One Broken Day

by Melissa MacVicar

The bullets missed her. The trauma did not.

After a notorious school shooting leaves her a shadow of the girl she once was, seventeen-year-old Lizzie Beringer moves to Nantucket Island. There, Lizzie vows to hide her identity as the shooter’s sister. All her efforts to fly under the radar, however, are complicated by her P.T.S.D. and the attention she receives from two competing boys. While fending off the not-so-subtle advances of popular athlete Michael Wickersham, she must also deal with her growing feelings for her shy lab partner, Gage Pike. Gage may act like he’s all wrong for her, but the pull between them is undeniable.

Under the threat of discovery and the possibility of testifying in a televised trial, Lizzie fights to keep her secrets and start her life over.

One Broken Day is a brilliantly imagined story exploring the ways we are all broken and at the same time, offered redemption in the most unexpected of places.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

324 pages, Paperback

Published May 18, 2017

About the author

Book lover
History buff.
Nature Walker.
Reluctant weight lifter.


Instagram: melissa.macvicar

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if you witnessed a school shooting and the shooter was your own brother? I don’t know what I would do or how I would feel. Lizzie, also now known as Lainey, saw her own brother kill 4 people at school. This book tugs at my heart! The book starts when she moves to Nantucket far away from her Hollywood life with her father as a film director and now lives with her mother after the divorce between her parents. They change their name and buy the house with a trust fund, aka cash, to be able to try and live a normal life. Or as normal as it can be for what Lainey witnessed with her now PTSD!

The events leading up to that day and surrounding it are given to us in pieces during the book. We only see the full picture at the end. The book is written in both Lainey and Gage’s Point of View. Gage is Lainey’s boyfriend, well eventually they get that way. But Gage only knows something happened to her in the past, he doesn’t know who she really is. Lainey tries to tell him but she just can't do it!

The story is really a sad one but Lainey, eventually with the help of her counselor and Gage, is able to move forward. But it is a hard road. The book just makes you think and feel!

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Berringer's younger brother Thomas is in jail, awaiting trial for killing four people in a school shooting. One of them was Lizzie's best friend Hannah. Four months later, Lizzie moves from Los Angeles to Nantucket where she starts school under the assumed identity of Lainey Darwin. But, suffering from depression and anxiety, she is having trouble adjusting to the normalcy of school life. And with rivals Wick and Gage both vying for her affections, she's getting more attention than she ever wanted. What will happen if her secret comes out?

The story is told from both Lainey's and Gage's points of view, interspersed with passages written in italics, detailing the events leading up to the shooting. The book explores how a school shooting affects the family of the shooter. While We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver focuses on the shooter's mother, this book focuses on the effects of the shooting on the shooter's sibling. And it does a great job. This book is not only a family drama and romance, but it is also full of all sorts of complex characters and relationships. It's nice to see Wick grow through the course of the story. I especially love his exchange with Sybil and his wrestling match with Gage.

Warnings: coarse language, sexual references, drug use, violence, underage drinking, school shooting.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post (27 July): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Melissa MacVicar for providing me this ARC to review.
I enjoyed reading this book. I do have questions that didn't get answered, however. I wish it would have gone into a little bit of history on Thomas. I'm not sure if this book is complete (as in no more edits) but there are several errors throughout. (between 15-20) Nothing major that can't be figured out. I do look forward to reading more of this author's content in the future.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

One broken day is about Lizzie, aka Lainey, who went through something terrible--a school shooting. The shooter, her younger brother, has turned her world upside down in only a matter of minutes. She moved to a different town with her mom and changed her name legally. This book was so good, I could not put it down. Each character had a unique background which made the book even more interesting. I definitely would recommend this book because even though she went through something tragic, Lainey found a way to grieve and to move on with her life in a more positive way.

[Sable Racey · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this in exchange for a honest review. **

This story was heart-wrenching and beautiful, and I couldnt put it down. The connection between the two main characters Gage and Lainey/Lizzie was SO well written.

The plot of the story had me engaged, and at the end I felt it really established what a traumatic experience and starting over might feel like.

Thrilled to check out more from this author now.

[Sierra Winfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and although I was done reading it weeks ago, I was on vacation and had to set on my review for awhile. I loved this book and much like the others didn't want to put it down. this may have become my new favorite. I still have plenty of unanswered questions after reading this

[Zili · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you can probably tell from the blurb One Broken Day is a young adult book which focuses on some pretty dark topics as well as what happens to the survivors of these dark events.

