Featured Debut Author Book Giveaway: Falling by Emma Kavanagh

Sorry for the very late review I've have only just found this book due to a house move which I thought I had lost it I'm so glad I found it

It was different to what I usually read at first it was a little bit confusing that it was in four parts like 4 different people telling the story which took a bit of getting used to was getting a bit lost throughout the story as it was switching from one to the other but overall it was a interesting and innovative read

I have only recently had a chance to read this book after snatching it from the grasp of my "bookworm" husband. I found the storyline pretty gripping and struggled to put it down. I don't read nearly as much as I used to and this has got me going again. I'm looking forward to Emma's next book.

First book never turned up. Replacement book received thank you.
A very good read, clearly an author worth following. Characters were quite plausible with story lines being feasible.

I started this book (one of the few things I’ve ever won – thankyou MN Towers!!) with a slight scepticism. It looked like one of those Richard and Judy-type first-novels from an amateur author. Not by a professional writer, but someone like me, a teacher or a nurse who happened to like writing and latched onto a good story. But could they write? Was there beauty or poetry here?
Well, within a chapter or so, I was hooked. This was a nicely structured story, with pace. It was easy to read, and the pages were turning themselves. There was tension, and it had that most important of factors for me – I looked forward to getting time to sit and read it.
The story is an interwinned rope of 3 stories, centered around a terrible airplane crash in a small Welsh town. And a murder. So, a thriller and drama combined. Cool.
But soon a problem emerged.
The central theme involved death. OK – its a thriller, so I’m expecting that But there’s also a terrible disaster. All the characters are suffering grief, and pain, and loss. But also there is deceipt, and pain and betrayal. And grief. And pain. And there’s the problem. Unrelenting raw, grief and pain.
On. Every. Page.
And Emma Kavanagh’s profession shines through. She’s not a nurse, or teacher. She’s an (ex) psychologist. So she is well able to uncover and reveal her characters emotions and spill then on the page. But this uncovering of pain and grief, over-eggs the omelette for me, and it quickly just became a very unpleasant read. I’d have liked a little dark humour to break the monotone of pain.
Sadly, then some slightly corny or clunky wrinkles in the plot began to creep in – a few days after her daughter is killed, mum remembers in an off-hand way when interviewed by a cop – her daughter was seeing someone who said he Would Never Let Her Go...She didn’t actually say – Do you think that might be important?? But I said it to my self in an ironic tone...This bombshell is delivered using the classic final-sentence-of-the-chapter cliffhanger. Dah, dah, DAHHHHH!No-really. It really is.
So, that was it for me. Over the years, I have become increasingly unforgiving of poor writing, and don’t feel I need to finish a book if it is not passing muster, so I left this one unfinished. Its now at Oxfam.
So, closing the circle , perhaps I was right with my initial prejudices. For me, this has an interesting premise, with likable, sympathetic characters, and likely a good story. But for me, the raw emotional grief and pain are too overdone, to the point of making the book unpleasant, and the plotting needs work. There needs to be more of an emotional range. However, I do admit that not having finished it, perhaps it improves??
Perhaps you might need to make up your own mind....

Naice

Have only just been able to read the book and so sorry for late review. I liked the way that the story unfolds from the point of view of the different characters but had guessed the ending about two thirds of the way through. Not one of my best reads but would recommend it to others and will definitely look out for her next novel.

Thank you for the book - only just finished reading it so apologies for the late review! Brilliant debut novel; well written with plenty of twists and turns. Fantastic characters and I liked the way each character's story entwined making the book a real page turner. Thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend it. Can't wait for the author's next one!

Thanks for the book Mumsnet and Arrow Publishing. Fantastic debut novel by Emma Kavanagh the devastation of a plane crash entwined with a murder and a father waiting to discover who the killer is. Loved the way the story unfolds through the different character perspectives. Felt great empathy towards Jim trying to find out what has happened to his Daughter who has disappeared handled really sensitively and as a parent makes you experience his nightmare too uncover the truth. Several themes tackled Freya experiences the grief of losing a parent and finding hidden skeletons in the family closet.Great twists and turns keep me interested wouldn't like to read this book as a holiday read on an airplane. Told from various points of view, chapter by chapter, follow the aftermath of a plane crash alongside the aftermath of a murder. Falling is a perfect title and a theme throughout the story in the literal sense of falling from the sky in a plane.
Cecilia is a wife and mother, she is torn between wanting and needing things she cannot have and bonds more with crash passengers than her own family. Some great characters with plenty heart and soul. The various strands of the story are brought together in an adept and fascinating way to deliver the ultimate conclusion. This book left me wonder for a long time afterwards what may have happened to these characters next. I imagine them out there…somewhere…Looking forward to Emma's next book Hidden out in April.

