Member Reviews

2.5 rounded up.

I am so disappointed.... I loved Andrew Joseph White's first book, Hell Followed With Us, and recommended it to multiple students. (How many people caught the parallels to Biblical descriptions of angels???) His second book, The Spirit Bears Its Teeth, was more forgettable. This one I was worried about, and those fears were founded.

Most importantly, if you are going to make every main character an avatar of yourself, there's a lot of work and self-examination that has to take place for that to work out. I've seen other readers tire of this mechanism, but I actually appreciate this trick when done well. The stories themselves are of enough variety to show different facets and explore how traits and identities play across time and space. Kinda like Dr. Who, which I love.

But to do that, especially with oneself, you have to be willing to examine biases, triggers, etc. My guess is that this one is still just too close. The introduction never being edited although he completely expected to (according to said intro) was the first flag. I have found that the plot filtered through autism in AJW's work functions much like an unreliable narrator literary device and contributes to the plot twists and suspense. In this one, we the readers aren't given enough to work with. We don't really know why this feud is a thing, especially from the point of view of the Davies'. You need two to make a feud.

So many characters needed fleshing out and humanizing. Moustache twiddling Boris, aka Davies, does not make a good feud participant and reduces the entire thing.

Cooper was in love with Sadie. We didn't get to see that well because Miles completely misses it..Therefore his actions made much less sense. His magical transformation into villain really came out of nowhere and for no reason since it becomes immediately irrelevant.

Paul gets some complexity for a brief moment, and then the plot moves on and ignores the themes.

Even the family members! We need more mom and dad, mamaw and papaw. These are based on AJW's family, so it's possibly that once again we are too close so readers don't get any of the details; the things that make them human.

Then there's Saint. Saint had so much potential that was so under-realized that it turned into Why is he even here? We never get the true POV, only Miles's unreliable interpretations.

This isn't even mentioning things like Miles's inability to be wrong or even unsure about anything. This Miles is always right is the main wall between us and these characters we're missing. Even though Miles can't be wrong, he sure can't cover his tracks after the first death. I get immediate reactions not being anticipated, but c'mon wouldn't you go back and clean up things? Get rid of bodies? Etc etc etc.

Also, as the reviews have shown, there needed to be a bit of this: https://youtu.be/l1yzhc5VhU0?si=DDCJBAmX1gTb9TNX
(Explains socialism vs communism)

I really hope AJW visits somewhere for his next book that he can fully explore in its full complexity. Then we'll see if I can take the risk.

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Miles is a trans, autistic teen in West Virginia. His family, the Abernathys, have been in a long-standing blood feud with the Davies family, whose patriarch is the sheriff of Twisted Creek, WV. This book covers the fall out after the Sheriff's kid and his cronies brutally beat Miles in an ambush.

This book could have been incredible! However, lapses in execution made it more of a meh for me. First off, why are they feuding? This needed to be explored more, along with many other things, like socialism. I don't believe you can talk about socialism without actively defining it in a YA book. More so with the number of reviews where socialism and communism are mixed up.

Many of the characters also felt flat to me. I also wasn't a fan of Miles and his mental gymnastics to make revenge killing morally correct. I would have liked to see more of Saint. His story was more intriguing to me than the main plot. Now for the villains. Have you all ever seen Boris and Natasha from the Rocky & Bullwinkle show? That was my mental image of the sheriff. He was so over the top and stereotypical. It was laughable. I also wasn't a fan of the romantic subplot. Detailing why would be a spoiler, though. The pacing was also inconsistent and made it hard to focus in the middle of the book. Overall, this just wasn't my cup of tea.

My thanks to Holiday House, author Andrew Joseph White, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

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Another phenomenal book by Andrew Joseph White. I love the real-life adaptation in this book. You could feel the connection between AJW life and the characters in the story. The autism rep in this one felt more authentic and so close to my own experience. Highly recommend checking out AJW full list of books.

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Wow, White’s writing just gets better with each book. This is an incredibly violent paranormal thriller set in a small town in West Virginia detailing a 100 year long blood feud between the Abernathy family and local law enforcement that dates back to the Coal Wars. This book examines the injustices that capitalism and cops inflict on working class people and how power can be abused in small towns.

This is the most grounded and realistic of White’s books so far and that’s what made it feel all the more horrifying. The sheriff and his son were such a deadly presence that they made my stomach flip every time they were on page. The one and only complaint that I have about this book is the inclusion of highly improbable found family aspects. Found family is a running theme in White’s work and I understand the importance of the message but the execution has always been too on the nose. Thankfully the rest of this book was so damn good that the positives outweigh the one negative. The MC is an autistic aromantic trans guy, I’m always happy for more aro rep since there isn’t enough of it.

