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Broken Aro (The Broken Ones #1)

by Jen Wylie (Goodreads Author)

4.52 of 5 stars 4.52 · rating details · 97 ratings · 50 reviews

Open your eyes to darkness. What do you see? Does the darkness frighten you? Now imagine the darkness being the cargo hold of a slave ship. Your city has fallen. Your family is most likely dead. You don't know anyone around you, and some of them aren't even human. Giving up would be so easy to do, but not for Arowyn Mason. Not after being raised in a military family with s...more

Paperback, 264 pages

Published September 26th 2012 by Untold Press (first published September 14th 2012)

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May 09, 2013 Eclipse Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fifteen year old Arowyn Mason, Aro, life is changed forever when her city is attacked by slave traders. In an attempt to save Aro from the attack, her seven soldier brothers deschise her as a boy, and tries to flee the city. But the escape didn't go as planned and Aro wakes up in a slave boat on her way to the slave Capital.

On the boat she finds only one familiar face among the other prisoners, and learns that her brothers didn't survive the attack. Alone and scared she has no choice but to co...more Fifteen year old Arowyn Mason, Aro, life is changed forever when her city is attacked by slave traders. In an attempt to save Aro from the attack, her seven soldier brothers deschise her as a boy, and tries to flee the city. But the escape didn't go as planned and Aro wakes up in a slave boat on her way to the slave Capital.

On the boat she finds only one familiar face among the other prisoners, and learns that her brothers didn't survive the attack. Alone and scared she has no choice but to continue the role of a boy and make new allies to escape her doom that was fast approaching. She meets Kendric, The Prince, Bo, Cain, Avery and Kei. These would be the men that not only become her saviors, but her family.

When the ship hits something all but Kendric survives and wash up on a beach, a new survival plan needs to be followed. Her true genre is soon discovered, and the men band together to protect her. She forms a firm bond with two, the mysterious prince and Kei the fey and with them she finds strange worlds and prophecies that included her. Her journey to freedom is hard and long. And the toll of losing love ones have started to take its toll on her. Never the less, Aro stays strong and ensure that her new family stays strong with her.

What an amazing cast Jen created in this novel. As a young child Aro is scared most of the time but tries her best to find courage. And to loose so many love ones her emotions is not as strong as she wish to be. The mysterious prince was my favorite character, he became her instant protector and as the time past and she starts to grow it is clear that he sees more than just a young girl. Kei was just as interesting; his character loss control and goes all ballistic creating a vicious creature that kills nonstop. But when he is not in beast mode he was charming and caring. All these men had a very protective nature.

This was such a fabulous read. In the old world, Jen created a nerve racking adventure and added in some fantastic creatures to spice it up. You have fey, elves, weres and dragons all finding a way into Aro's life. I really enjoyed the men in this novel. They were protective, caring and understanding. The perfect ingredients to a gentlemen, yet they all fought just as well. At some times I was wishing Aro all grown up; just to see what reaction these men would have. And as the story progressed wasn't disappointed. I will admit that I am definitively team prince here. If you are looking for a fresh read without the usual paranormal setup this is it. A well-deserved five stars and I can't wait to get my hands on book two.

Quote from the book: "He promised he'd never leave me. That we'd be friends forever." "He was foolish to promise such things,"
http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.c...(less)

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May 16, 2013 S.M. Blooding rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

I was HOOKED from the first page, from the first paragraph! The writing is just very clear, and this was a new journey for me. The storyline is one I haven’t read before.

The characterization was just great! I loved Aro. She’s just so strong as she escapes one bad situation, falls into another and then lands into yet another one. First her brothers and then the friends she makes on the slave boat are easy to relate to. I would have liked a bit deeper characterization of the brothers, maybe, but o...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Airicka Phoenix marked it as to-read

Shelves: next-on-my-review-shelf

I was given a copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.

I want to start this off by saying one thing: daaaam! I could just kick myself for not reading this sooner. It was imaginative, unique, fast pasted, the characters were wonderful, realistic and just heart warming.

