You're Breaking my Heart

by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Harriet Adu knows that her brother's death is her fault. I mean, it's not actually her fault, but it still kinda is, isn't it?
 
She would do anything to live in a world where she could take back what she said that morning.
 
Then a strange girl shows up at Harriet's high school – a girl who loves the same weird books Harriet does, who doesn't vibe with anyone at school the same way Harriet does – and that different world suddenly seems possible. The girl speaks of a place underneath the subways of New York, where people like them can go and find a home. A place away from the world of high school, grief, cool people, and depression. A place where one may be able to bend the lines of reality and get a second chance at being a better person.
 
Will Harriet open the door?
 
With You're Breaking My Heart , award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich offers a remarkable speculative novel that will hit home for anyone who yearns for that one chance to do things over.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Grief, Speculative Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Death

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2024

Reviews

[Shannon Miz]

You're Breaking My Heart is certainly a lovely book, you'll find no argument from me there. We meet Harriet, who is not doing well and still deeply grieving from her brother's very untimely, violent death. Obviously, you will feel for her, even more because she blames herself. I knew going in that this was definitely going to give me the feels, and it did, to an extent. In fairness, I think that the things I did not love about this book are more personal preferences, and hopefully won't apply to all readers. Thing is, I had really thought I was going to be getting a real look into what a do-over would look like, how the outcomes would make Harriet feel, etc. Basically, a big focus on healing for Harriet, her picking up the pieces, etc.

And to some extent, I definitely did, and that is what I liked best about this story. There were, however, some narrative choices that simply didn't work for me. For one, there is a point of view shift literally in the middle of one of the chapters. We go from third person to first, and perhaps it was supposed to be symbolic but I have no idea. I didn't care for it, though I do prefer first person so I could live with it once I adjusted. The real struggle for me was the fantastical element, which was far stronger than I'd anticipated. The whole bit with the underworld realm or whatever it was kind of went way over my head, and mostly just confused me instead of providing an avenue for Harriet to explore her grief, which I assume to have been the point.

The story was still worth it, for me, because I did enjoy the parts where Harriet was coming to terms with what happened, was having to reflect on how she can move forward, and was finding people who may be able to help her through this. And if you are a fan of contemporary fantasy, this is certainly one you'll want to try, as I imagine you'd have more luck with those bits, and would certainly still enjoy the character-driven components as I did.

Bottom Line: A lovely story about grief that was a bit more fantastical than I had bargained for.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

[vicky.]

Una adolescente de 15 años se enfrenta a una vida sin su hermano mayor, luego de que éste muriera en una violenta situación. Harriet está convencida de que fue su culpa, de que algo que ella hizo ese día llevó a la muerte de su hermano, y ahora debe aprender a vivir con ese sentimiento de culpa que la atormenta a cada momento.

Un día aparece en su escuela una chica llamada Alicia con la que conecta inmediatamente, a la que le gustan las mismas cosas que ella y con quien no se siente como un bicho raro. Alicia le cuenta sobre un mundo subterráneo donde la gente diferente como ellas encuentra un hogar donde alejarse de la escuela y las cosas malas, donde encontrarse y ser ella misma.

Primero me gustaría aclarar que no soy el público objetivo de esta historia. Este libro está dirigido a niños grandes o pre-adolescentes con una imaginación más activa que la mía y que puedan sentirse identificados con las problemáticas que uno tiene en su etapa liceal. A mi me costó terminar de entender y conectar con ciertos aspectos de la historia, que quizá a otra edad podría haber disfrutado más, pero aún así me gustó la idea y lo que transmite el libro.

El personaje de Harriet me resultó muy genuino y ver el proceso de su duelo a lo largo de las páginas fue doloroso pero reconfortante al mismo tiempo. Es una temática dura pero muy importante que los más jóvenes tengan también las herramientas para tratar una pérdida, y a través de un libro me parece una de las mejores maneras.

Este libro tiene un toque de Stranger Things en el tema del mundo subterráneo y las cosas que hay por ahí. A mi personalmente me costó visualizarlo del todo, como decía antes creo que no me dio la imaginación para eso. Habían partes en las que me sentía re perdida y no entendía lo que estaba sucediendo, y siento que para mi el final fue bastante caótico en el sentido de que pasan muchas cosas y yo no terminaba de encontrarle la lógica a todo.

