Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an arc for this book.

AJW may be my favorite author of all time. His characters are written so beautifully and the tension!!! I keep finding myself so immersed in the world, even though I usually don't like violence at all.

This book was less horrory than Hell Followed With Us. I think that's why I kind of prefered that one, but I still adore this one.

The things AJW writes about are so relatable, it's actually frightening. While HFWU was more fantasy/scifi (still realistic 😭), this one was even more realistic and therefore more disturbing.

I love love love Miles and Dallas. I hope Lady is getting all the hugs and kisses.

Genuinely so happy about the trigger warnings in this book, I don't think I need them that much, but it's so considerate and necessary, it should be much more common in my opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

3.75/5 rounded to 4 stars.

I’ve been a big fan of Andrew Joseph White’s writing for a long time. I devoured Hell Followed With Us in a day when it came out. Spirit Bears It’s Teeth took more time, but both tore something visceral out of me at multiple points. I loved thé found family aspects of them and the objective horror of the situations they found themselves in that leaned heavily on the supernatural happening around them.

Compound fractures is a little different. The supernatural element is very much toned down compared to the other two. Not that I mind. Saint is really interesting as a character and I am very much left wondering if he was real as a specter or part of Miles’ trauma.

The book was a little slow at times. I found myself struggling to get through some parts due to it. The character moments were important, I know, but the overall threat felt very minuscule until the last third of the book. Everyone was jumpy over it, but it was hard to stick to the line.

If you like gore, though, there is plenty to be had. Andrew never fails to write good body horror and it’s something I love about his writing. One character death had a visceral reaction from me, and the sense of Justice is, as always, really solid.

The social commentary in the book comes off a little heavy handed at times, but very solid over all. It’s very “history repeats” in terms of messaging, where social well-being and community wins out over the cycle of violence, thought it took a lot to finish.

A beautiful novel. AJW impresses me more and more with each new release. The language is gorgeous in how precise it is, and the horror of classism is tackled in an absolutely perfect way. One of my favorite books of the year!

Andrew Joseph White's COMPOUND FRACTURE will knock the wind out of you. Like his other books, COMPOUND FRACTURE is dark, but this novel in particular refuses to pull any punches (literally and figuratively). This is not a lighthearted book--there's graphic violence and transphobia--but it's masterfully crafted and an important story for the current political landscape. My only criticism is that its discussions of workers' rights and socialism/communism occasionally come across as preachy. As an educator, I can't imagine adding this book to my curriculum (the parent blowback would be FIERCE), but I can certainly see myself recommending it to specific students.

"Compound Fracture" by Andrew Joseph White is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. White masterfully crafts a tense and suspenseful narrative, filled with unexpected twists and turns that will leave readers guessing at every page. With complex characters and a compelling plot, "Compound Fracture" explores the darkest depths of the human psyche, offering a chilling glimpse into the mind of a killer. Fans of thrillers won't be able to put this book down.

rated: 3 stars

i have loved ajw's other books, so this not living up to my expectations was even more disappointing.

lots of this book was good for me. i really liked miles and his family, both blood related and otherwise, and the discussion of community through this felt really strong to the point that i wished we had gotten more time with them. there were some decisions made at the end by miles' family, specifically following miles into making some very VERY poor decisions, that would have been a lot more impactful with some more consideration as to why they were making those decisions. the health care inequality conversation also was so well done, especially through saint and lucille but also through miles' family overall again.

my biggest let down in this book though was cooper. his morally grey ideals, apathy and desire to get revenge were so interesting to me, and as the story continued on he became more and more of a caricature. miles' autism led to a really black and white narration where things were either good or bad, and bad things that happened could easily be justified away, which i understand but really didn't like as a story choice. cooper's role in the story was teetering at the edge of nuance here that i didn't see anywhere else in the book, and i think would have made this story so much better.

cooper was the only not-villain character that i saw that had these deep conservative leanings. it felt to me a very strange narrative choice to completely cut out any discussion of conservatism in the south in favour of this "everyone in the south is secretly a leftist theyre just being oppressed right now so they can't realise it" message, because it doesn't feel true. the ending where the whole town stood by, watched, and covered it up? i get the point of trying to bring hope to people in these communities, but it still felt too unrealistic to me. more so than the ghost.