Aro is only 15, probably one of the youngest YA characters I've ever read. But you can tell she's young, but she's a fighter. A survivor and that's what made me love her. I love my girls full of spunk and kick...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Aro Is a fifteen year old girl who actually reads like a fifteen year old girl which doesn't always happen in YA books. she is eager to grow up and resents been called a child but yet many of her actions are childlike and her innocence and naivety add to this.

When taken from her brothers who are most likely dead she refuses to give in and makes unlikely friends with a prince, a Fey and some soldiers . her brothers have taught her to fight and to be strong and so she does just that and manages to...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Lynda Bester rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Review: Broken Aro book one of The Broken Ones: Oh what a glorious story! I loved it, loved it, loved it. I read it finished in a matter of hours! All the characters are so great. Aro…my heart breaks for her. She has lost so much, and the only way she could cope was anger. I am so glad she has come to realize that the people around her just want to love her, and I am so glad that she is letting them. She grew into such a beautiful girl – on the inside – and she has matured, learned from the past...more

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May 01, 2013 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, paranormal, series, strong-female-character

4.5 stars. I really loved this book. I Aro and all of the others. They all protected each other and worked very well together. I also liked the fact that the story flowed so nicely and did not veer off in any weird directions. I can't wait for the next book.

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Apr 21, 2013 Christoph Fischer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Broken Aro" by Jen Wylie is a powerful supernatural read.
15 year old Aro Mason, dressed as a boy in preparation for a dangerous journey, falls victims to slavers when her city falls during an enemy attack.
With the help of some friends, a Fey and Prince she escaped the slave ship but this does not mean that she and her friends are safe yet.
As introduced in a short prologue, humans are not the only species in this story, we encounter Fey, Elves and Dragos, which both eases and complicates the esc...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Christopher Gerrib rated it 4 of 5 stars

Broken Aro is the first book of a series, and the first novel of Jen Wylie’s that I’ve read. (Full disclosure – she’s on my Facebook page, but I can’t recall exactly when we met.) Although I don’t consider myself a fan of fantasy, I enjoyed reading Broken Aro.

The book is the story of Arowyn “Aro” Mason, youngest child and only daughter in the Mason family. When the main story opens, fifteen-year-old Aro is hastily packing, as her city is being overrun by invaders. Her and her brothers are trying...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Lindsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Ummmm wow. Just a big fat W O W. It has been so long since I have been pulled into a story so completely that the outside world ceased to exsist. Broken Aro has taken a special place on my shelves of all time favorites. Why say you? Although there were a few grammar mistakes and the book moved along way to fast at some points for my taste, it did not take anything away from the story. Aro is one of the most realistic characters I have come into contact with in a long time. She is not faultless,...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Claire Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jen Wylie
Broken Aro
#1 The Broken Ones

When I started reading this book I really had no idea what to expect, I hadn’t really read the blurb and didn’t know where it was going to lead. It didn’t take long for the action / adventure to start and I was soon drawn into the storyline and characters, in particular Prince and Kei.

Incredibly well written, this adventure jumps right off the page as the story slowly unravels. With many shocks in store for the reader, I never got bored and constantly want...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Lunar Haven Reviews and Designs rated it 5 of 5 stars

First and foremost I would like to say thank you to Author Jen Wylie for allowing me the opportunity to review Broken Aro, the first in The Broken Ones Series. When I received the blurb it instantly intrigued me. It doesn’t give much away about what the plot of the book is, but it does capture your interest by the sheer mystery of how it is written.

Broken Aro revolves around Arowyn, the youngest in her family and also the only girl. After attempting to escape with her brothers from the city she...more First and foremost I would like to say thank you to Author Jen Wylie for allowing me the opportunity to review Broken Aro, the first in The Broken Ones Series. When I received the blurb it instantly intrigued me. It doesn’t give much away about what the plot of the book is, but it does capture your interest by the sheer mystery of how it is written.

Broken Aro revolves around Arowyn, the youngest in her family and also the only girl. After attempting to escape with her brothers from the city she is stolen away from her family by slavers. Held captive and pretending to be a boy, she befriends some of the men who were also snatched by the slavers. But to her luck, she recognizes one of the men who also recognizes her as a girl and the youngest of the Mason family. No longer alone she begins to feel a bit better, but then after meeting two other captives she begins to form an interesting bond with them both....

