This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Becky Villareal was born in Dallas, Texas in 1954 to Missionary parents who traveled throughout the Southwest. Through her experiences as a child, she has learned the benefit of being multicultural in a diverse society. She loves working on her family history and incorporating her experiences into her writing.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Broken Branches is a coming of age novella for young adults written by Becky Lee Villareal. Sarafina had big dreams. She loved to write, and Ms. Olivares seemed to think she could be a great writer with the proper education and training. Sarafina wanted this future so very badly. She wanted to be able to take care of her mom who had struggled to support her and her abuela. When Ms. Olivares introduced the genealogy project and suggested that it would be a good addition to her portfolio for admission to the Towngate Magnet School, Sarafina was determined to finally persuade her mom to tell her about her dad and his family. She knew and loved the stories her mom had told her about the Garcia family and their ancestor who had been a Viceroy and then a President, but whenever she asked about her father, her mother would only say that he was dead.
Becky Lee Villareal’s coming of age novella for young adults, The Broken Branches, is a beautifully written and moving story about a young woman’s search for her identity. I was transfixed as Sarafina slowly and carefully recovers the broken branches of her family tree in her research for a school project that takes on a much deeper dimension for her and her mom. I loved following her genealogical research and seeing how her and her mom interact with Nicole, a former classmate, who helps Sarafina see her home and straitened circumstances through different eyes. Becky Lee Villareal’s characters are compelling and credible, and her plot works quite well. The Broken Branches is most highly recommended.
