Just like Jenny Lawson's previous books, this book is honest and real, with some humor mixed in. She has a great way of talking about her daily struggles while keeping the tone semi-light.

Okay, for reals, if you haven't read Jenny Lawson yet you need to do it NOW! Start with Let's Pretend This Never Happened and then read Furiously Happy. You'll be very glad that you did. Once you've finished those you'll be ready for Broken (in the best possible way). With her first book, Jenny mostly tells hilarious stories that very well may make you wet yourself. With her second book, she gets a little more frank about her mental illness, but in a way that still makes you laugh.

With this most recent offering, Jenny, still funny, still mentally ill, pulls the curtain back even further. We witness her struggles with the health insurance companies that deny her the treatments that could make her life better or very possibly save it. It is heartbreaking, but Jenny makes it very clear that she has a much easier time of it than so many others. She has the ability to pay for the medications that her doctor says she needs and her insurance company says she doesn't. And really, who's to say which of those two entities really knows better. (It's the doctor. The doctor is the one who is better at deciding what she needs. That shouldn't even be a question, should it?)

She also gives a wonderful list of possible things that can help when one is in the grips of mental illness. It is a chapter entitled The Things We Do to Quiet the Monsters and it is wonderful. And I don't just say that because number nine on her list is Watch Doctor Who. I can't even remember how many times I've watched through that gift of a series, but it always makes me feel better. Life is stressful and Doctor Who makes it a little better. There are sad parts, but it is full of light and the darkness never wins, not in the end. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it, but I digress...

There are so many remarkable moments in this book, but the chapter called Awkwarding Brings Us Together was possibly my favorite. I laughed until literal tears were streaming down my face. It took me seven solid minutes to read one tiny paragraph to my husband because I could not get it out without cracking up. Jenny ends the chapter with this, which was just so accurate it was scary:

If you have managed to read these wonderful confessions without doing that thing where you're giggling so much people are staring and so you try to explain to them what's so funny but you're cry-laughing so hard that you can't get it out and they just stare at you like you're insane and that somehow makes it worse and so you laugh harder and then you get mad that they aren't appreciating how fantastically wonderful it all is, then we can't be friends, and honestly, I'm a little embarrassed for you.

Jenny Lawson is the most raw and real, honest and genuine writer I've ever read. There are others who try to imitate her special magic, but none come even close, though I am grateful for the way she has inspired others to share their truth. I love Jenny Lawson and I hope you do, too. If you haven't read her books yet, I really wish you would. And I also highly recommend her audiobooks. She reads them and her own voice makes the stories that much better. I can't wait to hear Broken.

Many thanks to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

This had me sad sobbing and laugh crying. I went into this thinking, ok excellent another Jenny Lawson humor book but it was so much more. There was so much depth and raw exploration of mental health issues. Some stories almost felt too real as I also struggle from crippling anxiety. What was funny, was so funny the tears were streaming down my face. No seriously, I started reading this in the waiting room at my eye doctor and two people asked me if I was ok. And I had two masks on so that’s how prevalent my tears were. My favorite chapters included Lost Shows, Truthisms, I’m not going outside anymore, and Awkwarding. Excellent read.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co., and Jenny Lawson for an ARC of this book!**

You ever had that friend that who not only can make you laugh, not only can make you cry, but can make you laugh from crying AND cry from laughing?

Jenny Lawson is JUST that wizard.

This is Jenny's third book, and those familiar with her humor realize she will be discussing everything from some 'interesting' (and not G rated) product pitches for Shark Tank to embarrassing and ridiculous anecdotes from some of her blog and Twitter followers that will have you have you snickering, if not full-out belly laughing. Jenny loves taxidermy and tangents, and her frick-and-frack banter with husband Victor is always a treat. What I love most about her comedic essays (and this is just in their written form) is that they are the weirdest stories where the beginning of the chapter can leave you saying 'huh'? How exactly is she going to circle back to receiving a bag of dicks at the post office? But lo and behold. She always does, and once you've actually heard the story, you think "Well of course. Why WOULDN'T she have received a bag of dicks? Perfectly logical."

The juxtaposition to the wild and wacky, however, is Jenny's discussion of her mental health struggles, which are heartbreaking in a sense, but also so relatable at times she takes my breath away. The essays in this book were particular poignant and interesting, since Jenny also discusses her experience with TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy, which I had only heard of prior to reading this book. Other than Matt Haig, there is nobody who discusses depression and anxiety with such acuity as Jenny Lawson. The few essays on these topics alone provide enough advice (including a top ten list of what techniques work best for Jenny), empathy, and insight to put her alongside some of the best self-help writers I've read, like Brene Brown. There are so many passages I wanted to go back and highlight in this book, and as an avid fan of her blog and all other social media, I can say some of the email newsletters she sends are just the right words you need to hear on a particularly bad day.

