Tess Sharpe

The daughter of a meth kingpin faces the most difficult choice of her life-family loyalty, or freedom. Set in a harsh and insular rural community reminiscent of Winter's Bone, Tess Sharpe's powerful debut BARBED WIRE HEART is a breathtaking "ballad of survival sung by a voice you'll never forget" (David Joy). Never cut the drugs--leave them pure. Guns are meant to be shot--keep them loaded. Family is everything--betray them and die. Harley McKenna is the only child of North County's biggest criminal. Duke McKenna's run more guns, cooked more meth, and killed more men than anyone around. Harley's been working for him since she was sixteen--collecting debts, sweet-talking her way out of trouble, and dreading the day he'd deem her ready to rule the rural drug empire he's built. Her time's run out. The Springfields, her family's biggest rivals, are moving in. Years ago, they were responsible for her mother's death, and now they're coming for Duke's only weak spot: his daughter. With a bloody turf war threatening to consume North County, Harley is forced to confront the truth: that her father's violent world will destroy her. Duke's raised her to be deadly--he never counted on her being disloyal. But if Harley wants to survive and protect the people she loves, she's got to take out Duke's operation and the Springfields. Blowing up meth labs is dangerous business, and getting caught will be the end of her, but Harley has one advantage: She is her father's daughter. And McKennas always win. A remarkable novel with a deep emotional core, BARBED WIRE HEART seamlessly blends page-turning suspense with a multilayered and unflinching portrayal of a poor, rural community where family is everything. "Terrific...In infusing noir tradition with feminist resolve, BARBED WIRE HEART pulls off something rare." --Chicago Tribune "Harley McKenna is possibly the most powerful, original female character we've had in decades.... Masterfully constructed, BARBED WIRE HEART is an evocative work of darkness and redemption, hinting at times of Flannery O'Connor and Cormac McCarthy. An amazing debut novel. An exciting new voice in the world of books." --New York Journal of Books "Read this book! From the opening scene to the adrenaline-fueled finale, this is the rare thriller that packs an emotional punch...Harley is one of the most complex, fascinating, dangerous characters I've encountered in years." --Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Terrific. "--David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Barbed Wire Heart

Lacy W

A super special thank you goes out to Tess Sharpe for sending me a physical arc copy of this book. I'm sorry it's so late and you are so amazing! All thoughts and opinions are my own! Any quotes used come from an arc and may not be in the final version.

tw: click on this link to be taken to a list of trigger warnings that Tess has so kindly offered on her tumblr. Can I just say that this is an awesome idea? More authors need to do this! 

Tess Sharpe can write. Goddam, can she write. She made me care for an anti hero and if you all know me by now, you know that anti heroes aren't my cup of tea. Harley was writing so perfectly and I didn't realize she was even an anti hero until I was half way through the book. My heart bled for her and what she went through. I'll talk more about her further in the review.

I love how the story was written with the past and present. Slowly, bits of Harley's childhood was revealed and what she went through being a crime lord's daughter. And it wasn't meaningless additions to move the story along. That added parts of childhood were added when a plot twist came about, to add even more drama. 

Speaking of, the plot was interesting. I'm not sure if I would considered this a thriller. I'm not really sure what genre this would be. Regardless, I enjoyed it and it certainly wasn't what I expected. Tess really knows how to create drama, tension and suspense. Along with angst. Omg, the angst. I wanted to tear my heart out with what was going on with Harley and Will. 

Harley was seriously so great. She had a very rough and tumble attitude but also showed emotion. She was her person, despite how she was raised. And she had such a heart of gold. She cared for her family, despite how horrible they actually were. I am just in awe of Harley. 

So after all this praise, why the 4 stars? Well, in some parts it kind of dragged and I felt myself losing attention. I won't give away entirely but it happened during the planning. Once you read the book, you will understand. But honestly, that was so minor compared to the rest of the book. 

I know this review is kind of vague with a lot of bad adjectives but this book is best read blind. Trust me on this. Please don't sleep on this or on Tess Sharpe for that matter. This is my second book I've read by her and I'm in love. She is gifted and she is on my list of auto buy authors!


  Maybe hardening a heart is the problem. Not the solution.

Cynthi

4/5 stars 

I had a dream about this book.

It started meh.
A little confusing.
But once it started it kept going.
This book was very fast-paced.

Harley is a #girlboss.
She stood up for people helped people but she was still strong.
She knew what she wanted and decided to take it even if it could leave her dead in the end.

The plot twists were immaculate.
How she handled things immaculate and not.
In my opinion, I would have shot them.

