The time I reveiwed a book -- 3

I read Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey right when it came out and was instantly in love with the story.  I was one of the people who were absolutely thrilled to see that there was going to be a companion novel.  And then Mary messaged me asking me if I wanted an arc in exchange for a review.  My answer was something along the lines of:

Before my attempt at a proper review, let's check out the book!

Title: Fragile Spirits [Souls #2]

Author: Mary Lindsey

Published: January 23, 2014

Publisher: Philomel/Penguin

Pages: 320 

Synopsis: Paul has always known he was a Protector, fated to serve a Speaker who could hear the voices of spirits lingering after death and help those souls find peace.

Vivienne ignores the voices of the dead.

Paul has always followed the Protector’s rule book, preparing diligently for the day when he’d be matched with his Speaker and fulfill his destiny.

Vivienne never does what she’s told.

So when Paul is matched with Vivienne, they both find the pairing less than satisfactory. But a kidnapping, a malevolent spirit and power stronger than both of them may just prove that they are two halves of the same whole.

In a stunning story about the beauty of fate and the power of secrets, Mary Lindsey returns to the world of Shattered Souls with a breathtaking thrill-ride of a novel.

**Thanks to my prancy PA, Christina, from The Book Hookup, for letting me steal borrow her review format!**

Rating & First Reaction:

4.5 stars.  The first thing that I noticed right off the bat is that this is not a continuation of Lenzi & Alden's story. Yes, they are in the story, but as secondary characters. If you're going into Fragile Spirits looking for all Lenzi & Alden all the time, you won't find it.

Fragile Spirits tells the story of two people who are fairly new to the Intercessor Council as they try to find their way around their new roles in a working relationship together. And it's a fantastic ride.

MCs:

Paul: He is a straight-laced, by-the-book kind of guy. He's been around the IC for a while and it shows. I loved the loyalty that just shined out of Paul in all of his actions.  His quiet watchfulness starts to fall away and the growth of his character was enjoyable to read.  As the book progresses, we get to see quite a few sides to Paul, yet his overall goal to be a Protector remains intact.

Vivienne: She is Paul's exact opposite.  She's outspoken, brash, a little volatile, insanely smart, and has awesome hot pink hair. I instantly fell in love with her sass, snark and banter with nearly every character in the book.  Vivienne is used to being on her own, so when she starts to trust the group she works with, it electrifies her. She is sort of forced into her role as a Speaker, but it becomes clear that she's really good at it [in a sort of unconventional way].

And the swoons? They come from Vivienne:

"I wonder what your lips feel like"

"Can I ride with you? .... I'd rather be with you than anyone."

Secondary Characters:

Race: He is snarky and provides a bit of comic relief when it's really needed. He is fiercely dedicated to the IC and his family of Speakers and Protectors.  Race is a lot of fun, but I feel like we haven't even scratched the surface of his character. I would have loved to see more of him. 

Lenzi & Alden: It was awesome to see them again, even as secondary characters.  They have some great scenes [and one that is just so heartbreaking], as well as provide a great Speaker/Protector relationship for Paul to observe. Their presence was just enough to remind me that I needed to reread Shattered Souls ASAP.

Plot & Pacing:

For me, Fragile Spirits, was very character driven.  While story plot line was pretty straight forward [and is revealed pretty early in the story], we only get snippets of the characters.  Mary reveals important back story for both Paul and Vivienne in increments. Not one to wait patiently, I would normally be losing my mind over getting tidbits.  However, this works perfectly.  It kept the story moving right along and kept me furiously turning the pages.

Rec It?

Absolutely.  Fragile Spirits has dynamic character relationships and is an awesome ride through the spooky world of spirits and possession. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Huge thanks and undying love and devotion to Mary for offering the arc!! Check out her website, Twitter and Facebook pages. And don't forget to add all of her books on GoodReads!!