Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
AH-MAZ-ING!! Such a great book, definitely a buy! Is it weird that as hot as Alex is I hope Gemma ends up with Laylen?
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first book in Sorensen's adult version of her Fallen Star series. This is a review for a re-read this book. After I read the sequel, which I enjoyed immensely, I felt the need to re-read this book, because the first time around, I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. Some of the characters felt weird and flat. But the reason why was because I was trying too hard to envision what I would do with the characters in the story rather than just reading the damn book. I liked the concept of a girl without the ability to feel emotion for 20 years, suddenly feeling them, and what that could do to a person.
Gemma is an interesting character. And it makes sense in a way that the primary emotion she feels after she starts to, is anger. The people who raised her along with everybody else she encountered through her life treated her badly. But it was mainly the ones who raised her treating her like they didn't want her around that brings the most cause to feel angry. It also makes sense that the other major emotion she starts to feel is lust, after meeting Alex and Laylen. Two very attractive men who both seem to know her in a way showing interest in her. I'm making this book sounds too much like a sex filled plotless story, and my first read through that is what I thought it was.
Alex, he is a rather mysterious character, he is a Keeper, kind of a guardian of sorts. There is clearly more going on in his mind than we know about at first. And not all is discovered in this book. His final role in this story is still yet to be seen. And his secret connection to Gemma is intriguing. He is definitely battling some inner demons. There is a sort of secondary character, Alex's sister, Aislen. She's a witch, and while she helps out a lot in the story, so far she hasn't really done anything that shows her importance in the book. She mostly uses her magic to transport them.
Now, on to Laylen. He's a vampire, and possibly the sexiest vampire in literature. And the way he became a Vampire is also rather mysterious. And becoming one has made him an outcast among the Keepers. Being a Keeper-turned-Vampire has made him untrustworthy to his former brethren, which has made him understandably a little bitter towards them. And where Alex lied to Gemma about knowing her from childhood, Laylen tells her they used to be friends, and remembers her quite well.
While the group runs from death walkers and try desperately to keep Gemma, the star hidden in her body, Gemma deals with what it's like to have emotions, and her unexplained attraction and draw to Alex. All the lies and secrets she kept from her makes her not want to trust him, but she is physically drawn to him and while her mind keeps telling him no, her body keeps saying yes. Makes for a number of steamy scenes in this book that I'm glad I gave a second chance to. The re-read review for the sequel will be up at a later date.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Review originally published at Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog.
I haven’t read much of Jessica Sorensen’s YA books, but I’m a huge fan of her NA romances, so I decided to pick up Shattered Promises as soon as I heard about it. Shattered Promises is a revamped version of her YA book, Fallen Star, remarketed as New Adult due to sexual content and age.
Shattered Promises is exactly what happens when all of that tension and angst in most other YA paranormal romances is amped up and then finally relieved. While I couldn’t read New Adult paranormal romance all of the time (I mean, holy crap, the main characters are so distracted by their own hormones!), I really enjoyed seeing a paranormal that was so much like YA but with more in terms of the main characters and their hormones, emotions, tension, angst, etc. If YA paranormal romance is your kind of genre, I highly recommend Shattered Promises if you’re ready to see the main characters get to release a little bit of that YA angst we all love so much.
However, I think you have to be in the right mood for Shattered Promises. The main characters do that thing where they lose sight of the actual plot around them and focus too much on each other. Gemma asked a lot of questions, but 50% of the time she was staring at Alex with lustful thoughts instead of listening to answers when the situation TOTALLY calls for listening. Shattered Promises is annoying that regard, so if you’re not in the mood for hormones being distracting, don’t pick it up just yet. Also, it is totally insta-lust, not insta-love, which is weird. And I’m not really sure if there’s a triangle or not. In fact, I hope there is, because I’m rooting for the other guy. He was a little less.. ugh. On another day, this might have been a 2 star book for me. So… fair warning.
The paranormal conflict was extremely interesting. Gemma was completely emotionless her entire life until one random day in college at the age of 21. Emotions hit her suddenly and she felt everything all at once. Her questions about her childhood remained unanswered by her stern and unloving grandparents and her dreams about yellow eyed creatures in the woods and the protection of a gorgeous man weren’t helping her solve anything. After she bumped into the man from her dream, Alex, and his sister, her life got a little more interesting. She figured out her story, who she was, what was out there, and what her place was in a new world with strange creatures she only read about in books. Fallen stars, witches, vampires, angels, and many more creatures resided in the world of Shattered Promises. Gemma was important, someone to protected, even if it meant keeping her in the dark. She didn’t know who she could trust, why she was riddled with emotions, what her electric connection with Alex meant, or how to escape those who were after her.
