Series: Broken Skies

Shattered Stars (Broken Skies #3)
by Theresa Kay
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Unexpected allies. Unexpected betrayals. Unexpected abilities.

The last thing Jax Mitchell ever wanted was to be a weapon. Her abilities are unpredictable at best, but with her twin lost, there's no one else with enough power to take on Jastren and his mental manipulations. She doesn't have to do it alone, though. Not only can she rely on the unwavering support of Lir, Rym, and her human friends, she also ends up with help from a surprising source.

Meanwhile, her twin brother Jace--his body controlled by Jastren, and the shattered pieces of his mind locked inside--has become a monster. The struggle to hold on to what's left of his humanity has left him weak and more confused than ever before. Every thought, every impulse, and every memory has the potential to destroy him--and everyone else around him.

The futures of both the humans and the E'rikon are on the line, but as ulterior motives and political machinations are revealed, it becomes clear that the betrayals aren't restricted to only one species. Can Jax and Lir get everyone to work together in time to prevent the two species from destroying each other? Can Jace find some measure of redemption for all he has done? And will Jax be able to harness her powers... without losing herself in the process?

Review:

*Spoilers for Broken Skies #1 & Fractured Suns #2 (but the 1st paragraph is safe to read)*

Shattered Stars was a brilliant and emotional conclusion to the Broken Skies trilogy!  It was action packed, emotionally gutting and I found myself on the edge of my seat desperately needing to know what was going to happen next.  I can’t recommend this series enough!  If you haven’t started this trilogy yet, definitely go grab the first book while it’s free here.  I thought the best way to review the final book was to list some of the reasons why this series became an instant favorite of mine.  And they are –

✮ A realistic heroine that continually grows –

A few months ago I had one friend: Jace. Somehow along this strange journey, I’ve picked up a whole group of friends. Some of them have even become like family. A lump forms in my throat. I was so irritated with Jace for suggesting I needed to get out more, that I needed to try more… Who knew it’d be his kidnapping that precipitated my ability to overcome my fears? – Jax

Jax has come such a long way from being the girl who stumbled over her words and and had many panic attacks in Broken Skies.  I loved watching her progression throughout this trilogy as she grew into such a strong, confident woman!  But the best part was how much faith she found in herself.  She put herself in situations to help others, she protected her friends, and the lengths she went to learn her powers was impressive!  Jax is definitely one of my favorite heroines!

 ✮✮✮

✮ A swoon worthy book boyfriend –  

His eyes sparkle, and everything he’s feeling washes over me. Desire. Lust. Nervousness. But, most of all, the warmth and light of love. He leans down and puts all of those emotions into a kiss.

From the first moment I met Lir, that charming, sarcastic alien quickly won my heart.  He pulled me in with his words and actions, and I loved seeing how sweet and thoughtful he could be to Jax.  And even though he made mistakes, it made me love him that much more.  I was completely infatuated with Lir, can you tell?  Plus in each book we got to see certain moments that showed how strong his love was towards Jax.  The things he did, ohhhh it was breathtaking.

✮✮✮

✮ A power couple –

He lifts my chin with two fingers and smiles softly. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For pulling me out of there. For wanting to protect me”— a kiss to my forehead—“for being you,”— to the tip of my nose—“for being mine.” His lips brush against mine, softly at first, then harder as he pulls me into his lap and I turn around to frame his hips with my legs. – Jax and Lir

Jax and Lir are now a force to be reckoned with.  While they each have their own strengths, together they seemed unstoppable.  And their faith in one another, along with the sacrifices they made was such a beautiful thing to watch.

✮✮✮

✮ So many other characters to love –

I stammer. “You know that. I mean, I couldn’t even link with you out there in the courtyard. How exactly do you expect me to learn to fly this thing when I haven’t even mastered the basics?”
Rym laughs. “The basics? Mind-to-mind communication isn’t exactly basic.”
“Still, you want to risk everyone’s lives by letting me try to lift us up into the air and transport us hundreds of miles?”
“Why not? What better motivator is there than a life-or-death situation?” His expression is perfectly serious for a moment, then a snorting laugh escapes his mouth. – Jax and Rym

Flint, Rym, Jace, Peter, Emily, Stu, Ethan, and so many more became so important to me while I was reading this trilogy.  They each stood out, had their own voice and I loved how unique each of their personalities were.  I appreciated that  each of them played such an important part to this series.  And I loved even more how they helped weave the story together.  I dare you to try and not get attached to them too!

✮✮✮

✮ I was on the edge of my seat –

The color leeches from Daniel’s face, and my smile only grows. He takes a step back, the gun in his hand forgotten. His bravado is gone. Every single drop. And this is going to be so much fun. – Jax

There were so many moments I was beyond nervous for what was going to happen next.  It wasn’t just because there were so many characters I loved and I was terrified that they would die (oh gosh and some of them do die *sobs*), but it was because there was so much up in the air.  There were so many different variables and motives that it was hard to tell at times what would happen next.  Which made this series so much fun to devour figuring out all of the clues!  But at the same time, there were countless ways for them all to fail.  And it definitely seemed like failure would be so much easier than success at times.  So this book and series was a huge page turner for me.  I couldn’t get enough of it.

