Hmmm. I went into this with literally zero expectations, and yet somehow I'm walking away feeling disappointed.

And the only thing I keep coming back to is how every aspect of this book is mundane. The plot is pretty non-existent. There's no driving force for the characters. Usually this isn't a problem for a romance story because the romance itself is that driving force and it's supported by other entertaining things. But these characters have no personalities, hardly any connection, and such boring lives that I found myself not caring. I just kept waiting for something interesting to happen and it never did.

Which is a shame because the prologue alludes to some tragic moment. So you go in knowing right from the beginning that something has happened to these two characters to make their relationship what it is, and you want to know what happened in their history to cause that. Well, it for sure doesn't happen in this book. It's never addressed and the book ends like in the middle of a scene? It's very abrupt and bizarre. Makes me feel like the editing could have been done better.

So even though the prologue had me interested and I still would like to know what happened to these two characters, nothing played out far enough/gave me enough answers in this first book to get me invested and make me want to pick up the next one, unfortunately.

The Falling is the very definition of slow-burn. Anna Todd takes us on a very intricate journey with Karina and Kael and their delicate dance around one another. The massage therapist and the stoic soldier form an odd kind of friendship full of doubt and insecurity. Both are young and about to turn 21 and many times I had to remind myself just how youthful they were. It's interesting because Karina shows her self-doubt almost daily. While Kael truly keeps most of his inner thoughts very close to the vest and acts mature beyond his years. This, of course, makes Karina question her thoughts about him with each new encounter and whether or not there is a spark there or not. And I found myself wondering if anything would truly blossom between them or not since the trite way they communicated frustrated Karina beyond belief. But as the pages kept flowing, I then realized that I not only enjoyed this torturous reading experience but craved even more as the ending was upon me.

I will say that there were times when I was ready to throw in the towel and just chalk this book up to one that just wasn't for me. But Kael and Karina got under my skin in a very subtle kind of way and I was almost desperate to get these two together no matter what. Todd takes her time in fleshing out what they could be to one another, Karina trying her hardest not to pry to find out more about the sexy Kael and continually wondering if there could be a future for them.

Karina's twin brother Austin plays a huge part in defining his sister's role in life, a continual reminder that she was always the one left behind and had to take on the job of being the responsible one. Their father as the lifelong soldier is harsh and I hated the way he treated his daughter. With Fort Benning, GA as their backdrop, the way the story unfolds shows Karina just how intertwined her life had become with not only her brother and his friends but her roommate Elodie as well. Giving her more ammunition to want to stay hidden in the safety of her room.

I felt for Karina and how stagnant at times her life felt. She needed that mild explosion to her heart when Kael first arrives on the scene and how it sets the stage for what is to come. They really do get close in the short time they can be together despite the fact that secrets are revealed to put her on unsteady ground once again. She's an old kind of soul who still has the heart of a youngster.

As The Falling came to a close, we are left with quite the revelation that is sure to turn Karina's world upside down. Of course, it's just as she seemed to be finding a way to keep Kael in her life no matter where they may end up going forward. I will admit I didn't know this was going to be a trilogy so when the rhythm started to feel really good for me, everything came to an abrupt halt and I was a bit frustrated that I now had to wait for more. But I'm still very intrigued with what will happen especially with the prologue that took place in the present and this entire storyline was told in the past.

I'm sure Karina and Kael and the rest of the secondary characters will continue to have quite the bumpy ride as hearts will undoubtedly get bruised over and over again as they all search for some semblance of peace and happiness in their dubious lives.

4 solid stars.

I was curious to read this book by Anna Todd. I had read the first couple of books in her 'After' series and then I had to walk away. The toxic relationship between the main characters and lack of growth completely turned me off. Also, I wanted to see if Todd's writing style had improved and grown in the years since 'After' was first released.

