A Step Toward Falling audiobook

Here's my video review! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM3D0...

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book when I started it but I ended up really loving it.To be completely honest, it was slow most of the time. But I didn't find it to be boring at all. I really liked the chapters from Belinda's perspective. I thought she was the most interesting character and I really liked getting to know her.

Book: A Step Toward FallingAuthor: Cammie McGovernFinished Reading: September 30, 2015 (Wednesday)I would like to thank Harper Collins International for sending me an ARC of this book. This doesn't affect nor influence my review.Let me just tell you that this line made me weep deep inside. How true is this? How genuine is this line? This line sounds cliché to some people but the thought is on point. It is ALWAYS on point!I’ll give you enough reasons on why you should read and buy this book when it comes out.These were some of most heart-touching lines from this book:“You deserve love as much as anyone else.”“Sometimes what I do when I’m excited like this is close my eyes and imagine I’m the different parts of it.”“You have good instincts and you’re a nicer person than I ever expected you’d be.”I don’t want to blurb anything else aside from these. You deserve to read those other lines when you’re actually holding the book.The character development. We all have flaws, right? It doesn’t mean that these flaws will last forever. There has to be a change. People change as time passes by. Some people change for the better. Emily was the kind of girl who tries to do the right thing. Belinda has developmental disabilities. Their worlds have MET. Emily did something which was against her will. As for Belinda, she managed to save herself. The characters simply showed that everyone must care for someone else. Everyone deserves to be loved. Everyone deserves to be special.The story line was very realistic. All of us are different in our own ways. Some are different physically while some are different mentally. It’s all up to us on how we should treat these people. The story simply explained the world we’re living in right now.Words can’t exactly describe how GREAT this book was.This book is an eye-opener TO EVERYONE. Cammie McGovern’s writing style always touches my heart. ALWAYS. She didn’t disappoint me when I’ve read Say What You Will last year. I was quite hesitant to read SAY WHAT YOU WILL because of the hype buzzing around it but I think the book deserved the hype. If you haven’t read Say What You Will, now is the right time to read that book. After that one, you should go buy your copy of A Step toward Falling.THIS BOOK DESERVES 5+ SHIMMERING STARS!

Pitch-perfect and wholly enjoyable. From descriptions one might worry that this could become heavy-handed, but it's not at all: it's a thoughtful, gentle page-turner filled with laugh-out-loud moments (and a little bit of "I've got something in my eye.")I will give it to my teen readers, but I also want to give pass it on to adults I know. McGovern's full cast of flawed yet sympathetic characters are worth spending time with, and the subject of empathy and redemption is handled with nuance and maturity and good humor. Five stars.

This book was an emotional roller coaster but I absolutely loved every minute of it!A very important and influential read surrounding honesty, understanding, and embracing difference.

This originally appeared on Such a Novel Idea.I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.I was a huge fan of Cammie McGovern’s first book, Say What You Will, so I was pretty excited to see what she would do with this book. And I have to say, I really enjoyed reading it.I have a son with moderate to severe autism, so reading books about people with disabilities is something I both seek out and avoid at all costs. I wish could explain that sentence in more coherent thoughts, but it is something that has baffled me since I first found out about Austin. While I want to get my hands on everything I can, and while I feel myself drawn to and connected with works about people with special needs, I can also get completely overwhelmed by them. However, Say What You Will was such a great insight for me that I trusted McGovern going into this book.This story has a lot going on. It centers around three characters: Belinda, Emily, and Lucas. Belinda is a 21 year old woman who is in her last year of high school through the special education program. She is attacked by classmate during a football game — and two witnesses, Emily and Lucas, are paralyzed to action. Now, when you read that in the synopsis, you think all kinds of things like how is this possible, how could they do nothing, etc. But, there’s a reason people are told to yell fire instead of rape. In our society, there is something about not getting involved, not acting, that has become the norm. So as I thought of that, and thought of what I would do, I began to see Emily and Lucas for what they were… two scared kids.Now, the actual attack is explained somewhat by Belinda, but we never get the full story. It’s hard to know if that is the point of the author or not, but to me it made it seem as if *what* happened to Belinda less important than the fact that no one came to her aid. I can see this offending some readers, but McGovern handled it in a respectful manner than I was able to appreciate.At the same time, there is Belinda dealing with her family life — having them come to terms with who she is and testing her strengths and limits. I love that she was able to expose herself to new things after such a traumatic experience, something that would be hard for anyone to do, developmentally delayed or not.Emily and Lucas are both dealing with who they are as people, who the world sees them as, and who they choose to associate with. While on the outside the two seem as different as night and day (the popular football player and the driven academic), they slowly find out that perspective and perception change how we see the people we think we know.I enjoyed the scenes where Emily and Lucas volunteered for the group of adults; seeing the interactions in this class and the discussions Emily and Lucas had were really interesting. Like how we treat people with disabilities and what we expect for them and from them. While there was no resolution to this part of the book, it really opened my eyes. No matter if a person is neurotypical, physically able, or disabled, having a sense of purpose and responsibility is important.There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this book. At times, I felt like there were so many that I wasn’t sure if I was appreciating what the author was trying to do or if I was overwhelmed. But by the time I got to the last page, I had a smile on my face. I was happy for how things turned out for the three characters and left with some new insights into just how I want to treat my own son. And once again, McGovern showed the world that a person with disabilities is just as complex a human as anyone else. Which is the most important lesson of all.

