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Before You Break
Looking for Alaska meets Thirteen Reasons Why in this poignant novel exploring secrets, sisterhood, and the power of the past to heal or destroy us. Two sisters. A haunting tragedy. And a past that won't let them go... Eight years after tragedy shattered their family, the McKenna sisters are still broken. Responsible Lena flees to college on a photography scholarship, hiding her past--and her heart--behind her camera lens. Reckless Lux escapes into a world of pills, parties, and dangerous boys--anything to forget the darkness trapped inside her own head. But when their father suffers a massive heart attack, Lena returns to a house haunted by resentment, secrets, and lies. Her father is wracked by guilt. And her sister is hiding something. What really happened that terrible day? After a charming former crush reenters her life, Lena glimpses a future that just might include a love she never expected--or believed she deserved. But the past won't let either sister go. As devastating secrets resurface, Lux spirals dangerously out of control. To save her sister, Lena must risk everything to confront the ugly truth--before it destroys them both. Before You Break is a Strong at the Broken Places novel. It is a companion to Beneath The Skin. They can each be read as a stand-alone in any order. *Trigger Deals with themes of suicide, mental illness, and drug abuse.Recommended for 16+* "I loved this book. It was truly amazing." -Lit This &That "A well-written, moving tale that provides a candid look at troubled family relationships." -Cassidy's Bookshelves "As gripping as any thriller." -Goodreads reviewer "Just buy this book. Seriously. The treatment of mental health issues is vivid, empathetic, and hopeful." -Goodreads reviewer
334 pages, ebook
First published February 22, 2017
223 people are currently reading
1320 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 19, 2017
I am not going to offer a synopsis of the book as you can read the one already provided by the publisher, and IMO I think this is the kinda book you have to enter as spoiler free as possible. That said, if the book summary has caught your eye, you will probably enjoy the book.
We follow the story of two sisters who hail from a broken home, with broken parents, leaving them broken. Each one of them is coping in the way they can: one, Lena, seems to be the perfect one: she has left to pursue her dreams and is in college to learn Photography; while Lux, the rebellious one, is trying to find her way but only seems to be losing herself more and more. But all who has grown apart is gping to collide sooner rather than later...
I loved this book because the story we find in here is not a sweet easy one, but dark. Raw. Brutal. Brilliant.
The characters are really fleshed out. Alive. Broken. Human.
This are the kind of stories I like to see written because it takes guts to represent life in paper. Not easy life, but bruising life. Life which changes people, which turns things inside out and leaves you raw and exposed.
Kuddos to the author for this.
We follow the story of two sisters who hail from a broken home, with broken parents, leaving them broken. Each one of them is coping in the way they can: one, Lena, seems to be the perfect one: she has left to pursue her dreams and is in college to learn Photography; while Lux, the rebellious one, is trying to find her way but only seems to be losing herself more and more. But all who has grown apart is gping to collide sooner rather than later...
I loved this book because the story we find in here is not a sweet easy one, but dark. Raw. Brutal. Brilliant.
The characters are really fleshed out. Alive. Broken. Human.
This are the kind of stories I like to see written because it takes guts to represent life in paper. Not easy life, but bruising life. Life which changes people, which turns things inside out and leaves you raw and exposed.
Kuddos to the author for this.
February 23, 2017
Lena McKenna is busy attending photography classes at the Art Institute of Florida in Tampa, Florida. She has a prestigious gallery competition for the Central Florida Metropolitan Museum of Art coming up and is already a semi-finalist in the competition. Winning the competition would mean a grant and a stipend with "Photography" magazine. Before Lena can submit her final entry into the competition, she is called home to Brokewater,. Michigan. Lena's father, has had another heart attack, and this time, he is dying of congestive heart failure. He has just weeks left to live. Lena's 18-year old sister, Lux, is missing as well. Lena makes the difficult decision to withdraw from her classes at school and focus on caring for her father during his last few weeks of life. Lena did not count on running into ex-football player Eli Kusuma, now a single father and working as a mechanic. As time passes, Lena grows closer and closer to Eli and his daughter, Hadley. Being at home also stirs up memories of her mother and her mother's suicide.
While Lena left home to chase her dreams, Lux McKenna is left behind with her father and her mother's ghost. Lux dialed 911 and took off after her father's heart attack. She knows her argument with him triggered his latest heart attack. She is crashing with friends and soon falls into a partying lifestyle, doing drugs to obliterate the pain. Her sister Lena is the perfect one, and Lux is the screw-up. As her relationship with her high school boyfriend disintegrates, Lux falls in deeper and deeper with the local drug dealer, Reese. Lux also feels she is to blame for her mother's death and wants the world to go away, using more and more drugs to rid herself of the pain.
Lena and Lux can't seem to get along even when their father is dying. Each cares about the other but doesn't know how to properly show it. Another tragedy will force the two together again. Can these two sisters ever make peace with each other, or will their tiny family continue to implode?
"Love scrawls outside the lines. It never fits inside the small little box we plan for our life." This book definitely reflects that and shows how messy love can be. Overall, this book is a good read with good, three dimensional characters. I rarely give a book five stars, but I feel this book merits it.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
While Lena left home to chase her dreams, Lux McKenna is left behind with her father and her mother's ghost. Lux dialed 911 and took off after her father's heart attack. She knows her argument with him triggered his latest heart attack. She is crashing with friends and soon falls into a partying lifestyle, doing drugs to obliterate the pain. Her sister Lena is the perfect one, and Lux is the screw-up. As her relationship with her high school boyfriend disintegrates, Lux falls in deeper and deeper with the local drug dealer, Reese. Lux also feels she is to blame for her mother's death and wants the world to go away, using more and more drugs to rid herself of the pain.
