“Shattered Reflection” Review

The Shattered Lands | Book One 
 

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? 

Readers be advised- some SPOILERS  may be in the following review. 

This book was intriguing. This is one of two books I read for the broken mirrors book tour. This tour has to do with the retellings of one of my favorite stories “The Snow Queen”.  “The Snow Queen” was one of the first books my dad ever got me (that I can remember). It helped spur my passion for fantasy books. The book I am reviewing today “Shattered Reflection” did not disappoint. So let’s dive in!

Favorite character – SPOILER

I actually have two favorite characters: Marcus and Loren

Marcus: the villain turned hero. His past tends to haunt him wherever he goes, and he is fighting to escape it at almost every turn. Having been a traitor (although -revealed later- against his will), he works to make things right. He never expects to be forgiven, he simply hopes he can eventually live with himself. This character was very well written, and I enjoyed his part in the story.

Loren: the hero made villain- It seemed to me that Loren never wanted to fight. He was a healer and helper by nature.  He never wanted to hurt anybody, however, when it came to protecting the innocent, he was fearless and determined. He was strong, kind, and gentle. He never gave up.

My least favorite character: 

Honestly, I felt like the aunt could have used more development. A lot of the violence came from the uncle, but the aunt was also made to be the villain. I only saw her a couple of times and her death came too quickly for me to appreciate it. 

My absolute favorite scene– SPOILER

I think my favorite scene (or the one that keeps playing in my head) was that where Loren grabs the sword and is willing to fight off soldiers. It was unexpected of the character, but it was very well written. It showed the development of the character and was part of what made him my favorite. 

For the cons, 

At first, it was a little hard for me to get into right away. I might have been distracted, but there was a topic that was a little hard for me to handle at first. There were a few scenes that I felt were a little rushed, but honestly not much on the cons side. 

Content Concerns– 

Physical violence/harm- this was the  topic I struggled with. The using of mirror shards to cut into the forearms of the characters was something I struggled with. It was detailed and was really easy to visualize and this was a concern for me. If anyone has ever struggled with self-harm of any kind, I would say read this book with caution. 

All in All

Y’all. This was a good book. It took me a little longer to read it based on its size as well as beginning content. But ultimately, this was a good book. I loved the plot as well as the majority of the characters. I liked seeing the hints at the “Snow Queen” come to life in the book. And although the way the villains controlled their victims was hard to read at times, the concept behind it was great. Very well done to the author!

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61188852-shattered-reflection  

Preorder: https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Reflection-Lands-Book-ebook/dp/B0B2M7M759  

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