I recently revisited Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert in audiobook form, a title I had enjoyed quite a while ago but hadn’t reviewed until now. The story itself is a gripping blend of dark fantasy and contemporary drama, exploring themes of witchcraft, secrets, and strained family dynamics.

The dual narrative, alternating between Ivy’s present-day struggles and Dana’s past experiences, is one of the highlights. The dynamic between these two protagonists adds depth to the story, revealing how their lives and choices intertwine in fascinating and sometimes unsettling ways.

However, while the content was engaging, I found the audio quality a bit lacking. Despite this, the performances by the narrators, Galvin and Cannon, brought their characters to life. Galvin’s portrayal of the young and perceptive Ivy and Cannon’s rendition of the complex, haunted Dana captured the essence of their respective roles effectively.

Overall, I enjoyed revisiting the story and appreciated the narrators’ efforts, even though the audio quality wasn’t ideal. If you’re a fan of atmospheric, dark fantasy with intricate character dynamics, Our Crooked Hearts is definitely worth a listen, despite any technical shortcomings.

I just don’t think this book was for me. I like books about witchy type things but I just could not get into.

I must not have read the full description of this book because witchcraft and sorcery supernatural books are not for me. I gave it a shot with the audiobook (the narrators were fine) but I’m afraid my genre bias will not be a fair review for this book.

I was interested in the beginning but when it came to Dana and her witchery I was lost and confused and zoned out.

I’ll have to leave the reviews for this one to those who like this type of book. 😉

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook of this book.

"Our Crooked Hearts" by Melissa Albert is an audiobook that weaves a captivating story of magic, mystery, and the complex bond between mothers and daughters. This tale, rich in dark fantasy and suspense, is beautifully brought to life through its haunting and atmospheric narration.

The story unfolds in dual timelines, following the lives of Ivy, a teenager in the present day, and her mother, Dana, whose own teenage years were filled with secrets and dark magic. Albert masterfully intertwines these two narratives, gradually revealing the mysterious connection between past and present.

The narration of this audiobook is truly exceptional. The narrator skillfully conveys the distinct voices of Ivy and Dana, capturing their unique perspectives and emotional journeys. The atmospheric tone of the narration enhances the eerie and mystical elements of the story, drawing the listener deeper into its web of intrigue.

Melissa Albert's prowess in storytelling is evident in the richly crafted world of "Our Crooked Hearts." The magical elements are woven into the narrative seamlessly, creating a world that feels both fantastical and eerily real. The suspense is skillfully built, keeping the listener engaged and eager to unravel the mysteries of Ivy and Dana's lives.

The characters in this audiobook are complex and well-developed. Ivy, as the protagonist, is a compelling character whose quest to understand her mother's past and her own identity drives the narrative. Dana's backstory is equally intriguing, offering a window into a world of magic that is both alluring and dangerous.

What sets "Our Crooked Hearts" apart is its exploration of themes such as the consequences of our choices, the legacy of family secrets, and the power of hidden truths. The book also delves into the dynamics of friendship, love, and the blurred lines between good and evil.

In conclusion, "Our Crooked Hearts" is a mesmerizing audiobook that combines the allure of magic with the depth of human emotion. Melissa Albert has crafted a story that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, with a narration that perfectly captures the book's haunting tone. It's a must-listen for fans of contemporary fantasy and those who love stories that blend the magical with the mundane. This audiobook is a journey into a world where the line between reality and magic is as thin as a whisper, and it promises to enchant and engage its listeners from start to finish.

I wanted to love this but it ended up being just okay. The writing was good and the atmosphere was well done, but the story fell flat for me. I did not enjoy the animal cruelty scenes and overall I didn't always understand the character motivations.

i think... this book was just not for me. i loved the cover. loved the premise. witchcraft spookiness. hell yeah! and honestly, the story line was good enough. it was almost there.

On the way home fro a party, Ivy and her soon to be ex boyfriend nearly run over a nude young woman standing in the middle of the road.. This is only the first in a string of increasingly eerie events. A dead rabbit in the driveway, Ivy’s mother burying things in the middle of the night, and most unsetting of all, memories that start to resurface with the help pfo the boy next door.

Our Crooked Hearts in an enthralling read that jumps back and forth between Ivy’s contemporary suburban town and her mother in 1990s Chicago. Both women are flawed and relatable, which makes their character development believable as they work past their past traumas and present dilemmas. The dynamics between family members showcases the complexities of love, resentment, and forgiveness. In particular, I enjoyed that at the end Ivy didn’t forgive all of her mothers manipulation but rather left them in a place where they were both working on repairing the relationship. The themes of healing and reconcilation were explored in such a way that it was one of the true strengths of the novel.

