I love everything that Jenny Lawson writes. The way she describes the absurdity of her life is genius. She weaves together chapters about hilarity at the post office with poignant descriptions of living with anxiety and depression. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. If you haven't read Jenny's other books I recommend you do that now and follow her online. Read this book when it comes out. She is a brilliant voice that makes you laugh, cry, and hate insurance companies. Read it.

Broken (in the best possible way) is the third book that has made me feel like Jenny Lawson is the type of person I'd like to be friends with, except our combined social anxiety would probably repel us from one another like magnets turned the wrong way around. I loved Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy, and I went back to those reviews after finishing Broken and discovered that I had described her writing as hilarious and bizarre - raw and vulnerable and hopeful. All of it remains true of Broken, a memoir in essays that chronicles her life as a writer, wife, mother, chronically ill, and mentally ill person. Since I follow Lawson online through her blog and IG, reading many of these essays had me feeling like a friend was catching me up on her life: when she described embroidering during her daily TMS treatments, I remembered seeing the photos of her embroidery, a feeling of, "I remember you telling me about this!" because the internet is weird and wonderful. I feel like Lawson's books always find me when I'm going through it, and this was no exception. It was a quiet reminder that it's okay to be broken, to not remotely have your shit together, to laugh through the darkness and keep reaching for the light.

TW: suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, chronic illness

I have been a fan of Jenny Lawson for years and enjoyed her previous books as well as her blog so I was excited to be given the opportunity by NetGalley to review a copy of this book.

Much like her other books, this one focuses on taking a humorous look at things that may not seem humorous - especially mental health issues. Lawson does an amazing job helping you feel like whatever you are going through is normal and also offering the opportunity to find some humor in the situation.

I recommend this book to everyone. So many times I literally laughed out loud but I also was able to gain empathy for mental health issues. The world is a better place with Jenny Lawson in it.

Jenny Lawson does it again. I have truly never in my life cried from laughter like I did in this book. But it's also deeply sad at times. No matter if I was crying from joy, resonance, or sorrow- I loved every page of this book.

Jenny Lawson is brave, and funny, and smart, and willing to share her struggles with anxiety and depression in her blog posts, essays, and books. Why “brave?” I share some of her afflictions and, while I totally bought in to the concept that depression won’t lose its stigma until people are willing to talk openly about their struggles, my own experience has been that lots of people can’t handle hearing about it. OK, lots of them are a-holes but I lost a number of “friends” after I opened up about my own struggles. So her willingness to open up and talk about her experiences is amazing to cowards like me. The thing about Jenny that sets her apart from others who have been willing to talk about anxiety and depression is that she is legit FUNNY. And what better time to laugh at our situation than in the middle of a worldwide pandemic? So I was very happy to receive a copy of Broken from Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

In addition to being hilarious, some of her anecdotes are borderline heartbreaking. Not sure if this is more true for us readers who share her “issues,” but her stories resonate with people for many reasons, and I find the idea that I am not totally alone in my mental state to be REALLY reassuring. I love that she has ideas she’d like to pitch to the panel on Shark Tank, and that she “can never go back to the post office.” She puts it all out there for our entertainment, and even pulls her husband “Victor” (I’m not sure if he is real, but he is terrific) into her stories.

Jenny’s previous books Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Furiously Happy (who wouldn’t love a book with a raccoon on the cover?), and You Are Here, have all been successful and have all made me laugh as well as reminding me that I am not alone in my mental state. I love this woman. Buy her book. Five stars.

Delightful and slightly neurotic in the best way. I adore Jenny Lawson books, and look forward to each one that releases. She's brave in her sharing, bold in her stories, and hilarious in her musings. If you are looking for a Memoir written by someone who lives with mental health issues and isn't afraid to write about it with truth and humor, than look no further than Broken (in the best way possible). It's always a great time seeing the world through Jenny Lawson's eyes and as someone with mental health issues, I, amongst so many others relate to anything she has to say. She'll have you laughing and then crying in the same chapter. Go read this book!

I was so excited to get approved for this ARC. It is literally the funniest thing I have ever read. There are some more serious chapters that really resonated.

A big thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for a copy of the ARC.

Though I don't suffer with depression, many of my friends do and this book really helped me understand a lot of what they go through. I also felt that I could connect with a lot of the feelings because I do have generalized anxiety disorder and the present in common ways sometimes. Jenny Lawson can make anything funny and relatable so this was a fun read.

Book Review:
Broken by Jenny Lawson
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I am spoiled, because I already knew I loved Jenny Lawson before having the treat of being able to review this book. However, what I didn't know was how much I would sympathize and recognize a lot of myself in this book. Unlike some of her previous works, this compilation of hilarious essays was interspersed with some touching, sad, and poignant essays about depression, anxiety, and chronic illness. She is such a wonderful writer and so down to earth and real. I laughed ACTUALLY out loud more than four times while reading this book, and ended up calling my boyfriend over to read passages out loud to him. Absolutely wonderful. Pick it up as soon as you can.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, so, good. If you already know you like Jenny Lawson, grab this book. If you like quirky humor, grab this book. If you or someone you love sometimes deal with mental health issues, grab this book.. In other words., you need to read this book. Warning, though. Be very careful what you're doing while you read. I almost snorted hot tea out of my nose as I read the chapter on condoms for the dog! (it's not what it sounds like, lol)

