I read two books this week by real people who are dealing with insurmountable issues because of chronic illnesses. Their approaches to life are remarkably different, which shows how people can look at two sides to the same coin in vastly different ways. Jenny Lawson as uses dark, self-deprecating humor to entertain her readers, with quips attributed to her husband, family, and friends.

Broken has extreme highs and lows, with some fall-out-of-the-chair humor and some so-so moments. This book is more "woe is me" than the previous ones, which does show the human side to the author, but is a little too over the top. As she tells readers to feel bad for all that she has experienced, Jenny also loses the charm that propel her books forward. In the search for validation for her depression, the author misses the fact that many people are suffering along with her. Broken was my least favorite of the Jenny Lawson books, but I appreciate the laughs that the author gave me for a time.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Broken (in the best possible way) by NetGalley and the publisher, Henry Holt and Co. The choice to review this book was my own.

Broken did not disappoint! Jenny’s writing is relatable and humorous and makes you want to hang out with her and and adult beverage to hear more of her stories and encouragement.

Jenny Lawson again writes a hilarious memoir that is honest in its approach to living with medical ailments and mental illness. I appreciate her ability to laugh while going through profound highs and lows.

I read this book during my annual Nonfiction November. Things can get can of dark and dense during this month so I was excited to check out the new Jenny Lawson. She never fails to make me laugh with her writing. But more than that she's relatable. I get the things that cause her stress, I totally get what it feels like to be awkward around other people. I definitely laughed out loud at certain parts. Will definitely recommend to others

I loved it! Humbling book... since the first time I read something by Jenny Lawson (let’s pretend author) I have loved her comedic thoughts and should she ever like to be friends... I would be her best! I have never met such an out of the box thinker but when I crack open her book I wear myself out laughing!

I love sarcasm humor but Jenny has such comedic thoughts that I can not help but laugh. Her husband Victor is such a gracious person described by Jenny to put up with her.

I recommend to anyone needing a great laugh to buy this book and help Jenny pay her huge medical bills since her insurance company is miserly. Five stars! Great book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny Lawson shines when telling it to us straight. The good, the bad, and the hilarious. Lawson's third book brings us tales of Shark Tank ideas, dog condoms(but not for why you think), how Victor is always telling her what to do (and don't), and real talk about depression and mental struggles. She has a way of making you laugh until you cry, wishing she was your best friend just to be included in her adventures, and feel like "you're not alone" isn't just something others tell you.

Depression and crippling anxiety is something I struggle with, only lessened with the help of a great support system and medication. When I read Jenny's books I relate to her during her highs and lows. My mind also races from one topic to another and then back again, and my wife can very much relate to Victor and the way he keeps Jenny on track. These books are a treasure, ones that I will continue gifting at birthdays and Christmas' for a very long time.

I highly recommend this and all her other books to anyone touched by depression whether it be yourself or someone you love. I cannot wait to see what Mrs. Lawson shares with us next. I adore you, Jenny. Thank you for making me feel less alone, and filling my house with laughter.

Jenny Lawson has been a favorite for many years. As a person who struggles with mental health myself, it is refreshing and oh-so-beautiful to have books like hers to find "my people" and bring light to such dark topics.
I found myself both laughing and crying while reading this book. Sometimes I was all out cackling and couldn't breathe. It was wonderful. Other times I found myself with silent tears rolling down my cheeks as I felt so deeply what was being said. I've been in a lot of the situations, felt the same struggles. And just knowing that someone else had been there too...well, there's no words to express how it feels to be wholly understood.
This is an absolute must read for anyone who struggles with mental health (even physical health as those topics are included as well).

Thank you to Jenny Lawson, Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for this ARC.

Jenny Lawson is on fiiiiiiiire in this new memoir! This is by far the funniest and saddest of all her books. She mixes hilarity with seriousness perfectly. I haven't laughed and cried so much while reading a book, ever. My husband banned me from reading this in bed at night because my silent laughter kept shaking the bed and keeping him awake. The chapter about the cockchafer had me literally crying.

I love how Jenny Lawson speaks so candidly about her issues with mental illness. Yes, she does put a funny spin on it sometimes, but she is REAL. Her willingness to put all her issues out there is so amazing, and she's helping to normalize the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Her books have helped me laugh through the hard times, and I'll forever be grateful to her for that. I'm going to purchase this once released so my 17 year old daughter can read it as well.

If you haven't read any of her books, this is the one to start with. All of her books are great, but Broken is my absolute favorite.

My favorite author has always been, Jenny Lawson.
Her books have always made me feel like I have a friend by my side who understands the things I've been through.
In this new book, Jenny continues to share her anecdotes in her daily life and experiences with her physical health, anxiety, and depression.
Many of her stories are posts that Jenny shared on her Twitter account or on her blog
https://thebloggess.com/ If you have never entered that blog I highly recommend it there is a lot of content about her life and many weird things that you will probably like.
Like all her books, there are parts that made me laugh and others that I could not bear the urge to cry, in particular, the part that talks about her grandmother because it is the same thing that is happening with my grandma right now.
My dream is to one day travel to Nowhere Bookshop and thank her for sharing her stories and for helping me find hope in the most difficult moments of my life.
Thank you so much to Henry Holt and Company for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
5 stars!!!!

