All Our Broken Pieces by L. D. Crichton
Review by Isha N., grade 8, 2019 Teen Book Reviewer
Genre: realistic fictions
Lennon Davis’ mother passed away, leaving her to live with her father, stepmother, stepsister, and half-brother in LA. Lennon suffers from OCD. She uses the number five in her compulsions, finding it safe. She believes that it will keep her family safe, even though she knows it’s irrational. Kylar Benton wishes to remain hidden. He becomes curious about Lennon after seeing the lights in her room flickering on and off in patterns of five. When they were assigned together on a school project, they connect. Despite the disapproval of their parents and their peers, they continue to grow closer. Kylar finds Lennon being the subject of his notebook entries, he wants to know about her past, even though he has enough trouble in his life without her.
I ranked the book 4 out of 5 stars because I found some of the plot points to unrealistic. I believe that the actions of Lennon’s father are exaggerated. I understand that it might have been necessary to the plot, but I found that it made me have little sympathy for his character. I also believe the actions of Andrea, Lennon’s stepsister, are exaggerated as well. It felt to me that her actions were petty and that a real person would never complete such actions. Aside from the few actions from those two characters, I found the book to be moving and heartwarming. It really illuminates the fight that many people go through to be socially accepted and the fight through OCD. The main characters were funny, which helped the book to be a real page-turner.
Try this book if you liked The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.