My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genres: YA Fantasy, YA Fiction, YA Romance, YA Contemporary, Fantasy Romance, Clean Fantasy, Contemporary Romance, Clean Romance, Contemporary Fantasy |
Blurb:
Emma’s life went from tragedy to tragedy, like bees fly from flower to flower.
Not only were her parents murdered before her eyes, her best friend was beaten, the boy she loved had his soul taken, but she also had to come to terms with her new identity as a princess from a planet where peoples’ souls actually sing. But Emma’s newest problem—how to save the boy she loved before there was nothing left to save—felt entirely impossible to overcome.
Yes, it is a lot for any teenager to deal with. If she had her Shad, not the soulless boy who looked like him at her side, she knew nothing would be too much for her to handle. However, when Cadian shows up at her school, Emma adds him to her lengthy list of problems. She tries to keep away from him, but with Shad’s melody inside of Cadian, it makes everything more complicated. The hatred she harbors for him starts to change. Is he playing a game? Or is it possible that when he has a soul, he isn't as evil as she once believed him to be?
Emma knows that time is running out for Shad. Forced to go against everything she holds dear, to get closer to the one person she hates more than anyone, she is determined to steal back Shad’s soul. Shad is worth any risk, any pain that she will have to endure.
She will save him, no matter the cost.
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“You don’t need darkness to be strong. Darkness doesn’t have the power to create light, but you do.”
Seeing as this is the sequel to The Heir, I'm not going to say too much (which is hard, because I talk a lot) about the book because of those sneaky little things called SPOILERS. I will say, however, that I loved Shattered Heir even MORE than the first book! It picked up right where The Heir left off, which was SO nice—I'm glad there wasn't any kind of major time skip between the books. But. Y'all. Shad not having his soul and watching Emma suffer while trying to save him was just straight up heart-wrenching. I could feel her pain throughout the story as she clung to whatever hope she had left. 😭😭
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| oh look, it's me |
And maybe this wrong, but I loved how Cadian's role in the book complicated things. Even though he's considered the "bad guy," it was interesting to see how he complicated Emma's plans in a way she wasn't necessarily expecting. Cadian just had me feeling TORN, y'all! His character had such a dark backstory that brokeeee my heart, but I also know that he handled a lot of things wrong. Dangggg, this is so hard to do without spoilers, lol! Just know that Cadian is a very complex character, and I would really love for him to have some kind of redemption.
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| and that's the tea |
If you thought I was going to write this review and NOT mention my boy, Ryker...you're crazy. Although in some ways it felt like Ryker took a backseat in the book, there DEFINITELY was a lot of MAJOR stuff that happened involving him (and Emma, of course). Stuff that I can't tell you because...SPOILERS. Sighs. Let's just say that I'm still #TeamRyker. I do love Shad though, and Cade managed to snag my attention, but it's Ryker. He's my main dude, lol. Swooning was never optional.
GIVE ME ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS!
“I vow to be yours. I am yours until my last breath and beyond, wherever that takes us.” He kissed my cheek and lingered so close to my lips that I turned, thoughts swirling inside of my brain, wishing I could kiss him again.
📖
I awoke with my head against Ryker’s chest. I knew it was him because of the warmth radiating from him. I swear, he was a human-alien heating pad or something.
“You awake there, princess?” he asked as he brushed my cheek.
Note: MY HEART CAN’T TAKE IT
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“I wanted you to know, Emma, that even on the darkest days, when the sky cries and the clouds barricade the sunlight, that there is still light—that in the darkness, there are pieces—rays of light, and we only have to search for them, and then they light up our souls.”
Note: BEAUTIFUL
📖
“How long exactly do you plan on staring at me there, birthday girl?” His eyes were still closed, and I folded my arms across my chest, trying to maintain the happy feelings from my dream of Shad, and not on unpleasant birthday things.
Note: This. Boy.
📖
“Em—” I heard the desperate plea and moved to the small window in the metal door. I peered out, and I saw the golden curls and blue eyes of my best friend, my knight. “Thank the ancients. Emma, I swear, if you weren't in here—”
Ryker is just...I can't...
📖
I reached in and pulled out a golden bracelet. There was a small charm on it, and I moved it closer to my face so that I could see it better.
“It's a knight,” Ryker whispered in my ear, and I saw it then, a small intricate golden carving of a knight.
📖
“My light,” he whispered against my skin. “You are my light."
📖
“I will always be here for you; I am not going anywhere. I will always be whatever you need.”
Note: THIS IS WHAT I NEEDDDD This is what SHE needssss
📖
“You are light—You chase away the darkness,” he whispered, his breath on my neck.
📖
“It seems that I have a song, and I can not leave, not without it. I am sure you understand, knight, when love is involved, eh?”
Note: 👀👀👀
📖
“He is here for you now, for your melody, isn't he?” he asked, looking up at me with pain in his soulless, black eyes.
How could he still give me these looks? Still look so much like the Shad I love? Because he is still Shad, just without a melody, I reminded myself.
📖
“If I kiss you once, I am not sure I can stop, Em,” he said as I moved away. He buried his hands in my hair and tucked my head under his chin.
Note: Rykerrrrr. RYKERRRR.
Like always, I have sooooo many other highlights...but I can't share them with y'all without spoiling EVERYTHING. So read the series!!!!!
As far as content goes: No language! Intimate/passionate moments diddddd occur, the romance/attraction between the characters was definitely strong, and there was more making out in this book compared to the first book...but nothing beyond that (well, except for a guy—I refuseeee to say who—taking his shirt off). Grief, anxiety, depression, bitterness, and anger are some of the major feelings that are experienced and talked about. I personally wasn't triggered by any of this, but other readers might be...so please take that into consideration. There was a darker side to the souls/melodies concept (darker than the first book), but nothing too dark.
I really loved how this book focused more on the dark and light side of Terra's magic, as well as the dark and light side of several different characters. The biggest takeaway I got from the book, was the overall message that we can either let darkness overcome us...thinking we're more powerful from it (although it'll actually just weaken us) or we can cling to lightness...and truly become powerful from it as we thrive and let go of anger and bitterness.
All this to say, I'm even moreeeee excited for Cade's novella andddd THE FINAL BOOKKKKKK!!
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