i also despised that miles justified the deaths of three children. i think it really soured the effect of him getting revenge on the people that hurt him. yes, what they did was unforgivable, but they were also just children still who were being shaped that way by the people above them and around them too. i really hated the messaging that killing those children was okay, because as evil as they were portrayed its so early in their lives to make the permanent decision that the world is better off without them. this is all tied into my wish that we got to see more of the conservativeness of the deep south spoken about in this book. sure i wish these kids didn't have to die, but what do you do with them if they live? i would have much rather discussion surrounding that.

the pacing issues that i had with spirit have also carried over to this book in a worse way. the plot juxtaposes itself between very slow nothing and then extreme violence and murder, which was quite jarring to read.

i did enjoy this book though, and it was a really gripping page turner that made me want to keep going back to it even when it was gory and tense and i had to look away. the messaging that ajw wants to get across with this book is still really important, but i feel like that messaging has worked better in his previous books, because they are not confined to reality the way this one tried to be.

Rating: 3.75 rounded up.

First off, I am incredibly fond of AJW's writing. There is just a certain quality that sucks me in almost immediately and I feel connected to the text.

Out of the three major titles, this is definitely my least favorite, but I think it mostly boils down to suspension of disbelief in the contemporary time period. There were certain aspects that did take me out of the story and lowered my general enjoyment, but I don't believe they would have the same effect on the target audience.

In true Andrew Joseph White fashion, this book has twists, gore, and genuinely scary moments. But beneath all that is the underlying theme of teens discovering their own power and fighting back against their oppressors. 
In Compound Fracture, Miles is a closeted trans boy living in a small Appalician town. A decades-old family feud has him pitted against the power-hungry sheriff and his son. When Miles survives a beating that was meant to kill him, he starts to fight back, tentatively at first, as he learns who to trust and how to trust himself. 
This book tackles issues of poverty and oppression, institutionalized power and broken government systems, all while taking you on a thrilling ride. 
I received this digital ARC from @netgalley and publisher @peachtreeteen in exchange for an honest review.
Compound Fracture will be released on September 3, 2024.

i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.

compound fracture - a bone fracture that is accompanied by breaks in the skin, causing the broken ends of bone to come into contact with the outside environment;

i've been a fan of andrew joseph white's works since i first got an arc of “hell followed with us” and i think it's safe to say he's one of my favourite authors as of now. absolutely everything he's published so far were works i've devoured in like a day or two. “the spirit bares its teeth” was among my favourite books of last year and “compound fracture” is my first 5☆ of this year. i read this while on an 8-hour train ride and, truthfully, i was so immersed in it that someone could’ve stolen all my belongings and i wouldn’t have noticed.

the book isn't as gory as their previous ones and i think it leans more on thriller at times than horror, so if you didn't pick up the other books because you're not a fan of horror - perhaps you can give this one a go. i think it's one of those books that lets you simmer in their anger, with the action slowly building towards a satisfying climax. i’ve always been a fan of andrew’s endings - i think he always chooses the perfect conclusion to all his stories.

the writing is on par with what i’ve come to expect based on his other books - the perfect combination of dialogue, descriptions, and the main character’s inner monologue. the descriptions of places/actions especially are quite well written, they’re poetic without being too flowery. the dialogue aids in showing the personality of each character and i think every one of them has a distinct, unique personality.
after reading the author’s previous books, i’ve come to notice how meticulously crafted all his main characters are. i feel like all ajw’s characters’ are very complex, with a full scope of feelings and traits and i’m not exactly sure how he does it, but they always feel real. they’re relatable characters and they’re messy and i absolutely eat it up each times. Miles, the protagonist of “compound fracture” is angry at the world for what it did to his family, but he’s so loveable in spite of all his flaws. his evolution throughout the novel is a joy to observe and i’ve went through all the feels – from joy, to hope, to despair, you’ll feel it all. the side characters are well developed, with their own personalities and feelings, and i loved their interactions with the main character.

the plot itself was so interesting that i was constantly on the edge of my seat – we’ve got blood feuds and an appalachian setting, with a dash of horror and supernatural. in a true ajw manner, the body horror was so, so well-done. i love the way he writes the horror bits, as they’re truly creepy and they make you very uncomfortable while reading, which isn’t an ability to ignore. still, as i mentioned before, it’s got less horror parts than his previous works, so it’s more accessible if you’re not a fan of that.

overall, “compound fracture” is a wonderful book with a complex cast of characters and an insane plot. i love andrew’s books and will probably continue to do so until my days as a reader are over.

