Other Broken Things by C. Desir - PUBLIC ONLY

Desir, C.  Other Broken Things, 247 pgs.  Simon and Schuster, 2016.  $17.99  Content: Language: R (150+ swears; 92 “F”); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG.   

Natalie is an alcoholic and because she was charged with a DUI she has to attend AA meetings and do community service.  While denying her problem, she meets Joe, a man who is twice her age, and a member of her AA group.  Joe and Natalie have chemistry, but Natalie has to face why she has made the poor decisions she has to get her to this point and Joe is constantly fighting his own battle.  With the help from a supportive sponsor named Kathy, Joe, and her mother, Natalie has to find herself again and face the hard parts of her life.   

This is a humbling look at teen alcoholism.  I liked Natalie’s character and her story could warn teens away from this pitfall or help them find hope in overcoming addiction.  That said the content makes it hard to recommend for a school library-there is descriptive sex and other sexual activities, underage drinking, drug use and smoking and the language needs to be noted.   

PUBLIC ONLY  Reviewer, C. Peterson.