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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
If you enjoy books that are a bit on the darker side, you will definitely enjoy Fracture.
The main character in the story is Delaney, who somehow manages to survive underwater in a frozen lake for eleven minutes. She should technically be dead, but somehow manages to survive, thanks to her best friend, Decker, who pulls her out of the water and gives her CPR. After finally waking from a coma, she has a really strange side effect; she feels this constant pull towards people that are dying.
Let’s start off talking about Delaney. Wow, what an emotional mess this girl is. You have to feel for her, she has been through a lot. And not only she was affected by her falling into the lake, it affected everyone around her. She was constantly worried that people would think she was crazy if she opened up to them, but she never came across as crazy to me. I actually felt really bad for what she went through, and also for her parents.
I really liked Delaney’s best friend, Decker. He seemed to be a good guy. I do wish that he had been around more, especially when Delaney really needed him. I really think that might have helped her more with coping with all that was going on. I also felt that at times he picked their group of friends over her, and that did bother me a bit.
Troy, who has also survived being in a coma, appears out of the blue one day and introduces himself to Delaney. She thinks that Troy is someone that will understand her, because he also has the pull towards the dead that she has. Well, Troy turns out to be a mess all in his own. Talk about mysterious… Troy definitely had me a bit paranoid. I never really knew what to expect from him, he was definitely a bit freaky.
The plot for this book was very interesting, and the book was well paced. I definitely had to keep reading just to see where the author was going to take us next in the story. I just never could quite figure it out. Kudo’s to Ms. Miranda for keeping me in the dark! I do wish that there had been more info in the book on Why Delaney was feeling pulled towards the dying. I really wanted to read more on that, but there wasn’t a lot of information about it in the book.
Overall, if you enjoy darker type YA reads, you will definitely enjoy this book. I found it to be a quick, mysterious, enjoyable read.
Happy Reading!
The main character in the story is Delaney, who somehow manages to survive underwater in a frozen lake for eleven minutes. She should technically be dead, but somehow manages to survive, thanks to her best friend, Decker, who pulls her out of the water and gives her CPR. After finally waking from a coma, she has a really strange side effect; she feels this constant pull towards people that are dying.
Let’s start off talking about Delaney. Wow, what an emotional mess this girl is. You have to feel for her, she has been through a lot. And not only she was affected by her falling into the lake, it affected everyone around her. She was constantly worried that people would think she was crazy if she opened up to them, but she never came across as crazy to me. I actually felt really bad for what she went through, and also for her parents.
I really liked Delaney’s best friend, Decker. He seemed to be a good guy. I do wish that he had been around more, especially when Delaney really needed him. I really think that might have helped her more with coping with all that was going on. I also felt that at times he picked their group of friends over her, and that did bother me a bit.
Troy, who has also survived being in a coma, appears out of the blue one day and introduces himself to Delaney. She thinks that Troy is someone that will understand her, because he also has the pull towards the dead that she has. Well, Troy turns out to be a mess all in his own. Talk about mysterious… Troy definitely had me a bit paranoid. I never really knew what to expect from him, he was definitely a bit freaky.
The plot for this book was very interesting, and the book was well paced. I definitely had to keep reading just to see where the author was going to take us next in the story. I just never could quite figure it out. Kudo’s to Ms. Miranda for keeping me in the dark! I do wish that there had been more info in the book on Why Delaney was feeling pulled towards the dying. I really wanted to read more on that, but there wasn’t a lot of information about it in the book.
Overall, if you enjoy darker type YA reads, you will definitely enjoy this book. I found it to be a quick, mysterious, enjoyable read.
Happy Reading!
Eh, just another standard young adult book. Another love triangle, as if that trope wasn't used enough. Kind of an interesting idea though. Apparently this is a series? Not sure I'm compelled to read the rest, seemed to wrap up everything. Quick read, as I read it all on the airplane.
Fracture is a very different concept of YA that I haven't read before. I'm watch mysteries and thrillers, I enjoy my weekly fix of Revenge, Bones, NCIS, CSI, I know these are crime dramas but still you get the point. It's a book that you can't really put down if you want to read and experience the full effect of the novel. But in a real world I couldn't do that so I settled for two. This novel oddly reminded me of my review of Blink Once but from a very different perspective.
It begins with Delaney Maxwell, your average teenager who enjoys her life and the company of her best friend, Decker, who has likes her a lot more that 'just being friends'. But after a incident with her so called 'boyfriend', Carson, that pulled them apart. After Delaney suffered a horrible accident by falling in a iced lake, she hasn't been right since. She was in a coma for less than two weeks, who shouldn't have woken up at all, but she did and she's being pulled towards death ever since. Delaney was quite a handful, I think for me to really relate too, there was no connection after all she was a dead girl walking. But that doesn't necessarily stop me from enjoying the book. For me it was the premise and the characters place in the plot. There was so many twists and turns I didn't know what was going to happen and I think that's when I really started separate this genre of books to all the others that I have read recently. I had to use 'the little grey cells' *french accent* as it were.
