Here's what I personally love about Jenny Lawson: She is unafraid to write about the darkest side of anxiety, ADD without the H, depression, chronic diseases, and the absolutely horrifyingly CRAPPY health care system that denies people the care they need, with absurd rules and denials. She illustrates this in ways anyone can understand and find unacceptable. And then, from start to finish, she takes the ordinary stupid things that happen to her, maybe a little more than they happen to others, and makes them the funniest, laugh till you pee and cry books you have ever read. So you learn a lot and you laugh a lot and she's such an incredible writer that you fly through the book in a sitting and buy the book you just read for free through Netgalley plus all her other books because you lost them and you imagine watching your adult kids read them in front of you. Jenny Lawson is that good! Broken (in the best possible way) was hard for her to write due to her mental health. Don't forget ever that it is real and part of her and agonizing. If you don't have depression, anxiety, or ADD, but someone you know or possibly love does, you can get into their heads a little by reading this book. And remember, too, that no one is just her illness. No one. Your socially anxious, isolating because of depression and introverted friend who is right now considering backing out of your holiday picnic may also be your funniest friend. Your most creative friend. Your friend who helps you see the world in a new way. Even broken pottery or rats in the backyard. And if she comes to the picnic, she'll impulsively say something horrifying or unintelligible to your guests that is perfectly sensible to her and hysterically funny when she puts it in a book. Many of us want to be Jenny Lawson's best friend, but she's way too tired from getting through her day. So we must thank her for getting this book to us when she could and knocking it out of the park. Is every chapter engaging? No. A few fell flat. Is the book 100% one you should buy. HECK YEAH. The overall experience is a joyride and a deeply personal expose of the inside of Jenny Lawson's head. Again. And if it takes eight or ten or twenty years for the next one, if I am on this earth, I'm in!

Ooof where to begin? I wish she had simply written a serious book about her mental health struggles. That would’ve been a good book. This mix of “humor” and depression/anxiety essays? It didn’t work. I’m familiar with other works by this author and this...nope. Not it.

First off? Not funny. Eyeroll-inducing. If anyone actually lived these stories to the level she portrays, they would not be allowed to function without appointed supervision. It’s too much, too over the top, too fabricated.

The mental health struggles, treatments and life lessons were really well done. Too bad they were ruined by being broken up by ridiculous over the top stories. I wanted to stop 25% in. It was like someone having a manic episode and deciding to try standup comedy on a whim? It’s not funny, there’s so much cringe-worthy stuff. If even half of this wasn’t embellished, no person could function as an adult in this way. Self-indulgent chatter for probably two-thirds of the book and then great insights on the struggle of dealing with mental health issues, insurance companies, and treatment for the other third. Sadly, that one-third doesn’t make up for the rest.

This one really missed the mark.

I've never read anything by Lawson, but I've heard great things about her ... and this book. It did not disappoint. I love her sense of humor, though it may not be for everyone. I haven't laughed so much at a book in some time, so this was a breath of fresh air in that respect. I appreciated the firsthand stories pertaining to mental health issues. It's a topic that definitely needs to be discussed in today's society. And I loved the overall reminder that, whatever you're going through, you're not alone. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Is there anything better than a book by Jenny Lawson? The answer is absolutely not! Lawson's relatable but hysterical stories make her books unputdownable and this one is no exception. She's like the friend everyone needs - real and raw and doesn't hold back. There are some heavier moments in this one but they're handled in a way that isn't sad - it's inspiring. I highly recommend picking this up ASAP!

Jenny Lawson has many things. She has anxiety and depression. She has many physical illnesses. She has OCD. She has a long suffering husband named Victor. They have a daughter. None of these define this woman who writes honestly and incredibly humorously about all of the above. Not one to shy away for ANY embarrassing situation, her books of essays are like manna to people who also suffer from illness, not just the ones mentioned above. Not only is she relatable, but she makes people who suffer feel not as alone.

Reading Lawson’s book with a smile on your face feels like an oxymoron. The chapters always deal with serious issues, such as her not wanting to leave her hotel room when she is on book tour, but you laugh because she tries to take the stigma out of her fear and make it funny in the best possible way. She explains how it is possible to lose just one shoe, six different times in different ways.

She tries to push the reader to embrace their illness and try to look at it lightheartedly. But most importantly, she tries to make them realize they are not alone. And if YOU think you are having a hard time coping, well just listen to this! She certainly does not sugar coat her situations, but she surely does find herself in some comical circumstances.

In one essay about her marriage, she addresses everyone’s admiration for her husband Victor and his undying love for her. But she explains to the reader that the secret to there long marriage is that neither of them has the energy to divorce!

In another chapter she gives reasons why due to her anxiety she no longer attends any type of party, with an absolutely hysterical list of things she has said while attending such gatherings.

In Awkwarding Brings Us Together she explains how she once tweeted out something silly and embarrassing she had just said and within minutes had replies from hundreds of people who have had that same cringe worthy experience. One example is “A friend thanked me for coming to her husband’s funeral. My reply? Anytime.” I must have read this essay at least twice laughing harder each time.

But the one essay which was not so funny was her insightful open letter to her insurance company in which she explains how she has had difficulty getting medication paid for even though they agree with the diagnosis, or how an experimental treatment may very well help her, but her illness is not that far along. She tells of the hoops they make her jump only to be in the same position as when she started She writes of being denied a medication only to be told months later she should be on the medication only to be denied the medication. She somberly ends with how lucky she is to be able to afford the medications she has been denied and feels for those who are unable to do the same.

Is it bad that I don’t want Jenny Lawson to not be Broken? Her incredible insight into the feelings of people with anxiety, the humor she shares with us when she laughs at herself, the lessons she does not even realize she teaches gives one hope. Hope of looking at situations much differently. Hope of getting better. Hope of not feeling self-conscious. Hope of not being broken. Thank you Jenny!

Thank you #NetGalley #HenryHoltandCo #JennyLawson #Broken for the advanced copy.

*3.5 stars*

Broken by Jenny Lawson oscillates between a real heart-wrenching picture of what it's like to live with depression and anxiety and an uproariously funny collection of observational and awkward humor. I loved both parts of the book equally, though the writing style and some of the chapters felt repetitive towards the end of the book.

I enjoyed Broken much more than Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things, which I read years ago and considered too one-note. Broken had some of those elements and sections that felt draggy, and I'll admit that I even skimmed a few parts. However, the bright spots of the story overshadowed the less interesting sections.

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.

Despite some repetitive sections, I think Broken was a successful and entertaining read.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Made me laugh at my depression. #winning

Shortest Summary Ever: Jenny Lawson battles many things - depression, anxiety, cock chafers... say whaaaa? Life is tough, yo. Yup, welcome to Lawson’s world where she combats mental illness, conquers her fears (um... ok maybe one), and engages is a war of words with her hubby Victor (spoiler: Lawson always wins). Strange and hilarious thoughts are discussed in her irreverent, hysterical way.

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 am sadly one of those path people. I spent 7 years of my life homebound with panic disorder w/agoraphobia and Major Depressive Disorder, but then found out along the path I had some serious physical medical issues, namely - Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, GSID - a sucrose intolerance. Anemia, Gastroparesis, Diabetes, and Hashimoto’s. And in the middle of all this? Pre-cancer of my vulva known as VIN III. Yep I had to have a piece of my vagina - removed. Thankfully not the crucial bits. I battled insurance, a doctor who told me to “push through “ my issues... all of it.

Yeah, Jenny and I are simpatico. And my hope is that she’s reading this and going “OMG well I never lost a lady part, so that’s SOMETHING.” And I hope the loss of that lady bit makes her feel better about her problems. If they had let me save that lady bit I’d give it to her as a medal and pin it on her so she could wear it and tell people how much her new bestie appreciates her. I mean what did you give YOUR bestie? Bet those flowers are looking lame right now. All Because she made me feel better about my problems. And damn that feels good.

I think we’d sit down and agree that the true hope is that neither of us has to have the loss of lady bits or excruciating procedures anymore. That’s some truth.

This book spoke to me in ways that left me laughing out loud or crying. But most of all Ms. Lawson (because I’m nasty) has inspired me to document my own battles. She lays out her life in a raw, unfiltered way. She’s fearless though she talks of her fears. She’s brave while explaining how she’s feeling anything BUT brave. She’s human in every sense of the word. It’s true for me that if I lose my laughter I’ve lost everything. That’s when I know
It’s all over for me. Thank God for my bestie Jenny.

All my reviews available at scrappymags.com around time of publication.

Genre: Non-fiction Humor

Recommend to: all my chronic illness peeps and those who love a good bawdy joke. Bette Midler fans.

Not recommended to: angry people with no souls or tolerance for swear words.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and making it almost worth losing the lady bit so I could laugh over this book (no, not really... that really hurt, but you have my love).

I adore Jenny Lawson! This book is raw and just as hilarious as her previous two.