Lena and Lux can't seem to get along even when their father is dying. Each cares about the other but doesn't know how to properly show it. Another tragedy will force the two together again. Can these two sisters ever make peace with each other, or will their tiny family continue to implode?
"Love scrawls outside the lines. It never fits inside the small little box we plan for our life." This book definitely reflects that and shows how messy love can be. Overall, this book is a good read with good, three dimensional characters. I rarely give a book five stars, but I feel this book merits it.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2017
A tale of family, love and loss .. I enjoyed this story of two sisters battling with their inner demons and the ill health of their father . A little slow in places but overall an enjoyable read . Thanks to tbc reviewers for my copy
February 9, 2017
Absolutely excellent. this book deftly threads the needle of addressing mental health issues and abuse without either excusing them or softening the blow too much. There's subtlety and complexity here, and excellent use of visual themes, but it's never forced. The descriptions are beautiful, the emotions genuine. Lux and Lena are heartbreakingly real and relateable, and the destruction of a family is traced inexorably to its conclusion.
Readers who liked Looking for Alaska but want something more mature will probably really enjoy this, as will fans of Miriam Toews (A Complicated Kindness, Irma Voth). It tackles diversity pretty well, and there are a lot of great little details in the supporting characters' lives.
I kind of wish a couple of plot events had happened differently, but that's just because I feel bad for the characters--not the fault of the story. A few of the teen fashion references were a little off, but I don't think that'll bug most people.
I received a pre-release copy of this book for a beta read, but this review was my own choice and was not required. I wanted to make sure other people knew how good this book is. I will be keeping track of this author's future works.
Readers who liked Looking for Alaska but want something more mature will probably really enjoy this, as will fans of Miriam Toews (A Complicated Kindness, Irma Voth). It tackles diversity pretty well, and there are a lot of great little details in the supporting characters' lives.
I kind of wish a couple of plot events had happened differently, but that's just because I feel bad for the characters--not the fault of the story. A few of the teen fashion references were a little off, but I don't think that'll bug most people.
I received a pre-release copy of this book for a beta read, but this review was my own choice and was not required. I wanted to make sure other people knew how good this book is. I will be keeping track of this author's future works.
August 27, 2018
Paper Moon Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Who We Are Instead (alternate title Before You Break). I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
The novel is told in dual perspective format, with sisters Lena and Lux giving voice to their thoughts and feelings. Lena McKenna is attending university in Florida when she gets the news that her father has suffered a debilitating heart attack. To make matters worse, her high school aged sister Lux is nowhere to be found. Going home to Kalamazoo in the middle of the semester, instead of preparing for an all important art competition, was not what Lena had planned. Will Lena be able to repair her broken family before it is too late? In trying to help her father find peace, will Lena find a way to help herself and her sister?
YA readers may find Who We Are Instead to be relatable, as the book tackles difficult themes such as drug and alcohol abuse, death, teen pregnancy, and betrayal. Lux's downward spiral was very painful to read and very realistic. The strained relationship between the three McKennas, a dysfunctional family that could not find their way back to each other after a tragedy, was very raw. All of the pain and anguish is balanced with a small measure of hope and readers will not be able to resist rooting for Lux and Lena. I would recommend Who We Are Instead to YA readers and I look forward to reading more by the author in the future.
The novel is told in dual perspective format, with sisters Lena and Lux giving voice to their thoughts and feelings. Lena McKenna is attending university in Florida when she gets the news that her father has suffered a debilitating heart attack. To make matters worse, her high school aged sister Lux is nowhere to be found. Going home to Kalamazoo in the middle of the semester, instead of preparing for an all important art competition, was not what Lena had planned. Will Lena be able to repair her broken family before it is too late? In trying to help her father find peace, will Lena find a way to help herself and her sister?
YA readers may find Who We Are Instead to be relatable, as the book tackles difficult themes such as drug and alcohol abuse, death, teen pregnancy, and betrayal. Lux's downward spiral was very painful to read and very realistic. The strained relationship between the three McKennas, a dysfunctional family that could not find their way back to each other after a tragedy, was very raw. All of the pain and anguish is balanced with a small measure of hope and readers will not be able to resist rooting for Lux and Lena. I would recommend Who We Are Instead to YA readers and I look forward to reading more by the author in the future.
February 5, 2017
A well-written, moving tale that provides a candid look at troubled family relationships. The first-person narrative alternates between Lina and Lux's point of view, providing insight into the differences in how they see things. Both Lena and Lux are struggling in their own ways as they face their father's imminent death. They each remember different things from their childhood and have secrets they share with no0ne - not even each other. Lux uses substance abuse and 'hook-ups' to escape, she swears a lot, and lashes out at friends. Her stream of conscious style narrative highlights her mood swings and growing dependence on drugs. Lena wants to help her, but has no idea how to heal their relationship. As the story progresses, both characters learn about themselves and strive to heal their emotional scars.
The author takes on tough issues in this book - dysfunctional families, betrayal, drug abuse, and suicide. For this reason, although this book might be suitable for some mature YA readers, I am not sure I would recommend it for most teens.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
The author takes on tough issues in this book - dysfunctional families, betrayal, drug abuse, and suicide. For this reason, although this book might be suitable for some mature YA readers, I am not sure I would recommend it for most teens.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
March 7, 2017
Brilliant!
Another. brilliant book by this very talented author. I read this book in two sittings after buying it on sale last week. What a find! I'm looking forward to watching Kyla Stone shine!
Another. brilliant book by this very talented author. I read this book in two sittings after buying it on sale last week. What a find! I'm looking forward to watching Kyla Stone shine!
July 16, 2017
Before you break by Kyla Stone.
