Scan barcode
pause_theframe's review
5.0
What I Thought:
I could not put this book down! I was drawn in from page one, with the excellent detail and character descriptions. I felt as though I was right alongside Carter, experiencing the tragedy, the pain and the ultimate torture of losing your other half.
We always talk about how hard it is to lose your other half, when you love them, but this takes that loss even further. I can't imagine the pain of having to wake every day, look in the mirror and see the face of the loved one who was lost. I was completely drawn in to Carter's experience, from the excruciating pain of his hamburger hands to the wrenching pain of seeing his brother for the first time. I became addicted to the story as the three 'live' main characters came together, their stories suddenly woven together after the loss of Marcus.
I loved the depth of character that the author gave both of the twins. They showed their love for each other, the true bond between both brothers and twins. It was very emotional to read and feel what they felt, especially through the transition after the loss of half of 'them.'
I felt the pace of the book was spot on. The events kept moving, but there was still an excellent amount of detail in every moment. I could picture the people, the surroundings and feel what they felt.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. It is exciting, emotional and completely new and different from anything I have read before.
I could not put this book down! I was drawn in from page one, with the excellent detail and character descriptions. I felt as though I was right alongside Carter, experiencing the tragedy, the pain and the ultimate torture of losing your other half.
We always talk about how hard it is to lose your other half, when you love them, but this takes that loss even further. I can't imagine the pain of having to wake every day, look in the mirror and see the face of the loved one who was lost. I was completely drawn in to Carter's experience, from the excruciating pain of his hamburger hands to the wrenching pain of seeing his brother for the first time. I became addicted to the story as the three 'live' main characters came together, their stories suddenly woven together after the loss of Marcus.
I loved the depth of character that the author gave both of the twins. They showed their love for each other, the true bond between both brothers and twins. It was very emotional to read and feel what they felt, especially through the transition after the loss of half of 'them.'
I felt the pace of the book was spot on. The events kept moving, but there was still an excellent amount of detail in every moment. I could picture the people, the surroundings and feel what they felt.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. It is exciting, emotional and completely new and different from anything I have read before.
bluebeereads's review
4.0
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
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.
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog
thebookishlibrarian's review
Carter Colby is the most unpopular kid in school. This wouldn’t be so bad if his twin brother Marcus weren’t the most popular kid in school. But when Marcus is killed in a motorcycle accident, Carter is left like a dead man walking, because he is wearing his brother’s face, and things won’t ever be the same.
urlphantomhive's review
4.0
3.5 stars
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
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!
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
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!
penguininabluebox's review
4.0
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In Half Dead & Fully Broken, we follow a young boy called Carter who has a twin brother called Marcus who may look exactly like him but is his complete opposite in all other fields: popular, friendly, confident and so much more. He can do basically anything, but he isn't mean or arrogant about it. One day though, Marcus dies in a motorcycle accident and Carter is left alone, never being able to forget about his brother even for a second because he looks like him. Marcus shows up as a ghost, though, and tries to get Carter to help some people who are struggling with Marcus's death, and finally, Carter experiences love and friendship for the first time in his life.
This was a really good book in my opinion. It was fast-paced and the writing was very easy to follow. Despite the ghost aspect it did not really feel paranormal or anything at all, which I appreciated. I feel like the struggles of the kids were very well displayed but the book stayed a light-hearted read and didn't drag you down at all. So I think it was definitely a good book.
In Half Dead & Fully Broken, we follow a young boy called Carter who has a twin brother called Marcus who may look exactly like him but is his complete opposite in all other fields: popular, friendly, confident and so much more. He can do basically anything, but he isn't mean or arrogant about it. One day though, Marcus dies in a motorcycle accident and Carter is left alone, never being able to forget about his brother even for a second because he looks like him. Marcus shows up as a ghost, though, and tries to get Carter to help some people who are struggling with Marcus's death, and finally, Carter experiences love and friendship for the first time in his life.
This was a really good book in my opinion. It was fast-paced and the writing was very easy to follow. Despite the ghost aspect it did not really feel paranormal or anything at all, which I appreciated. I feel like the struggles of the kids were very well displayed but the book stayed a light-hearted read and didn't drag you down at all. So I think it was definitely a good book.
pavi_fictionalworm's review
4.0
Full review to be up on For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)
I recieved and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
This story begins with Carter’s description of the day; the perfect day with the perfect weather and him with his perfect twin. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words, really.
