5 “Trust Me, you absolutely cannot miss reading this book” stars to The Night Olivia Fell!

I read The Night Olivia Fell with a group of blogger friends, and we unanimously loved it! An emotional read perfect for groups, The Night Olivia Fell is definitely a book you will to discuss with friends!

My Thoughts:

The Night Olivia Fells opens with a scene of which no one wants to relate. Abi Knight receives a phone call that her teen daughter has been in a tragic accident and is in the hospital. Upon arriving, she learns that her daughter is not only brain dead, but also pregnant.

From there, the narrative shifts between Abi’s narrative, mostly in the present day with some flashbacks, and Olivia’s narrative in the months leading up to her fall, until the two narratives merge in a masterful way.

Abi believes from the start that Olivia’s fall is no accident. She sees bruises on her wrists, and she quickly learns no one is taking her seriously, including the police. Once the police finally do begin to investigate, the case never seems to be their priority, and Abi decides to take matters into her own hands.

What happened to Olivia that fateful night, and how will this tragic story end?

There are so many things I loved about The Night Olivia Fell, and the biggest is how grounded it is in reality with authentic emotions, relationship dynamics, and characters. And those characters…wow! Not one is simply good or bad; they are a nice mix of complexity that keeps you guessing, especially when it comes to pointing the finger at who might have harmed Olivia. The author kept a wide net cast when looking for the suspect. I would develop a theory, and then pan to the next potential perp as the story went along and red herrings were dangled.

The Night Olivia Fell is so much more than the typical suspense story. While it has all the paramount trademarks, including secrets, lies, and formidable tension, it is in a league of its own with its intensely relatable characterization and raw emotion. You will love Abi and Olivia, and you will most definitely want to wrap your arms around each of them together, as you read their story and accept their individual fates as mother and daughter.

I read this book as a group with Berit, Holly, Melisa, Mack, and Kendall, and this was the best kind of story to read together. We shared in the tension, the love for these characters, and the guessing game at just who was guilty at the center of it all.

Thank you to the author, Christina McDonald, for the complimentary physical copy. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It kept me guessing all the way to the end. Very suspenseful. Well written. Characters were fantastic. Author has a way of making you feel what the characters are going through.Can't wait to read more from this author.

Heart-wrenching, emotional, beautiful, suspenseful, thought-provoking, and uplifting—this is a book that is filled with love in many forms, and that I won’t soon forget! When I read a book and I start to fall for the characters, I know that it will quickly become a favorite of mine. This book made me think about the impact of a single moment in time, and the ripple effect on the lives of those surrounding a young woman. It made me think about the chain of events that lead up to and away from a tragedy, and how we go about getting answers and finding a way to move forward when the worst happens. It is a story about the love of a mother, and the unrelenting pursuit of justice for her daughter.

About the Book

Early one morning, Abi Knight is awoken with the worst news a mother can hear—there’s been an accident. Her daughter Olivia is in the hospital in critical condition. By the time Abi arrives, she receives the news that Olivia has fallen off of a bridge and won’t ever wake up again. There has been irreversible damage to her brain.

Devastated, Abi wonders how to say goodbye to her only daughter and best friend. But there’s a catch—the doctors can’t pull life support from Olivia by law, because Olivia is pregnant. Shocked, Abi wonders how Olivia’s life got to this point with her being unaware. What happened that night? And how long has Olivia been pregnant? Did she know? Why didn’t she tell Abi, who was herself a teenage mother?

As Abi becomes determined to find the answers she seeks, the carefully constructed life she has created for herself and her daughter begins to unravel. A lie she told comes back to haunt her, and the secrets of Olivia’s life begin to surface. But despite all of the lies, Abi is certain Olivia’s death was not an accident. Her bracelet is missing, and there are bruises around her wrist. A string of text messages and digital clues may hold the answer to Olivia’s final hours.

What really happened the night Olivia fell?

Reflection

What an incredible debut novel by Christina McDonald this is! I want to first speak on her writing—it is incredibly filled with detail that makes the scenes and emotions leap right off the page. For instance, as Abi rushes to the hospital early one rainy morning, reeling from the call from the doctor about Olivia, McDonald describes the sensory details of that trip. The wet leaf caught on the windshield, being moved around by the wiper blades before finally tearing. The squeal of tires and grip of the steering wheel as she tries to balance her panic with arriving safely. The sharp contrast between the bright lights and the dark hours of the morning, glistening on the damp pavement. The shakiness in her legs. Her writing is like this throughout the book, contrasting the inner monologue of the characters with the detail of their surroundings. You can easily picture this book as a film, watching it play out before your eyes.

