The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams – a Review

The Shattered Dark is Sandy Williams second book in her Shadow Reader series. I couldn’t wait to resume this wonderful series, and I have not been disappointed. Below is the description of this book, which is followed by my review.

Description:
McKenzie Lewis has a gift. It allows her access to a world few have seen, and even fewer can comprehend. It’s her secret. And it exists in the shadows…

McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save.

Review:

Sandy Williams does a great job continuing this series.  If you have read the Shadow Reader, or my The Shadow Reader review, then you know the bases of the story.  If you have  not, then be forewarned there will be spoilers to the storyline of this series, not necessarily to The Shattered Dark. 

When we last left off in The Shadow Reader, our heroine McKenzie had turned her loyalties to the rebels, as she realized she had been lied to all those years by the King, and Kyol, the King’s swordmaster, she presumed she loved.  McKenzie is a Shadow Reader, who can direct the Fae to where their enemies are, just by reading their shadows. 

In The Shattered Dark, McKenzie is now with the rebels, who have rightfully come into power.  But the war goes on, as the remnants left over from the King’s rule try to stop the former rebels from taking over.  Lena is now the Queen, and Aren and Kyol are her two top men in the court.  We knew at the end of the Shadow Reader that McKenzie had fallen hard for Aren, her former kidnapper, though she still has some feelings for Kyol. 

There is no triangle, as everyone knows that Aren and McKenzie are together, and Aren loves her very much. Kyol steps back, even though he feels he loves McKenzie, but understands how by working for the King and lying to her, he lost her, and now he puts all his energy into supporting the new court, with the new Queen. 

This continues to be a fantastic world created by Williams, with the Faes, and humans.  It is an exciting story, with the sides turned, and McKenzie life still very much in danger.  But in this story, Mckenzie’s human best friend has been kidnapped by the remnants, and McKenzie is determined to find her.  She risks her life a number of times, with Aren having to save her.   When Paige is finally found, surprises, twists, betrayals and danger set the tone for the rest of the story.  Through all of this, I totally loved Aren and McKenzie together.  They made such a great couple, and not without problems.  Aren is totally committed to McKenzie, but though she knows she loves him, she is afraid, as she being human, doesn’t know if she wants to stay in the world of the faes.  McKenzie wants a normal life, but she also knows Aren is committed to help his Queen.  Of course there is the element that McKenzie’s life is always in danger.

So much happens in this story, especially in the last half.  The fighting, danger, lives at risk, and as I said betrayals that will cause heartache.  They all work together, to help Lena, who is the true heir to the crown.  Just when you think things are about to calm down, as the tide begins to turn in favor of the new court, we are hit with a bomb of a twist. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I am invested into this wonderful series by Sandy Williams.  Now with this surprisingly twist, I have to wait for the next book, and even tough this is not a cliffhanger, I need the next book  NOW.  I must also make it my business to have a talk with the aforementioned Ms. Williams….  Want to know why???  Read the book.   

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher