When the Bough Breaks

by Kay Lynn Mangum

Rachel Fletcher thought the biggest secret she'd ever have would be her crush on Jason West. But everything changes the night her father dies in a car accident--an accident she believes is all her fault. Starting high school is hard enough but carrying her secret guilt, enduring her mother's depression, and, worst of all, dealing with the alcoholism of her seventeen-year-old brother Ryan, plunge Rachel into a world she never wanted or imagined. Add to all that the unwelcome intrusion of a stepfather and a teenaged stepbrother--a stepbrother she doesn't want to like but can't help liking. Maybe too much. It isn't long before Rachel feels totally overwhelmed. Things like this aren't supposed to happen to good LDS people, so why are they happening to her? She's praying for Heavenly Father's help. Why isn't he listening? With two new people living in her home, nothing can remain a secret for long. Rachel learns that Heavenly Father doesn't always answer our prayers in the way that we want, but he does answer them--in his own time, usually through other people, and often in unexpected ways.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Young Adult, Lds, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 2007

About the author

Kay Lynn Mangum is the youngest of four children (one sister, two brothers), and has enjoyed reading and writing stories since her elementary school days. She has always dreamed of seeing her stories in print, and still can't believe her books are not only published, but that strangers actually buy her books and like them! Kay Lynn holds an associates degree from Dixie Junior College, and a bachelors degree in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing from Southern Utah University. She currently works as a legal assistant, but hopes to be able to write full time in the near future. She loves interviewing people for her books and traveling to the places she wants to set her stories in. The Secret Journal of Brett Colton, her first novel, began as a short story she created at age 16 for a high school writing contest sponsored by The Salt Lake Tribune. A Love Like Lilly also began as a short story written during high school for The New Era’s youth writing contest. When the Bough Breaks began as a short story written while she attended Dixie Junior College. Kay Lynn is the aunt of 12 amazing nieces and nephews, and absolutely loves getting e-mails from people who have enjoyed her novels.

Reviews

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if your dad’s death was your fault? When The Bough Breaks is about a teenage girl whose dad dies in a car accident as he is on his way to pick her up from her friend's house. However,before her dad left, her dad had asked her brother to go pick her up, but her brother refused. So instead of her brother dying, the dad does. She and her brother both suffer with depression because they think it is their fault that their dad died. While she uses it as a chance to improve herself, he tries to stop the pain with drugs and alcohol. The whole story is about her and how she adjusts to her new life.
Even though the author is LDS, this book is a good read for teens or adults, whatever religion. All of Kay Lynn Magnum’s books have a good message. Her other books are The Secret Journal of Bret Colton and a Love Like Lilly. Even though these books are not a series, they have some of the same characters.
I absolutely love this book and recommend it to anyone. This is a book I will read over and over again.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the book "the Secret Journal of Brett Colton," so I expected to love this one as well. I didn't. It was very sad, right from the first. The girl who is trying to keep her family together does not reach out to the many other functional adults who surround her--a school counselor, religious leaders, church youth group leaders, seminary teacher, her best friend's mom, which I felt was very sad--although that may have been realistic. Still, it felt stupid when she was struggling so and people cared around her that she didn't mention anything from her mom's dysfunctional behaviors to her brother's struggles. She could have told her school about the issues and gotten her brother help before he was totally addicted. Everyone just ignored the problem for so long. Then they all blame the fact that her brother is "sick" and can't choose for himself. As my dad grew up with an alcoholic father, I'm pretty passionate about the fact people alcoholism is horrible, but ignoring problem behaviors never changes the behaviors. Ryan wasn't so much sick as that he was allowed to get worse because no one cared enough about him to get him help. That was what was the hardest. He wasn't trying to quit because no one cared he drank.

Her mom basically stopped parenting when her father died. Her mom only starts functioning again when she meets another man--and then only to date and party with him. The mom never really shows her caring and motherly side. Then when she finally realizes the brother is in a bad way, and bemoans the fact that she was a horrible parent, everyone assures her she is not and it wasn't her fault. I disagree! If she had been a caring, available parent instead of ignoring the situation while it got worse and worse and making her daughter wait up for her brother and clean up after him and such, the problem might have been solved before he got too addicted. Not every potential alcoholic needs to hit total rock bottom. Some you can fix by stopping the behavior before he addiction happens.

