Amazon, Goodreads, Netgalley)

I am a big fan of Stephen King novellas and this read reminded me a lot of his.
Ben is 13, grieving the loss of his best friend, slowly falling in love with his next door neighbour and being driven slightly mad by his overprotective mother. I love the idea that his passion is for amateur film making and this is the trigger for the dark events in the book. It is a (very mild) horror story but there is quite a moral tale hiding in there as well, the importance of doing the right thing and admitting your mistakes. There’s also a who-dunnit and I for one was thrown completely off the scent until quite late in the day.
I’ll stop there as it’s quite short and I don’t want to give too much away but I found it a very satisfying read and look forward to more from this author and publisher.

[Alex Budris · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When We Fall", while classified as a Horror novel, is really a dark, heartfelt coming of age story. This novelette is long enough to develop character and setting in a wonderfully realistic way, but short enough to pack it's emotional punch quickly and without pretense. It can easily be finished in one sitting and its sparsity - along with evocative details dealing with the time, 1884, and the mysteries of Growing Up - create a spark of a book that is just as powerful, I imagine, as the author intended.

[Ken B · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a child of the 80's, the nostalgia of this story rang true. Outside of that, the story fell flat.

There was a lot of promise with the story. The anticipation that was built up was haunting. But, when events began to unfold, I had a feeling of "Oh, that's it?". It was almost as if there was some sort of rush to close all of the story-lines within a set page limit.


3 STARS

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great coming of age novel with a very satisfying plot and resolution. Didn't seem rushed at all and several plot twists that I didn't see coming. I loved these characters and their troubles. Very sad at times and nostalgic since it is set in the mid-80s, a lot of pop culture references which I enjoyed.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, sad, coming-of-age-through-tragic-events story with a couple of nicely pulled-off twists. The best horror is always more sad than gross or scary.

DarkFuse provided a copy through NetGalley for review purposes.

[Timothy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed coming-of-age tales and when they are done well they tend to stay with you for a while and hold a certain status on the bookshelf. And this one is done very well. One of the best DarkFuse novellas of 2014.

[Larry Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newly released novella available in electronic form only, this story of a 14 year old boy who losses two class mates is fast-paced. The story weaves in supernatural elements as it explores the relationship he develops with the 17 year old girl next door.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

So pretty and human and yes it made me tear up. Loved it!