Even Angels Fall

by F.L. Darbyshire

After suffering an unthinkable loss, Abbey Miller and her family move to Leeds to rebuild their lives and start again, but the pain and grief that Abbey carries with her is impossible to escape. As she finds herself becoming increasingly isolated from her family, she develops a firm friendship with Lucy, Nathan and Liam, who introduce her to a brand new and exciting world, far removed from all of her problems. But will her new friends bring her the light hearted relief she has longed for? Or will she find herself getting drawn deep into their dangerous and intoxicating world?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

444 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 21, 2014

About the author

Fay Louise Darbyshire is a twenty eight year old, first time writer from West Yorkshire. Born and raised in Leeds, Fay finished High School at the age of sixteen and went on to enroll at Leeds College of Art and Design where she studied Media, Film and English.After graduating into the world of full time employment, her passion for writing remained and she spent several years developing film scripts and screen plays in her spare time, until finally deciding to adapt one of her stories into a book in late 2013.

"Even Angels Fall" is her debut novel and was released in August 2014 by Grosvenor House Publishing Limited.

Reviews

[Read for your future! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read our review here:
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

God, this book was heartbreaking. It felt extremely realistic. Abbey's slow descent into crime and drugs. So much happened and the ending of this was utterly devastating. I couldn't stop reading this. It had so many grammatical mistakes in it and it's so sad the editor didn't get those out. I just know it'll turn a lot of people off from this book. Please give this one a chance, because the story and the characters are ultimately worth it.

Abbey could have been me. That was what terrified me most about all of this. She found a group of friends that supported her. They just happened to be doing drugs and drinking alcohol. A lot. I get how easy it was for her to fall into that trap. The best thing about all of this was that these weren't bad people. They did drugs, but that doesn't make them evil. They had fun, they were a family and they loved each other. It's too bad that was what ripped everything apart.

[Aggie Unsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you know me or my blog at all you will know, I am a total sucker for beautiful covers, and I must admit this one wouldn't have interested me on the shelf of a book store. Which is a shame because reading the blurb this certainly is a book for me.

Abby has suffered a huge loss, about a year ago her twin brother has passed away. Now she finds herself in a new house with her mother and her brother. Leaving her old home and her father behind, who divorced from their mother after their loss.

Abby feels very let down by her family, she feels all alone in her grief. And now she has to deal with a new school too. Very soon it becomes apparent that the author is not exaggerating in any way. This feels very real, in every sense. The experience of first day at a new school, the way the family deals with their loss and even the way Abby starts making friends. It's all so very real.

While Abby slowly makes friends and feels like she finally belongs, it becomes apparent that this new world she is now part of is very different to what she is used to. First it's just a case of skipping classes and hanging around, then drinking and sneaking out of the house, but it soon becomes something even more serious.

I love the way the author deals with this. Only slowly does Abby become drawn into her new world and it makes it so much more believable. The author achieved, without glorifieing anything, very likeable characters. So much so that I kept forgetting that what they are doing is wrong and illegal. Which in return made it so easy to understand why Abby does what she does. She keeps battling with herself, knowing that some of hers and her friends choices are not right. And its amazing to see how some small wrong choices slowly change your whole life.

But it's not just her new friends and thrills that she feels drawn too but also Alex. A very handsome, older and dangerous boy. From the first sight Abby is completely mesmerised by him. But is Alex bad news and no good for her? Alex is the sort of guy that all our mothers warn us about and at the same time he is the guy most girls dream about. While he has his hands in many illegal things, he is very caring and loving when it comes to his friends.

This book is about loss, it's about a family, it's about the need to belong, about things that are so wrong and feel so right, friendship, drugs, love and so much more. Its about loosing yourself and finding yourself. I could probably talk about it for some time.

All the way through the book, you know this can't end well, but you really want it too. It's a powerful and heartbreaking message.

Purely because I have had a busy week this book has taken me a while. But when ever I could I have picked it up, wanting to know what's going on next. Which for me is very important in a book. There is so many ways this story could end and I was for ever wondering, hoping.

It's an very eye opening book in many ways. It's about the choices you make and the consequences.

This author has an amazing talent in story telling. The actual writing took some getting used to for me, it was almost to factual for me. In some parts it reminded me a little of Martina Cole.

There is a fine balance between showing us the fun side of Abby's new life and the hard reality. This has been a powerful read and I am so glad I have picked it up, it's one of those stories that will stick with me for some time.

[Denny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This writer has huge potential. F L Darbyshire is a great storyteller and could become a writer of literary fiction.

Even Angels Fall is a fascinating insight to the need we have to belong to a group that accepts us unconditionally, and the potential consequences to children when families breakdown.