CWs: animal cruelty/death, police brutality and corruption, sexism, gun violence, hate crime, murder, gore, addiction, bullying, toxic friendship, ableism, injury details/blood, transphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, homophobic slur, outing

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In Twist Creek, power is taken by force and obtained through fear.

The Abernathys have long survived by inaction, but when trans teen Miles finds proof that Sheriff Davies drove his parents’ car off the road and stood by watching as someone’s mother burned, justice—or change, at least—seems to be within reach.

There are reasons for the whole town's silence, though, and Miles is one walk through the woods away from learning them.

Andrew Joseph White has a tendency to make me feel ill, but I will read everything he writes. Through a queer and neurodivergent lens, he shows the impossibility of staying undetected and the pain caused by parents choosing between accepting their child and protecting them—and he does so masterfully.


Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for the ARC!

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*I received a copy from Netgalley*

Andrew Joseph White is one of the best trans authors in this day and age, and this was another hit. I don’t know what it is about White’s writing that is just so good, but his books are sometimes ones you can’t put down.

I started this when I was in an ebooks slump, but finally got out of it and I read the rest of it so fast. I was hooked. I needed to know what happened.

Andrew Joseph White will forever be an author I constantly recommend.

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I absolutely loved this book. I was on the edge of my seat while reading Compound Fracture. White has done it again and crafted a magnificent thriller rooted in Appalachian worker's rights. It's a thriller that can speak to many teen readers and as usual, White uses this medium to speak eloquently on social issues important for teens. Through the voice of an autistic, transgender, aromantic teenager, White weaves a skillfully-crafted story sure to bring chills down the spines of teen readers, especially those from marginalized identities. I'll never get tired of Andrew Joseph White's books, and I can't wait for this to publish so that I can promote it to my teen readers who love thrillers!

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I have actively been seeking this author out since receiving the ARC for The Spirit Bears Its Teeth. Though Compound Fracture takes us on a different gritty journey of self discovery and identity, it is as powerful and hard-hitting.

I truly appreciate Andrew Joseph White not pulling his punches and sugar coating scenarios when depicting how tough it can be when transgender and neurodiverse. In the rural mountains of Appalachia, different is not always readily accepted when tradition is frequently the law of the land.

Yes, there is a lot of political conversation within these pages but I feel it is a conversation which needs to be had. I grew up in a small town, middle of nowhere place and the abuse of power I've seen by the morally corrupt and the ones who have been in power too long needs to be highlighted. I will not say this is an easy or comfortable book to read, but I feel it was well worth the time and the the read. I am so glad I received the ARC and I hope to read more from Andrew Joseph White in the future!

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Compound Fracture is about a town in a red state that is basically ran by one sheriff. 300+ pages filled with rage, powerlessness and hope for a change.

Miles - an autistic teenager who just came out to his parent that he is trans over an email, but they had to read it while Miles ended up in the hospital after being beaten up like an animal. How did he survive? It doesn't matter. What matters is that he does not remember anything when the sheriff asks. Because that's how it goes here. If you remember something, you will pay for it. With your life, with your loved ones or any other way. But you will definitely pay,

Miles is mad at the world for being unfair and for people to drive towards profit instead of each other. Who wouldn't be mad about having a president who is a criminal and cheats on his wives? Well, there are plenty of those people as he wouldn't be a president otherwise. And 80% of the county is pro Trump.

Enough about what the book is about. Why did I love it so much? The characters are not only diverse, but also very realistic. Mom is struggling to accept Miles, while dad is trying his best and most of the time succeeding. Then you have Cooper - Mile's friend and "partner in crime" - who is accepting, but also it makes Miles wonder if Cooper actually sees him as "him". There are a bunch of awful people in this area and there are enough people to try to be neutral. It is a messy and politics filled novel. And relatable af. Miles' inner monologue? He is a no-nonsense guy and I love that for him.

Thanks to NetGalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink, Peachtree Teen for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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This author has become such a staple for me, so I couldn't wait for Compound Fracture - and I was not disappointed!
While the pacing felt a tad slow at times, White has this talent for writing immersive, creepy and somewhat haunting (because of the subject matter) stories, that always leave me pondering what's wrong in our own world (which might not sound like an endorsement but is!).
I loved especially how Compound Fracture focused on found family, belonging and not having to change yourself to fit somewhere because the right people will accept you just the way you are.
Miles's story arc was so empowering and I can't wait to see what White comes up with next!

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White is easily one of my favorite authors, so picking this up was a no-brainer, and I was not disappointed.

