This is one of those stories that I can't quite decide how I feel about it. I want to like it, but there are a few things that prevent me. But there's not enough to make me dislike it, either.

In a curious blend of modern world, cult-like town, and a touch of the fantastical, Meades gives us a story of a young woman who is about to be married off to a man twice her age as his fifth wife. But she isn't so sure that's the life she wants. Hanna is torn between duty to her family and to her heart, torn between what she feels is right in the world and what she is told is right, and torn between two futures, both of which require great courage.

I kept reading because I really wanted to see what choice Hanna would make. I felt like each chapter took one step forward and three back...but finally, we got a decent resolution. Not quite what I hoped for, but it worked.

A solid novel, worth a read.

A book about a polygamous community and at the centre of the story is 17 year old Hanna. On her 18th birthday her father will choose her husband from the men in the community. Hanna has no say in who the man she will marry will be.

This is a story of family ties, strength and a mothers love. It is hard to read at times but Hanna's strength and love keep you reading.

The cult like aspect of this book is done really well. It's very much a coming of age book for Hanna, who starts to wonder and question the world she lives in versus the world outside.

She would soar or she would crash. There was no in between anymore.



With trepidation you are brought into Hanna's world. With her 18 birthday coming, she is now ready to be wed. Living in a cult where men take several wives and the young men are sent away so that the older men may have their pick, Hanna only has to look forward to being a sister wife and mother.

Hanna was told a secret by her mother that gives her hope. That she is different. Hanna wants to run but she also worries about those that she leaves behind. Her brothers and sisters and her mother. Her father is cruel but she learns to use his weakness against him. She meets Daniel, the son of wealthy cult member that has been to the outside. He shares with her things that she has never known.

With much mystery, you find yourself rooting for Hanna to find the hope that she longs for with the people she loves. She learns that love is not controlled but given away with much sacrifice. Will she find the love that will set her free?

Beautiful written prose!

A Special Thank You to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

When you expect a book to have purpose, like tell a morale, be inspiring, etc., it's a bit odd when it doesn't seem to play out that way. I think Christopher Meades (based on the afterword he wrote) intended for this to be an inspirational story. For me it was a story of being caged and powerless; and while that could be inspiring depending on the end I do not feel like there is any inspiration to be drawn from here.

Plot
Hanna Who Fell From the Sky had an interesting enough plot. A girl who has been raised on a 'colony' of religious fanatics who have essentially taken the Bible and re-written it. Their version encourages polygamy for older men (3+ wives required) and extensive procreation (no birth control here). Our lead gal is about to be married off and is just starting to question the small, restricted world around her.

Moral Points
I was expecting a book filled with a lot more moral points than this one has. There are morales to be learned based on how the women and children are treated, maybe something in the story of Hanna being forced into marriage with an elderly man she does not like (his 3rd wife), or in the treatment of the 'crippled' little sister Hanna has. But overall for the average person I don't think there is anything special or new here.

One Point of Interest
I did find one thing very interesting however. Having not thought much about polygamous societies before it had not occurred to me that you'd have an influx of men, and not enough women to go around. So in this colony they banish the boys at nineteen except for one who is the family heir and remains in the colony. Those who are sent away forbidden to return.

Fascination
I have a strange (maybe concerning, lol) fascination with cults, religion and faith. I was raised Christian but as a teen turned my back on it when a minister told me my gay friend was evil (don't even start me..). I eventually found my spirit in Wicca (a branch of Paganism). I could write a book about why I ended up with the beliefs I did; but one aspect of many was that Wicca is not an organized, attend somewhere every week religion. Therefore I'm intrigued by those who need a place or are restricted to places of worship.
When I talk about religious requirements to attend a worship location I'm always reminded of a quote from The Big Bang Theory that sums up my thought perfectly:<I> "I don't object to the concept of a deity, but I'm just baffled by the notion of one that takes attendance." </I>And thus I'm intrigued by religion that requires no outside influence as it's too falliable.

Worth the Read?
I'm unsure of whether or not I would recommend this book. While Meades writing is acceptable (but not special) and the characters have sufficient development for the most part; I found myself thinking as I read that I could easily put the book down and not continue. Having read the end I feel even more 'meh' about it than before as it didn't really go anywhere interesting to me. So unless you are dying to read about a society with polygamy I think this is an easy pass.

A Shout out of the Author
I can't help but have been moved by the afterword in which the author tells us a little of his struggle during writing Hanna Who Fell From the Sky. I actually think those few pages were more interesting than the whole book. Maybe Meades will write a fictional version of his concussion story that occurred while he wrote this book? That I would read.

Poor Hanna. She's been betrothed to be the 5th wife of a much older man. It's a quick read and I thought it had a few twists that made it unique. I have to say her father is awful and manipulative. I enjoyed reading it!

Growing up in a polygamous community that is sequestered from the outside world, Hanna will soon become the fifth wife of a man about 3 times her age. As her birthday and wedding day are quickly approaching, Hanna begins to reflect on her options. What is her future going to be like? What will happen to her sister, whom no one else in her family seems to help, despite her obvious need for assistance? What is the world outside her community like? A compelling read with with elements of magical realism. There are a few missteps in the believability of certain aspects of the story, but overall quite enjoyable.

