Book Recap: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Cover Inspection:
I love this cover. I think that the rose petals gown added a very dramatic touch.

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):
A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger
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.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.5
Plot	3.0
Writing	3.0
Characters	3.0
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.0 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
Modern day Galveston. Then moved back to Houston.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
The main character is Lenzi. Her father was schizophrenic; he heard voices. And now, Lenzi is scared because she is also hearing voices now. Little does she know that it has little to do with schizophrenia. Lenzi has a boyfriend named Zak.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
Lenzi was in school when she heard the voices. She was in the bathroom when she heard a someone asking her for help. When she visted her father's grave, she met a guy that she thought was merely a product of her imagination. But the guy is very real. His name is Alden, and claims that she is meant to help lost souls and that he is her protector from souls that wish to invade or occupy her body. But Lenzi is not up for it and is in denial. She just wants to be "normal" with her boyfriend Zak.

LOVE:
The book has its slow parts, but there are also some parts that will have you glued to the book. The last few chapters were really fast paced. The action and the romance is also amazing. I thought that there will be a love triangle in this book, but upon reading it, there really ins't one. The book is fairly easy to read, using simple words that do not complicate even more the already complicated story. I also like the parts when Alden and Lenzi do a soul share. They are not really having sex, but it is so intimate that it can be interpreted as exactly that. The book also has scary parts. This book is about possession and souls, I had to stop reading as it got ubercreepy.

NO LOVE:
I did not like the fact that Lenzi relied on her pills even after receiving proof that she is not crazy. Then again, one would probably do the same given the circumstances. I also have some questions regarding the reincarnation part. The speaker-protector thing is interesting, but for me, there was no sufficient explanation for this. I want more history and background as to how Lenzi became a speaker and Alden her protector.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
My favorite character is Alden. From the first time he appears in the story, one would instantly feel his devotion to Lenzi and their cause. There were times when Lenzi treated him like trash, but he continued loving her despite this.

FAVORITE LINE / SCENE:

He took a deep breath through his nose. “The house smells like you.”
I put my hands on my hips. “What does that mean?”
“You have a distinctive smell. I’ve known you so long, I’d recognize it anywhere.”
That was one step too far over the perv line. “Okay, I’ve heard enough.”
“No, calm down. It’s a compliment. You smell good. I’m not being weird. It’s part of the Protector-Speaker thing. Sorry.” He plopped down on the sofa. “Please sit down,” he said, patting the cushion next to him.
I strode to a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table and sat.
“No. It will be hard for us to do it in that chair. The sofa will work much better.”
I stood. “That’s it. We’re done.”
“Whoa. Okay. You stay over there, and I’ll stay here. I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about keeping you alive.” He leaned forward, voice quiet and calm. “I want you to share your body with my soul, nothing else.” Those strange eyes of his were mesmerizing. “Please. Let me show you, then all of this will make sense.” He stood and held his hand out to me. “If you touch me, it will be easier. It’s . . . uncomfortable without contact.”
I put my hand in his. “Let’s get this over with, Ghost Boy.”

MUSINGS:
Okay, in this book, there is a command that will cause a soul to move out from the body. That word is "out." I think it's a bit silly and funny. Also, Alden and Lenzi's relationship is rather complicated. It cannot be denied that Alden is attracted to Lenzi and Lenzi to Alden. For this reason, the sexual tension between the two is just delicious! There were parts in the book when Lenzi just want to jump Alden's bones, but Alden kept refusing her! I found it funny actually.There is also a "master-minion" thing in this book - Alden as Lenzi's servant. I found it strange for some reason. I can't comprehend how they could have have a true relationship when one considers the other a mere servant? But all in all, the story was engaging, and if you're a fan of ghosts and a sweet love story, then this book is for you.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:
Mary Lindsay

SIMILAR READS:
Possess by Gretchen McNeill
Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett

CONTENT REVIEW:
profanity: mild - moderate
violence: moderate
sexual content: mild - moderate
mature themes: moderate (drinking)
age recommendation: 13+