The short answer is in my opinion, is not really. The fmc is weak - she apologizes non-stop and is easily upset by things that really she has no right to be upset over! The author tries to make the mmc broody and mysterious, but he comes across more as just grumpy (and not in the fun grumpy-sunshine trope). The interactions between Kael and Karina never feel like they amount to much. The books seems to lack an overarching plot and instead, tries to tie a bunch of fragmented story lines together. The end result just falls flat for the reader. I never became invested in what happens next with the two main characters and their fledgling relationship. I definitely think this would have benefited from some further editing and more plotting.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC copy of this novel. .

I have been a fan of Anna Todd's writing since her first book. However, this book just didn't work for me. I felt the characters lacks a connection and I missed the "spice" that her books normally have. It was lackluster to be honest.

I will continue to read this author, but this one didn't work for me.

I will admit that this book is out of my comfort zone; I requested it out of curiosity as I recognized Anna Todd based from her After series. This one was really not for me. I found the romanticization of military life (and milspo life) a bit off-putting, as the child of someone in the military. Additionally, the chemistry between the leads was a bit lacking, and the book needs some editing--there were many, many run-on sentences and a lot of telling where there should have been showing.

With that being said, I think there's an interesting story in there, and it will likely appeal to more conservative readers.

I had such high hopes for The Falling, but sadly, I never really connected with the book. I grew up in a military family, so I hoped to relate to Katrina; instead, she annoyed me throughout.

There’s so much inner dialogue in this that’s completely unnecessary, just filling up pages. The story it’s self is good, but the writing is… not the level you’d expect from a best selling author.

I liked Kael’s character, I just couldn’t bring myself to care about their relationship, which is not what you want from a romance novel. I almost quit this one a few times, but I powered through, and I just felt this book was very lackluster.

I love that Anna Todd revisited one of her existing novels to expand and create a whole new series."The Falling" will certainly be as popular as "After"!

When Karina and Kael meet both are immediately intrigued with one another, there is something there lingering between them that they have never experienced before. Neither are really looking for love, a relationship or anything that resembles forever, but after a series of coincidental run-ins they decide to start with friendship. As this friendship grows bonds between them are strengthened and their need to trust one another grows too. But Karina learned a long time ago that trusting a soldier can lead to heartbreak, and she isn't so sure she wants to sign-up for that... but can she really let Kael walk away?

The Falling is a beautifully constructed tale of healing, friendship, and finding that once in a lifetime kind of love. As these two teeter between friendship and something more you will feel their doubt, fear of trust, and old wounds come to the surface. It's a constant for them, and something that they struggle to find the courage to face, but with a little time and patience things begin to take shape. As they deal with all the obstacles in their way their doubts start to fade and love starts to bloom. It's a slow burn romance that will torture you every step of the way.

I really enjoyed this newest offering from Ms. Todd, it was a heartfelt story that left me aching for more, and now I cannot wait to see where the second installment in the series leads us. Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

What the heck did I just read? I don’t care for an ending that leaves you hanging. I had to go back and reread the prologue to get any kind of answers at all.. So I think I know why the main character Karina is so mad at the end of the book, but there are many….so many other questions! Apparently this is the first book of a trilogy - I’m hopeful the other two books will give some type of closure for the reader. Thanks goes to Wattpad books for the free ebook.

I enjoyed The Falling, the first book in the new Brightest Stars trilogy by Anna Todd. Karina and Kael's story is unlike anything Anna has written, so take a chance on it. I can't wait for the next book.

The Falling is the start of a new trilogy from Anna Todd.

The prologue first introduces us to the H and h, Kael and Karina. We do not know what is going on but this meeting is taking place after not seeing each other for some time. At the end of the prologue Karina begins to reflect on how they first met and that starts the book.

This story is a little slow to start which is expected in a book 1 of 3. It’s our intro to the characters and the world around them. As we get to know them things start to progress and by the end your left wanting more!

This story is emotional and I know that book 2 is only going to bring us more angst.

*Thank you to Wattpad books, Anna Todd, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

As an avid reader of romance, I had heard of Anna Todd's After series and its following, so I was excited to read this new series of hers. Unfortunately, this is where my excitement ends.

So this book was written and re-written in 2018, adding 30,000 new words. Almost the entire books is written in Karina's inner monologue so we don't see what is happening with other characters nor do they say much, so really the book is about Karina and her thoughts. Do you remember the Seinfeld episode where they wanted to do a show about nothing? That would have been successful. This was not.

