Broken

by C. J. Lyons Narrated by Amy McFadden

Overview

All she wants is a normal life.

Diagnosed with a rare and untreatable heart condition, Scarlet has come to terms with the fact that she's going to die. Literally of a broken heart. It could be tomorrow, or it could be next year. But the clock is ticking....

All Scarlet asks is for a chance to attend high school-even if just for a week-a chance to be just like everyone else. But Scarlet can feel her heart beating out of control with each slammed locker and vicious taunt. Is this normal? Really? Yet there's more going on than she knows. And finding out the truth might just kill Scarlet before her heart does....

“Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak meets Kathy Reichs' Virals.” -bookseller Jill Moore, Square Books, Jr., Oxford, MS

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"CJ Lyons' new YA novel, Broken, heralds a strong new female protagonist whose history counters the challenges and mysteries ahead. Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak meets Kathy Reichs' Virals. " — Jill Moore, Square Books, Jr., Oxford, MS

"[A] fast-paced thriller" with a "I-totally-didn't-see-it-coming ending." — Entertainment Weekly's Shelf Life

"Broken is an intense page-turner. Readers will race to the end to see if Scarlet will uncover the truth about herself and those around her before it's too late." — April Henry, New York Times Bestselling Author

"Lyons dives deep into the human soul... Her three dimensional characters resonate with readers long after the final page." —RT BookReviews, on Black Sheep " — RT Book Reviews

"Scarlet is a likable character, smart and savvy, sheltered and innocent. Her friends and enemies are well drawn and the tension feels real . . . Readers who enjoy surprise revelations as in Matt de la Peña's I Will Save You will appreciate the twist here." — School Library Journal

"The concept of this book is an interesting and fresh one...[Readers] swept up by the unraveling of Scarlet's life will be happy they kept reading" — VOYA

"[A] suspenseful thriller laced with medical intrigue and coming-of-age triumph. " — Booklist

"A chilling medical suspense story—Lyons' specialty—expertly entwines with teen-oriented family drama and the eye-rolling social hierarchy that is high school...Not just for teens, Broken effectively addresses many modern issues, including bullying and the pediatric healthcare system. " — RT Book Reviews, Top Pick, 4 ½ Stars

School Library Journal - Audio

04/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—Scarlett Killian has a rare heart condition that is going to kill her. She has spent her entire life at home or in the hospital, but has convinced her overprotective stepmom to allow her to attend high school, even for a short time, just to give her a chance to be a normal kid. She becomes a target of bullying, partly because her mom is a school nurse who overinvolves herself in the students' lives, but she soon starts making friends, first with members of a support group and then with Tony, a boy in biology class. A project in that class involving Scarlett's medical records exposes secrets in her life that draw questions about Nurse Killian and about Scarlett's health. Narrator Amy McFadden is a credible Scarlett and also provides other characters, particularly Nessa and Celina (two members of her support group) and Scarlett's stepmother, with strong characterizations. The story starts somewhat slowly, focusing on Scarlett's symptoms, but once certain plot devices are unveiled, it keeps the listener involved in the action. Give this to your listeners who enjoy thrillers with a little bit of romance.—Ann Brownson, Eastern Illinois University

School Library Journal

12/01/2013
Gr 7 Up—Because of a bad heart that could fail at any moment, 15-year-old Scarlet has been homeschooled all her life. Determined to attend real high school before she dies, she gets permission to try it for one week. On her first day, with "Phil," a defibrillator in a pack on wheels, in tow, she's targeted by bullying jocks but also makes three new friends through a volunteer peer mentoring program. Scarlet enjoys school, despite the taunting, the circulation of an embarrassing phone video filmed in the girls' locker room, and her stepmother—domineering school nurse Killian-who publicly embarrasses her, forces vitamin pills on her, and reinforces the nickname "Freak" among her classmates. Her father offers little comfort since he travels a lot for his job, but is sympathetic and kind when he is around. While working on a life-sciences project with Tony, a potential first boyfriend, Scarlet begins to investigate her health history. She stops taking the "vitamins" her stepmother gives her because she feels better and very much alive. Gradually, Scarlet and Tony realize that Mom/Nurse Killian is not what she appears to be, but the teens have to prove her true intentions. Scarlet is a likable character, smart and savvy, sheltered and innocent. Her friends and enemies are well drawn and the tension feels real once belief is suspended regarding several coincidences. Readers who enjoy surprise revelations as in Matt de la Peña's I Will Save You (Delacorte, 2010) will appreciate the twist here too, unless they figure out the clues early on.—Diane P. Tuccillo, Poudre River Public Library District, CO

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172329470
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	11/05/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

1

If you want to get noticed fast, try starting high school three weeks late as the girl who almost died.

Unfortunately, attention is the last thing I crave. Give me anonymity anytime. Every time.

I just want to be a normal girl. No one special.

Saw a movie once, don't remember what channel, but it was in the dark hours of the night when it was just me and the TV. My favorite time of day.

It starred John Travolta back when he was young. The kid was so sick he lived in this plastic bubble and he was so excited when he got to leave it.

Me? When I saw the boy leave his bubble, I wanted it for myself. Coveted it.

God, how I'd die for a cozy little bubble to live my life in, safe from the outside world.

Only I'd paint my bubble black so no one could see me inside.

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