REVIEW: Fractured Soul

When I happened upon Fractured Light, the first book in this incredible series, I was floored. It was a book so many people were unfamiliar with, but a book I found haunting, tragic and beautiful all at the same time. When I was given the option to review the sequel, Fractured Soul, I jumped at the chance. I was more then ready to return to Llona and Christian's world of Auras, Guardians, Furies, Vykens and more!

Fractured Soul begins not long after Fractured Light ends. Llona and May have made their way to Lucent Academy, where Llona will learn what it really means to be an Aura and May will get to explore her explosive Fury side. While Aura's are supposed to be calming, beautiful souls that bring light to a dark world. They aren't supposed to use their power to fight. But Llona has used her power to fight and survive once, and she knows that the light she feels everywhere can be used for beauty and for protection. And, when Lucent is suddenly threatened, Llona must choose to go against her training and the way she is "supposed" to be to save the people around her.

Along the way, Llona has to fight a darkness growing within her and learn how to navigate the tricky world of a school full of people who are all just as special as she is. Llona's internal and external battles are interlinked. If she can defeat one, she may be able to defeat them both. Facing the darkness means coming clean to Christian, her boyfriend turned Guardian turned boyfriend, and with her closest friends at Lucent. How they react to who she is - and what she's becoming - is what shapes the second half of this stunning second part of Llona's story.

Author Rachel McClellan manages to weave a world of mystic and magic directly into our world. There is so much of the "normal" high school experience in Fractured Soul that you can almost forget that it is a book about an extraordinary girl - almost. Llona is a strong young woman, unsure of what is happening to her, but committed to risking her very life to right the wrongs she sees and experiences. With a host of new species and characters, Fractured Soul is a deeper look into Llona's world, which could just as easily be your world. Llona's voice has grown considerably from the first book, but it is just as authentic. She is a woman who knows what her power can do, and she knows how far she will push herself to save her friends - to the very end if needed. What she may not be prepared for is just how far her friends will push themselves to help save her.

Fractured Soul was a fast-paced, lovely read. There is barely room to catch your breath. Unlike some other middle books in a series, Fractured Soul pushes straight into more characters, more action and more life. This is not just a book that exists to set up the final book; it is a powerful story in and of itself. Complete with an unexpected, emotional end, Fractured Soul sets up the rest of Llona's story without sacrificing characters or the story.

If you haven't picked up Fractured Light or Fractured Soul, they can both be found at Amazon.com or at Rachel's website.