Fracture (Fracture #1)

Opening sentence: "The first time I died, I didn't see God."

Beginning Thoughts: I discovered this book while randomly searching book trailers (which is just something I do...for fun). I probably watched the trailer at least ten times before finally getting the book. Anxiously I started reading the book ready to learn about the main character, Delaney and her anomaly.

Main Character: Delaney is an interesting enough character, but she kind of frustrated me with her "I was going to..., but then I didn't." Maybe she was nervous? Or confused? I don't know, but it got kind of annoying after a while. Then, she had three guys to choose from (yes, three, you heard me right). One minute, she's all, "I'm fat, and not very pretty," and the next she has to decide between three guys. WHAT? I must be downright disgusting if she's ugly.

The three guys: Carson, Decker, and Troy... I have to say, I like all of their names. Very original. Carson seems to be an okay guy, if not a huge flirt. Or at least that's what we're told, even though he doesn't really flirt with that many girls. Decker, on the other hand, can't decide which girl he wants between the main character and big-boobed-Tara. Troy could have been so much more interesting, but his time was...cut short. Troy is in all of the action, but yet we never really learn that much about him until almost the very end.

The Romance: There really wasn't that much. Delaney and Decker have supposedly known each other since they were young, so they mostly just sit at a comfortable friendship that they uncomfortably try to turn into something more. But, problem is, neither of them wants to admit that that's what they're interested in.

Final Thoughts: Even though the review sound like I hated the book, I didn't. I enjoyed the read, even if there were a couple of flaws. I don't regret the time I spent, and I still look forward to reading more from the author.

What impressed me most about Fracture, right off the bat, was the attention to detail. The way that Megan Miranda portrays Delaney's struggle to fit back into her old existence is done beautifully. I didn't expect Delaney to be able to just merrily skip back into her own life, and I was happy to see that wasn't the case. She is hurting, she is lost, and she feels the difference in the way people treat her now that she is a "miracle". For Delaney, it isn't just the unknown of the ability that she's been given. It's much more than that. All she wants is normalcy. The life that she once had. In Delaney's case, she now knows that ignorance is in fact bliss.

The story takes off at a speedy pace from the time Delaney awakens, and the reader is treated to some very interesting character interactions. Delaney has to put her life back together with Decker, her best friend. She has to figure out how to fit back into her life with her parents who treat her like something breakable. Worse yet, this new ability has attracted a dark and sinister boy named Troy. Watching her navigate the twists and turns that this new lifestyle throws at her made Fracture a lot of fun to read. Questions about euthanasia, and life choices also show up here and really make you think.

As much as I loved the writing though, what fell short for me was Delaney's character. I didn't love her, or hate her, but rather felt kind of blandly about her whole persona. There were times in the story where she was extremely over dramatic. Then others where it almost felt like she was bordering on manic. Let's be honest, Delaney has been through one hell of an experience. I can give her a lot of wiggle room mentally for that. Even still, her personality bordered on whiny and hypocritical a lot, which was tough for me to read. I loved her story, I just didn't particularly love her.

I can honestly say that, as a whole, Fracture is a very well written and intriguing story. I know without a doubt that there are tons of readers out there who will wholeheartedly love Delaney's character, and that is why I still 100% recommend this book! I am but one reader in a sea of many. If you read Fracture for no other reason, read it for the fact that it blends two very different story types into one amazing book. Delaney's story isn't the happiest one, but it is well worth your time.

The idea for Fracture was amazing and I loved it a lot. It was really well written and a few surprising things happens in this book. Although the plot was good, the characters' weren't the best and seemed as if Megan Miranda didn't know what to do with one or two of them.

I honestly sat down, and read this whole book in one sitting, it was so good I didn't want to put it down. I in no way wish to give "spoilers" so will only discuss what I consider "spoilers" that are mentioned in the blurb. When Dekker and Delaney decide to walk across the lake your literally start to cringe as you know what is going to happen. Then, when Delaney falls, cracks the ice and falls through you literally hold your breath for her. This book has suspense, chilling thrilling parts, intrigue, and a little romance thrown in too. Bloomsbury Publishing compare this novel to If I Stay, Elsewhere and Before I Fall. I found this book well written, realistic and captivating. I loved the relationship between Dekker and Delaney. After Delaney falls through the ice Dekker feels responsible for her accident, as he was the one that persuaded Delaney to take the short cut across the lake with him that fateful day. Dekker and Delaney have been neighbours for years, ad literally brought up together, but does their relationship run deeper than just platonic friendship, as Dekker was the one to risk his life to rescue Delaney from the icy waters of the Lake.
Delaney then meets Troy, a nineteen year old boy who had been in a coma similar to Delaney, but is he what he seems? He tells Delaney that he understands what she is feeling, and tries to talk her into dealing with the sensations the same way that he does. Is Troy's way of coping with the aftermath of the coma the right or the wrong way?.You need to read this great book to find out more, definitely one for the January Wishlists

A lot can happen in eleven minutes.
By the time seventeen year old Delaney Maxwell is pulled out of the icy waters of a frozen lake, her heart has stopped beating. She is in a coma and officially dead. But Delaney pulls through. How? Doctors are mystified. Outwardly she has completely recovered. But Delaney knows something is very wrong. Pulled by sensations she can't control, she finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her brain predicting death or causing it?
Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who lost his whole family in a car accident and emerged from a coma with the same powers as Delaney. At last she's found a kindred spirit who'll understand what she's going through. But Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature - or something much more frightening?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading my ARC copy of Fracture by Megan Miranda (supplied by Bloomsbury for me to read and review). It was beautifully written from start to finish, and as a result I flew through it! My favourite characters were Delaney and Decker. Delaney because of her determination during her coma and her sarcasm & wit throughout the book. And Decker because of his kind, caring nature and his heroic attempts to save Delaney both from the Lake (and later on from herself). Although I absolutely love the cover of my ARC copy of Fracture (pictured below), I think that the cover at the top of this post (which will be the official cover) suits the story inside better. Also I love the beautiful teaser on the cover, "A lot can happen in eleven minutes" which is seamlessly reiterated throughout the book.

