In Compound Fracture Andrew Joseph White takes us to a forgotten small town in West Virginia with a blood feud spanning a century and the teenagers at the center of it now. Miles comes out to his parents as trans the same night he sneaks out to a party with evidence that an "accident" his father and some close family friends were involved in isn't what the sheriff claims it was only to end the night in a hospital bed, having had his own "accident" just as the summer starts off.

I found the start of this book reminding me what it felt like to be right at the end of high school, on the edge of becoming a new person, only for Compound Fracture to backslide into a horror story that had me sick to my stomach with worry and dread. By the halfway point I was certain that the only way it was going to end was with everyone dead (even sweet Lady, the dog that I knew was going to be okay). You understand exactly how the cycle in this town was born and how it continued on and on until it landed squarely on Miles' shoulders.

This is a love letter to parts of America that many people are happy to write off as a lost cause, and AJW's love for West Virginia practically bleeds off the page. At times, parts of this book almost feel more like a memoir than a YA Horror. It's clearly personal for AJW. The messages of this book are about as subtle as a brick through a window, but that's kind of the point.

By the time we meet Miles, he's firmly rooted in his political ideology and what he thinks those around him deserve. He encounters some things that may rattle this idea, but he's never really moved from that conviction. A lesser book would maybe have made Cooper the main character. I find his anger easier to understand, I remember being seventeen and that spitting mad at the world. I think the inner narration does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed, and Miles has a very good understanding of how the history of Twist Creek brought him exactly to where he is today. This does have the consequence of action scenes pausing for a big chunk of monologue that can leave the pacing feel haphazard at times.

Overall, I think this is the least fantastical of AJW's work up until this point, and it would serve as an excellent entry point to the uninitiated. I also think the message that the southern states are not full of people that the left can write off as a lost cause is an unfortunately important one right now. Miles still has a lot to discover about himself over the course of this book, so there is also a quiet, beautiful coming of age story to be found entwined with the horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the eARC.

Set in rural West Virginia with a plethora of complicated characters and a trans main character, this novel packs a strong emotional punch while still having horrifying moments. Miles has it hard enough coming out as trans but a family feud, class issues, and a list of violence keeps that from being his only issue this summer. It was a strong and very entertaining novel, I absolutely loved it.
Gosh the representation of queer and neurodivergent characters was so well done. It feels authentic and doesn't feel forced in, they feel like real experiences the characters have. Especially the way autism is portrayed and the ways different characters view it. I especially enjoyed the representation for an aromantic character who isn't also asexual. I really enjoyed the use of language in the book to immerse you more into Miles perspective and the setting. The discussion of class issues and generational trauma were compelling and helped to add to the struggle in the novel. The only thing I might criticize is the overly evil behaviors of the Davies, though to a degree it still feels based in reality. It just feels a little exaggerated. But it adds to the story rather than detracts in my opinion.
This is a strong recommendation from me to any trans or autistic readers, but also just any reader who wants a damn good Appalachian YA horror. I'm definitely going to buy a copy upon release!

Once again, Andrew Joseph White shows that he is one of the best authors out there. Compound Fracture is raw and tender, harsh, and accepting. White balances generational trauma with the joys of finding oneself even in the darkest of times. I've never felt so fully eviscerated by a novel, and I can't wait for his next book so I can experience the feeling all over again. Compound Fracture will take you to the darkest edge of humanity while holding you firmly and whispering that you are never truly alone.

I absolutely adore Andrew's previous works, both Hell Followed with Us and The Spirit Bares its Teeth were 5 star reads for me.

Compound Fracture did not make the same impact on me. While it still had the tone I enjoy, the plot felt a little too simple and overly character driven. I found all of the issues the story discussed really interesting and wanted to know more about the background characters.

I also really loved the families, chosen or blood, that were portrayed in the story. The good and the truly awful were represented in this book and it was very interesting to delve into the complexities of how different characters interacted with their families.

Lady is best girl.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an arc for this book.

AJW may be my favorite author of all time. His characters are written so beautifully and the tension!!! I keep finding myself so immersed in the world, even though I usually don't like violence at all.

