Vanguard Legacy Book #2 An ugly family secret laid bare, a mortal wound inflicted by her twin sister, betrayed by the love of her life—her supposed “soul mate”. In the wake of the battle with her evil father and his Dark Seekers, Elora Walker fights to recover from them all. Together with her Vanguard, Magicae, and Vampire friends, Elora races to gather ingredients for the spell of spells, bury the curse, and defeat the prophecy which has tainted her life since birth. To save the world, can she deny the yearnings of her heart? Or, will she succumb to the temptation of love, and plunge them all into Eternal Darkness.
Joanne Kershaw lives in Wakefield, England, with her husband, four young children, and an uppity cat named Dipstick. As a teacher of five- to eleven-year-olds, she spends her days playing at being a grownup, then goes home to delve into Young Adult dark romance and being sixteen again.
Joanne lives and breathes books, whether reading, writing, or marking them. She wrote her first novel in six weeks. Encouraged to submit her work by a friend and fellow YA novel addict, Joanne now finds herself a signed author at Xchyler Publishing.
Wounded and betrayed by the boy she loves, Elora is heartbroken and on top of that she has a destiny to battle her father, twin and their evil Dark Seekers. Together with her friends Aaron, Teya and Matthew, Elora must gather ingredients to defeat the prophecy that has affected her life. However, can she resist the temptation of the man she still loves or will she plunge the world into eternal darkness.
Reflected is a likeable sequel to Foretold which has action, suspense and romance. However, I did find it predictable and I felt it harder to connect to the story.
Elora has the weight of the world on her shoulders and feels betrayed but she is not afraid to face a fight and is headstrong but she was still too perfect. I like how we got Zak’s POV in this book as I felt we got to know him better, and I felt there was more chemistry between Elora and Zak in this story as they both felt like they did not belong. Elora’s best friends Aaron, Teya and Matthew are in this story less than the previous book as apart from Teya and Aaron’s relationship we did not learn much more about them. I also liked that we got to know Silva better and discovered how her brain works.
I found the ending very confusing as it switched POVs too often but I did not see what happened coming. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next novel Fated. I would recommend Reflected to people who enjoyed the first book Foretold.
* I was provided a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
We pick up just after Book 1, and Elora and her friends have a lot of work to do!!! Elora finds herself trying to piece her life back together after the betrayal she suffers in Book 1. (I'm trying super hard to avoid spoilers!!) She and her friends are learning just how interwoven they have become and what they really mean to each other. Elora and her sister also see what they truly are now..... and Elora has to stop Siva! We see Elora go through so many changes both mentally and physically! I am so proud of her for being able to hold it together! This ending..... ok you have to be warned- massive cliff hanger. I was crying the last two chapters of the book. You just have to read it!! ~Dowie
Reflected by joanne kershaw. An ugly family secret laid bare, a mortal wound inflicted by her twin sister, betrayed by the love of her life—her supposed “soul mate”. In the wake of the battle with her evil father and his Dark Seekers, Elora Walker fights to recover from them all. Together with her Vanguard, Magicae, and Vampire friends, Elora races to gather ingredients for the spell of spells, bury the curse, and defeat the prophecy which has tainted her life since birth. A very enjoyable read. I liked the characters. Elora was my favourite. I wasn't sure about zak. I felt he was torn between elora and the dark side. I hope there is more to come. This series is a must read and I would highly recommend it. 5*. Tbc on fb.
After reading Foretold, the first book in the Vanguard Legacy I couldn't wait to read the next installment and I am happy to say it didn't disappoint and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Betrayed by the person she loves and loosing a close friend Elora must overcome her grief to fight her father and sister to overcome the prophecy that had followed her throughout her life. With the help of her friends she must gather together clues to destroy the prophecy but not only must she fight evil from outside there is also danger facing her from inside the compound.
Another great read. So far Joanne Kershaw has not disappointed me and I look forward to reading her next novel. Would highly recommend this book.
Reflected by Joanne Kershaw is Gripping YA Paranormal Romance. The second book in the Vanguard Legacy continues the battle of darkness versus light. Kershaw draws the reader into a world filled with magic, vampires, and mysticism while touring the globe and juxtaposing goodness and evil. Friends, lovers and family vie for immortality in this intriguing narrative.
