Love and adore
Those are my most used words when recommending books and they feel so wrong for describing a Courtney Summers books. And yet I do love and adore her books. Which sounds so weird, because why would I love books that are the literary equivalent of having someone rub at your skin with sandpaper and then put salt on the wound? Why do I adore books that make my skin feel too small, that make me uncomfortable, that break my heart and reduce me to tears?
The answer would be because
 they are fabulous,
 they are true,
 and the writing is absolutely amazing.
Fall for Anything, while a departure from the mean girl main character, has everything else I expect from a Courtney Summers’ book, and I was up late reading it, unable to stop.
Eddie is a far easier character to relate to, and sympathize with, than Parker and Regina. Her grief and her desperation for answers are so clear and compelling, and the real force that carries the story, as she tries to work out why her father killed himself.
Every character in this novel feels real and unique. Their relationships with each other complex and fraught. Sometimes it was hard to remember I was reading a novel and not a memoir. I spent a lot of time being absolutely furious at people on Eddie’s behalf.
The dominant relationship in the book is between Eddie and her best friend, since second grade, Milo. Having been talking a lot about friendship in books  recently, it was great to find such a brilliant and realistic one. Eddie and Milo have that easy familiarity, that short hand way of speaking, and that deep understanding that goes beyond words. It makes their relationship feel so authentic. Milo is such a wonderful character too. While he’s most definitely swoon-worthy, he’s also such a teenage boy too. I loved how Courtney portrayed him and I loved his conversations with Eddie.
Loss and grief stories seem to be everywhere at the moment, but this is one of the standout ones. Courtney Summers is an amazing writer. I’m always reading on blogs and in writing books about how every single word in a book needs to count. Fall For Anything is a perfect example of this. I am in awe of how Courtney can show so much and make me feel so much with so few words.
Fall for Anything is out today. It’s not exactly a holiday read but it is a must read.
Note: If anyone’s read this and wants to email me and chat about it, please do because I am desperate to talk about this book!
