Broken: Broken Not Lost (The Breach Chronicles)
by Ivy Logan
Review by S. S. Bazinet

Description:

The dark shadow cast by an ancient prophecy shatters an innocent family, but all that is broken is not lost and will rise again.

Half-blood sorceress, Talia, had a unique childhood. Instructed in combat skills and trained to escape detection, she was schooled to face an unknown menace. Yet, when her family’s worst nightmare comes to pass, Talia finds her protected life spinning out of control. Everything she believes in, and everyone she loves, is cruelly snatched away. Talia is forced to flee the attentions of a mad king and denied her supernatural legacy. She chooses the path of retribution, devoid of love and friendship, but learns that sometimes love is received even if not sought.

Broken is a tale about Talia’s coming of age, reuniting with her family and seeking vengeance. Most of all it chronicles Talia’s rise from the ashes and her journey into finding herself again. Read Talia’s epic saga of love, sacrifice, friendship, and discovering the hero within set against a background of time travel and supernatural forces.

My review:

BROKEN is a YA fantasy that would make a great book for a book club to discuss. It pulls the reader into a fascinating world of magic and sorcery while addressing the idea of choices and where they lead.

This story is about a young half-blood sorceress named Talia. However, Talia’s roots and future are anchored in her mother’s story. Her mother, Caitlin, is an immortal and a sorceress who sprang forth from a well of creation. She emerges fully grown and ready to take on her duties as a guardian of Earth’s humans. However, before Caitlin has a chance to perform her duties, she’s given a prophecy about her future. It’s not a nice prophecy, but one that activates instant fear and confusion.

For me, this story had so many elements to ponder and discuss. For example, is the prophecy that Caitlin is told destined to come true? Is there any free will involved in such a foretelling? Is Caitlin a victim who’s doomed to failure? Do the things she was told have to become her reality? Or does the prophecy come true because of all the fear that arises in Caitlin when she believes what she’s been told? Instead of seeking advice from her peers or a wise, look-alike named Ava, Caitlin keeps her fears to herself. Would she have benefited from the advice of others who had more life experience?

Because of an all-consuming fear, Caitlin’s choices revolve around what she wants to avoid in the future. Without the fear, how would her life have turned out? And what about her love of family? It was because of her love for her son and the fear of his being harmed that she empowers an evil king. In turn, the powerful, but evil king ends up slaughtering countless people.

This is a wonderful fantasy that would make a great book for a book club to discuss. It’s also a well written tale that takes the reader on a journey that involves a demented king, a dragon, and the tight bonds of love and family. It’s about Talia, the daughter of Caitlin, who’s determined to make better choices than her mother. She’s also determined to confront her fears and find a path to a life that’s full of love and fulfillment. The ending was unexpected and very satisfying.