Lena McKenna thought she escapes apscaped her past. It's been two years since she's seen her troubled younger sister or set foot in the house haunted by memories of her mother's suicide.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Moving and powerful read. I really felt for lena. I loved the ending. 5*. Tbc on fb.
Lena McKenna thought she escapes apscaped her past. It's been two years since she's seen her troubled younger sister or set foot in the house haunted by memories of her mother's suicide.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Moving and powerful read. I really felt for lena. I loved the ending. 5*. Tbc on fb.
February 9, 2017
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And I must say, I thorougly enjoyed reading this thought-provoking account of two sisters, Lena and Lux, deal with some tough life situations. The characters react differently to the stresses that come their way, one trying to forget and the other flying out of control. The author's portrayal of two distinctly different sisters is nothing short of fascinating. I connected more with Lena than I did with Lux, but they both captivated me and I found myself angry, sad, excited and hopeful. This story deals with some dark subject matter, but it is handle delicately with grace and style. Highly recommended.
February 8, 2017
Kyla creates yet another phenomenal story in "Who We Are Instead" with characters who quickly become close friends. It's got a bit of a Sarah Dessen feel, but still with a unique storyline. Kyla manages to illustrate the very real balance that we see in life of dealing with the very hard things we experience as humans and the very beautiful things we experience as humans. At the beginning, I did have trouble connecting with Lux as quickly as I did with Lena, but I soon grew to understand, connect with, and love both of them equally. It's an incredible exploration of the complexities and differences that can be found between everyone and how that can create beautiful connections. 100% would recommend.
February 7, 2017
I had the good fortune to get to read an advanced copy of this book. It was the 2nd book I've read by Kyla Stone, and so far, I really love her writing style and subject matter. She is great at bringing characters to life, even characters as diverse as the two sisters in this story. This story is full of drama, a bit of mystery, a little romance, and results in a huge amount of character growth by the time you get to the last page. I found the ending satisfying, even though there were some sad spots. This is definitely a great read for fans of authors like Jodi Picoult, and has a maturity that will appeal to adult women as well as teens.
February 1, 2017
"Who We Are Instead" is the second book I've read by Kyla Stone and I definitely love her writing. I don't have a sister, but the relationship between Lena and Lux twisted my gut at times. How they interacted and grew was a high point, with an underlying sadness that lingered with me for some time after I finished reading. Beautiful writing, a must read!
I was gifted a copy of this novel to offer an honest review.
I was gifted a copy of this novel to offer an honest review.
February 4, 2017
A great book!
This is a story about the relationship between two sisters, Lena and Lux. Lux is struggling with her life; with jealousy, gilt, low self-esteem and other issues. Lena is the strong one, but she struggles in her own way. Their relationship with their parents is complicated, and now their father is dying. This brings the sisters back together. The book is very well written!
This is a story about the relationship between two sisters, Lena and Lux. Lux is struggling with her life; with jealousy, gilt, low self-esteem and other issues. Lena is the strong one, but she struggles in her own way. Their relationship with their parents is complicated, and now their father is dying. This brings the sisters back together. The book is very well written!
July 21, 2017
This was quite an intriguing and complex story and at times very emotional. It delves into the lives of Lena and Lux from a young age and how the abandonment of their father and the sickness of their mother had such a profane impact on them as a family and individually.
Lux holds herself responsible for her father’s heart attack when she blames him for his betrayal; she thinks her father dying is her fault and cannot relate to him. As far as Lux is concerned, her parents loved Lena more than her. Lux is a nothing, a nobody, everyone hates her and they should. She pushes away everything she loves and wallows in the ugliness; all she does is hurt and destroy anything good in her life and did not deserve to be loved. Lux has also hurt Felix and he cannot forgive her; she ruined their relationship, just like she ruined everything in her life. It is what she does because she cannot let anybody in. Missing school and taking drugs, all Lux wants to do is be in a world of her own until she has to confront her worst fears. Lena has come home to look after her dying father, but more importantly she wants answers about her mother. Her father wants her to make things right with Lux, but Lena isn’t sure she can; she doesn’t know how to. As far as Lux is concerned, her father belonged to Lena the same way her mother belonged to her; she stole their love and attention with her talent. Lena escaped; she left her father and Lux all alone and was able to chase her dreams. Lena has a photographic competition to enter; if approved her spot in the gallery is assured, and her shot at the prize money and internship would give her a chance at a whole new life. If she deserved anything, she so badly wanted to deserve this. Lena also wants a distraction, and Eli and his daughter is that. When her father dies, Lux loses her chance; she never even gets to say goodbye. When Maria, the babysitter, confesses she had an affair with their father, things become much clearer. Their father cheated on them, on their mother; he betrayed their mother when she was at her weakest, her most vulnerable, and when she needed him most he was gone. Their father had a chance at real happiness with Maria, instead he lived and died alone. Lena had given up a semester of college to care for the man who betrayed her mother, who betrayed them too; she is sick and tired of being the only one trying to hold the family together. Lena is determined to write her own destiny, not her mothers or her fathers or her sisters, only hers. Once her father’s funeral is over, it is time for Lena to return to her life and get back on schedule, but when Lux does the unthinkable everything changes. Lena finds out her father is not who she thinks he is; he abandoned his family. Lena thought she wanted answers, that the truth would set her free, but it couldn’t. Lena has to forfeit the competition, the trust money, the internship, and though it is hard she knows she has made the right choice. Now she has to make things right with Lux. When Lux makes her confession to Lena she expects anger, scorn, rejection; she has been preparing herself for it for years, but was it really her fault? Lena feels Lux’s absolute loneliness, her isolation, her poison of self-loathing and regret. They had lost so much, but not everything, not yet. I really enjoyed reading this book and would have no hesitation in recommending it; it really pulled at the heartstrings. A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