This book was less horrory than Hell Followed With Us. I think that's why I kind of prefered that one, but I still adore this one.

The things AJW writes about are so relatable, it's actually frightening. While HFWU was more fantasy/scifi (still realistic 😭), this one was even more realistic and therefore more disturbing.

I love love love Miles and Dallas. I hope Lady is getting all the hugs and kisses.

Genuinely so happy about the trigger warnings in this book, I don't think I need them that much, but it's so considerate and necessary, it should be much more common in my opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

3.75/5 rounded to 4 stars.

I’ve been a big fan of Andrew Joseph White’s writing for a long time. I devoured Hell Followed With Us in a day when it came out. Spirit Bears It’s Teeth took more time, but both tore something visceral out of me at multiple points. I loved thé found family aspects of them and the objective horror of the situations they found themselves in that leaned heavily on the supernatural happening around them.

Compound fractures is a little different. The supernatural element is very much toned down compared to the other two. Not that I mind. Saint is really interesting as a character and I am very much left wondering if he was real as a specter or part of Miles’ trauma.

The book was a little slow at times. I found myself struggling to get through some parts due to it. The character moments were important, I know, but the overall threat felt very minuscule until the last third of the book. Everyone was jumpy over it, but it was hard to stick to the line.

If you like gore, though, there is plenty to be had. Andrew never fails to write good body horror and it’s something I love about his writing. One character death had a visceral reaction from me, and the sense of Justice is, as always, really solid.

The social commentary in the book comes off a little heavy handed at times, but very solid over all. It’s very “history repeats” in terms of messaging, where social well-being and community wins out over the cycle of violence, thought it took a lot to finish.

A beautiful novel. AJW impresses me more and more with each new release. The language is gorgeous in how precise it is, and the horror of classism is tackled in an absolutely perfect way. One of my favorite books of the year!

Andrew Joseph White's COMPOUND FRACTURE will knock the wind out of you. Like his other books, COMPOUND FRACTURE is dark, but this novel in particular refuses to pull any punches (literally and figuratively). This is not a lighthearted book--there's graphic violence and transphobia--but it's masterfully crafted and an important story for the current political landscape. My only criticism is that its discussions of workers' rights and socialism/communism occasionally come across as preachy. As an educator, I can't imagine adding this book to my curriculum (the parent blowback would be FIERCE), but I can certainly see myself recommending it to specific students.

"Compound Fracture" by Andrew Joseph White is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. White masterfully crafts a tense and suspenseful narrative, filled with unexpected twists and turns that will leave readers guessing at every page. With complex characters and a compelling plot, "Compound Fracture" explores the darkest depths of the human psyche, offering a chilling glimpse into the mind of a killer. Fans of thrillers won't be able to put this book down.

rated: 3 stars

i have loved ajw's other books, so this not living up to my expectations was even more disappointing.

lots of this book was good for me. i really liked miles and his family, both blood related and otherwise, and the discussion of community through this felt really strong to the point that i wished we had gotten more time with them. there were some decisions made at the end by miles' family, specifically following miles into making some very VERY poor decisions, that would have been a lot more impactful with some more consideration as to why they were making those decisions. the health care inequality conversation also was so well done, especially through saint and lucille but also through miles' family overall again.

my biggest let down in this book though was cooper. his morally grey ideals, apathy and desire to get revenge were so interesting to me, and as the story continued on he became more and more of a caricature. miles' autism led to a really black and white narration where things were either good or bad, and bad things that happened could easily be justified away, which i understand but really didn't like as a story choice. cooper's role in the story was teetering at the edge of nuance here that i didn't see anywhere else in the book, and i think would have made this story so much better.

cooper was the only not-villain character that i saw that had these deep conservative leanings. it felt to me a very strange narrative choice to completely cut out any discussion of conservatism in the south in favour of this "everyone in the south is secretly a leftist theyre just being oppressed right now so they can't realise it" message, because it doesn't feel true. the ending where the whole town stood by, watched, and covered it up? i get the point of trying to bring hope to people in these communities, but it still felt too unrealistic to me. more so than the ghost.

