Shattered, Melody Carlson

Cleo Neilson is a typical 17-year old trying to spread her wings and operate in independence. She has always done exactly what her over-protective mother has wanted her to do. But this time she makes a decision that will prove to have consequences that threaten to tear her world apart.

The last night her best friend will be in town before she moves and the girls have free tickets to a christian concert. The problem - Lola can't drive her mom's car and Cleo's mom won't let her drive into the city alone. Disappointed because she feels her mother is once again being too overprotective she decides to do what she thinks all teenagers do at least once - sneak out.

This one decision turns Cleo's world upside down - her life is shattered by one fatal choice. The guilt and shame and self-hatred from this eats away at Cleo. To try to numb this she turns to pills. However, as her life spirals out of control and she tries everything to numb the pain and memories her Aunt Kelli speaks life altering truth into her life and shares a secret that haunted her all through her childhood.

The question to be answered is will Cleo accept the forgiveness she needs from Christ and allow that grace and love to heal her and change her forever.

This book had me crying from chapter 4 on! Melody Carlson's ability to develop characters that are life-like is shocking. The entire book is heart-wrenching as you exam in your own life the aftermath of decisions that have rocked your own world, and the devastating guilt that follows.

I think this is by far one of my favorite books for teens - well I have to include Pitch Black also. This book is part of the Secrets Series and I can't wait to purchase more. The quality and style of Carlson's writing brings the gritty, dark truth of what teens are facing and thinking to the forefront. She deals with these things in such a way that teens who read these books will be pointed to Christ and His redeeming love and forgiveness.

Highly Recommended.

Special thanks to Glass Road Public Relations and NavPress for this review copy.