A Step Toward Falling is a book that is beautifully written and has a wonderful message of friendship and love, of fear and bravery, and of learning to reach out and stand up. This is a book that is well worth reading.Lucas and Emily. One a successful football player and part of the popular social group at school, the other an academic activist. Now they are connected by one night where they both failed to act when Belinda, a fellow student with developmental disabilities, was being attacked. As Belinda deals with the aftermath of the attack she must decide what direction she wants her life to take, while Emily and Lucas must each deal with their guilt while undertaking community service at a relationship skills class hosted at the local centre for people with disabilities. When I first read an excerpt of A Step Toward Falling I made the mistake of assuming the dual points of view would be from Emily and Lucas and the book would focus on their journey of meeting and working with each other. I was wrong. This book is so much more than that. The dual points of view are actually told by Emily and Belinda. While this book is about Emily and Lucas' journey, it is equally, if not more so, about Belinda. It is about falling in love, but it encompasses two love stories not one, and it is also about friendship and learning more about caring for the individuals around you. Belinda was my favourite character. She is so strong and brave. She has been hurt, but is pretty smart about what she needs to do to move forward and about learning from something bad that ends up bring a lot of good for people. Emily on the other hand kind of drove me nuts. Now, no character in this book is perfect, they all have flaws and quite a bit to learn about being nicer to people, but Emily really takes the cake. She isn't mean on purpose, she just sometimes seems oblivious to how what she says hurts others. I thought she was especially obliviously rude to Lucas. But this book is about becoming aware and Emily does learn to reflect on what she says and assumes, I just found that Belinda is far more aware of this and reads as a much nicer character as a result. Lucas makes a nice contrast to Emily. As the story is not presented from his view point, we never really get much of an insight into his life, just fragments as he talks with Emily. There was a lot more I wanted to know about Lucas, about his home life, his goals for after school and his relationship with his father. Unfortunately we don't get to see much of this, but there are a lot of different stories in this book; Belinda and her mother and grandmother, the respective friendship and class groups at school, and of course the Life Skills class group at which Emily and Lucas volunteer. I have to say I learnt a lot about communication and expectations from reading about their interactions, and I loved all the different characters and personalities that emerged as a result. At first the story really jumps all the the place time wise, moving from Emily's first day at the centre, to just after the attack, to before, to during and back again. As the story continues though this straightens out, with just a few jumps back to clarify the details of that night. As the story progressed I also became more connected with the characters. I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved that it was Belinda's story and that she got to tell it. This is a book that is perfect for changing world views, or maybe just changing how you see and treat the people around you. The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Find this review and more like it on my blog Madison's Library.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A thought provoking read.Opening Sentence: At our first meeting with the director of the Lifelong Learning Center, Lucas doesn’t speak to me once.The Review:The story is told from three perspectives: Belinda; the disabled victim of a traumatic experience and Emily and Lucas; the two high school students who witnessed Belinda being assaulted yet did not call for help. Although they did not intend to leave Belinda helpless, neither were brave enough to cry out so in the end Belinda saved herself despite her disabilities.It was interesting to see how the incident affected all the parties, not just the victim. Both onlookers feel incredibly guilty for not stopping the awful act and come together through their community service, where they interact and help other people with disabilities. Essentially they want to help Belinda but is it too late? It was sad that neither Emily nor Lucas helped Belinda when she needed it the most, but it made me question what I would have done if I was in the same situation? Would I have frozen and been unable to help, or turned a blind eye in the hope that someone else would stop the assault? I really hope not but until you’re in that situation you never know…I’m surprised at how I almost start to cry saying this. I don’t know why, because the play is over and I don’t need to be nervous anymore. I’m not sad about anything. I’m happy and I’m about to waltz dance with Anthony, but maybe happy is a little like sad because I do start to cry.The theme of this story is not just creating awareness of those with special needs and making people realise that there’s more to them than speech or hearing impairment; it highlighted how deeply these people feel and they tend to be far more perceptive than we give them credit to be. A Step Toward Falling also explores the issue of stereotypes based on first appearances, when often the first judgment falls short of reality. This is explained by using Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as an example and I found it interesting to see how the issues in that story are prevalent in this day and age.“Why would I do that?”“To freak him out. Mess with his head. Those football guys and their cheerleaders have no capacity to deal with anyone outside their circle.”Richard rolls his eyes. Even Barry has to say, “The thing is, Candace, sometimes you forget that other people are human beings.”“Not everyone, Bear. Not everyone.”In this book there are three main romantic ‘pairings’ and what I liked most was that although each couple is very different, the problems they face are all too similar. Belinda and Anthony both have disabilities but their dilemma of being afraid of commitment is something that Hugh and Richard, the gay couple, also face. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a high school quarterback or the victim of a sexual assault; the problems faced tend to be the same.What Lucas said in the lobby last night has stuck with me because he’s right: Friendships are complicated. Friends have power. Friends can break your heart.A Step Toward Falling was based on an intense theme but there was plenty of humour to lighten the read. It’s not something I would have normally picked up but I’m glad I did because the characters in this story will stay with me even after I’ve closed the book.Notable Scene:My mom says it’s good I was born now not a long time ago because back then they didn’t know what to do with people like me. I think she means people who believe in romance and love, because I do. [Belinda]FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of A Step Toward Falling. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