What I enjoyed the most was the use of secondary characters, the likes of Decker and Troy. Two totally different personas, yet both have Delaney stuck in the middle. Out of the two I really wanted Troy to be the romantic interest, yet boy was I wrong. He's the twist to this whole story and I was deeply shocked, annoyed, frustrated, angry and anything negative against. I was totally enthralled by his character. Then the frustrating feeling then turned to Decker because of his issue with Carson and how he was a total idiot too confront her when she really needed him the most.
Aside from the negative feeling towards some of the characters, I was fully open to it and that's what made me enjoy it overall. Megan Miranda has begun this series with a exceptional debut novel and I'm equally looking forward to reading the sequel, Vengeance.
It begins with Delaney Maxwell, your average teenager who enjoys her life and the company of her best friend, Decker, who has likes her a lot more that 'just being friends'. But after a incident with her so called 'boyfriend', Carson, that pulled them apart. After Delaney suffered a horrible accident by falling in a iced lake, she hasn't been right since. She was in a coma for less than two weeks, who shouldn't have woken up at all, but she did and she's being pulled towards death ever since. Delaney was quite a handful, I think for me to really relate too, there was no connection after all she was a dead girl walking. But that doesn't necessarily stop me from enjoying the book. For me it was the premise and the characters place in the plot. There was so many twists and turns I didn't know what was going to happen and I think that's when I really started separate this genre of books to all the others that I have read recently. I had to use 'the little grey cells' *french accent* as it were.
What I enjoyed the most was the use of secondary characters, the likes of Decker and Troy. Two totally different personas, yet both have Delaney stuck in the middle. Out of the two I really wanted Troy to be the romantic interest, yet boy was I wrong. He's the twist to this whole story and I was deeply shocked, annoyed, frustrated, angry and anything negative against. I was totally enthralled by his character. Then the frustrating feeling then turned to Decker because of his issue with Carson and how he was a total idiot too confront her when she really needed him the most.
Aside from the negative feeling towards some of the characters, I was fully open to it and that's what made me enjoy it overall. Megan Miranda has begun this series with a exceptional debut novel and I'm equally looking forward to reading the sequel, Vengeance.
Debut author Megan Miranda's poignant and thrilling novel, Fracture, opens with protagonist Delaney Maxwell slipping through the ice in a local pond. Delaney opens her eyes six days later, discovering she has been in a coma, and that she was clinically dead. Down-to-earth, genuine Delaney takes all this information in stride, and Fracture sets a satisfying pace throughout the rest of the book. We're introduced to Delaney, her best friend, Decker Phillips, and a strong cast of secondary characters - Delaney's parents, and friends, including twins Carson and Janna. The characters never felt forced or stereotypical; for the most part, they all had a certain something that set them apart from the mold, and distinguished them.
Throughout this young adult contemporary, running alongside the uneasy overtone to the novel, as Delaney recovers from her death and resurrection, that sense of genuineness remains. These were characters that I could understand, characters that I could relate to. Delaney is a strong voice, a reliable narrator even amidst all the turmoil in her life. She's someone you've passed on the street, and I applaud Megan Miranda for crafting such a sympathetic and wonderful heroine.
Fracture asks some hard questions though. Delaney has a strange connection to death, which is explored at several different points. Faced with confronting what she doesn't understand - from her survival, to her ability/curse of being drawn to death, Delaney has to wonder: is she meant to be a help, or a hindrance? Does she have a gift, or is it truly a curse? Megan Miranda deftly weaves these questions into the patterns of Fracture, leaving even the reader asking what it all means.
I wasn't sure at first if Fracture was the sort of book I would enjoy; after all, it was quite heavy and intense at times, but to me, the pacing was always spot-on and there were some amazing moments that added incredible depth of another kind to the novel. Delaney's relationship with her neighbor and best friend, Decker, provided most of those moments. Decker is probably one of the coolest and hug-worthy male characters I've come across in awhile. Simply seeing his grief over Delaney and his relief upon her waking up endeared him to me, which he continued to do over the course of Fracture. I absolutely adored his friendship with Delaney, and their vibe. There were several points where I wanted to shake them both, opportunities they each did their best to destroy. They were both so stubborn in that aspect, yet I loved them so, and was pleased with the direction Megan Miranda took them in.
