Sinamen Reads Romance: BOOK REVIEW ❤ Shattered Blue by Lauren Bird Horowitz

TITLE: Shattered Blue

SERIES: The Light Trilogy #1

AUTHOR: Lauren Bird Horowitz

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy

SOURCE: Netgalley

PUBLISHED: September 15th 2015

For Noa and Callum, being together is dangerous, even deadly. From the start, sixteen-year-old Noa senses that the mysterious transfer student to her Monterey boarding school is different. Callum unnerves and intrigues her, and even as she struggles through family tragedy, she’s irresistibly drawn to him. Soon they are bound by his deepest secret: Callum is Fae, banished from another world after a loss hauntingly similar to her own.

But in Noa’s world, Callum needs a special human energy, Light, to survive; his body steals it through touch—or a kiss. And Callum’s not the only Fae on the hunt. When Callum is taken, Noa must decide: Will she sacrifice everything to save him? Even if it means learning their love may not be what she thought?

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Shattered Blue is the debut novel by Lauren Bird Horowitz and one that I enjoyed. The book is geared toward teens that enjoy science fiction and romance with a little paranormal twist. Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down. The author’s imaginative writing and storytelling pulled me in and held my attention from the first sentence to the last. Shattered Blue is a well-written novel that delves into the life of a sixteen-year girl dealing with the guilt of her sister's death and the impact it has on her family. Then throw in the girl falling in love for the first time, magic, and an alternate universe, you then have the makings of an exciting story.

I loved the book cover, it is stunning and drew my interest in Shattered Blue. I love the imagery and the colors especially. It gives a glimpse of the story between the covers; A girl being pulled into a world she may not be ready to face. If the subsequent covers are anything like this, I will surely pick up the other books.

I liked Noa as a heroine. She is a strong character that is dealing with absent parents that are still grieving the death of their oldest daughter. They are a tad bit neglectful leaving Noa to care for Sasha, her seven-year-old sister. I loved Sasha. She is one of my favorite characters. Her presence kept Noa from losing herself to her guilt and grief.

Like all three-year-olds, Sasha was mercurial, but more volcanic than most. Noa loved Sasha’s special intensity—the joy in her laugh, the swell of her hope, the rush of her love—but not her explosions.

Shattered Blue takes place on Earth, but much of the story grounded in the events in Aurora, The Faery Relm. Horowitz gives a fresh twist to the mythical world of faery. Here that Fae’s color determines the kind of magic that they wield. Callum gives just enough information about the politics of Aurora that you can’t wait to visit the realm.

“I already told you about the Color Fae. Blue Fae like me manipulate the physical, Green Fae the emotional, and Red Fae the psychological. But there’s another Colorline of Fae—Clear Fae.”

Usually, love triangles are messy but in Shattered Blue it’s not. Noa and Callum’s feelings seem like insta-love. He’s the new guy at school, and all the girls want his attention. He does the-the whole you should stay away from me; I’m not good for you thing which only intrigues Noa more. They eventually go on a date and the BAM!!! LOVE!!!! I know that’s bad, but the good arrives in the form of Callum’s brother Judah, the reason Callum is banished to the earth realm. Judah is the epitome of a bad boy, he’s rebellious, troubled, broody, and he isn’t afraid to take risks with other people’s lives. I’m in insta-love with him. But because he’s Callum's Brother he’s off limits to Noa or is he?

I didn’t like the insta-love between Callum and Noa. I mentioned it earlier but because it's a HUGE no-no for me, I'm stating it again. There was some attraction between two when they initially met, to fall in love after one date was too much. It wasn't the same for Callum, and if you read the book, you'll know why.

Initially, I liked Callum but as the story continued, I wasn’t sure if he was the hero or the villain. There were times where he told half-truths, and some were outright lies. But these were central to the overall plot. At the end of the book, I wasn’t sure if I liked him or hated him but I am certain that he does not belong with Noa.

Shattered Blue is an enjoyable story, I liked the plot twists and how unpredictable the ending is. The book does end on a cliffhanger but in such a way we are guaranteed a trip to Aurora in the next book. I will note that the story is slow to start but once it picks up you will be glued to the pages. I would recommend Shattered Blue to readers of Young Adult, Teen Fiction and those that enjoy Paranormal Romance. If you are also looking for a book outside of your usual genre that will hold your interest then this is just the story for you.