And that’s when things really begin to take an interesting turn….

As of late I have really found an interest in the Fantasy genres. This story only piqued my interest and has pushed me into finding more books like it, although I am not sure if you could find one as well-written and as captivating as Broken Aro. Though sometimes I find that when authors write so much detail in their story it can lag and cause disinterest, Jen Wylie has found a way to give details and still keep the reader’s interest locked reading the pages. I found that the details of the surroundings, the character’s feelings and overall setting were helpful in creating the actual events in one’s own mind. There is just something very unique in the story of Broken Aro that I cannot quite pinpoint, but it truly has me thinking of all the possibilities for the future books in the series.

I am especially interested in seeing where the relationship between Aro, Kei and Prince will lead to. I can tell there is a romance brewing somewhere in that triangle (and no not between the men at all) but at this time I am unsure if it will involve both men fighting over Aro or Aro falling for one or the other on her own… Perhaps even the one that she was warned not to love (Yes a little teaser of my own).

Now let us talk about the cliffhanger at the end. When I got to the last page I stared blankly at my Nook for a while. I couldn’t believe that was how it was ending; it really leaves you wondering and cursing in your mind about what is going to happen. So I must say congratulations Jen, you have now caused my anxiousness and the need to have the next book in the series.

So in the end, the main question all of you must be wondering, if you haven’t figured out the answer yourself from my review that is, Do I recommend this book? Of course I do! If you are looking for something in the Fantasy genre that deals with adventure, prophecies and a girl who is not only independent but also loves her knives? This is the book for you!

5/5 Crescents

~Marie(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 02, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Broken Aro by Jen Wylie is a Young Adult fiction novel about Arowyn Mason, a fifteen year old girl who loses her brothers, and only family, in an attempt at fleeing the city she grew up in when it is under attack. She finds herself shackled in a slave boat on the way to being sold. Here she meets Kendric, Kei, Bo, Avery and Cain, a group of military soldiers who served with her brothers and father. She also meets Prince, the outcast of the group. Together they form a plan to escape the slavers....more Broken Aro by Jen Wylie is a Young Adult fiction novel about Arowyn Mason, a fifteen year old girl who loses her brothers, and only family, in an attempt at fleeing the city she grew up in when it is under attack. She finds herself shackled in a slave boat on the way to being sold. Here she meets Kendric, Kei, Bo, Avery and Cain, a group of military soldiers who served with her brothers and father. She also meets Prince, the outcast of the group. Together they form a plan to escape the slavers. However, things do not go as plan and find themselves in a land where Fey, Were, Dragos and humans live. Scavenging for food and trying to outrun the slavers, Aro faces the evil and emotionally scarring side of men. She learns trust, love and finds a new family among her companions. Just when life seems to make sense again, she learns of a prophecy that involves Kei, her best friend-who happens to be Fey.

I do not want to include more spoilers since a short summary will not do this novel justice. This novel is like no other I have read. It was pleasantly surprising. It is worth every page. I was hooked from page 1 and was extremely disappointed when it ended-I didn’t want it to end. Aro is a strong and brave girl. Her character is easy to like and you can’t help but feel her anguish. Wylie did an excellent job with each character, giving them life and a different personality. There is a bit of a romantic triangle between Aro, Kei and Prince, yet it is so subtle you wonder if it’s there at all (I am rooting for Prince btw). Each character was unique, adding their own impact on the main character, Aro.

I do have to say that, for an imaginative reader, the emotions were so strong they were overwhelming at times. I would have liked a bit more “happy parts”. Although by the end of the novel, as the prophecy was explained, I understood why Aro had to be so…broken. Also, there were parts where the purpose, or objective, of the story wasn’t so clear, so they felt like fillers. However, these were minor and never compelled me to stop reading.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with this novel. The novel was so enthralling that I basically stopped most of what I was doing just to continue reading. It was full of hope and love, it emphasized the meaning of family and its importance. It was also sad, unpredictable and full of suspense. Compelling you to read every word, without skimming to the next paragraph (like I sometimes do when something just gets boring and I want to know what’s next). I strongly recommend this book; it is suitable for all ages. Parents: you do not have to worry about your child being corrupted here. Adults, you will not be disappointed! Once again, I strongly recommend you to read this book!! It is excellently written, well-crafted and you will really, truly enjoy this novel.
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Oct 02, 2012 Marie DeLaRosa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

