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Broken Dolls #2
Shattered Girls
Ella’s decision to return to her doll form has caused more trouble than she ever thought possible.
Gabby’s a moody teen. The professor is gone. And people are going missing at alarming rates; including Gabby’s parents.
Robotic dolls - eerily similar to Ella - are popping up across the globe and nobody seems too concerned about it. Nobody except for Ella and Gabby.
With only the crazed Sianne left to help them, the girls must fight to find the truth behind the epidemic and the robotic dolls.
Only Ella doesn’t think they’re robotic at all…
Gabby’s a moody teen. The professor is gone. And people are going missing at alarming rates; including Gabby’s parents.
Robotic dolls - eerily similar to Ella - are popping up across the globe and nobody seems too concerned about it. Nobody except for Ella and Gabby.
With only the crazed Sianne left to help them, the girls must fight to find the truth behind the epidemic and the robotic dolls.
Only Ella doesn’t think they’re robotic at all…
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2016
6 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Tyrolin Puxty
20 books210 followersI'm a Jack, or more accurately, a Tyrolin of all trades.
Broken Dolls, the first in the trilogy, is an award-winning, international #1 bestseller and appeared on Buzzfeed's Top 24 Best SciFi/Fantasy Books of 2015.
I have been in the Top 25 of the Australian Songwriters Association and Top 5 of the Australian Independent Music Awards, was awarded an Australia Day Award for Music in 2014 and for Arts in 2015. I own a performing arts school, teach creative writing and host a podcast called HooPod, which is part of Felicia Day's community.
I love cats. I love every kind of cat. I just want to hug all of them, but I can't hug every cat.
Broken Dolls, the first in the trilogy, is an award-winning, international #1 bestseller and appeared on Buzzfeed's Top 24 Best SciFi/Fantasy Books of 2015.
I have been in the Top 25 of the Australian Songwriters Association and Top 5 of the Australian Independent Music Awards, was awarded an Australia Day Award for Music in 2014 and for Arts in 2015. I own a performing arts school, teach creative writing and host a podcast called HooPod, which is part of Felicia Day's community.
I love cats. I love every kind of cat. I just want to hug all of them, but I can't hug every cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 14, 2016
This series gets better and better by the BOOK!
Tyrolin is an extremely unique and well rounded author. Her writing is captivating and her ability to weave a story is DESIRABLE!
Shattered Girls is the SUSPENSEFUL sequel to a all ready HEART POUNDING series!
Tyrolin is an extremely unique and well rounded author. Her writing is captivating and her ability to weave a story is DESIRABLE!
Shattered Girls is the SUSPENSEFUL sequel to a all ready HEART POUNDING series!
July 31, 2016
Well, what to say about this book? It was entertaining but in a few chapters nothing really happened, like I enjoyed this book but I didn't get fully immersed on it :/ which is a little bit dissapointing due to the fact that I looved the first book.
I think the main reason why I didn't enjoyed this book as much as the last one is because of Ella.
However, there were scenes of action that really held my breath because those moments could change everything and being on edge like that was great!:)
In this book my favorite character was Sianne, I think she made the scenes and overall the book a little bit more enjoyable and funny. She's totally crazy but there is charm in her craziness :) And also, she's the one who quotes I loved. These two are my favorites:
"The trains that speed forth into tunnels, their grinds and gears enough to stun all. They cannot be trusted in the darkness and silence, you'll never get the chance to cry out once."
"For everybody who hates you, there is somebody who loves you one hundred times more. For everybody who doubts you, there is somebody who believes in you one thousand times more. And for everybody who wants you to fail, tell them to get stuffed, because you have millions relying on and rooting you.!"
After all, this book was just an okey read that could make you laugh because of all the things Sianne does or says :) Also, the robotic dolls were an interesting point because it made me want to read the book to know what was going on with them and how could they help to resolved the problem...
I would like to finish this review with a quote for this book that I think deserves to be painted in my wall :)
"Nobody knows nothing, we're all improvising life. No one knows what's up ahead. Just keep faithful, keep loving, and eventually, we'll see the light."
*Thank you to the author and Netgalley for giving me Shattered Girls to do an honest review.
*All opinions are mine.
I think the main reason why I didn't enjoyed this book as much as the last one is because of Ella.