Lux holds herself responsible for her father’s heart attack when she blames him for his betrayal; she thinks her father dying is her fault and cannot relate to him. As far as Lux is concerned, her parents loved Lena more than her. Lux is a nothing, a nobody, everyone hates her and they should. She pushes away everything she loves and wallows in the ugliness; all she does is hurt and destroy anything good in her life and did not deserve to be loved. Lux has also hurt Felix and he cannot forgive her; she ruined their relationship, just like she ruined everything in her life. It is what she does because she cannot let anybody in. Missing school and taking drugs, all Lux wants to do is be in a world of her own until she has to confront her worst fears. Lena has come home to look after her dying father, but more importantly she wants answers about her mother. Her father wants her to make things right with Lux, but Lena isn’t sure she can; she doesn’t know how to. As far as Lux is concerned, her father belonged to Lena the same way her mother belonged to her; she stole their love and attention with her talent. Lena escaped; she left her father and Lux all alone and was able to chase her dreams. Lena has a photographic competition to enter; if approved her spot in the gallery is assured, and her shot at the prize money and internship would give her a chance at a whole new life. If she deserved anything, she so badly wanted to deserve this. Lena also wants a distraction, and Eli and his daughter is that. When her father dies, Lux loses her chance; she never even gets to say goodbye. When Maria, the babysitter, confesses she had an affair with their father, things become much clearer. Their father cheated on them, on their mother; he betrayed their mother when she was at her weakest, her most vulnerable, and when she needed him most he was gone. Their father had a chance at real happiness with Maria, instead he lived and died alone. Lena had given up a semester of college to care for the man who betrayed her mother, who betrayed them too; she is sick and tired of being the only one trying to hold the family together. Lena is determined to write her own destiny, not her mothers or her fathers or her sisters, only hers. Once her father’s funeral is over, it is time for Lena to return to her life and get back on schedule, but when Lux does the unthinkable everything changes. Lena finds out her father is not who she thinks he is; he abandoned his family. Lena thought she wanted answers, that the truth would set her free, but it couldn’t. Lena has to forfeit the competition, the trust money, the internship, and though it is hard she knows she has made the right choice. Now she has to make things right with Lux. When Lux makes her confession to Lena she expects anger, scorn, rejection; she has been preparing herself for it for years, but was it really her fault? Lena feels Lux’s absolute loneliness, her isolation, her poison of self-loathing and regret. They had lost so much, but not everything, not yet. I really enjoyed reading this book and would have no hesitation in recommending it; it really pulled at the heartstrings. A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
January 14, 2022
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This is another book I got through the amazing secret Santa gift exchange I am part of (just let me know if you want to join!). I wanted this because I loved the other book I had read by Kyla Stone and I had high hopes. My hopes weren’t quite met, but I am still happy with the book.
The book follows three main story lines: Lena learning to love, Lux learning to forgive, and their dad learning to confront. Lena was by far the more interesting character for me. Her plot line was more something I wanted to read, it had more growth, it had more everything that I was looking for. A story solely about Lena’s plots and her father would have been better for me. I just couldn’t care less about Lux.
Lux was very much the poster child for undiagnosed mental illness ruining a life. I also had no sympathy for her. Like none at all. Her plots just read as a really flat depiction of what a neorotypical person expects someone to act like when they are mentally ill. Throw in some drugs to make it extra sad and you have Lux. The only depth her character has is in the flashbacks to when she was a kid. None of that depth is shown in the modern day Lux.
The interesting story was unraveling the love story between their parents. It was nicely exposed through memories and bits and pieces they find out. There is a great message for parts of that. Some of those messages are point blank said, like even if someone experiences the same event it might be drastically different for them. It really put into focus that not everyone sees everything the same way and that there are a lot of reasons to actually talk things out. Their dad refused to talk things out, so it is never clear what mental illness the mother was diagnosed with. There are a lot of symptoms or various mental health diagnoses. So it is unclear even to someone with a pysch degree and usually I am pretty good at diagnosing.
So if you want a dramatic, broken family, then this might be for you. If you want some pretty eh mental health representation, then yes, go for it. This book was pretty eh for me. The romance that Lena has is what got me through the book. Her love interest is interesting and more complex that Lena allowed even in her own mind. So if we could take Lux out of the picture, I would have been behind this book a lot more than I was. If you find drug abuse interesting, then this will be a great book for you. I really don’t. It bores me. So maybe this might be a great book, but I found myself tuning out more than half of Lux’s chapters. The ending also didn’t do it for me AT ALL. You would think that after everything the girls went through they would actually want Lux to get her mental health issues treated, instead of letting her go.
This is another book I got through the amazing secret Santa gift exchange I am part of (just let me know if you want to join!). I wanted this because I loved the other book I had read by Kyla Stone and I had high hopes. My hopes weren’t quite met, but I am still happy with the book.
The book follows three main story lines: Lena learning to love, Lux learning to forgive, and their dad learning to confront. Lena was by far the more interesting character for me. Her plot line was more something I wanted to read, it had more growth, it had more everything that I was looking for. A story solely about Lena’s plots and her father would have been better for me. I just couldn’t care less about Lux.
Lux was very much the poster child for undiagnosed mental illness ruining a life. I also had no sympathy for her. Like none at all. Her plots just read as a really flat depiction of what a neorotypical person expects someone to act like when they are mentally ill. Throw in some drugs to make it extra sad and you have Lux. The only depth her character has is in the flashbacks to when she was a kid. None of that depth is shown in the modern day Lux.
