I picked up this book, and tried to read it multiple times. I loved the premise and the idea behind the story, but struggled with the execution of the plot. Unfortunately, this story just wasn't for me, so it was a DNF.

Why I struggled:
*The pacing was extremely slow
*The characters were inside their heads too much, and I felt like there wasn't enough actually happening to move the story along at a better pace
*There were too many details about mundane things, which contributed to to the slow pace of the plot

I liked the storyline a lot. Two random characters who couldn’t be more different. One living a real nightmare after a car accident and the other one being an introvert and hating all kind of social interaction (this does sound a bit familiar though!) and who has an anxiety disorder. Even with these (possibly) triggering themes the book was a light read. Cute, funny and I just couldn’t put it down. I had to read it in one sitting and I absolutely wanted to know what would happen to Brennan and Jonas. It was a cute read but the author still treated the important and triggering topics in a serious way. The book showed us how these young adults are coping with the problems in their life and their inner demon. It was refreshing to read about something like this especially the morale of the story and how you might manage your inner struggles.

I seriously loved the character growth of our amazing characters. I was so proud of these two and especially how they helped each other. It was great and don’t even get me started on the friendship part. Everything was amazing. And when I say everything I mean everything!

Last but not least, the writing style. It was perfect, the description was amazingly written. I fell in love with this book after the first sentence and I kind of was disappointed when it ended.

Overall, The Opposite of Falling Apart was a great Young Adult novel that I highly recommend. Plus there are some Harry Potter mentions so that’s a reason why you need to read this book.

HUGE THANKS TO FFBC FOR INCLUDING ME TO THE BLOG TOUR OF THE OPPOSITE OF FALLING APART.



An adorable, cute and slow-paced read. I’ll never regret reading The Opposite of Falling Apart. Even if the story is somehow slow, I really enjoy the content of the story. I love how the representation in the book is well written. It’s the kind of story where the reader can feel the emotions upon reading the story. I love how it teaches us not to give up no matter what or hindrance we may have in our life.

Plot-wise, the author explicitly wrote the story beautifully. The development of the two main characters are also lovable to the extent that you will feel them and see how their characteristics is being develop. There are scene that may be to obvious but its okay, as it made the story more unique and made it to be understood.

The author really did a great job. It teaches us to be strong, accept who we are and no matter what happen, we can always stand tall and continue to live our life to the fullest. It also teaches us about some health problems that others are experiencing.

All in all, I love the whole idea of the story and it is one of the story that I’ll never forget.



FAVORITE QUOTES
“She looked so happy here, among the books, like she as in her element.”

“You don’t just stop reading a series in the middle.”

The book started off kind of slow so it was a little hard for me to get into it at first. What I liked about the storyline was that it was very realistic--there was no "love at first sight" kind of moment, and the romance between Brennan and Jonas seemed truly genuine and very admirable. While this did take away from the suspense in the storyline to propel the plot forward more, there were certain scenes that made up for it.
This is one of those books where the ending was very, VERY well done. Tied everything together so well, and ended with a cute heartfelt moment.

I will be the first to admit that I do not understand anxiety. I would venture to say that a lot of people who struggle with anxiety also do not understand it because anxiety is often not logical. I have briefly struggled with feelings of anxiety while I was on a medication that wasn't right for me. But what I experienced was nothing like what Brennan experienced. I hesitate to even discuss this part in too much detail because the author briefly touches on her own anxiety issues within the acknowledgments. And I wouldn't want anything I say about Brennan to feel like a reflection upon her and her own struggles--much less anyone else who might read this review that also struggles with anxiety. It was helpful to me to be in Brennan's head and see how much of an internal battle she has going on trying to fight against her instincts, her inner dialogue, and her anxiety itself. In a lot of ways, the things that Brennan thinks to herself or worries about felt to me like things EVERYONE thinks about or wonders about. I certainly don't enjoy new situations where I don't know what to expect. Who might be there? How they might respond to me. What's expected of me. If it's a new location, where I will park. Or being able to find the place I actually need to be. I think all of that is normal. But Brennan is crippled by these thoughts and fears. She even admits that more than anything she cares entirely too much about what other people think of her. And I think that's something I've taken for granted in my own life and confidence. I think I learned early on in life that I might be a friend to many but simply not close to a ton of people because I realized that I think differently and value different things in myself and in others than a lot of the people I was growing up with did. I didn't always feel confident that others liked me, I liked myself. And to me, that was more important. Brennan doesn't like herself (her anxiety more specifically) and that causes her to be suspicious that anyone else could or would possibly like her as well. She's constantly seeking validation, approval, and affection from others while holding herself as much at bay from them as she can. I think in other circumstances I would have flat out disliked her character because strong, confident female leads are something that I value highly in both books and in real life. I have particularly struggled with "needy" people in real life. But I feel like The Opposite of Falling Apart gave me a little bit of a new perspective on what "needy" people might be dealing within their own minds. Perhaps I will be a little more compassionate in the future. And there's not much more you can hope for from a book than for it to make you want to be a better person after reading it.