I have read more than a few books about boys from abusive and dysfunctional families routinely finding their homes in gangs and getting caught up in violence, crime and drugs. Abbey, however, is from a middle class white family that, while having experienced trauma, would not usually be thought of in this way. I found this premise really thought provoking.

Even more provocative, is the author's sympathetic treatment of a drug dealer and his followers. I had to constantly remind myself that these young people were capable of violence and that their lives were meaningless and irresponsible. Seeing this world through Abbey's eyes is a clever device to challenge the reader's values and preconceived notions and judgements of people in the drug world.

There is constant tension as Abbey struggles with the idea of what family is. Abbey wants to be accepted, to be heard, to be loved, to be happy and to belong to something bigger than herself. Something we all want. Feeling rejected by her family, she finds everything she should have found with her own family, in a group of young people who welcome her unconditionally into their family.

It's an easy read but there are some complex themes explored. The characters are cleverly developed so that moral boundaries are blurred.

Unfortunately, the use of language, grammar and syntax is poor. After I had read the word "smirk" misused again and again, I was ready to scream. The use of the word "seen" instead of seeing becomes really annoying.

If Darbyshire had a good editor to fix the vocabulary and technical aspects of her writing, she could really make her mark in the literary world. I would love to recommend Even The Angel Fall to book clubs to dissect the moral dilemmas, but I would be reluctant to do that given technical shortcomings. Similarly, this could become a school text because of the the themes, but the writing is not up to a standard required for that.

Still, I would definitely read a second book if Darbyshire were to write another, and I really hope she does. And I hope that along the way, someone helps with the technical side so that she can reach her potential.

I would be tempted to give this book four or even more stars, but the essence of good reading is good writing so I can only give it three stars - and really, it should fail, it would if it were an essay for an English class.

Dammit, Darbyshire, get on top of the writing, you have so much potential!!!!!!

[Fateme kerdegari · Rating 5 out of 5]

you know what? I love the story .the book and abby .she's against world and a girl like me ,you or anyone who been through ..
okay I guess I exaggerated but Not at all! !it's full of life and things I love to hear from the character (Abby)..she hesitate to put her skills out like every other one .
I want to read more like this kinda stories and you know what ?
The love here in this book isn't everything and I am so happy to find it and say it Aloud. ..

[Laken · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book via the New Adult Book Club in exchange for an honest review*

"The way I see it, if you want something to be different then make it different because no one's gonna do it for you. If you're stupidly positive then eventually things are bound to get better, right...?"

I just finished reading this novel, and I feel the urge to write this review now. When I first started reading Even Angels Fall I wasn't sure how I was going to like it. The writing gave me the feel of a new writer, and there were things that threw me off, almost making me struggle with the first part of the book. But I kept reading, and I'm actually really glad I did, because the last quarter of the book, the last half actually, turned my viewpoint the whole way around. I was originally thinking this would be a 2.5-3.5 rated book, but it pulled 4 stars out of me.

Abbey Miller is an 18 year old girl who has suffered the loss of her twin brother Ryan, and after her family decides they need a change, they move to a new town. Along the way, Abbey meets a new friend group, and gets herself mixed into a life of danger and substance abuse. But at the same time, a new found word for family. She struggles with her relationship with her family, and the beginning of the book shows her breaking away, needing to get away from the fake happiness around her.

The things I absolutely loved about this story was the connection with Abbey - in the beginning I didn't really connect with any of the characters. Actually, it's what I would refer to as a slow-burn. It starts off slow, but it sucks you in. I kept reading, and I found myself understanding the characters - all of them: Abbey, Alex, Lucy, Nate, Liam, Tom, and Abbey's family. It switches off from different point-of-views.

I loved the relationship between Abbey and Alex - it was complex but it held depth. It wasn't just a "love at first sight" thing, their relationship built over time, and the hardness of the situation brought them closer. And it's also why it made it more real - the hard relationship they had based off of drugs and living the high life had to take its course. And that was where the story began to make it hard to stop reading. I read the last half of the book in one sitting.

The storyline was captivating, and once I reached the last few chapters I understood why this received so many good reviews despite the writing: it's very well thought out, and the whole story sets you up for emotional heartache. I admit it, I cried the last few chapters.

The downfall, like I mentioned, was the writing threw me off. I think this could have easily been a solid 5 star book for me if someone were to go back and re-edit this story - because it is such a good story! There were grammar mistakes and spelling mistakes, and an overuse of "..." at the end of dialogue. It was a big pet peeve for me.

Another thing that threw me off was the transitioning to different point-of-views. It literally jumps from one person to another, and I feel it would've read better if there had been breaks (line breaks) to show transitions.

The last thing is that it starts off with Abbey being in a rehab facility and she is asked to write down the events that lead her to there. To me, that feels more like a first person kind of story, which is why the different point-of-views are also kind of weird if you think about the fact that her doctor reads her story. It could still be third person, but feels like it could be more focused on Abbey specifically. Maybe that's more of a personal feeling.