Memoirs are always a little hard to review, because it is the persons life. But I can say for sure that I will read anything Jenny Lawson publishes. She has a way with words that really let you feel like you're living her experiences, whether they're fun and light or dark and sad. She's honest and open with her life and her mental health and that she handles it the best way she knows how. Can't wait to listen to the audio book!

This book was extremely disappointing because Lawson's other work is much better written. It is obvious she was struggling with her physical and mental health and had to turn something into her publisher. Her previous books are much better and it seems that she abuses the fact that she already has an audience. I will not be reading any more work that she publishes.

Broken, by Jenny Lawson will bring light,hope,irony, and laughter to those that are struggling to pull themselves out of the shadows of depression. It also brings recognition that this is a journey with struggles for many.

Broken (in the Best Way Possible) is in my personal opinion, Jenny's best work. In this novel, Jenny tackles discussing anxiety and depression in a humorous light. I laughed out loud numerous times, as always. This novel is a must read for everyone.

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I love Jenny Lawson!

I have had the pleasure of reading all her books and have made them part of my regular recommendations and this book will not be an exception.

She has such a way about her which makes everything she goes through relatable and has helped me to understand what other people may be going through. My husband is not a reader, but does suffer from anxiety and I would read parts of this to him which made him feel “normal” when that isn’t always easy.

Thank you Jenny for being so real and so vulnerable and for truly being one of my favorites!!!

ARC from Netgalley.
Jenny Lawson is one of the funniest people in the world. Her blogs and books make me laugh so hard my sides hurt at times. BUT, she also shows that life is amazing in its own way and you have to live it your own way, no matter what.

She calls herself Broken, but in some ways she's stronger than all of us put together.

I truly appreciate her sharing her life and stories with us.

SO.... you should definitely read ALL of her books, but here are some topics from this book that made me laugh really hard (left as a note for me to remember to go back to):
- Losing Shoes to Elevators and accidently kicking people who are pooping
- Dog Condoms
- Reasons I can't come to your party
- Contact with the Vampire Brotherhood
- How do dogs know they have penises?
- Cockchafer Bugs
- The Awkwarding Brings Us Together project (go read the rest of them online... laughing for hours)
- Asking the dentist "Thid you see the balls in my mouf?"
- FasciaBlasters and Vagina Lasers
- Catching your central vacuum on fire, but unable to clean up mess because your ShopVac is full of poop
- Why I can't go back to the post office ever... Taking back illegal drugs, trading them for a bag of dicks, then getting the dicks stuck in your car holes. (I was laughing just retyping this sentence)
- Catching rats and cardboard eclipse viewing boxes on your head
- Shark Tank ideas

If any of these sound funny, go read the book now. I will always recommend Jenny Lawson.

First line: You probably just picked up this book thinking, What the shit is this all about?

Summary: In her newest book, Jenny Lawson otherwise known as the Bloggess, details her struggles with memory loss, health insurance and taxidermy animals. She is honest and real about her life and people in it but brings humor that gives the reader a giggle between serious topics.

My Thoughts: I love Jenny Lawson. I have read all her books. I went to see her when she visited Wichita several years ago. She brings real topics like mental illness to the forefront but also adds humor to it. She struggles with so much but has been able to overcome a lot with the help of her family. I listened to this, because that’s the best way to read this book, and I was nearly crying while laughing. Her stories can be hilarious and thoughtful.

There were a few chapters that I skipped over when they got too real. Sometimes reading about depression can make a person feel down. I did not want that so I chose to skip them for the more humorous stories. But I think my favorite part of the book was her open letter to her health insurance company. It is ridiculous how these companies treat people. Rather than help they give even more hoops to jump through. Luckily I have never had to deal with something like what she goes through but many people probably do and it is heartbreaking.

FYI: Very serious but also hilarious at times too.

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened remains one of my favorite books of all time, however, Broken was a massive disappointment. I’m not sure if Lawson’s sense of humor changed (or mine) but I found her antics to be far more preposterous than entertaining.

Fans of Jenny Lawson will recognize the trademark awkwardness and wacky stories from her childhood that made The Bloggess famous, but this book is much deeper and more personal than Lawson’s earlier books. In addition to the hilarious stories from her life, Lawson has interspersed incredibly vulnerable accounts of her struggles with mental illness. As someone who has experienced depression I was so appreciative of Lawson’s unflinching honesty. She has an amazing ability to cling to hope without crossing the line into toxic positivity. What a gift.

