Review: Freefall by Mindi Scott

Freefall by Mindi Scott

Release date: October 5, 2010

Publisher: Simon Pulse/ 315 Pages/ Young Adult

Source: Author/Publisher (ARC)

How do you come back from the point of no return?

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .

Review:

What a debut! Freefall pulled me in from the first page and wouldn't let me go until the very last word. Not only was the plot engaging and original, but Mindi Scott is a fantastic writer. Freefall is definitely going to appeal to a variety of readers and will keep them engaged throughout.

Seth was an original and unique main character who wasn't always relatable to me, but I always could understand his actions. He had been through a lot, especially recently. Seth blamed himself for his best friend Isaac's death and was still coming to grips with it even when it seemed so many others had already forgotten it. I felt for him and could understand his grief and pain. Mindi Scott really knows how to get into a teenager's head. Seth was so realistic and well developed. Mindi didn't hold back when describing scenes where Seth is partying and drinking and she definitely proved that there is much more to people than meets the eye.

Other than Seth there were a lot of other great characters. His family was small, but you could tell they cared for each other. Especially his mother. His friends, while sometimes not the nicest people, were interesting characters and I liked watching how Seth grew and changed and finally stood up for himself and what he believed in. His stage fright is a real fear many teenagers have today, and I could relate to his paranoia of going on stage and performing.

A lot was going on in Freefall and I wouldn't have changed a thing. The plot was artfully woven and perfectly written. I especially loved the romance aspect.

Rosetta was sweet, nice, and so understanding of Seth. I loved watching their relationship grow and change until the very last page. The reader really got to know Rosetta and understand her secrets and fears. At first, Seth and Rosetta may not appear similar at all. But in reality, they have much more in common than anyone could ever realize.

The drama, intrigue, and romance was all realistically portrayed and I applaud Mindi Scott for tacking so many issues shied away from in YA lit today. I definitely recommend reading Freefall come October. It's an emotional and fantastic debut that will tug the heart strings of every reader.

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars