Fierce Fragile Hearts ~ Sara Barnard ☆ Arc’s Review
**Disclamer: I did received this book via NetGalley. This had in no way, shape or form affected my opinion on it.**
Hey look, I’ve requested another book off Netgalley! 😅
This book attracted me with it’s pretty cover, *aherm* i’ll admit it – but the synopsis of a girl hitting rock-bottom and deciding to go back to her hometown where she left her two besties to be ending up there alone as they went to university hit home for me.
This is apparently book No.2 of the “Beautiful Broken Things” serie, as of which I haven’t read the first one and i’m following through it fine – so definately stand well as a standalone! Although you’ll probably know more of the backstory and the characters if you did read it.
Publishing on March 26th 2019, via Macmillan Children’s Books
5 / 5 stars
** Warning; Book with mentions of Abuse & a Sex scene **
First thing first, Our main character is suffering with Complex-PTSD from her past abuse; having went through therapy in the past and is still getting helped through the novel. Although we do not have the same illness, as I am suffering from anxiety and not PTSD, I relate to Suzanne alot with how she react to it; avoiding the ones that loves her when her “crisis” happens as she refuse to have them worry for her.
The relationships in this book are really well made! We see how Suzanne’s two best friends (Caddy & Rosie) means so much to her and help her through the novel. Although that don’t mean they don’t pick up fights – which makes the all so much more realistic to me. We are following the long-lasting relationships of those three girls, while discovering three new ones aswell. They are forming and evolving throughout the book, just like real friendship does; I particularly appreciate the bits where Suzanne “loses control” and get mean with them, and shockingly they stay. Because they love each other and we all know fury can make us say crappy things we don’t actually means.
Though this book is not really what i’m “known” to read- It’s YA but not really romance, more about the friendship and Suzanne’s path to getting better than anything else (though there IS some romance); I did really loved it. I got absorbed in it and it had this kind of “home-y” feeling to it, I got attached to all the characters and hardly could stop myself from reading upon started — even when some passages were kind of heavier whenever her past abuse was mentioned, it felt like an easy read to me.
I can definately see myself picking this book again, Matt ended up being one of my favorite.
My favorite quotes;
« Let me tell you, anyone who thinks romantic love is the pinnacle of human emotion has never had a friend who looked at them like she looked at me. Love might burn the brightest fires, but fires burn out. Friendship is warm and steady; constant. It keeps me alive.
« Recovering isn’t about fresh starts, or new beginnings. It’s about the constant as well as the change. You build a foundation in layers, and that’s what makes it strong. Maybe sometimes it means taking a step back, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. »
« Sometimes you have to take a step back to get a better view of where you’re going. I will never be better, because better is not a thing. I will always just be me, and maybe that’s OK. »
Awesome review. Sara Bernard always writes on dope friendships and her writing leaves a warm feeling after reading it.
I definately need to read more of hers then !
Great review! Sounds like a book Id love to read.
yay! hopefully you’d do indeed xx
I always feel myself getting super happy when an author does a great job with the friendships! Sounds like you really enjoyed this, and I really liked the quotes you gave us from the book 🙂
Yeah, that’s definately different !! Usually it’s all about the romance, which is good but xD Gotta give some love to the friends too !
I love Sara Barnard and I definitely need to get my hands on this one! Heading to NG right away!
Yes!! Will definately read more of her
Well said girl! This is an author I’ve wanted to try for a long time and I so dig the blurb!
Ohh ! You can go ahead now ! 😘