Named a best book of the year by Booklist, School Library Journal, New York Public Library, Shelf Awareness, The Bulletin, Amazon, and more!
"Like a puzzle box that somehow contains a more interesting version of The Craft. . . . It all boils down to the roiling cauldron of mother/daughter issues at the core of this story, and the twisting mystery of it all is very satisfying to unravel. All that plus teen witches—what more could you ask for?” —NPR.org (Best New Book of Summer)
"This atmospheric, powerful YA fantasy is crammed with secrets, lies, and ferociously good writing." —The Guardian (Best New Children’s Book)
"A tale both spellbinding and binge-worthy." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Albert’s fast-paced storytelling is both thrilling and accessible. . . . Teens who enjoy drama, secrets, romance, and mysteries with a twist of magic will love this one.” —SLJ (starred review)
"Vivid prose pairs effortlessly with an engaging slow-burn mystery in this eerie, dual-timeline thriller." —Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"Haunting and beautiful, full of messy girls drunk on messier magic and told with electric prose brimming with sharp metaphors.” —The Bulletin (starred review, Blue Ribbon title)
"This is a novel that will be devoured as well as savored. It takes risks and, magically, succeeds." —Booklist (starred review)
"Riveting, creepy, and utterly bewitching; do not miss this one." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Sublimely creepy." —PopSugar
"This exquisitely written, skillfully plotted page-turner offers gripping suspense, unsettling scenes of magic unleashed, and a surprising love story." —The Buffalo News
"In this paranormal young adult mystery, Albert creates a lyrical and creepy atmosphere that sucks you deep within the pages of the story." —BuzzFeed (Best New Book of June)
"Every line reads like an incantation, and the result is a book pulsing with magic, one that holds the reader firmly under its spell.” —V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
"A riveting story that grips you like a spell until you’re too deep to emerge unscathed." —Angeline Boulley, author of Firekeeper’s Daughter
"A truly masterful tale, Our Crooked Hearts comes with all the trappings of a classic: immaculate prose, a parallel generational story for the ages, and chills when you least expect them." —David Arnold, author of The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik
"Pulses with a bold, beguiling magic that feels brand new and classic at the same time. I couldn’t put it down." —Karen McManus, author of One of Us Is Lying
"I loved it. No one combines magic, darkness, and the realities of being a woman the way Melissa Albert does." —Kristin Cashore, author of the Graceling Realm series
"Our Crooked Hearts feels like a freshly spun secret; electric, dangerous—and impossible to keep to yourself." —Courtney Summers, author of Sadie
"Our Crooked Hearts is Melissa Albert at her very best; a sharp explosion of a book that’s taut, haunting, and potent as a witch’s brew." —Krystal Sutherland, author of House of Hollow
"Melissa Albert’s signature storytelling is once again pure sorcery. This book has everything I love: girls with tremendous power at their fingertips, mothers with unforgivable secrets, horrors left on the doorstep, and writing that sings and stuns." —Nova Ren Suma, author of A Room Away from the Wolves
Named to YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults and Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Lists
★ 2022-03-16
A complicated history of witchcraft binds a mother and daughter.
One night, on their way home after a tempestuous breakup, 17-year-old Ivy and her wannabe-hipster ex, Nate, nearly run over a naked woman standing in the middle of a deserted road. This catalyzing moment propels Ivy down a semiliteral rabbit hole after she begins stumbling across the bodies of dead, mutilated rabbits and cannot seem to shake the feeling of being watched. In alternating chapters, readers meet tough-as-nails Dana and her best friend, Fee. The pair welcome into their circle Marion, a beguiling rich girl who entices them with promises of magic from a mysterious grimoire. When the trio attempt a dubious spell, the results are disastrous, changing the course of their—and Ivy’s—lives forever. Here, Dana’s and Ivy’s narratives intertwine, rocketing toward a nail-biting conclusion guaranteed to keep readers up all night. Albert’s tale of mothers and daughters examines fraught choices and forgiveness against a cleverly insidious backdrop that will leave readers unable to see rabbits the same way again. While a romance is present, love in all its forms—platonic, parental, and romantic—is thoughtfully explored with gravitas and nuance. Main characters are predominantly White.
Riveting, creepy, and utterly bewitching; do not miss this one. (Paranormal. 13-adult)
