Book Review: The Edge of Falling by Rebecca Serle

The Edge of Falling

By Rebecca Serle

Release Date: March 18, 2014

Source: Publisher

Summary: Growing up in privileged, Manhattan social circles, Caggie’s life should be perfect, and it almost was until the day that her younger sister drowned when Caggie was supposed to be watching her. Stricken by grief, Caggie pulls away from her friends and family, only to have everyone misinterpret a crucial moment when she supposedly saves a fellow classmate from suicide. Now she’s famous for something she didn’t do and everyone lauds her as a hero. But inside she still blames herself for the death of her sister and continues to pull away from everything in her life, best friend and perfect boyfriend included. Then Caggie meets Astor, the new boy at school, about whom rumours are swirling and known facts are few. In Astor she finds someone who just might understand her pain, because he has an inner pain of his own. But the more Caggie pulls away from her former life to be with Astor, the more she realises that his pain might be darker, and deeper, than anything she’s ever felt. His pain might be enough to end his life…and Caggie’s as well.

Summary: I was a huge fan of the Perfect series by Kate Brian, as well as the first three or four Pretty Little Liars books by Sara Shepard. Rebecca Serle is definitely following in the footsteps of those talented ladies and brings us an intense book full of secrets, twisted romance, and your everyday high school dramas. 

Caggie used to like her privileged life living in Manhattan, dating her perfect and loving boyfriend, and going to her prestigious high school. But that May changed everything. Especially Caggie. Now, Caggie only pushes people away so much that they finally leave her alone, including her once boyfriend Trevor. Now, Caggie truly is all alone and just doesn't know how to deal. Until Astor shows up and seems to be everything Caggie needs. Astor listens and knows not to push her, he just lets her be in the now. As Caggie spends more and more time escaping into a life with Astor, she realizes he's not as put together as he seems, and he has some scars even deeper than Caggie. Is he the one helping her, or is she the only link to life he has left? 

Oh my gosh, I had no idea this book would be that good. I read a description that said this one would be the product "if Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl had a baby," and it wasn't kidding! There was the high school drama of the privileged Manhattan school, but Caggie's problems went way, way deeper than that. I loved how we didn't know, though, what the root of her problems truly was. All we knew was that there was two instances in her past that really shook her up, but the details aren't revealed until much later, and even then we only get snippets at a time. The narration of Caggie's left really captured my attention and had me begging for more. I ended up reading this book in only two sittings because I just couldn't put it down. 

Caggie's character was definitely one of the best parts of this book. She isn't the typically preppy girl, and she doesn't have all of the answers to life's problems. Her best friend moves across town, her perfect (and boy is he perfect) boyfriend (now ex) doesn't know how to help her anymore, and she just can't handle the guilt of her past actions. How can she? Her emotions are so real as she relives moments of the past regarding her family and her boyfriend, yet she doesn't know how to get that life back. And who wouldn't want that boyfriend back? I definitely had a book crush on Trevor, with how much he really loved Caggie, how he loved literature and writing, and how he was just a genuinely good guy. Where can I get one?? Oh, and I loved the secondary characters like Caggie's best friend Claire and her brother Peter. The characters all had their own prominent place in Caggie's story and I loved how well it all meshed together. 

Can I gush about this book anymore? There was so much suspense and emotion in this book and I just didn't want to stop reading. How was Caggie going to handle everything that she had gone through? And what was really going on with Astor, a guy even Caggie didn't know that well, yet who she spent so much time with? Rebecca Serle gives us the rich, Manhattan high school life with the drama, secrets, and scandal that we all love and makes it her own.