Review + Giveaway: Fractured by Sarah Fine

Title: Fractured (Guards of the Shadowlands, #2)
Author: Sarah Fine
Pages: 357
Publisher: Skyscape
Release Date: October 29, 2013

In the week since Lela returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living.

Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.

As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?

My Thoughts: It's been a few days since I finished reading Fractured, and I've finally managed to calm myself down enough to write a review. I'm really glad I took some time to absorb and process everything that happened in this book before I started writing it. Because, otherwise, my review would have been totally hysterical and all over the place. That doesn't mean I still won't mention how affected I was at times with certain things in Fractured, but now I'll make sure my thoughts are coherent and toned down enough to make sense.

Fractured is as addicting and captivating as its predecessor Sanctum, which was one of my favorite novels last year. There are some changes in the story such as the setting and the introduction of plenty of new characters, but it still has the same feel as the first book. Dark and terrifying. Emotional and powerful. There's also more kickass action and great character development. And there's even some fascinating revelations about the Mazikin and the Shadowlands that made the mission the characters were assigned much more complex and complicated.

Since I've become so invested in these characters and their journeys, I couldn't help how amped up my emotions were while reading this sequel. It was one of the reasons why I had such strong reactions to anything that happened to them, especially Lela and Malachi. They have already gone through so much in their lives and continue to go through a whole lot more. While there were moments scattered throughout that had me dying of happiness, other moments had me feeling a whole lot of frustration, anger, and sadness. Some moments just made everything seem hopeless and left me wondering why things couldn't be all sunshine and rainbows for them. I almost cried a couple times because it was overwhelming. But it's hard not to admire and love these characters for having the strength and passion to get through all these hardships.

For Lela and Malachi, they also have their own personal issues and issues with each other they have to sort out. They dream of having a future, and they wonder whether they'll ever have a chance to live a normal life without feeling like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Add in having to adjust quickly to their new life and surroundings, and it really causes a strain on their relationship. There were lots of misunderstandings and complications because of a lack of communication between them. It was painful to read, and I couldn't decide whether I wanted to hug or smack a certain someone. Thankfully, there were enough highs that had me melting and swooning (seriously, I was like *PASSES OUT* *HEART EXPLODES* during some parts) to balance out all the heartbreaking lows. And both Lela and Malachi at least got a chance to experience a little normalcy, even if it meant not experiencing it together.

I wish I could say that you shouldn't be nervous or scared, but then I would lying through my teeth. The great thing, though, is that Fractured kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was exhilarating and exciting, even when I was starting to feel panicked and stressed. I love everything about the world and the characters found in this series, and I desperately can't wait to know what Sarah Fine plans next for book three after Fractured's killer ending. I highly recommend this amazing series!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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I want to give someone the chance to read Fractured early too, so I'm giving away my ARC! This giveaway is open to US residents and ends August 1. Be sure to read my Giveaway Policy. Enter through the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck! ♥

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