I absolutely adored this one. It was one of my most anticipated releases this year after loving Hell Followed With Us in 2022 and it sure didn't disappoint!

Eventhough I'll admit I'm not a big YA fan–mainly because I don't like being inside the minds of teenagers (it was a bad enough experience when I was one lol)–I just love Andrew's take on them. Probably something to do with how his main characters are always filled with so much righteous anger. This is more than queer pride its queer wrath and I'm so here for it!

The rural Appalachia setting is brought to life so vividly I felt like I could almost reach out and touch it.
Although there is a slight supernatural element to this one, all the more terrifying is the too realistic scenarios that come with big egoed men in power, how they wield said power and how that cycle of abuse is allowed to continue, especially in small towns.
It was brutal, claustrophobic as hell and genuinely had my heart racing in the second half!

Despite all The Horrors™️ I'd say its also a love letter to rural Appalachia and tight knit communities and all the complicated feelings that come with growing up queer in small town.

I really liked how Miles' gender was handled. In stories with trans MCs you normally get either disownment and abuse or families who despite being cis immediately seem 'get it' 100% and accept their child no strings attached. I've not read many that deal with that grey area inbetween like this one does.

Equal parts excited and jealous of all the actual teenagers that'll get to read this one. I know baby me would've felt so seen with the unabashed autistic & queer rep!
Theres something so comforting about the book's stubborn defiant message that whether you like it or not we've always been here and we're not going anywhere.

Thank you to Daphne Press and Netgalley for this advance readers copy.

Compound Fracture is filled with trans autistic rage. This queer Appalachian thriller pulls no punches, and follows a trans autistic teen who survives an attempted murder, only to be drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time reading this. Joseph White is amazing at writing tension, and I felt it palpitatingly during my time reading this book. Loveeed.

This is a really good story filled with great characters and diverse perspectives. I enjoy books with POVs I don’t yet understand and this working class story of Appalachia and its small town vibes definitely fit the bill. Also, must note that *the dog doesn’t die* and is a good girl right to the end. ❤️ Somewhere between 4 and 5 stars from me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ebook access, and my library for the audio.

A love letter to Appalachia, this dark thriller really showcases White’s ability to jump into a character’s voice seamlessly. I loved the story and loved the portrayal of family.

Andrew Joseph White has done it again!
I loved this book though it did take me around 60% before I really got into it, but after THAT scene I was hooked!

Just like his other two books I loved the representation of LGBTQ+ folk and disabled folk. I particularly liked that we got more than 1 autistic character and their autism showed in slightly different ways because disabilities don't affect everyone the same.

White is swiftly becoming a favourite author of mines.

A more in depth review coming soon for my socials and amazon etc

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed Compound Fracture. It was a compelling read that had me gripped, and was almost a 'read in one sitting' kind of book. The characters all felt very real and grounded, and grew along with the story. I couldn't quite give it five stars just because I wish it had been a little longer and explored some of its themes in more depth and there were a few times where I'd like to have been shown rather than told things.

This is my second time reading a book by this author and I'm growing to be a really big fan of their writing. An excellent read for this time of year. Atmospheric, emotive and deeply powerful..

Another brilliant book from the author, Andrew Joseph While.
I always love the complexity and depth of his characters. The style of writing which lends itself to the story telling, and the plot itself.
Such a good read, I’d recommend this to everyone.

4 stars

I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I have read from Andrew Joseph White, each book is so different but carries the same rage while addressing complex issues in a fictional setting. Compound Fracture is no different.

The characters are complex and believable in their imperfections and how human they are, and how they are as people. There are relatable relationships within this book which make the story even more heart wrenching. As always, check the trigger warnings for this book, however this one had less body gore and paranormal aspects than in previous books.

The book is heavily political and contains a lot of tension, it contains generational trauma, abuse of authority and political corruption, poverty, and themes of identity. The story follows Miles and his family in a small town that is rife with corruption and set after Donald Trump became President. Just like in previous books, the author provides an emotional and gritty picture of many young people's experiences as queer and trans.

I felt the book itself was fast-paced and a fairly quick read, which added to my enjoyment!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

AHHHHH AJW strikes again!

This book is everything I've come to expect from Andrew Joseph White: complex discussions of gender identity, sexuality and what it means to be family; gore, horror and love in the face of violence; hauntings, ghost stories and a message for the future. I think I found the violence in this story to be particularly horrifying because of the book being set in the present: HFwU is set in an apocalyptic future, and TSBiT is set decades into the past. But Compound Fracture is set right now, detailing horrors neither historical nor hypothetical, and I think that got to me more than the others. There's also almost no fantasy element to this – all the horror is real.

