Angela Rigley reviews Broken by by Barbara Spencer

Today Angela Rigley reviews Broken  by
by Barbara Spencer. The author has kindly offered a paperback copy to a UK winner or an ebook to the rest of the world as a giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous story, simply leave a comment below of on our Facebook Page.

The winner will be drawn on 7th March 2018.

Good luck!

 

When Jem Love’s family is torn apart and his young brother and sister taken into care, Jem is determined to get his family back together. But what can a 14 year-old boy do in a world dominated by adults?
Jem complains that what he really needs is a god whom he can telephone for help, and who might just happen to have a spare angel or two to send him. He knows that's pretty stupid, God is more likely to say he's old enough to deal with the situation himself. In any case, likely candidates for the role are pretty thin on the ground. There's only Katrina Jones, a hard drinking, wise-cracking social worker, and Spooky Jarvis who runs foul of the law as often as he has birthdays.

I enjoyed Broken, even though I found one or two typos, but not enough to put me off, and sometimes the tense changed from present to past in the same scene. Having the story told in first-person from two different viewpoints is unusual, but it worked and I soon got to know and like Jem and Katrina. I didn’t foresee the ending, and kept wondering what would happen, but had a lovely feeling of “Ahhh,” when I’d finished.

You couldn’t help feel sorry for Jem and his situation but his love for his mother, his brother and sisters really came through. It was all bloody hopeless living in this world. You did your best and then something like bus fares came up and bit you in the ass sums up his frustration.

From the descriptions of the area I feel the author must have known it very well, and I could imagine being there.

To conclude I recommend this book to everyone, no matter what age or gender.

About the author:
First published in Fashion Magazine in 1968, Barbara Spencer embarked on a highly colourful career spanning three continents in which she was caught up in riots, wars, and choosing Miss World. An award-winning children's author, with twelve books to her name, Barbara Spencer received the Bronze medal for The Amazing Brain of O C Longbotham at the Wishing Shelf Book Awards and the same book was also a finalist in the Peoples Book Prize Winter 2014-15. The Kindle edition of Broken was a Finalist in the Fiction category of the Book Excellence Awards.
Links:
Website: Twitter; Facebook.
To buy the book: Broken

About the reviewer: Angela Rigley

I am married to Don, have 5 children and eight grandchildren and live in Derbyshire. My hobbies include singing in my church choir; genealogy, having traced ancestors back to 1520; gardening; flower arranging; playing Scrabble; Sudoku; meals out; family gatherings; and, when I have any spare time I love to read. I am the treasurer of Eastwood Writers’ Group. At church I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, a reader, a flower arranger and a member of the fundraising team for Cafod, my favourite charity. In the past I have written hymns, words and music, although I cannot read music. You can find me on Twitter: @angierigley, Facebook, LinkedIn, and my website is www.nunkynoo.yolasite.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Angela-Rigley/e/B00607O51M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1