Delaney should have died. She did die. But somehow she has defied all odds to return to life seemingly unscathed. Seemingly unscathed. MRI scans show her brain to be damaged to an extent that would be fatal in any normal case, but Delaney's case isn't normal, and as the story grows, so does the abnormality of her situation. Delaney begins to feel strangely drawn to the dying.

Fracture is a story about life and death, pain and suffering, and right and wrong. With Delaney's new 'ability' comes an awareness of the constant presence of death, and she struggles with the knowledge of other people's pain, suffering and impending deaths. More troubling is the problem: is it right to 'help' ease other people's suffering? Or is it wrong to make the choice of life or death for someone else without their input?

Is their anything Delaney can ever do to help? Or must she stand helplessly by on the sidelines and watch as people suffer and die without ever being able to do anything?

If she interferes, she may be able to prolong someone's life. But she will also be prolonging their suffering. So is it right? Or is it wrong?

In Fracture, I really liked the relationship between Delaney and her best friend, Decker. Decker was so sweet, and the two of them had been best friends since when they were little and Decker promised to make Delaney smile. They were obviously very close and cared for each other deeply, but during the story complications arise with their feelings for each other, written in a way that tugged at my heartstrings.

The ending, especially, I thought, was beautifully written. I was left with tingles as I finished the book. Seriously, I loved the ending. It was so beautiful. So beautiful that, yes I know, I just had to repeat myself to make sure I get the point across.

All in all, Fracture really was a thought-provoking, sweet and spine-tingling story, and yes, I completely recommend it to all of you!

Delaney is out in the snow and ice with her friend Decker. While crossing the frozen pond, she falls in and is under for 11 minutes. She should be dead and yet she's not. The story begins with Delaney waking up in the hospital (although not yet able to move or show that she in conscious). As Delaney gets better and tries to go back to her old life she realizes something strange. She is now drawn to those that are dying.

I liked Delaney. She was smart and easy to relate too. She was also very brave and yet still realistic. She has breakdowns and emotions that are riding a roller coaster at times but she is a teen who has come back from a traumatic event. I really enjoyed her and Decker and their relationship! They have always been good friends but after Delaney comes back from her accident there is tension and more than just friendship.

Troy has a lot in common with Delaney. He has also been in a coma and is also drawn to people who are dying. I did not like Troy however. Troy is the dark "bad boy" in this book and he fits it well! He was so creepy with how he was always around Delaney. I liked how Delaney was attracted to Decker but didn't like it that she was attracted to Troy too. I think he could have been added into the book without adding the attraction triangle.

I really enjoyed this book! It has some paranormal aspects to it but that isn't what the whole book is about. I liked the relationship interactions with Delaney and Decker and Troy made for a creepy character. I was slightly disappointed by how the ending seemed a little rushed but I can honestly say that this book gave me the creeps!

If I think too hard about this book, my brain kind of starts to hurt. I'm not going to say that's a bad thing, because in all honesty, it isn't. But Fracture is one of those books you really have to think about before you can understand what's going on.

Fracture is more of a tortured contemporary, if you ask me. There's only one paranormal aspect - if it's even paranormal and not something entirely crazy - and while it's a huge focus of the book, I don't think most would really consider it paranormal.

Delaney should be dead. She spent 11 minutes under freezing water, but her best friend Decker saved her, and somehow she survived. She's a miracle - y'know, supposedly.

Most of the time, I thought the way Delaney felt and reacted to things was very realistic. I mean, honestly, if you had died and came back perfectly fine even when you shouldn't have, you would have felt pretty weird, too. One aspect I really liked about Delaney was that she refused to take pills. Why would you want even more reasons to feel crazy?

Decker was the best part of Fracture for me, even though he was an idiot. But he handled how he felt about Delaney the way a lot of guys handle it - tried to ignore it and make out with someone else. No matter how much I hated that part, I loved how Decker would always drop everything and come to the rescue if Delaney needed him. And there were times when he actually *gasp* confessed his emotions. I don't see that very much YA anymore, so I got really excited when that happened.

Troy was another great part, just because he was so messed up, but at the same time, I could see where he was coming from. I can't say I would have done the same if I'd been in his shoes, but I can understand why he did it and why he thought he was doing good instead of harm.

The writing is where I really fell in love. Megan Miranda did such an amazing job at capturing Delaney's emotions and describing what was going on. Delaney's fear felt so real.

My biggest problem, and only problem, really, was that there are still so many questions. I still don't know why Delaney survived. Why she could tell when people were going to die. Why she and Troy could tell. And the thing is, the ending is that kind that ends perfectly for a stand-alone, but you can't help but question EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. At the end of the book this was basically me: o_o Wut? Even though it wasn't like there was a cliffhanger or anything.

Overall: Fracture is a compelling novel that gripped me once I got into it. And while it might be about Delaney and her struggle to figure out what happened, I like to think that it's a novel about friendship, too. 4 stars.