The plot is well-paced and skillfully crafted, gradually revealing the layers of the characters' histories and the interwoven threads of their lives. The element of mystery adds an extra layer of intrigue, keeping readers invested in uncovering the truth behind the family's secrets.

This book has just the right amount of horror, mystery, and magic. I will be recommending to fans of The Astonishing Color of After, If I stay, and Before I Fall.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ability to listen to this book early!

This book was genuinely creepy! I loved listening to every second of it! Usually, I don't like multiple generations or timelines because it can get very confusing if not done correctly, but this author knows what she's doing. I had to listen during the day, though, since I'm a scaredy cat and couldn't handle it being dark lol! This was an absolutely wonderful book that would be perfect for Halloween!

I was expecting this to be spooky and atmosphere but wow was I blown away! This was my first book by Melissa Albert and it certainly won’t be the last. This was mildly horrifying at parts and also a crazy interesting mystery. I loved the timelines and the way the two stories dove together.

I also loved the narrators. Listening to this book only enriched the atmospheric and spooky vibes for me and I would highly recommend this book for spooky season.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The book was really good, I've always enjoyed this author, but the narrator ruined it for me. The voice didn't match the voice of the story.

This was so perfectly spooky - and we feel as if there is an unrealiable narrator - with a completely unreliable mother - but as the story unfolds this begins to make sense even as we weave between timelines & motivations for the characters. I loved this! It could have been spookier - and I expected more rabbits- but it was so well done. And I love that Melissa Albert is one of us with her "Kaz Brekker cheekbones" line.

Our Crooked Hearts is a super creepy YA paranormal fantasy. I must read more by this author! Loved the audio narration.

Our Crooked Hearts brings the essence of the 90's cult movie The Craft and blends it with contemporary culture. Ivy is far from perfect and is rebelling against her mother and all the expectations placed on her. The more she finds out about her mother the deeper she finds herself eerily similar to her. This book examines the secrets parents bury and the secrets children dig up. The plot is fast-paced and eerie, giving readers a visceral experience.

The narration was a bit too teen angst and felt at times like nails on a chalkboard.

DNF at ~30%

This just was not for me. The book might work out better for the intended teen audience, but for me there was too much swearing. Plus, the author used so many weird metaphors that constantly took me out of the story.

I had a hard time with this one. The voice of Ivy reminded me too much of Velma from Scooby Doo. I tried to hang on to see if the plot got better but I was 45% through when I just couldn't listen anymore. I am hoping to read the book to see if I can get through it.

This was excellent! It touches on so many themes, and weaves a story with fantasy elements so well that I didn't always believe it was fantasy! For being YA, it kept my (adult) attention. The writing was beautiful!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars. Not the worst read, but definitely not my favorite from Melissa Albert. A dual perspective, dual timeline witchy read whose construction worked against it for me. I loved the basis for the story and the historical timeline was what really caught my attention, but there just wasn't enough of it. The more modern storyline felt a little too underwhelming and I guess I just expected something different. The pacing can be a little slow, so that may also have caused me some issues as I like my reads to have a bit more of a clip unless they're a more literary style read. Definitely dark and I agree with the comparisions to The Craft as the female witchiness was really a great focus and well done. The writing was solid and the atmosphere came through really well, I was just underwhelmed.

This was a great YA thriller. It is perfect to read in spooky season! It’s told in two timelines- one is a teenager in present day and the other is her mother, when she was young. It was super entertaining to see the story lines intertwine. Definitely recommend!

Big thanks to Netgalley and Melissa Albert fit the Audio ARC in exchange for a review.

This book is split into two perspectives, one current and one in the past. Activities and actions in the past, which were expected to stay there, come screaming back into life for a second generation to deal with. Magic and mayhem, secrets and deception. Lies. It all comes out when the past comes back for revenge.

I'm giving 4 stars, rounding up to 4.5.
I love the 'i had a troubled childhood, but in doing better for my kids' storyline, even though out doesn't exactly workout that smoothly.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows a duel timeline Dana and Ivy, a mother and daughter. Dana's POV takes place in the 90's and Ivy's POV is present day. As weird things keep happening around Ivy, Dana's story is unravelling and Ivy is finding out things about her mother that she never knew, with the help of her neighbor.

This is the second book from Albert that I have read. The plot of this sounded very intriguing, so I thought I would give her another shot. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I did care for the main characters. I was not invested in what was happening to them and why. The writing style also wasn't for me. I felt like it was very slow, despite it being a spooky book.