✮✮✮

✮ Additional POVs –

I’m unpredictable. I’m dangerous. I’m absolutely in-fucking-sane. And I’m not going to get better. – Jace

In the first book, it was just Jax’s POV.  Then in the second, we got to alternate between Jax and Lir.  And that made me love Lir even more.  But in this final book, we get to be in Jax and Jace’s head, Jace is her brother if you need a refresher.  And to start off, I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.  Yes I was gaining more knowledge about what was going on, but her brother’s a little crazy ya know.  But as the story progressed, I started to realize that the knowledge we were gaining from Jace came at a huge price.  You see, I connected with him and his chapters gutted me to the core.  He was so broken and the pain and suffering he was going through was more horrific than I ever could have imagined.  The farther I got into this book, it felt as though I couldn’t escape Jace’s chapters without tears in my eyes.  His pain was so intense and raw.  But it was more than worth it because I never once thought the words Jace and redemption would ever be in the same sentence.  But wow, I was proven so wrong.  I loved having his POV added to the final book.

✮✮✮

The Broken Skies Trilogy was filled with peril, heartbreak, action, lies, betrayal, love and I was definitely glued to the pages.  I can only hope that all of my friends pick up this trilogy!  It’s emotionally breathtaking and a must read!

***ARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review***

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers)
Broken Skies #1 Reviews: Jen	Fractured Suns #2 Reviews: Jen	Shattered Stars #3 Reviews: Jen

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So in anticipation for the final book in this trilogy releasing October 26th, I re-read the first two books. And I loved this book just as much the second time around! Check out my 5 Star Review for Fractured Suns below and if you haven’t picked up the 1st book in this trilogy, it’s FREE right now! Enjoy!

Fractured Suns (Broken Skies #2)
by Theresa Kay
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Reunited with her brother, and surrounded by Flint, Peter and her new-found grandfather, Jax Mitchell has still never felt more alone. The choice to follow Rym back to the city to find answers and see Lir is an easy one, but their reunion is cut short and Jax is forced to leave Lir behind. She finds herself traveling with some unexpected companions and heading back toward a place she’d hoped to never see again.

After being imprisoned—and tortured—on the orders of his uncle, Lir hasn’t seen daylight or linked to anyone in weeks. After a lifetime of connection, the pain and loneliness is almost too much to bear. Elated that Jax actually came, Lir finds renewed hope and strength to continue fighting his uncle's influence over the E'rikon, even when things look hopeless and Lir’s been branded a traitor by the very people he’s trying to save.

While Jax and Lir fight separate battles, their missions have more in common than they realize. It’s a race against time to stop men driven only by greed and power. But the people they trust the most might be the very people working against them—and "family" doesn't mean what it used to. Will they recognize their friends from their enemies in time to save the people they love or will they lose each other in the process?

Review:

*Spoilers for Broken Skies #1 (but the 1st paragraph is safe to read)*

Oh you guys.  This book.  This amazing book.  I tear up even thinking about this story, because Fractured Suns was breathtaking.  It quickly pulled me back into the story and I found myself immersed in a world and surrounded by characters that I love.  And be prepared, because my emotions felt as though they were being pulled all over the place.  Happy and sad tears streaked down my face while I spent a good portion of the story smiling.  This book was so much fun.  It had peril, heartbreak, action, lies, betrayal, love, redemption and I was definitely glued to the pages.  But you want to know what the kicker was?  I’m not one of those people who will read until the wee hours of every night because my kiddos wake up at 6am, or earlier if I’m lucky ha.  But Fractured Suns refused to be put down.  I stayed up until 2:35am to finish, and it was so worth it!

“If our only focus is survival, then we’re no better than them.  Without compassion…without forgiveness…we’re nothing but animals.” – Jax

We get to jump right back into the story at Peter’s cabin, where Jax is stuck because her brother Jace is healing from a broken leg.  Their E’rikon grandfather, Jastren, is there along with her brother’s boyfriend, Flint.  While her brother, grandfather and Peter are away gathering supplies, Jax gets a chance to go back and see Lir with Rym.  After their too brief encounter, they both find themselves fighting and struggling on their own journeys.  Without each other.

He lied.  He manipulated me.  He used me.  And when it came down to it, he made his choice. – Jax

When Jax and Lir met for that first time after the bond had been broken, eeks!!!!  I was terrified because I wanted to push them together and yell at them to kiss and make up.  But in all honestly, they really haven’t known one other for that long.  Can they even trust each other?  Jax still harbors so much hurt from Lir’s betrayal.  And with Lir not having a functional kitu, he doesn’t know how to trust others without being able to sense their feelings.  And as the story progresses, I fell even more in love with both of them.  Jax and Lir grow throughout the story and it made my heart so happy with the choices and decisions that they had to make.  No matter how hard they were.  Jax is still resourceful and savvy but her heart becomes something truly beautiful.  And Lir.  Swoon!  Charming, brave, smart and sincere, Lir is one sexy alien!