REVIEW:
First and foremost I would like to say thank you to Author Jen Wylie for allowing me the opportunity to review Broken Aro, the first in The Broken Ones Series. When I received the blurb it instantly intrigued me. It doesn’t give much away about what the plot of the book is, but it does capture your interest by the sheer mystery of how it is written.

Broken Aro revolves around Arowyn, the youngest in her family and also the only girl. After attempting to escape with her brothers from the ci...more REVIEW:
First and foremost I would like to say thank you to Author Jen Wylie for allowing me the opportunity to review Broken Aro, the first in The Broken Ones Series. When I received the blurb it instantly intrigued me. It doesn’t give much away about what the plot of the book is, but it does capture your interest by the sheer mystery of how it is written.

Broken Aro revolves around Arowyn, the youngest in her family and also the only girl. After attempting to escape with her brothers from the city she is stolen away from her family by slavers. Held captive and pretending to be a boy, she befriends some of the men who were also snatched by the slavers. But to her luck, she recognizes one of the men who also recognizes her as a girl and the youngest of the Mason family. No longer alone she begins to feel a bit better, but then after meeting two other captives she begins to form an interesting bond with them both....

And that’s when things really begin to take an interesting turn….

As of late I have really found an interest in the Fantasy genres. This story only piqued my interest and has pushed me into finding more books like it, although I am not sure if you could find one as well-written and as captivating as Broken Aro. Though sometimes I find that when authors write so much detail in their story it can lag and cause disinterest, Jen Wylie has found a way to give details and still keep the reader’s interest locked reading the pages. I found that the details of the surroundings, the character’s feelings and overall setting were helpful in creating the actual events in one’s own mind. There is just something very unique in the story of Broken Aro that I cannot quite pinpoint, but it truly has me thinking of all the possibilities for the future books in the series.

I am especially interested in seeing where the relationship between Aro, Kei and Prince will lead to. I can tell there is a romance brewing somewhere in that triangle (and no not between the men at all) but at this time I am unsure if it will involve both men fighting over Aro or Aro falling for one or the other on her own… Perhaps even the one that she was warned not to love (Yes a little teaser of my own).

Now let us talk about the cliffhanger at the end. When I got to the last page I stared blankly at my Nook for a while. I couldn’t believe that was how it was ending; it really leaves you wondering and cursing in your mind about what is going to happen. So I must say congratulations Jen, you have now caused my anxiousness and the need to have the next book in the series.

So in the end, the main question all of you must be wondering, if you haven’t figured out the answer yourself from my review that is, Do I recommend this book? Of course I do! If you are looking for something in the Fantasy genre that deals with adventure, prophecies and a girl who is not only independent but also loves her knives? This is the book for you!

5/5 Crescents

~Marie(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 23, 2012 Jean Fisher rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Arowyn Mason ("Aro") is the only female sibling of a military family of several children. She cannot remember her mother because she died when Aro was very young. Then, just two years before the opening chapter of the book, her father dies, as well.

Living in the family house with her older brothers, things go from bad to worse as the coastal town they live in is attacked by a ruthless enemy called the "Gelanians" that soon overwhelm the population. Her brothers make her dress in cast-off armor a...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Splash Of Our Worlds *Yiota* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WOW..Just wow. It's been so long since i loved a book that much! I have actually already ordered it printed, because i really want to re-read it and have it in my small library.Come to me book! COME!