I really liked this book.

Harley and Will <3333
Childhood Friends to Lovers??
Shared Trauma??
Yes.

Make sure to read all Trigger Warnings.
This is not a sweet fairytale or romance.
This book talks about Abuse, Drugs, Death, Violence, Assault, Racism, Gendered Slurs, Rape Threats, Arson, Kidnapping, and more.
https://sharpegirl.tumblr.com/post/16...
Barbed Wire Heart TW

The daughter of a meth kingpin faces the most difficult choice of her life--family loyalty, or freedom. Set in a harsh and insular rural community reminiscent of Winter's Bone, Tess Sharpe's powerful debut BARBED WIRE HEART is a breathtaking "ballad of survival sung by a voice you'll never forget" (David Joy). Never cut the drugs--leave them pure. Guns are meant to be shot--keep them loaded. Family is everything--betray them and die. Harley McKenna is the only child of North County's biggest criminal. Duke McKenna's run more guns, cooked more meth, and killed more men than anyone around. Harley's been working for him since she was sixteen--collecting debts, sweet-talking her way out of trouble, and dreading the day he'd deem her ready to rule the rural drug empire he's built. Her time's run out. The Springfields, her family's biggest rivals, are moving in. Years ago, they were responsible for her mother's death, and now they're coming for Duke's only weak spot: his daughter. With a bloody turf war threatening to consume North County, Harley is forced to confront the truth: that her father's violent world will destroy her. Duke's raised her to be deadly--he never counted on her being disloyal. But if Harley wants to survive and protect the people she loves, she's got to take out Duke's operation and the Springfields. Blowing up meth labs is dangerous business, and getting caught will be the end of her, but Harley has one advantage: She is her father's daughter. And McKennas always win. A remarkable novel with a deep emotional core, BARBED WIRE HEART seamlessly blends page-turning suspense with a multilayered and unflinching portrayal of a poor, rural community where family is everything. PRAISE FOR BARBED WIRE HEART "Terrific...BARBED WIRE HEART pulls off something rare." --Chicago Tribune "Harley McKenna is possibly the most powerful, original female character we've had in decades." --New York Journal of Books "This is the rare thriller that packs an emotional punch...Harley is one of the most complex, fascinating, dangerous characters I've encountered in years." --Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Terrific. "--David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Becky

Wow. Just wow. I wasn't certain about this book whne I first started reading. The characters weren't exactly the most likable and I was questioning the actions of a lot of people but as the story was told both during the present day story with flashbacks to the past I was slowly drawn in. 

Harley is a girl who has been raised to be suspicious of everyone, trust no one and expect to forge a brutal path through life. Very few are truly close to her and she prefers it that way because too many people close to her just means she has more weaknesses. Like I said, it's kind of brutal. Her dad is Duke McKenna and he rules North County with an iron fist. He's fought dirty to get that power and control the area and he is not a man to cross. But that's exactly what Harley is doing slowly dimantling his power base. I will reveal no more than that to avoid spoilers but hot damn did I cheer Harley on.

Tess Sharpe skillfully crafts a story filled with characters you really shouldn't like but as you see Harley's own memories of her past and upbringing I found myself feeling for Duke. Even though the man raised his daughter in questionable ways (testing her by kidnapping her and forcing her to shoot a deer? He's kind of a dick) but Duke did it because he loved Harley in his own messed up way and she loved him all the same. Despite him being a villian in many people's stories he also had some vaguely good points, he'd just twisted himself up a bit. And then there were good people interspersed throughout who proved that North County wasn't a truly awful place to be and helped explain why Harley loved it there.

This is such a powerful feminist read too. There were so many strong female characters throughout. Some were on Harley's side and others weren't but they were all strong and despite having men in their lives bringing them down or holding them back they powerful. From Mo, the woman Harley trusted to keep the rubies safe (a hotel of sorts which was a safe haven for women who were abused, addicted to drugs, etc, where they could to get help and build a new life). Mo was trusted to keep these vulnerable women safe and help them move forward and she was amazing at it. There was Harley's best friend, Brooke, who went through some awful things but same out of it strong with a friend she would do anything for and would do anything for her. She was from the good side of town who looked down on the rubies but she didn't. She was awesome. It was amazing read seeing women fighting and holding positions of power in a county overrun with men who thought they knew what was best and what was best was brutality and power and women were weak and to stay at home. 

It was such a good book and it went in a direction I did not expect. I enjoyed every page and only wish I'd gotten around to reading it sooner.

Barbed Wire Heart

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