Thank you Net Galley for the preview of this fast passed and fun book by Nancy Richardson Fischer. In The Speed of Falling Objects, there is a plane crash, wading through the Amazon jungle, swimming with alligators, swatting of large bugs (and more but can not give away the story) and this is all done so Danny can hang out with her TV star dad who she rarely gets to visit. I did not put it down till I was done reading and I know my Middle & High School students will really enjoy reading The Speed of Falling Objects also.

I love it when I’m surprised in a good way by a book! Not remembering anything about why The Speed of Fallng Objects was in my to-be-read list, I started reading with no preconceptions.. The theme of fearful, insecure girl coming to recognize her own value and power is not new; neither is the concept of teenager wanting to reconnect with a parent who has been mostly absent from her life. What is notable is the way Ms. Fischer took these themes and dealt with them in nonstop Amazonian adventure. She did a great job with the characters, revealing their imperfect humanity as we learned their strengths and weaknesses in a very stressful situation. Along the way we also learned a lot about the Amazon: its frightening beauty, the variety of dangerous living things of all sizes living there and ways that human resourcefulness can match wits with the jungle.
Bottom line, this story is a very satisfying page-turner that delivers on all levels.

The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson Fischer is story that encompasses adventure, coming of age, romance, relationships (mom/daughter, dad/daughter, estranged dad/daughter) friendships, secrets, kindness, fear, fearlessness, and so much more! Hard to believe all of this is crammed into one story - and not to mention the Amazon adventure and all kinds of exotic and not so exotic experiences. You will meet a main character with physical and emotional flaws. You will travel with her as she tries to make sense of her place in this world and the world of her dad who left long ago. You will also read about her courageous adventures in the Amazon which is shared with such detail that you will be able to envision the beauty of the setting along with the fears and dangers that exist in this tropical forest. Mom is also a character that you will cheer for in the end! Don't close the book before reading the author's note and the research section. You will learn so much about how this story came to be along with the sources of the rich details included in this work. I can't wait to share this as a gift and to include it in my office library.

I received an advance copy of this book on NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. I loved this story!

Danny Warren lost her left eye in an accident at age 7, and has lived with intense anxiety and panic attacks since then. Her father left shortly after the accident, becoming a TV survivalist star, someone Danny is sure she could never live up to. Danny is thrilled to join her father on a trip to the Peruvian Amazon for her birthday, in hopes that she can prove to him and to herself that she is brave enough and strong enough to be in Cougar’s life again. Her mother is not sure that the trip is a good idea, but Danny desperately wants to go. The trip doesn't start particularly well, with very little time for father-daughter bonding that Danny hoped for. When their plane to a remote area of the Amazon crashes trying to avoid a storm, things only get worse. Can they reach help before the perils of the rainforest kill them all?

Fischer has written another engrossing and emotionally charged YA novel, without retreading the ground of When Elephants Fly. The setting and premise of a survival story are a great hook, but the reason to keep reading is Danny’s personal development and the relationship dynamics between the characters. Not all the characters are likeable, there were even moments when I wanted to tell Danny to get it together and realize the truth of her situation. On the other hand, I cared enough about the characters and story to have a strong opinion about almost everyone in the novel. While few teens will ever find themselves dropped in the middle of the Amazon with teen movie star, their estranged father, and a variety of TV show crew members, Danny’s personal doubts and discovery of a personal identity beyond those doubts will resonate with most readers. Highly recommend for teens and adults alike.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This book had so much promise for me! Unfortunately, it didn't pan out exactly the way I wanted it to. I think it's more of an issue of the type of book I was looking for vs. the type of book I got. I think as a YA book, it's a compelling and gritty storyline. Danny is an interesting character - I wanted to connect with her more, and I wanted her to have a bit more pluck than she did.

The writing didn't resonate with me. I basically struggled from the first chapter until I finally gave myself permission to put it down at 35%. Objectively speaking, I think this book will work for a lot of readers. It just wasn't my cuppa.

This was a great page turner! I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy reading YA but I couldn’t put it down. This is more than a book about people trying to survive a plane crash in the Amazon. It is a book about people facing their fears and challenges with courage. As Danny learned, so much of what we learn is based on misperceptions. Nancy Richardson Fischer put it best “You will never regret the things you try to accomplish, only the missed opportunities.”