And the story itself is one that will leave you thinking about these characters long after you finish. It is charged with emotion, taut with tension, softened by the love of a mother and her grief. The horror I felt for Abi, hearing updates on the health of her grandchild while knowing that the birth of the baby would mean the death of her daughter—it almost overwhelmed me imagining what that would feel like. How can she be happy about her grandchild when she knows it will mean she has to let Olivia go? Abi was a character that I completely fell for. She is aware of her own shortcomings, tries to do what is best, and stumbles along the way. Abi felt like someone I could know in real life. Someone I may have passed on the street one time, wondering what demons haunted her eyes.

We also hear some of the story from Olivia’s perspective, in the months leading up to the accident. I loved the way these chapters were written—almost like a young adult novel. They had the voice of a teenage girl. McDonald captured the worry and impulsivity of a seventeen year old perfectly. These chapters were so important, because without them Olivia would only exist for us through the eyes and heart of her mother Abi. But Olivia herself is full of life and hope and teenage heart ache. It would be easy to have Olivia sainted through the eyes of Abi, but instead we see her—as imperfect and full of love as she is. With a life filled with potential, taken from her before her time.

I read this book with the 5 of my book besties!!! We absolutely loved it.

5 BIG Beautiful Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

wOWZA! This book took me on quite the emotional journey! As a mother I couldn’t help but completely empathize with Abi(The mother in this story)... I cried with her... I raged with her... I hoped with her... my mama bear was out throughout this book, I needed answers and I needed them now! Imagining my own daughter in the hospital bed brain-dead and pregnant, quite honestly made me a little sick and stressed... this is a credit to the beautiful and engrossing writing in this book, I was completely immersed and committed.... The fact that this is Christina McDonald’s debut is simply.... impressive!

Abi gets that phone call in the middle of the night that all parents fear... her daughter is in the hospital, she has fallen off a bridge...Abi’s mothers intuition tells her this was not an accident and this is reinforced by the bruises around her daughter’s wrist.... The police don’t appear to be doing much of anything to find out who pushed Olivia off that bridge.... but Abi is determined and will stop at nothing to find out who hurt her little girl...

Told from both Abi and Olivia‘s perspectives... we get the events leading up to this tragedy from Olivia‘s eyes... as well as watching Abi’s heart wrenching journey... not only to accept that she has lost her daughter, but also to figure out how this could have happened.... this was such an impactful way to tell the story because the more I got to know Olivia the more my heart broke right along with Abi’s.... also Christina McDonnell did a fabulous job with getting into the mind of both a 17-year-old and her mother.... I saw a lot of myself in both of these characters...

This was an emotional domestic suspense... as the book progressed I was suspicious of almost everyone at some point... I also found myself questioning both Olivia and Abbi’s actions... I kept thinking if only.... then... but isn’t that what life is all about? every choice we make has an impact on our lives.... had Abby told Olivia who her father was, then maybe? Had Olivia told her mother who she had fallen in love with, then perhaps? So many questions and no good answers and as we all know hindsight is always 20/20...

This is a book that left me with tears in my eyes and hope in my heart! I absolutely recommend for anyone who enjoys A beautiful story about the love between mothers and daughters with a huge dose of suspense thrown in....

*** many thanks to Christina McDonald and Gallery for my copy of this book the book releases in February 2019 ***

*** I was asked by the author to post early for some early buzz as well as posting closer to publication date, will be on my blog today as well as publication day in February!

I can wholeheartedly (even though half my heart is gone after reading this)... say that The Night Olivia Fell deserves 5 shining stars. This has a spot on my shining bookshelf for life! <3 <3.

OH my goodness... where do I even start with this? Firstly, I don't think I have EVER read a debut like this. The amount of talent that Christina McDonald has is mind-blowing. I truly was blown out of the water with how beautiful, poetic, and dark this novel is. This... can sometimes be a very hard thing for authors to do.... keep your readers on edge with a thriller and managing to get some tears out?! THAT is talent my friends no, ands, ifs, or buts about that statement ;).

It's funny because as we all know I am a huge mystery and thriller fan... and I know everyone keeps seeing my 3 star reviews... and I have to tell you it takes A LOT for me to give my entire 5 stars. THIS IS IT. It's everything... just stop right now and get your hands on this. (PSTTT Netgalley... click away)

If you're expecting me to go into the plot with my review... I won't because going into this book blind will make the experience so much more worthwhile. Trust me on this <3.

