Actual rating: 3,5

I went into The Falling Girls without having real expectations. I knew it was a contemporary book with a dark tone, and that part was 100% right.
I know this is also generated as a mystery and although it has a mystery inside, I would rather call it a teen drama.
In fact, the whole story reminded me of a lifetime movie.
Did I love it? Absolutely!

I am an adult who read this novel that is aimed towards teenagers.
I am aware that some things I take differently then the appropriate age rang, and maybe my reasons for liking the story are completely different then they would be 15 years ago.

My favourite thing about this book is the exploration of female friendships that can be very unhealthy and how those friendships in teen years define future.
I appreciate how the author pictured possessive one on one relationship between friends and how even if it is usually comfortable to bond on such a strong level, it can also be destructive.

The other thing I appreciate is how Hayley Krischer showed us/told us that neglected kids often look for a substitute for absent parents in their friends and how they can become possessive.

The book was written in a simple, entertaining way that was easy to read.

The story was little predictable and the motive behind the crime was a bit stupid, but the author acknowledged it through character conversations, which pleasantly surprised me.

I want to say that I come from a country where cheerleading isn’t a part of the culture and all I know about it is what I learned from the movies.
This book made me think how hard and competitive that sport can be and how it’ it’s not appreciated enough.

I enjoyed my time with The Falleng Girls and would recommend it.69 s Danika at The Lesbrary593 1,482

A while back, there used to be a lot of stories about obsessive female friendships. Stories Heavenly Creatures or Single White Female. Now that I think about it, even Carmilla, back in the 1800s, fits in this! But part of the appeal of these stories, at the time, was the spectre of lesbianism. As that fear became less culturally relevant or acceptable, those kinds of stories seemed to die out. Believe me, I’m glad that the monstrous lesbian is no longer a popular movie trope, but I do think there’s something really interesting about these stories. Especially in adolescence, friendships between girls can be all-consuming, The most important relationships in your life, The kind of people who shape your entire personality. The Falling Girls explores these relationships, the dangers and the appeal of them, without falling into old homophobic tropes.

Full review on the October 5th episode of All the Books.all-the-books non-lesbrary47 s Sandra Hoover1,304 218

The Falling Girls scrutinizes the powerful, all-consuming, ever-evolving relationship between teenage girls, aka best friends - how far they'll go for each other and how dark they'll go when they feel betrayed. While these relationships can be healthy, there's a fine line between close friendship and obsession. This is the story of what can happen when that line is crossed.

Shade and Jadis have been best friends forever - a pair of outsiders against the world. Their relationship is intricate as they feed off each other's energy - mimicking clothes, tats, moods, opinions, actions. When Shade admits to secretly trying out and becoming a member of the elite cheerleader team at school, a cult- group led by three pompous girls all named Chloe, Jadis is stunned. Shade is forsaking her to be a silly cheerleader? Jadis perceives the betrayal as infidelity and vows that no one, not even the queen cheerleader, will come between them. Meantime, Shade is reveling with her new friends while attempting to maintain her friendship with a sullen Jadis. Intoxicated from becoming one of the cheer leader flyers and new intimate friend to captain cheerleader Chloe - much to the chagrin of Chloe's troubled best friend Chloe #2 - Shade hopes to have it all. Jadis, Chloe #2 is livid at Shade's position on the team and has no intention of relinquishing her spot as best friend to Chloe #1 without a fight. As the saying goes, "Don't get mad, get even". And so the treacherous games begin . . . and a cheerleader mysteriously dies. Was it a tragic accident . . . or murder?

The Falling Girls is the story of the dark, obsessive, often toxic, love/hate relationship that occurs between teenage girls when a line is crossed. A breakup between best friends is equivalent to a married couple divorcing with all the hurt, spitefulness and ugliness that follows. Krischer has brilliantly captured the raw, emotional turmoil suffered in these relationships while rendering a gutsy, disturbing tale of what happens when the balance of power between girls shifts and one is left grieving on the outside looking in while plotting her revenge. She explores the depth of teenage girls' possessiveness and beliefs that a person belongs with them with emphasis on how far they'll go to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs. Some may call it pettiness, but when it crosses the line from childish acts to obsessive, malicious endangerment, it's a disturbing, psychotic state of mind where anything is possible.

From the first few pages to The End, I devoured The Falling Girls. The dark undertone of malevolent intent emits creepy vibes and after the death of one of the girls, the mystery of who, why and how drives the story forward at a brisk pace as accusations are hurled and denied. The author nails the dark side of human nature along with the vicious attacks that occur between teenage girls when they feel betrayed and the resulting devastation occurring when they dole out retaliation. The Falling Girls is the dark, raw story of what happens when a friendship falls apart and love turns to hate. Of what happens when obsession is fueled by jealousy burning out of control until rage takes over body and mind. It's the story of one girl's journey from being a codependent in a toxic relationship to finding the strength and determination to stand on her own two feet and claim her own future. Highly recommended to fans of Young Adult Thrillers. 4.5 Stars

Thanks to Razorbill/Penquin Group for an arc of this book.
Review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine
Reviewed at: Cross My Heart Reviews
arc-publisher mystery-suspense-mag mystery-thriller ...more31 s talia ?1,149 227 Want to read

if you didn't have an obsessive, homoerotic, deeply confidential friendship with a girl that you would kill for in high school then i can't relate to you.

this book is for bitches who love Megan Abbott's The Dare and have been waiting for more.

also, this cover SLAPS!dark hell-is-a-teenage-girl lgbtq-plus ...more31 s Aidan Weber48 7

Let's be honest, I want to read this because it sounds Heathers. books-read-in-202317 s Crystal769 154

If you're a fan of the movie Heathers, then you'll love the Chloes.
There's just something super satisfying about seeing 'Mean Girls' get their comeuppance. While the Chloes were a big highlight of this book, there are so many interesting themes explored.
The exploration of toxic female relationship was so riveting while simultaneously making the reading uncomfortable. Shade and Jadis have a friendship built on codependency and obsession. It's captivating. It's unnerving. And it's dark!
There are also some sapphic elements to this story that I really enjoyed. I wish this had been explored more in depth, but at the same time appreciate the ambiguity of the relationship.

The murder mystery was secondary to the relationships. I found them much more interesting and that's what kept me reading. If you're a fan of YA, the exploration of YA relationships, a fan of the movie Heathers or just want a nostalgic trip down memory lane to your High School days, give this one a read. 14 s Jessica GoodmanAuthor 5 books1,761

A riveting, intimate portrayal of just how intense and all-consuming female friendships can be. Urgent and piercing, The Falling Girls is a gut-punch of a book. Hayley Krischer’s latest novel is not to be missed.12 s Dilayra Verbrugh283 201

This book wasn’t what I expected at all! But not in a bad way. It’s about friendship and how toxic it can be. It was interesting how this story turned. There’s a sapphic side relationship
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