I will definitely continue the series and I recommend the book under the conditions I explained earlier. I am invested in the story, despite the distractions between Alex and Gemma. I am curious about the direction of the series, where the plot will go, and what will happen between Alex and Gemma. Or Gemma and that other guy…?
I haven’t read much of Jessica Sorensen’s YA books, but I’m a huge fan of her NA romances, so I decided to pick up Shattered Promises as soon as I heard about it. Shattered Promises is a revamped version of her YA book, Fallen Star, remarketed as New Adult due to sexual content and age.
Shattered Promises is exactly what happens when all of that tension and angst in most other YA paranormal romances is amped up and then finally relieved. While I couldn’t read New Adult paranormal romance all of the time (I mean, holy crap, the main characters are so distracted by their own hormones!), I really enjoyed seeing a paranormal that was so much like YA but with more in terms of the main characters and their hormones, emotions, tension, angst, etc. If YA paranormal romance is your kind of genre, I highly recommend Shattered Promises if you’re ready to see the main characters get to release a little bit of that YA angst we all love so much.
However, I think you have to be in the right mood for Shattered Promises. The main characters do that thing where they lose sight of the actual plot around them and focus too much on each other. Gemma asked a lot of questions, but 50% of the time she was staring at Alex with lustful thoughts instead of listening to answers when the situation TOTALLY calls for listening. Shattered Promises is annoying that regard, so if you’re not in the mood for hormones being distracting, don’t pick it up just yet. Also, it is totally insta-lust, not insta-love, which is weird. And I’m not really sure if there’s a triangle or not. In fact, I hope there is, because I’m rooting for the other guy. He was a little less.. ugh. On another day, this might have been a 2 star book for me. So… fair warning.
The paranormal conflict was extremely interesting. Gemma was completely emotionless her entire life until one random day in college at the age of 21. Emotions hit her suddenly and she felt everything all at once. Her questions about her childhood remained unanswered by her stern and unloving grandparents and her dreams about yellow eyed creatures in the woods and the protection of a gorgeous man weren’t helping her solve anything. After she bumped into the man from her dream, Alex, and his sister, her life got a little more interesting. She figured out her story, who she was, what was out there, and what her place was in a new world with strange creatures she only read about in books. Fallen stars, witches, vampires, angels, and many more creatures resided in the world of Shattered Promises. Gemma was important, someone to protected, even if it meant keeping her in the dark. She didn’t know who she could trust, why she was riddled with emotions, what her electric connection with Alex meant, or how to escape those who were after her.
I will definitely continue the series and I recommend the book under the conditions I explained earlier. I am invested in the story, despite the distractions between Alex and Gemma. I am curious about the direction of the series, where the plot will go, and what will happen between Alex and Gemma. Or Gemma and that other guy…?
This book was on the top of my to-read list....I was so excited when I received an ARC copy from Jessica to review!! I fell in love with the Fallen Star series from the moment I picked up the first book and when I heard that Jessica was re-imagining that story line into her new Adult Contemporary style, I was intrigued. I knew I already loved her adult style writing from reading The Secret of Ella and Micha and The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden, so I figured Shattered Promises with Gemma, Alex, and Laylen would be a homerun; which it totally was!! :)
I know I've seen reviews saying how it is the same story, which hello, RE-IMAGINING, of course it's going to be similar, but as an avid Jessica reader and fan, the differences out weigh the similarities. The story is written in a whole new perspective of similar situations, but not exactly the same. The characters are older and a lot steamier, which I adore and have been waiting to see since the Fallen Star series ended!! It made me fall in love with them all over again!! I love that you do not have to read the Fallen Star or the first series to know what is going on in this book. Shattered Promises starts right in the beginning, so you do not need any prior background information to enjoy. The Fallen Star series is for a much younger audience and as you know I will recommend it to anyone to read, but it is not necessary to read before Shattered Promises. Also, the other books The Underworld, The Vision, and The Promise will not help you to figure out what is going to happen next in the Shattered Promises series. As stated before, those books are towards a younger set of readers and Shattered Promises has different situations taking place.
