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Broken
My name is Taya. I'm fifteen. If you're reading this, it means you found me. I put down towels to help the mess. If I could do this so no one would know what happened, I would. But Mom needs to know I haven't run away; she needs to know what's happened. Staying alive just takes too much courage. You have to get up hoping for a good day when, in your heart of hearts, you know it's going to be a day like all the rest. I'm just not that brave. Moving around, being bullied in the daytime and messed with at night, it just hurts too much. And with Dad coming home, this is the only way for me to be free now. I hope you'll understand, I hope you'll forgive me.
- GenresMental Health
294 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2013
16 people are currently reading
482 people want to read
About the author
Tiffini Johnson
21 books36 followersWhen she's not acting as a canvas for her two young girls to paint upon, searching for creepy crawly bugs or playing any number of imaginative games, Tiffini can be found writing. Writing has been a part of Tiffini's world for as long as she can remember; she was reading her own books aloud to classmates by the third grade. The majority of her books focus on childhood trauma, the effects of said trauma, and the children who must overcome it.
She is also an avid reader who enjoys cooking, Georgia, teaching, music and public speaking. She soaks up country music like sunshine and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
She is also an avid reader who enjoys cooking, Georgia, teaching, music and public speaking. She soaks up country music like sunshine and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 12, 2013
Beautifully written, but painful.
June 22, 2023
2.75⭐️!
This book started out really strong but then slowly became more like a Wattpad version of girl in pieces. This book was just aggressively average and the boom was extremely predictable.
This book covers very intense, triggering topics so please look up tws before you read.
This book started out really strong but then slowly became more like a Wattpad version of girl in pieces. This book was just aggressively average and the boom was extremely predictable.
This book covers very intense, triggering topics so please look up tws before you read.
September 7, 2013
I received this book from goodreads.com first reads giveaway. The book got here super fast, which was awesome. In addition to the paperback version of "Broken" the author also included an information card with her author biography on one side, and a snippet from another of her books "Character". I am currently reading several other books but I just couldn't wait to start, so I put the other books aside and began!
The first wonderful thing I have to say about this book is that it came with an advisement to readers. I would call it a forward, but it had nothing to do with the story as far as the characters went. It simply stated that this book was going to contain some things that might trigger unpleasantness for people who had suicidal thoughts, or had suffered abuse in the past. Then went on to say that the author thought the readers emotional and physical well being was more important to her than reading her book and to make sure that we are safe. I found this very touching, I thought it was just the most wonderful thing that in a world where authors want nothing more than for people to read there works, that this author wanted to make sure that she didn't cause any harm to the readers.
The first "con" I put that word in quotations because it really has nothing to do with the story at all, but I didn't like the cover art. If I had been looking through the shelves at my local library or book store, just based upon the cover art, this would not have been one that I would have picked up without knowing ahead of time what the book was about. That is my own personal preference and I know the saying goes "Do not judge a book by it's cover" but I think that a lot of people still do. Especially if they are just browsing along the shelves.
*****
I have now finished reading the book. I understand the cover art better, however I still can't bring myself to enjoy it. Perhaps if it was a photograph of a hand holding pearls the message would come across clearer.
I thought this was a very good book. It was sad, but it made you feel for the character. As a reader the way the book was presented you had a 99% understanding of how it was ultimately going to end, writers are sometimes known for the twists and turns but this was pretty straight forward.
I don't think Taya was physically described until about halfway through the book, which made me feel like she was more accessible as a character because she could be any girl. She could be you, your sisters, someone from class. Even when she was physically described it wasn't in such great detail that as a reader you couldn't find something in common with her.
I felt very sad for Taya. The way the mother was portrayed made me feel indifferent to her. I wanted to be angry with her for not removing herself from an abusive relationship with Taya's father, I also wanted to be angry at her for not seeing what was going on. Although it is made clear on both the accounts of physical abuse by her father, and by her own cutting that she kept it very well a secret. I was angry with the father, as I think most readers would be, it takes such a sick person to beat his wife and abuse his daughter when the role of a good husband and father should be to provide and protect these people that he supposedly loves.
Although I did enjoy the book and thought it provided a good look into what some teens go through, I was disappointed that Taya didn't have the courage to go to her favorite teacher, Mrs. Simmons, and tell her what was going on. I know she didn't believe that her mother would believe her, but I feel like the story may have been able to have a happier ending if she had just tried to talk to this teacher. Although by that point she was being bullied by just about everyone and seemed to feel there was no hope. I would also have liked to think that the teachers who had known she was a good student would have seen her slipping grades as a sign that something was wrong and reached out to her. However with the class sizes these days (although not stated in the book) I know it can be hard for teachers to be able to look after everyone.
All in all I think Tiffini Johnson did a brave thing by writing this book and hopefully bringing more attention to the growing problem of teen suicide. I would definitely read another book(s) by this author and would recommend this book to anyone who wanted a good book to really think about after they finished.
