*I got this book for early review from the publisher for my honest thoughts*

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery of this book so much. I read this book in about two days. It was a very fast read. I really grew to love the main characters. I would consider these characters to have moments of being "Unlikable" but they grew on me and by the end of this novel, I really enjoyed them. I love the duel timelines and how we got both past and current timelines. I loved how this book hinted at toyed with fantasy elements in some ways. It thought these characters were so well crafted and the world building was so strong. The mystery was hard to predict and I loved that. If you like mysteries like PLL or don't look back, you should def check out this book in october!! ( )

*I got this book for early review from the publisher for my honest thoughts*

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery of this book so much. I read this book in about two days. It was a very fast read. I really grew to love the main characters. I would consider these characters to have moments of being "Unlikable" but they grew on me and by the end of this novel, I really enjoyed them. I love the duel timelines and how we got both past and current timelines. I loved how this book hinted at toyed with fantasy elements in some ways. It thought these characters were so well crafted and the world building was so strong. The mystery was hard to predict and I loved that. If you like mysteries like PLL or don't look back, you should def check out this book in october!! ( )

4.5 Stars-- I loved this book!! I think it would be a full 5 stars if it didn't drag on a little. But A mystery and I love when books take inspiration from real life crimes!

Lauren Oliver is BACK!!! I know most people fell in love with her for The [b:Delirium|11614718|Delirium (Delirium, #1)|Lauren Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327890411s/11614718.jpg|10342808] series-- but I'm a [b:Before I Fall|6482837|Before I Fall|Lauren Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361044695s/6482837.jpg|6674135] girl & I've been WAITING for some kind of Contemporary/Mystery/Thriller from her for a long, long time. It's finally here!!! And it's SO GOOD!!

I didn't realize this book was full-on based on true-life events, but shortly after starting it, I realized this story is very similar to the case where those girls were obsessed with Slenderman and stabbed their friend over it. It doesn't follow it exactly or anything, it just starts with a similar beginning. I'm a big true-crime fan, always watching the ID channel and I used to read tons of true-crime books, so of course I'm drawn to books that get inspiration from them.

Brynn and Mia were really interesting characters. I rooted for their friendship the whole time. I could tell they cared about each other even though they THOUGHT their only real connection was through Summer. Summer may not have been in this book in the present, but I loved how well we got to know her through flashbacks and the people they talked to. She's the type of complicated girl that I love to read about-- she's that alluring/dangerous girl that people can't resist, but probably should. I'm a total sucker for girls like Summer in books.

Mia was the one that really pulled at my heart because of the heartbreak she went through with Owen, a guy she grew up being best friends/hopelessly in love with. Owen had made Mia FEEL like they were going to be together, but then Summer stole him from her right before her death. Owen was originally arrested for the murder and he's also had to live under suspicion all this time. He was adorable and I loved him and I feel like Lauren Oliver writes perfect book boys just for me... okay, maybe for you too??

The side characters could've been done a little better. Mia has a new friend, Abby, that started out with so much potential-- but somewhere along the way, her development was dropped. I thought she deserved more attention. The other character was Brynn's cousin Wade. He was a "fan" of the case and came along to help them solve it-- but he was just sort of a weirdo that was THERE. I wanted him to mean something more.

The ending was good, if not a little meh. I don't really "get" why the person who did it, DID it. It seemed like it was meant to be surprising, but I felt like it was just confusing and didn't make much sense. I wanted this book to do something twisty in the end, and this really wasn't that book.


PS-- Is it weird that I thought that the cover was jellyfish instead of hair??

OVERALL: SO ADDICTIVE. If you love Lauren Oliver, you'll love this. I could get used to her writing Mystery/Thrillers & I hope they are all like this-- except maybe a TAD more twisty?? Broken Things is loosely based on the Slenderman Stabbing crime and I would rec it to all my true-crime & mystery lovers.

My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books

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*4.5 ( )

Broken Things by Lauren Oliver is not at all what I expected when I finally delved into it. I did expect a murder mystery, but I did not plan for the social commentary aspect of the story. I actually like the story more because it included the latter. The fact that Ms. Oliver is not afraid to tackle difficult topics like bullying, abusive relationships, and mental health adds not only complexity but also a layer of gravitas on top of something that would simply be another teenage murder mystery.

In fact, you might argue that Broken Things is more social commentary than a murder mystery. As we dive into each girl’s life since the murder and discover how messed up they are five years after, the story becomes less a whodunit and more a closer look at the dangers of false accusations and unhealthy relationships with yourself and with others.

What ultimately dooms Broken Things is the rather neat ending that seemingly ignores or glosses over all the messy details that make up the heart of the story. The happy ending is nice because the girls are so damaged. At the same time, the ending is too clean and too neat. The characters have too many rough edges and cracks for them to heal so suddenly, yet there is no doubt that Ms. Oliver leaves each character well on the path to a glowing future. For such an edgy novel, it deserves an edgier, more realistic end. ( )