I found this story, like all this author's other books, wonderful and powerful and gorgeous and shocking and full of both light and dark. I think I struggled at the end a bit where a small rural town decides to completely reject capitalist systems of power and wealth distribution on the fly, but I appreciate the dream. I'll always read this guy's books, and never be disappointed.

Thanks to the team at Daphne Press for the ARC! Can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when they're out here in Aus!

This was a genuinely fascinating read, I don't often come across books that are tagged as queer horrors so colour me surprised when I saw this one and I absolutely have a soft spot for YA reads.

The story jumps straight in and the pace felt pretty great all the way through from there on. We start with Miles coming out to his parents as trans. What follows is a pretty brutal tale questing for the truth whilst the sheriff continues his rule. After being pretty savagely beaten the story takes a further turn and honestly it just keeps you hooked page after page.

Growing up as a queer horror fan I can honestly say I would have been overjoyed to see a book like this sat waiting for me in the YA section, White's writing style is fantastic and I love that there is also representation of autism and neurodivergence that feels authentic, which is often used on a tokenistic basis in books. I'll certainly been looking up more of Whites work in the future.

Compound Fracture was a fast-paced and thrilling story that suffered from a few unfortunate choices in regards to its characters.

Firstly, there was a lot to enjoy about this book. White's writing style is engaging and in particular I liked how he explored the connection between the past and present, and how that affects people living in regions like Appalachia.

There was also a lot to like about Miles as a character, unfortunately it also felt like there was a double standard in regards to his behaviour and that of others characters - Cooper being the best example of this - which is never addressed. Speaking of Cooper, he definerely underwent a character assassination in the final third of the book.

I will also say that while White's portrayal of autism felt realistic, I was completely thrown by the fact Miles didn't realise he was autistic until over halfway through the book. (Like I found it hard to believe a character who knows about autism/neurodiversity and is clearly very aware of his autistic behaviours would never once have done any research into it / considered the option.)

Overall, whilst I personally didn't enjoy this as much as White's previous books, it was still an interesting read.

Although not a regular horror reader, I have previously LOVED the author’s other works and knew this would be no different. I’m glad I was right because this was a fantastic read! I was invested in the characters and the mysterious ancient family blood feud, and loved how the events of the story played out. I’m intrigued to see what the author writes next!

I'm still confused about this book. But I enjoyed it. I think the leftover confusion is perfect for the horror of it. The confronting themes within it.
What it is great at, is representation of genders, of explaining neurodivergence, of accepting who you are with no regrets.

Well written, exciting and engaging from the first page. Absolutely devastating. The perfect book to read this Spooky Season.

andrew joseph white never misses!! i had been waiting for this release for well over a year but somehow i hadn't actually grasped what the book was going to be about?? i must have read "trans, autistic, west virginian" and then stopped processing. tonally, this book seemed different to ajw's other books. maybe it's because miles was written with the cadence of a west virginian, something unique to this book. maybe it's because it's set in a time period pretty close to present-day (although 2017 being 7 years ago is VILE if you ask me). either way, this novel had all of the gore and violence that i know and love ajw for.

weirdly enough, i think the murders that happen in this book hit a lot harder for me than the ones in hell followed with us and the spirit bears its teeth, probably because this book was set in a much more realistic setting. yes, there's still an element of magical realism, but it's easier to overlook. the idea that such terrible things could happen in a real american town with ZERO repercussions would probably bother me if i thought too much about it (also yes, i'm pretty sure that twist creek is fictional). there were also a few particularly gory scenes that i didn't think too hard about, so hopefully i don't have nightmares!

ultimately, i didn't love the characters in this book as much as i did in the spirit bears its teeth but i really enjoyed the presence of positive parental figures and supportive communities. contextually speaking, it would have been very easy for ajw to pin all of miles' family against him, but i'm glad that he didn't. i also liked the aromantic rep, which i think is pretty rare in ya books!

now to wait a year for the next book from ajw...

4.5 rounded up

There are some slight spoilers ahead

Compound Fracture is a brutal love letter to the people who love their small town even if it doesn't love you back - "for all its problems, it's mine". It's for those hurt by a world that hurts them for existing but you can't help but care ("even if I don't like people, you know, it's hard not to give a shit about people as a whole") and fight and bleed. It's full of heart and rage and discovery. Generations of pain and love and oppression culminating in the terror of being alive, especially then, especially today, especially always. It's hard out (t)here when you're queer and disabled and you stand up for what's right.