When I got this from Netgalley, I didn't know what to think. Well no. I did know what I thought. I thought, "ugh great ANOTHER 'im runnin away from a cult' book"

And while, yes, that somewhat sums it up, there is so much more. Family myth mixed with "being different," mixed with the status quo.

It's interesting to see how hard Hanna fought to just do what was expected of her, instead of what she wanted. It makes me wonder how people stay in these religious cults, but the author gave a convincing reason to stay put.

I can see this as a good summer reading book for older teens too.

This books wasn't for me. I won't be describing what the book is about because you can read the description for that nor I will be reviewing this books because I feel I can't be as honest as I wish in this platform.
I felt very uncomfortable reading this book and I'm very disappointed to find this type of writing...

There will be no review from me for this title. Upon updating my kindle this title was lost and I was unable to read it.

Can't do it. This is a big Did Not Finish for me. There is nothing to draw me in. The writing is stilted and awkward and the characters are not engaging, nor do they seem intelligent. There is nothing in the first couple chapters that gives me enough hope for this novel to warrant continuing. #DNF

Hanna lives in a big family, in a small town, and manages to avoid thinking too hard about what the future holds for her for a very long time. From her mother, she knows she is special, that she is not like other girls. However, when she becomes engaged to a man her father's age, to become his fifth wife, she realizes that she is just like all the other girls in her town. At the same time, she gets a peek at another world - a world of independence rather than obedience, of choice rather than destiny, of a future unknown. When it comes to making her own choices, Hanna has no experience, but she must make a choice to live the life chosen for her, or believe her mother's words and leave all she has ever loved behind.

“Hanna” was exceptionally captivating and immersive. It’s one of those books that you continue to read “just one more chapter” until there is nothing left except the disappointment that comes with the book reaching its end. This book meant lots to me.

Hanna is turning 18 and that means it is time for her to get married and join the community of Clearhaven as an adult. Clearhaven is a cult-like polygamous society run by Father Paul who speaks for the Creator. In Clearhaven the men make the rules and the women live by them. The men have multiple wives and force most of their sons out of town to eliminate competition for the women. Hanna’s father Jotham has four wives and fourteen children. She will be marrying Edwin who also has four wives already. In the days leading up to her wedding, Hanna learns all about what is expected of her as a wife. She also learns that her engagement is less about her and more about the deal Jotham, Edwin and Paul have struck.

Daniel is the son of a prominent family in Clearhaven. His family has traveled outside the community and he has been exposed to the outside world. His two older brothers have just been forced out when Hanna and Daniel meet. There is an instant attraction and Hanna starts to seriously question her place in the community and her future. Then her mother tells her the story of her origins. She says Hanna is not her and Jotham’s child but fell from the sky one day. This seems to be reinforced when Hanna falls of the roof of the house and escapes injury. Leaving isn’t straightforward however and Hanna has to make some tough choices.

This was a compelling story as Hanna struggles with life in a polygamous society and her future. I was really interested in how the community of Clearhaven functioned and was ruled by the patriarch Father Paul. It is a violent society at times and everyone is watched very closely. I was disappointed to find the magical realism elements. I didn’t really think they added a lot to the story and they didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Magical realism is one of those things that has to be done really well to work and if it isn’t it just stands out like a purple kangaroo. Hanna falling from the sky was a purple kangaroo. I think the story could have worked without those elements and been stronger. I actually thought it took away part of the magic of Hanna as a person and her struggle. It was almost like she couldn’t be just a girl rebelling against a strict lifestyle and wanting something more for herself. She had to have an element of magic.

I received this book from Netgalley.

I think I really liked this book. Okay, so that might sound a bit odd, but the book itself is a bit odd, and I wasn’t always sure what I was reading. The book chronicles a young woman who is trapped in a polygamous cult community. She is supposed to become the fifth wife of a much older man very soon. She is torn between horror at this thought and duty toward her family (her abusive father is depending on her to bring the family out of poverty). In the meantime, she starts to fall for the son of one of the other men in their community. Unfortunately, the romance was a bit too close to instalove for me, so I wasn’t particularly invested. And even though I understood that Hanna had loyalties to her family, especially her mother and slightly crippled sister, I still couldn’t help but just want to scream for her to leave!

But then, there’s a bit of magical realism that’s introduced, and the book got a whole lot more interesting to me. I found myself intrigued by this element and trying to figure out if it was real or if there was some other explanation. I ended up liking the book a lot more during the second half—both because I enjoyed the magical realism and because I started to develop a bit more sympathy for Hanna and her impossible situation.

I ended up giving this book 3.5/5 Stars.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: An emotionally charged look at faith and discovering your own truths in this coming of age tale.

HANNA WHO FELL FROM THE SKY is in its simplest form a coming of age story. It follows Hanna on her journey to figuring out a path into a new phase in her life as well as realizing just how different she is from all the others in community of Clearhaven.