I would recommend this story for anyone who enjoys reading stories that are relatable - or at least characters who are relatable. And anyone who likes reading stories that make them feel something, that pulls them in and leaves them breathless at the end because you realized that you found yourself attached to these characters by the end of the book.

Which leaves me to comment on the ending that I have to mention: I feel bittersweet and completely unsure of how I even feel about the last two chapters. And yet, I feel it justifies the theme of the book, and the very last part, where Janet sees Abbey, and you know for sure, that Marcus killed her, and you want to know what happened to Alex and the others, but yet for an ending it was so bittersweet and I thought it was a sad, but perfect way to end it. After the emotional trauma, the leaving, the rehab, the seemingly almost perfect future ahead of her, it somehow seemed befitting that Abbey would find herself thrown back into that life. And just as she's ready to say goodbye forever, she really, truly does say her last and final goodbyes.

"A seemingly insignificant moment, a reaction, a simple decision... something so small can set your life on an entirely different course and turn your whole world upside down. Other people's choices can have serious consequences, too; consequences that can ripple back onto you without warning or expectation. Even choices made by the person you love; that were made months ago, at a different time, during a different life... can still come back to haunt you."

[Gingercat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading Even Angels Fall a few weeks ago, however I have been waiting to write my review as I felt that I needed more time to think about the story.

Even Angels Fall takes the reader on a truly emotional journey. It is a New Adult book and the story follows protagonist, Abby Miller. After suffering a terrible personal tragedy, she finds herself unsupported and side-lined by her family and, to make matters worse, she is then torn away from her friends when her mother decides to move them across country. The reader goes hand-in-hand with Abby as she tries to find her place in this new and unfamiliar life that has been forced upon her.

Abby soon makes friends with Lucy, Nathan and Liam. She is fascinated by the trio and the more isolated she becomes from her own family, the more she is drawn into their exciting shiny world. Abby meets the trio's larger circle of friends (Alex, Tom, Darren, Sophie and Gemma), an eclectic mix who have, in essence, created their own ‘family’ as they all lack the traditional idea of a family. Abby finds sanctuary amongst these new friends, in particular the hunky but moody Alex, whom she quickly falls for. These new friends bring some level of normality into a life that is otherwise spiralling out of control. However, one person’s version of normality is not always someone else’s version of the same. The group live life on the edge and enjoy a hedonistic lifestyle of drink, drugs and partying. Whilst Abby initially revels in the lack of responsibility and worries that comes with that life, very soon things start to spiral dramatically out of control and Abby is forced to choose between her family and her friends.

The story itself is unpredictable. When I started the book, I did have some preconceptions as to how the story would develop, however I could not have been more wrong. Any time I thought I had an idea as to how the story would progress, it seemed to spin around in another direction.

I initially found the style of writing a bit challenging. The author has a unique way of writing from multiple points of view, but not using any breaks to indicate where one voice ends and another begins. The use of the third person present indefinite (simple present) tense gives the feel that you are right there in the pages with the characters, living life along side them. This style really worked well for the book and I was surprised to find that after the first couple of chapters it was not difficult for my mind to switch quickly between the characters.

I must admit that I faced some internal struggles with regards to the characters. On the surface, I thoroughly disprove of Abby's friends and their antics, however by seeing the tale told, in some part, from their point of view, I found myself empathising with people when my conscience told me that I really shouldn’t. The group are all living life in the fast lane, trying to find a spark of light in a grey world. They are on a path of self-destruction and I wanted to shout at Abby, to make her realise the direction she is heading.


Even Angels Fall truly captures the essence of teenage angst at its worst. The author shows how easy it is for otherwise ‘good’ teens to become isolated from day to day life and how the usual pushing of boundaries can sometimes go so very wrong as those teens experiment with their wilder side and peer pressure. The author also cleverly demonstrates the nature of teenage infatuation, both in regards to romantic and platonic relationships, describing a close bond between the friends that go well beyond the norm.

The story dragged me in and mixed up so many emotions for me. I rarely cry when reading or watching movies, however I will admit that I spent the last hour of the book unable to hold back the tears. I found myself so emotionally affected by the story that I felt exhausted by the time I reached the last word, although that might also have be partially due to the late night I spent finishing off this book! In fact, I'm finding it hard to make this review flow well because my thoughts still remained so jumbled about this book.

Be warned that this is not a light-hearted read. Even Angels Fall is a dark and cautionary tale of friendship, family, tragedy and internal struggles. It tells of infatuation, guilt, highs, lows and that very grey/shadowy line that distinguishes one person's moral standards from another's. It is certainly a strong warning for any teens who think that a partying lifestyle is the way to roll.

