Review: CHALK HOUSES by Tracy Clark

Chalk Houses by Tracy Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everyone has a secret. Now Secret is talking.

Talon Alvarado has one goal - to be nothing like her mother who’s blown it in about every way. But sometimes you focus so hard on what you don’t want that you find yourself careening toward it. Bombarded with history, hurts, and secrets, Talon is struggling to be the person she yearns to be and to live a bigger life than girls like her are supposed to wish for. To climb out, she must dig for strength in the most unlikely place; the rubble of her bruised heart. 

The misty presence of Secret reveals its role in Talon’s life, showing how the secrets we keep tell our stories. 

Chalk Houses is a gritty, achingly hopeful story about love being in the places you forgot to look, and about starting over. Even at the end.

I first came across Tracy Clark when I read Mirage, her YA psychological thriller. I absolutely fell in love with that book, and so I couldn't wait to read Chalk Houses.

And, wow, I loved it! It's compelling and deep, and Talon is a great main character, so relatable, but also flawed.

Clark's writing is beautiful, and the images are so evocative. I especially loved the small sections narrated by Secret throughout, and the almost-philosophical touch this added in places.

It's quite a dark story too, and at times it was hard to read.

But the issues covered are important, and Clark addresses them in a powerful way. I loved how Gabby was almost a mirror version of Talon, and how their sister-like relationship became one of the strongest themes in the book, even over-riding the romantic aspect. That's something I haven't seen many contemporary YA books do, and it felt really refreshing.

A highly recommended read.