ALA Booklist

Just outside of Boston, in a patriarchal Italian American community, sisters Mira and Francesca Cillo are dead, their bodies entwined and retrieved from a toxic quarry lake. Days after the suicide, Ben Lattanzi om Mira had allowed to touch seven parts of her body ceives a letter from Mira, starting him on the hunt for notes at each of the locations where they had touched. Each note cryptically reveals more about why the sisters chose to end their lives, exposing complex reasons that involve a self-proclaimed religious stigma, a risky crush, and a devastating lie. Unlike After the Woods (2016), Savage's second novel is more character-driven than plot-driven. These figures are compellingly damaged, and the suspense is ever present. Savage's skillful writing makes the characters' pain deep and tangible, offering readers the full impact of the deaths on the town. The novel is cleverly divided into chapters of the seven body parts, propelling the search for the next clue. Prepare to be shocked, and have plenty of tissues handy. Perfect for readers of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why (2007).

Horn Book

Ben is devastated when his crush, Mira, and her sister Francesca are found drowned in a quarry near their tight-knit, Italian-Catholic Boston suburb. Ben follows a trail of cryptic notes Mira left behind, and alternating chapters flash back to the sisters' last months of grappling, privately, with a supernatural--perhaps holy--phenomenon. This novel is tantalizingly eerie but leaves too many questions unanswered.

School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up-From the author of After the Woods comes a follow-up novel about sisters who drown themselves in a quarry lake and the boy who loved one of them. Before Mira dies, Ben touches seven parts of her body, in seven different locations. After her death, Ben receives a letter that sends him on a quest through those seven places. The journey introduces readers to a small community where deaths and near deaths are on the rise and adults are powerless to stop the trend. Organized into eight parts, the narrative begins with a Sylvia Plath quotation, which further dramatizes the darkness in store for readers. There is also a mystical element that adds a level of complexity, as well as a plot detour that feels superfluous. Familial ties, friendship, and community trust are all intriguing themes, but the book's central story line is its strength as Ben moves through the stages of disbelief and grief. Teen readers will find sympathy for each character and be moved by the profound sadness of the sisters' short lives. VERDICT A haunting tale that reads like a young adult version of Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides . Give to fans of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why . Alicia Abdul, Albany High School Library, NY

Voice of Youth Advocates

When twin sisters Mira and Francesca Cillo jump to their deaths in the quarry lake, the community is left wondering what could have led to this tragedy. No one wonders more than Ben Lattanzi, and he may be the only one who can uncover the mystery. He loved Mira, and she left him seven notes, each hidden in a location where they shared a meaningful touch. As Ben seeks to understand each cryptic piece of the puzzle, he begins to realize that the bonds of family, an unrequited love, and a horrible secret can be more dangerous than anyone could imagine. While Beautiful Broken Girls at first seems reminiscent of Thirteen Reasons Why (Penguin, 2007/VOYA February 2008), readers will soon discover that this new novel takes a very different turn, exploring the dark side of religious fervor and unquestioning faith, family loyalty, mental illness, sexuality, and abuse. This interweaving of plot elements strengthens the story’s mystery and character-building, but because complex issues work primarily to serve a growing sense of suspense, the text forgoes a nuanced consideration of ideologies related to religion and mental health. Structurally, the book is fascinating, with each chapter delving into multiple perspectives—Ben’s uncovering of the mystery, his flashbacks of his relationship with Mira, and Mira’s perspective of the events to which each note refers. Readers looking for a unique, haunting mystery will certainly be drawn to this heartbreaking tale.—Meghann Meeusen.