Lainey aka Lizzie and her mother assumed new identities and moved across the country to make a fresh start after her brother broke their hearts and ruined their lives by committing a school shooting.

Lainey is desperate to move on but doesn't know how to get past what happened. She suffers from PTSD as well as survivors guilt. I cannot even begin to imagine how anyone could ever cope with such a horrific ordeal, let alone having witnessed the attack firsthand.

We also get to meet Gage who is dealing with his own share of problems, albeit different from Lainey's... I liked Gage and felt he was a great support for Lainey.

I felt the shooting was handled with care and consideration but never shies away from dealing with the consequences. We even get an insight into the legal complications and what happens to the family of a killer.

I did initially want more information about Thomas and why he carries out the shooting, but when I really thought about things it became clearer that the focus isn't on Thomas. It's about how Lainey copes with the situation and how she looks within herself to see why things happened the way they did. Lainey is plagued by what ifs and struggles with her feelings towards him.

One Broken Day is dramatic, upsetting and emotionally volatile but I loved the lighter moments and wanted Lainey, Gage and the gang to live normal, happy teenage lives away from violence and mistakes.

4 Stars in my Sky!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Mattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for a free/honest review.



One Broken Day is a young adult book that looks at Lizzie/Lainey, a seventeen year old who has relocated to Nantucket Island from L.A. in order to re-start her life after her younger brother, Thomas, completed (honestly I don't have a good word to place there) school shooting. While Lizzie/Lainey attempts to deal with her P.T.S.D and continue with a seemingly normal life, she ends up getting caught up in a small love triangle. It is told from Lizzie/Lainey's point of view as well as Gage.

What I loved about this book was that Lizzie/Lainey showed all typical P.T.S.D. signs and also used correct therapy to deal with them.....clearly I'm a social work major. I also loved that the story did not circle around the shooting or the love interest, through it was part of it. This book sucked me in at about 30% and didn't let me go. I wanted to know what was going to happen, I was rooting for Lizzie/Lainey. This book was an interesting, good read that I enjoyed. I would recommend it for people who could deal with or be interested in the high and lows of traumatic experiences, like romance, enjoy all of those wrapped up into a YA novel.

[Esther Haddie's Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS BOOK FOR HONEST REVIEW.

Off the bat, I love a good story that involves a heart that is healing. A good heart-wrench is always my game. The emotions portrayed through Lizzie is vivid and mostly tore me apart. To a degree, I could understand her perspective of hiding from an identity that would relate her to the shooter. I may not have been in such situations, but it was still good to read.
When Lizzie starts to move forward and meets a cute guy, starts to heal, I was rooting for her. I did feel that some portions of the story were fairly too predictable, but I still enjoyed the book all the same. I've had my eye on this book since seeing it on KindleScout. When it wasn't selected, I was bummed. But I got to read it and I'm happy.

MY RATING: 4 OF 5 STARS.

[LadyVVolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story is about the sister of a boy who shot up the lunch room at school, killing 4 people. We watch as Lizzie/Lainey tries to start over in a new town with her mother, while battling depression and PTSD, and the possibility of having to relive the horror of that day at her brothers trial.
The writer gives us a view of both Lizzie and Gage, a friend she has made at her new school, and it helps us see both the person living with mental illness and the people around her that care about her.
This story touches on some very deep things: addiction, mental illness, and murder.

The editing wasn't perfect, there were a few places where there were missing words, but I didn't feel like it took away from the story or the experience in any way.

This story was great, and the characters were likable. The writing flowed well, and I was able to get into the story quickly.

#TheUnratedBookshelf

[Grace Oxley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of YA books that deal with real emotions and real scenarios. When I started reading this book, I couldn't tell if the author was really good or not as much, since I found myself getting depressed reading. The further I got, I realized: this author is a genius. You're lead through the characters' emotional journey as deftly as possible, feeling their misery and early triumphs and fearing for what they stand to lose. You fall for both Lizzie and Gage as surely as they fall for each other. The behavior of the characters is realistic for today's teens and unflinchingly handled.

Fans of 13 Reasons Why or any books by Sarah Dessen should definitely read this one.

Thank you to the author for my review copy of this book.