THANK YOU NETGALLEY, PEACHTREE, and AJ WHITE FOR THIS ARC. I don’t plan on having children so just let me know what you’d like instead of my firstborn, because I owe you an immeasurable debt for this book.

Compound Fracture is White’s third, not really connected but spiritually tethered YA release, and it’s genuinely going to be a challenge for me to actually write out my thoughts as opposed to disappearing into the woods to scream, but I’m going to try.

Miles is a freshly out trans boy who lives in a tiny Appalachian coal town named Twist Creek, where a miner’s rebellion led to an all out blood feud for the past several decades. Unfortunately for Miles, he is a direct descendent of the instigating miner, and the other family at the heart of this feud is and has always been the local law enforcement.
When an altercation between Miles and the sheriff’s son leaves Miles beaten almost to death, hallucinating a soot covered man, and the sheriff levying thinly veiled threats for his silence, Miles can hear the canary in the mine start to sing - it’s up to him to decide who the song is warning.

AJ White must have done some sort of forbidden fey ritual for these writing skills, because YET AGAIN I find myself absolutely in shambles as he outdoes himself with Compound Fracture. I have waxed rhapsodic about both Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, so I figured I would enjoy this book, but it really has come out on top as my favorite so far. The characters, the plot, the horror, the heart - somehow it all exceeded my expectations.

Miles… I thought I met my match with my barely human religiously traumatized Benji, but Appalachian socialist Miles really came for my throat in the best way. Miles is *messy* and violent and filled with righteous fury and determination to fight for the things he holds dear. The bonds he hold with his family, Lady (best goodest girl), his friends, his town - they’re so real. There’s space for love and frustration, fear and admiration, nothing is perfect around or between them but they are still *good* and worthy. Miles has such a genuine heart, and it comes through from the first page to the last. I can tell I’ll be thinking about him for a very long time.

The plot itself was a BANGER, quick paced and intriguing in all the right places. Twist Creek is overrun with secrets. There’s a fair amount of detective work happening as Miles works to uncover everything, and it’s so fun to go back now, knowing the end, and read through my own notes as I tried to figure things out for myself. The relationships are very much the center of the plot, but there are a few different points in the history of the town that have to be understood along the way in order to inform present-day Miles’ actions, and I really appreciated that.
As usual, White does not shy away from the gross and ugly, so please mind your trigger warnings. There was definitely more than one spot that made me put down the book to pace my apartment for a spell, when my own nervous energy got to be too much to contain as I watched Miles fight. I absolutely sprinted through this book, because I couldn’t take more than a few minutes without dying to know how everything would work out. Even with White’s promise in the author’s note that there would be a happy ending, I would find myself wondering how that could possibly come to pass. It did, but it was incredibly hard won.

I don’t know how he does it, I really don’t! At this point, I fear for my life knowing AJ’s first adult book is on its way. The way these 3 have gotten to me, I may truly be a goner.
While I wait, I plan to re-read them all and then go find a nice patch of field to scream in.

I´ve heard very often that this book is a love letter to the South, sadly I do not know enough about the South as I am not an American so I cannot attest to that, but if that is something you are interested in, according to multiple other reviews this book does a great job at exploring southern culture. Now with that out of the way, this book can be enjoyed even if you don´t know anything about the South. (I am living proof)

Andrew Joseph White is by this point one of my absolutely favorite authors, he blew my mind with his first two novels (I haven´t recovered from The Spirit Bares It´s Theets) and this book is no exception. This book doesn’t shy away from exposing brutal truths and the themes are loud and in your face, subtlety is not something we do over here.

All the characters are fully fledged, with wants and needs, built with complex flaws and strength. I am always amazed at how AJW can make every character, even the minor ones, feel so fleshed out. Obviously, as is tradition, Miles is my favorite character. His struggles with coming to terms with both his sexuality and his autism are highly relatable and I loved how the author highlights the importance of representation and being seen.

