Blog Tour: Review of Shattered Soul by Jennifer Snyder

 Title: Shattered Soul
Author: Jennifer Snyder
Released: May 14, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Romance

Blurb: 

If seventeen-year-old Seth Bradson were to describe his life in two words, those would be the two he’d choose. Seth prefers to cope with his crappy existence by spending his days in a drug-induced haze. But when Ali Carson steps into his life, Seth finds something he’s subconsciously been seeking—a new drug, one that consumes his mind unlike any other.

Love.

In a moment of unforgivable weakness, Seth allows Ali to try crystal meth, his most addictive temptation. This single event begins the unraveling of both their lives and forces Seth to learn the definition of regret the hard way.

 

Goodreads 

Review: 

Drugs.

That is a big word in today's world. To many it is a synonym for pain, humiliation and even death. It can tear apart people and families. It can ruin lives and shatter a person completely. 

In Shattered Soul we meet Seth. A self-proclaimed third generation drug dealer from a home that he is both ashamed and afraid. Before he meets Ali Carson, his life is all about the next hit,  whether that's drugs or another kind. Although he doesn't like doing things as intense as dropping off money with his brother, Calvin, to the "dope man" or watching Calvin manipulate women into becoming addicted to the point where they will do anything for a high, Seth doesn't seem to really want to change anything. He just avoids his brother and mother, when he can, and goes about life high as a kite.

When Ali walks into his classroom that morning she moves to town and the weeks that follow, it seems like everything is looking up for Seth. He has found someone that cares about him, who loves spending time with him and who he cant tell anything too. However, what starts as something they do just casually turns into another monster when Seth does a harder drug with Ali, and they never are able to turn around from it.

I'll let you read for yourself what happens from there but needless to say it is truly tragic. The biggest waffling affect this book had on me was whether or not I could like Seth and I'm not sure I ever had a firm grasp on the negative or positive in regards to him. On the positive side, you feel for Seth when he is talking about his past. The interactions with his mom , and all the horrible things she says about him, make you root for Seth. When his brother beats the crap out of him, I felt horrible. On the flip side, when he gave Ali that first taste of Crustal Meth, I wanted to punch him myself. He knew he shouldn't do it, he even SAID IT to himself in the story. Regardless, he lets it happen, and he continues to let it happen over and over. I know he repeatedly says no to doing them and tries to avoid it, but he started this whole mess and always caves from there on. I really want to like Seth and stand behind him as a character but I can't help but think he is no different than his brother when it comes to Ali, even if his feelings for her are genuine. 

Ali and Seth do make a dynamic couple when it comes to what they need from each other. Both are healing from what their families have gone through, which brings another level to their relationship. Ali cares about Seth in a way his mother and brother do not and Seth gives Ali the attention she is craving from her own mom and dad, who are running from her little brother's death. I also think this damage done by her brother's accident is a very big reason why she throws herself into this world of drugs. At the beginning, she was so eaher to smoke or pop a pill, that looking back every time she wanted to do something new, she would ask things like "How does it feel?", and would focus on the good part not what it felt like after.

This escape of the pain is what I believe drive both Seth and Ali throughout the story, and is sad to think they could have felt the good, just being with each other. This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me as a reader and left me heart broken at the end. I would have loved for these characters to get their happily ever after, but I understood why they couldn't. 

I was completely consumed by concern and hope while reading it and that is why I recommend you picking it up.....because you will never put it down.- My Opinion- Buy

Get it here:
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Smashwords
Paperback

About the author:

Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is an instant coffee lover with an obsession for spiral bound notebooks and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.

 Check her out online:

Twitter:

JennSnyder04

Website:

http://jennifersnydersblog.blogspot.com 

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