My thanks to Ms. Lawson and Henry Holt & Co. for the opportunity to read an advanced review copy via NetGalley. “Broken” is now available. Hailey would look at me in awe. “And you couldn’t afford YouTube?” she’d ask. And then I’d explain that there was a time before YouTube and then she’d start to doubt the veracity of my stories and I’d just say, “Yeah. We couldn’t afford YouTube.” The last chapter, one long metaphor, is probably the one Lawson feels is the most important. Said simply, it relates shattered glass to the feeling of being broken. There’s a definite upbeat tone—hence her book title: Broken (in the Best Possible Way). Although brilliant, it went on a little too long. It’s hard to keep using a metaphor forever, I think.

Anything that didn’t thrill me? She likes vampires and that is a concept I can’t get with. Also, there’s a chapter where she talks bearcats and pee with her sister, Lisa. It seems contrived and a little self-conscious; it’s just her imagining things. I like it better when she’s telling stories of weird things that happened to her (like when the squirrel fell on her head, I kid you not.) Also, I didn’t like it that the voice of her sister sounded just like herself—maybe she should have called the other person her alter ego or something, not her sister. To me, one of the most challenging aspects of clinical depression is not being to explain how it feels. I cannot emphasize enough how validating and exactly-what-I-needed-right-now this book is. It isn’t written to a specific, clinically-depressed audience, though. Ms. Lawson bravely speaks to absolutely everyone. Even those with brilliantly-balanced chemistry will be amused by these anecdotes. You can guess what happens next. Either little brother mans up to help out big brother, or big brother goes on crazed torture-killing spree to avenge his precious younger sibling. Little brother’s killer seems to have broken into the Madrid Museum of the Spanish Inquisition to steal torture gadgets and books on torture to fully paint himself as the truly evil bad guy in this story.Even though I was disappointed in this collection, I read the damn thing in 24 hours. I really, really needed something that was completely engrossing and made me forget that I couldn’t go outside on a gorgeous spring day and ride my bike along the Mediterranean, something that I have never taken for granted on any of the thousands of bike rides that I have already taken here but will cherish even more if I can just do it one more time. Crime 101 is a clever, well-plotted little cat-and-mouse story about a cop and a career thief chasing each other up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. ★★★★

Jenny Lawson has struggled all her life with anxiety and depression. This is definitely a hard topic to write about, but Lawson is unflinching in her description of her mental health journey and how she copes with the ups and the downs, in the hopes of helping other people dealing with mental health struggles and be open about it. Despite a seeming acceptance of the importance of mental health as many people have suffered during the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn, there still remains a stigma. And as Lawson notes in her book, she has to fight her insurance company on covering the medications and other treatments she needs that are often deemed "unnecessary" or too costly.Thank you Libro.fm, Macmillan Audio, Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for Broken (in the best possible way).

This story is dedicated to Steve McQueen, an actor I never really thought much of. He begins with the description of the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 101, get it?) and the moves on to rhapsodizing over a Shelby Mustang, the modern version of McQueen’s ride in Bullitt, a totally over-rated film, at least on my list. It isn’t just about Winslow’s past though because we also get a couple of great homages to crime writing legends Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. The San Diego Zoo is dedicated to Leonard and most definitely feels like one of his novels while Sunset is kind of a surfer based remake of Chandler’s The Long Goodbye. I loved Broken (in the best possible way). This book is real and unfiltered. Broken is similar to her other books where she says what she thinks. It is very honest and comes out like a stream of conscience. Lawson does a great job bringing the reader inside her head and explaining what she is thinking. Sometimes this results in long tangents. I found Broken to be refreshingly honest. Lawson talks very openly about her depression and anxiety. She even describes how difficult book signings are for her but how worthwhile she finds meeting her fans. Broken is a mix of funny and serious. Lawson will make you laugh with a hilarious story and then talk openly about her loneliness and depression. I think the world needs more people with Lawson’s honesty. I'm a big fan of Don Winslow and not a big fan of novellas so which triumphs here? Winslow 1, novellas 0. Broken has six stories, with some characters appearing in more than one story, especially Lou the detective, and bits of surfing life. As always, Winslow's skill as a writer shine through his memorable characters.Thoughts: Jenny (I pretend we cool like that in my mind) is my bestie... she just doesn’t know it. Now she’ll read that and think a) psycho who is “my biggest fan” and hide the sledgehammer or b)she hears this A LOT and smiles. I assure her it’s B (FYI I don’t own a sledgehammer. And I have 2 beagle rescues so ya’ know I’m trusty). I think many people FEEL Jenny Lawson - particularly those who suffer the same afflictions. Those who don’t - I’m gonna’ guess you haven’t traveled this path and pray you never do. I couldn't stop laughing while reading a few sections. Like, fully-body laughter, which is rare for a book. The mix between these very funny sections and some really compelling, more serious sections was very effective and made for some moving reading. The parts of the book where Jenny Lawson talked about her struggle with depression and anxiety were very eye-opening for me, and I think it made me understand more about the struggles that people with different mental illnesses go through. Like I’ve never heard that line a million times on cop shows and in novels. I think a good rule should be, if you’ve heard a line before, leave it out. The San Diego Zoo brings some much-needed comedy with this story of a young cop trying to arrest a gun-wielding chimp. It was genuinely funny and even sweet in parts, but still sported Winslow's cinematic style. ★★★★★

Ma il secondo è dedicato a Steve McQueen - che mi manca sempre tanto e ogni tanto riguardo un suo film, inutile dire “vecchio” film, sono ormai quarantatre anni che non c’è più, sigh, e su tutti, uno dei miei film preferiti in assoluto, Bullit – e viene subito da pensare a Il caso Thomas Crown, ladro raffinato ed elegante e dal fascino irresistibile che progetta rapine senza spargimento di sangue. Un racconto dolente, e doloroso. Che punta un indice dritto contro la politica americana verso i migranti (trumpiana, Winslow indica chiaramente nel pennellone arancione presidente per un solo mandato – speriamo! - il responsabile dell’abominio di chi separa figli da genitori per sbattere tutti quanti in gabbie separate). Broken is the darkest and most brutal story in the collection. A tale of violent revenge in New Orleans. ★★★★★ Broken is one of those rare books offering something for every crime fiction fan thanks to the way the six novellas in it vary in topic and tone. I like Jenny's humor, and there are some REALLY amusing chapters in the book. However, many sections feel forced, like the author was trying too hard to be funny.Oh brother, this is one funny and creative woman! My god! If I could shove this book in your face right now, I would. A review can’t do it justice. I took forever to start this review because I kept rereading chapters—and let me tell you, I seldom do that. Too much new stuff in my queue. Time is precious—so who wants to do re-reads? But I could not resist.