This book raised my pulse to at least 120 bpm like there was no chill (as the kids say). I held my breath through all of this, most of the time hoping the dog was ok (I did go multiple times to AJW´s Twitter to check that he indeed said the dog would be ok, he promised!!).

The ending was what did it for me, I struggled a bit getting through the first 10% of the book but the last line gave me goosebumps and I couldn´t go to sleep (oh yeah I was up until 3 am finishing this btw) because I kept thinking about everything that happened.

If you love good thrillers definitely pick this one up, if you like any of AJW´s other books you need to preorder this yesterday, and if you like seeing the anarchist and socialist youngsters (and some grown-ups) sticking it to those in power, you need this book in your life. It´s also full of queer anger and love!

What a rollercoaster ride!! I’m reeling.

It was important to me to read this novel because I have a trans sister, and I really want to be able to support her in any way I can. Miles, the main character, was invaluable in teaching me what it’s like to be autistic and trans. Oh, my heart hurt when he referred to the outward manifestations of his autism and trying to mask and appear “normal”, and WHY IS IT ALL SO EASY FOR EVERYONE ELSE!?? That really resonated with me (I have ADHD), and I, too, wonder if there’s a social skills playbook being passed around by neurotypicals, and us neurodivergents have never had access to it. ☹️🥺

This is a difficult book to read. There are many hard things in here, A small town in West Virginia has a blood feud that goes back a hundred years, and the Davies family continually hurts, maims and even kills members of the Abernathy clan. Miles is an Abernathy. He has a target on his back simply by existing. Add in a splash of supernatural horror, political violence and overt homophobia, and you’ve got yourself a page turner.

Thank you to Andrew Joseph White for helping others better understand both the autistic and trans communities. These books are extremely important! Read them, especially this one.

Thank you also to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.


TW: Gore—a proverbial vertical mineshaft full of it.

This book is actually amazing! I have read this author's two previously released books so I was so excited when I became able to read this one. This gut-renching story about a queer, trans, autistic, west-virginian socialist hits home deeply for a very wide range of audiences.

Another gut punch from Andrew Joseph White I cannot wait to buy a copy when it comes out. This was immediately brutal and I was invested right away.

Thank you to Peachtree teen for the ARC!

As someone who grew up queer in the south, Compound Fracture hits home.

The main character Miles is a politically active transgender teen in a small town in West Virginia, who struggles as the ramifications of a century long blood feud once again emerge, and he's faced with the responsibility of protecting his family and community.

An engaging read, with both ample suspense and a captivating plot makes this book difficult to put down. White doesn't shy away from the gorey details, and while violence may be a bit intense for some readers, it's fitting for the work and compliments the parallels to the West Virginia Coal Wars.

At its core Compound Fracture is about community, unity, and protecting their own, in spite of everything. Fans of White's previous works will absolutely enjoy this thrilling read.

I recently read Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White, (courtesy of netgalley & the publisher) and thought it was brilliant. I think his books are all great, in different ways. Thus far, every time I pick one up I just can't put it down again, or if I do, I keep thinking about it.

This one is queer trans autistic west Virginian teenager vs murderous decades long power imbalanced family feud vs the worst of small town energy. There is radical redneck history. There is violence, and intrigue, and mystery. There is satisfaction. I found this book had a bit more education for the uninitiated, and I don't know how that will land for other people - but I didn't think any of it was particularly heavy handed, just I felt like the authour was making an explicit point about certain aspects vs just having it be part of the story for stories sake.

I liked the pacing in the first half, and wanted more from the second half, but what was there was good enough for me. This felt more like a thriller than horror - there are some supernatural elements it was generally softer than his other two books, and wasn't as violent despite still containing some pretty serious violence.

I think this would be a great book for anyone interested in reading some righteous vengeance against mostly unambiguous villains, mixed with some coming of age and self-acceptance/self-understanding themes. You will probably also appreciate it if you were a queer anarchisty-leaning kid growing up in a conservative area (like me) but that might be too on the nose.

