by Mary Lindsey
Hardcover
336 pages
Published December 8th 2011
by Philomel/Penguin
Summary:
Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.
Thoughts:
I have a soft spot for ghost stories. Well, not really. After reading Anna Dressed in Blood and Hereafter last year, I have come to a conclusion. Ghost stories can be very cool and I would be totally blown away by it or it can just be that so-so read.
Shattered Souls is kind of like Hereafter for me. The beginning is painfully slow as we delved into Lenzi's tortured existence. For once, the characters are very flawed. Lenzi thinks she has schizophrenia like her deceased father and her boyfriend; Zak is going through tough times himself after he was thrown out by his mum.
Things got interesting when Alden arrived. He's everything Zak is not. Thoughtful, caring and understanding, Alden took Lenzi under his wings.
Dislikes
I guess I'm not a very patient reader. I don't really like to wait until halfway through the book to find out what really is going on here. Yes, after Lenzi finally embraced her true destiny and starts helping ghosts is when things picked up. But before that. Not so much. Her relationship with Zak is so not healthy. Zak is dangerous when he's drunk and Lenzi is afraid that she'll be lonely if she broke up with him. This feels so creepy.
Likes
Thank god for Alden! He's so nice and kind and patient and smart (swoon). Lenzi a.k.a Rose finally becoming the gifted Speaker is all his doing. I mean..you really have to be so patient to put up with a confused girl. Or a girl who thinks she's schizophrenia. Poor girl. She's been through a lot.
So much happened in the last few chapters and the ending is very touching. Gosh, I nearly cried. So I guess it is worth it after all to read this although I had a hard time trying to get into the story at first.
Recommended for: fans of Hereafter
Verdict: 3 stars.
In my TBR Pile & Dusty Bookshelf Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
In my TBR Pile & Dusty Bookshelf Reading Challenge
Available on: Amazon
I've seen the book around, but this is the first review I have read. Is it part of a series? I am quickly getting tired of series.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I hear ya! There's no in-between for ghost fiction. It's either kickass or so-so. This one sounds more like the later. Thanks for the review. :)
ReplyDeletecarmel[at]rabidreads[dot]com
Hello, I love the cover, I read that if or if. Almost gives me something that you say about Alden. Thanks for the input.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day
I hate books where a A ROMANTIC INTEREST has to rescue the protagonist from their significant other, I think this is something you have to do on your own.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise I love the cover and am probably going to read this anyways.
Well according to the Goodreads blurb this is not a series but the ending is so weird and sort of cliffhanger-ish. I'm tired of series too. Why can't they just write a whole book and be done with it.LOL.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Anna Dressed in Blood is a great ghost story. I still haven't read Hereafter, but I plan to start soon. This book seems interesting, but i'm not looking forward to the slow beginning you mentioned. I enjoy reading a good ghost story.
ReplyDelete