The book is exactly what i like. Fantasy in another world, with all those amazing races (elves,dragons,etc). Mystery and adventure surrounds the world and it's concentrated on the relationships between the characters (family and friends) and the story itself. Jen Wylie is an author who doesn't hide t...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
It was with great trepidation that I signed up for this R4R. It is always tricky when you read something that you have give an honest review for that you really didn't like. I have to say that from the very beginning I was absolutely delighted with this novel. It had great characters who were diverse and had a lot of depth. Family is a strong theme throughout the novel, and I loved how Aro desperately needed a family to feel whole. Sometimes we get so consumed with individuality that we...more 4.5 stars
It was with great trepidation that I signed up for this R4R. It is always tricky when you read something that you have give an honest review for that you really didn't like. I have to say that from the very beginning I was absolutely delighted with this novel. It had great characters who were diverse and had a lot of depth. Family is a strong theme throughout the novel, and I loved how Aro desperately needed a family to feel whole. Sometimes we get so consumed with individuality that we forget how important our loved ones are. And the fact that Aro made her own family cemented that message.

Aro was a complete heroine. She was strong without giving up her ability to be vunerable. I do have to say that she was a very naive 15 year old girl especially one who had grown up with seven brothers. Although that is probably why she felt so comfortable with her second family. My only complaint (and it is by no means a large complaint - just a little itty, bitty observation), many of the chapters began with Aro waking up which is not a bad thing, but the phrase "she woke with a start" should be purged from all novels being written today. It is very cliche, and it was used a few times in this novel. Again, not a big thing, but it was enough that I noticed it.

Aro is, of course, the irresistible female as with most books today. All of the young men were enamored with her, but they each loved her in their own way which was neat to read. Some people may quibble that all of the boys wanted to protect Aro, and that may not be politically correct, however, I saw it was being part of a family unit. You naturally want to protect those that you love, and Aro reciprocated this feeling of protectiveness throughout the novel. She very much felt the need to protect her family.

All of the differing creatures - Fey, Elves, Dragons - were very well depicted. The world that Aro lives in is robust and well thought out.

I am anxious to read the second book in the series as this one left off amidst turmoil, angst and unresolved issues. I will certainly recommend this book to those teens that I talk books with because it was just a very well done book. (less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, supernatural-adventure, r2r

Broken Aro was a decent young adult read. First off it's an original fantasy with dragons, elves, shapeshifters and fae. It follows the adventures of a 15-16 year old girl, Arowyn. In the beginning, she is thrust into a dark adventure because of a war. Put on a slave ship to be sold with the ragtag remnants of her village, she discovers friendship and possibly romance when the ship is lost in a storm and the survivors must survive in a hostile environment.

Pros: I liked the characterization. I'v...more Broken Aro was a decent young adult read. First off it's an original fantasy with dragons, elves, shapeshifters and fae. It follows the adventures of a 15-16 year old girl, Arowyn. In the beginning, she is thrust into a dark adventure because of a war. Put on a slave ship to be sold with the ragtag remnants of her village, she discovers friendship and possibly romance when the ship is lost in a storm and the survivors must survive in a hostile environment.

Pros: I liked the characterization. I've always read books for characters first, so this is nice. The author takes time with her heroine, Aro, to make her a well-rounded character with strengths, weaknesses and worries. I am really excited to see how she fits in with the seer's prophecy and how her character and possible 'powers' will evolve over the course of the series.

There are also interesting personality types mixed into the other main characters as well as an interesting and unique fantasy world where your usual pre-conceived ideas about various creatures have been changed. The world is still evolving at the end of this first novel and I am intrigued about where it will go and how the other creatures in the world will react to Aro and her family of misfits.

Cons: I think the story is good and doesn't have any glaring errors or holes, but I do wish the author would have explained why Kei is different from the other Fae. Why is he the only sane one? I can wait for other books to explain this, but there was opportunity in this book to do so. I also like the Dragos, but again he needed filling out. I also realize that this may be left for later as well. I really hated how the book ended. It seemed to stop right in the middle of the action and needed further explanation. The book was short and a better stopping place could have been found.

Also, and this may be considered a spoiler (so read at your own risk), Aro losing her brothers is never explained. I'm assuming this leaves room for them to return in a future book, but something describing how she went from her house preparing to then being on a slave ship needed to occur. There was too big a gap that needed to be filled. Again, this book was short and it had room for description and explanation.