Miles Abernathy grows up in the middle of a feud between his family and those like him, the folks that worked the mines and now work where they can, and those with power, specifically their town sheriff and his family, dating back years to a labor riot when an avoidable disaster killed a ton of miners in their town. Trying to get an edge back at the sheriff that ruined his family and the families of his friends, Miles finds himself nearly killed and, suddenly, haunted, or in reality guided, by his ancestor, Saint Abernathy, the original leader and martyr of the labor riots. As the body count of this feud grows, Miles finds himself in more and more danger, all the while navigating coming out as trans, realizing he's autistic, and a few other things about himself.

This book was an adventure that had me hooked until the last page. Community coming together to help each other and take their lives and freedom back. Miles finds more support as his world crumbles and builds itself back up, culminating in a dramatic final showdown reminiscent of the past. I loved every second of it, even as the events horrified me at times. White is very skilled at writing horror. If you've enjoyed White's other novels this is a fantastic addition to the lot. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a tale about cruel men of power getting what they deserve, and those they abuse taking what's owed them.

In additional to the trans and autistic rep, we also have ADHD, nonbinary, various disabilities, and to my pleasant surprise, aromantic and queer-platonic, and as someone whose queer-platonic relationships mean the world to them, I was so excited to see that representation.

Also, there is the best dog ever. <spoiler>She does survive.</spoiler>

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4 stars

Years ago, one of my siblings and I saw a film that we knew was excellent but also that we both agreed repeatedly - even while watching - that there was no way we'd ever watch again. There was something too traumatizing, disturbing, difficult, etc. to manage more than just the once. That sentiment is one I also have for this book. In many ways, it is excellent. It is also extremely challenging to encounter most of the motifs that appear.

Miles is an excellent main character. He's queer, trans, autistic, Appalachian, and from a family with a rich history of rebellion and trouble. This combo also puts his family at odds with local law enforcement, who are just about as bad as one might expect. Or, maybe, worse.

This book is relentless. The violence seems endless. Readers' bodies may hurt vicariously just from the descriptions of what these characters are up to. The list of content warnings...it's also quite involved. I highly recommend looking into this before cracking this book. Expect extreme violence (including death), transphobia, animal harm, trauma across the generations, and addiction/withdrawal...and this is a partial list.

It took me a relatively long time to get through this one. Again, in many ways, this is an excellent book with a near iconic protagonist, but readers will also need to employee legendary emotional vigor to persist.

I'm interested in more of this author's writing, but I'll be prepared to mix it in with strategic self-care next time.

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Thanks to Peachtree Teen for providing the e-ARC via Netgalley for an honest review.

Compound Fracture is a book I've been excited about all year.

It follows Miles Abernathy, who comes out to his parents as trans in the early pages of the book. But he is more worried about what he’s about to do: give evidence to an old friend that will finally prove the local Sheriff Davies is responsible for his father’s “accident” and the death of his friend’s mother. A generational feud between the Davies and the Abernathy goes back a hundred years. After a severe assault, Miles starts seeing his ancestor, Saint Abernathy, a miner who rose up against union busters, and was killed for his actions.

There is something about AJW’s writing that allows me to read about difficult things. There is a LOT of violence in this book, and Miles goes through some horrific things because he is an Abernathy. But he’s also part of the cycle of violence whether he wants to be or not, and is just trying to survive.

One thing I loved about this book was that it examines family and community and owning who you are completely. Belonging to a place, and learning how to fight for your space within it. I also loved how it looked at second-chance friendships, and whether it is possible to be friends after trauma and life-altering events. There is also an exploration of being Autistic and whether you can call yourself that if you know you can never afford the testing (I loved that scene).

There is a sort of lawlessness in this story that felt believable, and has you rooting for justice, even if it’s messy and morally grey.

Definitely one of my favourite books of the year!

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trans autistic guy growing up in a small Appalachia town. The problem is the Sheriff of this town has it out for Miles family after a long standing feud between the two families, going all the way back to when Miles great-great grandfather incited a miners’ rebellion and was publicly executed for it. After Miles is almost killed by the Sheriffs son he decides it’s time to end the cycle of abuse and violence at the hands of this family.
In AJW fashion this is a queer rage book that can at times be hard to stomach, but is such a powerful read! It’s also incredibly obvious how much telling this particular story about small Appalachian town meant to AJW. You can tell in every single page that he put his whole heart in this book, and it truly makes for a special read!

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Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I have to say that AJW became an instant buy/read author for me with his debut book “Hell Followed With Us”. I was fortunate to get an ARC of “Spirit Bares its Teeth” and loved it as well. I own both in multiple formats now.