Every chapter feels like a repeat of the last one. Karina walks to work, she gives massages; she walks home, makes dinner. I sometimes would skim through the monologues to find an actual conversation, but the only person she stars a conversation with is Kael, who honestly doesn't say much. I was confused about Elodie. Why was she staying there? What was her purpose? And why does Kael show up asking to stay the night, when he doesn't even know Elodie that well and seems to know other people in the area?

The concept is fabulous. Military town with twenty-year-old having grown up with military father meets drifter, being discharged from army. I would read this in a minute. But she is a young twenty, with serious daddy issues she seems unwilling to resolve. And a twin brother with significant problems. She meets Kael, who has seemingly no personality and if he did, he doesn't talk much more than one-word answers, so we would never know.

I just did not feel invested enough in either character. There is one scene towards the end that has the potential to bring some excitement and I read hungrily, but I don't know. It just ends and is not talked about again. Weird. I wish the book had one scene where I was really invested in what was going on, but it was just a book about nothing. Nothing moved the book forward. I am, however, invested in the reading the second book to see if nothing can turn into something.

I really feel like this is my fault because I've such a love hate relationship with this authors most well known series but I thought this will be different. Although on paper everything about this is different, my feelings were the same, I liked one main character, hated the other one. And I did find myself skimming certain parts. Like Todd’s After series, miscommunication and other characters’ actions drive the plot forward. There is so much unnecessary drama, but there isn’t anything else happening in the story other than the unnecessary drama.

This is a book about 2 people who really probably shouldn’t hang out anymore.

This book was not for me, but it’s hard for me to explain why without blatant spoilers. If you like military romantic dramas, it might be an okay fit for you.

2.5 rounded to 3 stars.

Thank you Wattpad Books & Netgalley for the eArc!

Okay, when is the next book coming out because I need to know what happens next!!!!!

I want to preface this review with two things.
1. This is not my typical genre. I avoid romance because I find it awkward, cringe-y, and (usually) over the top.
2. This is the first book I have read from Anna Todd.

Let's start off talking about the sexual tension in this book. WHEW! I'm pretty sure it could be cut with a light breeze. From pretty much the first time that Karina and Kael meet, there is tension and chemistry. It doesn't help that Karina is a massage therapist and Kael is an extremely attractive, fit, muscular army dude who is willingly paying to take his shirt off and get rubbed down. But I digress. The point is that this book was packed with sexual tension and chemistry, and I think that kept me turning the pages.

Also, Kael is kind of a mystery in this book, and he was probably my favorite character. I kept wanting to read more to see if Karina could crack him open and something would be revealed about who he was or about his past or something. There were little snippets at times, but overall, I feel like Kael is still a mystery. (Again, (im)patiently waiting for book two........)

There was so much shady business going on in this book. I don't mean it in a bad way, I just wish that at least one of the shady dealings had been fully revealed in this book instead of a later installment. I almost feel like the entirety of book one is a cliff hanger. I don't really think anything was fully resolved. And, believe it or not, I actually liked the ending of this book. Yes, me, who hates every ending of every book she has ever read except for maybe ten. Well, now eleven...

I did have a few issues with the book, which is why I rated 4 stars. They may be resolved in future installments, and then I would be happy to change this to a five star review. But for now, because there seemed to be some discrepancies, I'm going to leave it at four. (I don't want to go into what they are because I don't want to give anything away. They aren't big discrepancies, just things I noticed that made me think maybe I missed something or it will be revealed later.)

Anyway, I really liked this book. I flew through the first 40% and then I got a little bogged down because Karina is kind of immature and pouty and moody, and I just kind of got annoyed with her for a little bit. But then by the 60% mark I couldn't read fast enough to find out what was going to happen. There were little twists, in a way, in the second half too. I think I have some of them figured out, but I will have to wait and see if I am correct when book two comes out. (PLEASE ANNA TODD. Please do not make me wait forever!!!)

