Blog Tour + Review: Shattered Reflections by Madisyn Carlin

Can hope be found for four shattered souls?

Princess Nordica Icerri’s crown will be purchased with blood—her blood. Now the sole heir to the throne, she is determined to be the queen the Snowlands deserve, but that comes with a price: a numbed heart and soul. Only when she meets kidnapped physician Loren Alocer does Nordica allow herself to hope she can become queen without completely losing herself. But not everyone wants what’s best for the Snowlands, and Nordica’s upcoming rule is compromised at every turn. Can the criminal physician—and his faith—thaw Nordica’s heart, or is she destined to be the heartless queen she is being forced to become?

War shattered not only Breac Finson’s heart, but his faith as well. Tired of fighting, Breac only wants to be left alone, but his efforts are for naught when a friend calls in a favor. He soon finds himself in an unexpected alliance with Layree Alocer, a woman determined to find her wrongfully-kidnapped brother at all costs. Can a broken soldier help right a wrong—and find his faith again in the process? Sides must be chosen and loyalties will be tested as a new war approaches. Can broken lives be mended in time to help save the Snowlands, or is evil already too deeply embedded?

Goodreads

Purchase

---

Author Bio

Madisyn Carlin is a Christian, homeschool graduate, blogger, voracious bookdragon, and author. When not spending time with her family or trekking through the mountains, she weaves tales of redemption, faith, and action.

Want to connect? https://linktr.ee/madisyncarlin

---

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Wow. The author said this book was an epic, and it truly was – both in length and in the scope of the story. Madisyn Carlin is a master of fantasy, and this book was no exception.

Characters: Five POVs is a hard thing to pull off, but when you have amazing characters, it works! Let’s start with the ladies, Layree and Nordica. Layree was so brave and determined, yet she wasn’t extremely outgoing, wasn’t a fiery warrior in the typical sense. She felt more like a normal person with normal struggles who still stood strong under pressure. And then there was Nordica, who was probably one of my favorite characters. She was so broken and had this type of fragility about her, but she fought as hard as she could. Watching her descent into numbness was so heartbreaking! (Also, her name just fit her perfectly.) Then the guys – Breac, Marcus, and Loren. Breac I wasn’t completely sold on at first, but he definitely grew on me. His interactions with his family were a nice comedic break – Tandri is such a little spitfire! And Marcus … wow, that dude. I didn’t feel as much for him at the beginning of the book, but by the end, I was inwardly screaming for him. I need the next book now, please, because I must see what happens to Marcus. And then Loren. Loren, taking one of my most beloved character roles – sacrificial doctor – and making it better than ever. His strength under trial, his tireless care of his patients, and his quiet yet dogged determination was beautiful. I loved the guy. Oh, and how can I forget the side characters? There were so many, but Anthi and Zinnia were my favorites. My girls were epic. Their combination of wit and sass and gentleness and kindness was precious. I was afraid at one point that they were going off-scene for the rest of the book, but my fears were unfounded, thankfully!

Setting/Writing Style/Plot: This setting was so intriguing – I don’t know a lot about fantasy, but the worldbuilding was wonderful. It’s definitely a good book to read with a blanket and tea nearby, because you are going to get cold with all the talk of frozen stuff. The writing style was perfect for this story – so well done and not distracting. And then the plot. Wow. At times, it felt a little bit long to me (probably because I wasn’t sure where the plot was going), and the politics also confused me a little bit (because I am not good at following politics in books), but the way it all connected and wrapped up was wonderful. I will say the violence was a bit heavy – not graphic in the least – but if you are sensitive to violent content, just be aware.

Theme: This was beautiful. I loved watching the characters work through trials and doubts as Christians, and I loved seeing a certain character come to know the Lord. None of the characters were perfect people, but in spite of so much pain and suffering, they still held to the Lord. I also really enjoyed the way the characters shared their faith – so incredibly important. This book truly was Christian fiction, and I was encouraged by reading it.

Overall: Even if you don’t like fantasy, you should read this book. You won’t regret it. And now I need to go bother the author to give me the next book. 🙂

---

Broken Mirrors

Click here for giveaways and more information on each of the books! (Please note I have yet to read all of these books; therefore, I am not endorsing all of them.)

Advertisement