So when I got the arc of this book as well, I was beyond excited. This is a little different from his first two. It isn’t horror in the same way those two were, but it’s definitely got horrific elements to it.

I love that not only do we have trans rep in this, but also autistic, ADHD and aromantic. All of it is handled well, but I wouldn’t expect any less from AJW.

As with his other two books, there are definitely things that can be triggering to some. So be careful in your reading. This was probably one of the harder books to read, not because it was badly written or anything, but because of the subject matter and how very real it all is. That being said, if you can handle it it’s worth the read.

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Compound Fracture will definitely be hit or miss for some people. It was definitely more of a miss for me. I really enjoyed the writing but the pacing seemed to be either too slow and at other times, too fast. The villains also seemed underdeveloped to the point of being over the top and campy.

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Compound Fracture follows Miles, a trans, autistic teen, who lives in a small town where his family and the town's Sheriff have a century-long blood feud. Back during the coal mine strikes, Miles's ancestor, Saint Abernathy, was the leader of the coal mine strike who was then later publicly executed by the Sheriff's ancestor. This event labeled the two families as enemies and has resulted in many violent events that have shadowed each generation down to Miles. Back in the present, Miles has found evidence that could prove the Sheriff to be guilty of causing the car accident that his father was in, however, just as Miles initiates his plan to share this information, the Sheriff's son finds out and attacks Miles, landing him in the hospital. Blackmailed into keeping silent, Miles is released from the hospital and soon triggers a chain of events when he accidentally kills one of the people involved in his attack. Now, Miles has to learn how to survive and remain as safe as he can while uncovering that his family is not the only one who no longer wants to live in fear of the consequences of crossing the Sheriff.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the author's other books, but that is mostly my fault because I did not do my research to know that this was a thriller and not a horror book. I didn't realize this until I was a good portion into the book, so I kept on expecting the ghost of Saint Abernathy to do more, but he was just kind of there to be there, and then there was also the question of whether or not he was actually real or just a side effect of Miles's TBI (traumatic brain injury). That kind of threw me off at first, but otherwise, I still enjoyed this book. I loved all the representation in this book. There was trans, autistic, demi-sexuality, and non-binary representation sprinkled in so that it all felt very natural. I also really liked how family was a strong theme in this book. In the author's other books, the found family troupe is very prominent, and while there is a little bit of found family in this book, the main focus is the family that Miles was born into. Due to the feud that has affected every generation of Miles's family, they are a strong support system when he tells them what he has been doing, but they are also supportive when he comes out. It takes time, but his family is a strong support system for Miles. As for the pacing, there are a couple of points in the book where the pacing seems slow. There will be parts where there is a lot going on, and then others where it seems as though it is just to stretch the story out with not a lot of substance. This also played a part in me not enjoying this book as much as I thought it would, because in my mind, I associate thriller with mystery, so I was expecting the plot to be more fast-paced and to have that "who done it" aspect, but it was more just dealing with the aftereffects of Miles's actions. So in summary, my main issues with this book are just personal issues due to having different expectations, but otherwise, it is a good book that other Andrew Joseph White fans will enjoy.

Arc provided by NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an honest review.

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Absolutely love this book. It was so gory, and I loved the plotting in the story. The way that history can be shared is very interesting and I love that the story talks about the erasure of aspects of the history. I also enjoy that this book has some ghosts. I definitely will be recommending this book to everyone

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I should start by saying that I've enjoyed every one of Andrew Joseph White's novels. That said Compound Fracture is a brilliant change of pace for an author who's made a name for himself by writing mostly paranormal body-horror. Although there are elements of that history here, Compound Fracture is more grounded in reality and all the more visceral for it. I couldn't put this book down.

Miles Abernathy is a victim, but that's not saying anything new. The Abernathy clan has always been a weed that many would rather see stamped out, and yet they keep rising back up. Miles is still trying to come to terms with who they are as a trans boy in rural Appalachia, when a confrontation in the woods nearly ends his life. Many people would take that as a sign to lay low or get out of town entirely, but that's not how it works when you're an Abernathy.

Compound Fracture is about queer joy and acceptance, and finding your community. It's also about pain and loss and living under oppression. All in all it's a great read and one I'll be recommending for a long time to come.

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Big thanks to NetGalley for the eARC and also Penguin Random House for the audio ARC!

I’ve read AJW’s other two books and very much loved them and this one is just…different than those. In ways that aren’t to my tastes, but I think others will enjoy this.

This book felt less gory than his other books and lacked the strong paranormal/supernatural element his other two books had. And having it set in the current time period also was not really for me. It made it feel a bit more preachy than the previous two books.

Again, I think these issues are a matter of taste and others will still enjoy this!

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