Shattered - A Must-Read

Shattered: A Daughter's Regret
Melody Carlson
(NavPress)
ISBN: 978-1600069499
April, 2011/208 pages/$14.99

Everybody sneaks out of the house now and then. It doesn't hurt anybody.

Cleo Neilson is the only one who knows why her mother was in a seedy part of town that one night, but she’s determined to keep the secret that’s breaking her heart. Walk through this teen fiction novel of grief, guilt, faith, and forgiveness.

You won’t forget the journey.

MY THOUGHTS:

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

Melody Carlson has once again written a phenomenal novel that absolutely pulses with the emotions, temptations, and hearts of teens. Shattered is indeed the word to describe Cleo's life and heart when she realizes the connection between a seemingly (to her) harmless, if mildly rebellious, choice she made one Friday evening and the devastating news her family received on Saturday. Now she must deal with not only the overwhelming grief but the guilt that she consumes her, and she is convinced that no one can ever find out her secret. How she copes with this problem that is bigger than she can handle just increases her pain and guilt and adds more secrets to her weighed-down conscience, and her life soon spirals even more out-of-control. Although this novel is written for teens, adults can certainly certainly benefit from it as well. Who among us hasn't thought that burying our sin is the easiest way to deal with it? I applaud Melody Carlson for writing the Secrets series and addressing these difficult yet very real issues that are prevalent in our world today. I highly recommend this book and this series and I am passing this one along to my teen-age daughter; she'll have plenty of time to read it since I will be protectively locking her in her room from now on!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melody Carlson has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”