Overall, there really isn't much room to fault this book. It was original, an easy read and it had interesting characters that were easy to care about. I would definitely recommend it to young adult readers of fantasy. (less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Cloey.k rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book teeters on the edge of being a dark fantasy. Just when I thought it was slipping into the dark side Ms. Wylie lightened it up. She is a very talented writer and knows how to deliver emotions. I smiled and sniffled all throughout this book.

I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what happens next. Imagine being taken away from everyone and everything you love and dumped into a life of hell. Now add some pain, suffering, and being hungry all the time while struggling to stay alive - yes...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Kristin Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kristin by: Jen Wylie

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Arowyn (Aro) is the only sister of 7 brothers, all soldiers, who's only thought is to get her out of their town and to safety when a neighboring army attacks. However, things go awry, and Aro finds herself separated from her brothers, on a slave ship, trying to convince those around her she's a boy as her brothers instructed. Along the way, she meets a Fey, a Dragos, and other interesting creatures she'd only heard...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Amber rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, review

Jen Wylie did an amazing job keeping her readers captivated. I loved Broken Aro the whole way through the book, never was there a dull moment. Jen made is so you were able to connect with the characters from the book. Broken Aro was full of drama, secrets, loss and so much more.

Aro Mason was a fierce and strong 15 year old girl, who has lost her father and now possibly even her brothers, as her city as been torn apart and people are captured as slaves. Her brothers were smart enough to protect...more

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May 04, 2013 Maryan Mohamud rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, books-that-will-be-the-death-of-me, cl, come-back-to, favorite-ya-books, faries

What I loved the most about this book was that Jen managed to capture Aro so well. Jen has done an excellent job of writing about each and every character, their instincts, emotions and they way they would act if the were real. Aro in Jen's book acted exactly like a 15 year old, and I also loved the fact that she was 15. Aro is one of the youngest YA character I have ever read about, it was cool. I also like the elusiveness of the Prince and how he and Keri were so protective of her. I am very i...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Val Richards rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was given this book for an honest review.

Honestly, I didn’t want to put the book down once I got started. I found it to be an easy read yet exciting and very creative. I’ve read a few books lately that were really tough for me to finish. This was not the case with Broken Aro. It starts out with tragedy but Aro, the main character, is a trooper and with the help of some interesting characters she manages to survive just to be thrown into more trouble.

I really like that mixed in with the humans...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Kirsty Vizard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fae, fantasy, couldn-t-put-down, romance, ya

I knew nothing about this book yet I was so wowed by it I read it in one sitting!
Jen Wylie had gifted me a copy in exchange for an honest review, yet I don't always expect to like the book as much as I did 'Broken Aro'!
Initially we are introduced to the Dragos, as he watches the two Fey with their baby on the beach, Damon speaks the prophecy, its importance to be released later, as is the name of the Fey baby, Kei.
Intertwining the stories we meet Arowyn ('Aro'), who is one of eight siblings - th...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Khazbin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Broken Aro is a book I'll probably be reading again in a year or so.

The secondary characters could use a bit more depth, but given that this is book one of a series, however long it will be, there should be plenty of opportunity in the next book (or the book after that) to get them there, provided they don't die.

The main characters are pretty realistically portrayed. Prince starts out cold and distant but warms up as he grows used to the others. Kei is pretty consistant in his behavior throughou...more

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Apr 02, 2013 G.L. Jackson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Like many fantasy books, Jen Wylie's Broken Aro starts out a little slowly, taking its time building up. The story of a young girl posing as a boy during wartime isn't new (think Mulan), but the protagonist, Aro, has been instructed to do so by her seven protective brothers. When she loses her brothers during a skirmish, she finds herself locked in the hold of a slave ship. The numbers are familiar though, and she finds herself in the protection of another group of men, only a few of whom know (...more

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May 09, 2013 T.L. Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Romantic Fantasy

Broken Aro is the first installment of the new Fantasy Romance series, The Broken Ones by the talented author Jen Wylie. NOTE also that Three Stars here means "I LIKED IT", not "It's mediocre" but that I actually enjoyed reading the book (goodness I hate grade inflation).