However, there were scenes of action that really held my breath because those moments could change everything and being on edge like that was great!:)
In this book my favorite character was Sianne, I think she made the scenes and overall the book a little bit more enjoyable and funny. She's totally crazy but there is charm in her craziness :) And also, she's the one who quotes I loved. These two are my favorites:
"The trains that speed forth into tunnels, their grinds and gears enough to stun all. They cannot be trusted in the darkness and silence, you'll never get the chance to cry out once."
"For everybody who hates you, there is somebody who loves you one hundred times more. For everybody who doubts you, there is somebody who believes in you one thousand times more. And for everybody who wants you to fail, tell them to get stuffed, because you have millions relying on and rooting you.!"
After all, this book was just an okey read that could make you laugh because of all the things Sianne does or says :) Also, the robotic dolls were an interesting point because it made me want to read the book to know what was going on with them and how could they help to resolved the problem...
I would like to finish this review with a quote for this book that I think deserves to be painted in my wall :)
"Nobody knows nothing, we're all improvising life. No one knows what's up ahead. Just keep faithful, keep loving, and eventually, we'll see the light."
*Thank you to the author and Netgalley for giving me Shattered Girls to do an honest review.
*All opinions are mine.
July 3, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I read Broken Dolls, the first book in this series, and I really enjoyed it. However, I was a little worried where it would be going from here, as it seemed a rather closed story.
While the story of Shattered Girls is enjoyable as well, I didn't think it completely lived up to the expectations created by the first book. Because that was so original it was a slight disappointment that this more or less followed the normal structure for (Dystopian) novels.
This doesn't mean that is wasn't good. It was good, just not as good as I had hoped. Ella and Gabby were nice characters and also the other characters make an appearance. I'm curious to see where the story is going.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I read Broken Dolls, the first book in this series, and I really enjoyed it. However, I was a little worried where it would be going from here, as it seemed a rather closed story.
While the story of Shattered Girls is enjoyable as well, I didn't think it completely lived up to the expectations created by the first book. Because that was so original it was a slight disappointment that this more or less followed the normal structure for (Dystopian) novels.
This doesn't mean that is wasn't good. It was good, just not as good as I had hoped. Ella and Gabby were nice characters and also the other characters make an appearance. I'm curious to see where the story is going.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
May 17, 2016
Eeeek, Shattered Girls is available for pre-order! :D
https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Girl...
https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Girl...
July 8, 2016
When I started reading this, I was really nervous because I loved Broken Dolls (the first book) so much that I didn't know if Shattered Girls could live up to it. While I'm not going to gush as much as I did for Broken Dolls, Shattered Girls is easily a five star book.
After a hope and skip in time, Gabby is now 16 years old, while Ella is still a doll (world famous doll, I might add. There was an incident and now everyone knows about Ella). One day, Gabby's parents disappears, and something is wrong with the professor too. Soon, Gabby and Ella discover that it's not only her parents and grandfather, people all around the world are disappearing, and no one seems to care about it. Gabby and Ella will have to team up with crazy Sianne and even (gasp) Lisa (Libby) if they want to save the world.
For anyone still thinking of Broken Dolls, let me first say: Shattered Girls is nothing like Broken Dolls. I don't think I can quite articulate it, but apart from the world being expanded, the book has a very different tone from the first one. Which I suppose is natural, since Gabby is now 16, with all the trials and tribulations that it brings.
I must say, I really liked Ella's growth over the course of this book. In the first book, which had a not-so-happy ending, Ella makes a really selfish decision. In this book, Ella manages to atone for that, and I'm actually really happy with the ending. Even if there wasn't the third book (which there is, yay!), I would be pretty happy with this ending, because of how things turn out with Ella, Gabby and family. Plus, Lisa turns from psychopath to cool psychopath in this book, and I'm actually looking forward to seeing what she's going to do in the next book.
If you liked the first book, I think you'll like the second book as well. And if you want something that's a little different from the norm, definitely check out this series.
Disclaimer: I got this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
After a hope and skip in time, Gabby is now 16 years old, while Ella is still a doll (world famous doll, I might add. There was an incident and now everyone knows about Ella). One day, Gabby's parents disappears, and something is wrong with the professor too. Soon, Gabby and Ella discover that it's not only her parents and grandfather, people all around the world are disappearing, and no one seems to care about it. Gabby and Ella will have to team up with crazy Sianne and even (gasp) Lisa (Libby) if they want to save the world.
For anyone still thinking of Broken Dolls, let me first say: Shattered Girls is nothing like Broken Dolls. I don't think I can quite articulate it, but apart from the world being expanded, the book has a very different tone from the first one. Which I suppose is natural, since Gabby is now 16, with all the trials and tribulations that it brings.
