"The Shattered Dreams" A Midnight Dragonfly Novel by Ellie James

Published by:  St. Martin's Griffin

Pages:  352

Pre-release Review

Released:  December 2011

Genre:  YA Fiction/paranormal

Summary :

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late.
Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen.
But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.
Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

The Dame's Review :

This is going to be a best seller in YA fiction right out of the gate.  The cover is fabulous, the story is mysterious, it's a series, and the writing is fantastic!  I loved this book!

Trinity Monsour is a heroine that young women can be proud of.  She's strong,stands by her convictions regardless of peer pressures, and  tries to work through the painful episodes she doesn't quite understand in herself.  It's good to read about a young woman of such integrity and strength who doesn't really "need" her male counterpart, but loves him just the same!

The locale of New Orleans adds flavor to this story that hardly any other would. This ancient city of old streets and gothic houses shadowed by spanish moss and creeping vines creates the perfect setting.  Trinity's mysterious "gift" of vision hardly seems strange in a city so rife with the likes of voodoo and bloody history.  But in the contemporary setting of the local high school, she stands out.

It was difficult for me to put this novel aside today.  It's a day of personal tragedy for my family, and still I was drawn to finishing the book.  You can see how much it meant to me.  It's a good novel with good characters.  Very worthwhile reading for young adults of all ages!  I look forward to the next in this series.

5 glimmering stars


Deborah/TheBookishDame