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Jenny Lawson (aka thebloggess) has done it again. Her new book, Broken (In the Best Possible Way), releasing April 6, 2021, is another all nighter! I could not put it down! Jenny slays dragons (not real ones, that would be crazy!) in her fight against health insurance companies that might be trying to kill her. She conquers demons (these *might* be real, I live with them) by fighting daily against her mental illnesses with humor & grace. She shows she is all of us, well maybe not all, I didn’t grow up with raccoons in my bathtub!
Her long running jokes with Victor make up the laugh track to a loving & long term marriage. And Hailey is all grown up (well mostly, she’s a TEENAGER now, I know it’s crazy)!
I can’t recommend this book enough to fans of thebloggess, friends with mental illness, family of friends with mental illness, and pretty much everyone else on the planet. Jenny is a treasure & her book Broken is a spectacular testament to learning how to not just live, but thrive with chronic illness.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication in return for an honest review!

https://www.nowherebookshop.com/book/9781250077035

After reading Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy, I was thrilled to hear that Jenny Lawson has a new book out. Her book is whirlwind of candid vignettes about her physical and mental health struggles balanced with hilarious anecdotes and musings. As someone who also suffers from depression, I feel less alone after reading her work. I recommend this for readers who need a laugh (all of us) and can also handle her honest account of her struggle with mental illness.

I was excited to learn that Jenny Lawson had a new book coming out. While I missed reading Let's Pretend This Never Happened, I listened to Furiously Happy on audiobook and enjoyed the laughs. I believe my mistake with Broken (in the best possible way) was reading it rather than listening to it. In print form, Lawson's style bothered me quite a bit. I'm thinking that hearing the same words in her voice would have been a better experience. Some chapters were definitely more enjoyable than others, but it was overall what you'd probably expect from Lawson's third book.

Jenny Lawson has done it again! I've read three out of four of her books so far (the fourth being a colouring book I can't wait to get my hands on) and each one has caused me to laugh out loud. Sometimes in public. Thankfully, this time lockdown saved me from the embarrassment of snorting to myself on the bus.

As a reader, I bounced between nodding my head at truly relatable situations (we've all put our foot in our mouths in an awkward conversation or two) and marvelling at some of the outrageous moments the author has had to endure. From an elevator eating her shoe (twice), to a bunch of fan-mailed penises bouncing around in her car, you never know what you'll come across next as you progress through the book.

And interspersed between chaos and humour are raw, unfiltered truths about her battle with depression, attention deficit disorder, anxiety, autoimmune problems and rheumatoid arthritis. Through it all, she and her family fight to laugh and cherish the good days, and find new ways to cope with and limit the bad.

Her brave, personal anecdotes and trademark witty style restore my hope in humanity by reminding me that our flaws, vulnerabilities, mortifying moments and relatable quirks are the things that truly bring us together.

A massive thank you to @henryholtbooks for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a long time follower and fan of Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess. Like so many, I discovered her in the chicken era and have been delighted by her humor and frankness ever since.

In a world where so many have been putting only the good things online it is so refreshing to find someone who is honest about their struggles, their weirdness and their life. I read both of her prior books to this novel but I think this one may be my favorite because it's the perfect balance between the light and dark that is what being a human is all about.

Her style of writing is very unique and really isn't for everyone so YMMV.

I was charmed by the book and it was a great read during the crazy year 2021 is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

A refreshing, real life take on mental illness and the funny things that make life worth living.

Lawson's book kept me laughing from the first chapter until the last page. The author shares hilarious episodes that bring on the tears from too much laughing but also gut punches you with the heartache of her illnesses. The book made me examine my own mental health history and where I can find the laughter in it.

Hilarious and enjoyable read. This was well written with vulnerability that you know you aren't alone in your hardships in life and can look back on every moment and see the beauty. I look forward to reading more of her books.

This is my favorite Jenny Lawson book yet, and that's saying a lot. The funny parts are funnier than ever, and the parts about dealing with her mental illness are more honest, vulnerable, and well-articulated. This is a book I'll probably buy to reread when I need to laugh or, alternatively, to feel less alone while dealing with depression or anxiety.

Thoughtful and humorous, Jenny Lawson provides some real insight into living with mental health and disabilities. As someone who has grappled with these issues myself, I appreciate both the raw vulnerability and wacky musings she provides.. Although there is no real continuity among the essays, fans of her writing will have more to enjoy! 3.5 stars

Jenny Lawson is a funny and relatable as she has always been. This book is a bit more wistful than the others, but the more sad parts are broken up by the sheer hilarity that is Jenny's signature style. Fans will not be disappointed.

Jenny Lawson is my spirit animal. I know it doesn't really work that way, but if you're a fan of her work, I'm sure you understand. Jenny could write limericks in Polish on dirty, crumpled napkins and I would still clamber to read them. I consider myself fortunate, then, that she's written another book. Broken (in the best possible way) continues the exploration of Jenny's mental health struggles, with depression and anxiety, and her day to day life. That may sound like a very dry premise, but only if you have no idea how funny Jenny Lawson really is.

I wouldn't recommend reading this book on the subway or at your place of employment, unless you are really secure in your weirdness and don't mind people pointing/staring/talking about you. I say that because you WILL laugh out loud. Or at least snicker. Or snort. Or chuckle. Eh, what I'm trying to say is, Jenny is the kind of funny that can sneak up on you. What makes her humor even better, to me, is that it's a coping mechanism.  Jenny's husband Victor, her partner and sometimes unsuspecting foil, says Jenny doesn't waste her pain. And she doesn't. She channels all the hurt, heartache, and frustration into an unparalleled sense of humor. But funny isn't all Jenny does, or is, she's also achingly honest, open, and vulnerable. She pulls no punches, and very frankly discusses meds and treatments, such as the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation she underwent when it was clear that the pills just weren't working. I love Jenny Lawson for her truth, her strangeness, her relatability, and most of all, because she makes me feel less alone. I will continue to obsess over all of Jenny's work, and do my best to keep the tiny flame of hope alive in my chest. I think she'd like that. Thank you to Henry Holt & Co and Netgalley, for the chance to review this advance copy.