i also despised that miles justified the deaths of three children. i think it really soured the effect of him getting revenge on the people that hurt him. yes, what they did was unforgivable, but they were also just children still who were being shaped that way by the people above them and around them too. i really hated the messaging that killing those children was okay, because as evil as they were portrayed its so early in their lives to make the permanent decision that the world is better off without them. this is all tied into my wish that we got to see more of the conservativeness of the deep south spoken about in this book. sure i wish these kids didn't have to die, but what do you do with them if they live? i would have much rather discussion surrounding that.

the pacing issues that i had with spirit have also carried over to this book in a worse way. the plot juxtaposes itself between very slow nothing and then extreme violence and murder, which was quite jarring to read.

i did enjoy this book though, and it was a really gripping page turner that made me want to keep going back to it even when it was gory and tense and i had to look away. the messaging that ajw wants to get across with this book is still really important, but i feel like that messaging has worked better in his previous books, because they are not confined to reality the way this one tried to be.

Rating: 3.75 rounded up.

First off, I am incredibly fond of AJW's writing. There is just a certain quality that sucks me in almost immediately and I feel connected to the text.

Out of the three major titles, this is definitely my least favorite, but I think it mostly boils down to suspension of disbelief in the contemporary time period. There were certain aspects that did take me out of the story and lowered my general enjoyment, but I don't believe they would have the same effect on the target audience.

In true Andrew Joseph White fashion, this book has twists, gore, and genuinely scary moments. But beneath all that is the underlying theme of teens discovering their own power and fighting back against their oppressors. 
In Compound Fracture, Miles is a closeted trans boy living in a small Appalician town. A decades-old family feud has him pitted against the power-hungry sheriff and his son. When Miles survives a beating that was meant to kill him, he starts to fight back, tentatively at first, as he learns who to trust and how to trust himself. 
This book tackles issues of poverty and oppression, institutionalized power and broken government systems, all while taking you on a thrilling ride. 
I received this digital ARC from @netgalley and publisher @peachtreeteen in exchange for an honest review.
Compound Fracture will be released on September 3, 2024.

i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.

compound fracture - a bone fracture that is accompanied by breaks in the skin, causing the broken ends of bone to come into contact with the outside environment;

i've been a fan of andrew joseph white's works since i first got an arc of “hell followed with us” and i think it's safe to say he's one of my favourite authors as of now. absolutely everything he's published so far were works i've devoured in like a day or two. “the spirit bares its teeth” was among my favourite books of last year and “compound fracture” is my first 5☆ of this year. i read this while on an 8-hour train ride and, truthfully, i was so immersed in it that someone could’ve stolen all my belongings and i wouldn’t have noticed.

the book isn't as gory as their previous ones and i think it leans more on thriller at times than horror, so if you didn't pick up the other books because you're not a fan of horror - perhaps you can give this one a go. i think it's one of those books that lets you simmer in their anger, with the action slowly building towards a satisfying climax. i’ve always been a fan of andrew’s endings - i think he always chooses the perfect conclusion to all his stories.

the writing is on par with what i’ve come to expect based on his other books - the perfect combination of dialogue, descriptions, and the main character’s inner monologue. the descriptions of places/actions especially are quite well written, they’re poetic without being too flowery. the dialogue aids in showing the personality of each character and i think every one of them has a distinct, unique personality.
after reading the author’s previous books, i’ve come to notice how meticulously crafted all his main characters are. i feel like all ajw’s characters’ are very complex, with a full scope of feelings and traits and i’m not exactly sure how he does it, but they always feel real. they’re relatable characters and they’re messy and i absolutely eat it up each times. Miles, the protagonist of “compound fracture” is angry at the world for what it did to his family, but he’s so loveable in spite of all his flaws. his evolution throughout the novel is a joy to observe and i’ve went through all the feels – from joy, to hope, to despair, you’ll feel it all. the side characters are well developed, with their own personalities and feelings, and i loved their interactions with the main character.

the plot itself was so interesting that i was constantly on the edge of my seat – we’ve got blood feuds and an appalachian setting, with a dash of horror and supernatural. in a true ajw manner, the body horror was so, so well-done. i love the way he writes the horror bits, as they’re truly creepy and they make you very uncomfortable while reading, which isn’t an ability to ignore. still, as i mentioned before, it’s got less horror parts than his previous works, so it’s more accessible if you’re not a fan of that.

overall, “compound fracture” is a wonderful book with a complex cast of characters and an insane plot. i love andrew’s books and will probably continue to do so until my days as a reader are over.