I can't say I really struggled with connecting to Jonas, but I also didn't hold him up to the same level of adoration that I often find myself feeling towards leading male characters. I think that's because Jonas is both good and flawed. Most of his flaws relate to himself and how he feels about himself since his accident and losing half of his left leg. He has a lot of anger and bitterness and sometimes that causes him to lash out at those who love him and try to help him. But honestly, I do the same. I lash out at those I love when I'm worn down, angry, or bitter too. Even though I don't mean to. Yet, I loved how he was with Brennan. He truly saw her. Beyond her anxiety. And he was the only one who seemed to really walk through it with her rather than just telling her she shouldn't be anxious. I am quite certain I'd be the one who was like "well just get over it." Or "just tell yourself XYZ instead". Like my sympathy with Brennan, I learned that amputees can have pain beyond the phantom limb pain that I think most people are familiar with. At times I would think "it's been 2 years already and you're still not walking without your crutches Jonas," but like most things, there's so much more beyond the surface level that someone who hasn't experienced a similar situation would have no way of knowing.

I will say that I would get a little frustrated with Brennan because she was all about pushing Jonas to move past his hurdles and not always respecting his own anxiety. I would have expected given her troubles that she would have been a little more understanding of his own. She pushed him beyond his comfort level more than once, and even though this is ultimately a good thing to help him grow, she shut down or retreated physically and emotionally if he ever attempted to do the same. I also got frustrated with Brennan because it seemed like so many times she could have saved herself much worry and pain by just communicating with those who love her--her parents, Jonas, and even Ambreen. And lastly, I wish that we'd been able to see a little bit more concrete steps that Brennan took to conquer her anxiety. Did she finally start taking her medication regularly? And if not that medication then another? Did she go to therapy or find a doctor that she could finally open up to about to extent of the feelings and thoughts she was dealing with?

Favorite quotes:

-"What scares you, Brennan?" Being out of control. Being known. Not being enough. Being known, and having people find out she wasn't enough, wasn't what they thought she was. Letting herself be known. and still ending up alone, with no friends, no one to love her. No one.

This quote reminds me Tauren Wells has a song called Known. The song was inspired by Timothy Kelly's statement: "To be loved and not known is comforting but superficial; to be known but not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and fully loved is a lot like being loved by God."(Reference)

-Every best friend I made always had a better best friend, or always left me in the end.
I've felt like this too except for my husband who is now my best friend.

The Opposite of Falling Apart was a good book that has caused me to think more than anything. I enjoyed the reading process but it wasn't a peppy or typical cloud-nine-new-love type of book. Even though I enjoyed the reading process, it was heavier than you would expect from a book about falling in love. Of course, heavy doesn't equal bad. And it wasn't bad. It was good. I'd definitely recommend it. Yet at the same time, this might be the type of book that is good for a specific mood or a specific reader. I'm not sure. Regardless, I'm giving The Opposite of Falling Apart 4 Stars. Have you read The Opposite of Falling Apart? What did you think? Let me know!

I loved everything about this book. The plot was easy to follow and kind of slow, but in a good way. The development of the characters and their relationship was well constructed and it was interesting to learn more about them and their respective problems that they had to deal with.
Jonas lost his left leg in a car accident and is bitter and angry since then. Brennan is anxious all the time and is afraid to start college in the fall. Jonas and Brennan met one day and this will totally change them on a deep level. Their relationship is absolutely amazing and beautiful, this is no love at first sight and they both have to accept who they are before accepting to be loved or appreciated by someone else. I simply loved it and I definitely recommend reading this book.
I enjoyed learning more about anxiety through this book, I think it was well explained and not too cliché either. This book also deals with PTSD and it was well developed.
I loved Brennan and Jonas and their story will stay with me for a long time.

I thought this book was very well written and thought out. This book was insightful and didn’t shy away from hard hitting subjects such as ptsd and depression. Jonas broke my heart in the best way. I wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be okay. My only issue with the novel was the pacing.

First I’d like to say thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This book was beyond cute! I absolutely loved the two main characters Jonas & Brennan. The fact that they both had medical issues was so heartwarming. I love when authors are inclusive in their stories. I really connected with Brennan and her anxiety. The author did a very good job in describing what anxiety feels like. I appreciated the accuracy of Brennan’s emotions and dealings with anxiety.
All in all this was a sweet love story and I give it 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5.