The interesting story was unraveling the love story between their parents. It was nicely exposed through memories and bits and pieces they find out. There is a great message for parts of that. Some of those messages are point blank said, like even if someone experiences the same event it might be drastically different for them. It really put into focus that not everyone sees everything the same way and that there are a lot of reasons to actually talk things out. Their dad refused to talk things out, so it is never clear what mental illness the mother was diagnosed with. There are a lot of symptoms or various mental health diagnoses. So it is unclear even to someone with a pysch degree and usually I am pretty good at diagnosing.
So if you want a dramatic, broken family, then this might be for you. If you want some pretty eh mental health representation, then yes, go for it. This book was pretty eh for me. The romance that Lena has is what got me through the book. Her love interest is interesting and more complex that Lena allowed even in her own mind. So if we could take Lux out of the picture, I would have been behind this book a lot more than I was. If you find drug abuse interesting, then this will be a great book for you. I really don’t. It bores me. So maybe this might be a great book, but I found myself tuning out more than half of Lux’s chapters. The ending also didn’t do it for me AT ALL. You would think that after everything the girls went through they would actually want Lux to get her mental health issues treated, instead of letting her go.
July 1, 2025
3 ⭐️ // an emotional read that illustrates the generational effects of mental illness
Lena has returned home since starting college because it’s too painful. But when she gets a call that her dad is dying of heart failure and her sister is practically MIA, she has to be the responsible oldest daughter and return to get things in order. Lux has a reputation of being a party girl, but no one knows the pain she’s hiding behind her wild child persona. She thinks her sister has always judged her too much to care, and Lena thinks Lux doesn’t care about anyone but herself and having a good time. Now that they’ve been thrown back together, they’ll have to face the trauma that’s led them both to this point in their lives.
I give 3 ⭐️ to books I enjoyed but have critiques for. Here’s what I liked about “Before You Break”:
* Beautiful, Philosophical Descriptions— this book deals with heavy topics of grief, trauma, and mental illness. There are stunning and deep revelations and observations written in from both POVs that provide a unique, but raw and real look at the these issues.
* The Accurate Portrayal of Mental Illness — generational trauma from untreated/poorly treated mental illness is a a major theme of this book and for the most part it’s portrayed incredibly well. The description of their mom’s bipolar/depressive disorder—while never explicitly referred to as such—is very realistic. Furthermore, Lux’s own mental health struggle as she describes her self-sabotage feelings and her rollercoaster intrusive thoughts is striking. Not only does it make sense, but readers who have experience with these disorders will be able to relate to the descriptions of the experiences.
Here’s what I thought could be improved:
There’s a lot to pity about Lena and Lux, for sure, but there’s not a lot to like about them. Accurate portrayal and descriptions of mental health aside, these girls are hard to relate to because they aren’t likeable. They are the worst stereotypes of themselves—Lena the pretentious oldest daughter and Lux the self-centered youngest child. Granted, both of these roles come from their different unhealthy coping mechanisms.
But because there’s not much to like about these girls, this book struggled to capture my attention. I’m concerned that readers who aren’t drawn in because they can relate to the accurate descriptions of the mental health struggles may not be drawn in at all.
In addition, the resolution is rushed and incomplete. We see both sisters come to the point of acknowledging they’re messed up and they’ve got to make a change, but we don’t really see how they’re going to.
I don’t know if I’d reccomend this to anyone other than someone who has experience with generational trauma related to bipolar or depressive disorders and needs a reminder they aren’t alone.
TW: suicide and child abuse
Lena has returned home since starting college because it’s too painful. But when she gets a call that her dad is dying of heart failure and her sister is practically MIA, she has to be the responsible oldest daughter and return to get things in order. Lux has a reputation of being a party girl, but no one knows the pain she’s hiding behind her wild child persona. She thinks her sister has always judged her too much to care, and Lena thinks Lux doesn’t care about anyone but herself and having a good time. Now that they’ve been thrown back together, they’ll have to face the trauma that’s led them both to this point in their lives.
I give 3 ⭐️ to books I enjoyed but have critiques for. Here’s what I liked about “Before You Break”:
* Beautiful, Philosophical Descriptions— this book deals with heavy topics of grief, trauma, and mental illness. There are stunning and deep revelations and observations written in from both POVs that provide a unique, but raw and real look at the these issues.
* The Accurate Portrayal of Mental Illness — generational trauma from untreated/poorly treated mental illness is a a major theme of this book and for the most part it’s portrayed incredibly well. The description of their mom’s bipolar/depressive disorder—while never explicitly referred to as such—is very realistic. Furthermore, Lux’s own mental health struggle as she describes her self-sabotage feelings and her rollercoaster intrusive thoughts is striking. Not only does it make sense, but readers who have experience with these disorders will be able to relate to the descriptions of the experiences.
Here’s what I thought could be improved:
There’s a lot to pity about Lena and Lux, for sure, but there’s not a lot to like about them. Accurate portrayal and descriptions of mental health aside, these girls are hard to relate to because they aren’t likeable. They are the worst stereotypes of themselves—Lena the pretentious oldest daughter and Lux the self-centered youngest child. Granted, both of these roles come from their different unhealthy coping mechanisms.
But because there’s not much to like about these girls, this book struggled to capture my attention. I’m concerned that readers who aren’t drawn in because they can relate to the accurate descriptions of the mental health struggles may not be drawn in at all.
In addition, the resolution is rushed and incomplete. We see both sisters come to the point of acknowledging they’re messed up and they’ve got to make a change, but we don’t really see how they’re going to.
I don’t know if I’d reccomend this to anyone other than someone who has experience with generational trauma related to bipolar or depressive disorders and needs a reminder they aren’t alone.
