OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Broken: Macy's Story" by Janice Broyles.]

Broken: Macy's Story by Janice Broyles is a beautifully written Christian fiction novel that talks about family upheaval, abuse, rejection, betrayal, love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It also explores family secrets, sibling rivalry, and the grace of God. The main character is an eighteen-year-old girl called Macy, who had a problematic relationship with her mother. She was going through things in her life that she could not talk to anybody in her family about. Even though Macy was literarily a victim of circumstances, she was labeled the villain, and she started to believe that she was the villain and that there was nothing good about her. It took the friendship of unlikely friends to help her see her true self.

Janice writes in simple language that everybody can understand. The language is blunt and not preachy in any way. The themes explored are universal and not limited to any particular culture or country. The book will appeal to teenagers and young adults because of the family issues that arose and the conflict that arises in many homes between teenagers and their parents.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. There were so many twists and turns in the plot that it was difficult for me to predict how the story was going to end. The storyline was character-driven, and I love the way the characters matured as the plot unfolded. I liked the way the author wove the biblical story of Esther and Mordecai into this book in a conversation between a child and Macy.

There were several quotes in this book that spoke to me. I found one of them on page 221 paragraph 4: "We can't change our past… all I can do is move forward and hope to God I don't screw up my life anymore." Sometimes, people are fixated on past events of their lives – too afraid to move on and too terrified to enjoy the present because of the past. Another quote I liked was on page 304, and it was in the middle of a dialogue between Macy and Derek. "You are using his past to determine his future, and that's not right. Everyone deserves second chances." I totally agree that everyone deserves second chances.

There was nothing to dislike about the story. I think the book was professionally edited because there were only a few non-distracting typographical errors. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it was a delightful read. I recommend it to teenagers and young adults. It will be a useful addition to family, school, and church libraries.

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Broken: Macy's Story
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"You are using his past to determine his future, and that's not right. Everyone deserves second chances." I totally agree that everyone deserves second chances.

I completely agree with this statement. Thanks for an insightful review!

Sometimes the conditions we find ourselves in blind us. I'm glad to learn that Macy had friends who saw her for who she really is and helped her find herself. Thanks for the review. The book is worth a read.

Seems like there are lots of lessons to draw from the book. Nice review

It's been a while since I've picked up a Christian-fiction book. Very often, they embody ideals more than reality. This sounds like a good read! Thanks.

There seem to be a lot of lessons to learn from Macy's life. Thanks for your review.

Seems like a good book to have as a companion. I enjoyed reading your insightful review. Good job!

This sounds like a great book. And, I like that it's universal. Nice review.

Macy must have been very brave. The way she had to put up with everyone who thought her to be a villain, is commendable.

It's a good life lesson book because it is very likely that people who struggles to deal with a devastating past,turn to substance abuse as scapegoat. i would definitely like read it.