It is such a bad idea to not resolve the mom's grief before stepping into another relationship. That, plus step-parenting, spells divorce! Plus, not getting the kids involved in such a major decision as a new marriage seems very dysfunctional on the mom's part. She was a HORRIBLE parent! I really hated her. At least the stepdad was a little better. He finally started parenting these kids, well, when he and the mom weren't gone. They said there was a curfew, but they weren't around to make sure anyone got in on time. REALLY? That is basic Parenting 101. The parents had issues.

Another problem was that when Rachel was taken against her will by her brother, shoved into the car, locked in, and not allowed out while he drives drunk at excessive speeds and crashes, they arrest Rachel. REALLY? Her stepbrother had reported she was taken against her will to the police. Yet no one cares about her, any injuries she has, they just handcuff her and suddenly she needs a lawyer and is not treated for any wounds because she brother was driving drunk with her a prisoner in the back seat? That just strained credibility! SHE WAS A VICTIM! That's like charging Elizabeth Smart for kidnapping and rape! Stupid! They only mention the kidnapping once and just briefly. It was a pretty major thing. They act like it was Rachel's fault.

Finally, totally creepy to have step siblings like each other. However, in the uncaring world in which Rachel lives, she probably would confuse feelings of friendship for something more. She really needs counseling. Of course with her unconcerned and uncaring mother, she likely won't have any way.

Another thing is that the religious people in the book were total creeps. Her father has died and her brother and mother are obviously struggling in huge ways and no one helps her. They sit in judgement. They don't try to help? That's not a message I get in my church. Then she talks a little in church about her brother's "sickness" and that he has never made choices to get him where he is at and suddenly she has tons of friends. Again, stupid. Not the church I belong to!

The only reason this book got two stars is because I cared enough to keep reading. I was glad things were more resolved. I was glad Rachel finally got some help when her stepbrother told her to let her brother start experiencing some consequences of his actions. Her mom needed that as well! I think the stepdad was not caring, but at least he occasionally tried to parent. The mom was a total wuss.

Anyway, skip this one and read the Brett Colton book. It's much better!

[Sariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a "SARIAH CLASSIC." Kay Lynn Mangum was one of my very favorite authors as a youth. I've found myself turning to this book throughout my life, particularly when things just don't. make. sense, much as a place to retreat to.
Anyway, this time around I found myself appreciating the growth that Rachel went through. I admit, sometimes at the beginning of the book, the religious way that Rachel viewed the world was challenging for me to wrap my brain around. "People think like this?" "Oh, wait *I* used to think like this!" I loved watching Rachel's faith grow and develop into something workable to life's challenges. The themes are beautiful, particularly for youth going through something inexplicably hard. I would give this book to almost anyone, at any age. I truly believe this is something for everyone in here. There is someone for everyone in this book.

The Dallin & Rachel romance and the Mom & Stepdad relationships, through my aging years, grow stranger and stranger as time passes, but whatcha gonna do.

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rated it so low because the whole romance between her and her step brother was weird, even though the author didn't let it develop further, I would have preferred it not develop at all in the romantic way... anyway... I also thought that it made the adults in the book appear oblivious for the first half of the book. The bulk of the story was interesting and that is why I continued on with it even with all the stuff I didn't like. I read the ebook version so I could skim the parts I didn't like as much. It had some great thoughts and quotes amidst it all. I admit I only skimmed her poems, I'm not a huge poetry fan. I think it has some drama that is good for teenagers to get a glimpse of, even if it is fiction. It gives glimpses into teenage alcoholism and also struggles with death of a parent. I also did like the parts where the seminary teacher would give insight.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this with high hopes. After reading the Secret Journal of Brett Colton, I was hoping for a story that was just as good. Sadly I was a little disappointed. I actually didn't like seeing Jason and Kathy from the SJoBC in this book. They were their own story, their own book, not this one. When Rachel told Jason near the end that she was sorry about his sister, if I hadn't previously read the SJoBC I would have been so confused as to what she was talking about.

I liked Rachel. Although I didn't like the fact that she always talked about how fat she was. Was she fat? I don't know. I know that a lot of teens deal with that insecurity, I mean I know I did and do, but it drove me crazy that I never was able to figure out if she was or not. (Shallow of me, I know.) I guess I just like picturing the characters in books and I couldn't picture her for the life of me!

