Shattered Souls

Lenzi hears voices. She also sees visions--gravestones, floods, a gorgeous guy with steel gray eyes. She knows she must be going crazy, just like her dad did. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't do anything to help, and the voices just keep getting louder, the visions more intense. But when Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, everything makes sense.

Sort of.

He tells Lenzi that she's a reincarnated Speaker--someone who can talk to lost souls and help them move on--and that he has been her Protector for centuries. But instead of embracing her abilities, Lenzi struggles between her life as the girlfriend of a sexy musician and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. Yet time is running out; a malevolent spirit has been trying to destroy Lenzi for ages, and he will surely kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Her choices are clear: Destiny or normalcy. Alden or Zak. Life or death. (Goodreads)

This book was sent to me by the publisher. Thank you for an enjoyable read!

What I liked:

I liked the reincarnation aspect of the book and found it interesting that Lenzi/Rose struggled to remember her past. As a Speaker (to the dead) she has lived over and over helping earthbound souls resolve their issues and move on. The tension between Zak and Alden, Lenzi's Protector, was also good. On several occasions, you just weren't sure if she was going to stay with Zak, who had some serious bad boy tendencies, or end up with Alden, who she has loved for centuries. (Even if she didn't remember it.)

Living in Texas, I also enjoyed references to Galveston and Houston. Some of the areas were familiar, others not. It did give me a feeling of home and history, as the story flashed from present to the past.  Excellent!

What I didn't:

Sometimes it felt that the story slowed a bit when Lenzi was deciding what direction to go with her life. This can happen with teen scenarios, so it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book.

Overall impression:

I thought Shattered Souls was a great book and I look forward to seeing more of Lenzi and Alden. They are a great pair. The plot works. The background of the story was good and the Texas Gulf Coast history added a valuable aspect to the story. The characters have snap and it kept me guessing until the last page. I like that in a book. When it was over, I sighed.

And lastly, a word for my wonderful friend and the author of this novel. Great job!!! Mary has been a mentor and friend for several years and I treasure her friendship. She has a passion for writing and I am so proud of her! From the first time she shared her work with me, I joked with her that I would be seeing her work on my bookshelf one day. I wasn't kidding.

If you would like to know more about Mary Lindsey, please visit her on Goodreads and at her website:

http://www.marylindsey.com/