The first wonderful thing I have to say about this book is that it came with an advisement to readers. I would call it a forward, but it had nothing to do with the story as far as the characters went. It simply stated that this book was going to contain some things that might trigger unpleasantness for people who had suicidal thoughts, or had suffered abuse in the past. Then went on to say that the author thought the readers emotional and physical well being was more important to her than reading her book and to make sure that we are safe. I found this very touching, I thought it was just the most wonderful thing that in a world where authors want nothing more than for people to read there works, that this author wanted to make sure that she didn't cause any harm to the readers.
The first "con" I put that word in quotations because it really has nothing to do with the story at all, but I didn't like the cover art. If I had been looking through the shelves at my local library or book store, just based upon the cover art, this would not have been one that I would have picked up without knowing ahead of time what the book was about. That is my own personal preference and I know the saying goes "Do not judge a book by it's cover" but I think that a lot of people still do. Especially if they are just browsing along the shelves.
*****
I have now finished reading the book. I understand the cover art better, however I still can't bring myself to enjoy it. Perhaps if it was a photograph of a hand holding pearls the message would come across clearer.
I thought this was a very good book. It was sad, but it made you feel for the character. As a reader the way the book was presented you had a 99% understanding of how it was ultimately going to end, writers are sometimes known for the twists and turns but this was pretty straight forward.
I don't think Taya was physically described until about halfway through the book, which made me feel like she was more accessible as a character because she could be any girl. She could be you, your sisters, someone from class. Even when she was physically described it wasn't in such great detail that as a reader you couldn't find something in common with her.
I felt very sad for Taya. The way the mother was portrayed made me feel indifferent to her. I wanted to be angry with her for not removing herself from an abusive relationship with Taya's father, I also wanted to be angry at her for not seeing what was going on. Although it is made clear on both the accounts of physical abuse by her father, and by her own cutting that she kept it very well a secret. I was angry with the father, as I think most readers would be, it takes such a sick person to beat his wife and abuse his daughter when the role of a good husband and father should be to provide and protect these people that he supposedly loves.
Although I did enjoy the book and thought it provided a good look into what some teens go through, I was disappointed that Taya didn't have the courage to go to her favorite teacher, Mrs. Simmons, and tell her what was going on. I know she didn't believe that her mother would believe her, but I feel like the story may have been able to have a happier ending if she had just tried to talk to this teacher. Although by that point she was being bullied by just about everyone and seemed to feel there was no hope. I would also have liked to think that the teachers who had known she was a good student would have seen her slipping grades as a sign that something was wrong and reached out to her. However with the class sizes these days (although not stated in the book) I know it can be hard for teachers to be able to look after everyone.
All in all I think Tiffini Johnson did a brave thing by writing this book and hopefully bringing more attention to the growing problem of teen suicide. I would definitely read another book(s) by this author and would recommend this book to anyone who wanted a good book to really think about after they finished.
October 3, 2021
I knew after reading the introduction to Broken, and the first few pages off of Amazon.com, that this was a book I had to experience in its entirety!
I was like Taya once. The loneliness and hopelessness of my situation consumed my every waking hour. There was a time I wished for death; a glorious escape from the constant pain and heartache. I was lucky though. I had a friend I could turn to and she saved me. She could never fix me or erase the problems I had, but she never gave up on me. If only Taya was as fortunate, she might have had a different story to tell.
I needed a book like this in my life. It reminds me that there are still those that hurt and suffer. I love everything about this story. The only issue I had were the numerous typos. Normally I can overlook minor mistakes when there's an engaging story and character(s), but there were just too many to ignore in this case.
I was like Taya once. The loneliness and hopelessness of my situation consumed my every waking hour. There was a time I wished for death; a glorious escape from the constant pain and heartache. I was lucky though. I had a friend I could turn to and she saved me. She could never fix me or erase the problems I had, but she never gave up on me. If only Taya was as fortunate, she might have had a different story to tell.
I needed a book like this in my life. It reminds me that there are still those that hurt and suffer. I love everything about this story. The only issue I had were the numerous typos. Normally I can overlook minor mistakes when there's an engaging story and character(s), but there were just too many to ignore in this case.
August 26, 2013
This book broke my heart. I cared about Taya so much. She never had a real friend and she tried so hard to be happy. But every time she tried, it was like something just knocked her on her face. It is an important subject, with beautiful writing, and a character you will love. It is heartbreaking and gut-wrenching but also very, very deserving of dialogue.
November 18, 2013
The things that transpire in the short 15 years Taya is alive, are unfathomable. It made me want to be that friend that she never got to experience, talk to her, be there for her, help her, give her that hug and love she desperately needed. A definite must read. Schools really should make it a reading requirement ,let students see that their actions really can affect another person's life.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews