Today, I’m part of the Nearly Broken by
YA Bound. I’m really glad to be part of this tour and this post. My stop is a Review of Nearly Broken, I hope y’all enjoy it. But first here is a little more about this book…
Nearly Broken
by Devon Ashley
Release Date: 06/04/13
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Summary from Goodreads:
We’d both gone missing at one point, but Claire had one thing I didn’t. Someone to notice. So why was I the one still here and she the one still gone?
Nineteen year old Megan Smith has spent the past year working in a small town diner in the middle of nowhere. Life is quiet, simple, safe. Then comes the news that her look-a-like has gone missing.
Claire.
Still damaged both physically and mentally, Megan’s not looking to be noticed. Wherever she goes from here, it’s a road she needs to take alone. But when Nickolas Ellis takes the job as the new nightshift cook, it scares her how easily her defenses crumble down, down, down for him. But there are secrets she can’t bear to share with just anyone, unspeakable acts that continue to haunt, and when the similarities of Claire’s abduction couples with the fear of an unwanted visitor in town, the urge to run before it all happens again intensifies, threatening the only happiness Megan’s ever found.
New Adult Romantic Suspense / Realistic Fiction
Recommended for 17+ for mature and disturbing situations, language and sexual content.
The above warning is recommended and one with a secure stomach that’s for sure. The first 60% of the book was absolutely brilliant, I divulged it in no less than a day, but the last 40% was very eye opening in the complete wrong way. Like all NA books they have become of my addicted source of fiction and I will never get enough of them. So in all fairness I still enjoyed this novel, despite some of my regards for it, which I will explain now.
In Megan Smith’s world, she is a waitress everyday of the 2 years of her life every since the fatal incident that changed her life completely. But when a lady says “Claire” she doesn’t immediately denies it. This is at first that I have just realised this. Yet she denies herself any chance of another life only the one that she is living now. Her eerie photo of being on a missing her shakes her but not enough to know anything about it. Then to add to it, a new cook, gorgeous and a damn fine chief captures her attention to the fullest…but her deepest and darkest series lies dominant between her relationships and we will haunt in many more ways to come. My own description of ‘eerie’ and ‘haunting’ really captures this whole book from the beginning but in different ways.
Megan? Claire? Who is she is what she wants to know, and so do I! That is what puzzled me, everything she felt confused by so did I and admire that from Devon. That is one particular skill that I really enjoy in books such as these. But Megan Smith begins as a fragile, isolated girl, scared of own life that is before her. But when she meets Nick, her view of life changes because of him, he didn’t care about the scars both physically and metaphorically, they are part of who she is but they don’t have to rule her, and I felt that. Nickolas was just such a heart throb, although I was suspicious of him with his closeness and abruptness, his looks and sensitiveness over come me and that’s what made the first half of the of the book.
Like I said the first half was about building relationships and discovering a light at the end of a very dark tunnel, but the second half indeed disturbed and haunted me. Personally it was like taking a trip down history with the Slave Trade, it was awful. Megan/Claire has indeed been through hell and back again. The viciousness of the attacks sent unwanted chills through your body and for me that is what ruined the book for me. Yes it did resolved, but when I finished it, I was indeed left…blank really. I couldn’t comprehend what I have just read.
What really got me and what disturbs me the most is how unputdownable it was. I couldn’t stop myself from reading it. I was compulse to know what happened to her and what will become of Megan and Nick. So despite my regards for the story Devon’s style completely blew me away.
Rating – 3.5
About the Author
Devon Ashley was born in Huntington Beach but has spent most of her life residing in Texas. She spends a great deal of her time taking care of her husband and son but always seems to find time to write, knit and create unique decorative pieces. She particularly likes to write Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Interesting Fact: Devon Ashley shares her birthday with her favorite author, Jane Austen.
Website│Goodreads│Facebook
***GIVEAWAY***
2 signed paperbacks and 2 e-books (epub or mobi) of Nearly Broken, open Internationally!
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Great review, Emma! I'm glad you enjoyed it even though it had some flaws. The mature content sounds a bit disturbing so it's good that it came with a warning. Thanks for sharing 🙂 You've taken part in a lot of blog tours lately, hehe – never a bad thing 😀
I hadn't heard of this one until now, but it sounds really intriguing! Although I agree with Zoe, the mature content doesn't sound like something I would enjoy reading. However, it's great that the flaws in this book didn't ruin Nearly Broken for you overall. Thank you for sharing this brilliant review with us, Emma! This probably won't be something I will buy for myself, but I'd be sure to recommend it to older friends. 🙂
Wow Emma, it sounds like what happened to her is truly awful! I need to be in a certain type of mood to make my way through books like this knowing something terrible is waiting for me when I find out the truth, but at the same time, they're the type of books that stick with me the longest. Definitely going to have to give this one a try!