I am so proud to call myself a Jenny Lawson fan, because she is one of the most unflinchingly authentic, unique, intelligent, and real bloggers I've ever come across, and her essay about being Broken is one of the best of the bunch here. If you need a cry-laugh, a laugh-cry (and let's face it, you could probably use at least one of those!), PLEASE pick up this fantastic book! She is quirky, gifted, funny, and empathetic...in all the best possible ways! 4.5 stars

I've been a huge fan of Jenny Lawson for a long time and was excited to hear that she had a new book coming out. This book did not disappoint and reading it was like catching-up with an old friend. There were several places in the book that I laughed out loud while reading! I think this book is perfect for anyone trying to find some joy in this crazy, crazy, world.

i absolutely loved this book so much. jenny lawson is such an incredible writer and she just really understands us crazies with depression. i felt so heard.

I will never look at a shoe lost in the wild the same way again. Jenny Lawson’s Broken is Heartbreaking and hysterical. Her stories remind us we’re not alone in this time of pandemic anxiety and address everyday physical and mental challenges with grace and laugh out loud humor.

disclaimer: i received a copy of this book via Henry Holt & Company in return for an honest review.

i'm a huge fan of jenny lawson's books. 'let's pretend this never happened' is one of my touchstones and i listen to it when life becomes overwhelming. now comes 'broken (in the best possible way)' and it fits perfectly into life - not just mine but the millions of readers who found lawson through her blog and stayed because they had finally found their people.

in ' broken', lawson feels more settled and comfortable with who she is and who she wants to be. she's once again turned her attention to the core of herself and found a calmness and is nurturing it in the belief that it will grow.

it's not all about mental health and growth, though. this is, after all, jenny lawson (a.k.a the bloggess) and she is completely honest about everything she writes about - good, bad, hilarious, or terrifying. she opens the doors and invites us in (watch out for the vacuum). she throws caution away and says this is who i am and this is my life (complete with tms* and a letter to her insurance company). lawson is scrupulously honest and tells us 'this is what i know and what i've experienced'. and we, as her readers and friends, say "oh my god, that totally happened to me once, too!"

jenny lawson has been writing about her life for our collective amusement, joy, and sadness for over a decade. 'broken' shows not only how far lawson has come as an author but, once again, how much she's willing to share with millions of people she's never even met.

*transcranial magnetic stimulation, a treatment for depression

four out of five stars

I have read her other two books and loved them, and this one was no different. It's funny and relatable and real. There were some chapters that I could not stop laughing. Some of the chapters were very sobering, but I like that she's so open about all her physical and mental illnesses.

Lawson provides amusing anecdotes on her life. She has a lot to say on many subjects thst range from her pets" proclivities to her own angst. I liked the chapter dealing with her family heritage the most. Although she suffers from depression, she addressses her issues in a forthright manner. The book has a lot of all cap words that does get a little tedious. Reading this book will alleviate the doldrums.

I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of Jenny Lawson’s newest book. I’ve read and enjoyed her other books and so I was excited to read this one. As usual, it did not disappoint! She didn’t venture far from the format of the other books - not that that’s a bad thing. I love the way she interacts directly with the reader. It makes for a very engaging read.

Each chapter has a theme or focuses on a particular event. It’s very effective how Lawson intermixes the heavier chapters about mental illness with the lighter, humorous chapters. And it is so good to laugh right now, just be careful where you are when reading! However, my favorite chapters are the philosophical, poignant ones: I Feel It in My Bones, I Am a Magpie, and Strange New Weather Patterns. I will be revisiting these chapters often.

Lawson’s signature mixture of humor and the reality of mental illness makes this book a very worthwhile read, whether you are the one that needs it or someone close to you does.

#Brokeninthebestpossibleway #NetGalley

This book made me laugh out loud and made me cry. It is classic Bloggess, so you likely already know if you will enjoy it. She shares her experiences with anxiety and depression in powerful, really open ways.

