It was okay, I was hoping it'd be more exciting because of the Breaking Bad mention. But it didn't feel like that way to me. Ohwell.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

I'm okay with the idea behind this book. A teen who grows up with a parent who manufactures/sells drugs is going to find that her perception of the world and of other people is profoundly affected by that reality. I think, though, that Henson tries too hard to make Poe an admirable or at least redeemable character. We get this hole other arc for him apart from his desire to keep their life isolated from prying eyes. The plot with the DEA stretched my willing suspension of disbelief almost to the breaking point. It pretends at being a deep exploration of character but instead treads largely familiar ground.

First, let me say that this book is an incredible, wild ride. Fen and Miri! I love them both! Clay broke my heart. For a short book (I think it’s like 250 pages?) it packs a super huge punch in terms of emotions and action.

So I’m not generally the biggest insta-love fan, but I think the whole, “Fen and Miri have just met, but they share this instant connection” actually worked for me in this book. I think in part it worked for me because it felt like an emotional connection between outcasts and oddballs, not a connection based on their physical attraction for each other. It wasn’t even exactly overtly romantic at first. That definitely hooked me.

The secrets Miri is keeping are huge. Just being friends with Fen could blow her whole life apart. And Fen is so used to people’s eyes glazing over when he tries to explain his love for his soundscapes, so he’s kind of given up on anyone understanding him, ever, when he meets Miri.

The third POV character is Clay, a boy who is in love with Miri, a childhood friend of hers who has been brought into the family by Miri’s dad. I liked his character, too. He has such a tragic past. He’s fiercely loyal to Miri and her family. He needs to be recognized as valuable to someone.

All that comes together in a high-intensity story set just outside a meth lab. I’m a little bit confused because the cover copy talks about this story bringing attention to the opioid epidemic, but I didn’t think meth was an opiate? I thought it was a stimulant? So I don’t know if it’s been reclassified (a quick google search seems to indicate no?) or if that’s kind of a marketing thing. Connect the book to the opioid crisis because it’s higher profile right now than meth addiction? I don’t know.

All in all, I enjoyed the story and read it really quickly. I didn’t want to stop because it felt like all the dominoes were always about to fall. I think fans of books by Ellen Hopkins will like the gritty writing (though this isn’t written in verse) and the gripping characters.

Wrecked by Heather Henson is a fast-paced contemporary young adult romance. I liked the different points of view. The ending and the "twist" that comes up at the end caught me off guard. It felt a bit too "cliche" for me, but I still liked it.

Breaking Bad meets Euphoria and Weeds vibes: such a quick, gripping, heart throbbing debut novel I devoured in few hours!

Love triangle mixed with forbidden love with multi POVs and intriguing plot line keep your attention intact!

Poor Miri is looking forward to leave the town when she hits 18! Being the Wizard’s daughter ( mostly reminds us of Heisenberg), knowing less but still being involved into her father’s meth business that already gives her anxiety issues.

Poor Clay becomes the part of the family after his mother has been dragged behind the bars for cooking meth. Mira’s father Poe fully trusts him. (He just reminds me of Euphoria’s Angus Cloud just a little bit: he has to work with the shittiest hand life life has dealt him: he has no choice, becoming criminal to survive) He always has a big crush on Miri and now he wants more! He doesn’t want to stay friends with her.

But Miri already gets attracted to Fen: the new boy in the town who is also son of federal agent which alerts Miri’s father! That boy may bring only trouble to his business.

I mostly enjoyed that thrilling ride! I found the conclusion semi satisfying but overall: it was great start for debut author! I already rounded my 3.5 stars to 4 action packed, character driven, addictive stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster Children’s Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.