This book kept me invested from start to finish (although it’s hard not to be when the opening is a plane crash in the Amazon!) Danny’s development as the boom progressed was painful to watch, it’s hard having second hand empathy and embarrassment for someone who is trying SO hard but missing the mark so often. Watching her find her place and finally stand up for herself unapologetically was amazing. There is a LOT of death in this book, so I’ll caution it for those who may be dealing with sensitive readers.

For fans of Bear Grylls and all survival shows!

Danger Danielle Warren. That is what her rock-climbing, survivalist, estranged, tv-show host father named her. Yet Danny is afraid.

”I am afraid of… Heights. Snakes. The dark. Dancing in public. Headaches… Spiders. Wrong choices. Surprises. Playing sports. Losing friends. Guns… Blindness. Disappointing people. New places. Hospitals. Did I say snakes already? Bees. Migraines. Speed… Being an anchor, a problem, or an embarrassment… Bad dreams.”

So what is a scaredy cat like Danny doing in the middle of the Amazon jungle surrounded by stinging caterpillars and venomous snakes? Celebrating her 17th birthday with her father for the first time in over a decade!

This book was riveting. I couldn’t put it down. The harsh conditions of the wild jungle provided an interesting backdrop for rekindling the relationship between Danny and her father. I loved the plant and animal tidbits and Danny’s quick thinking and bravery.

I really enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you to Harlequin Teen and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book.

My number one advice for this book? Don't read it while on an airplane. After all, it literally begins with a plane crash.

I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved Danny and her narration. She lost one eye in an accident when she was younger and has been scared of the world - and losing her other good eye - since. She also has barely seen her father, a man who reinvented himself as Cougar - a fearless adventurer with his own television show about surviving in the wild with clueless celebrities. When Cougar returns just before Danny's 17th birthday with the offer of going to the Amazon rain forest, Danny can't help but want to go and redeem herself - and win back her dad's approval and love.

I've never been a fan of survival shows and I definitely don't like any bugs, but something about this story was super compelling and I couldn't put it down. It's clear the author did her research into creatures living in the Amazon (in appearance and behaviour), injuries sustained in airplane crashes, and how to realistically treat those injuries. Danny is super smart and resourceful, trying to help and save her travelling companions from being killed by basically everything. In the rain forest, everything is a threat.

I loved her relationship with her parents. It was really hard to see her discover some less-than-flattering things about both her mom and dad. I really loved to hate Cougar (though he had his redeeming moments) and I adored Jupiter!.

Onto the negative (ish):
I didn't love how Danny's relationship with Trix worked out; Trix is Danny's best friend, but Danny's own coldness to her was a bit off-putting. Also, the book was somehow sex positive, but it felt like it was only positive for Danny; other characters who sleep around a lot are judged for their decision, which felt rather hypocritical. Finally, I wasn't a fan of how the story's romance progressed.

To be fair, these are small quibbles. Overall, I really enjoyed the story. Danny was whip-smart and honestly did her damn best in the circumstances she was stuck in, and I felt she grew a lot over the course of the novel. If you're looking for an adventure into a dangerous rain forest from the comfort of your own bed, this book is an excellent choice.

This is a captivating story that rings so true, at least regarding relationships.

Seventeen-year-old Danger Danielle Warren is experiencing two opposite parents in her split family. Her mother wants to set boundaries as well as protect her from being hurt by Danger's father. And Danger (goes by Danny) fits herself right between them, blaming herself for her mom's bitterness and her Dad's absence.  Like so many kids from split families, she desperately seeks attention from both parents. But, at this point, her dad is far more interested in promoting his career than being apart of his daughter's life.

However, when her estranged father, Cougar, who is part of a survivalist reality show, asks Danny to come with his team to film an episode, it seems the perfect time to work her way back into her father's life. But to travel to the Amazon is bound to bring problems according to Danny's mother. Problems that are sure to hurt Danny, perhaps both physically and emotionally.

Danny learns so much about herself and those she is with on this trip. She begins to realize that others' perceptions of her don't have to become her truths. And for those who thrive on survivalist stories, this is one that you will surely enjoy.

What Concerned Me:

Without giving away the plot, there is one adult scene in the Amazon that I could have done without. Parts of it didn't feel true to the story. Also, there were a few times while walking through the Amazon that it became a bit repetitive and long.