There are really two types of chapters in the book: the funny, ridiculous advertisers from her life and the deep, complicated discussions of with mental health issues. I found some of the heavier chapters harder in this book, likely due to the stress of the world right now. However, the funny chapters were a balm to my spirit. I think I interesting that some reviewers find the juxtaposition of these forced because I see them as the reality of life and the Bloggess. Silly things can happen even when everything is horrible, and I firmly believe laughter is the best way to cope at times. I frequently found myself reading excerpts aloud to my husband so we could share in that laughter.

If you read her blog, much of this will be familiar, but the story is more cohesive here.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

Where do I even begin? Jenny Lawson is pure gold. She writes about living with anxiety, depression, and other health issues with sincerity and humor. I giggle maniacally, I throw things in frustrated solidarity, I nod enthusiastically in understanding. Jenny truly has a gift and we are all so very lucky that she chooses to share herself and her experiences with us through her books. I can't recommend this book more highly. GO READ IT!

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Broken (In the Best Possible Way)" is a mixed collection of chapters: some are laugh-so-hard-you-cry funny, others are brutally honest depictions of mental illness and the treatments needed to be okay, and then there are chapters which I can only describe as quiet reflections on life. Jenny Lawson is known for balancing the outrageously funny with the darker chapters. Even in chapters that are not funny at all she usually has a turn of phase that will make you laugh for a second. In her latest book Jenny moves away from that need to always interject humor. It’s still there in the funny chapters (my favorites were the one where she kept losing her shoe and the tweets from people who experienced hilariously awkward situations), but the reflective chapters are more quiet, whimsical, and artsy. She doesn’t try to move into the humor, but lets the chapters stand as they are. Having read her previous books multiple times, it’s interesting to see her style change a little in this book. Kind of like listening to a beloved artist’s new album: there’s a lot familiar, but some new styles as well. If you’re already a fan of Jenny’s work then you’re going to enjoy this new book as well.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

More than once a Jenny Lawson has given me the strength to shed the negative thoughts creeping in and helped me find a happier place.
She understands humans, as a whole, fail. We make mistakes. We need one another to lift each other up when we fall. Sometimes it happens a lot. Sometimes you just want to tell someone it’s okay to it be okay. Jenny does that and gave us the okay to do it too.

I admit, I freakin' love Jenny Lawson. I've read all of her books, I've gone back over and over again to read the Beyonce story from her blog, and I just think she's the funniest woman ever. Broken is still downright HILARIOUS top notch Jenny Lawson awesomeness, but with some legitimate reality and struggles mixed in. While Lawson has always been very honest about the struggles she experiences with her mental health, she hasn't gone into the depths of it in previous books the way she does in Broken. It is heartwrenching. This story is beautiful and funny and amazing in all ways, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who could use a laugh and a cry.

Jenny Lawson has the unique ability to talk about chronic pain and mental illness in hysterical but very real and relatable ways. She can make you laugh and then make your cry but never makes you feel alone.

"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Furiously Happy and Let’s Pretend This Never Happened comes a deeply relatable book filled with humor and honesty about depression and anxiety.

As Jenny Lawson’s hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken, Jenny brings readers along on her mental and physical health journey, offering heartbreaking and hilarious anecdotes along the way.

With people experiencing anxiety and depression now more than ever, Jenny humanizes what we all face in an all-too-real way, reassuring us that we’re not alone and making us laugh while doing it. From the business ideas that she wants to pitch to Shark Tank to the reason why Jenny can never go back to the post office, Broken leaves nothing to the imagination in the most satisfying way. And of course, Jenny’s long-suffering husband Victor - the Ricky to Jenny’s Lucille Ball - is present throughout.

A treat for Jenny Lawson’s already existing fans, and destined to convert new ones, Broken is a beacon of hope and a wellspring of laughter when we all need it most.

Includes Photographs and Illustrations."

I really had to think of which books Jenny would like to be between on this post. Yes, this was very important to me!

A new book from Jenny Lawson is always a cause for celebration! You'll laugh (in fact, you'll probably snort), you'll relate, you'll feel less alone in the world and perhaps just a bit braver. Lawson fans will love this collection, and I have no doubt it will gain her many new admirers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have this 4.5 stars and rounded up to a 5! The reason being that I truly think Furiously Happy is her best book, and this one is good, but not her absolute best book she has published. She writes about mental health in a way that I could not figure out how to describe it. She’s brutally honest and hilarious, which makes the short humorous essays in between the harder things to talk about a nice breath of fresh air. Out of all of my books, I highlighted the most quotes from this book. This made me cry, laugh, and re-evaluate major parts of my life. And I loved every second of it.