This was exactly what I expected from Jenny Lawson- equal parts humor and heartfelt stories about the struggles in her life. Lawson always shares her raw emotion and is honest about the things that make her life difficult. Her discussion about depression and anxiety is so relatable to those that struggle also. The parts I couldn’t necessarily relate to were interesting to hear about and I love how she breaks up the heavier chapters with funny moments like the tweets from readers about things they’ve done/said. I really enjoyed this audiobook as well (bonus- Lawson reads the audiobook).

While the approach in this book is a little different than in Lawson's previous work, it is just as enjoyable. Think of this more as personal essays than a true memoir. Largely humorous though a few have a more serious tone. All are absolutely candid and open. One I would easily recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for gifting me with an ARC of Jenny Lawson’s newest memoir, Broken. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

Having recently listened to both of Jenny’s previous books; Let’s Pretend This Never Happened & Furiously Happy, I was beyond excited to be offered a copy of Broken to review. This book did not disappoint, but I was sad to see that Jenny’s struggles seem to be getting more difficult and her days are often dark, but her beautiful spirit and sense of humor is as bright & brilliant as ever. Plus Jenny is the PUNNIEST author, EVER!!!!! Jenny is able to capture the humor in every day circumstances as well as highlight the absurdity and frustration in dealing with insurance companies and other obstacles people with hidden illnesses are forced to deal with. She’s fearless and brave using her wit, pen and honesty as her weapons. Her gift for storytelling and relatability in expressing her monsters, real and imagined makes her books and audios accessible to everyone.
Though I don’t suffer from the same illnesses or severity of depression/anxiety that Jenny does, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t able to find comfort, affirmation and reassurance from her openness and reflections.
This book along with her previous memoirs are gifts for the soul. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy!! Upon conclusion of my reading, I immediately purchased the audio for my collection.

Jenny Lawson is a mess... aren't we all to varying degrees? BUT she is cognizant of her situation and (mostly) on top of it. She sits firmly at the top of things with a unique style and loads of humor. I have no idea how she manages to be so funny, especially in the face of everything she has to deal with... including infuriating health insurance woes (which I am sure we can ALL relate to) and intrusive thoughts that are downright scary. Not every chapter is wildly hysterical, some hit way too close to home but all are poignant, introspective and honest... so very honest.

Her humor is a salve and a boon for all of us crazy messes... even more so for those that have trouble expressing their experiences/pain/neurosis and fragile bits. BUT in the chapters where she is guffaw inducing, bring tears to your eyes, Keegle busting, capital 'F' Funny... I was thankful that I padded up because the polite (knee-jerk) expression Laughing Out Loud was more like Braying (ladylike) Into The Night WHICH makes for a very unpopular reading choice (in my sleep deprived, grouchy husband's bleary eyes) in the wee hours at my house... though I regret nothing!

Jenny Lawson is the Queen of awkward encounters and a brilliant tactician, navigating a surprising amount of mortifying "Holy *bleep*, Why Me?" moments! She brings the power of laughter in the face of weird Reality and can easily boast the ability to make any situation weirder as her Super Power.

Mrs. Lawson's writing is often Self-Deprecating BUT she manages to do this in an admirably healthy, transcendent way. I swear that everyone needs this book in their lives, not only fellow sufferers but those that need a helping hand understanding/coping with other people's insanity as well. I'm a firm believer that this book can help all sorts of people traverse our murky emotional waters. Could you really ask for more? I guess you could physically ask so but you'll definitely get redirected right back here it's that good.

Overall:

Broken by Jenny Lawson celebrates the Weird, the Awkward, the Misunderstood and the Broken. Come and be reminded that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! We are ALL messed up in our own messed up ways and we ALL deserve to be accepted and loved, sharp edged pieces and all! Speaking of loving acceptance, it makes me happy knowing that Jenny has Victor (her devoted, oft times patient, husband). I LOVED his contributions to the book, whether they were done so wittingly or not I'm not sure but it doesn't matter, his interjections play off her Crazy perfectly... they have that healthy Odd Couple balance going for them. Everyone needs a Victor in their life! Mine happens to be a grouchy, sleep deprived (mainly due to my nighttime reading choices) Eric who often grumbles whenever I share a (questionably) ingenious thought at 3:00 a.m. BUT he's my Victor and I'm lucky to have him.

Aaaaanyway...

I highly recommend you hurry up and go get this book, you don't fully know it yet but you NEED this in your life!! You'll thank me later.

~ Enjoy

*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***