Jonas feels like his world has fallen apart after a car accident caused him to lose his leg. He's shut himself away from everyone and doesn't want to get used to the prosthetic leg. Brennan is suffering from severe anxiety. Day to day things like work and friends get her head in a spin and she is struggling but won't tell anyone the extent of her problems. Jonas mum needs him to get in the car and take a permission slip to his sister for a trip. He doesnt like cars anymore but won't admit it and gets himself in a panic on the way resulting in him bumping into Brennans car at some traffic lights. He offers to pay for the damage and doesn't divulged the real reason he bumped her. The pair meet up again by chance and Brennan tries to help Jonas walk again on his prosthetic leg.
It was a really moving story line I loved that the pair were totally different yet so alike and helped each other through their problems. It went into some really important issues and was written in a tasteful way. Unfortunately the story was just too slow paced for me and I found myself getting bored dispite the good story line.

The Opposite of Falling Apart

No rating

I could not for the life of me get into this AT ALL. And the main reason is because the writing style is just not for me. It dragged and it made the characters feel really two dimensional and boring.

I get what the author was intending to do, and I think her concept of depicting PTSD, anxiety and the affects of mental health is a great idea in hindsight but.... the execution wasn’t appealing to me as a reader. It felt a bit overdone and I was bored for a large portion of it.

And then there’s the business of adding extra ‘thoughts’ into parentheses (which didn’t work for me at all). I just couldn’t work with it, not my thing.

I think the story being told was great, it was interesting to see the motions of healing and dealing with loss in such a way from Jonas’ point of view while also seeing Brennan struggle in mundane everyday life as anxiety rears it’s head, and while this is a very accurate/relatable depiction, the writing made it feel emotionless. I couldn’t get past it enough to comprehend yet alone enjoy the story. Not to mention the pacing of the development was unbearably slow and it just added to my nonenjoyment.

Overall, I think the idea of the representation the author was trying to portray was just that— a good idea but the writing and storyline dragged and made it fall flat for me. I felt no connection whatsoever to the characters or the story but I do think others can probably relate to this portrayal and connect with the characters on a deeper level.

And with that, I do hope to someday come back to this book and give it another try, maybe it’ll appeal to me then. I don’t know, we shall see.

The Opposite of Falling Apart by Micah Good is a story about overcoming disabilities, and moving forward. Jonas Avery was a star in high school, until the car accident that took part of his leg. Brennan Davis has an anxiety disorder, so everything is a challenge for her. The summer before college these two meet, and a romance begins. I found this book to be well written, but it just wasn't for me. I read to lift my spirit, and this book did not do that. If you enjoy a more serious romance, give it a try, you might love it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really really enjoyed The Opposite of Falling Apart by Micah Good. It about Jonas who lost part of his leg in accident and Avery who has very bad anxiety and how they meet and form a bond. I really liked how this book portrayed anxiety. I have anxiety and I found a lot of what Avery thought or did was something I could relate to. I also really liked how Jonas’ and Avery’s friendship grew. It felt real and I loved that even with everything they were going through they could still connect. The support they offered one another was amazing. A new YA favourite!

I loved this book. It’s real, deep, moving. Jonas’s story, the loss of his leg and his coming to terms with it, shows something that isn’t seen that often. Amputees and residual limbs and PTSD aren’t usually the topic of YA novels, and it’s something that needs to be talked about. Brennan’s struggles with anxiety are written so perfectly that people with anxiety will be able to relate to her instantly. Their meeting and friendship and falling in love are so pure and simple, so heartwarming. This is a book I would read over and over again.

Insightful story of two teenagers about to start university. Jonas has PTSD after being in a car accident and losing half of his left leg. This is his story about dealing with the aftermath, his struggles and wondering whether he can move on. Brennan has an Anxiety Disorder and can only escape with her writing. She battles with her mind. Every day is a challenge, especially with moving away to start university.
This is Jonas and Brennan's story of meeting each other and helping each other as well as themselves.

This book nailed the experience of dealing with anxiety. I identified so much with Brennan. The only thing that bothered me a little is that she never really dealt with her not taking her meds. I kept shouting at the book take your meds and go to therapy. I also enjoyed Jonas’ POV. It was such a great reminder not to try to read thoughts and feelings into another person. They are rarely thinking things you are imagining them to be thinking. Everybody is just walking around with their own stuff and anxieties. This was a terrific debut novel!

Jonas Avery is withdrawn from pretty much everyone. A year ago he was involved in a car accident that cost him his leg, and now he’s pushed away pretty much everyone he can and sequestered himself away from the world. Dealing with PTSD without realizing that he has it, Jonas has a had time dealing with the aftermath of the accident, so much so that he doesn’t even like to walk without crutches and the prosthetic.

To say Brennan has anxiety would be putting it lightly. As someone who deals with anxiety myself, what Brennan goes through is on a whole other level. She’s constantly lost in her own head trying to come to terms with the daily stresses of life. She what ifs everything to death, constantly thinking about what could go wrong in every situation. She’s an aspiring writer who is always thinking of what comes next in her book.

