[Blog Tour] Free to Fall by Lauren Miller: Review

Posted by Nina L. on 10:00 PM in 5-star, contemporary, Pinoy Book Tours, review, sci-fi, YA,

Author: Lauren Miller

Release date: May 13th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen

Series: N/A

Age Group: Young Adult

Genre: Sci-Fi / Contemporary

Tour organized by: Pinoy Book Tours

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository 

Add to your library: Goodreads

What if there was an app that told you what song to listen to, what coffee to order, who to date, even what to do with your life—an app that could ensure your complete and utter happiness? What if you never had to fail or make a wrong choice?

What if you never had to fall?

Fast-forward to a time when Apple and Google have been replaced by Gnosis, a monolith corporation that has developed the most life-changing technology to ever hit the market: Lux, an app that flawlessly optimizes decision making for the best personal results. Just like everyone else, sixteen-year-old Rory Vaughn knows the key to a happy, healthy life is following what Lux recommends. When she’s accepted to the elite boarding school Theden Academy, her future happiness seems all the more assured. But once on campus, something feels wrong beneath the polished surface of her prestigious dream school. Then she meets North, a handsome townie who doesn’t use Lux, and begins to fall for him and his outsider way of life. Soon, Rory is going against Lux’s recommendations, listening instead to the inner voice that everyone has been taught to ignore — a choice that leads her to uncover a truth neither she nor the world ever saw coming. (via Goodreads)

A physical copy was lend to me by Pinoy Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This however did not influence my opinion of the book or of the author in any way.

Review

Have you ever tasted Matcha? In case you don't know, Matcha (also spelled as maccha) is a finely milled or a fine powder green tea. Thank you for that, Wikipedia. I never wanted to drink one since I hate Green Tea (I've tasted one before and ugh.) But when my sister was ordering from Serenitea (a local teashop here in the Philippines), I cannot NOT order Matcha. So what changed my mind? Rather, who changed my mind? *drum roll please* NORTH, of course. I ordered Uji Pyramid (Japanese Matcha Vanilla Ice Cream). Let's just say that I ordered it in honor of North though I'd probably order it once in awhile. In all honesty, I actually loved the taste. Yet I'm still very far from being a Green Tea fanatic. Though if not for North, I wouldn't have ordered that in the first place. So yes, thank you, North.

It's pretty obvious that North is particularly one of the reasons I enjoyed every bit of this novel. I wished there's a way to know North before he came to work in that cafe, before he became what he was when he met Rory. It's pretty interesting to know his history. His ability paved way for a lot of things. I don't think Rory would have done what she did without him. Or vice versa of course. Still though, North had a pretty big role in everything that happened and please, I just love the guy. Tattoos. Eyes. Pretty face. Attitude. Principles. Nerd vibe. Uhh yes, did I say I love him?

I'd probably include North in every paragraph so forgive me for that. The first meeting of North and Rory was quite a scene. Mind you, it was flirtatious and just swoony, I guess? Sigh. I wish I can just take North out of the book while reading.

Going back... I have a hard time deciding whether this one is Dystopia or Sci-fi. I realized it cannot be Dsytopia since the Government isn't the one behind the doings around Rory's society. Or is it just me who thinks that Dystopia is supposed to be man-handled by the Government? I thought it was sci-fi since technology was the most prevalent and probably the most involved one in here. Lux, an app invented by a corporation called Gnosis, practically became a personal assistant of all human beings. It literally lives for you. You don't have to think about anything. Even the mere number of footsteps you have to make when going to places. Sounds awesome right? Well, not really. That's where North's awesomeness came in. Fine, together with Rory.

Rory's involvement with Theden Academy had a deeper reason than she could have ever thought of. Her acceptance to the prep school was the game changer for her. It led her to a lot of things she never thought possible since she was one avid fanatic of Lux. North included. I was amazed by the change in her character. From being dedicated to the Lux to being dedicated to herself. It pretty much summed up what Lux can do to someone. Pretty scary in all aspects. You thought it was just an app but then it had a lot of secrets on its own including the well-known Theden Academy.

The journey of knowing the secrets behind everything that revolves around the Lux was exciting and thrilling especially when someone as hot as North was involved. Seriously, I should have posted a separate review for that guy.

Going back (again). What made me love this novel aside from North is the idea of The Doubt. It was such an innate source yet so powerful as everyone was afraid of it. To think that there were a lot of references from the poem, Paradise Lost regarding this matter was quite intriguing and just mind-boggling. I didn't give away anything right? You have to read this so you'll understand what I'm saying.

I'd have to end this now right? Or I would just end up saying North. See? I just did. I wish I made sense to you. Somewhere near the end, I thought this was just Contemporary. You'll understand why after reading it. What are you waiting for???

Reading Free to Fall was like watching How To Train Your Dragon 2. Having watched it in 4DX made me feel like I was riding a dragon high up above the clouds and falling like Hiccup did. It was like having a choice to fall or not but then at the end, you'll just fall because that's how it should be.

Can I just say that I love this novel from the bottom of my heart? And North, of course.

  About the Author

Lauren Miller is an entertainment lawyer and television writer. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids.

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