Broken Roots follows a teenage life plagued by family drama and personal tragedy. The seventeen year old Teisha is uprooted from her life in the UK after her father’s company becomes successful in the USA. But new found wealth spells the beginning of misery for Teisha as she copes with the painful knowledge of her family’s inability to handle wealth and love at the same time.

Teisha has gone through a lot in her young life, and her experience gives her a lot to speak on about life. So much so, that whilst reading Broken Roots, I got a sense that the author was deliberately using the main character as a mouthpiece to educate we the readers on life’s moral lessons.

When I started the book, I had an idea that as a reader I would be emotionally battling Teisha’ demons with her, but I had no idea that the plot would be so thick with its many twists and turns.
Michelle has been excellent at layering the narrative with many complex themes such as organised crime; mental health;. and teenage delinquency, without making it too complicated to read.

The story at times transports us to some dangerously low points the occupation of Teisha’s home by a criminal gang; but then we also hit some amazing highs the new and sweet bond that is created between Teisha and her foster mother, Rachel.

Rachel, by the way, is my favourite character, because she represents the stability that Teisha needed. Whatsmore the relationship between her and Teisha is a beautiful portrayal of how love can transcend the supposed boundaries of class, race, and bloodlines.

What the author has been particularly masterful at is to delicately build up the mystery surrounding Teisha’s father’s mental illness, and her mother’s misdemeanors without compromising the reader’s ability to understand the plot, or giving any of it away too early.

It was for this reason that I was genuinely thrilled at the shocking revelations brought to light towards the end of the story.

What I particularly about Broken Roots is that it’s not just a story to excite, but it has been written to educate and to call to attention the plight of many young people living in the UK.

The author wrote this book to raise awareness of young mental health. She also wants to help young people who are faced with challenging issues or may be struggling with a particular problem. For these reasons, there is a list of helplines and organisations at the back of the book. Some contacts are for young people who need advice and support, others are for adults and professionals who are worried about a child or young people.

The big question is, after a life filled with one personal tragedy after another, is there any redemption for Teisha? Well, you’ll have to read Broken Roots to find out!

In short, if you enjoy drama; if you enjoy crime mysteries; if you enjoy a good cry or a feel good story; if you reading about real life issues or about genuine love, then Broken Roots is for you.

Well done Michelle. I am patiently awaiting a sequel!1 M.J.L. EvansAuthor 18 books123

Although I wouldn’t call this an easy read, I believe it was an important one. Some of the characters drove me crazy, they were so self-serving and oblivious to the emotional needs of Teisha. The mystery has a great twist and it is heartfelt read. Michelle Diana Lowe’s writing style has matured nicely since Unshatter Me and I look forward to reading more from her.1 Danielle UrbanAuthor 4 books153

Broken Roots by Michelle Diana Lowe is an intriguing read. From the beginning to end Michelle Diana Lowe captures readers' attention with this suspenseful yet dysfunctional tale. A young girl's home and life immediately change when they move to a new place. Upon moving, there's a mystery and threat that hangs in the air. Keeping readers wondering what next will happen. Young Teisha, takes it upon herself to survive. Her family is in great danger from a deadly group. Secrets and lies may just destroy everything Teisha had or ever knew. Michelle Diana Lowe is a talented writer. Her novel brings forth strong issues that readers everywhere can easily relate to. Family life and life's struggles are real issues. This brilliant story brings to life characters and issues that we all struggle with...I enjoyed following the main character as the story developed. Truly, a must read for all. Overall, I highly recommend Broken Roots to readers everywhere. 1 L.E. FitzpatrickAuthor 30 books80

When I started Broken Roots I wasn't sure what to expect and as each chapter unfolded I found that feeling continued. Nothing about Broken Roots is predictable, every twist is surprising and each character is complex and mysterious. Teisha is a young girl from a rich family, but she's also an incredibly intelligent, independent girl who cherishes her grandmother. She narrates the collapse of her family and her journey from life in a mansion to life on the streets. But, and this was a huge joy for me, she doesn't behave an annoying teenager in a teenage drama. When a street kid tries to get her to go with him she stands tall, when her mother tries to manipulate her she doesn't stand for it. Teisha is a strong black female and her narration is poetic and heartfelt. A must read for fans of YA Urban fiction.1 D.M. CainAuthor 13 books502