Carter loses his twin in a horrific accident, yet he is the one who is ostracised. Why? Because, he is the twin who lived. Marcus was the one who was well liked, the popular one, the one who got all the ‘hello’s’ in the school, while Carter was the one who went ignored.
Nothing changed after the accident, if nothing else, things became worse for Carter. Now being invisible would have been better, because now when everybody looks at him, they see Marcus (which would have been creepy, honestly speaking!)
And if things hadn’t being going weird for Carter already, he starts to see Marcus’s ghost as well. Marcus who doesn’t know why he is still hanging around, all he knows that the reason would be revealed only when the time was right!
Through the journey that Marcus takes Carter through, he gets to know Marcus’s girlfriend, Melanie and Justin, the guy who rammed the brother’s killing Marcus.
All of them are going through the mourning, and coping with the death of Marcus in different ways. And yet, it’s Marcus’s death that brings them all together.
This story is well written, and so beautifully imagined. The characters have such an amazing growth through the storyline (even ghostly Marcus) that it was actually quite a treat to read about them.
This book is different from other Young Adult novels that you find nowadays, especially since there is an overflow of Science fiction and fantasy genres (Not that I am complaining!). It is as real as it gets. It tackles real life problems in a way that you don’t get to see anymore. The tragedy of life is that what happened to Carter could happen to anybody, even you or me.
These three teenagers have gone through the worst of times, and have come through the burning fire, molded and better equipped for life. They have forged a strong bond of friendship that may have a foundation in loss but now serves as their anchor for loyalty.
This book has only whetted my appetite for more of Mr. Craig’s books, especially the sneak peak into the Burn Baby Burn Baby, which sounds all the more interesting now (Yes, Kevin, that was a hint to you :P).
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact the ending was abrupt. Maybe it’s just me, but I need to know what happens to my beloved characters, especially when they have just gone through a life changing experience.
Beyond this, the book was perfect in every way. The plot, the characters, the relationships and even the hint of paranormal was bought out wonderfully by the writing style of Mr. Craig. This book isn’t one to be missed out on! And I am glad that I didn’t.
I recieved and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
This story begins with Carter’s description of the day; the perfect day with the perfect weather and him with his perfect twin. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words, really.
Carter loses his twin in a horrific accident, yet he is the one who is ostracised. Why? Because, he is the twin who lived. Marcus was the one who was well liked, the popular one, the one who got all the ‘hello’s’ in the school, while Carter was the one who went ignored.
Nothing changed after the accident, if nothing else, things became worse for Carter. Now being invisible would have been better, because now when everybody looks at him, they see Marcus (which would have been creepy, honestly speaking!)
And if things hadn’t being going weird for Carter already, he starts to see Marcus’s ghost as well. Marcus who doesn’t know why he is still hanging around, all he knows that the reason would be revealed only when the time was right!
Through the journey that Marcus takes Carter through, he gets to know Marcus’s girlfriend, Melanie and Justin, the guy who rammed the brother’s killing Marcus.
All of them are going through the mourning, and coping with the death of Marcus in different ways. And yet, it’s Marcus’s death that brings them all together.
This story is well written, and so beautifully imagined. The characters have such an amazing growth through the storyline (even ghostly Marcus) that it was actually quite a treat to read about them.
This book is different from other Young Adult novels that you find nowadays, especially since there is an overflow of Science fiction and fantasy genres (Not that I am complaining!). It is as real as it gets. It tackles real life problems in a way that you don’t get to see anymore. The tragedy of life is that what happened to Carter could happen to anybody, even you or me.
These three teenagers have gone through the worst of times, and have come through the burning fire, molded and better equipped for life. They have forged a strong bond of friendship that may have a foundation in loss but now serves as their anchor for loyalty.
This book has only whetted my appetite for more of Mr. Craig’s books, especially the sneak peak into the Burn Baby Burn Baby, which sounds all the more interesting now (Yes, Kevin, that was a hint to you :P).
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact the ending was abrupt. Maybe it’s just me, but I need to know what happens to my beloved characters, especially when they have just gone through a life changing experience.
Beyond this, the book was perfect in every way. The plot, the characters, the relationships and even the hint of paranormal was bought out wonderfully by the writing style of Mr. Craig. This book isn’t one to be missed out on! And I am glad that I didn’t.
fortheloveoffictionalworlds's review
4.0
Full review to be up on For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)
I recieved and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
This story begins with Carter’s description of the day; the perfect day with the perfect weather and him with his perfect twin. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words, really.