I had the honor of reading this alongside my book besties and wow what an experience to have these amazing ladies join me :).

I will leave you with this...

"Whenever, whatever. I'm here forever."

I cannot thank Christina McDonald, Netgalley, and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books enough for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Expected publication date: 2/5/19
Published to GR: 8/29/18.

Emotional, suspenseful, and hard to put down!

I am so thrilled to have found this author, Christina McDonald. I found her writing to have such an addictive quality. She has created some memorable characters that brought depth and raw emotion to the story. It was both heart-breaking and tender.

Abi is a single mom who puts her teenage daughter Olivia first, above all other priorities. She has spent her life protecting Olivia, but she wasn’t there the night Olivia fell from a bridge (and she is a helicopter mom). Olivia is now on life-support, she is pregnant, and she has bruises. Abi has a mother’s intuition and isn’t buying the police report that the fall was ” an accident“. Why aren’t the police investigating? She is committed to do whatever it takes to learn the truth.

The story flows nicely with cleverly placed hints to how the mystery ultimately unfolds. I was totally invested and wanted to know how it would end. I changed my mind several times about “what really happened” and ohhhh that ending! I can’t say anything else!

A loving mom searching for answers, a toxic relationship, and a search for truth make this one an emotional page-turner!

The Night Olivia Fell kept me engaged and reading. It was great to get both characters perspectives and learn their stories. I really enjoyed everything about this book - the title, the blurb, and the story. There were moments were I got teary-eyed. There were so many quotes that resonated with me as well. Some good takeaways while being entertained.

Memorable quotes: "You don't have to be right one hundred percent of the time to show you love someone. And she doesn't have to be perfect to be well-loved."
"Family, I realized, was like a box of puzzle pieces. They filled all the holes of your life with little pieces that all together made you whole."
"Trust, I'd learned, was the greatest gift you could give, the greatest gift to receive. The belief that a person wouldn't betray you required a strength and confidence I was only just finding."
"Look to the future and you won't stumble on the present."

For more, you will have to read the book! Thank you Netgalley. Highly Recommend!

I received this book as an ARC from the author and am so grateful to have read it. I found it both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The mother’s unconditional love and overwhelming urge to protect her child is evident in this book. It kept you guessing all along what really happened to Olivia. I would absolutely recommend this book to friends.

This is my first book to review from Netgalley, so I was excited to read it! Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy! I found this book through an amazing book blogger, Jennifer Tarheel Reader.

The story begins with a mother’s worst nightmare, a call in the middle of the night to say Olivia(her daughter) has had an accident. Those first few chapters were a bit heart wrenching, but it quickly turned into a thrilling mystery that I could not put down.

The chapters alternated between Abi trying to find out the truth behind what happened to her daughter and Olivia leading up to the night she fell. I literally did not know what happened until the last few pages. I usually read in the mornings, but this book had me clocking some evening hours just to find out how it ends.

This book was an easy, fast read that kept me turning the pages. I would definitely read more from Christina McDonald. Thank you to Netgalley for this copy of The Night Olivia Fell which will be released February 5th, 2019.

One of the best books I’ve read this year!!!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️REVIEW
The Night Olivia Fell is a riveting story of the strength of a mother’s love to overcome her grief and fight to find out who was responsible for Olivia’s fateful fall. Abi is thrust into every parents’ nightmare when she receives a call from the hospital that an accident has left her teenage daughter Olivia brain dead. She knows immediately that it wasn’t an accident and finding out Olivia is pregnant and must remain on life support to save the baby only intensifies Abi’s need to search for answers. Secrets and lies, twists and turns, this book has all the makings of a best seller. Wrought with emotion and intrigue, Christina McDonald has written a story that will break your heart and put it back together again with each turn of the page. This book exceeded all my expectations. The mystery and emotional complexity of love in this book sneaks up on you and makes it impossible to put down. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!

In Christina McDonald’s The Night Olivia Fell, Abi gets the call every mother fears: her daughter has fallen from a bridge and is brain dead...but was it an accident or a crime? McDonald reveals the answer in steady, page-turning increments, a gradual unfolding of truths and long-held secrets that culminates in a heart-wrenching resolution. A suspenseful debut that packs an emotional punch.

This is my first ARC and I would first like to thank the author, Christina McDonald, for giving me the privilege and pleasure of reading her book, The Night Olivia Fell.

