This book was so much more than i was expecting. I didn't go in to it knowing much about the book, but i ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I loved how this story was about a character learning about their grandmother and what she had done in her time as a doctor. But also coming to terms with who she wanted to be and finding her place in the world. I think if someone if looking for a good young adult contemporary then this is the book for them.

The Museum of Broken Things by Lauren Draper is a light and enjoyable read. This is a YA debut novel which explores some significant issues for teenagers/young adults in a sensitive and at times, amusing way.

Reece is in the final year at school but she and her family move away from the city to a beach side, small town four hours away where her grandmother lives. She is lonely and desperately misses her old friends and life but she unable to move forward. Things become even worse when her grandmother dies and leaves her a mysterious artefact which takes her onto a different path and she starts to reconnect with other people. Reece is a whirlwind of emotions even though she calls one of the city friends, Nina, a hurricane. The story has many twists and turns that make it easy and enjoyable to read (even if not in that age group!).

Loved the location and the language which clearly show this is set in Australia on the east coast somewhere.

There are quite a few curious characters including Frank who runs a second hand book store and a lovely middle aged lady Mrs Kostadis runs the Beach Bean cafe with her two children Miles and Ava. Then there are Gideon and his mum Grace as well as the parents of Reece and her brother Miles. Actually all of the characters add depth to the story.

Highly recommended read.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher Text Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really liked this one, and I am glad I read it, because I don't love the cover. It looks like the kind of book I read in the 80s, which has some nostalgic appeal to me, but I will be interested to see what others think when the book comes out. This is more than a story about a girl who moves from the city to a country town. It is about that, but it's about why the family moved and what they left behind, it's about family history and secrets, and it reminds us that we only see what others let us see, and that sometimes there can be a lot more going on beneath the surface. Then there's the artifact left to Reece, an assassin's cabinet...fascinating!

I found this novel really easy to read and was engaged with the novel. I also love the Australian rep.
I feel like a read a lot of small town storyline’s when it comes to Australia, so I feel the repetition a little bit.
Speaking of repetition, I do find the traumatic past trope a little repetitive. Like the “I used to be like this….before the accident.”
This author is also a bookstagrammer, meaning that they should be aware of authors and books that shouldn’t be named. So….why is there HP repeatedly mentioned throughout the book? This is going to cut out a wide audience who are not comfortable hearing this book mentioned when the author (JKR) has caused so much trauma. It’s 2022, do better.
Lastly, I don’t know whether I can or cannot recommend this book. It’s honestly dependent on who is comfortable reading the above.

What a quaint little book. I loved every minute of my reading journey. It was so unapologetically Australian and that just made me so happy.
Reece's story takes us on a whirlwind ride of emotions. It was written so well to show how everyone deals with grief in their own way. A story of new beginnings as well as a mixture of the past all rolled into a senior year of high school. I was happily reminded of my last year of school, not knowing where I was going after, finding new love and new friends.
If you're ready to take a journey back in time while sneaking a little mystery and young love, this book is absolutely for you! It is safe for younger readers, but would probably be better enjoyed by those late into high school or older.