“You would kill him for what he is,” I say.  “But you never asked what I was.”  I smile sweetly and bat my eyelashes right before I place a single finger to his temple – and send every bit of the fire raging through me straight into his head.

So of course I was devastated when Jax had to leave Lir, because there is still so much up in the air.  But guess what?  In Fractured Suns we got to be in both Jax and Lir’s head!  I loved that we finally got to hear Lir’s thoughts.  To see what he thought of Jax, because I have been obsessively trying to figure it all out once I finished the last page in Broken Skies!  For a few of Lir’s chapters, the story seemed to move at a slower pace, compared to Jax’s crazy journey.  But in the end, it made sense that we had to understand the people he was surrounded with, what he had gone through, and how he wanted to proceed.  I get it, and it more than made sense.

If I stop to think, if I do anything but move forward… I will fall apart.  And this time I won’t be able to put the pieces back together. – Jax

But there is one point in the story that I never saw coming.  Everyone was asleep while I read that scene and I needed sob out loud.  To let out all of the pain.  But instead I had to bite my lip and allow the tears to continuously stream down my face.  Silently speaking the devastation I witnessed.  That twist left me in utter shock.  The ramifications, oh.  I’m at a loss.  But in a twisted way, I love when books can affect me that intense.  That I can feel that deep of a connection to characters and their feelings.  I just wish it didn’t hurt that much.

So yes, I definitely recommend this book and series!  I can’t wait to see what the final book has in-store for Lir and Jax!

***ARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review***

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers)
Broken Skies #1 Reviews: Jen	Fractured Suns #2 Reviews: Jen	Shattered Stars #3 Reviews: Jen

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In anticipation for the final book in this trilogy releasing 10/26th, I re-read the first two books. They were just as amazing the second time around and strongly held on to their 5 Star Ratings! So check out my review for Broken Skies below. Ohhhh and make sure to grab it on Amazon, it’s FREE right now! Next week I’ll be posting my reviews for Fractures Suns and Shattered Stars. Enjoy!

Broken Skies (Broken Skies #1)
by Theresa Kay
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Plagued by nightmares and panic attacks, seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell wants nothing more than a life of seclusion with only her twin brother for company. So when he's kidnapped by Earth's reclusive alien settlers, the E'rikon, she'll do anything to get him back--even form an alliance with a teenage E'rikon boy left behind by the same ship that took her brother.

Jax agrees to act as a guide, and in return, the alien agrees to sneak her past the human-proof barrier surrounding the E'rikon city. Too bad it's not that simple. Jax soon finds that she's drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back--and he's equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn't know the alien's true motives, and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

With the aliens and the humans at odds, the connection forming between the two teens has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets in motion a chain of events that threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.

Review:

Broken Skies gripped me to the core and was truly outstanding.  The story continually built and became more intricate, causing me to become obsessed with this book.  It’s all I can think about.  Seriously.  The pages were scattered with hardships and butterfly inducing moments that were breathtaking.  I never wanted this book to end.

“It’s going to be okay,” he says.
But I know it’s not.  I don’t know if anything is ever going to be okay again.

After the war left 10% of the population alive, the aliens, known as the E’rikon, arrived to share Earth.  They kept to themselves, until a group of them kidnapped Jax’s brother, Jace.  In the commotion, a teenage E’rikon was left behind with no way to navigate home.  In a desperate attempt to get her brother back, Jax agrees to help navigate Lir to his city in exchange for getting inside to find her brother.  What started out as a simple journey, escalated into something that kept me on the edge of my seat!

The fingers of one hand curl into claws, perfect for ripping and tearing.  I won’t go quietly.  Icy fear has no place in my body now.  Instead, I’m filled with fire, burning me from the inside out and just waiting to be released.

I already knew I loved Jax the first few pages into Broken Skies.  She was resourceful, savvy and I loved that she was the one responsible for taking care of them for their journey.  Whenever she opened her mouth and fumbled over some words or would start blabbering, she made me laugh, smile and truly care for her.  But at the same point, she is somewhat broken.  She has hardships from her past that she struggles with, and I desperately wanted her to overcome them.

“You are everything I was taught humans were not.”

Lir was charming, sarcastic and I fell head over heals in love with him.  He was gentle, sweet, sincere, sexy and smart.  I honestly could not get enough of him!  And of course I still felt that way about him, even after he kept secrets from Jax.  Although, they were wonderful secrets that added so much depth.  Ohhhhh, Lir was everything I love in a male character.

Lir stands and reaches a hand out to me.  I eye it for a moment before accepting it and allowing him to pull me to my feet.  Trust has to start somewhere, I guess.

Jax and Lir were unforgettable characters.  And when they were together, their relationship was sweet, slow and natural.  Nothing was rushed.  Nothing was forced.  It was so much fun to watch them evolve.  Sigh, I am still on a book high.  This book was so much fun and I’m dying until I can read the second book. But until then, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.  You must discover this world, characters and story!  I look forward to reading the rest of Theresa Kay’s books, because her storytelling has enraptured me!  

***ARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review***

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers)
Broken Skies #1 Reviews: Jen	Fractured Suns #2 Reviews: Jen	Shattered Stars #3 Reviews: Jen