The book follows Miles, a trans autistic teen in Appalachia striving to survive and protect his family. A family that has been at war for over a 100 years, clawing their way to survival, forced to turn to violence to save them, and the town, from the elite. We join Miles on the eve of his coming out, set on a mission to right the Sheriff's latest wrongs. A violent attack cements a drive to fight back, fuelled by the pain of his ancestors and those still living it. Stakes rise, tension mounts, and the violence escalates but in the midst of the storm a community is formed and Miles finds further self discovery and acceptance dug from the years of smoke and blood. There's also a very good dog.

The horrors of Compound Fracture are very real. Whilst there may be a supernatural guide, the monsters are men and they don't need to wear a mask. They'll smile with your blood on their hands and your money in their pocket. It does not back away from reality. It's an unflinching portrayal of trauma, with complex characters that genuinely make you feel a full spectrum of emotions. I have never felt such terror, never held my breath and urged the book onwards like chapter 45. AJW writes so compellingly that I've highlighted at least half the book. Words that are tattooed on my viscera, on my soul.

I docked half a point mostly because I am a whore for gore and revenge. Like watching a horror film where they run upstairs instead of outside, I'm screaming at them to stop being so stupid. Think of the evidence, think it through, don't leave a trace that it was you, but god if you're gonna do it, make it hurt. I was begging for some poetic torture, to string them up and butcher them as there hands have done so many times before. It was too quick of an end than they deserved. Miles has SO much empathy, far too much in my opinion but it's a testament to his character. No matter how broken, how hurt, he still cares about people. He emerges from the battle, blood stained but still merciful. Still kind. Throughout he feels undeserving of other people's kindness, when other people care. Even from the smallest of autism accommodations, he's so used to hurting that it's foreign to him. I am so grateful he got such a good community that understands him (though there were some stereotypes) and that this book can be a voice for so many to feel less alone. The disability representation/acceptance was also a welcome reprieve.

There were some little things that I didn't like, like the aforementioned stereotypes, lots of unnecessary info or sentences that can take you out of the story. I spent a good chunk of the book begging for SOMEONE to understand police procedure and to maybe NOT LEAVE EVIDENCE. Trigger warnings to be aware of: Transphobia/queerphobia including deadnaming and outing; death, murder, violence; animal death; ableism; fire/fire injury; paedophillia; addiction; medical content.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy. I really loved the book and its characters. I can see that the author spent a long time on worldbuilding and forming 3 dimensional characters. This was already on my wish-list for the year, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. I loved the read and can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

Absolutely loved this! Andrew Joseph White knows how to tell a story and is phenomenal at creating stories and characters with so much depth and intrigue. I loved how reading this felt and the journey we went on a as a reader. 10/10 and I can’t wait for more of Andrew’s books

This is a gritty, gory, and brutal tale of a violent and centuries-old feud between the working class Abernathy family and the Davies', whose current figure head is the cruel county sheriff. We follow trans and autistic Miles Abernathy as he becomes the feud's latest victim and is forced to sacrifice it all in a desperate effort to put an end to the cycle of violence and free his family - and town - from the abuse they suffer.

The story is fast-paced but gripping. The writing is brutal and direct, but oh so enjoyable. Our protagonist is raw and real, and his journey of self-discovery is gut-wrenching at times, tender at others, but overwhelmingly empowering at its core.

There's an incredibly diverse array of characters, and I thought the representation was handled with the utmost care. The story and writing are also highly political, and I was so here for it - a group of fierce and unapologetic socialists and anarchists who rise up and take their town back? Yes, please. Also, a ya novel where the adults are competent, loving, caring, and supportive (even if flawed)? Again, yes, please! We desperately need more of that in the ya genre, and it was a definite highlight for me.

𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒓.
This quote kept coming to my mind while reading; one of the most touching plot points is perfectly encapsulated by it.

The book's last line gave me goosebumps; there's something deeply powerful and moving in seeing people take power and win.

This is a story about the working class coming together and standing their ground in the face of those who oppress them and benefit from doing so. It's a story about family and community. It's a story about being unapologetically who you are. It's a story about fighting for your place in the world, about clawing your way out of silence.

This was a harsh, captivating, and deeply emotional read. The book is out now, and I highly recommend it. I honestly can't wait to read more of this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the earc in exchange for my honest review!

Andrew Joseph White went from a never-heard-of author to a insta-buy author for me this year, and I say that as someone who doesn't specifically enjoy or seek out a lot of YA books, especially YA horror. But I have really enjoyed all three of his published books to date. Admittedly, I think this one was the toughest read for me in that it felt a bit too uncomfortably close to reality while the other two books have required some fantastical thinking, but with that discomfort came a lot of home truths about the world we live in and the way we treat each other. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a gritty and grim story about a queer teen who fights for what's right and learns endless life lessons in the process.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!