What I Liked Best:

This story of adventure/coming-of-age/romance/ and exploration of relationships captured my interest almost immediately. I think most teens and young adults will be happy they picked it up.

The Speed of Falling Objects-Nancy Richardson Fischer

𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑠, 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒, 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑠, 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒.

𝐷𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠.

I finished this book last night. I normally try to do my reviews immediately after I finish a book because I have a fuzzy memory sometimes (even with notes I like the fresh emotions to write reviews). I finished this book and I didn’t know how to put into words how I felt.

This book was fantastic. It truly was. The writing was wonderful. There were numerous quotes I fell in love with and the characters were real (in the sense that they could be real people with real flaws). The whole premise was terrifying and what the characters endured and lost was often unbearable. Their plane crashes in the Amazon and they have to beat the odds and survive when every thing is against them.

Where I struggled was with Danny’s relationship with her parents. She does her best and does truly love Danny, but she seems to often make decisions based on spite. A loving mother who had Danny young and gave up her dreams to raise her. We get views of her resentment towards Cougar, her using Danny as a pawn under the guise that she doesn’t want her to be hurt by Cougar and her rigid “love” that feels lukewarm at best. She redeems herself by silently making Cougar seem like a half decent father when he is barely even that. Then We have Cougar who at first comes off as a charismatic man, the light in the room kind of man. He’s a star on television and thinks highly of himself. But he is a man who abandoned his family when things got tough. He uses, puts down and humiliates Danny when she is with him. She sees him a handful of times since her accident and when she does it’s definitely not warm and fuzzy. Cougar is a narcissist and his love for Danny is mirrored as love for himself, her flaws reflect poorly on him and he constantly makes her feel insecure about herself. I immediately wanted to be on her moms side, and most of the book I hated Cougar. His ability to abandon his child left me feeling angry. Danny’s need and longing for his love, and her feelings of worthlessness and shame made me feel angrier. The author made these parents real. Their flaws and their love felt like a true to life sad story about parents who’s child gets caught in the crossfire.

In the end I admired Danny’s strength and ability to find herself, accept the things she couldn’t change and let go of the past hurt. She is a broken girl who becomes this fierce woman. As a character her growth and personality were fantastic imo. Her relationship with Gus was cute. I loved how his character progressed. Personally, out of everyone I adored Jupiter. 100% he is someone I could hang out with in the real world.

Truth.

Book Review
The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson Fischer
Publishing Date: October 1, 2019
Read courtesy of NetGalley.com

YES! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I haven't cried while reading a book in a long time. Thank you, Ms. Fischer, for getting to me. I cannot wait to get this into the hands of my high schoool readers.

Not only did the author wow me with a book I expected to just be a knock off of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (it wasn't!), but she also included references to one of my favoritest books of all time, The Phantom Tollbooth. This book was a win-win for me.

Danny's nickname is Pigeon, and she explains why throughout the story. Even the research on all of the pigeon characteristics and metaphors would have wowed me, but Fischer goes on to research survival skills 🔥 , the Amazon rain forests ☔️ 🌳, snakes 🐍 , spiders 🕷 , and scorpions 🦂 (among a myriad of other creepy crawlies), plane crashes ✈️ and the medical possibilities that might occur from one, the planes themselves, and reality television. And it works!

The best part of Fischer's story is that it is really about growing up as much as if not more than surviving a plane crash in the Peruvian rain forest. It's a full-on metaphor of surviving being a teen, coming-of-age, and finding identity. And she didn't preach at the reader - not once.

I could not put this book down! It had me enthralled almost immediately! This book is amazingly written and I highly recommend it. Danger "Danny" Danielle Warren is one of my favorite characters and her journey is truly inspirational.

I received a copy of The Speed of Falling Objects from Inkyard Press through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be totally honest. I did not expect this book to move me to tears but here we are.

Danny is such a good character. I understood her feelings of betrayal.

Find a cozy corner, or better yet a comfy bed, and crank up the a/c when your start this book because you will not want to put it down!

In #TheSpeedofFallingObjects, the backdrop is an amazon rain forest complete with creepy crawly creatures and the vast unknown. Reality star and survivalist Cougar Warren has invited his teenage daughter Danny to join him on his latest show which will feature a young rising actor Gus Price. But plans go awry when their plane crashes, and getting out alive takes on a new reality for the survivors.

