Broken Roots Book Review & Prize Giveaway **COMPETITION CLOSED**

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. YOU CAN STILL READ THE REVIEW THOUGH!

***There is a fantastic prize to win at the end of this post, so please read until the end!***

Broken Roots, written by London based author Michelle Diana Lowe, 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.

Drama begins what should have been a short family break back in the UK ,  turns into a long-lived nightmare. Teisha’s life quickly spirals into a heartbreaking tragedy of bereavement, loneliness, deception, depression and homelessness.This is most devastating because the very place that had represented calmness, normality and safety is turned on its head, and becomes synonymous with terror and fear.

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.

“Wealth  and riches mean nothing if you don’t have happiness and affection”

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 like the occupation of Teisha’s home by a criminal gang; but then we also hit some amazing highs like 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. What is more the relationship between her and Teisha is a beautiful portrayal of how love can transcend the supposed boundaries of class, race, and bloodlines.

Any decent human being – especially if you are a mother- will be particularly upset at Veronica Cole Teisha’s real mother. Her lack of self-control, common sense and compassion towards her family made me want to scream at her so many times! But you may feel differently. 

“Mother has been the devil’s sidekick for years”

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 like 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, Michelle Diana Lowe, 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 are 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.

“A young person’s mental health is just as important as the physical health “: Michelle Diana Lowe – author 

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 like reading about real life issues or about genuine love, then Broken Roots is for you.

Well done Michelle. I am patiently awaiting a sequel!

To purchase your own copy of Broken Roots, follow this link…

COMPETITION ALERT*COMPETITION ALERT*COMPETITION ALERT*COMPETITION 

“For the first time in a long time, I have a real human companionship that surpasses superficiality…”

ALERT*COMPETITION ALERT*COMPETITION ALERT*COMPETITION ALERT*COMPETIT

…or win your own copy of Broken Roots!

What better time to win a prize than in the month after Christmas?

At this time of year, everybody could do with a treat so if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Broken Roots, signed by the lovely Michelle Diana Lowe, then simply do the following:

1. Subscribe to this website by clicking here
2. Answer the following in the comments section below: What do you feel to be the most prevalent issue affecting young people in the UK and why?
3. Please leave your email address in the comments so I can contact you of you are selected.

Important info

– Competition is open until the 31st January

– Sorry, only open to UK entrants!

– I will close the competition at 4pm on the 31st January

– You can enter as many times as you wish (as in comment as many times)

– I will announce the winner on this blog post, on my Facebook Page, and on Twitter on the 1st February

– I will also post the prize out in the first week in February (sorry, UK only!)

Good luck!

***COMPETITION CLOSED***