I don't often venture into the Fantasy Romance category, and certainly never dove this far to the Romance side of the subgenre, but this series has a very appealing central character, and at least one scene that was remarkably...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Sheri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Broken Aro (Jen Wylie)
Fantasy

Arowyn (Aro) Mason, the only girl in a military family of seven brothers to which she lives with. Her father died two years prior and her mother when she was only four years old. She is a tough girl and one of "the guys". Their home is attacked by enemy armies and she wakes up on a slave ship without her brothers.

As she makes new friends they master a plan to escape the ship and find their way home. Mystical creatures abound and every day is a struggle to survive. Wh...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Richie Earl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was given a free copy by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Overall I think that there is the basis of a good story here. However, this first book in the series has quite a few flaws in my opinion. I like fast paced, action filled adventures. Broken Aro is for the large part slow and devoid of action and excitement. Now it may well be that the subsequent books in the series are action packed and fast paced, but I am unlikely to read them.

I found the style of writing to lack fl...more

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Apr 19, 2013 爱心❤ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amazing. My only problem with this book was that it moved a bit too fast. Sometimes I wasn't quite sure how much time had passed and it was a bit confusing.
The other thing was the prologue. This was not a problem, but it did affect the overall rating, so it could be called a problem. After the prologue, I nearly stopped reading right then and there, but I thought I would give it the rest of the book a chance.Although I somewhat forgot about it and it didn't really affect the rest of the story, t...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Rachael Woohoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book, 2012, 2012-favorites, ebooks-i-own, reviewed, review-copy

This review first appeared @ Moosubi Reviews!

If you know me well enough as a reader, it's no secret that (well-written) fantasy is my favorite genre. I love everything about the genre - the magic, the world, the different characters, the adventure - whatever you can think of! That being said, as a fantasy fan, Broken Aro satisfied my need of a good fantasy read.

Aro is the type of character that I could relate to, in a way. I do have older siblings, although we don't share the same types of relat...more This review first appeared @ Moosubi Reviews!

If you know me well enough as a reader, it's no secret that (well-written) fantasy is my favorite genre. I love everything about the genre - the magic, the world, the different characters, the adventure - whatever you can think of! That being said, as a fantasy fan, Broken Aro satisfied my need of a good fantasy read.

Aro is the type of character that I could relate to, in a way. I do have older siblings, although we don't share the same types of relationships as Aro and her brothers did, but I could understand her feelings of helplessness, and just wanting to break down. Throughout the book, there were times where Aro wasn't the strongest character - in fact, she completely broke down. But that's what made me like her - if she's too strong, she's not believable, and there's no struggle. Eventually, she does become a stronger and promising character, and hopefully throughout the rest of the series, we get to see her character grow even more.

The writing style was fluent and vivid, and immediately sucked me in. Usually in epic fantasy, the action or adventure and fantastical elements are written beautifully, but it's the characters and world building / style that really add to my experience. I felt that the book overall wasn't long enough for the world building to really develop (you already get an idea of how this world works though), but the novel was written in such a way that I was able to read through it quickly, but enjoyably!

As for the romance, there might be a romance brewing, and there's definitely some romantically-tense moments in the book, although I can't exactly see how it would turn out in the end. There's a large emphasis on familial relationships, which I really admired! Hopefully in the next book, this trend will continue ^__^

My only complaint is that the book seemed too short! One of my issues with the plot is that there didn't seem to be largely developed struggles, but part of the reason was that the book itself wasn't very long. The "climax" was a bit anti-climatic too, although there still is a lot of action, and the ending is open-ended. Still, I definitely enjoyed this short read!

Overall, Broken Aro was a quick, enjoyable, and fun fantasy read. I definitely recommend this book to YA Fantasy fans, and even to romance fans, although the romance isn't concrete! I will be reading the next book - hopefully it will be as good as the first (:

Source: Review copy provided by Author(less)

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Making Connection...: ARR # 278 - BROKEN ARO (The Broken Ones #1) by Jen Wylie	1	8	May 18, 2013 01:53pm
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About Jen Wylie

Jennifer Wylie was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.

Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.

Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazi...more

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“He promised he'd never leave me. That we'd be friends forever."
"He was foolish to promise such things,” — 5 people liked it

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