Review: Falls The Shadow by Stefanie Gaither

Falls The Shadow by Stefanie Gaither
Release Date: September 16th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult > Dystopia
Source: Bought on Amazon
Find It: Amazon || GoodReads || B&N
Summary:

When Cate Benson was a kid, her sister, Violet, died. Two hours after the funeral, Cate’s family picked up Violet’s replacement. Like nothing had happened. Because Cate’s parents are among those who decided to give their children a sort of immortality—by cloning them at birth—which means this new Violet has the same smile. The same perfect face. Thanks to advancements in mind-uploading technology, she even has all of the same memories as the girl she replaced.

She also might have murdered the most popular girl in school.

At least, that’s what the paparazzi and the anti-cloning protestors want everyone to think: that clones are violent, unpredictable monsters. Cate is used to hearing all that. She’s used to defending her sister, too. But Violet has vanished, and when Cate sets out to find her, she ends up in the line of fire instead. Because Cate is getting dangerously close to secrets that will rock the foundation of everything she thought was true.

In a thrilling debut, Stefanie Gaither takes readers on a nail-biting ride through a future that looks frighteningly similar to our own time and asks: how far are you willing to go to keep your family together?

When Cate Benson was a kid, her sister, Violet, died. Two hours after the funeral, Cate’s family picked up Violet’s replacement. Like nothing had happened.

With a blurb starting like that how can you NOT want to know what this is about?! Cate's sister had died, Cate's sister who was her best friend and now with no time to even mourn, her parents are on their way to pick up the new Violet who's suppose to be exactly like the one that they lost. Let's think for a moment that somewhere in a lab is an exact replica of you floating around. Growing, downloading your thoughts and your memories, "someone" whos only job is to replace you when you're gone to give your loved ones the satisfaction of thinking you're still here when you're not. Despite all things, I would still feel replaced a little offended if my parents were picking up my replacement not even 24 hours after I was buried.

Of course Cate had to get use to this new Violet because how exactly do you react to someone who's suppose to be your sister but isn't? Also this Violet, while she had the memories downloaded did not have the same intentions as the first Violet. And in the middle of it all, Violet has just disappeared and the media is keeping a close eye on her as well as the rest of her family to find out where she went (so close in fact that they're parked on her front lawn. Yeah.). 

Then the guy who she thought never noticed her is suddenly noticing her and offering her a ride home. Into basically a trap. Good job Jaxon. You have a cool name by the way. So Cate learns a bit of the truth that her family has hidden from her and now has a choice to make.

With the help of Jaxon and Seth (who isn't really into the idea but he's funny as hell so thank goodness someone with a brain went along with this ridiculous plan) they track down Violet in order to find out what really happened to the popular girl at school who was Violet's best friend.

There's a lot of action that goes on and a lot of secrets revealed. A LOT. There were moments where you'd have to choose one path or another and choosing the right path no matter how right doesn't make it less painful especially when it involves someone you love. I loved the relationship between Cate and Violet and I loved that Violet wasn't some perfect clone. 

Falls The Shadow wasn't what I was expecting but it was still one hell of a ride!

My mother walked on as if they weren't even there, because she treated everyone the same, whether they loved us or hated us. You don't want to give anyone the illusion, she always told me, that anything they do can affect you. You can't give them that control, because there's no telling what they'd do with it.

"Good thing we don't have anything important to be doing right now," he says, raising an eyebrow. I feel myself blushing. Jaxon kisses my forehead --- lets his lips linger there  for just a few seconds --- before stepping away. Seth clears his throat. "And I'm not only complaining because you two just took my role as third wheel to a whole new level of awkward," he adds. "We're just on a bit of a tight schedule here."

"I almost shot you, idiot." "I know," Seth says, still eyeing the gun nervously, "I was there. Saw the whole thing, complete with my life flashing before my eyes."