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA)]

Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.

Pros: Wild, imaginative, at times poetical journey into a teen's grief and sense of guilt. Ode to family and friendship.
Cons: A little confusing at times. Might pose some problems to readers who need all the answers.
WARNING! Death by gun/school shooting (off-page). Near-drowning.
Will appeal to: Those who like a snarky, yet vulnerable lead. Those who enjoy coming-of-age stories with grief as a catalyst set on a fantastic backdrop.

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on Edelweiss. Thanks to Levine Querido (Chronicle Books) for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

MAKING WEAVES

First off - I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Not only it successfully merges different genres (coming of age, magical realism, portal fantasy, multiverse) by way of regular narrative and experimental devices (see the late chapter that reads like a sitcom, not to mention the switch from 3rd person to 1st person in Ch.11), but it manages to tell a heartfelt, insightful story about grief and regret and facing your demons.
Harriet is a self-deprecating, acerbic Black teen living in New York, who's gradually distanced herself from her older brother Tunde, their cousin Nikka and their friend Luke, until Tunde dies in a school shooting on the very day she ended one of their arguments with "I wish you were dead". Nine months after, now enrolled in the same school Nikka attends and suffering from serious Tragic New Girl syndrome, almost-15 Harriet still blames herself for her brother's death, and would do anything to take those words back. Rhuday-Perkovic looks compassionately (yet humorously) at family and school conflicts, as well as internal ones, only to move the latter on the backdrop of a fever-dream scenario (think Alice in Wonderland, but with a deeper, more cohesive and more straightforward meaning) that promises confort if you're willing to pay a price, and that ultimately forces Harriet to make a choice. [...]

Whole review here.

[Taylor Browne]

Dealing with grief is not easy. I haven’t read too many books that dive into magical realism and I think this was an interesting introduction. Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich did a great job tackling grief from a young person’s perspective. When our loved ones cross to the other side, we’re stuck here sorting out our feelings. For some, pressing forward can be easy and for others it can be a bit difficult. When it comes to grief, there is no timeline or a rule book. No matter how you battle grief, losing a loved one is always going to change you in some fashion. My favorite thing about this read is that although Harriet was the main focus, we were able to get a glimpse of other people that were also affected by the death of her brother.

Side note: I loved that the author chose the color blue for the cover. I’m sure the creative choice was mainly because the main character loved swimming/the water. However, through research I discovered that the color blue represents sorrow. But it can also represent calmness, serenity, and peace. I think this book was the perfect representation of the color blue because it captured every emotion of the color.

[Ariella Flores]

This was… an interesting read.
It was ultimately pretty good but I felt confused while reading it, as if I was in a bewildering dream — or a nightmare.
It really gave me “Alice and Wonderland” vibes because of the strange and befuddling sequence of events.

[Raaven💖]

This is a beautiful and painful book about a girl who tells her older brother he should die right before he is killed in a school shooting. Convinced it was her who really caused his death, she must deal with her grief and belonging in the world after he is gone while also hopeful she can somehow bring him back.

There is so much going on here that is good, and there was a lot that was confusing. When Harriet goes into
The Underground with her cousin and her brother’s best friend, I started to get confused in the story. Where I thought this was contemporary, there is now fantasy aspects and elements. It wasn’t bad, it just felt out of place with the rest of the book. I enjoyed reading about Harriet’s African heritage and the different things her family did with their culture.

This was a beautiful book overall about how to overcome in the most tragic circumstances. How to still feel like yourself when you have faced the worst. I enjoyed Harriet’s story and felt like at times her experiences with her cousin mirrored my own childhood experiences with mine. A lot of it was extremely relatable.

[Sacha]

3.5 stars

Grief can make us feel like we are on another planet, totally isolated in our own horror show, and this author captures that sentiment expertly in this unusual young adult novel.

Harriet feels terribly guilty for what she perceives to be her role in her brother's death. Now, she's grappling with grief and guilt in ways that no one - especially a young person - should ever have to manage.

