REVIEW: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

 

Author: Mary Lindsey

Pages: 336

Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin

Amazon: Shattered Souls

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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.

REVIEW: 4 out of 5 stars

When Lenzi starts to hear voices and has strange visions she thinks she is going crazy just like her father but not as crazy as a boy she meets in the cemetery who claims she is a reincarnated Speaker, someone able to communicate with lost souls and is able to help them pass over and he is her protector and has been for a number of centuries.

Alden, also known as Ghost boy to Lenzi has been in the role of Protector for a long time and has been waiting over a century for Lenzi’s rebirth; he is surprised that during this cycle she has no recollection of her past and is quite reluctant to believe in her destiny despite what he has told her.

Lenzi has to learn everything from scratch, she has no idea what she is doing and is quite spooked and terrified by her newfound ability; not only is she having to deal with the spirits but there is more at stake when a long time malevolent, a dangerous soul sets out to try to kill Lenzi or Rose as she was previously known for a past betrayal, it is Alden’s job to prevent this from happening.

Lenzi took a while for me to get used to, I wasn’t a big fan of her cynicism and negativity initially but as she gradually accepted her purpose she became more tolerable and I eventually quite liked her. I wasn’t a big fan of her boyfriend Zak, he seemed emotionally unstable and I pretty much guessed half way through what would happen with him.

Alden was a real sweetheart! I loved his attachment to Lenzi as well as his tolerance, she would have driven me batty but he was patient with his teachings although at times held too much back. I am pleased with how their relationship progressed.

The world of the Protectors and Speakers had me fascinated and intrigued, their history and purpose was explained perfectly, I enjoyed the fact that Lenzi/Rose and Alden have reincarnated together throughout time. Ms Lindsey has certainly come up with an interesting concept.

Shattered Souls is a captivating, emotional at times and romantic debut with fantastic world-building, Ms Lindsey’s writing was entertaining and enjoyable and the plot fascinating and unique. I truly hope there is a follow-up, it’s a story that I would love turned into a series.