Well done to Fay Darbyshire for a truly astounding debut. Even Angels Fall is absolutely un-put-downable! Whether you like the story or not, it is certainly not a book that you would forget in a hurry!

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I would like to start by thanking F. L. Darbyshire for giving me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Upon starting this book I was expecting it to be like most books that contain a tragic event, I expected to see the main character spiral downwards and for a boy to come into her life and for everyone to live happily ever after, but how wrong was I!

This book contains an amazing, hard-hitting storyline but one that is beautifully written. F. L. Darbyshire understands that it is not just about telling a story, it is about making the reader connect with her characters and fall in love with them. If you cry, laugh and learn a lot from a book I believe it to be amazingly written and throughout this book not only did I learn a lot but I also shed a few tears.

The story revolves around 18 year old Abbey Miller, a girl who suffered an unimaginable loss. After moving towns and starting fresh Abbey cannot overcome her grief. As she becomes more and more distant from her family she meets three friends Lucy, Nathan and Liam. With them she begins to uncover a world she previously would have never imagined living in. She finds an escape from her family and grief and with her friends by her side she begins to enjoy life again. She finds her sanctuary but also her path to destruction. Abbey soon learns that nothing lasts forever and things with her friends take an unexpected turn that no one was prepared for.

I love the way the author deals with this story line, throughout the book there are many references to alcohol and drugs but the author makes sure that the story is realistic. The characters are so loveable that I found it easy to overlook the fact that what they were doing is illegal. It is understandable as to why Abbey turned to them in her time of need as everyone would want to be part of a close-knit group like that.

Not only does Abbey make amazing new friends, but also meets an Irish boy called Alex. He’s a handsome, older and quite dangerous guy that is mixed up in a dangerous path of life. He is the type of guy no mother wants her daughter with but the type that every girl wants. Although he is mixed up in illegal business it is obvious how much he cares for and loves his friends. I found it hard not to fall in love with Alex myself.

Throughout this whole book I was wishing for a happy ending but not every ending can be a happy one. From start, middle to end we watch Abbey grow, she learns what is important in life and strives to achieve her goals, but some goals require a sacrifice and Abbey makes one of the hardest decisions of her life.

I don’t give out 5 stars lightly, it takes a lot for a book to move me in ways that ‘Even Angels Fall’ did. I found it to be an eye-opener. I learned things that I previously never would have though about. It teaches us that our decisions have consequences, and we have to deal with these consequences. I am so happy I read this book as I am sure it is one I won’t forget anytime soon. I loved it so much that I didn’t want the story to end and even now I still want to know more about the characters. In my opinion, it’s a definite must read!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even Angels Fall is a story of loss, love and relationships. It also takes us on a journey of the highs and lows of being involved in the drug world.

After the loss of her brother, Abbey and her family move to Leeds to make a fresh start. Living in Leeds myself I loved the fact that the story was set there as I could easily visualise the areas the author was writing about.

Abbey is a very vulnerable character. She is devastated by the loss of her twin brother Ryan, it also isn't helped that she feels pushed out by the majority of the rest of the family as they also try to come to terms with their loss. Having to deal with her loss and also deal with moving house and school, Abbey understandably feels very much alone in the world, so when Lucy, Nathan and Liam befriend her, she is more than happy to let them take her under their wings.

Through her new found friendship Abbey starts to rebel against school and her family. She is beginning to enjoy life once more and even more so when she meets Alex.

Alex reminded me very much of a father figure even though he is only in his late twenties. Him and his friends have a very close bond and they very much look out for each other, this also includes looking out for Darren's younger sister Lucy and her friends also. Alex isn't to happy at first when Lucy introduces her new friend Abbey to him. Dealing in drugs he is very wary of anyone new on the scene but it is obvious from them meeting that there is very much an attraction between them.

Even though Lucy and her friends introduce Abbey to the drug world and probably are not the best influence in her life, I couldn't help liking them. Their little group is a very strong unit and what they lack in their home lives is more than made up for by their friendship.

I really enjoyed how Abbeys story slowly unravels in front of us. Towards the end I was going through so many different emotions and by the time I finished it I was an emotional wreck.

Even Angels Fall certainly isn't a light hearted read. A storyline involving drugs is never going to be a happy one, yet I feel a better person for reading it. A brilliant debut novel by an author I will certainly be watching out for in the future.