While the concept is fascinating and the emotions are raw, this one got a little too experimental for me. Rather than enhancing the depth, I felt distracted at times by much of what happened (especially in the final third of the novel). I'm a stronger visual than auditory processor, so I'm not sure how much my opinion may change with an ebook versus the audio, but I wish I had been able to get a stronger foothold in the final chapters.

Overall, this is a unique read, and it made me aware of an author who is new to me: always a plus.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Lit_Vibrations]

A story of siblinghood, grief, guilt, and the supernatural. The author takes us on a powerful journey with Harriet Adu as she experiences grief following the death of her brother. Harriet knows it’s her fault even though it’s really not but in her mind it is.

Soon she’ll learn the tongue is a powerful thing and you should be careful what you wish for. The morning she had an argument with her brother Tunde and wished he was dead was also the same day she lost him. The situation was a tragic coincidence yet Harriet can’t let go of the fact she feels she’s to blame.

This book had a great premise and I loved the direction it was headed with the magical realism spin. But I think that’s where the book began to veer off from its original point. I would’ve liked more backstory on the underground city Harriet, Luke, and Nikka ventured into. This was the only part of the book that didn’t make complete sense to me.

The pool seemed to be a symbolic place for Harriet since it’s where she usually felt free. When she had a supernatural encounter in the pool and sees a glimpse of Tunde’s ghost Harriet questions the impossible. That part made me wonder if maybe certain things began to manifest around her because she spoke them into existence.

Overall, this was a great speculative novel certain elements gave off a Don’t Look Under the Bed meets Us theme. The author did well providing vivid depictions of the scenes and characters. Special thanks to the author, @levinequerido, & @hearourvoicestours for my gifted copy‼️

Rating: 3.5/5⭐️

[Brandie Bridges-Sells]

This book was heartbreaking, but so realistic. In this book we get to meet Harriet, her cousin, and Luke. As I was reading this book I felt like Harriet was going through different transitions. At first I had no idea what had happened to her brother, but I soon realized that she was grieving her brother throughout the book. There were moments where Harriet would go swimming and she seemed to be ok and was in her happy space, but then there were times where going swimming didn't help at all. Harriet was grieving her brother Tunde and it seemed like she was alone or that's at least how she was feeling at the time. This book was eye opening in so many ways because I feel as people we all grieve differently and there were moments where I was crying for Harriet because she felt like it was her fault that her brother was killed because of what she had said to him. Though soon enough Harriets family and friends reassured her that she was not alone and that they were there for her. I am glad that I read this book because it opens your eyes and it helps you see through the lens of kids and their process of grieving.

[Dawnshaeé Reid]

The author used way too many references to other books, stories, and films to describe what was transpiring in Harriet’s life. So much so it robbed the story from reading as original. I wanted to like this book so bad, but i ended up “hate” finishing the book — hoping that it would all make sense in the end. Is it possible that it went over my head a bit? Sure. But the underground world and multi-universe, the revenge of the “nerds” (?), and the writing of it all just lost me.

I really did love the cover on this and the synopsis sounded more up my alley. Yet the overall delivery of the story was confusing and dreadful.

[Janet]

I really liked the first half, but the speculative fiction part just went on way too long. I lost track of what was going on multiple times--and really didn't care--just wanted to get finished with the book.
If it had stayed realistic fiction, I think I would have loved it. Harriet was so honestly written, and the relationship between here and Nikka well done. It was an interesting exploration of grief and guilt, but a bit too much for the last part of the book. I would have stuck more with the swimming and less with the underworld.

[Sarah Sammis]

Marginalized Utopia Labyrinth 66FF99

It reads like a blend of Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 1, The Beautiful and Damned and Every Heart a Doorway

https://pussreboots.com/blog/2024/com...

[Kyla]

This book is so painstakingly beautiful. The characters, Harriet, Luke, and Nikka felt extremely real to me. The only reason why I took a star away is because of the underground trip. That section did not capture my attention in the same way other parts did. Other than that, I absolutely adored this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Levine Querido for an advanced, early copy of this novel.