My copy must have arrived well after the previous reviews because when I started reading I couldn't stop. I loved the way the book follows a short timeline narrating the effects and consequences, in a circular loop, of the crash, the death, and all that preceded.
I can understand why Cecelia was a difficult character to empathise with but I felt that was the point -she couldn't relate to herself, constantly overwhelmed with guilt and pain. If she had been more likeable her story would have been less believable.
I really enjoyed the way each character's story overlapped, coincidences and chance meetings suddenly having far more significance as the story developed, and the awakening, in each of them, of reality and how different it is from their perception of memory.
I wouldn't have chosen this book based on the cover but after reading it I can't wait to read more from Emma Kavanagh.

A great book. You have to pay attention to start with to remember all the characters (or is that because I'm old?!!) but the ending is great. So good to see how it all fits together. I'd recommend this read to anyone. I lent it to my Mum (77yrs old and an avid reader of books [not e-books though!] and she loved it too! Thank you for my free copy.

Great book really enjoyed it, was very believable , really felt like I was part of the story , great book

I, too, enjoyed it. Not the kind of novel I'd normally choose, but found myself captivated and read it very quickly. I'd recommend it. Great plot and taut writing. I'll be interested in reading the author's next book.

I was lucky enough to receive a free copy - what a treat! I found it to be a real page turner. As some of the previous reviewers have mentioned, some of the characters were slightly weak but the plot was excellent. I loved the twists and turns and will definitely buy her next novel. Many thanks!

I also received a copy, read it straight away and then didn't know where to post the review. Duh.

I found the story believable and really enjoyed reading the different characters interpretations of the events that unfolded and finding out how the parallel stories all linked together.

Overall, a real page turner and I will look out for more books by Emma Kavanagh.

Thanks for sending me this book. A lovely read, good twists, loved that the plot and ending left you still wondering, wasn't typical ending. Loved the characters, once I started the book couldn't wAit to go to bed and read. Will be looking out for more from this author. Thanks again!

Thanks mumsnet but it took me ages to read as I kept getting distracted by better books to read. Good storyline about the aftereffects of a plane crash without the gory details thankfully. Easy to read but lacks something to really grab your attention. I didn't connect with the female character Cecilia Probably because she has more time for her fellow crash victims than her own son. Decent but there's a lot better around to read.

While I found the book easy to read again I felt some of the characters were not very believable Cecilia in particular. Plot was fairly predictable in particular the ending. In summary I didn't enjoy it very much. I wouldn't go out of my way to read anything by this author again but I did very much appreciate the opportunity to read it and the review copy.

I was sent a copy of this book to review and to be honest I probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise, neither the cover or the blurb were that compelling. That said, I happily finished the book, which has different chapters written from the view point of a few different characters. The characters are developed well enough, and the inevitable twist is a decent one.
I wouldn't rave about the book. It was fine, but just that. Easily readable, but none of the characters completely won me over. I am not compelled enough to look out for other books by the author though! Thank you for the chance to read it!

Another one here who took ages to get around to reading the book. (Lots going on, sorry)

I enjoyed it, I was engaged early on in the book and was intrigued by all the characters. It was well written and easy to follow.

Like previous posters I thought it ended suddenly and was a bit too obvious an ending. I was hoping for a twist that didn't come.

All in all it was a good book but not a great book. However I would read another by the author as she writes well.

I really enjoyed this book. The connections angle drew me in and I became engrossed in the story. I look forward to Emma's next book.

Just to update, I've now finished the book and enjoyed it. The second half started to piece things together so you could see the connections.

A good read!

I'm about half way through this (slow reader, busy December...) and haven't really warned to the characters yet. Also at present the plot is quite dull - does it pick up soon?

Finally got round to reading this (sorry!)
Agree with previous posters. I felt the book flowed well and was easy to follow, got very engaged (once I finally got round to reading )
Thought the stories did link well, didn't leave me lost. As with others I found Cecelia the hardest character to identify with, but we can't love everyone can we.

I actually liked the cover. I liked it's simplicity.

Will look out for more by Emma Kavanagh

I agree that this book was a real page-turner - it was interesting to find out how all the different characters linked together in the end as in the beginning so many different stories were running in parallel. I felt frustrated with Cecilias inability to move on and her lack of normal maternal feelings and so sorry for the pilots daughter. - definitely worth a read

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a real page-turner and I loved the way it swapped between the main characters following their own stories. I'll be posting a full review soon. And I've seen that Emma Kavanagh's next book "Hidden" will be published next year, so I'll be adding that to my wishlist.