What I liked best, aside from the incredible rain forest descriptions and survival lessons, is the way Danny manages to astonish time and again. The shy, quiet girl has a physical limitation but she is smart, observant, and intuitive.

When it comes to her dad, however, Danny is raw and vulnerable. She wonders how is it that the person she wants most to impress has the power to diminish her with a word. Don't we all.

There is chemistry between Gus and Danny that adds a touch of romance to the story without ever losing the focus on the complicated father-daughter relationship.

Even if there is a lot of tension as the survivors encounter one danger after another, characters like Jupiter, yes that's his name, add some lighthearted moments and insightful observations. But, the true heart of the book is Danny. As she reconciles her feelings about her parents and wields her courage like a lioness, she turns out to be the true heroine.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheSpeedofFallingObjects!

The plot of this story seemed promising, but within the first 50 pages of this, it completely lost me. The main character's dad is a movie star who has neglected her her entire life, but she springs on the opportunity to plunge (literally) into the Amazon with him in order to receive the love and appreciation he only gave her a few times in early childhood. The language of this whole book just seemed dry, and when it tried to be amusing, it felt awkward. The language is probably what lost me the most, as it just became not enjoyable to read.

Overall, I feel very underwhelmed and disappointed.

Interesting story.. Loved this book cover as well. Will come back to give full review near pub date.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

The Speed of Falling Objects had me hooked from the very first line.

I flew through this story and really adored Danny’s character. She lost one eye in a childhood accident and has been been dealing with many struggles since. She had to relearn how to do things due the affects of having limited sight and the inability to perceive distances accurately. She went from a fearless child to a teenager who is scared of more things than she’s not. Even with fear setting in she finds the strength to join her dad on his latest filming of his tv show. Her dad takes celebrities into remote and dangerous terrain to teach them survival techniques. Danny cannot pass up the chance to join her dad and get to know him better even if it means entering one of the deadliest places on earth deep in the Rain Forrest of Peru where she will be forced to face her fears straight on.

Nancy Richardson Fischer has created a riveting story that pulls you in and makes you wonder how you’d survive when faced with your deepest fears. It’s full of twists, danger and keeps you wondering what could possibly happen next.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I really really loved this book! I am always watching survival TV shows on TV and a book where survival is the core center plot will be amazing to me! This was a wild adventure ride and I enjoyed my time reading this.

Danny is blind in one eye, afraid of everything, and pretty sure that she's unlovable. Kids at school have teased her forever, and she hasn't spent time with her dad, Cougar, in years. He left after her accident, disappointed in all the things she suddenly couldn't do. Now Cougar is the star of his own reality show where he takes celebrities out into the wild and helps them survive extreme weather, animal-encounters, and death-defying treks through dangerous environments. He's doing an episode in the Amazon, and he invites Danny to come along and meet Gus Price, the latest teen heartthrob who will be joining him. But when their plane crashes in the rainforest, suddenly Danny has to find a way to conquer her fears and use her extensive knowledge of both her dad's show and medicine (gleaned from time with her mom, an ER nurse) to help them all make it home.

I didn't really know what to expect from this book, but it was a lot of fun. A little bit of Bear Grylls mixed with Survivor mixed with MacGuyver...basically just figuring out how to survive out in the wilderness where you have to use the random supplies you have (duct tape to close wounds, etc) and find food (snake and grubs) while avoiding all the things that can kill you (spiders and crocodiles and jaguars and SHARKS--did you know there were fresh-water sharks in the Amazon, because I didn't!). They built shelters and rafts, they waded through swamps, and they got to know the strangers they were traveling with pretty quickly due to the intense circumstances. It was an adventure for sure, and it was heartbreakingly clear that they weren't all going to make it. I couldn't put this book down because I had to find out what was going to happen.

All the characters had a lot of personality and a great back-story which is doled out in little pieces along their journey to keep the reader invested in them. You find out why Cougar is the way he is, how Gus became a movie star, and just how broken and defective Danny believes she is. Of course, the whole adventure changes Danny's whole image of herself, so even more than just being a story of survival in the rainforest, it's the story of a young girl realizing that sometimes those voices in your head are WRONG and that YOU get to decide who you're going to be. What a strong and empowering message.

This was a great read! I'm sad that it's over.

***Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Teen and Inkyard Press for such a fun read!***