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readingwithkirstyn's review against another edition
4.0
Break this House brought so much to the table and while I couldn't put it down at first I definitely felt myself with a bit of an emotional toll afterward, which to be honest, I loved. I knew this book really impacted me because it hit me heavily. Break this House features two very sensitive topics - parental divorce and the death of a mother, which partially lead to the emotional drainage I was feeling. Overall, I felt the characters could have been a little more fleshed out - that being said I understand why it was done this way.
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This book is raw and emotional. It was my first book by Candice Iloh and I'm looking forward to reading more.
pantswithpockets's review against another edition
4.0
Break This House tells a very nuanced story about addiction, parental roles, familial connections and the way all three impact someone’s life. Hearing her mother has died, the main character returns home to Obsidian, Michigan where she last saw her sister and maternal family. She reflects on her memories of her family splitting up, and pieces together the truth that her family had hidden during her childhood. Cut with perfectly placed flashbacks, diary entries, dreams, and notes from her mother, Break This House tells the story of a mother who never wanted to be a mom. It is also a showcase of the many ways grief can be expressed, even when you think you don’t feel it.
sassyykassie's review against another edition
3.0
We follow Yaminah who just found out her estranged mother passed away. She returns to her hometown to see family she left behind when her dad abs she moved away and starts to learn there were family secrets being kept, including about her mother.
Although i like yaminah and the sort of mystery set up, something was missing for me. I felt like every time we got close to a connection the story would break off abd i couldn’t stay with the characters quite long enough to really feel what was going on.
Although i like yaminah and the sort of mystery set up, something was missing for me. I felt like every time we got close to a connection the story would break off abd i couldn’t stay with the characters quite long enough to really feel what was going on.
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
"My babies. I hope now you can see me for who I really was. Somebody who ain't always know how to be your mama. Somebody who ain't know how to be. Just a person."
When Yaminah receives a Facebook message from a family member telling her that her mother has died, she spirals into confusion, grief, and loss. She returns to Obsidian and reacquaints herself with the family she left behind only to unravel the timeline of her mother's death, all while dealing with her cousins, their families, and her grandmother's announcement to sell the house.
The story is interspersed between Yaminah's perspective and portions of her mother's diary, showing the struggles of motherhood, addiction, and family. What we are left with is a tender and evocative story of picking up the pieces and trying, somehow, to move on.
When Yaminah receives a Facebook message from a family member telling her that her mother has died, she spirals into confusion, grief, and loss. She returns to Obsidian and reacquaints herself with the family she left behind only to unravel the timeline of her mother's death, all while dealing with her cousins, their families, and her grandmother's announcement to sell the house.
The story is interspersed between Yaminah's perspective and portions of her mother's diary, showing the struggles of motherhood, addiction, and family. What we are left with is a tender and evocative story of picking up the pieces and trying, somehow, to move on.
talkingstory's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
thebookkeepers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This little book packed a considerable punch. I went into this expecting a young adult contemporary novel but it was more profound than that. Told with prose, the reader experiences the grief and reconciliation of a 16-year-old girl who learns suddenly that her estranged mother passed away months before. This story requires the reader's attention and will make you think deeper than many young adult novels I've read. It's layered with nuances and things aren't always straight out explained to the reader, which I loved. While everything wasn't answered entirely, I feel like that was the intent of the author, and was satisfied with how it wrapped up. There were times we jumped from dream states, to present, to past and I'd have to slow down to prevent getting lost. This slight discombobulation is what kept this from being a 5-star read for me.
Topics include nuanced family drama, broken families, generational trauma, addiction, and coming of age.
Topics include nuanced family drama, broken families, generational trauma, addiction, and coming of age.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol
readereaterr's review against another edition
3.0
three stars for the reading experience. the ending did not connect at all. the book could have been longer to flesh that out. the epilogue was eatery though.