Many thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty interesting to me. Abbey is a young girl who moves to a new town after a horrible tragedy strikes her family and it is irrevocably changed. Along with the move comes starting a new school and to say that Abbey has some anxiety about this is putting it mildly, while trying to adjust she catches the eye of the resident bully and after a extreme confrontation in the hallway Abbey meets Lucy and she invites Abbey to hang out with her group of friends. Seeing a chance for her social situation to improve Abbey starts hanging out and following the lead of Lucy and the others to escape her strained family relationships. She ends up skipping school regularly, drinking, staying out till all hours of the night and even succumbs to peer pressure and begins taking drugs. It's so far out of her character that her family begins to wonder what is going on which leads to a massive confrontation and Abbey leaving her house and moving in with the crew. Which becomes a surrogate family of sorts and her relationship with Alex deepens. Things end up falling apart and then Abbey begins the journey of returning to her old life. The ending of the book was so heartbreakingly beautiful but made me a little upset to (always an interesting combo isn't it?) The only thing that really bothered me was in the first few chapters we are introduced to characters but we are told everything about them instead of either being shown in flashbacks or having the characters give their own backstory. It's more like character descriptions in a theatre production script. But towards the end of the book you see why it is written this way so there is actually a point to it being told this way haha. Which is different and I was really glad we find out why. All in all I thought this was an interesting book with the twists and turns and the journey of a girl from the heights of love to the bottom deepest well of despair and depression.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even Angels Fall by F.L. Darbyshire is such an amazing, intense reading. I loved this story right from the start and could actually relate with Abby’s Mum. But how the author chose to write this story is spectacular and yes I said spectacular and why? Because this can be anyone, especially a teenager who has gone through such a tragic experience and trying to find their way in life.
This story is not for the faint at heart!! This story about Abby after suffering the loss of her twin brother and trying to deal with her family who are suffering as well. She really does try to do right and she means so well, but she was in a bad way and of course she becomes friends with people who are not of the best character and brings her to a different world than she has lived. We all feel for these characters, I know I fell in love with all of them. The character building in this book is so real. Yes my emotions were up and down. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but this about how Abby handles life in her young 18 year old way and getting into the world of drugs, friendships and love. This is a mother’s nightmare. I could not put this book down, it took me a few days to read as I had to work, but this book is extremely intense. There is major drug use, some violence because of the drug use, there is sex but not mentioned, more just that we knew that they did, lots of heartbreak. This book brought out a lot of emotions in me, I wasn’t sure if I should read it or not but I did. If you’re in the mood for this type of intense story, it is a good story to read.
The author is really good at telling the story, there are a few things I wish was done differently, the chapters are too long, she switches from one person to another person and sometimes it is hard to tell who it is about, there is no break. Some wording is off, but the overall story was brilliant and not what you would think to happen.
I did receive this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia Peek · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Contains Instances of Drug Usage*

I was given this ARC for an honest review free of persuasion from the author and anyone else affiliated with this book.

Usually 5 star ratings are not handed out lightly through my eyes, but F. L. Darbyshire’s Even Angels Fall has hit the mark of truly earning the right to claim five golden stars and more. The fact that it caused me to have an emotional fight deep down in my soul and caused my eyes to water, says that this story can make one feel as they are truly right beside the characters.

Even Angels Fall captures the essence of a teenager, Abby Miller, trying to find the spark that will ignite her reason of feeling alive again after having gone through the tragedy of losing someone very dear to her. She finds her sanctuary and discovers her path of self-destruction in a group of eccentrics. This group fascinates Abby and Abby soon discovers her wild side which becomes her high and her escape. But nothing lasts forever……..

Even Angels Fall takes you on many different emotional paths. You will be greeted by empathy and despair to then be introduced to infatuation with misfortune waiting for you in the dark alley. Then there is realization waiting for you on the windowsill with hope fluttering around it, only to end up getting hit by the bullet of shock.

Even Angels Fall is incredibly written with a storyline that hits true to many families and youth that has gone through the heart-rending experience of loss and disconnect during such struggle times. There is even the hint of peer-pressure and just wanting to belong.

Characters are loveable, storyline is realistic, and every moment pulls you in!!!

[Edelmira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just incredibly brilliant! Even the title itself gives me the chills.
Okay, it was also heartbreaking but overall BRILLIANT.
I never read anything like it before.
The plot was freaking amazing! The multiple POVs was clearly written so well without any confusion. I loved this book a lot.
It broke me in so many ways.
Each character took a toll on me. I was drawn to them so deeply. I felt like I see a little of myself from each of them. I definitely felt the connection. To be honest I was a mess!
Abbey is definitely a heroine. She struggled a lot but kept her ground. She's a strong character. Even though her life was falling apart, she went through it and found herself again. I admired her a lot.
The ending though.
I. DID. NOT. EXPECT. THAT.
I still feel goosebumps just thinking about it.
I really don't want to get to any details about the whole book but let me tell you this..
IT IS A MUST READ!
After that ending, I literally looked up my ceiling for a couple of minutes. I was legit blown away.
I don't think I'll ever forget this book. It will definitely stay with me for a very long time.
Like said this book is just brilliantly epic.
AMAZING JOB F.L. ! Thank you for writing this incredible book. I look forward to reading more of your upcoming books!
I give Even Angels Fall 4.5 BRILLIANT STARS!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! GRAB A COPY NOW!