I’m glad authors like Cammie McGovern are writing books like A Step Toward Falling. McGovern’s 2015 novel gives us two alternating narrators: Belinda, a young woman with cognitive disabilities nearing the end of her high school years who is reluctant to return to school after being sexually assaulted under the bleachers at a football game; and Emily, a high school senior who witnessed the attack on Belinda but, because she did nothing about it, is required to “volunteer” in a Boundaries and Relationships class at a center for intellectually impaired young adults.Just as Emily’s friends and enemies struggle to figure out how friendship, relationship, and sexual intimacy relate to each other, Belinda and the other disabled students wrestle with the same questions. The disabled students have the added complications of not completely understanding the complexities involved in these issues, as well as societal prejudices about what is appropriate for them to experience. A Step Toward Falling provides insights into how these students see themselves, as well as how they relate to their peers and family members.But McGovern’s novel is more than just another “social problem” book. The author explores how all of us are defined and affected by the choices we make when confronted with problems. Several years ago our school had some special education students clean the glass in the hallway doors. I suppose the idea was to give them some responsibility and some stake in school pride. Although most other students simply walked around the window cleaners without giving them much notice, there were also those who chose to say things like, “Hey, retard. You missed a spot.” We can easily characterize the despicable nature of that kind of response and recognize it as evidence of a certain kind of impairment itself. But what about those who witness such abusive actions and do nothing? Of course, doing nothing is actually a conscious or unconscious response, so it’s not really “nothing,” and that absence of an overt response can have profound effects on those who just stand there or turn away, not to mention the victims of the negligence.A Step Toward Falling deals with how to move forward. How does Belinda move forward after being subjected to violence and humiliation? How does Emily move forward after discovering something unpleasant in herself? Other characters in the book make these kinds of decisions too, and readers will easily relate to their struggles, epiphanies, and choices. As the title suggests, moving forward isn’t always easy or smooth, but reading books like this one can help readers know they are not alone as they take wobbly steps in the right direction.Cross-posted on What's Not Wrong?

I wanted to read A Step Toward Falling because I was interested in the bullying of a girl with disabilities. I think that it is such an important subject, and even though Emily wasn't the one doing the bullying, the silence of Emily when she saw it is the big turning point of the story. She is sentenced with community service working with young adults with disabilities. The story is told in dual perspectives with Emily and Belinda, the said girl that was bullied. I am not sure that I have ever read such a perspective, but it felt well done. We can see the places where she is delayed or has problems and how the whole situation effected her. Emily is able to learn from the people in the relationship class that she is volunteering at. She also learns a lot about Lucas, the football player who also saw the situation and also did nothing as well as a returning volunteer. They both brought a lot to the story and saw things in completely different ways. In some ways Belinda is very mature, in others she is delayed. She is obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, the long version, as well as a football player who did a dance for the disabled. She thinks that means they are boyfriend and girlfriend, but of course, he was only there because of community service, so that led to very awkward situations. Emily learned so much from the class she is helping with, but she does come to the conclusion that although she is helping in some ways the students in the class, but she is doing nothing that actually helps Belinda who for most of the story isn't even going back to school. She remembers more of the incident at the football game, although she doesn't understand what all it means. I liked it when she finally started to do things to make up for what she did, and try to help Belinda heal, and for others to see her, and others with disabilities in a different way. The ending was nice, and wrapped things up. There was character development and an important message. Bottom Line: A look into teens who didn't do anything when they saw a girl with disabilities being bullied, and their character growth facing the consequences.