[Kelsey Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's that on the floor you ask? Oh that is just my heart. I'll be putting it back together for the rest of the night.
Full Review Coming Soon

[Addy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. There were times when the plot points, dialogue, and even characters themselves were predictable, but looking past all that, the book was really not all that bad. I would have preferred more exploration into Lizzy's mental disorder, and a better explanation for why Thomas did what he did. Wick felt off-putting in the beginning, but I am assuming that was the purpose. I really enjoyed Gage and the build between him and Lainey.

All in all, not a bad book.

[Ceci moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is something different from what I usually read, but in all honesty i wasn't disappointed. I read it in one sitting. The story dealt with sensitive issues and it showed how their loves ones dealt with them. either in a form of escape or over coming them. it was really well put together, i really enjoyed it. i want to thank the author for this opportunity.......also i was really rooting for Wick and Sybil to end up together. i liked them :P

[Carol***BeautyandtheBeastlyBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

I debated about rating this book. At first I thought it'd be a 2 stars rating, then I decided for a 2.5 because I liked some aspects and I could see the effort.

When the story started I liked it, but while it was progressing I kept seeing things that I didn't like or didn't really add up. First of all, I think some of the characters issues were treated very poorly and with no depth. There's nothing wrong with a book that isn't deep, but if you're going to introduce subjects like depression, drugs and drinking, they should, at least, do more than scratch the surface, which they didn't even do here.

I don't like when books treat people, specially teens doing drugs naturally. Yes, we all know it happens, but I felt in this book like it was an okay thing to do. The same with underrage drinking. The same for unprotected sex. Those kinds of things really bother me in books.

And the story. There were parts of it I actually liked and I think were quite good, but others didn't come naturally. Like the first interaction between Wick and Gage...it felt like that was taken straight out of a textbook about highschool drama and bullying. And I felt like that a lot, because some subjects were introduced and not really developed, so I don't feel like the story progressed organically. I feel like a lot of elements of an angst story recipe were thrown in the book, but they didn't really match the story. Some of it felt like maybe too much drama for how superficial some subjects were being treated.

The plot line and the idea are good and they could have made a very angsty book, which I love. But it all felt too superficial and sometimes even fake. I didn't believe the characters and, because of that, I didn't believe the story.

I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and when I could feel myself warming up to then, it would stop. Just because a story is in the YA spectrum it shouldn't be immature, specially when dealing with such strong and important subjects, like bullying, depression and disorders.

It wasn't all bad, but I think, for a subject like this one at least, the author should mature her writing a bit more (there were some grammar mistakes, but since I read and ARC and I'm not sure if those were in the final version, I'm not taking account of them to form my opinion).
In the end, I think the idea is really good and that this book has a lot of potential, but, at least for me, it didn't reach there yet.

[Ashley Goldsmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was reticent at first because of the subject matter, because I usually avoid it. But seeing it through Lizzie/Lainey's eyes was enough of a filter for me to be able to read it. I felt as if it was a fairly realistic view of teenagers. I liked that Lainey broke out of her cliched life and bridges the gap between the most popular boy and the group of "nerds." I liked the way the author showed Lainey's PTSD, and how Lainey finally saw how she was a victim of her brother and was able to begin to move past it. I wish that we could have seen a little more of her brother, just because I was curious about his motivation ultimately, but Lainey couldn't be an omniscient narrator, so I am left wondering, which is okay. Thank you to the author for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Susan Wilinski · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book in Nantucket when I was away on a girls weekend. When I travel, I try to visit the local bookstores and buy signed copies of books by local authors. I collect them and they are great vacation souvenirs.

I had no idea what this was about or that it was YA because I bought it for the above reason. I am not adverse to reading YA and have in the past.

That said, I applaud any author brave enough to put their work out there, whether self-published or through traditional means. However, Ms. MacVicar would have benefited greatly from a solid, experienced editor. Having one would have lent much more credibility to her work.

There were writing mistakes throughout the novel by way of words missing from sentences, grammar and punctuation errors. If you are going to put your work out there for readers to spend $16 on a paperback, my feeling is that you better be sure that it is as perfect as it can be in those areas. And it seemed as if the word "gaze" or any variation thereof was used about once per page. How often does anyone ever really "gaze" at anything, except for maybe a sunrise or sunset?

