Falling for Claire

Making Out #27

by Katherine Applegate

Accustomed to fighting everyone--including herself--Claire can't believe that anyone would love her for who she is, and finds it difficult to cope with Paolo's increasing devotion to her.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Teen

169 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 1998

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written many books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal.

Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books); THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books); SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books); and ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends).

She’s written or co-written three early chapter series for young readers: ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins); DOGGO AND PUPPER, a three-book series illustrated by Charlie Alder (Feiwel & Friends). With Gennifer Choldenko, she co-authored DOGTOWN and MOUSE AND HIS DOG, illustrated by Wallace West (Feiwel & Friends).

Books for middle-grade readers include HOME OF THE BRAVE (Feiwel & Friends); THE ONE AND ONLY series, illustrated by Patricia Castelao, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, THE ONE AND ONLY BOB, THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY, and THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY (HarperCollins); the ENDLING trilogy (HarperCollins); CRENSHAW (Feiwel & Friends); WISHTREE (Feiwel & Friends); WILLODEEN (Feiwel & Friends); ODDER (Feiwel & Friends); and the forthcoming POCKET BEAR (Feiwel & Friends).

With her husband, Michael Grant, Katherine co-wrote ANIMORPHS, a long-running series that has sold over 35 million books worldwide. They also wrote two other series, REMNANTS and EVERWORLD, and a young adult novel, EVE AND ADAM (Feiwel & Friends.)

Katherine’s work has been translated into dozens of languages, and her books have won accolades including the Christopher Medal, the Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street Josette Frank Award, the California Book Award Gold Medal, the Crystal Kite Award, the Green Earth Book Honor Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Many of her works have appeared on state master lists, Best of the Year lists, and Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and New York Times bestseller lists.

Katherine lives in Nevada with her husband and assorted pets. She is represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary and Mary Pender at WME.

Reviews

[Saadia Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best but not the worst of the series. So the main theme of this one is that everyone feels alone; Zoey, Lucas, Claire(surprise, surprise), Nina and Benjamin whilst poor Jake is hanging on to a plot by the skin of his teeth lol they really ruined him when they made boring Kate is storyline!

So everyone but Zoey goes to Boston for different reasons and Claire hosts a dinner for them so she can exclude Paolo?? Makes sense. Only everyone loves Paolo, even a reluctant Claire, heck even I love Paolo. Dinner ends in disaster as all Chatham Island Gatherings do.

Nina mentions to Ben that Claire having a gathering like that was odd because it's more of a Zoey Passmore thing to do, which I'm surprised she even noticed seeing as, for the past few books, her "friendship" with Lucas seemed to be more important to her than Zoey.

Lucas begins work on the Passmore's house and spends most the book thinking about ways to get Zoey back. Zoey's anger towards the great betrayers 🐍 begins to crack after she speaks to her father (very sweet moment).

Claire's really been out of it since Aaron. There was a time when she knew everything that went on in everyone's life but from the dinner party scene, I don't think she even knows what happened with Nina and Lucas. With just one book to go, I'm glad that I've reach the end of the series because the inconsistencies with the characters and plot details was becoming a headache.

Side note: I'm wondering if Lara's artwork that she gave to that Lady went up in value after she died... Also, Christopher is a dummy smh you always take your girlfriends side genius!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, pretty much everyone decides to go to Boston in this one.

* Nina goes to visit Claire, Benjamin goes with her because he needs to see his eye doctor.
* Lucas has to go to collect some parts for the lighthouse, and Christopher goes with him to visit Aisha.
* Christopher talks to Aisha's roommate and thinks she's nice which pisses off Aisha because she doesn't like her. She plans a romantic day and Christopher ruins it by inviting Felicia along.
* Lucas collects some information from Boston University about architect courses, and runs into Jake.
* Claire decides to throw a dinner party, thankfully Paolo volunteers to cook. Everything is going nicely until an argument breaks out, and Claire wants to know why Paolo would offer his floor to Lucas, Jake and Benjamin. Paolo says he was just trying to help.
* Nina storms out, and Benjamin goes after her. They go for a random walk only to find themselves at the Malibu hotel where they first had sex.
* Meanwhile Zoey talks to her dad and he tells her that she needs to find a way to forgive Nina and Lucas, even if she can't forget.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire may have found her love match if only she will give him a chance.
Zoey is still having a tough time forgiving Lucas and Nina.
Everyone but Zoey ends up in Boston on the same weekend and have a reunion dinner. What could go wrong?

[Kate Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. Mostly cause Zoey wasn't in it much. Also any Nina-Benjamin time is happy time.

[Elaine Mullane || Elaine and the Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feeling nostalgic for the books of my youth, I revisited Katherine Applegate and her Islanders omnibus editions (first released as the Making Out series way back in 1993. Yes, I am that old...).

While I found them to be overly-dramatic and a little bit cheesy on second reading, I think they would be loved by teenagers today. YA has taken a much-welcome step in the sphere of fantasy, science fiction and Dystopia, largely, in recent years so for teenagers looking for the traditional romance novels filled with teen-angst and buried secrets, these are a good series to turn to. A little bit Dawson's Creek in it's setting and it's drama, The Islanders is the perfect teen soap opera.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started with these books when I was a teenager and love each and every one of them. All the Chatham Island teens and what happens in their lives create irresistible plot lines. I bought this and books 21 and 24 to complete my collection and am fascinated by Claire as a character, her mysteriousness her relatively serious demenour and her love of the weather. I still remember all her trips up to the crow's nest above her room in book 5 during a raging storm. The book allowed me to know Aaron better and every character in the Making Out series is very well fleshed out. I have book #28, Zoey Comes Home, so Falling For Claire allowed me to fill in some gaps before the end of the series.

[C. B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember being obsessed with this series when I was 14! I made my mom buy me all 29 books (in Germany a 29th book was published, there is no English translation) after borrowing the first one from my then-best friend.
Looking back, the plots got wilder and wilder with time: A lost half-sister, Claire's stalker, Ben miraculously being able to see again etc. I don't think I would enjoy it as much now as I did ten years ago, but it will only have a special place in my heart.

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

diese Buchreihe hat mich während meiner Teeniezeit begleitet. ich habe sie so geliebt...

[Carina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you read one then you got to read them all - Amazing books!