Thought provoking and emotional

See my full video review here: https://youtu.be/I3BHXSPxiEQ1 Contentmo184 10

An interesting tale of a teenager who goes from riches to rags. Twists and turns abound as she finds out secrets about family members and loses some of those closest to her. Will she find love and happiness after experiencing tragedies? 1 M.T. DeSantisAuthor 16 books68 Read

I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
There is no shortage of drama in BROKEN ROOTS. From page one to the very end, Teisha’s life is one storm after another as her world falls apart. Every time I thought things would get better, something else went horribly wrong. At the beginning, I was very invested in this poor girl’s story.
Unfortunately, the sheer volume of terrible things got to me after a short time. I started to wonder if there was anything good that would happen to Teisha. I kept reading, becoming more and more distanced as Teisha seemed only to watch and yell about her life being ruined. I kept wanting her to take charge to fix things. When she finally showed some initiative, things picked up. My interest was renewed, but didn’t last as long as I’d hoped. Teisha soon fell back into the familiar trap of being consumed by how bad things were and doing nothing to change them.
BROKEN ROOTS was a good portrayal of a character who was too overwhelmed to take action. However, the overwhelmed just went on too long for me. Teisha’s bad attitude about everything and her continuing tendency to blame everything on fate or some other invisible force kept me from really connecting with her. At some point, I started to wonder if it would be revealed Teisha was an unreliable protagonist who’d misunderstood something somewhere or suffered from mental illness with delusions, thus bringing the book to a very different and interesting conclusion. Alas, I was disappointed on this front, as well.
All in all, I wanted to BROKEN ROOTS more than I did. There was so much going on that could have been handled a little differently to bring out the story more. This tale of a teenage girl trying to find her place in a family more messed up than a toddler’s room after playtime left me feeling disconnected. Teisha’s parents were such interesting characters. I wanted more of their issues, but I only got to see those problems through the lens of a young girl who seemed to complain too much about how life was unfair and how she deserved better. Teisha left me wanting as a protagonist and narrator, which ultimately made it difficult for me to get lost in the story. fiction goddess-fish ya Chrissy MoonAuthor 18 books33

Wow! This is quite a story. Had this been a movie, it would have been an elaborate crime drama.

I have read the first book by this author, which I enjoyed, but I have to say, with Broken Roots, the author is clearly raising the bar for herself. This story is much darker and has a more elaborate plot. Indeed, something unexpected unfolds consistently in this story, and I was surprised many times.

One thing that is consistent about this author is her clever use of analogies and symbolism. It is everywhere and very intelligently used, and the reader could miss them if they don’t slow down and take the time to absorb her words. I would note some here but it is much more fun to stumble across these passages yourself.

Speaking of words, this author has a unique way of arranging them. It is quite apparent that each word is carefully considered and chosen. It shows.

Now for my personal feelings about the plot.

*SPOILER* I couldn’t believe the things that befell Teisha. One of her lowest points, in my opinion, was when she was left in the house alone and was literally starving to death, with no utilities and nobody to help her. My heart broke when she thought her mother returned for her and she crawled – CRAWLED – downstairs to see her.

I hated her mother. I wanted to slap her many times.

*SPOILER* When Rachel came into the picture, I had mixed feelings. I was glad she found someone who would love her but at the same, I was worried she was secretly an awful person or that she would get taken as well. In this manner, the author had me feeling Teisha’s emotions while reading!

As far as the truth told at the end: I was blown away. It makes me want to read the story again, knowing what I know. The story definitely leaves room for a sequel; I would absolutely love to read more about Teisha. What is really admirable about this character, that she kept her morals intact during some awful trials that no child should ever have to endure. That is really quite inspirational.

Excellent job by Michelle Diana Lowe. I highly recommend this book.
1 Cordelia the Ardent Reader163 2

Too wordy. Not for me but others might enjoy it.did-not-finish Macy Klingerman255 4

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