This book reminded me of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, in quite a few ways. While it does tackle some very serious subject matter, this is a relatively light, easy read. Still, the characterizations are good. On the surface, there are obvious themes here - don't judge others on appearances, forgive others and seek forgiveness, treat others with dignity and compassion, and "Choose carefully the people whose approval you seek." (pg. 350) - but thankfully, they all go a bit deeper than that.Worth noting, the characters who have special needs aren't put on a pedestal, perfect in every way apart from their disability - they get angry and make mistakes just like any of the other characters. If Belinda (the main character with special needs) weren't as richly painted, it would be hard to take the book seriously. Emily (the main character without special needs), on the other hand, comes across as a pretty typical YA lead. The real depth of the book comes from alternating between the two, showing that while society labels them differently, they are both human, with at least as many similarities as differences.

First, I would like to thank HarperTeen for sending me an ARC of this book to review. Have you read Pride and Prejudice? If you haven't, then you should. I mention this because it plays an important role in this novel. Not that you have to have read it to understand A Step Toward Falling, but I think Austen's original title - First Impressions - is particularly relevant here. It's also a wonderful read.This is not just about learning to do the right thing. It's about learning to get to know people. Not judging them by what they look like at a first glance. And it succeeds wonderfully.I loved this book. I loved all of the parallels to Pride and Prejudice (one of my all-time favorites), I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved how much diversity there was without it seeming like things were just thrown in for the sake of diversity. It's a book about people with disabilities. And it's a book about highschoolers.A Step Toward Falling poses a very important question. If you saw someone getting attacked, what would you do? Would you freeze up? Would you go fight the attacker? Would you run and get help? I honestly can't answer this question. I want to say that I would run and get help. But that is what I want to say. Because the reality is this: I would likely be so afraid that I would freeze. And that is what happens with Emily and Lucas here when they see Belinda being attacked. They just freeze up.The characters are wonderful. Belinda started out as a bit odd. But after a bit, I figured her out. Yes, she's odd. But it's part of her charm. It's part of who she is. Emily and Lucas are so guilt-ridden that they don't even complain about their punishment for failing to help Belinda. And they slowly get to know each other. And see each other very differently from how they initially had. What's so special about this book is that it features many characters with varying disabilities and showcases the difficulties they can face day to day. With such a diverse cast of characters, many things could have gone wrong in writing this book. It could have been insensitive to certain issues. But that is the point. It does a wonderful job of being realistic and staying very sensitive when it comes to particular issues raised. The only thing that I wish this book had done was give me Lucas's perspective. But that's not terribly important in the grand scheme of things.My overall opinionI really loved this book. If you enjoy contemporary at all, you should seriously read this. It's heart-wrenching, happy, romantic, and just downright wonderful. I can't wait to add this to my shelves.

Belinda has never done anything to deserve what happened to her one Friday night underneath the bleachers at a high school football game. Emily and Lucas witnessed the unfortunate event, but they froze. They knew what they needed to do, yet both of them figured that someone else would be the one to take care of everything. Because of this, both students are sentenced to community service working with other people with disabilities like Belinda. In their own ways, they each begin to understand how to interact with those different from their typical group of friends.I enjoyed that this story is told from the point of view of Emily, a 17-year-old teenage girl who has never really fit into the popular crowd. The second point of view is Belinda's, a 21-year-old student enrolled in the special education program. At first, it's clear that Emily and Lucas aren't exactly learning much from their community service, but once Belinda comes back into their lives, they do whatever they can to try and make amends. While Emily and Lucas are still figuring themselves out, they learn a few important lessons in how to care for others.Belinda is a sweet girl who typically asks for very few things in life. One of them is to act and the other is to be with Colin Firth, lead actor in the Pride & Prejudice mini series. When she comes back to school after 6 weeks of trying to cope on her own, Emily and Lucas find that this may be the only shot they have at making it up to her. They take her two true joys in life and decide to put on a mini play of Pride and Prejudice, starring Belinda herself. What they don't realize is how much she'll open up after her grandmother tried hard to keep things buried deep inside. She's an intelligent and charming character, and I'm glad that the author chose to make her a narrator.Overall, A Step Toward Falling was more than I expected it to be just from reading the description. The mystery behind the assault pulled me in, but the nature of each character and how well they worked together made me hold on until the end. This story is honest and well-written. Cammie McGovern gives voices to those I haven't gotten to hear much of in YA so far.