[Madison Forrest]

DNF

[RKreads]

The speculative elements really took me out of the story.

[Lexie]

This book left me in a daze that I couldn’t shake for days after I finished reading it. At its heart, it’s a story about grief. Harriet, the main character of the novel, feels responsible for the death of her brother, Tunde, after he is killed the same day that she tells him “I wish you were dead.” She is wracked with guilt, ostracized at school, and overcome by feelings of separation from all those around her, despite the best efforts of her cousin, the school’s “cool girl” Nikka, and her brother’s best friend, Luke, who desperately tries to look out for her. When the seemingly impossible begins to happen, pulling Harriet, Nikka, and Luke together and underground to a world where Harriet might have the opportunity to live the other possible realities of that fateful day, she must face her grief or choose another path for herself, one that may lead her even farther away from those she loves.

I commend the author for her use of speculative fiction, especially in a YA novel. When you write about potential parallel universes and make the reader question what is considered “real” within the narrative, it is sometimes hard to not lose the heart that holds the story together. However, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich’s exploration of grief from a young girl’s perspective, even while mixing the extraordinary with the ordinary, was focused and heart-wrenching to read. It thoroughly depicts depression and survivor’s guilt in a way that I have not seen in a long time. While some other reviews state that the underground universe distracted from the central themes, I’ll say that I enjoyed the more experimental and fantastical elements of the story; the pages flew by once I reached this section of the book. It was at times jarring, and didn’t always make the most sense, but we as readers are able to relate to Harriet, who is equally confused, yet still drawn into the world. Adding these elements to the novel served to represent and highlight Harriet’s struggle with her own emotions. The conclusion, while not as resolute as some may have liked, to me left a clear message: that we are not alone in our grief and that despite what we might wish, we must continue to swim against the waters that threaten to drown us.

Thank you to NetGalley, Levine Querido, and most importantly, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich for writing this book. Additionally, a final comment: The cover art is absolutely beautiful, and it’s what initially sparked my interest on NetGalley. I went out and bought the physical copy as well when it was published, and I love that the physical hardcopy has textured pages like water! I thought that this was a wonderful choice, since so much of the story revolves around the water that acts as a safe haven, a portal, a destroyer, and an uplifter all in one book.

[Aliyah Patillo]

As part of the "Hear Our Voices" book tour, I received a digital copy of "You're Breaking My Heart" in exchange for my honest review.

2.5*

Where to start with "You're Breaking My Heart"? Probably with one of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen! But at the same time, I haven't, in a while, read a book that left me this conflicted about whether I can say that I enjoyed this book.

Harriet is an outsider/loner at her high school, which she transfers to after her brother gets murdered in a school shooting. She likes to spend her lunch break in the library or hiding in a toilet stall, eavesdropping on people talking smack about her behind her back whilst trying to stay under the radar as well as possible. She is just trying to make it through the school day, looking forward to the local pool to swim all of it off. There is also this new mysterious girl at school who seems to take a liking to Harriet.

After an incident in the pool that makes Harriet question reality, she, her cousin Nikka, and their friend Luke decide to face the unknown and find out the truth about the remains of Harriets' brother Tunde.

So far so good, I was intrigued to get to the bottom of it all and to see the dynamics of the group develop.

And then the second half of the book happened.

It felt like I was being thrown at with settings and characters that could neither grasp nor understand. Whenever I thought that I understood where the plot was taking me, I found myself very confused and irritated.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for challenging, weird and different texts and ideas. But at the end of the read, I was thoroughly disappointed with what I was left with, especially after fighting my way through passages of text that I just could not grasp. Even now I could not tell you where the book, which was plot-driven at first and then very vague, ended.

I did like the first half and the topics it introduced as well as the establishment of the flawed but likable characters. But as I initially pointed out, I am so very conflicted with this book as a whole. I really wanted to like it.

[Ali]

I am giving this 5 stars because the ratings are way too low right now for this gorgeous world of a book.

Thank you Olugbemisola for holding so much space and love and care for Harriet and for the way in which we often struggle to grieve that which existed in its fullness. There are not many novels that capture the pain of grief in all of its weirdness and complexity and discomfort, so thank you.

