Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?
{taken from goodreads.com}





Courtney Summers has done another amazing job of writing words with such depth & rawness to them, that you instantly feel the pain & tribulations the characters are feeling.  This book definitely pulled at my heart-strings on so many personal levels.  The topic for this YA read: death & learning to accept it, or at least grasp the finality of it.

Eddie is a seventeen year old girl, who is dealing with the concept that her father just committed suicide.  Her mother is left distraught.  Her best friend Milo is walking on egg shells around her. And she's introduced to a new boy by the name of Culler, who may have answers for her when it comes to her father's final days.  Eddie is tired of the "I'm so sorry for your loss" speeches that she keeps hearing from everyone in her small town.  She knows they are meant with love & concern, but she also doesn't want to be reminded all the time of what's happened & who she is - the girl who's father killed himself.  Eddie finds herself retreating back to the place her father died, an old abandoned warehouse.  Her father was a photographer, a quite famous photographer back in his day, who decided to give it up when he lost sight of the meaning of his art.  During one of her many visits at this warehouse, she encounters Culler, and learns that he used to be one of her father's students.  It is here that her fascination grows in wanting to find answers as to why her father killed himself.  It is also here that Culler's fascination with Eddie begins to grow.

Meanwhile, Eddie's best friend Milo is trying to hold his ground with the forever mood changing Eddie.  He misses his best friend & only wants to protect her, and help her through her grief.  But her way of grieving is not the same way he'd approach the situation.  The relationship between Milo & Eddie is beautiful.  I felt a connection between them, not only because they were best friends, but also because Milo's love for Eddie went above & beyond.  I know how important it is to have a friend there when going through the grieving process of losing a loved one.  Beside you, not speaking a word.  Just being there.  In moments like that, when there are no words, that friend beside you is what matters most.  Milo remains Eddie's constant.

As the story unfolds, Culler takes Eddie on a wild goose chase in search of answers as to why Eddie's father killed himself.  In the end, this became painful for me to watch (or read I should say).  When someone is taken from you so suddenly, the last thing you want to do is just accept it & move on.  You need answers.  Eddie is painstakingly set on finding the reasons why.  In the end she finds herself even more lost than she set out to be.  The rawness of Courtney Summer's words are so eloquently portrayed through out this book.  My heart aches for Eddie & I so badly want to tell her that she may never find the answers she's seeking.  There is no "happy ending" to this book.  That is not how Courtney Summers writes.  I respect that.  When dealing with such a heavy topic that this book covers, there is no way to give it a proper "happy ending".  She gives it the most realistic one.  Life goes on.

*A huge thank you to Courtney Summers & St. Martin's Griffin publishing company for sending me an early copy of this book!