Review: London Falling
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 13, 2014
*I was provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review.So I find the best stories are the ones I can immediately immerse myself in despite the fact that I read the the previous book months prior. I really liked I See London but I loved London Falling.London Falling picks up with Maggie back in the states and Samir back in Lebanon with his girlfriend. Other than a couple of text messages, Maggie hasn’t heard from Samir. Maggie’s spent the summer lamenting about her non-relationship with Samir to her best friend Jo. Little does Maggie know, she isn’t the only one affected.London Falling is told from both Maggie and Samir’s POV which I really enjoyed. In the first book we only got to see Samir through Maggie’s eyes and he came off a bit like a pompous jerk at times. This time around we get to see that he really is a bit pompous, but very loveable, and also extremely vulnerable. Growing up in Lebanon within a powerful political family is not without its pressures. The pressure to succeed, to make the family proud, to marry the right person… Samir must choose between who he wants to be and what his parents, specifically his father, expect of him.As Maggie and Samir attempt to navigate their ever-evolving feelings for each other, they aren’t without company. Fleur, Mya, Michael, and a few other alum make for a thrilling year at the International School. I must say Fleur is still my favorite. With her often conflicting personality, “The Ice Queen” really has a heart of gold and will do just about anything to make sure her friends are happy. I love that she grows exponentially as a character throughout the series and let’s be honest, I’d be okay with a Fleur spin-off.One of my only issues with book one was Maggie. She came off as a bit immature and hypocritical (as most of us are at 19) . Don’t get me wrong, I still found her endearing but I was hoping for some sort of character growth after the ending of book one. Although she started off a bit shaky, making a few poor decisions, she did slowly begin to transform into a much more rational adult. It was nice to see her evolve and begin to challenge some of her previous insecurities.Going back to Samir, I was worried he would be very two–dimensional but I was glad to see he was given a voice and that we got to see his doubts and what he was thinking and feeling. It made the relationship and chemistry between them become something more than physical attraction. I loved the tension and burn between Maggie and Samir.I have to admit, I was pretty dazzled, much like Maggie,with the lives many of the students at the International School lead. It amazed me that Samir could just jump on a private jet and zip back home to Lebanon. Not to mention the exclusive clubs and endless supply of the best of everything. I enjoyed living vicariously through them, ;)With London as a backdrop and enough drama (friends, school, family, and otherwise) London Falling was a fantastic follow-up to I See London. It was everything I could want and more!