Customer Reviews

Falling Is Like This

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I went to Barnes & Nobles to buy Good Night Moon for my neice (she's coming soon) and of course when I enter a book store, I can't not look for books for myself. I strolled past the NY Times Best Seller' s table and behind that was a recommended by employees table (very cool). I saw Falling is like this on the top of a pile recommended by "Kelly". The cover was funky in design and appealing to the eye, but as my Grandmother always told me...you can't judge a book by its cover. As always I read the back cover and it seamed interesting enough. I strolled on over to Starbucks, ordered an iced latte and plopped down in a nice big comfy chair. I opened the book and started reading. Before I knew it, I had read 2 chapters. I was hooked and didn't want to put it down. I rushed up to the counter, paid for my new book and hurried home so i could continue reading. Once I got home, I got comfortable out on my deck and continued reading until there was nothing left to read. Kate Rockland has a way of making you see the characters and even feel their emotions. I even LOL'd alot while reading about Harper's ecentric family. There were so many moments that I could relate to the main character Harper. I love music, I love to review music and would love to be a rock journalist, I have had a boring yet safe relationship with a man who I cared about but did not fall hard for, I have had a relationship with a man (an artist) who was everything but safe and made the fire in me ignite every time he looked at me. I think it's safe to say that most women over the age of 21 have had similiar moments in life. I also think it's safe to say that most women over the age of 11 have fantasized about being with their favorite rock star. Isn't that a right of passage in every young woman's life?
I have to say at the end of the day, Kate Rockland wrote a great book that many readers could not put down and for me, that puts her on the top of The Kimberly Best Sellers List! I can't wait to read more from this new up and coming author! Maybe even a follow up to this book? That would be rad!

Falling Is Like This, the debut novel by New Jersey author Kate Rockland, is a fun and clever story about a young woman's fiery romance with the rock star from her long-time favorite band. After fleeing a sour relationship with her East Village boyfriend, main character Harper Rostov returns to the safety of her native Garden State and subsequently falls into the turbulent lifestyle of music icon Nick Cavallero. Rockland's novel is as much about Rostov's outer exploration as it is about her inward journey in finding her place against a changing landscape. New Jersey and Manhattan dwellers will appreciate the vivid descriptions of familiar locales, including the vacant lots and abandoned marshland that lie between the Empire and Garden states. Falling Is Like This is Rockland's love letter to her two homes and reminds readers to appreciate the journey in life, even when we fall.

I'm a sucker for books about New York and/or music, so I thought I'd love this, but frankly I think it fell short. The entire plot more or less is: "I once slept with a musician." The main character bemoans the changing face of the East Village after having lived in NYC for all of three entire years. The character is also ridiculously naive (a musician does drugs?!) and bourgeois, many of the scenarios are simply not believable (really? All you have to do to get your writing in the NY Times is just make one phone call? They publish people whose entire previous writing experience consists of writing for a college paper and a zine?) and the prose is stilted, and not written at a sophisticated reading level. I think the best part was actually the vignettes about the family in Jersey. I tore through the whole book in only a couple of hours.

Falling is Like This is kind of my fantasy book - with a main character who gets to live out a fantasy that almost every young woman (including myself)has had at one time or another in their lives - what it would be like to actually be the girlfriend of your favorite rock star.

The premise of this book was great - in fact, this book surprised me because it has so many little detours and hidden messages about life and how to live it in the now - all the while appreciating what you have in your life.

However, for some reason, the book just did not do much for me either way - which is kind of a bad sign, when it comes to my love of reading. I have to attach myself to a book in order to really and truly enjoy it and it did not happen with this book.

I am not sure if its the writing style which kind of felt stiff to me - or if its the pacing, but although I did get through the book, I found myself having to push myself to get it done.

After I started reading Falling Is Like This, I did not want to put this fast-paced book down. Any woman who has left a boyfriend, who has been torn between 'safe' and 'living on the edge' will enjoy and relate to this story of Harper's tumultuous week. The story of lust and love is sprinkled with tender family moments and memories and wonderful descriptions of the NYC and New Jersey areas where the action takes place. Having lived in the area in the past and having spent a lot of time in the city, I really enjoyed Ms. Rockland's vivid descriptions of people and places. I loved this book and would definitely pick up future books by this author.

I started this book the day I received it from Amazon (had pre-ordered it). I was sucked in from the very first page. Knowing I had a weekend trip to Vegas coming up a few days later, I decided to delay my gratification and save it for the trip. Good choice. I was captivated on the flight over and at the gorgeous pools at the Wynn. What an excellent book. If this author had other published titles, I would be ordering them all right now. She is definitely one to watch!! Highly recommended!

I couldn't put Falling is Like This down from the moment I read the first page. It's one of those books you start over breakfast, then take to the bathtub, and then to the park or beach and finally finish in bed at 3AM. Kate's protagonist Harper is so easy to relate to, and so is her uneasiness at what she is doing with life. Every woman has experienced the same kind of fear at making major life changing decisions, whether it's dumping their snoozy boyfriends, quitting their jobs or fooling around with someone wildly inappropriate, just like Harper does in just a couple of days. Fantastic debut and I can't wait for her second book!

FALLING IS LIKE THIS has the best beginning of any book I've read in years. Rockland's honest, vulnerable, real and relatable voice grabbed me from the start and I couldn't put it down. An engaging poignant look at young passion.

This book is smart, sexy, poignant where it oughtta be, and even educational! (At least for somebody like me, who doesn't know much about NYC's present-day punk scene.) It's also a quick, fun, escapist read. Overall, a real winner! I highly recommend it.

I cannot recommend this book for the following reasons: The plot is weak and tired. Second, the two main characters have no dimension, and they are largely unlikeable, bordering on irritating. At first, I thought that the voice of Harper was supposed to reflect that she's vapid and lame, but at some point I realized that wasn't the author's intent. Third, the dialogue is stilted and not believable. Fourth, the cameos by actual musicians are cringe-worthy. And finally, there is no art to the language to make up for the aforementioned issues. For example, the scene in the Bowery Ballroom could have taken place anywhere. Those of us who know and love the venue could write reams about how it sounds, looks, smells, feels.

I'm embarrassed for the author because I sense that she is well-meaning in her efforts but the skill for writing a novel just isn't there, at least not yet. As a journalist I appreciate that writing for publications (as the author's bio indicates is part of her work history) and writing fiction are two wholly different things. I get paid to write news stories but I wouldn't begin to attempt writing a novel. I don't have "it," and neither does the author. I'm sorry!