Review For A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole.

By Kristawebster on Jul 23, 2024

Blurb:

CAN TWO BROKEN HEARTS MAKE A WHOLE . . . ?

After losing her beloved sister three years ago, Savanna Litchfield has been living half a life. When Savannah's therapist suggests joining a trip around the world for grieving teens she agrees to go clutching tightly to the unread journal her sister left behind.

Seventeen-year-old Cael Woods is angry. One year after losing his older brother his life has spiralled. Once the most promising hockey player in the junior league, Cael can no longer step onto the ice. When his parents sign him up for a trip abroad no part of him wants to go.

As Cael and Savannah embark on a journey they begin to find solace in each other.
As they start to heal piece by broken piece, could this be the start of a love they never thought they'd feel again?

My 5* Review:

A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole is the heartbreaking but inspiring sequel to her stunning A Thousand Boy Kisses. This is a raw and emotional story about coping after the loss of a loved one and trying to find a way to live without them. How to process losing and missing that person, and seeing there is more to life than the burden of grief. The author has poured her heart and soul into this book. She shows how all journeys are different in the healing process and how we should cherish and love life, never taking it for granted. Although dealing with grief and loss, there is a lot of hope, happiness and love that shines through as you read this book following Savannah and Cael on their journey.

"𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦"

The prologue takes us back to Blossom Grove with Poppy, Rune and her family for the last few hours of her life and their goodbyes. It also reminds us of Poppy's strength of character and how much she loved her sisters and Rune. We then fast forward four years for Savannah's story.

Savannah feels broken with no idea how to put herself back together. She gets anxiety attacks and just can't move forward from losing her big sister. Her parents persuade her to go on a trip for grieving teenagers, visiting five countries all chosen for what they could show and teach the group about coping with their grief. At the airport she meets the other five who are also suffering from the enduring pain of losing a loved one, but one boy stands out to her because he seems as closed off as she is.

Cael Woods is so angry but it's the only emotion he can feel after the death of his big brother. He is a promising ice hockey player but has pushed everyone away and given up on his dreams. He can't accept Cillian has gone and has no idea how to exist without him. Could he repair his broken pieces after such a tragedy. He is shocked when one of the girls catches his attention and her smile surprisingly calms him.

Each of the teenagers stories are heartbreaking and each are experiencing grief in their own way due to the circumstances of their loss. I found the exercises and therapies they did, along with seeing how different cultures deal with grief and death was fascinating and very informative. Looking at how loss changes you but how you can heal. Dylan, Travis, Lili and Jade were each amazing and really enhanced the story.

Savannah and Cael can't contemplate how they are going to carry on or be happy again but as the trip progresses they find a way to help each other. The connection between them was strong from the start but was it meant to be or was it the grief pulling them together?

I loved how she never pushed him but supported him throughout, she really listened, watched and stood by him. She definitely was an unexpected lifeline for him. She finds strength and a sense of peace during the trip but knows Cael still has a long way to go. Adored the hand squeezes!

The journal Poppy wrote her is wonderful and shows how brave she was, always thinking about everyone else with her uplifting words, advice and kindness. I liked how the thousand theme runs through the book and the little moments which take the reader back to ATBK.

Fantastic ending showing how far they have both come with the healing power of love. Dark and broken to smiling and laughing again. This maybe a hard subject for some readers but Tillie has addressed it with respect and consideration, her father would be proud.