Aside from technical errors, the story was a bit shallow. You never do find out exactly why Thomas turned out to be a mass murderer. Even if the story was supposed to be about Lizzie (or Lainey) and her life post-shooting, it would have been helpful to look into their pasts in more depth to see why these two characters acted and reacted as they did. The drug use and sex served no purpose to moving the plot forward and if this was Lizzie's (or Lainey's) story, then switching narrators to Gage every now and then was not necessary. It probably would have made a more interesting story if the second narrator was Thomas, back in LA facing a life in prison as his sister was across the country trying to start over. Maybe a look into how their shared lives ended up so differently and their separate truths would have made a more compelling novel.

[Betwixt the Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a notorious school shooting leaves her a shadow of the girl she once was, seventeen-year-old Lizzie Beringer moves to Nantucket Island. There, Lizzie is determined to keep her identity as the shooter’s sister a secret. All her efforts to fly under the radar, however, are complicated by her PTSD and her treatment at the hands of two very different boys. While fending off the unwanted advances of John Wickersham, she must also deal with her growing feelings for her brooding lab partner Gage Pike. Gage may act like he’s all wrong for her but the pull between them is undeniable.

Under the threat of discovery and the possibility of testifying in a televised trial, Lizzie attempts to pick up the broken pieces of her life.

One Broken Day is a brilliantly imagined story about the ways we are all broken and the miracle of second chances.

Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: LIFE-RUINER ALERT!; this was an emotionally challenging read; I can understand the motivations behind the character choices; the upheaval in Lainey/Lizzie's life is obvious from page one; I couldn't put this down

Huge thanks to Melissa MacVicar and YA Bound Book Tours for sending me a free egalley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

"Maybe out in California, things are different." Gage said. "But here, there's an order to things. You don't mess with the order. A sparrow doesn't nest with a bluebird. This is what happens when they try."

This was SUCH an emotionally challenging, haunting read. I finished this several days ago and have been struggling to put my thoughts into coherent words, because OH MY PENGUINS, this read! I was drawn into the turmoil from page one, ensnared and enchanted by the tragedies of the situation--and the reactions of the world. Melissa MacVicar did a stupendous job thrusting readers straight into Lainey/Lizzie's head, and I applaud her so much for it. Truly, I was captivated just as much as I was heartbroken. Coming out of this read, I can see the motivations behind certain decisions Melissa MacVicar made for her characters and their coping mechanisms. Having grown up in a household of addiction, it was even easier for me to see into the heart of the recreational drug use that occurs throughout this read. (Of course, this doesn't mean I necessarily condone such coping mechanisms--just that I understand why the characters react the way they do)

I feel the strength of this novel lies in the characters--and the different ways they grow and shift throughout this journey. However, there's a sense of mystery and suspense woven through every page--a motivation that kept me trapped, unable to put the book down. While we don't necessarily get handed all the "answers," I feel Melissa MacVicar did this with a purpose--life, after all, doesn't always just hand us a reason or justification for why people do the things they do, or why things happen the way they do. So while a lot of other readers are calling for "more" depth to this read... I applaud Melissa MacVicar for not trying to force a solution where, sometimes, there just ISN'T one.

This gratitude for life that people were always talking about was never enough, though. For me, it could not stem the tide of loss that kept rising, the guilt and regret that washed over me, the what-ifs and what-fors and painful memories of better times. Too much was lost that day for gratitude to beat it back, and despite reassurances from people like my parents and Belinda that things will get better, I didn't believe they ever would.

This was a desperate, twisting path of emotions--and I cherished every moment for reminding me that the world isn't always black and white. That there are grey areas where answers are elusive and human reactions don't always make sense. I will, for sensitive or easily triggered readers, put a slight mature content warning out there--recreational drug use and sex, along with bullying and suicidal thoughts, are prevalent throughout and play a large role in this read. Please keep yourselves safe.

I am awed by how powerfully poignant and heart-wrenching this read from Melissa MacVicar is, and cannot wait to see what the future holds for her creatively. While there are some grammatical errors, there weren't enough of them to break my concentration or bother me. The characters and their reactions are vividly painted and, at least in my opinion, realistically written. I definitely recommend to lovers of emotionally challenging reads, characters struggling to cope with heavy burdens, and twisting plot vines. Look deeper, Penguins; there's more to these words than meets the eye.

