Teen Tuesday - Freefall by Mindi Scott

Mindi Scott - Freefall

• Pub. Date: October 2010
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Format: Paperback 315pp
• Age Range: Young Adult
• Rating: ****

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 . . .

I really liked this book. It was hard to put down, and I really enjoyed hearing Seth's story from his POV. This felt real, and I liked the characters. Here's the summary:

Seth McCoy blames himself for his best friend's death. He constantly plays the 'What If' game, thinking he may have been able to do something differently that night to save Isaac. No one else seems to care as much as Seth does, and that bothers him. Even Isaac's on/off girlfriend, Kendall, a childhood friend of Seth's, seems to have forgotten so soon. But Seth gets a wake-up call in the form of school, in particular this Interpersonal Communications class, where he meets Riley/Rosetta. The form an unlikely bond only to find that they both have secrets and issues to deal with. Will it work? Will it last? You have to read this one to find out!

Freefall is written in first-person (my favorite), past-tense. This novel's main character is male, and it's written by a female author. I don't always love this combination, but Mindi Scott pulled it off really well. I never really felt like she got the reactions wrong or that dialogue and events were too unrealistic. High school is a tough time, and lots of drama takes place. Seth's band drama, drama with Kendall, and school drama co-mingle here to make a story the reader can really care about. I really felt myself pulling for Seth, hoping everything would turn out right.

Yes, he feels sorry for himself a bunch of times, and yes, he makes some wrong choices. He's been dealt some tough cards. His best friend just died, he lives on the poor side of town, he never knew his father, and his friends don't act like they are on his side of life. He learns slowly but surely to make the best of things, take risks, and step out of his comfort zone. It's a bit of a tough journey with bumps and bruises along the way. His brother wants him to drop out of school to tour with the band. Kendall always wants something from him. He gets in a fight with a big jerk. But you're always hoping that he'll manage to pull through.

Rosetta seems like THE coolest girl ever. She's also been through a very rough patch, as Seth learns little by little. They make a sweet team, and it's easy to want them to work through whatever is stopping them from being together. There are misunderstandings along the way, of course (this IS high school), but they are friendly enough to help each other out with their deepest secrets at the beginning so there is always hope.

I would definitely recommend this book!! It's honest, funny, real, sad, and sweet. Please check it out.