Reflected the fight between darkness and light has finally arrived. The Reflected prophecy has been realized. This book was quiet emotional. I truly loved this book.
Starting practically from where book one left off, Elora is still reeling from the betrayal of First Love Zak whose treachery has left her more damaged than the terrible would inflicted in the confrontation with her Father and Evil twin sister.
“Reflected” is a book of two points of view. Zak is wrestling with his need to belong with David and the other Dark Seekers but still harbouring feelings of love and loyalty for his now mortal enemy. Now part of a quest to gather a number of ancient artefacts to ensure the coming of the oncoming darkness.
Elora is still adjusting to her special gifts and trying to balance the expectations of the entire Vanguard now the extent of the peril they are in has been fully revealed.
This was a very strong follow up to the great promise of the first book “Foretold”, the fantasy elements continue to be grounded in a solid mythology that is familiar enough for die hard genre fans but different enough to not be hackneyed or cliché. The bait and switch ending had me swallowing a lump in my throat and applauding the cliffhanger.
I was torn between a 3 star and 4 star rating for this book. This was because I felt that I was missing out by not having read the first book in this series. However, that was my fault and I would definitely recommend that readers do start with Book One in the Vanguard Series. I loved the good versus evil theme running throughout the book. This was made even more effective as it was against her own family that the female main character was competing. The storyline was cleverly written and I found myself cheering her on. It is one of those books where you really want good to prevail. Without giving away any spoilers, this book had me gripped and quite moved by the end. I am now off to read the first book!
This book has a well developed cast of characters and detailed plot. I enjoyed the duel perspectives of Elora and Zak. I was glad that Elora's obsession with her mother's opinion, from the first book, was minimized here. The characters felt real and the action kept me reading. There is a whole world that seems familiar, like I have been there. The action is vivid and in this second book flows nicely together with the more emotional and personal scenes. I was transported there, to experience everything with Elora and her friends. A great YA fantasy.
A great and enjoyable read. The story starts from where the first book finished which was great as it kept true to the pace of the story. I love Elora and her struggle with the love triangle she has found her self in. As before, i like the twist of old fastioned beasties and was glad to find that the novelty didnt wear off. I will recomment this to family and friends. I cant wait to read the other book in the series. i was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes of this book, having read Foretold, and it didn't disappoint. The characters are well-written, the story continues at a cracking pace and I really how the book was written from 2 characters' perspectives. Really enjoyable, looking forward to reading the third in the series.
Reflected is the second installment in Joanne Kershaw’s Vanguard Legacy and picks up where Foretold left off.
Elora is the victim of a cruel betrayal that leads to torturous heartbreak. Zak returns to the dark side leaving Elora to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart.
But Elora has little time to grieve her loss as her powers begin to manifest and she realizes, much like her uncle before her, she has the ability to talk to others, communicating using internal sight or through the mind which can be overwhelming as much as it can be useful in the time of battle.
As she tries to make sense of the events, grappling with a broken heart while trying to contend with her powers and prepare for the inevitable showdown between her and her sister Siva, the bearer of dark power, Elora is spent on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.
Then there is Aaron, her best friend who has unequivocally expressed his deep love for Elora, adding more complexity to her already trying circumstances. Even though she feels incapable of the facing the prophetic destiny, Elora harnesses every ounce of determination she has and undertakes one dangerous mission after another to prepare for the inevitable battle with Siva.
With the looming battle ahead, Elora’s friends rally around her as does her mother, who has always been distant. She also finds support in Sister Anna who helps Elora harness her powers and put things in perspective, especially when she suffers bouts of self-doubt.
Elora is definitely an unusual sixteen-year old. She doesn’t possess any of the “me, me, me” self-obsessed attitude that is typical for her age, but is always concerned about the impact of her decisions and actions. Well, except in one area of her life, in the matters of the heart, Elora definitely can be heart versus headstrong. There is nothing wrong with her choices but my only concern is that she sprung back from betrayal a little too unscathed.