TW: suicide and child abuse
August 17, 2017
This book was not what I was expecting; I've read many other books that tackle substance abuse issues and highly detail them and the life the addict lives, then I realized this book is targeted to young adults and it brought upon this issue very well to such genera. It reads with inspiration, the message that anyone can turn themselves and their lives around regardless of what issues and secrets darken your path. "Before You Break" was a well written book that portrayed it's synopsis very well. This is an issue that young adults are no stranger to and must tackle head on, substance abuse is no stanger to the targeted population and I loved how it was brought into the story. Kala Stone is a wonderful author, once strange to me, I adore the book.
Sister's Lux and Lana run, running at their own pace and on their own paths, run away from themselves essentially but are left with the stranger in the mirror. In their years they have been met with enormous grief that no child or young adult their age should go through, with it events (events explained in connecting and hardcore detail, Stone's descriptiveness was on point). However, as each of them run they fail to see the black hole they have opted to spiral down took their everything away. They are both sinking in darkness, although the story of one is described with more detail the reader will realize both are victim to their own choices.
Highly recommended book. Inspirational. Tackles real life issues.
Sister's Lux and Lana run, running at their own pace and on their own paths, run away from themselves essentially but are left with the stranger in the mirror. In their years they have been met with enormous grief that no child or young adult their age should go through, with it events (events explained in connecting and hardcore detail, Stone's descriptiveness was on point). However, as each of them run they fail to see the black hole they have opted to spiral down took their everything away. They are both sinking in darkness, although the story of one is described with more detail the reader will realize both are victim to their own choices.
Highly recommended book. Inspirational. Tackles real life issues.
March 8, 2025
I’ll be honest, it took me a little bit to get into BEFORE YOU BREAK. I don’t usually read a lot of Young Adult as I find it hard to relate to at times, but man, once this story got going and things started falling into place, I could hardly put it down.
This is one of those stories that packs a punch. I’d say check the trigger warnings on it as it does deal with a lot of hard issues and circumstances, although I’d say it was all done in an age appropriate and ‘fade to black’ sort of way that made it fit for the genre while not sugar coating the reality of mental illness.
The main characters, two sister Lux and Lyra, are complete opposites and the pains of their family’s past begin to surface once their father has a heart attack and Lyra returns home from college to care for him. Each sister had a beautifully crafted story arc, that felt real and gritty, and incredibly relatable. I also was not prepared for the wonderful moments of faith and discussions about God in trying times. It was a nice element that I was happy to have a part of the story. Also, I found the friendships, and romantic relationships, came across as well crafted, age appropriate, and easy to support.
Personally, I would have loved an epilogue to see where the sisters (and my favorites- Ethan and Hadley) were a year or so down the line, but I’ll just let my mind craft that story of their happily ever after.
This is one of those stories that packs a punch. I’d say check the trigger warnings on it as it does deal with a lot of hard issues and circumstances, although I’d say it was all done in an age appropriate and ‘fade to black’ sort of way that made it fit for the genre while not sugar coating the reality of mental illness.
The main characters, two sister Lux and Lyra, are complete opposites and the pains of their family’s past begin to surface once their father has a heart attack and Lyra returns home from college to care for him. Each sister had a beautifully crafted story arc, that felt real and gritty, and incredibly relatable. I also was not prepared for the wonderful moments of faith and discussions about God in trying times. It was a nice element that I was happy to have a part of the story. Also, I found the friendships, and romantic relationships, came across as well crafted, age appropriate, and easy to support.
Personally, I would have loved an epilogue to see where the sisters (and my favorites- Ethan and Hadley) were a year or so down the line, but I’ll just let my mind craft that story of their happily ever after.
June 5, 2017
Outstanding!
Also published under the title of Before You Break, this novel by Kyla Stone is an emotionally-charged book that I had difficulty putting down! Very well-written
with complex plot and character development. The book explores some very important themes...mental health, child abuse/neglect, infidelity, substance abuse, family relationships and forgiveness. It tells the story of two sisters who grew up in a disfunctional family and how they are forced to cope with the scars as young adults. Both parents were at times distant from the girls, one parent was emotionally absent and the other physically. The girls try to remember the few good times their family shared while dealing with the ramifications of the much more common difficulties they faced. Sisters Lena and Lux must learn to overcome their own obstacles, face their own demons, and focus on helping each other stand strong and create a better future for themselves.
Also published under the title of Before You Break, this novel by Kyla Stone is an emotionally-charged book that I had difficulty putting down! Very well-written
with complex plot and character development. The book explores some very important themes...mental health, child abuse/neglect, infidelity, substance abuse, family relationships and forgiveness. It tells the story of two sisters who grew up in a disfunctional family and how they are forced to cope with the scars as young adults. Both parents were at times distant from the girls, one parent was emotionally absent and the other physically. The girls try to remember the few good times their family shared while dealing with the ramifications of the much more common difficulties they faced. Sisters Lena and Lux must learn to overcome their own obstacles, face their own demons, and focus on helping each other stand strong and create a better future for themselves.
August 15, 2017
English below Hoog tijd dat Kyla Stone eindelijk eens vertaald wordt.
Ik kreeg het boek als Member GiveAway bij LibraryThing (echt een aanrader overigens, ik heb er een hoop goede boeken door gelezen).
Het was geen thriller, zoals ik eerst dacht, ik had de grootste moeite met één van de twee zussen. Maar toen ik daar eenmaal overheen was, vond ik het een geweldig boek.
Het gaat over al het onuitgesprokene, en hoe hopeloos verkeerd dat kan zijn. Het voortdurend ontwijken van elkaar, van moeilijke situaties, van andere persoonlijkheden.
Nou ja, lees, en oordeel zelf.
I thought from the description it was a thriller. It was not.
