Half Dead & Fully Broken

This book had quite the interesting concept. Carter Colby and Marcus Colby are identical twins in high school. Marcus is popular. Colby is not. Colby's life changes greatly when Marcus is killed in a motorcycle accident. Marcus may be dead, but there's one problem: Carter has his face. You can imagine how much that complicates things for his both his family and Marcus's friends.

The book's title is what originally piqued my interest when I saw it listed on NetGalley, which let to me deciding that I'd give it a whirl after reading the synopsis. The book begins with Marcus getting killed in a motorcycle accident, so from the start I was hooked, reading further and further to find out how things play out. There was no initial filler at the start before the main conflict that sets the story's premises occurs.

While reading, it was interesting to observe how Carter, his family, and friends handled the passing of Marcus. I didn't expect some of the plot to play out the way it did, and I don't mean that as a bad thing. I don't want to spoil anything, but the relationship between two characters in this story was rather....interesting? :)

Kevin Craig has written several other young adult novels over the last several years, such as Burn Baby, Burn Baby, Sebastian's Poet, and The Reasons. A sequel to Half Dead & Fully Broken, titled Alive & Kicking, is currently in the works. I'm curious as to where the follow-up book will lead us, as this book had a very standalone feeling. Overall Half Dead & Fully Broken was well written, had a unique plot, and some interesting scenarios.

Half Dead & Fully Broken is the first book I've read by author Kevin Craig, and it won't be the last. I truly enjoyed this book and believe it will be one my students will also love. The story basically details a special "after death" connection between identical twin brothers after one is tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. The surviving twin had the less dominant personality and has to work through identity issues as well as grief. Almost immediately after the accident, the dead brother begins to appear to his twin providing confusion as well as comfort. Despite some unexpected relationships the surviving twin develops, there seems to be a sense of divine intervention on the lives of the 4 main characters in the story. Throughout the book, the love between the brothers shows through and helps the characters cope.

Carter is a social outcast and quite the opposite from his identical twin brother Marcus. After Marcus dies in a motorcycle accident, people really seem to be unable to be near him, as he reminds them of Marcus. Then Marcus' ghost starts visiting Carter to teach him some lessons and to get him to help with something important.

It was quite an entertaining, fast paced read. I finished it within a day. I found especially the beginning very strong and I immediately wanted to continue reading. After Marcus' ghost starts showing up, I was a bit less enthusiastic. He suffered from enormous mood swings, the whole flying things seemed unnecessary and - one of the things I really find annoying in books - there's talk all the time about something that's going to happen and Marcus knows what it is (that's why he's hanging around) but won't tell Carter 'because he can't'. *sigh*

*Some Spoilers Ahead*

Also, his projects with Mel, his brother's girlfriend and Justin, the guy who drove the truck that hit the motorbike felt a bit forced. Not that I didn't enjoy reading it, I did, but especially the relationship between Mel and Carter felt awkward. I understand they find comfort in each other, but to start their own relationship after like two months felt a bit weird. Justin was the typical hard guy that turned out to be okay kind-of guy which didn't really come as a surprise to me.

This all being said, I did enjoy it. The ideas were quite nice and the writing as well. I would read another book if this turned out to be a series.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars

I love it when you start a book, not knowing what to expect from it and you end up loving it! Half Dead & Fully Broken was a bit strange in some ways, but it was also very heartbreaking and sweet at the same time. Very weird.

Half Dead & Fully Broken is about Carter. His brother just died in a horrible accident. Not just his brother, his identical twin brother. Before the accident he was invisible, now everyone sees him, sees his dead brother. But his brother is not completely gone yet. He's still there and only Carter can see him. Marcus knows that his girlfriend took his dead hard and that Justin, the boy who crashed his truck into his motorbike, is drowning in guilt. And he wants Carter to help them.

I seriously didn't know what to expect with this book. It's contemporary, with a bit of a paranormal twist to it. It's subtle though and it works. Everything just made sense in this story. It was heartbreaking most of the time. Of course it was. But it was also very sweet. I can't really describe it. It was a perfect balance of everything and I really liked that. I couldn't stop reading either, I was hooked from page one. Seriously.

I loved Carter. He's always felt invisible next to his popular twin brother. But now everybody sees him. No, they see his brother in him. And it's even worse for him. He has to see his brother every time he looks in the mirror. And then he also sees his ghost and he feels real but he isn't. I loved how much he grew in this book. I also felt for Justin and Melanie. I loved Marcus too. I wasn't very fond of the romance at first, but it grew on me. In the end I did like it.

Half Dead & Fully Broken is heartbreaking, bittersweet and kind of wonderfully weird at times. I definitely want to read the sequel! Recommended to readers who love to torture themselves with a tearjerker that has a paranormal twist.