I did have a few issues with the book; mainly, that of Delaney's parents. Her father was a really great guy, and very well-meaning, but he seemed so distracted at times, and unwilling to really take a stand in the family. And I didn't like her mother's actions at a couple of points in the book - especially the way she pretty much gave up on Delaney. I understand she was frustrated - they all were - but that's never justified. However, both characters were interestingly flawed. And the storyline with Troy was both fascinating and creepy. I would have enjoyed seeing it play out over more time, but for what it was, I was satisfied, yet saddened by his arc in the book.
Overall I think Fracture is a strong debut. Megan Miranda clearly knows how to tell a solid story that pulled me in, to the point that I didn't want to put the book down, for fear of not getting a chance to come back to it. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good YA contemporary. It's an emotional thrill ride you won't soon forget!
Disclaimer
In accordance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from the publisher via Debut Author ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. No money or compensation of any sort exchanged hands. I review books with no intention of monetary gain; rather, I review books out of my love of reading.
See more of my reviews at Once Upon a Prologue
Throughout this young adult contemporary, running alongside the uneasy overtone to the novel, as Delaney recovers from her death and resurrection, that sense of genuineness remains. These were characters that I could understand, characters that I could relate to. Delaney is a strong voice, a reliable narrator even amidst all the turmoil in her life. She's someone you've passed on the street, and I applaud Megan Miranda for crafting such a sympathetic and wonderful heroine.
Fracture asks some hard questions though. Delaney has a strange connection to death, which is explored at several different points. Faced with confronting what she doesn't understand - from her survival, to her ability/curse of being drawn to death, Delaney has to wonder: is she meant to be a help, or a hindrance? Does she have a gift, or is it truly a curse? Megan Miranda deftly weaves these questions into the patterns of Fracture, leaving even the reader asking what it all means.
I wasn't sure at first if Fracture was the sort of book I would enjoy; after all, it was quite heavy and intense at times, but to me, the pacing was always spot-on and there were some amazing moments that added incredible depth of another kind to the novel. Delaney's relationship with her neighbor and best friend, Decker, provided most of those moments. Decker is probably one of the coolest and hug-worthy male characters I've come across in awhile. Simply seeing his grief over Delaney and his relief upon her waking up endeared him to me, which he continued to do over the course of Fracture. I absolutely adored his friendship with Delaney, and their vibe. There were several points where I wanted to shake them both, opportunities they each did their best to destroy. They were both so stubborn in that aspect, yet I loved them so, and was pleased with the direction Megan Miranda took them in.
I did have a few issues with the book; mainly, that of Delaney's parents. Her father was a really great guy, and very well-meaning, but he seemed so distracted at times, and unwilling to really take a stand in the family. And I didn't like her mother's actions at a couple of points in the book - especially the way she pretty much gave up on Delaney. I understand she was frustrated - they all were - but that's never justified. However, both characters were interestingly flawed. And the storyline with Troy was both fascinating and creepy. I would have enjoyed seeing it play out over more time, but for what it was, I was satisfied, yet saddened by his arc in the book.
Overall I think Fracture is a strong debut. Megan Miranda clearly knows how to tell a solid story that pulled me in, to the point that I didn't want to put the book down, for fear of not getting a chance to come back to it. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good YA contemporary. It's an emotional thrill ride you won't soon forget!
Disclaimer
In accordance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from the publisher via Debut Author ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. No money or compensation of any sort exchanged hands. I review books with no intention of monetary gain; rather, I review books out of my love of reading.
See more of my reviews at Once Upon a Prologue
Fracture is a quick read and is sure to please anyone who enjoys a darker YA novel, but this debut is most certainly not without its flaws. For this review I'm going to break the positives and negatives into sections.
Positives: Fracture tells a gripping story and the story is fast paced enough that it is never boring. Megan Miranda's writing flows nicely and is enjoyable to read. She approaches some darker questions pertaining to whether or not it's ok to end someone's life if they're suffering, and even goes so far as to question whether or not it's ok to make that decision for someone. I like that the novel focused on these questions and didn't get so bogged down with romance that it distracted readers from the issues it was exploring. I like the use of "To love another person is to see the face of God." throughout the story, and thought the relationship between Delaney and Decker was sweet and genuine. I loved Delaney's mother's story. I also liked that Troy wasn't made to be a sexy bad boy type. I imagine him being played by Ian Somerhalder and acting just like Damon on The Vampire Diaries; messy hair, abusive personality, pouty emo face and a death wish.
Maybe that appeals to some people but certainly not to me. I liked that he wasn't really romanticized or made to be the hero, and I applaud Megan Miranda for that decision. It's nice to see the stalker not turn out to be the main character's true love. I think it's unfortunate that books ever go in that direction.