I began to dislike one of the heroines intensely. But I read on.
And I was rewarded.
'Before You Break' is a beautifully written story about non-checked opinions about each other, about secrets and lies,
about people who won't get help, won't help others, won't listen to each other, won't act, won't speak out.
And about people who do care.
I started to like both heroines, I started to understand both of them.
Kyla Stone took ten years to write this book and I can understand why. She made a great job of it.
Ik kreeg het boek als Member GiveAway bij LibraryThing (echt een aanrader overigens, ik heb er een hoop goede boeken door gelezen).
Het was geen thriller, zoals ik eerst dacht, ik had de grootste moeite met één van de twee zussen. Maar toen ik daar eenmaal overheen was, vond ik het een geweldig boek.
Het gaat over al het onuitgesprokene, en hoe hopeloos verkeerd dat kan zijn. Het voortdurend ontwijken van elkaar, van moeilijke situaties, van andere persoonlijkheden.
Nou ja, lees, en oordeel zelf.
I thought from the description it was a thriller. It was not.
I began to dislike one of the heroines intensely. But I read on.
And I was rewarded.
'Before You Break' is a beautifully written story about non-checked opinions about each other, about secrets and lies,
about people who won't get help, won't help others, won't listen to each other, won't act, won't speak out.
And about people who do care.
I started to like both heroines, I started to understand both of them.
Kyla Stone took ten years to write this book and I can understand why. She made a great job of it.
February 16, 2017
This review is based on an ARC I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts on this book are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it handles some very difficult subjects to deal with (like abuse, mental health issues and suicide) and it does so well. I think it very accurately portrays how two people can go through the same experience and emerge from it with completely different perspectives/memories of it. Lena from a perspective of having unhappier memories from her childhood and Lux full of more positive memories for the most part. I will admit to not entirely guessing Lux’s big secret but I did have a feeling of what it would relate too and I felt horrible for what she had to deal with at such a young age. I feel bad with some of the results of everything that happened but I understand that in reality not everything can have a happy ending.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it handles some very difficult subjects to deal with (like abuse, mental health issues and suicide) and it does so well. I think it very accurately portrays how two people can go through the same experience and emerge from it with completely different perspectives/memories of it. Lena from a perspective of having unhappier memories from her childhood and Lux full of more positive memories for the most part. I will admit to not entirely guessing Lux’s big secret but I did have a feeling of what it would relate too and I felt horrible for what she had to deal with at such a young age. I feel bad with some of the results of everything that happened but I understand that in reality not everything can have a happy ending.
March 6, 2017
The story of two estranged sisters, brought back together when their father is diagnosed with a terminal illness, focusses on some pretty tough issues. Mental illness, drug-taking, suicide and a rocky family history make this a compelling, but often uncomfortable, read. The author is adept in her descriptions of Lux, the off-the-rails younger sister who is on the road to self-destruction. There is an honesty and anguish in Lux's inability to see the world without it being accompanied by paranoia, and believing in her own unworthiness. Her older sister, Lena, is sensible and grounded but also struggles with low self-esteem as the onus of responsibility falls entirely on her shoulders.
The journey was intense and, at times, a little depressing, but perhaps that is to be expected with characters and a situation that seem so true to life. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The journey was intense and, at times, a little depressing, but perhaps that is to be expected with characters and a situation that seem so true to life. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 16, 2017
I received Who We Are Instead by Kyla Stone as a Goodreads Giveaway Winner.
Lena McKenna is the golden child; photographer extraordinaire, perfectionist, college scholarship recipient, level-headed, responsible, and compassionate older child of an attentive father and a mother who committed suicide. Her younger teenage sister, Lux, is the opposite: impulsive, emotionally unstable, self-medicating, self-centered, and ready to drop out of high school. When their father suffers a heart attack, Lena drops everything to fly across the country and care for him in his final days while Lux runs away and hides herself at a friend's home with alcohol and pills. Told between the points of view of the two sisters, Who We Are Instead is a story of grief and healing as the sisters deal with the traumatic death of their mother years earlier, the impending death of their father, and the distance that has formed between them causing a rift in their relationship.
Stone does a magnificent job of evoking an emotional response from the reader in her characterization of Lena and Lux and she captures the essence of what it is like to live with, as well as be a family member of, someone with Borderline Personality Disorder. Her descriptions are vivid, making it easy for the reader to feel present in Lena and Lux's ordeal. Yet something in the story fell flat for me and I had a difficult time putting my finger on what it was that I did not care for. While the characters elicited an emotional response from me, I did not particularly like either Lux or Lena. I found them both to be annoying as they constantly are acting like martyrs, each in their own way. The pacing also did not feel quite right and I found myself getting bored ocassionally; there were plenty of moments where I felt the author spent too much time on one part of the story and handful of times where the opposite was true and felt that she rushed it, and I wish there was more balance. This is definitely a dynamic and emotionally charged story, yet the emotionality almost felt out of sync, for lack of a better word, with the events taking place.
Don't get me wrong, Kyla Stone is a great author and has a writing style that is both easy to read and captivating, the story just was not quite up to par with where I expected it to be. I love the topics she writes about and will definitely be reading more of Kyla Stone's works in the future!
Lena McKenna is the golden child; photographer extraordinaire, perfectionist, college scholarship recipient, level-headed, responsible, and compassionate older child of an attentive father and a mother who committed suicide. Her younger teenage sister, Lux, is the opposite: impulsive, emotionally unstable, self-medicating, self-centered, and ready to drop out of high school. When their father suffers a heart attack, Lena drops everything to fly across the country and care for him in his final days while Lux runs away and hides herself at a friend's home with alcohol and pills. Told between the points of view of the two sisters, Who We Are Instead is a story of grief and healing as the sisters deal with the traumatic death of their mother years earlier, the impending death of their father, and the distance that has formed between them causing a rift in their relationship.