THANK YOU NETGALLEY, PEACHTREE, and AJ WHITE FOR THIS ARC. I don’t plan on having children so just let me know what you’d like instead of my firstborn, because I owe you an immeasurable debt for this book.

Compound Fracture is White’s third, not really connected but spiritually tethered YA release, and it’s genuinely going to be a challenge for me to actually write out my thoughts as opposed to disappearing into the woods to scream, but I’m going to try.

Miles is a freshly out trans boy who lives in a tiny Appalachian coal town named Twist Creek, where a miner’s rebellion led to an all out blood feud for the past several decades. Unfortunately for Miles, he is a direct descendent of the instigating miner, and the other family at the heart of this feud is and has always been the local law enforcement.
When an altercation between Miles and the sheriff’s son leaves Miles beaten almost to death, hallucinating a soot covered man, and the sheriff levying thinly veiled threats for his silence, Miles can hear the canary in the mine start to sing - it’s up to him to decide who the song is warning.

AJ White must have done some sort of forbidden fey ritual for these writing skills, because YET AGAIN I find myself absolutely in shambles as he outdoes himself with Compound Fracture. I have waxed rhapsodic about both Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, so I figured I would enjoy this book, but it really has come out on top as my favorite so far. The characters, the plot, the horror, the heart - somehow it all exceeded my expectations.

Miles… I thought I met my match with my barely human religiously traumatized Benji, but Appalachian socialist Miles really came for my throat in the best way. Miles is *messy* and violent and filled with righteous fury and determination to fight for the things he holds dear. The bonds he hold with his family, Lady (best goodest girl), his friends, his town - they’re so real. There’s space for love and frustration, fear and admiration, nothing is perfect around or between them but they are still *good* and worthy. Miles has such a genuine heart, and it comes through from the first page to the last. I can tell I’ll be thinking about him for a very long time.

The plot itself was a BANGER, quick paced and intriguing in all the right places. Twist Creek is overrun with secrets. There’s a fair amount of detective work happening as Miles works to uncover everything, and it’s so fun to go back now, knowing the end, and read through my own notes as I tried to figure things out for myself. The relationships are very much the center of the plot, but there are a few different points in the history of the town that have to be understood along the way in order to inform present-day Miles’ actions, and I really appreciated that.
As usual, White does not shy away from the gross and ugly, so please mind your trigger warnings. There was definitely more than one spot that made me put down the book to pace my apartment for a spell, when my own nervous energy got to be too much to contain as I watched Miles fight. I absolutely sprinted through this book, because I couldn’t take more than a few minutes without dying to know how everything would work out. Even with White’s promise in the author’s note that there would be a happy ending, I would find myself wondering how that could possibly come to pass. It did, but it was incredibly hard won.

I don’t know how he does it, I really don’t! At this point, I fear for my life knowing AJ’s first adult book is on its way. The way these 3 have gotten to me, I may truly be a goner.
While I wait, I plan to re-read them all and then go find a nice patch of field to scream in.

I´ve heard very often that this book is a love letter to the South, sadly I do not know enough about the South as I am not an American so I cannot attest to that, but if that is something you are interested in, according to multiple other reviews this book does a great job at exploring southern culture. Now with that out of the way, this book can be enjoyed even if you don´t know anything about the South. (I am living proof)

Andrew Joseph White is by this point one of my absolutely favorite authors, he blew my mind with his first two novels (I haven´t recovered from The Spirit Bares It´s Theets) and this book is no exception. This book doesn’t shy away from exposing brutal truths and the themes are loud and in your face, subtlety is not something we do over here.

All the characters are fully fledged, with wants and needs, built with complex flaws and strength. I am always amazed at how AJW can make every character, even the minor ones, feel so fleshed out. Obviously, as is tradition, Miles is my favorite character. His struggles with coming to terms with both his sexuality and his autism are highly relatable and I loved how the author highlights the importance of representation and being seen.