I would have loved to have seen what happened with Rachel and Dallin afterwards. It left that relationship so open. And I don't feel like I ever fully understood how Dallin felt towards Rachel... I mean come on, he was liking Kathy Colton there for a while. And then all the sudden he had some sort of feelings for Rachel? Maybe it was just brotherly love.

Ok, I'm done ranting :) Sorry about that!

[Stefani Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever felt like it was your fault that someone died? Well in the book "When The Bough Breaks" a teenage girl is at her friend's house and her Dad is supposed to pick her up.She comes home to find that her Dad was on his way to pick her up when he got hit by a drunk driver. Her brother that lives at home has an alcohol problem, which makes things at home worse.He tells her things like, that it is all her fault, she than makes excuses to the point that she also believes that she is the cause of her Dad's death. This book is about how she handles her new life.
The characters in this book are very well portrayed. In addition, it has a very good plot line and is easy to follow. It also has a really good message to share with anyone that is willing to read and learn from it. Kay Lynn Mangum has written more books that share some characters.
One of her other books is called "The Secret journal of Bret Colten"which is one of my favorite books because she has a great message fin it to share. I would recommend this book to anyone but more to the teenagers.

[Thais · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third book that I've read by Mangum and it probably was my favorite of hers. The story developed well and it kept me focused on it, I had a hard time putting it down. One thing that bugs me is that she keeps bringing characters from her first book into the following ones, and in this book it was way over the top. I get it.. in a high school there are different families and things going on that are different with each person, but it thoroughly annoyed me to have Jason West and Kathy Colton from "The Secret Journal of Brett Colton" play such a large role in Rachel's school life. It was like I was reading parts of the first book all over again. They're separate books, separate stories... quit trying to intertwine them. Overall it was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was much better than I thought it would be. It was the April book for my book club and so I was ready to read it and I knew it would be enjoyable, but I didn't think it would be as good as it was. I read it in one day!

The relationships that she has to deal with, her poetry as well as the problems with alcoholism that her brother is dealing with all made it very interesting and real. It probably helped that I just finished Beautiful Boy and am also reading Tweak, about meth addiction, so it was interesting on the substance abuse front. Overall, a very enjoyable positive book!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. Again, I love this author, but "The Secret Journal" is the best ever. It was interesting to see that Rachel was kind of down on herself and envied Kathy, even though in "the secret Journal" Kathy felt the same way about herself. All in all a good read, another tear jerker. :)

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is from the author who wrote the Secret Journal of Brett Colton. A different story with new characters, however, these characters attend the same high school as the previous book, so that connection is kind of cool. This story line is not as good as her first book, but still a good read.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is an amazing Mormon novel, about a girl who's father dies and her mother re-marrys, bringing a new brother and dad into the family. her biological brother is an alchoholic, and his drinking is making life hard for her and her new family. it is a story of strength and a test of faith.

[Ranee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I'm pretty sure I already read this book but it came in my hands again recently & I couldn't remember most of it. If you want a light, comical read, this book is not it. It's intense with drama, that unfortunately many live through when they experience grief & alcoholism.
It was so frustrating to read how the mom was so blind to her son's drunkenness & teachers at school - couldn't they notice it? The football coach finally calls the mom after letting him get away with lots of stuff but she's still in denial until it's almost too late. When he swears & breaks curfew or says he's going somewhere, there's no consequences, no following up. This too happens way too often in real life, in families that look like they have it all together.
At the end they encourage the daughter to go to a support group but what about the mom?
The poetry throughout the book was probably good if you're into that but it's not my thing.
Some criticized in their review of this book that the church people how they didn't show compassion until the end. It does say that after the dad's death that people did try and reach out to them but the family wasn't open to that then. The girls were harsh (also unfortunately happens too much), the boys super nice. So great that the daughter had a good friend and her stepbrother was so supportive.
Overall a pretty good read.

[Cara Gentry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read When the Bough Breaks by Kay Lynn Mangum for our LDS Authors literature circle in ENGL-420. When Rachel Fletcher was spending the evening with one of her friends, her father was on his way to pick her up, but tragically never made it. After getting into a car accident, Rachel’s father passes and nothing stays the same. Starting high school a few months later, Rachel continues to struggle with her own guilt, her brother’s alcoholism, and her mother’s depression. She leans on her love for God and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to endure these new changes. When her mother meets a single father, falls in love, and gets married, Rachel now needs to learn how to live with this new blended family. Overall, this book has a decent reading experience. As a member of the church, I could relate to many of Rachel’s feelings. My problem with the novel is its stereotypical nature and how it tends to hide the reality of her brother’s addiction. The book has a good message about family and turning to God in the face of trials. However, it wasn’t my favorite, but it’s not a terrible read.

