ARC Review--We All Fall Down by Natalie D. Richards

Theo's always been impulsive. But telling Paige how he feels? He's obsessed over that decision. And it's time. Tonight. At the party on the riverbank, under the old walking bridge, site of so many tales of love and death.

Paige has had a crush on Theo since they first met, but she knows her feelings are one-sided. She's trying to move on, to flirt. A party at the river is just what she needs. Except a fight breaks out, and when Paige tries to intervene--Theo's fist lands in her face.

All Theo and Paige want to do is forget that fateful night. But strange events keep drawing them back to the bridge. Someone, something is determined to make them remember...and pay for what they each did.

I received this ARC in a contest I won online. I was in no way compensated for this review. It's completely honest and voluntary. 


I entered to win this ARC on a whim. I had enjoyed Natalie D. Richards' One was Lost last year, so I thought I would try We All Fall Down since it sounded intriguing enough with just an air of mystery to things. Sadly, it truly was just an air of mystery. Though keep in mind, I am still suffering from a cold. So maybe that could've effected my reading. I'm not sure really.

Paige and Theo were the best of friends, Paige had a crush on Theo for the longest time, but seeing as he was never interested, she tried to move on. And naturally, at this precise time, Theo realizes he has feelings for Paige. And when they're at a party one night, Theo accidentally punched Paige when he was aiming for another guy. This basically brought their friendship to an end.

It's some months later during the summer that Theo finds himself working on the bridge that played a role in the setting of the disaster that ruined his friendship with Paige. He sees all these "locks of love" or whatever you want to call them, attached to the railing and is surprised when he sees one with initials that are identical to his and Paige's. Not sure what it means just yet, he brushes it off, but then fate takes the wheel and thrusts him and Paige back together again after months of separation.

Paige isn't sure what to make of seeing Theo again. Her parents had taken out a restraining order on Theo to keep the two of them apart. She's still hurt (emotionally) by what Theo did. So you can imagine how awkward things are. Especially since it looks like someone or something is trying to constantly remind them of that night. Paige is finding little things, like an earring she wore that night but lost during the chaos, her shoes that she could've sworn she threw out after the hospital gave them back to her. Things are just very definitely off.

What kept getting me confused is the root of the problem between Paige and Theo. I get it! I truly, truly do. But Theo didn't intend to hurt. He punched her by accident. True, if he hadn't been drinking he might have had the foresight to withdraw the punch. But it happened. I kept trying to think that if the guy I was crushing on punched me in the face really hard, enough to knock teeth out, blood and all that junk. How would I feel towards him? And I'll be honest, it was hard to think about it. I want to say that I would be able to forgive him for it. He didn't mean to punch "me" in the face, but the other guy. Paige had been trying to defend the guy Theo was aiming at, so really, it's truly an accident. I just didn't understand the animosity that lingered for Paige, but it could've been more her parents than her. It was just confusing to be honest.

Then we're led to believe that there's this air of mystery to everything. And don't get me wrong, it was odd and sort of mysterious, but I guess I didn't really understand the meaning behind it. It felt like it was supposed to be something supernatural, but I don't know, my head cold could be screwing with my perception because it just felt a little flat to me.

The ending was mostly satisfactory. What with my misunderstanding of the reasons behind everything that happened, it didn't really feel very resolved like. There were some answers too of course, those were kind of like Ah ha-moments, but also like, how did you miss that, certain characters? Sadly, this one just didn't hold up to my expectations. I remember really liking One was Lost last year and had hoped for the same kind of edgy, creepy, thrilling read here and sadly, it was just sort of meh.


Overall Rating 2.5/5 stars