This book raised my pulse to at least 120 bpm like there was no chill (as the kids say). I held my breath through all of this, most of the time hoping the dog was ok (I did go multiple times to AJW´s Twitter to check that he indeed said the dog would be ok, he promised!!).

The ending was what did it for me, I struggled a bit getting through the first 10% of the book but the last line gave me goosebumps and I couldn´t go to sleep (oh yeah I was up until 3 am finishing this btw) because I kept thinking about everything that happened.

If you love good thrillers definitely pick this one up, if you like any of AJW´s other books you need to preorder this yesterday, and if you like seeing the anarchist and socialist youngsters (and some grown-ups) sticking it to those in power, you need this book in your life. It´s also full of queer anger and love!

What a rollercoaster ride!! I’m reeling.

It was important to me to read this novel because I have a trans sister, and I really want to be able to support her in any way I can. Miles, the main character, was invaluable in teaching me what it’s like to be autistic and trans. Oh, my heart hurt when he referred to the outward manifestations of his autism and trying to mask and appear “normal”, and WHY IS IT ALL SO EASY FOR EVERYONE ELSE!?? That really resonated with me (I have ADHD), and I, too, wonder if there’s a social skills playbook being passed around by neurotypicals, and us neurodivergents have never had access to it. ☹️🥺

This is a difficult book to read. There are many hard things in here, A small town in West Virginia has a blood feud that goes back a hundred years, and the Davies family continually hurts, maims and even kills members of the Abernathy clan. Miles is an Abernathy. He has a target on his back simply by existing. Add in a splash of supernatural horror, political violence and overt homophobia, and you’ve got yourself a page turner.

Thank you to Andrew Joseph White for helping others better understand both the autistic and trans communities. These books are extremely important! Read them, especially this one.

Thank you also to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.


TW: Gore—a proverbial vertical mineshaft full of it.

This book is actually amazing! I have read this author's two previously released books so I was so excited when I became able to read this one. This gut-renching story about a queer, trans, autistic, west-virginian socialist hits home deeply for a very wide range of audiences.

Another gut punch from Andrew Joseph White I cannot wait to buy a copy when it comes out. This was immediately brutal and I was invested right away.

Thank you to Peachtree teen for the ARC!

As someone who grew up queer in the south, Compound Fracture hits home.

The main character Miles is a politically active transgender teen in a small town in West Virginia, who struggles as the ramifications of a century long blood feud once again emerge, and he's faced with the responsibility of protecting his family and community.

An engaging read, with both ample suspense and a captivating plot makes this book difficult to put down. White doesn't shy away from the gorey details, and while violence may be a bit intense for some readers, it's fitting for the work and compliments the parallels to the West Virginia Coal Wars.

At its core Compound Fracture is about community, unity, and protecting their own, in spite of everything. Fans of White's previous works will absolutely enjoy this thrilling read.

I recently read Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White, (courtesy of netgalley & the publisher) and thought it was brilliant. I think his books are all great, in different ways. Thus far, every time I pick one up I just can't put it down again, or if I do, I keep thinking about it.

This one is queer trans autistic west Virginian teenager vs murderous decades long power imbalanced family feud vs the worst of small town energy. There is radical redneck history. There is violence, and intrigue, and mystery. There is satisfaction. I found this book had a bit more education for the uninitiated, and I don't know how that will land for other people - but I didn't think any of it was particularly heavy handed, just I felt like the authour was making an explicit point about certain aspects vs just having it be part of the story for stories sake.

I liked the pacing in the first half, and wanted more from the second half, but what was there was good enough for me. This felt more like a thriller than horror - there are some supernatural elements it was generally softer than his other two books, and wasn't as violent despite still containing some pretty serious violence.

I think this would be a great book for anyone interested in reading some righteous vengeance against mostly unambiguous villains, mixed with some coming of age and self-acceptance/self-understanding themes. You will probably also appreciate it if you were a queer anarchisty-leaning kid growing up in a conservative area (like me) but that might be too on the nose.