[Emily Lockheart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of the book had me hooked. It's a great idea for a story since school shootings are (unfortunately) a very relevant topic right now. I think that it is interesting of the author to put the story from the side of a family member of the shooter instead of a family member of perhaps a witness or victim. I was really into the book until the end, however.
The end seemed to all happen so fast. All of the sudden Lainey was being exposed in front of the whole school to who she really was and then she left to LA and the trial happened and then she and Gage reunited, all in only a very small sliver of the book. I found myself at the end of the book trying hard to keep up. I also thought that the end of the book was the classic, "Happily ever after" which I don't really enjoy when I'm reading YA. My last criticism was that there were many typos at the end of the book. This was not my favorite part of reading the book since I had to stop at least once a chapter towards the end of the book to stop and self correct, which was not the most pleasant experience since it kind of ruined the mood of the book.
But not to be confused with that overall, I was very impressed with this book and it definitely has me on the hunt for a book similar to it. I would really recommend it to people who like YA.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a 3.7/5. It's well written, with a few mistakes throughout, but hey, we're all human, and they weren't hard to figure out.

The book itself is such a good read. I honestly had so much trouble putting it down once I started it. Less than two days to read. The plot is one that caught my eye when I read the synopsis, and one that just seemed important, a story that needs to be told. I wish that there would have been a bit more character development of the minor characters, but I understand that it's a story of two struggling teens, therefore they are the focus.
I thoroughly enjoyed the idea of a book being told from the sister's point of view rather than a stranger who wasn't close to the 'villain' of the book. It made relating to the character easier, and made me want to see how she was going to overcome the struggles she was facing.

**I received this as an ARC from the author. **

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

High school student Lizzie is living in a new place, Nantucket Island, and going to a new school where things are much different than California where she came from. The attention of two boys, one the popular athlete and the other a quiet, more cerebral type complicates her life immediately. Lizzie also has a secret past that she wants to keep under wraps, which means doing her best not to call attention to herself. Of course, the world has a way of upsetting the best laid plans.

How Lizzie juggles her conflicting wants and needs makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking read. In the process, she learns a lot about dealing with people and makes peace with her past.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Heather Orne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Beringer had everything a teenage girl could want, popularity, a gorgeous boyfriend, and superstar parents that could give her the world. One day, everything changed when her brother became a murderer at their high school shooting, leaving Lizzie no choice but to start over.

Under false identities, Lizzie and her mother move to Nantucket Island where they try to begin new lives and deal with the terrible decision that her brother made. While trying to cope with her PTSD, Lizzie must deal with two local boys competing for her attention. The school's star athlete, Michael Wickersham, and Lizzie's lab partner, Gage Pike, have never seen eye to eye in the past and certainly do not now as they both fight for her attention.

Soon, all of Lizzie's secrets are revealed when she is called back to her home town and her picture is shown all over the news. She must find her inner strength as she is forced to relive the worst day of her life as she testifies at her brother's televised trial.

Lizzie's story has a unique point of view as the victim of her brother's school shooting. Melissa MacVicar did a great job with her visualization of the different scenes throughout the storyline and the characters were developed well. The moral of the story is to believe in yourself and be kind to others, you never now what struggles they may be going through. "One Broken Day" is a great read for teens!

(Thank you Melissa MacVicar for providing me with a copy of your novel in exchange for my honest review!)

[Dayakar Subraveti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the writing very much..

I really liked the writing and the way story was going.. But by the end, I just felt there were many aspects left unexplained..
** SPOILER **
Wick - I dint really understand how his intentions towards Lainey changed.. initially it clearly was to conquer her.. but by the end, he suddenly starts to care for her and also Gage..
Thomas - It is clear that he had mental issues.. but the way he reacted when Lizzie met him in the jail made me think he cared for her, and that he was that way for some reason, which he wanted to speak about.. but nothing in that matter is explained in the book..

If not for these, I would have given it 5 stars..

[Briana Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Broken Day was an amazing story of love and healing. The main character's emotions were so raw and real. I liked how she didn't stop being broken after she met a cute boy and even when she fell in love with him. I felt her pain and her healing process spanned over the entire book. I would have given this story five stars, but there were many editing mistakes. I received a free copy for my honest review

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book to read

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is, unfortunately very current, about a school shooting. It focuses more on one of the witnesses than the shooter and how she deals with life after. She is the shooters sister and has to come to terms with that. Should she have known? Does she still love him? Hate him? Will she ever move on? It seems strange to say that I enjoyed this book, but I did. I especially enjoyed the Nantucket setting.