I have SOOOOO many more thoughts, but (1) autism, the painful isolation of it, and casual cruelty (2) not centering whiteness/not trying to translate cultural norms or references to appeal to whiteness (3) not centering romance (4) love notes to New York City (5) the way emotional neglect and abuse, especially for highly sensitive individuals, lives with us as intense shame and pain in the body, often preventing us from accessing the love and care we need and want (6) the way these imperfect people, people who maybe don't love us the way we deserve, exist in our lives and memories in moments and stories and pain (7) our own faulty narration and blind spots (8) the pressure for folks of color to compartmentalize their emotions and act like they're okay even when they are not (9) how we must save ourselves first and cannot save anyone else (10) the absurdity of it all (the sit com section especially) (11) the power imbalance of understanding, how cruelty following the lines of the status quo is okay--how this hurts all of us but unequally (12) the way our society stigmatizes folks' with trauma instead of holding space to warmly invite them into authenticity and care (13) a desire to connect with culture, to see oneself as part of a larger community (14) the prevalence and formalness of missing fathers (15) desperately wanting and needing love from a mother who does not love you unconditionally the way you deserve and the way this so often unanchors you and relies on you making yourself small (16) the power unspoken pain holds

YouTube review where I go absolutely crazy for 1.5 hours here ~ https://youtu.be/XxU5dApmxsU <3

[Stephanie Tournas]

Almost 15 year-old Harriet Adu tells the reader that she killed her brother. Nonetheless, she is in deep grief over his death. Her only solace is swimming, but when a strong hand pulls her down into the depths of the local pool where she sees the ghostly image of her brother, even that is tainted. Understand that Harriet’s brother Tunde was killed by a bullet from a gun in the hand of someone who was not Harriet, but she had wished him dead after an argument that day, so for her, she is the real murderer. Tunde’s best friend Luke tries to be a friendly presence in her life; her cousin Nikka tries to do things with her; but Harriet spurns all efforts at empathy.

When Harriet, Luke and Nikka are sucked down into a mysterious and frightening underground world of misfit kids and evil rats, it feels like their might be a chance for her to do a do-over with Tunde. What I liked about this book is the look at a really smart but socially awkward teen who is living in her own hell of grief. There’s lots of nods to her family’s Nigerian ancestry, especially about food, and a loving look at the Upper East Side of New York. All main characters are Black. This is a wildly unpredictable and literary speculative foray into a teen’s grief, with water and an underground hell as a metaphor.

What I didn't like: Harriet is an unlikable character whom the reader alternately pities and hates. She is cruel and dismissive of all kindness. The pace of the book really drags for over half of the story, then there’s an abrupt switch to a whirlwind of nightmarish underground drama. But even that goes on too long.

[AMAO]

You're Breaking My Heart by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Pub. ‎ February 6, 2024


💙I could not put it down. This is my first from this author, I need to check to see if she has any any more titles. The narrator really bought this to life for me. I was drifting back to my high school days in NYC and enjoying the creation of fantasy story telling.💙


Harriet Adu knows that her brother's death is her fault. I mean, it's not actually her fault, but it still kinda is, isn't it? She would do anything to live in a world where she could take back what she said that morning.

Then a strange girl shows up at Harriet's high school – a girl who loves the same weird books Harriet does, who doesn't vibe with anyone at school the same way Harriet does – and that different world suddenly seems possible. The girl speaks of a place underneath the subways of New York, where people like them can go and find a home. A place away from the world of high school, grief, cool people, and depression. A place where one may be able to bend the lines of reality and get a second chance at being a better person.

Will Harriet open the door?

With You're Breaking My Heart, award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich offers a remarkable speculative novel that will hit home for anyone who yearns for that one chance to do things over.

[Laila Brown]

Starting I would give this book a overall rating of 4.5 stars, "You're Breaking My Heart" because it presents a compelling narrative with intriguing characters. it profounds exploration of guilt and loss it also reaches some readers who struggled with the sudden introduction of magical realism, particularly concerning the underground city.the author skillfully describes the settings and characters and additional details and context could enhance comprehension while I am able to connect with and relate in a way. I can relate by losing my dad and when that happened my life changed drastically. Also older children like highschool age readers intrigued by themes of loss and the supernatural may find the speculative storyline captivating. Overall the book is a thought provoking read that could benefit from further refinement in certain aspects. I would recommend this book to the age group older children because they able to comprehend more and understand where the reader is coming from.


