Author: Sarah Fine
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands #2
Pages: 357
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Horror
Date Published: October 29th, 2013
Publisher: Skyscape
Format Read: ARC
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Summary:
In the week since Lela
returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her
second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings
of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only
one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living.
Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.
As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?
Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.
As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?
-Goodreads
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My Thoughts:
Just as a warning: this review may contain Sanctum spoilers...
My mind is still reeling. I'm not sure how to feel about what I just read and yet I can tell you that I loved it. 100% LOVED IT! Fractured is one of the strongest "middle books" that I've ever read. It keeps you connected to the characters that you already love and introduces some awesome new ones at the same time. Seriously, I want to give Fine some mad props for writing the things that happened in this book, even if I wanted to throw it across the room when I was done with it. That ending... and that beginning and that middle, but really that ending. I wish I could tell you, but I can't! I also wish I could read the 3rd book right now. I need to know all the things and mend my heart...
Sanctum was my favorite read of last year and so needless to say I couldn't wait to dig into Fractured and I wasn't disappointed, not even a little bit. I wondered how Fine was going to keep the tension going this time around. The first book takes place behind The Suicide Gates, which was a terrifying world straight out of Fine's imagination. Fractured comes at you from the normal American city of Rhode Island. There were so many things that could have gone wrong, but Fine showed us a Rhode Island that was just as heart-poundingly scary as the dark world she created previously. I honestly don't know which setting freaked me out more and that speaks volumes about Fine's story telling. She wraps menacing details into real world happenings in a way that makes you glance over your shoulder to make sure no one is there.
There is something about the emotional place that all of the characters in Fractured are in that keeps you on edge. They are all mourning someone and it's a brilliant plot tool. It makes the moments of happiness extremely happy and yet bittersweet and the other moments just make you wanna curl up in a ball and cry till you have no more tears left in your body. Even though Nadia (the whole reason for Lela going into The Suicide Gates to begin with) isn't there in the flesh, she still has a place in the book and I really appreciated that.
Oh gosh, it was so good to hang out with Lela and Malachi again. There are a lot of feels for these two in my soul. Both as individuals and as a couple. Fine continues to build their characters and flesh them out even more this time around. I didn't know that was possible, but apparently it is! Putting Lela in a position of power really worked for her and also added a touch of something a little harder to her vulnerable side. She is a brilliant character!
And the new characters were awesome as well. We got a good mix of Guards and normal teenage persons. Henry and Jim add so much to the story. Jim's cockiness and nativity was a really cool mixture and Henry was a loyal Guard under Lela's command. And then we got Tegan and Ian. I have to admit that as much as I love me some Malachi, Ian was an awesome character and I could see him with Lela too. (No there isn't really a love triangle, don't worry) It was also nice to see Lela interacting with a girly girl. I felt like we got to see what her relationship with Nadia was like once she and Tegan started to become friends. Once again, clever story telling at it's best!
So can you tell that I have nothing bad to say about this book? It even had kick ass gadgets and legit, high action, fight scenes. Oh and Angels and the creepiest villains ever. Honestly, if the Mazikin don't scare the crap out of you, then you just might be one yourself. I highly suggest this series to everyone. I really don't know why everyone on the planet isn't talking about it? Read these books! Snag the first one and pre-order Fractured, trust me, you're gonna wanna pick it up as soon as you've read Sanctum!
Rating:
5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this now! Or on the 29th!
3 comments:
Can I just start by saying that I agree with EVERYTHING you just said? :) SERIOUSLY EVERYTHING. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about the setting change too but that was probably unnecessary because when I break down what I love about his book, the setting gets overshadowed by the characters and the writing. I freaking love Lela. She is one of the most kickass chicks ever. And even when Malachi was being a big stupid face, she kept her head. Lela for the win. But omg the two of them together, I am not sure I love any other fictional couple more. The middle of the book broke my heart even though I knew it would HAVE to be mended. And when it was, it was so beautiful!!! But I did like Ian too. See what I meant when I said you'd like him even more by the end? Such a gentleman. GOD THE WRITING. Those fight scenes were ridiculous. And never once was there a dull moment! This book was so suspenseful and awesome and I JUST FELT SO MUCH. Ok I am writing a small novel here but I just think this series is so great and the last book is already my most anticipated 2014 release. I don't know how to get more people to read this book but for their sake I hope they do because they are missing out. Wonderful review, as always :) Yay fangirling. (sorry for any grammatical errors)
I bought this book and Sanctum because of your rave review (they were a Kindle Daily deal, so I got them both at a great price to!) I'm glad this one holds up to the first book.
Great review, even if I had to skip parts to not spoil the first book :)
Really, there's no love triangle? Because I wanna keep reading this series but if there's a love triangle, I can't! :((
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