*Received an ebook in exchange for an honest review.*

[Hayley Whitehouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I have to say that this book was a brilliant read. From the synopsis of this book, I was not expecting much from this story, I thought it would be a cliche story about a girl who goes off the rails and ends up sorting herself out by the end.

I WAS WRONG!!

The story starts off with 18 year old Abby. She lost her twin brother to suicide and is obviously in pain and is grieving. She didn't only lose her brother though, she lost the rest of her family aswell because they couldn't talk to her without being reminded of her twin.

The characters of this book are very well written. The emotions they were experiencing were portrayed so strongly that it felt like I was right there with them. They were so realistically written that it had me actually believing parts of this story to be real.

There are so many points of view in this story that it can be confusing but that is the only downside to this book.

I definitely recommend reading this, the sadness, anger, joy, confusion, and many more emotions that are sold throughout this story, it is certainly a rollercoaster.

Do not hesitate to read this, you will not be disappointed.

[Eileen (Bangor Belles) Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via New Adult Book Club on Goodreads for an honest review.

After reading the synopsis for this book, I thought I was prepared for what I would read, I was totally wrong.
Although I am not a fan of the first person perspective, I have to say that for this book it worked.
The story revolved around a young girl of eighteen who's lost her twin brother due to suicide and she's finding great difficulty (as expected) coming to terms with his death. Feeling lost and alone and at odds with her family she takes up with a group of the less desirable type of friends at her new school, and from this point we go on an emotional, heart wrending and very realistic story. There are laughs, and highs and lows, and even though Abby is in a downward spiral she finds love, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find a town also close to my heart mentioned in the book, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, many a time i spent there in my youth!! This is at times a difficult book to read, because of the realistic way its written, although the different povs are a bit confusing at times. Its a gritty, sometimes harsh yet endearing read and well worth taking a chance on !!!

[Dee Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved this book from a NA book club in exchange for an honest review. This is not a NA book but it is an honest and raw book about a young girl, who is grieving and lost after the death of her twin brother, who gets caught up with the wrong crowd. Feeling neglected and alone, Abbey latches onto Lucy, Nathan and Liam and is quickly introduced to a fast life laced with drug and alcohol abuse. When Abbey starts dating their friend, a drug dealing sexy Irishman named Alex, her life quickly spirals out of control.

While reading this book, I felt like Abbey was my sister and I was rendered helpless as I watched her spiral further and further out of control. I felt her family's pain and I felt each struggle that the characters in this book went through. This was a well written book and the story is pragmatic with real issues. It should be used as a cautionary tale for every teen who wants to live life in the fast lane.

This book literally broke my heart. Seriously, break out the Klennex and the chocolate because you are going to need it.

[Sophia Peat · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best books i've read in a long time, it is so well written u feel u know the characters. it has drama throughout and continues to grip and shock to the very end, I laughed and cried and couldn't put it down, I would recommend this book to anyone!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book! Not one to pass up! Will have you laughing and crying. Very emotionally felt! A great read for anyone! A book that I would recommend to everyone! Please pick yourself up a copy and see what it's all about! You WILL NOT regret it!

**Received for an honest review**

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confession: Between my initial read of this book's summary and my cracking open the first few pages of the book, enough time had passed that I had completely forgotten what this story was about. For some reason, I thought it was going to be a paranormal romance?


Nope.

Nope, nope, nope!

I was wrong and I was glad for it! Because this book was nothing short of exquisite.

To be frank, I'm not sure I really have the words to describe this story and just how deep it goes. So I suppose I'll start with the dry facts.

The MC is Abbey, a young teenage girl on the brink of adulthood who suffers the loss of her twin brother. Feeling alienated from her family in the wake of their grief, Abbey finds solace in a new group of friends that lead her down the rabbit hole of every drug and alcoholic beverage imaginable. Chaos ensues as well as the only comfort and family Abbey feels she has to save her.

What's nuts about this book is that even while reading about all of the horrible things Abbey and her friends do, I was sort of rooting for them. They were like the Scooby Gang of Buffy or the Gryffindors of Harry Potter, but in an inverted way. I don't condone any of their actions, but I really felt the love and bond they share and when Abbey has to grapple with choosing between them and what she knows is morally good, well, it was sort of hard for me to blame her no matter which way she decided, if I'm being honest.

And can we talk for a moment about Alex?! THIS BOY.


Even as I sit here trying to type this out, it's hard. His journey with Abbey is so heartbreaking!

Alex and Abbey have a beautiful and complicated relationship. It's pure and it's messy all at the same time, and yet it's simple. Despite all the crap, they always came back to each other.