This story is beautifully written. Meades truly knows how to weave together a story filled with emotion, young love, and discovery all the while including a magical realism. I loved experiencing Hanna’s life and getting a glimpse inside her head. It is with her thoughts and observations that the book comes alive. For those of you that think that the fantasy or magical elements might be too much, they aren’t. The way that they are presented only stretch the reader’s imagination just enough to get caught up in the fantastical origin story.

I read this book in one sitting, finding the words flowing beautifully as I found I was totally immersed in the story of Hanna. Growing up in Clearhaven in what I can only imagine was like a Cult, the women never leave and the younger men are pushed out when they came to be of a marriageable age, older men taking more than one wife, sometimes up to six and some very young, to bear children and populate Clearhaven. The town is run by Brother Paul, his two sons the Police of the town and very dubious in nature. You certainly don't want to be a young woman alone when these two, both also named Paul, happen along.

Jotham is the Father in this family and he has four wives, Belinda, Kara, Katherine and Jessamina and quite a few children, Hanna being the eldest and coming up to eighteen years of age. She has been promised to Edwin, her father's oldest friend, but something happened in Jotham and Edwin's relationship and as Edwin grew wealthier, Jotham became poorer and lived with his family in near squaller.

When the time comes for Hanna to marry Edwin, nine days before the wedding, Hanna begins to question herself and then meets Daniel who takes her out of Clearhaven for a night of dancing but on the way home, they are intercepted by the two Paul's and when Hanna and Daniel are threatened by the two Paul's, Hanna's special abilities come to the fore and it seems as if the skies open up and direct its furore onto the two Police.

After arriving home, Hanna's deception is found and she now finds that the fate of her youngest sister is in her hands as if she doesn't marry Edwin as planned, Emily must take her place.

This is a fantastic read, I loved every word and was cheering poor Hanna to do what her heart was telling her, that she should leave this terrible place and never look back, even if it meant she had to leave her whole family to find happiness.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book and to Christopher Meades for the beautiful words he wrote, especially the Author's Note which brought a tear to my eyes.

It was definitely the description of this book that caught my attention originally and I was happy to discover the wait list at the library was relatively short. I mean, when was the last time you read a book about a polygamist community? I can't even remember! I was immediately drawn into Hanna's world, desperately wishing for her to find a way to lead the life she deserved. I am curious to know how much research the author did on polygamist communities. This community seemed fairly stereotypical and simplistic in its beliefs. Something seemed a little off to me, though not enough to detract from the plot itself.

The best part of the book were characters, who were well thought out and unique. Hanna was a fantastic character, well-developed with quite a personality, so she was easy to root for. Hanna has compassion for others, especially for the little ones in her family and for her disabled sister whom she cares for like a mother. Her strength is mirrored in her ability to question that which she was taught to never question. I so wanted her to be happy!

If Hanna was easy to love, then her father was easy to hate. His drinking problem made him belligerent and violent. I kept waiting for some sort of redeeming quality to emerge, or perhaps for him to show some compassion to Hanna. Most of Hanna's sister-mothers were placid in their relationships with him, which was unfortunate but we have to remember that is how they were raised and we cannot fault them for that.

The plot, while a little basic, was filled with conflict on several different levels. Everything in the book takes place over the span of two weeks or so, yet the plot moves quickly. Hanna surely crammed a lot into her last two weeks before her wedding! If the plot moved fast, her relationship with Daniel moved even faster. I can't help wonder if she fell in love with him simply because he was a convenient alternative.

So overall, Hanna Who Fell from the Sky is an excellent book. I give it four out of five stars. It looses a star from me for being a little basic, but I definitely think there is something to be gained from reading this book!

Hanna is turning eighteen in a week and has never left the town of Clearhaven. Her hometown is a polygamist community where residents blindly follow a cult-like individual named “Brother Paul”. Her father has four wives and has sired fourteen children. When her birthday arrives she is destined to become the fifth wife of a man three times her age. To prepare for that day, she spends time with her future husband’s wives and learns about expectations for their marriage bed.

Days before her wedding, Hanna meets Daniel who has just returned from a trip outside the town. She is intrigued by his stories and starts to consider life beyond Clearhaven. Her mother also seeks more for Hanna and shares a unique secret to help influence her decision. As her birthday approaches, Hanna must decide knowing that. the cost of her freedom will be a life away from her family and friends.

This book by Christopher Meades is a creative coming of age story with some magical realism blended in. It realistically depicts the unpredictable behaviors of a teen making the transition to adulthood.

Hanna is about to turn 18. And in the community of Clearhaven in which she lives, that only means one thing for a woman. Marriage. And in her case, to a man 3 times her age as his 5th wife.
This is a polygamist society and a cult with Brother Paul ruling over all as he has direct contact with "The Creator".
I really enjoyed reading this book as the insight into the cult was engaging and the writing was well paced with interesting characters. What I didn't really understand was the very minor magical realism component which didn't quite seem to fit. For this reason it has taken me a few days to write the review as I'm unsure if it is a 4 or 3 star read, but considering how it held my attention I've put it to 4.
I would recommend this to fans of character driven novels that like something a little left field and intriguing.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.