Review: Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine

Title: Broken Soup
Author: Jenny Valentine
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date Published: 2009
Genre: Young Adult
Main Themes: Grief, Death, Family, Love, Friendship
Pages: 216
Plot (From  book jacket):
"Positive. Negative. It's how you look at it...
Someone shoves a photo negative into Rowan's hands. She is distracted but, frankly, she has larger problems to worry about. Her brother is dead. Her father has left. her mother won't get out of bed. She has to take care of her younger sister. And keep it all together...

But Rowan is curious about the mysterious boy and the negative. Who is he? Why did he give it to her? The mystery only deepens when the photo is developed and the inconceivable appears.

Everything is about to change for Rowan... Finally, something positive is in her life."

I've had this book on my desk for about 2 weeks and kept passing it over and now I am mentally kicking myself! I cannot put into words how great this book was. I LOVED it! This is only Jenny Valentine's second novel and have my fingers crossed that there are many more to come.

Broken Soup was heart-wrenching and tear-inducing. It was funny and witty. It was filled with twists and turns yet perfectly predictable. It was real.

Rowan is an amazing character. I thought she would seem young to me since she is only supposed to be 15, but she is very mature (in part because of her home life, but also just personality-wise). Her little sister, Stroma, is hilarious and a ray of light in the darkness of Rowan's current life. And Harper... ah, Harper... is absolutely marvelous. I'm pretty sure I have to add Harper to my list of favorite love interests now... He was perfectly written and a perfect complement to Rowan.

I love Jenny Valentine's writing style, her voice, her characterization! I think that is a major reason as to why this book is so great - Valentine is simply a wonderful writer. That, paired with an amazing plot line, makes this one of my new favorite books!

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A)!

I'm definitely going to look for Valentine's first novel (Me, The Missing, and The Dead) and keep an eye out future novels! I highly recommend Broken Soup - HIGHLY! :)