I wish I could say what I really want to, but due to spoilers I will refrain and simply say that even at the lowest of lows in their relationship, I still felt this incredible pull for the two of them to be together. There was something honest at the center of them that seemed to go past the terrible decisions they make together and I had such genuine hope throughout the story that one day, they'll both find the life they're looking for.

And the way they do or do not get there is SO MUCH EMOTION. I can not even begin to handle the things that happen in this book, especially that ending, ARGH! Curse you, F.L. Darbyshire and your wicked ways!!


I warn you if you read this story. It's heavy. It's full of difficult, terrible moments that are dark and full of very real consequences. There is alcohol and there are drugs in the most real, demanding ways. There is no escaping the many serious messages of this book. It will be sad and it will leave you with a very heavy heart, if you are anything like me.

But I am so happy I read it because the characters were vivid, colorful, vibrant creations that grabbed me and said, "Run!" and took me on an adventure through the perils of life. They make mistakes and they own up to it. I loved that. I love when characters are so fractured they leave no room to pretend otherwise. It broke my heart, this book did, but it made me feel incredibly privileged to do so.

My one drawback? It was a tad long at times. Certain sections could have easily been condensed and there is a lot of introspection going on that was at times tedious to get through. But obviously, if you've read the entirety of this review, you know that I found it well worth it.

xxSierra

Full review (with GIFs!) can be found at Sdavreads here: http://wp.me/p53vpq-aK

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a love/hate relationship with the writing for this book. First, let’s talk about what I loved. This book deals with a number of serious themes, like loss, drugs and alcohol, family issues and I really enjoyed that. After loosing her other half, Abbey has a hard time moving forward. Her family also has a difficult time moving forward and Abbey’s relationship with her family becomes strained. This leads her to getting mixed up with the wrong crowd and experimenting with drugs and alcohol. You get to see Abbey struggle between what is right and wrong and finding her way back home. Reading Abbey’s struggle was heartbreaking and my heart went out to her.

But here’s what I didn’t like: the WAY the book was written. The book is written in 3rd person POV and while I’m not super picky when it comes to these kinds of things, I wish the book was written in 1st person instead. I felt that it would have had more of a impact reading the story through Abbey’s eyes instead of being told the story. There were also many characters in this novel and transitioning from each person’s thoughts could have been smoother.

For the most part, I liked Abbey. She really struggled throughout this book and had a number of new experiences. The one thing I wish she would have done more of was maybe question her own actions a little more. She questions everything that was going on around her, but when it came down to it, she easily gave into doing drugs and taking shots. She does redeem herself though in the ending by getting the help she needs and that was great to see.

Alex is a drug dealer and I thought that I would spend majority of the book disliking him, but he ended up being an alright guy. I thought that he would be selfish, but he actually cares deeply for everyone in his life and looks out for everyone. I felt that he was a great match for Abbey. He never forces Abbey to join his lifestyle. He actually pushes Abbey to fix her relationship with her family and reminds her of everything she still has even though she lost an important part of her.

As I said before, I had some issues with the writing for this book. Another thing I had an issue with was that ending. THAT ENDING! WHY?! After everything Abbey went through and overcame, I did not like the way her story ended. I do have to commend the author on taking that risk because that was not an easy decision to make.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and if not for my issues with the writing, I would have probably rated it higher.

[Heidi Sturgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy from Author Groupies in exchange for an honest review


The dedication left me with goosebumps!  
" It can't rain  all the time" brought back many memories and stirred up a hornets nest of emotions in me .

Abbey and Ryan are twins with Peter and Anna as older siblings . Janet is their mother and their father left thethem as he couldn't cope with the aftermath of the tragic event that rocked the foundations of their family....
Nobody saw the signs, nobody expected it but everyone bears the scars pain and guilt of Ryan suicide...
Abbey gets involved with a group at school that accepts her ,hears her and that are there for her but they also have a downside. ...they're involved in drugs which escalates into more eventually .

Having said that each of these characters have their own story and how and why they are where they are and they're not bad people at all .

When something tragic and traumatic happens ,people need to seek counseling , grieve and talk about what happened otherwise it could just end up in more heartache which is what happened to Abbey.

Having lost my own mum to suicide I really could identify with the characters  and their emotions especially the guilt . What I have learnt and I wish the Miller family had earlier is that talking and sharing helps the guilt and blame will just start a vicious circle.

Derbyshire's writing style will have you feeling their frustration  , heartache ,pain and anguish of her characters but you'll also have the chance to feel their happy moments ♥

Be prepared and keep the kleenex on hand  

[Alana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This writer has the potential to write something great however this book isn't it. As an adult reading this book I found that it was incredibly cliché. There are obvious spelling and grammar mistakes that were missed on editing. It switches people quite suddenly, and often without transitions (head jumping) and oftentimes switching locations from one sentence to the next. This was confusing and the frequency of it started to get annoying.