All I can say is wow. Christina McDonald brought to life such a beautiful story of relationships, love, loss, and strength. I found myself often surprised, curious, and even in tears. The character development was phenomenal and the caricature of them seemed true and down to earth. The descriptions were so detailed, but not so much that I couldn’t bare to read it. I saw every scene as if it were acted out in front of my eyes.

I don’t often cry at books. When I do, it takes a great deal of good writing to get me attached to the characters. The only other book I ever cried with was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I absolutely recommend this to all my Goodreads and other reading friends.

This book had me hooked in the first pages. What a twisted webbed the author wove to keep the reader engaged. Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was surprised. The characters are all-developed and the storyline is very complex, gut-wrenching at time and loving at others. The mother-daughter bond is very apparent. I could definitely see myself and my Abi in this books. Thank you Christina Macdonald for providing the chance to read your book and thank you NetGalley for greeting us the awesome read! Readers who like suspense will find this one great.

The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald has been on my TBR list for a few months, and I was eagerly anticipating its February 2019 release date. I was extra excited to receive an opportunity to review an ARC of this book, several months early! Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Christina McDonald for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Olivia Fell piqued my interest, as it touches on a mother/teenage daughter relationship, and I am currently navigating those waters myself. The story is told from both the mother and daughter’s perspectives, Abi and Olivia respectively. We hear the story from both main characters, Olivia’s entirely in flashbacks, and Abi’s in both present day and flashbacks. Olivia somehow managed to fall into a river one night, and Abi is determined to find out what happened that night, because she does not believe it was an accident. As a mother of a teenage daughter, I was absolutely gutted at what Abi goes through in this novel.
This was an extremely well written novel, one I didn’t want to put down! I will definitely read more of Christina McDonald’s novels in the future.

The Night Olivia Fell is an awesome read! I could not put it down once I started reading, I finished it in 3 days! I found myself questioning every character throughout the book and wondering who did it the entire time! The twists and turns kept me wanting more! Loved it!

It's difficult to believe that this was Christina McDonald's debut adult novel. This book was so well written that it got my attention on page 1 and kept me turning pages until the end. The characters were so well written that I felt like I knew them in real life. Warning -- have tissue close to you because you're going to need it.

Abi is a single mother and she and her daughter Olivia have always been very close. Olivia was a popular and very smart student who was planning to go to college. Imagine getting that phone call in the middle of the night from the hospital telling you that your daughter had been badly injured - the daughter that you were sure was asleep down the hall. It only gets worse when Abi talks to the doctors -not only is Olivia brain dead but she is pregnant and the hospital has to keep Olivia on life support until the baby is delivered. When Abi sees the bruises on Olivia's wrists she begins to question the police who believe that this was an accident and not a homicide. As Abi starts questioning her daughter's death, she not only learns more about her daughter and their relationship, she also begins to discover who she is not only as a mother but also as a woman.

Was Olivia pushed? Was it an accident? Did she commit suicide? This wonderfully well written novel will have you asking those questions to the end as you become part of this family mystery. FANTASTIC!!

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Told from various points of view makes this book hard to put down because you feel like you know something that other characters don't but you know that you haven't solved the mystery so you have to figure that out and the only ones that can help you are those same characters who know less than you do. Some parts of this are heart-wrenching and the characters are definitely modeled after people you may know or have seen in life. I will be looking for more books by this author.

To call this book a suspense doesn’t do it justice! This book is swirling with emotions, complicated relationships, and at its heart, the love between a mother and daughter. This book was captivating from the very first page through the last. Its two timelines; Olivia’s story being told through flashbacks as we learn how events unfolded; Abi’s story in the present as we follow Olivia’s fate and that of her unborn child; are equality riveting, each story filled with heart-pounding moments as well as a myriad of feelings. I was brought to tears so many times, as I was so deeply involved in the lives of this family.

Predictable story that kept me engaged, but didn't really leave much of an impact afterward. Found myself wondering why so many details were left in the story, when they felt unnecessary.

There were so many aspects of this book that I enjoyed. I really liked the way the author told the story, alternating chapters from mom's perspective and then to the daughter's. Both mother and daughter are likeable people, flaws and all. I liked the way the author wove in props, like the bracelet, plate and cigarette butt, and as you continue reading, you are excited to see what is going to unfold and how those things came to be where they were. I also found myself looking up images of Portage Point and the zig zag bridge. I liked the way the reader found things out and the way the author made you want to keep reading to see how the characters in the story were going to deal with these things when they found out. I would definitely recommend this one! Thank you Christina for sending me your book to read - people aren't going to be happy waiting until February 2019 when this is released!