Carter loses his twin in a horrific accident, yet he is the one who is ostracised. Why? Because, he is the twin who lived. Marcus was the one who was well liked, the popular one, the one who got all the ‘hello’s’ in the school, while Carter was the one who went ignored.
Nothing changed after the accident, if nothing else, things became worse for Carter. Now being invisible would have been better, because now when everybody looks at him, they see Marcus (which would have been creepy, honestly speaking!)
And if things hadn’t being going weird for Carter already, he starts to see Marcus’s ghost as well. Marcus who doesn’t know why he is still hanging around, all he knows that the reason would be revealed only when the time was right!
Through the journey that Marcus takes Carter through, he gets to know Marcus’s girlfriend, Melanie and Justin, the guy who rammed the brother’s killing Marcus.
All of them are going through the mourning, and coping with the death of Marcus in different ways. And yet, it’s Marcus’s death that brings them all together.
This story is well written, and so beautifully imagined. The characters have such an amazing growth through the storyline (even ghostly Marcus) that it was actually quite a treat to read about them.
This book is different from other Young Adult novels that you find nowadays, especially since there is an overflow of Science fiction and fantasy genres (Not that I am complaining!). It is as real as it gets. It tackles real life problems in a way that you don’t get to see anymore. The tragedy of life is that what happened to Carter could happen to anybody, even you or me.
These three teenagers have gone through the worst of times, and have come through the burning fire, molded and better equipped for life. They have forged a strong bond of friendship that may have a foundation in loss but now serves as their anchor for loyalty.
This book has only whetted my appetite for more of Mr. Craig’s books, especially the sneak peak into the Burn Baby Burn Baby, which sounds all the more interesting now (Yes, Kevin, that was a hint to you :P).
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact the ending was abrupt. Maybe it’s just me, but I need to know what happens to my beloved characters, especially when they have just gone through a life changing experience.
Beyond this, the book was perfect in every way. The plot, the characters, the relationships and even the hint of paranormal was bought out wonderfully by the writing style of Mr. Craig. This book isn’t one to be missed out on! And I am glad that I didn’t.
I recieved and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
This story begins with Carter’s description of the day; the perfect day with the perfect weather and him with his perfect twin. What could possibly go wrong? Famous last words, really.
Carter loses his twin in a horrific accident, yet he is the one who is ostracised. Why? Because, he is the twin who lived. Marcus was the one who was well liked, the popular one, the one who got all the ‘hello’s’ in the school, while Carter was the one who went ignored.
Nothing changed after the accident, if nothing else, things became worse for Carter. Now being invisible would have been better, because now when everybody looks at him, they see Marcus (which would have been creepy, honestly speaking!)
And if things hadn’t being going weird for Carter already, he starts to see Marcus’s ghost as well. Marcus who doesn’t know why he is still hanging around, all he knows that the reason would be revealed only when the time was right!
Through the journey that Marcus takes Carter through, he gets to know Marcus’s girlfriend, Melanie and Justin, the guy who rammed the brother’s killing Marcus.
All of them are going through the mourning, and coping with the death of Marcus in different ways. And yet, it’s Marcus’s death that brings them all together.
This story is well written, and so beautifully imagined. The characters have such an amazing growth through the storyline (even ghostly Marcus) that it was actually quite a treat to read about them.
This book is different from other Young Adult novels that you find nowadays, especially since there is an overflow of Science fiction and fantasy genres (Not that I am complaining!). It is as real as it gets. It tackles real life problems in a way that you don’t get to see anymore. The tragedy of life is that what happened to Carter could happen to anybody, even you or me.
These three teenagers have gone through the worst of times, and have come through the burning fire, molded and better equipped for life. They have forged a strong bond of friendship that may have a foundation in loss but now serves as their anchor for loyalty.
This book has only whetted my appetite for more of Mr. Craig’s books, especially the sneak peak into the Burn Baby Burn Baby, which sounds all the more interesting now (Yes, Kevin, that was a hint to you :P).
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact the ending was abrupt. Maybe it’s just me, but I need to know what happens to my beloved characters, especially when they have just gone through a life changing experience.
Beyond this, the book was perfect in every way. The plot, the characters, the relationships and even the hint of paranormal was bought out wonderfully by the writing style of Mr. Craig. This book isn’t one to be missed out on! And I am glad that I didn’t.
More...