Another thing I love about this book is that Jessica has added flashbacks, sometimes in the start of chapters and sometimes within the chapter, from Gemma which give the read snippets of what's to come. I really enjoyed these parts because it kept me guessing throughout the story. I am in love with this book, if you haven't already noticed, as well as all of Jessica's fantastic stories. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the series. I really hope she gives Laylen some more time coming up. I totally fell in love with him more this time around and he was only in a short section.
This book also shows just how versatile a writer Jessica is. She can take an entire series that she has already written and turn it completely around into an entire new story. She is amazing!! As long as she keeps writing, I'll keep reading and review!! So I totally give this book a 5 star rating for allowing me to enjoy my favorite characters all grown up ;) Thank you Jessica for sharing your amazing talent with me over and over again!! :)
I know I've seen reviews saying how it is the same story, which hello, RE-IMAGINING, of course it's going to be similar, but as an avid Jessica reader and fan, the differences out weigh the similarities. The story is written in a whole new perspective of similar situations, but not exactly the same. The characters are older and a lot steamier, which I adore and have been waiting to see since the Fallen Star series ended!! It made me fall in love with them all over again!! I love that you do not have to read the Fallen Star or the first series to know what is going on in this book. Shattered Promises starts right in the beginning, so you do not need any prior background information to enjoy. The Fallen Star series is for a much younger audience and as you know I will recommend it to anyone to read, but it is not necessary to read before Shattered Promises. Also, the other books The Underworld, The Vision, and The Promise will not help you to figure out what is going to happen next in the Shattered Promises series. As stated before, those books are towards a younger set of readers and Shattered Promises has different situations taking place.
Another thing I love about this book is that Jessica has added flashbacks, sometimes in the start of chapters and sometimes within the chapter, from Gemma which give the read snippets of what's to come. I really enjoyed these parts because it kept me guessing throughout the story. I am in love with this book, if you haven't already noticed, as well as all of Jessica's fantastic stories. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the series. I really hope she gives Laylen some more time coming up. I totally fell in love with him more this time around and he was only in a short section.
This book also shows just how versatile a writer Jessica is. She can take an entire series that she has already written and turn it completely around into an entire new story. She is amazing!! As long as she keeps writing, I'll keep reading and review!! So I totally give this book a 5 star rating for allowing me to enjoy my favorite characters all grown up ;) Thank you Jessica for sharing your amazing talent with me over and over again!! :)
I still liked The Fallen Star better. There seemed to be some things missing from this book, that I only knew from having previously read The Fallen Star, even though you supposedly didnt have to read The Fallen Star to know what was going on. The details of everything that wasn't sexual were very vague, and we kind of had to assume things. Like how one would actually be turned into a vampire, which isn't how other stories would portray it to happen. Also, even though Alex and Gemma only actually "went there" one time in the whole book, she is still a hoe in this. She wants Alex AND Laylen, and it's kind of gross. One minute she's pawing all over Alex, the next she wants to be bitten by Laylen.. I did like this book, but there were just some minor details (which I can't even think of at this moment since it's almost 3am) that I was unhappy with. And with that I leave this book with a ★★★☆☆ rating. Hopefully Fractured Souls will clear some things up for those who decided to skip out on The Fallen Star series.
3.5 stars. I'm actually surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. I really enjoy the authors writing style,I love several of her other books, but I have never been big into the paranormal book genre. Obviously, it helps there is the romance factor ;) in a weird way, this book reminded me of the tv show, True Blood and I LOVE True Blood. This book definitely kept my interest and I will definitely be reading the2nd book...hate we have to wait until June! My biggest hope for book 2 is to find out what happened with Laylen at the end and learn more about him!
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
I'm torn. I LOVE the new adult genre, so I was excited to hear that Jessica Sorensen had re-written her book The Fallen Star as a new adult novel. I read The Fallen Star last month and really enjoyed it. With Shattered Promises, something didn't quite sizzle for me. I almost felt like the YA version was more sensual and there was more of a connection between Alex and Gemma.
I also was a little confused - a LOT more is revealed in this version an in TFS.
Nevertheless, I will still be reading the second book to see where this is going! (And because I already bought it before I read this!)
I also was a little confused - a LOT more is revealed in this version an in TFS.
Nevertheless, I will still be reading the second book to see where this is going! (And because I already bought it before I read this!)