Brennan and Jonas meet by accident…literally…when Jonas finally decides to get in a car and drive after a year and ends up in a fender bender with Brennan. It’s not some love at first sight kind of story (thank goodness), but Jonas is intrigued by her and wants to apologize, so he tracks her down at the deli she works at, and the story takes off from there.

This isn’t just a typical cute YA rom-com. This book really delves deep into dealing with the trauma and realities of what these two are living with. The romance is not the main center of this plot, but it’s one that develops over time as they help each other work through the hurdles in their lives. Brennan pushes Jonas out of his comfort zone, challenging him to take steps in his recovery, simply by being there and helping him along the way. Jonas helps Brennan get out of her own head and showing her she doesn’t have to deal with everything by herself.

I absolutely loved this story. Once I got a little into it, I was hooked. I couldn’t stop reading as Jonas finally took those steps without crutches or got behind the wheel of a car or as Brennan said yes to going to a party and opening herself up to her roommate, which can be terrifying for someone with the anxiety she has. I do wish there would have been more commentary on how beneficial medication and therapy can be for people who live with anxiety. I found myself relating a lot to the types of things Brennan was thinking and how she “coped” with her attacks because I used to go through the same types of things.

At times I found what these two were doing to be frustrating, but it’s so in-tune with real life because living with these conditions is frustrating. No one wants to not be able to leave their house because they’re too anxious, or stay home because you physically cannot look at yourself and see what’s missing. Overall I am so surprised by this book and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any of Micah Good’s books in the future! She did a great job with these sensitive topics and showing how they can affect teenagers, but these messages can be taken in by anyone of any age.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the arc!

First disclaimer: this book was not for me- and that's okay! There is a lot of merit in The Opposite of Falling Apart and It's one of those novels I know a lot of people will enjoy. I'm happy to see some disability representation, both psychiatric and physical.

Overall the plot was fairly interesting and it wasn't hard to get through this book. I can't say I was really amazed by the relationship or that I fell in love with the characters, but it was still an enjoyable read and I can already see it's value in my library.

real rating: 3.5/4

I really enjoyed this book! Watching the story and the relationship evolve from each characters point of view added so much to this story. The story revolves around a chance meeting between two people who believe that they are both "damaged." Brennan has lots of anxiety and Jonas was in a bad car wreck that resulted in the loss of half of his leg.

The biggest drawback for me, was I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I would have loved a chapter that described what happened after Brennan finally called her mom and told her she had a lot to talk about. Overall, this book is written very well and the characters are extremly likeable.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#TheOppositeOfFallingApart #NetGalley

Before I start talking about this book I would like to make it clear that there are trigger warnings in this book revolving around PTSD and anxiety. Please keep that in mind before picking up this book.

This book was absolutely perfect, and I knew from early on that my rating was going to be high. While there is a slow burn romance in this book it is so much more than that.

This book tells the story of Jonas who is suffering from PTSD after a traumatic accident. It’s a story of his struggles learning to adapt to the fact that he has lost half of his leg in a situation he had no control over. My heart ached for Jonas and even when he was lashing out at his family I completely understood and sympathised with his situation.

It also tells the story of Brennan who is suffering from a severe anxiety disorder that she’s trying to keep in check and hidden. She’s lying to the people around her about how bad it is and is fighting with the negative thoughts and feelings that are trying to take control of her life. I 100% relate to Brennan in this story. Today, when reading this book, I was having a really bad day with my anxiety so reading Brennan’s story reminded me that I’m not alone in this. That I can take control of my anxiety and live life to the fullest.

This is a book about coming to terms with who you are as a person. It’s a book about realising that you are not alone and that its okay to have bad days. I recommend this book to everyone, even if you aren’t or have never suffered from PTSD or anxiety just so that you can learn more about how hard it is for people who are.

I will definitely be reading more of Micah Good’s work!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A positive book full of encouragement and essence of support, The Opposite of Falling Apart is an enjoyable young adult book that takes on a different kind of grief and pain.

After losing his leg in a terrible car accident, Jonas Avery can’t wait to start over and go to college. Brennan Davis would like nothing more than to stay home and go to school, so she can keep her anxiety in check. When the two accidentally meet the summer before they move away, they’ll push each other to come to terms with what’s holding them back, even as they’re pulled closer to taking the biggest leap of all—falling in love.

The portrayal of anxiety and PTSD on this book is also remarkable. I sometimes feel annoyed with the MC with their avoidance at school but I often think that that's the way it is for them. I also love the slow burn romance in this book. Brennan and Jonas <3

Lastly, the powerful message of the book is mainly focused on winning the battle we all had in our lives. Be it physical or psychological, these various barriers are obstaclea that is set to be overcome. At the end of the day, what's important is how resilient with are with all this Boulder hindering our path. Kudos to the team for bringing this book to the world.