I have loved Jenny Lawson since a friend of mine placed her first book in my hands and told me I must read it. I did and it was as amazing as my friend told me it was. When a different friend told me that Jenny Lawson had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it. And it did not disappoint. Once again, Jenny Lawson combines the hysterical with the serious. This book was exactly the book I needed as 2020 was coming to a close and 2021 was starting. I laughed harder at this book than I had laughed in 2020. It was a bright spot after a dark year.

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley.

Lawson is my soul sister I love her quirky stories and how she is so relatable In this go around, Lawson goes through TMS, an alternative treatment for anxiety and.depression for those with chronic conditions that don't respond to medications. I like Lawson when she frankly talks about her illnesses. Laugh out loud funny in parts, especially when she is sparring with Victor her husband..

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Jenny Lawson is one of my favorite authors of all time. She writes with a poetic quality, but she is also able to make you doubled over in laughter. Broken was no exception to that.

Broken (In the Best Possible Way) is a poignant and hilarious look at living life. Each personal essay explores the greatest triumphs and obstacles that she faces every day. She tells stories of her struggling with anxiety/depression, navigating her aversion to social interactions, and living with chronic illnesses. These stories alternate from being bother serious and humorous.

I was reading this book while my students were taking a test, and I had to put it down because I was cackling into my kindle. That isn't a good look for some one whose job it is to be responsible for the well-being of children. I laughed during anecdotes about buying foot condoms for dogs and digging tiny penises out of her "car holes." I cried during her open letter to her insurance company and during stories of battling with depression.

This book should be required reading for anyone struggling with mental illness or chronic illness. I couldn't recommend a book or author more.

Jenny Lawson’s books are an auto buy for me and Broken was no exception. It was laugh out loud hilarious, thought provoking and tear jerking. If I hadn’t seen actual pictures from Jenny’s childhood and current life, I would never imagine that her stories could be real, but it is all so so true, Jenny makes me feel normal and that is saying a lot. Showing how life isn’t perfect, anxiety and depression are real and survivable and staying true to yourself is important. I definitely loved so many chapters, including stories of shoes lost in elevators, diarrhea for a cover to leave, tweets that went viral and reasons her husband knows better than to take her to social gatherings.

This book is a great release to laugh, realize the hard days wont last forever and feel more normal in your wonderfully weird body.

Full disclosure: I'm a HUGE fan of Jenny Lawson, so I'll try to be objective with my interview.

"Broken" is another home run for Lawson, but it's decidedly a departure from her previous work. While her other two books had dark humor, there were points here that were decidedly dark. And they had to be: this book is about coming to terms with any number of physical and mental ailments, and for much of that time it's not fun and games. Lawson talks about going through TMS therapy and how it brought back some of the sunshine, but she also mentions viciously fighting the insurance company to make this a reality. Her letter to the insurance company is sure to pack a punch for most American readers, and it's an angry, visceral, and honest cry for action against their policies.

Is it as lighthearted as "Furiously Happy"? No. But you could consider this the inverse of "Furiously Happy" because to be furiously happy, you need to be broken. And we all are. And that's okay.

Another hilarious installment from Jenny Lawson that will not disappoint. Writing candidly about her mental health and how it affects her every day life leads to funny, though definitely awkward and sometimes painful, stories that she is generous enough to share with the world. I would recommend this to pretty much anyone as the format makes it easy to pick up and put down for light reading, and the content is humorous as well as uplifting while she shines a light on mental health.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc.

I'm a huge fan of Jenny Lawson's books and have been a reader of her blog for years. Her latest book <i>Broken (In the Best Possible Way</i> will be another treat for other longtime fans of Jenny's work for its blend of absurd humor and intimate look at mental illness.

Lawson is at her best in her essays in the book. Chapters such as "Souls," "An Open Letter to My Health Insurance" and "I Am a Magpie" are especially beautiful. I'm less of a fan of the chapters that rely heavily on listing such as "These Truisms Leave Out a Lot of the Truth," which tend to be a bit tedious to get through and work better as blog posts.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Jenny Lawson has created a book that proves life is worth living and reveling in no matter what illness(es) you may be living with. Ms. Lawson lives every second of every day on her terms. Yes, she has days where she hides in her closet, but she manages to keep those days to a minimum and does everything she can to treat her disabilities and move forward with grace but much more to move forward with a smile on her face.

Jenny Lawson's latest book further explores her lifetime of mental illness, depression and anxiety as well as gives hope to fellow sufferers with her description of her EMDR therapy. Lawson's usual wacky humor left me stifling laughter in the middle of the night. The description of what makes her marriage work is inspiring. All in all, I still want to be Jenny's best friend.

Laugh out loud with Jenny! Jenny's ability to make lemonade out of lemons with a twist of sarcasm helps to take the sting out of my own mental health and physical health issues. She brings levity to the ridiculousness of our worlds, relationships and sagas. I just love her and you will too!

I've been a fan of The Bloggess for many years, so I was excited to get my hands on a copy of Lawson's latest, Broken. This book is filled with the same humor I've come to expect from her books but is filled with fresh observations and hilarious personal stories from the author's life.
As with her other books, one of the themes in the writing is mental health. Lawson discusses her struggles with trademark candor , humor, and heart making it relatable for those with their own struggles and great insight for those who don't.
Overall this is a fantastic read whether you're new to Lawson's writing or are a longtime reader and this will easily be one of the funniest books of the year.
Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the advance copy.