Like I mentioned before, the plot was predictable and cliche. The protagonist was also a clichéd selfish teenaged girl and I often found that I was rolling my eyes. I think this is mostly because I am an adult but if I was a teenage girl I would love this book. The whole theme of "my family doesn't understand my pain! I'm so alone ! Etc..." would resonate well with teenage girls.

Now it seems like I am completely trashing this book but I should point out some of the good points. The pacing of the book was excellent, which is one of the hardest things to achieve. I think that is why I believe this author will be one to watch for, if she can find less cliche subject matter and characters. I think this will happen because she surprised me with the ending, which I have to admit made me glad I didn't put the book down halfway through like I was tempted to. I hope she writes another book.

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

My edition: Kindle

Pages: 498

Series: Stand alone

Rating: DNF no rating

Review: I got this off of NetGalley

I had problems with the writing style. I wasn't much of a fan. I think this has a little bit to do with the British English that the story is written. I am from the middle of the United States and the jargon is different. I had to look up a few words on the internet just to understand what some people were saying.

Now that wasn't the reason on why I didn't like this book. I wasn't interested. The main character came off as whiny to me. I understand that her twin brother had died and she is trying to cope with the new reality of living without her twin but she just...ugh I can't describe it. The way she interacts with her mom just makes me want to slap her. I got to about 30% then I put it down and I haven't gotten any urge to pick it up again. I'm calling quits on this because I really don't want to waste time with a book I have no interest in when I can be reading books that I do.

This one was just not for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Putting this one on hold. Just can't seem to get into it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I received my copy off of NetGalley.

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


While I wasn't a huge fan of the first person perspective(I very rarely am), I did enjoy the writing of F.L. Darbyshire. With this plot and the characters she created, she created a very real world situation that could happen to anyone.

Speaking of the plot, I will warn you that you will need Kleenex handy to catch your falling tears. It was that kind of real life story. And the way F.L. Darbyshire formats that ending, wow, definitely makes it the tears even worse.

There were a few sudden shifts in perspective that made me have to go back and reread the last few sentences but I also figured it out pretty quickly.

Watching Abby going downhill was like watching one of your best friends going through the same thing, that's how close you get to her.

Even Angels Fall is a gritty story that could happen in real life. It was a beautiful if painful read!

Find this review and many more at Reading Shy With Aly

[Lorena Birri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story about an 18-year-old girl going through life events at an early age and trying to deal with them. I love the friendship she develops with Lucy and two boys; Liam and Nathan. Even though this is a fiction book, the author did a good job with the characters and the plot and somehow I could see this story happening in the real world. How the influence of others can take you to dark paths or if you are lucky enough you can be influenced to brighter roads. Fortunately Abbey was able to find light at the end of the tunnel after experiencing a whirlwind of emotional events with her new friends. You will also experience those, yes, it is one of those books where the author engages you and you feel and live every second of the book. Great work and a definitely something to give a try!

[Amanda Gilliatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW What a story,well written I was hooked n wanted to know how the story would go but gosh such a shock at the end,so wasn't expecting it to end the way it did,poor matt,i thought it was going to be a happy ever after for abby and matt,would have been nice to have know more about how it would have gone for matt and abby,but all in all a great story.I won this book via goodreads first reads.

[amy lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible read

The storyline was gripping and hooked me right until the end. Full of unexpected twists - I laughed and cried, and I fell a little bit in love with Alex. I felt as if I was there, F.L. Darbyshire painted a vivid picture of both the charcmacters and settings. I would highly recommend this book.

[Heather Naylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It sticks in your mind to the point where you need to know what happens to each character and you feel a connection to them. Brilliantly written for an up and coming author. Can't wait go read the next book as there surely will be from a talented new writer.

[Beverley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A realistic story line and believable characters however more of a ‘teen read I thought.
Was spoiled a bit too by poor editing and phrase errors that grated.

[Brandy Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy for my honest review I liked this book i just didnt love it. It was a roller coaster of emotions the sadness was a big part and then anger and also joy but its understandable why its part of grief the things Ireally liked was that the characters were well written every emotion that was shown i could fell and understand as me as a reader i like an author who does that this book also kept me interested to were i i couldnt put the story down i need to finish it and i was shocked by the ending it wasnt predictible and i like that the things i didnt like was the many points of view it kinda got me confused a big part is i didnt like abby :/ i mean what she was going throw i understand why she was the way that she was i just wish there was more good parts for her the ending i didnt like i like my book with a happy ever after and abby and matt didnt really get one i know im going to keep an eye this author becouse i did like her writing and how it flowed