Review + Giveaway: Shattered Souls

Title: Shattered Souls

Author: Mary Lindsey

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin

Publication Date: December 8th, 2011

Source: Purchased by Myself

Rating: 4/5

(Goodreads) 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.

 

My Thoughts:

 

Okay, before reading this book I read a lot of  mixed reviews on it. I saw some people slam the book with extremely low ratings and I saw other people put it on the highest pedestal and claim it was the best book they've ever read. In my case, I found that the book actually surprised me a wee bit.
 
Let's start with the characters. Lenzi, the protagonist, was awful. She was whiny and weak and I swear she cried on almost every page. Zak, her alcoholic boyfriend, was no better. He was annoying and every time I read his name, I wished Lenzi would just tell him to leave. Forever. But of course, she didn't. Did I mention she wasn't the smartest? Alden, Lenzi's protector, I liked. I didn't love him, but I liked him. For the most part he was a gentleman and I enjoyed reading about him, but their were times when I wanted to hit him as well.
 
The plot was not so typical and hasn't been done 10,000 times which is always good. Lenzi is what's called a Speaker, someone who has to help spirits move on to....wherever they go...(Heaven/Hell?) And Alden is her Protector which is pretty much like a guide/guard. I really liked reading about the idea of soul sharing and helping the dead do things that they didn't have the chance to do when they were living.
 
So, I found myself actually really enjoying this book. Sure, the characters weren't the best and they fell in love too fast, but It was fast paced and had a fun story line. The writing was fine, nothing special but nothing terrible, and the concept was very interesting. It was definitely a page-turner for me, despite it's flaws, and I would recommend it to everyone. Which is why I've decided to give away a copy!
 
The Giveaway: An ARC of Shattered Souls
 
The contest will be open for 10 days and everybody will get one free entry. Unfortunately, I am a teenager with no winter job and cannot afford international shipping, making this contest open to the U.S. only :(
 
To gain extra entries, Tweet about the giveaway or mention it somewhere on your blog or Facebook! Please read my Terms & Conditions before entering :)



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