4 stars, I really enjoyed this one, and I'm looking forward to the next two installments.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an e-ARC of this book! When I received an arc of this book I was beyond excited, a main character who struggles with insecurities and anxieties which I can relate to and a military romance, count me in!
The Falling follows Karina whose life has revolved around the military causing her and her brother to make a pact that they would never be involved in it. That all changes when she meets Kael a solider who is about to be discharged from the army.
This book was extremely slow, there wasn’t much of a plot or a romance. I also found the book hard to get into as it revolved around Karina’s every thought/ internal monologue. This took me out of the book as many of those thoughts didn’t relate to the book in anyway. It was a way for the author to throw in a backstory or try to paint a picture, but it almost painted too much of a picture. It honestly was exhausting listening to Karina’s every thought, it made her come across as extremely needy, judgemental and insecure. I wish I had enjoyed this book more, but it just wasn’t for me.

I didn’t know what I was expecting going into this novel as I had only read Anna Todd’s “After” series, both the original wattpad and published versions. I wish this novel had a bit more “oomph” that After does. However I did appreciate in this novel that the characters seemed to mature and grow. It took me awhile to get through this novel as it didn’t have enough engaging scenes for me personally, but it was written so well, which made me keep pushing. This isn’t a bad novel, however it could’ve had more entertaining scenes and less sexual harassment. I will read this book again once it’s officially published and probably the rest of the series. This just wasn’t the right book for me

Will be honest, did not finish. I was looking forward to this title and it seemed to have started well but moved too slow to my liking. The book tends to focus on trivial things much of the time and is written in a style for YA. I would argue I enjoyed the premise of focusing on characters in the American military world though which is usually outside my realm. But again, DNF so no idea how this ends. Maybe it improves. 2 of 5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I have just come full circle and it's the weirdest feeling ever. At 13 I was reading After on Wattpad, under the covers, anxiously waiting for updates, commenting on new theories, and discussing with other readers, Imaginator1D, and now? I just finished an ARC of Annas' newest novel.

If you grew up reading After you will feel so sentimental and nostalgic reading this, we grew up with this author. Revisiting the world of Anna Todd was like revisiting your hometown as an adult. You have grown, the town has grown, and most importantly, we see each other in a new and better light. Thank you, Anna, <3

The Falling was my first ever military romance, it will not be the last. Kael is very interesting in terms of his mysterious personality. After 300+ pages I still don't know a lot about him, where we know everything there is to know about Karina, Kael remains a mystery. The family dynamic, secrets, and plot twists all made this book an amazing experience. I had so much fun reading it!

I am pulling it down a star as I felt it moved in circles around the middle of the book, however, once the plot twist was revealed towards the end, my jaw dropped.

Reading Anna Todd for the first time again feels so nostalgic, like coming home after a really long break, and I am really excited to be back <3

Go buy this book once it releases and trust me you will not be disappointed!!

The Falling is an unbearably slow romance that is light on the romance.

The Falling follows Karina who is an army brat. Her entire life has revolved around the army and she made a promise to herself to never get involved with a soldier and made a pact with her brother to never join. Karina meets Kael, a soldier on the cusp of being discharged who is closed off and cold but thaws as Karina chips away with her relentless personality.

Unfortunately, The Falling is unbearably slow. There’s no plot and barely any romance. What doesn’t help the pace is the stream of consciousness writing style. Readers are subjected to Karina’s every mindless thought and mundane life. There are pages of Karina going through the motions of her everyday life and job. I can’t tell you how many times I read about her restocking the towels at her job.

Because readers are subject to Karina’s every thought and movement, she comes off as annoying and insecure in every aspect of her life. Todd setup Karina to be mature for her age, but her inner monologue contradicts her maturity.

Like Todd’s After series, miscommunication and other characters’ actions drive the plot forward. There is so much unnecessary drama, but there isn’t anything else happening in the story other than the unnecessary drama.

There are some good aspects of the novel, namely the plus size representation, addressing slut shaming, multicultural couples. Unfortunately, they’re buried under a story that is just plain boring.

Overall, The Falling is an unbearably slow romance that is light on the romance.