[Megan Olds · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much difficulty and change to go through in this novel, poor Rachel!, but it is realistic, relatable, poetic (literally; there are such nice poems included as a part of Rachel's healing!), and ends-up-inspiring. The characters are vivid, and those changes that the family in this novel see do contain so much poignant depth, connection, healing, and reconstruction. This book also adds up with the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is nice to see; the family theme and the quotes from Dallin about Christ's Atonement and the analogy of the snowstorm I really, really liked.

Overall, I would definitely recommend it!, alongside Kay Lynn Mangum's other books The Secret Journal of Brett Colton and When the Bough Breaks. Even after it has been a while since I've read it, I felt drawn today to write a review about it and to tell everyone how great it is and to help support Kay. So...please check it out! I promise you won't be sorry!

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had this book categorized as Lds, teen chick lit. My expectations were low when I bought this for 50 cents at the library book sale. I was pleasantly surprised when it exceeded my expectations.

I enjoyed the characters—the main character felt real. The storyline kept me engaged—lots happening. I didn’t like that all the boys except for the rebel brother were near perfect and the all girls except for the bestie were mean. The seminary classes portrayed were a little over the top but I liked the message and the scriptures behind them.

I mainly read this book looking for a quick read and it see if it was worth recommending to my teenage daughters. I passed it on to them and I’m looking forward to a discussion on its merits. It isn’t prize winning literature but it is a solid read.

[Dorry Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad story of a family that the Dad is killed in an auto . He leaves a wife a daughter and a son. The son is having problem with alcohol before the death of his Dad. When his mother remarries having a stepfather creates more problems for him. His sister tries to hide his alcoholism. She too struggles with the lost of her Dad, having a stepfather, a stepbrother and dealing with her brother.
.

[Aleah J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. This book is about a girl who is strugling with the death of someone close to her and the effects of the death on everyone around her. This book would be a good read for someone who likes a dramatic and a romance.

[Addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those fictional books that addresses hard family issues, & yet gives you the hope & optimism that things will be ok.

[KK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great novel, and I would recommend it to just about anyone.

[IsabelleK2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming. Good good book.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addiction, teen-age alcoholism

[Kaitlyn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very touching story. One of my students recommended this book to me, and I am grateful that they did.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm generally not a fan of poetry, but this book helped me see the point in it.

[Jenny Koim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book from my local library because of the blue cover. This also helped with fulfilling one of the books for a bookstore challenge I am doing. I was definitely into the book because of the different dynamics between each family member. I will be reading more by this author.

[03AnnaM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having faith that someone will get better is the only way you can truly help them get better. When the Bough Breaks was an amazing book filled with many relatable events and as always a twist of romance. This story takes place in present day Utah but, could easily take place in any other state. The main issue or problem the book addressed was Ryan's alcohol addiction ruining his family and tearing them apart even farther apart. Ryan,(antagonist)is an 18 year old alcoholic who has fallen into depression because of his fathers death. His younger sister, Rachel(protagonist), is a blonde, friendly, faithful, and caring 16 year old who loves to write poems. Their step brother, Dallin(protagonist), is faithful and seems to have is life all under control, but he has his on problems which he decides to not share with anyone.
This story is about a 16 year old girl who lives and grew up in Utah. One night Rachael was at her friends house and her dad was on his way to pick her up when he got in a head on collision with a drunk driver and died instantly. her brother Ryan had fallen into depression because he felt that it should've been him in that crashed. His previous drinking problem worsened and started to cause problems. Rachael's mother was always sad and stayed in her bed for days. Rachael felt that the only reason she was able to stay strong through all of these terrible events was by letting her feelings out in the poems she writes and going and visiting her fathers grave and talking to him about what has happened in her life recently. One day Ryan had gotten into a very serious fist fight with a boy named Dallin. His father had talked to Rachael's mother and sorted it all out. They had started to go on many date and soon after that they ended up getting married and Dallin became Ryan's and Rachael's step-brother. While all of that is going on Rachael was always feeling obligated to helping Ryan clean up all of his alcohol messes and cleaning up around the house. She's also falling head over heels for a boy named Jason and is growing a little crush on Dallin.
"Blending is on thing. 'Changing is something else." -Ryan Pg. 105. This quote hit home because it reminds me so much of my life. I completly agree with that because I have gone through that event with families three times now and there is a HUGE difference. "You'ss never control the problem, because you can't control him." -Dallin Pg. 128. This is another great quote because it, once again, reminded me of my life completely. Relatable quotes like these ones are truly why I feel in love with this book and why it sets it apart from many other books I have read. This book wasn't about someones true life events. but these events could have easily taken place.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys relatable and realistic writing with a twist of romance mixed in. Also be ready for that action and adventure that every great book has!

[Kaitlyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever done something that you thought was your fault? Rachel in the book "When the Bough Breaks" is in that situation. She was at her friends house it was getting late and no one in her family had come to pick her up yet. She asked her friend for a ride home when, and when she arrives at her house she sees cops lights everywhere . Her brother tells her that their dad was going to go pick her up and was in a car accident and died and it was all her fault. As she struggles to help her mom get through this tragedy and her brothers alcohol. She turns to the lord and the scriptures praying that a miracle will happen. Soon new people come into her life and new stepdad and a stepbrother, who has been in Rachel's situation. He helps her become stronger and helps her with her brothers problem as they spend more time a relationship starts to grow he teaches her that some things are just meant to be and not anyones fault . This is a tearing book abut teaches you not to give up. I recommend this to all teenage girls.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel comes home from a friends house to find that her father has died in a car accident. From that day forward her life is in turmoil. She seems to be the only surviving member of the family as she tries to ignore her mother crying herself to sleep every night and her brother's alcohol problems. Then her mother falls in love again and Rachel has to deal with a stepfather and stepbrother (who is very understanding besides being good-looking and going to her high school). Rachel's brother's addiction just gets worse. She wonders why God isn't helping out more, but God doesn't always help the way we think He should.

I wish the author wrote sequels because I'd like to read one for this to see what eventually happens between the characters, as well as one to The Lost Journal of Brett Colton. I fought crying through this whole book and kept waiting for it to get better. Even with it being so sad, it is such a good book, especially for those who know someone with an addiction.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about LDS girl Rachel Fletcher, who has a crush on Jason West (like Kathy Colton from The Secret Journal of Brett Colton).
However, this book isn’t so romantic as it is healing. The whole book is about Rachel discovering that bad things do happen to good people and that you can get through it. At the beginning of the story, Rachel’s father dies.
Her older brother blames it on her and so she lives with unnecessary guilt and mourning. Her seventeen year old brother becomes involved in alcohol and to top it all off, Rachel’s mother becomes depressed and then marries someone very quickly, which upsets Rachel as well.

This books is pretty easy to read and keeps you on your toes, wondering how things will resolve. It’s also pretty emotional. I would recommend this to teenage girls. There's no real content to worry about, but it does discuss alcoholism and death.

I used this as a romance novel.

[Mariah Estrada]

Rachel life started to crumble, she thought the hardest thing she would have to go through was having a crush on Jason West. Then it all doesn’t matter when her father dies in a car accident, and she is led to believe that it is all her fault. Rachel is starting high school, and that is hard enough on her, yet now she has to deal with her mother’s depression and her 17 year old brother alcoholic problems. This isn’t supposed to happen to an LDS family. Now on top of that her mother is re-marrying! When well things stop and go her way? Things start to become better with the help of her new stepbrother.

I loved this book. It brought tears to my eyes. Tears of sadness and tears of joy. I felt drawn to the character and I could relate to her a lot. She teaches us though through her trials that we can overcome things and be the person we want to be. Yes there might be bumps on the road but we can overcome it.

Content:
Alcohol and violence

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kay's books. I read her book The Secret Journal of Brett Colton earlier in the year and LOVED IT. I fell in love with Kay's way of story-telling and taking hard subjects and turning them into an amazing, inspiring story. When I first saw this book I didn't realize that it was almost a Sequel to TSJOBC, but when I noticed it took place during the time when TSJOBC does I thought that was so neat. I'm not going to say to much now, but let it be known I read this in a day and LOVED it. :D This is also a clean read

Full review to come.