Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

When the Bough Breaks by Kay Lynn Mangum. Published by Deseret Book.

Retail Price: $15.95 Available here

Rachel Fletcher's world turns upside down the night she comes home and learns her Dad was killed in an accident. Since he was on his way to pick her up, she is sure it's her fault. The problems only escalate when her brother starts openly drinking and her mother refuses to get out of bed. How long can Rachel hold the family together?

I have enjoyed all of Kay Lynn Mangum's books. They are realistic and interesting. This one is no exception. I find the characters compelling and easy to relate to. I spent the book cheering for Rachel and wishing I could help her with her problems. It is so easy to remember the issues that plague teenagers - the embarrassment over a perceived social faux pas or the mortification about saying the wrong thing around a cute guy. While the end was a bit predictable, I could not have predicted how it ended up there. I do hope there will be a follow up book with these characters because I would love to learn what their future holds.

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