Negatives: My main gripe is that Delaney was inconsistent as a character. One minute she is hiding from Troy in a locked room shaking in fear. The next she is hopping into cars with him. One second she is making sure her window is locked because she knows he is outside stalking her. The next she follows him alone on to thin ice. I'm glad that her decisions weren't based on romance (elated!) but it still seemed off to me. Delaney was also very inconsistent in her interactions with Decker. Her reactions to things often felt melodramatic and frustrated me. I mean, she did have brain damage, but a lot of the drama felt unnecessary. Another thing I took issue with was the character of Tara; clearly created to be your typical pretty/evil nemesis of our nerdy heroine. I had the same problem with The Body Finder, and I thought the stereotype was handled at least a little bit better here, but not by much. I thought her character was a bit cliche, and do not like to see slut shaming in novels. I wish she would have been given more depth or not been included at all. In fact, most of the side characters, even Janna (who the author clearly tries to give more depth to but doesn't include much of an ending for her character), were pretty flat. The ending of the novel felt abrupt, with too many characters left dangling, and the main issue of the novel (Delaney's mysterious new power) is never really explored. It felt a bit like wasted potential.
Fracture was an enjoyable read even if it leaves a little bit to be desired. I thought that as far as the romance was concerned it was a breath of fresh air for the YA genre. I'm glad this was my first choice for the Debut Author Challenge and can't wait to read more debut books this year.
Recommendation: Those longingly searching for an enjoyable standalone novel in a sea of series.
More reviews at my blog: The Night Bookmobile
Positives: Fracture tells a gripping story and the story is fast paced enough that it is never boring. Megan Miranda's writing flows nicely and is enjoyable to read. She approaches some darker questions pertaining to whether or not it's ok to end someone's life if they're suffering, and even goes so far as to question whether or not it's ok to make that decision for someone. I like that the novel focused on these questions and didn't get so bogged down with romance that it distracted readers from the issues it was exploring. I like the use of "To love another person is to see the face of God." throughout the story, and thought the relationship between Delaney and Decker was sweet and genuine. I loved Delaney's mother's story. I also liked that Troy wasn't made to be a sexy bad boy type. I imagine him being played by Ian Somerhalder and acting just like Damon on The Vampire Diaries; messy hair, abusive personality, pouty emo face and a death wish.
Maybe that appeals to some people but certainly not to me. I liked that he wasn't really romanticized or made to be the hero, and I applaud Megan Miranda for that decision. It's nice to see the stalker not turn out to be the main character's true love. I think it's unfortunate that books ever go in that direction.
Negatives: My main gripe is that Delaney was inconsistent as a character. One minute she is hiding from Troy in a locked room shaking in fear. The next she is hopping into cars with him. One second she is making sure her window is locked because she knows he is outside stalking her. The next she follows him alone on to thin ice. I'm glad that her decisions weren't based on romance (elated!) but it still seemed off to me. Delaney was also very inconsistent in her interactions with Decker. Her reactions to things often felt melodramatic and frustrated me. I mean, she did have brain damage, but a lot of the drama felt unnecessary. Another thing I took issue with was the character of Tara; clearly created to be your typical pretty/evil nemesis of our nerdy heroine. I had the same problem with The Body Finder, and I thought the stereotype was handled at least a little bit better here, but not by much. I thought her character was a bit cliche, and do not like to see slut shaming in novels. I wish she would have been given more depth or not been included at all. In fact, most of the side characters, even Janna (who the author clearly tries to give more depth to but doesn't include much of an ending for her character), were pretty flat. The ending of the novel felt abrupt, with too many characters left dangling, and the main issue of the novel (Delaney's mysterious new power) is never really explored. It felt a bit like wasted potential.
Fracture was an enjoyable read even if it leaves a little bit to be desired. I thought that as far as the romance was concerned it was a breath of fresh air for the YA genre. I'm glad this was my first choice for the Debut Author Challenge and can't wait to read more debut books this year.
Recommendation: Those longingly searching for an enjoyable standalone novel in a sea of series.
More reviews at my blog: The Night Bookmobile
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book and I would like to know what happens next and what is going on with Delaney. The book was left too up in the air for me. I like endings to be more tied up.
As far as characterization, the relationship between Delaney and Decker is typical for high schoolers who used to be best friends before puberty hit. The "trying to make each other jealous" is spot on as well. I think students will relate to the romance aspect of this novel very well.
The paranormal part of the book is intriguing, but the questions about Delaney's new ability are not ever answered and that leaves something big lacking in the book.
As far as characterization, the relationship between Delaney and Decker is typical for high schoolers who used to be best friends before puberty hit. The "trying to make each other jealous" is spot on as well. I think students will relate to the romance aspect of this novel very well.
The paranormal part of the book is intriguing, but the questions about Delaney's new ability are not ever answered and that leaves something big lacking in the book.