Book Review: Shattered Dreams

Title: Shattered Dreams

Series: Midnight Dragonfly

Publisher: MacMillan

ISBN: 9780312647025

Book Source: review copy from publisher

From the publisher: 

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. 

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 schoo
...moreTrinity 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.

(begin cover rant)

OK, Art Directors, listen up.  This cover, with half a girl and a mysterious glowing necklace?  It's SO 2008.  Enough now.  No really.  There had to have been another image that would have worked for Shattered Dreams, especially with a deliciously creepy setting like post-Katrina New Orleans to work with.  Maybe the mysterious house near the cemetery, you know, the one that's central to the entire plot?

(end cover rant)

Story-wise, Shattered Dreams has a ton of potential.  It's got a great setting.  It's got a genuine mystery.  And it's got a fish-out-water main character with psychic dreams whom the police suspect of nefarious activities.  Unfortunately, there are several things which, I felt, kept the book from fully keeping its promise.

Writing-wise, there are a few turns of phrase I found a little odd.  In addition, Trinity's visions bounce her in and out of the current action, and because the transitions are a little rough, I found the result disorienting, rather than illuminating.  My biggest concern with this book is that I don't think it would have been possible for Trinity (or the reader) to solve the mystery without the use of psychic powers - there just weren't enough non-occult clues in place for the ending to fully satisfy me. 


Shattered Dreams is Ellie James' first novel, and I have a feeling this series is going to get better as it goes along.  Therefore, I will probably read the sequel when it comes out next March.  In the meantime, fans of Shattered Dreams should check out Jana Oliver and Kelly Keaton.

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For more information on Ellie James, visit her website.