3.5 stars

Thank you to PeachTree Teen and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Tws: Graphic Violence, Queerphobia, Ableism, Transphobia

Compound Fracture follows Miles Abernathy, a 16-year old trans and autistic teen, as they/them battles a decades-old struggle stretching generations - from when their great-great-grandfather, Saint Abernathy, led a rebellion that eventually led to his execution on a railroad spike. In West Virginia where the Fed holds (albeit corrupt) power over the common folks, bullying and incrimination run rampant. When Miles decides that he has had enough, he teams up with Cooper, a childhood friend with the same intentions to expose the corruption and free the commoners from the unfair treatment by sheriffs in power.

I loved the Spirit Bares its Teeth, so I had rather high expectations for Compound Fracture. While I think Compound Fracture was a pretty solid book, I unfortunately did not connect to the story as much as I expected. I have to admit that I didn’t quite follow some parts; and as I did not read the synopsis (in typical xinyan fashion), I did not realise that Miles was autistic till somewhere over the halfway mark.

The violence was quite jarring and sudden; while it wasn’t as apparent as in TSBIT, I found myself shocked at certain scenes. However, I enjoyed the ending as it came full circle from the beginning, which added another 0.25 stars to my rating (And I loved the reference to a certain weapon, even though it was relatively painful to read).

Altogether, I would say that I was a little disappointed as I did not connect to the story and characters as much as TSBIT, but the writing has definitely improved, and I look forward to future works by Andrew.

THIS BOOK MADE ME CRY AND RAGE SO MANY TIMES. As an AuDHD (and bi) individual I felt so seen and exposed in this storyline. Not gonna lie, after I read this, I looked into some history to see if there was a coal mining disaster that this book could be based on. I did find a potential mining disaster - the Granite Mountian (North Butte Mining Company) Disaster of 1917 (I could totally be wrong but I learned some cool history with my research). Anyways, this story takes you on an adventure of a century old family feud (think the Hatfields and the McCoys) and follows the point of view of an trans autistic individual that raised a lot of hell. The small town corruption is real. The riots? Justified. This book is a new favorite I will 100% be recommending this to EVERYONE!!! Another masterpiece from one of my favorite authors *chef’s kiss* and can we talk about how genius this book cover design is?? I love the artwork so much!

[Thank you Netgalley, Holiday House/Peachtree/Pixel + Ink, and Andrew Joseph White for the eARC!]

Compound Fracture was a breathless, beautiful, heartbreaking ride from the first page to the last. I loved Miles, and found him to be a completely captivating character—he was so real, and his emotional reactions, as well as the way that he was masking and reflecting them back to the more neurotypical characters around him was very true-to-life. It was refreshing to read about an autistic main character, and to see him recognize and understand himself as a person who was disabled and neurotypical. It was also refreshing to see that many of the other characters were disabled, queer, trans, and neurodiverse; it made me feel more at home in the world that Andrew Joseph White created, because it more accurately reflects the world that I live in. Speaking of trans characters, Saint was such a refreshing person (spirit? ghost? figment of Miles’ imagination?) for Miles (and the reader) to see that trans folks have always existed, even though they are so often written (or ignored) out of existence.

I thought that the setting was also amazing—West Virginia has such a rich history in labor revolution. The setting was what initially drew me to this novel—I lived in West Virginia for several years, and the landscape, people, and older-than-bone (thank you Andrew Joseph White for that phrase) lore really made an impact on my life. I thought the addition of the mining disaster, as well as the other historical tidbits that were thrown in served to strengthen my connection to Miles, and especially to his activism—and the ways in which he loves his home, but also knows that there are deep, weeping wounds in the landscape and in the people. I think that’s really what hooked me into this book—that Miles sees this struggle, and aligns it with his own, but still wants to make it better. Even when he is hit when he’s down, he still wants to care for the land and its people; that there is beauty, still, even underneath the blood.

Thank you so much to Andrew Joseph White for this ARC!

5 stars. I was completely engrossed in this book. I really appreciated the family dynamics. Older generations often serve only as an obstacle for a YA protagonist to overcome, and that wasn’t the case in this book. The characters can be hurtful and messy towards each other but are given the opportunity and grace to grow (which was refreshing to see.) My favourite so far of Andrew Joseph Whites books, and I’m now impatiently awaiting his next. Thank you NetGally for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.