Tallulah Falls

by Christine Fletcher

Book Overview

When Tallulah Addy sets out on an impulsive cross-country trip to rescue her best friend, she doesn't anticipate getting stranded in rural Tennessee without a dime. Nor does she guess that rescuing a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582346623
• ISBN13: 9781582346625
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.6" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Rural veterinary practice is really like this!

Great first novel from a wonderful writer! An excellent choice for mid- to older teenage girls who enjoy books with animals and veterinarians in them, but also want a novel that contains some relevance to some of the issues they may be experiencing (boyfriends, parent issues, bipolar friends...). Very accurate representation of rural veterinary practice also!

Beautifully written story

Tallulah Falls is a story of Tallulah Addy and her friend Maeve and the touching story of finding out who you are. Tallulah is left behind when Maeve takes off for Florida, but soon gets a message of urgency from her friend wanting her to bring her notebooks. Tallulah being the friend she is she immediately sets out to fine Maeve. Tallulah asks Derek to drive her and everything begins to fall apart, he leaves her with her bag which thankfully still holds the notebooks she is delivering to Maeve. She is broke and left on the side of the road, she is arrested and tries calling Maeve who is not answering. The local veterinarian's office is her link to help, she has a job at the clinic, she is staying with Ruth the receptionist and has found a romantic spark with Kyle who also works there; all of this coming from her bringing an injured dog in. Tallulah Falls is beautifully written and I can find no faults with this wonderful story. The story is engaging, entertaining, and a true spectacular read. I absolutely have fallen in love with this story, and have added a great new author to my favorite's list, I look forward to many more by Christine Fletcher. It has been a honor and a delight reading and reviewing such an excellent story, thank you Christine and please keep them coming.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Perennial screw-up Tallulah might not be the well-behaved little daughter that her mom would like her to be, but nobody can say that she isn't a loyal friend. When she receives a cry for help from her bi-polar best friend Maeve, Tallulah immediately leaves behind her family in Portland and takes off across the country to save her. But on her way to Florida, Tallulah finds herself needing some saving. She's stuck in some small town in Tennessee all because her ex-boyfriend robbed her and just up and left in the middle of their road trip. Tallulah is wandering aimlessly down the highway, wondering how in the world she is supposed to find her way to Florida. When she stumbles upon a dying dog under a highway underpass, she feels compelled to save it, if only because that's what Maeve would want her to do. After bringing the poor dog to the local vet and begging Dr. Poteet to save the dog, Tallulah somehow ends up with a job assisting the vet. Tallulah knows nothing about animals, but she's a quick learner and manages to earn her keep at the veterinary office. At the same time, she can't wait for Maeve to come and rescue her. In between phone calls to Florida and saving horses and human babies, Tallulah realizes that she's beginning to grow fond of the odd collection of people that work at Dr. Poteet's office. Maeve does return, but it's not exactly the return that Tallulah was expecting. The ending brings several surprises that will keep you hooked until the last page! Christine Fletcher does a remarkable job in her first young adult novel, incorporating her experiences as a veterinarian. Animal lovers will particularly enjoy the several scenes focusing on Tallulah's connection with the animals she is working with. TALLULAH FALLS is a very touching story and Tallulah is an easy character for teenagers to identify with; she's brave, stubborn, and just trying to find herself. Reviewed by: Amber Gibson

An excellent read from first-time novelist Fletcher

Seventeen-year-old Tallulah Addy walks through the unknown Tennessee countryside in the dark of night. She's starving. Her boyfriend not only abandoned her as they headed from Oregon to Florida in order to help Tallulah's best friend Maeve, he also stole all of her money except 93 cents. And it's raining. Tallulah finally approaches a truck stop right after she stumbles over a dog lying injured in the spooky darkness of a highway underpass. She wants food in the worst way but can't forget that dog, so she returns to it. A sympathetic stranger drives them to a nearby veterinarian. Tallulah is frustrated by this delay, though. She must get to Maeve, who is in trouble. No matter what, though, Tallulah will never go home to her critical family in Oregon. She can't admit to them that she's messed up yet again. Tallulah clutches on to her hope that Maeve will come for her, after leaving a frantic message on Maeve's answering machine. Without money or transportation, she accepts an offer from the vet, Dr. Poteet, to work in his office as a kennel assistant. At least she'll have money when Maeve comes for her. Immediately Tallulah learns of a minor miracle: the dog she rescued is still alive despite the vet's plans to put him down. She also discovers the grim realities of her new job. Cleaning animal cages is disgusting. Her co-worker despises her. The horse Tallulah must hold during a procedure is enormous and skittish. The vet is gruff and stern. In general, the work is impossible or boring. No matter how she performs at her job, she's told that she's not doing it right. Time goes by, but no sign of Maeve. Even as she wonders, Tallulah finds herself drawn into the lives of those around her. She's attracted to lean, tan Kyle, a co-worker. She can't resist forming a friendship with the dog she's rescued or succumbing to the charms of being mothered by Ruth, the woman Tallulah stays with. Yet she can't forget her mission. Her best friend desperately needs her help and Tallulah can't get to her. Tallulah feels alone and small, but discovers she is neither --- an empowering theme in a book that has everything: a heroine surviving an incredible journey (both external and within); characters so real they walk off the page; and a brisk yet thoughtful plot, brightened with flashes of humor. The Tennessee setting is vividly realized and is an essential story element. The author is brilliant at descriptions. A singer's voice rasps "as though sorrow were sandpaper" while too-short coveralls give Tallulah a Super Atomic Wedgie. In addition, the reader gets a fascinating glimpse at the inside workings of a vet's office. This is an excellent read from first-time novelist Christine Fletcher that will leave her audience anxiously awaiting her next book. --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)

Not just for teenagers

I thought this was a great book and I'm way past the teenage years! Christine Fletcher's fresh and vivid imagery, stark emotion, and ability to envelop the reader in the story kept the pages turning and had me looking up at the end of chapters to suddenly remember I wasn't seventeen and living in Tennessee. Her "emergency" scenes left me breathless and shivering. The veterinary information is entirely authentic (as one would expect from a veterinarian) and can educate as well as entertain. Thanks for a great first book. Keep 'em coming!