Lastly, In Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich's speculative fiction book "You're Breaking My Heart" readers are invited to delve into the complex themes of sibling relationships, loss and guilt allowing me to get a deeper understanding.following a confrontation Harriet Adu grapples with overwhelming feelings of responsibility for her brother Tunde's tragic demise. Also while she navigates through her grief Harriet finds herself questioning the power of her words and desires. Her journey takes a surreal turn as she and her companions embark on an exploration of an enigmatic underground city where they encounter inexplicable paranormal phenomena that challenge their understanding of reality by doing that it gave me a little guessing because i was kind of guessing what was going to happen next in the story but then when it kind of gave it a twist it kept me intrigued.

[Style and Savings]

Thank you Partner, Hear Our Voices Tours for the gifted copy

Harriet Adu and her family are grieving the tragic death of her older brother. They cope in different ways: her father travels and is rarely at home, her mother fixates on cooking and cleaning, and Harriet swims at the local college’s swimming pool. One day, she has an unbelievable sighting underwater! Alisia, a new girl at school, is the only person who seems to get Harriet by sharing the same interests and making her feel like less of an outsider. When Harriet decides to confront what she saw in the pool, her cousin Nikka and Harriet’s brother’s best friend Luke join her on the journey.

I really felt for Harriet, because not only did she feel grief and guilt about her brother, she had also been teased for years for not being like the “cool kids”. She knew she was smart, but didn’t feel pretty or as well-liked as her cousin Nikka. I think this book did a good job of capturing the comfort of being around someone who has known you since childhood and shares memories but also the discomfort of feeling that you can’t fully grow up or reinvent yourself.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA with diverse main characters and magical realism.

[Sharon Kallenberger Marzola]

I was looking for a couple of audiobooks for the grandkids’ spring break reading circle and found this YA book.

Harriet Adu is struggling with the violent death of her brother. Tondu was killed in a school shooting. Unfortunately for Harriet, she had an argument with her brother before school and told him, "I wish you were dead." She can't help but blame herself for his death regardless of how much she is told or thinks through the events that they are not her fault.

It is a good story about a young person dealing with grief, the death of a close family member, and the changes in the adults she loves. Also, her parents moved her to a new school because they thought it would be easier for her because there were fewer reminders of her brother. Too many changes are not good for anyone in a time of grief; for a young person, it only hurts their heart more.

Harriet finds a way to experience life differently. At this point, the story touches on the paranormal/fantasy. This is the only downside for me. It doesn't flow as smoothly as the beginning of the story. Also, the story seems a little out of sync. However, I think teens and tweens will accept it more. My frustration was too many questions, but I don't think it will bother a younger person as much.

I’ll see when we get together next month.

[Shakera]

3.5 rating

“You’re Breaking My Heart” is a touching story about dealing with grief. It’s also a harsh lesson on the power of words.

Harriet is still reeling from losing her brother in a school shooting. Her last words to him still haunt her. She deals with some challenging changes while still learning how to deal with her grief, showing that everyone deals with grief in their own way, but also, there isn’t really a wrong way to deal with it.

The first half of the book was definitely better than the second half. It’s almost like a tale of two stories. The tone changed, but it was still enjoyable, albeit slightly confusing. Some secondary characters sometimes made me feel like they were testing my patience, but I had to remember that they, too, were dealing with the loss.

The lessons I’ve learned from this book (the cover is stunning, btw.) is tomorrow is never guaranteed, so tell your loved ones you love them before it’s too late. But also, there are some things you can’t take back, so be careful of what you put out into the world.

[Frederique]

Harriet is a Black teen living in New York, who gradually distanced herself from her older brother Tunde, her cousin Nikka and their friend Luke, until Tunde dies in a school shooting after a heated argument between them . Nine months later, now enrolled in the same school Nikka attends and suffering from grief and guilt, Harriet still blames herself for her brother's death, and would do anything to take those words back.

