Clouds Tumble Down

by Daniel Pericich

Sara never asked for any of this... Not the absent brother, or the maybe boyfriend that slipped right through her fingers. She especially did not ask to be moved from her lifelong home in Indianapolis to small-town Bartow, Missouri. However, this is where she found herself after her dad’s promotion. A piecemeal downtown, parades of pickup trucks and a borderline religious devotion to high school football were not familiar surroundings for Sara. But, as she learned, maybe you need to leave what’s known to really discover who you are.

156 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2019

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clouds Tumble Down is the fictionalized true story of Sara, a friend of the author. Both her brother and new/potential boyfriend were killed in car accidents and then she moved from a city to a tiny town. The book is the story of a very difficult year or so. Parts were good, but most of the time I just didn’t like Sara. She had been dealt a rough hand, but even when good things happened, she acted like a spoiled brat. I didn’t find it to be that great of a portrayal of mental health issues, mainly because she was so unlikable. It also really needs an editor for the many grammar, usage, and mechanics issues. It’s worth reading if you really want to, mainly because it’s so short, but I’d skip it if given the chance again.

[Crissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Pericich has taken the real life story of his friend, Sara, and turned it into a beautifully written story of heartbreaking circumstances and gradual inner growth. In the wake of her brother’s death, Sara is at odds with her place in social circles, as everyone moves on and expects her to also, practically ostracizing her when she doesn’t meet their expectations. When tragedy strikes the school again, it hits Sara even more personally, adding to the grief she’s already feeling and distancing her even more from people she once thought were her friends. Pericich perfectly captures the awkward feelings of being a 15-year-old girl in the midst of tragedy, and I was reminded of my own inner voice when I was that age. There were a few areas that could use some better editing, including grammar and repeated thoughts. But I mostly enjoyed this quick, sweet read. No spoilers, but I really loved the clever way the story concluded.

[Conner Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent characters and a thrill to read!