Still, I do love Elora’s character and her un-ending intrepidness despite the risks she continually faces. But credit must also be given to the friends she is fortunate to have – without them, she would struggle to be the Elora she becomes. Without Mathew’s magic, Teya’s support and Aaron’s resilience, Elora would be incomplete. Her successes are as much hers as they are her friends.
Kershaw’s writing remains consistent. She is a great storyteller and I enjoyed Reflected as much as Foretold. Foretold laid the groundwork for Elora’s life mission and Reflected was the culmination of what happens when Elora embraces her destiny. I suspect Fated will provide the aftermath story of Elora’s fight against the darkness and I look forward to seeing what happens to the cast of the Vanguard Legacy.
My rating? A 5-star read. A great series with plenty to offer readers of YA paranormal and fantasy with a good touch of romance.
The first thing I noticed when I began this story was the fact that chapter one had a heading of Elora. Immediately I groaned as this made me realise that the chapters were probably going to be from different characters points of view. This has happened mid series in a few books recently and not always very well. Once I got into the book however the POV changes began to make sense. One side of the story is from Elora who is still within Nikolai Compound, and the other from Zak, her now enemy who is with Elora’s sister, Siva and father, David. The split was definitely needed in my opinion and couldn’t have been told from just Elora’s side.
Reflected, like Foretold had me hooked from the get go, jumping straight back into Elora and the Vanguards’ world only a few days after the end of the first book. The characters are continuing to grow on their journey to stop Elora’s father and sister from fulfilling the curse surrounding her and Siva. Elora is fighting to save the world, deal with the death of a friend, as well as the betrayal of the love of her life Zak, not to mention keeping up with her training and studies. Nothing is ever simple in the life of a teenager especially one who is training to protect against the Dark Seekers.
After reading Foretold I didn’t think it could get any better and I was proved wrong, the twists and turns in the book surprised me all the way.
I can say that this was definitely better than book #1. I loved how each chapter was told by Elora's or Zak's POV, it made me feel like I was part of the story even more, whether I was Elora, or Zak, or any of the other characters. One thing for sure, it certainly was more dramatic. I followed the events with a hint of anxiety in my gut, as I was worried for what was going to happen. I also need to give Kershaw credit for two reasons: one, she was right about me changing opinion of Elora's mother (although extreme dislike has only become bearable tolerance, hehe); two, there was a particular scene described with such passion and intensity that I felt tears forming in my eyes and I almost cried. And I can only tip my hat to her for this. However, I was a bit let down towards the end. There was a sort of big slip-up (if I can call it that) which left me a bit perplexed. Plus, I was disappointed with Elora's reaction in regards of a particular event. I honestly expected more of her for such a big moment. Nevertheless, the ending once again left me with another cliffhanger, for which I can only hope I won't have to wait long to read the conclusion to this great series!
We come back to Elora's world one week after the heartbreaking end of Vanguard Legacy: Foretold. Elora and her friends are still nursing wounds and coming to terms with what happened.
Elora feels alone and burdened by the knowledge that the outcome of an ages old prophecy is resting on her. She tries to pull away from her friends and family but she soon realises that they are her greatest strength.
Elora must face her destiny head on and she finds help from an expected source along the way.
Join Elora as she fights to save the Ignaris and Divergents from a terrible prophecy.
I can't rate this book highly enough. I raced through it and loved every moment. Looking forward to the next installment.
As publisher of this book, in order to maintain as objective a rating as possible for the reading public, I decline rating this book. However, readers who enjoyed the paranormal romance elements in books such as the Twilight and Divergent series will love this intelligent, adventurous, and insightful, teen coming-of-age journey for Vanguard Recruit Elora Walker and her band of supernaturally talented friends. Reflected is Book 2 of the Vanguard Legacy series; Foretold Book 1.
Just as good as the first instalment with the story picking up pace throughout the book and racing to the cliffhanger ending. Need the third instalment please!!
amazing book,I really enjoyed reading it I can't wait to start the third one. Joanne Kershaw is an amazing writer I was given this book by my son after I said I wanted to read something different and gripping, this trilogy differently ticks all the boxes