This book took me by surprised, I thought that it would have been a book about gun violence and guilt but it was more then that. Not only it was about grief but it was about healing and moving forward with magic and other world adventures of course. It's beautiful how each main character had to work through their own emotions in order to move on. The only thing I didn't understand in the book was the underground scene. But regardless, I really enjoyed this story both on a realistic and a fantastic level, and I highly recommend this book.

Please make sure to check the trigger warning before reading.

[Kendra]

✨Book Review✨

You’re Breaking My Heart by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich @olugbemisolarhudayperkovich
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✨Rating & Review✨: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Grief looks different for everyone, we all know that. But at times we forget that children have their own way of processing their grief as well. How do you move through a world where you believe you are the reason your brother is dead. Would you make the decision to change what you said, even if it means that he still dies? A beautiful story about the grief process and how important it is to have a support system to help you hold the grief. Thank you so much @hearourvoicestours and @olugbemisolarhudayperkovich for sharing this story with me.
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[myblackbookish_life]

**I received a free advance reader copy as part of the Hear Our Voices book tour. All thoughts are my own.**

I really, truly wanted to like this book but I felt such a disconnect with the main character and the side characters. There's a huge tonal shift from the first half to the second half of the book, I might not have minded it so much if I wasn't so busy being annoyed with Harriet's cousin and her friend who had an extremely interesting way of showing they cared about her. There were many times, in the 2nd half of the story, where I just thought they should stay out the way and let her make the decisions. (And I didn't appreciate the way the story tried to make me sympathize with Nikka and Luke. They never came across as genuine even as all 3 characters were very much grieving in their own ways.)

And finally, I hope this isn't in the final copy, but a warning for antisemitism: character (Harriet) calling another character (Nikka) a Nazi

[Brittney Jade]

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher as part of a tour & my honest opinion of this book.

This book started off really strong, but after about 50% in it took a total turn that had me lost the rest of the book.

Harriet’s last words to her brother were “I wish you were dead” and that day, he was brutally murdered. Harriet has blamed herself of for it after.
No one wants to talk to her because she’s known as “the girl” but when she meets Alisia, someone as strange & quirky as Harriet, Harriet begins to feel like she may have a true friend. Alisia invites Harriet to a place where people like them can feel at home & themselves. This place is called the Underground.

This is where I got so lost & the book really began to feel like a YA novel. In the beginning you can tell there’s some paranormal activity, but i believed it was Harriet’s grief.

I don’t want to give too much away but I wish there was an epilogue because I just needed a bit more.

[WellReadAndRatchet]

When I first heard about this book I knew I had to read it. A young adult book that centers grief with a magical twist? Count me in! I was so drawn to the story but it started off a bit slow and I was so confused on what was happening for a good bit. Sometimes there were entire scenes where I was bewildered. Overall, I enjoyed it. It has so many elements that I appreciated. The nods to Narnia and Hitchcock (my mom had me watching his movies very young), the pop culture references, the love of the library, and just the ability to see myself in another socially awkward girl I feel like I would’ve loved this as a kid. Those rats and the tunnels were totally giving a little nostalgia for a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan as well. 😂 I think with a little polishing this would make a dope movie! I would definitely recommend it to a fantasy loving teen or preteen especially those who might be having trouble dealing with grief.

[mixedreader]

You’re Breaking my Heart is a book that starts with grief. The death of Harriet’s brother Tunde weighs heavy on her spirit because of their last conversation. Rhuday-Perkovich layers this emotional burden as Harriet is considered the “weird girl” at school and finds herself without friends. The textures of her grief also play out in her newly bristly relationship with her cousin and brother’s friend, as she both feels isolated from them and a burden. This complex portrayal of Harriet navigating all of these emotions as a teen kept the novel moving for me.

After a few frightening and visionary experiences swimming, Harriet is thrown into a space she never knew existed in pursuit of the reconnection to her brother. This novel takes several unexpected turns into fantasy, some of which left me in the dark. Between each experience however, the author never abandons the commitment to deepening Harriet’s emotional maturity.