Shattered

Title: SHATTERED: A Daughter’s Regret
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: NavPress
April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-6000-6949-9
Genre: Inspirational/young adult

Cleo Neilson’s best friend, Lola, is moving away, and to celebrate their last night together, Cleo and Lola plan to use some free tickets Lola won to go to a Christian concert. Only problem is, Lola’s mom needs her car, and Cleo’s mom flat out refuses to let Cleo driver her dad’s car into the city. Cleo is determined to get to that concert, even though Lola is okay with not going, so she devises a way to get their without her mom’s knowledge. After all, her mom has to let her grow up sometime.

Unfortunately, something absolutely positively beyond awful happens as a result of Cleo’s disobedience. And Cleo now faces the consequences of her actions and a secret that is eating her up inside. Will Cleo come to peace wit the results of her decisions?

Melody Carlson had penned another tear-jerker page-turner that deals with the tough issues of deception and consequences. Some of the parts are unbelieveable and predictable, but otherwise the writing is stellar.

SHATTERED is a difficult book to read, yet it is a must-read for teenager girls. Ms. Carlson is a master at addressing tough issues in a realistic, loving and teachable way. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 200 pages.