Stone does a magnificent job of evoking an emotional response from the reader in her characterization of Lena and Lux and she captures the essence of what it is like to live with, as well as be a family member of, someone with Borderline Personality Disorder. Her descriptions are vivid, making it easy for the reader to feel present in Lena and Lux's ordeal. Yet something in the story fell flat for me and I had a difficult time putting my finger on what it was that I did not care for. While the characters elicited an emotional response from me, I did not particularly like either Lux or Lena. I found them both to be annoying as they constantly are acting like martyrs, each in their own way. The pacing also did not feel quite right and I found myself getting bored ocassionally; there were plenty of moments where I felt the author spent too much time on one part of the story and handful of times where the opposite was true and felt that she rushed it, and I wish there was more balance. This is definitely a dynamic and emotionally charged story, yet the emotionality almost felt out of sync, for lack of a better word, with the events taking place.
Don't get me wrong, Kyla Stone is a great author and has a writing style that is both easy to read and captivating, the story just was not quite up to par with where I expected it to be. I love the topics she writes about and will definitely be reading more of Kyla Stone's works in the future!
July 5, 2017
I received this book to read from the Author and I must say, I really enjoyed this book. It is about 2 sisters that had a traumatic experience has children and how they dealt with the effect of what happened. Being very close while growing up they somehow drift apart. Even though they both grew up in the same house they dealt with the pain of losing their mother differently. Lena buried herself in her education, while Lux tried blocking it out by taking drugs, going to parties and doing anything that would cause her to forget. Lena with the illness and then death of her father, reached out to her sister Lux, who initially blamed herself for the death of her mother and deterioration of her father,s health and subsequent death. In the end the death of their father and promise Lena made to her dad re-united the sisters. Wonderful book definitely will read it again
August 3, 2017
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing in return for an honest review.
Sisters, Lena and Lux, were close growing up. Lena is the responsible one while Lux is the free-spirit. However after their mothers death they drifted apart. That is until their father has heart attack and Lena is forced to return home to take care of him in his final days. But where is Lux? And what does she have to do with her father's heart attack? Being home forces Lena to confront her past and come to terms with it. But is it too late to repair the relationship with her sister?
This book alternates between Lena and Lux's point-of-views. It takes place in both the present and the past. Overall it is full of twists and turns as it answers the question about what happened to Lena and Lux's mother but at its heart it is about two sisters.
Sisters, Lena and Lux, were close growing up. Lena is the responsible one while Lux is the free-spirit. However after their mothers death they drifted apart. That is until their father has heart attack and Lena is forced to return home to take care of him in his final days. But where is Lux? And what does she have to do with her father's heart attack? Being home forces Lena to confront her past and come to terms with it. But is it too late to repair the relationship with her sister?
This book alternates between Lena and Lux's point-of-views. It takes place in both the present and the past. Overall it is full of twists and turns as it answers the question about what happened to Lena and Lux's mother but at its heart it is about two sisters.
December 25, 2017
This story is very eye opening and could be put in the genre of inspirational reads. Mental health illness is hard to live with, and for family to cope with. The characters in this story are young still, but they lived hard for so much of their lives. Secrets can tear you apart or float you along in delusional bliss. There's many type of addictions. To be be honest I don't think these sisters can help one another at all. If Lena don't separate herself from Lux at some point she won't have a productive relationship with Eli or any other man or family of her own. She can't be responsible for her soul if she carries her sisters responsibilities on her conscious 24/7. You just can't be your sisters keeper forever, you gotta love them, but them live for themselves by themselves.
April 2, 2025
I had so many emotions and it really hits home for those who have felt the loss of suicide and dealt with family who has addiction problems. All while bringing in the reminder of hope and gods love because sometimes we all need a reminder that we are not alone and that forgiveness is important. Even when we feel like everything is our fault in life there is another side to the story. The mental health and addiction awareness goes hand in hand and so many people never realize that addiction most times extends from mental illness as a coping mechanism. It was beautifully written and such a good read.
February 13, 2017
There are two things that really bugged me about this book. The first being a scene where a guy stops a rape from happening and he says he stops it because he’s not a bad guy and he has a sister. This has always annoyed me, people don’t need to envision their sisters, mothers or wives to pity victims and stop crimes why couldn’t he just stop the rape because she’s a human being and no one deserves that. Another thing is how many sacrifices the elder sister makes and how it’s encouraged by the love interest like this girl needs to be selfish and put herself first. However I did like the portrayal of mental illness especially with Lux’s character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2017
I thought the book was a sad read yet one that really makes you think. It was a tale of two estranged sisters and their troubled family dynamics. A story of mental illness, suicide, drugs, depression and other problems that many families face. It was told from a dual point of view so we were able to read what each sister was thinking. The book was well written and the characters described so well that you felt like they were part of your extended family. A thought provoking book that everyone should read. I received a reader copy and voluntarily chose to review it.
June 28, 2017
Great story! An Emotional and Heartfelt Read!
This book caught me by surprise. It is such an intense but great story about mental illness and overcoming life's adversities.
Both Lena and Lux are both trying to cope with their past while deal with their present. They are two sisters on different paths in they're lives and their story had me hooked from the beginning.
This book is both relevant and poignant and I would happily read more from this author.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
This book caught me by surprise. It is such an intense but great story about mental illness and overcoming life's adversities.
Both Lena and Lux are both trying to cope with their past while deal with their present. They are two sisters on different paths in they're lives and their story had me hooked from the beginning.
This book is both relevant and poignant and I would happily read more from this author.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
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