Wednesday, May 10, 2023

The Last One to Fall by Gabriella Lepore - ADVISABLE

The Last One to Fall by Gabriella Lepore
, 360 pages. Inkyard Press, 2023. $19

Language: PG-13 (45 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (kissing, smoking, underage drinking); Violence: PG-13 (mentions assaults, beatings, affairs - not described)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Savana has lived next door to Jesse for years, but has never really been a part of his circle of friends. He always hangs out with Raf, Owen and Freddie, and recently Tara has been hanging out with them. As their senior year starts, however, her relationship with Jesse is moving beyond friendship so when he texts her in the middle of the night asking her to meet him at Cray’s Warehouse because he desperately needs her help, she goes. When she arrives, she hears a commotion and watches as someone falls from an upper floor window. She knows what is going to happen, but closes her eyes anyway and braces herself. When she opens her eyes and sees the body, she calls 911. When the police arrive, they lead four people from the warehouse: Jesse, Owen, Tara and Freddie. But not Raf. Did Raf fall from the window or did one of his friends push him?

Lepore writes a solid mystery that is told in flashbacks and from alternating points of view between Savana and Jesse. The characters are developed which give depth to the story and engages the reader right from the start, but it is the lies, secrets and reveals that make for a fast read. 

Reviewer: RB 

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