I must say, I really liked Ella's growth over the course of this book. In the first book, which had a not-so-happy ending, Ella makes a really selfish decision. In this book, Ella manages to atone for that, and I'm actually really happy with the ending. Even if there wasn't the third book (which there is, yay!), I would be pretty happy with this ending, because of how things turn out with Ella, Gabby and family. Plus, Lisa turns from psychopath to cool psychopath in this book, and I'm actually looking forward to seeing what she's going to do in the next book.
If you liked the first book, I think you'll like the second book as well. And if you want something that's a little different from the norm, definitely check out this series.
Disclaimer: I got this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
August 3, 2016
Tyrolin Puxty torna con Shattered Girls, seguito del suo romanzo d’esordio, Broken Dolls.
La storia è ambientata cinque anni dopo il precedente e prende avvio dalle conseguenze di Ella di tornare e rimanere nella sua forma di “bambola”.
In questo sequel, la protagonista è principalmente Gabby, poiché il fulcro di tanti avvenimenti è proprio lei e il contesto in cui si muove, anche quando non agisce direttamente.
Gabby ormai è un’adolescente, lunatica e alle prese con i problemi dell’adolescenza, scuola e compagni compresi. Ella viene portata in giro dalla ragazza come se fosse una qualunque bambola robot, ma ben presto qualcuno scopre che Ella è molto di più e le cose iniziano a complicarsi.
Contestualmente, si innesta la trama principale, che riprende le fila del predecessore ma al contempo si prosegue in maniera differente.
Quando sia i genitori di Gabby che tante altre persone, tra le quali compagni di scuola della ragazza, iniziano a scomparire, la situazione non solo diventa allarmante, ma fa presagire che qualcosa di molto più complesso e malevolo sia in atto.
Il presagio viene confermato quando iniziano a comparire molte altre bambole robot simili a Ella ovunque, e nessuno sembra preoccuparsene troppo.
La parte centrale del libro è un po’ lenta e ci vogliono diverse pagine perché le misteriose sparizioni proseguano.
Nell’ultima parte, vediamo tornare Sianne, il cui aiuto è richiesto da Gabby ed Ella per scoprire che cosa stia succedendo e solo grazie al suo contributo le ragazze, dopo una stenua lotta scopriranno la verità.
Il libro è sempre ben scritto come il precedente, scorrevole, ricco di intrighi e svolte, pagine in cui predominano le avventure delle due protagoniste.
Le informazioni vengono rivelate man mano nello scorrere della trama, cosicché il lettore è invogliato a proseguire e scoprire i misteri e cosa stia accadendo.
Per quanto sia un buon libro, è inevitabile per me il confronto con il primo romanzo.
Shattered Girls mi è sembrato molto più uno YA classico, tra distopia e pennellate sf, incentrato sul mondo degli adolescenti e problematiche annesse, benché tutto il resto della storia sia gradevole, con colpi di scena e momenti di suspense.
Broken Dolls, tuttavia, era incentrato sull’idea originale delle bambole robot – cosa fossero, da dove venissero, ecc. –, idea molto più originale e accattivante, diversa dagli standard tradizionali, ma per questo mi era piaciuto decisamente di più, era ricco di spunti di riflessione per me molto più interessanti.
Un romanzo ben scritto e costruito, dunque, ma che potrebbe un po’ deludere le aspettative di chi si aspettava un seguito nettamente sulla scia del predecessore.
Un plauso, invece, alla fantastica cura della grafica interna e alla bellissima cover.
*Ringrazio l’editore e Netgalley per avermi dato una copia dell’opera necessaria alla stesura di questa recensione*
La storia è ambientata cinque anni dopo il precedente e prende avvio dalle conseguenze di Ella di tornare e rimanere nella sua forma di “bambola”.
In questo sequel, la protagonista è principalmente Gabby, poiché il fulcro di tanti avvenimenti è proprio lei e il contesto in cui si muove, anche quando non agisce direttamente.
Gabby ormai è un’adolescente, lunatica e alle prese con i problemi dell’adolescenza, scuola e compagni compresi. Ella viene portata in giro dalla ragazza come se fosse una qualunque bambola robot, ma ben presto qualcuno scopre che Ella è molto di più e le cose iniziano a complicarsi.
Contestualmente, si innesta la trama principale, che riprende le fila del predecessore ma al contempo si prosegue in maniera differente.
Quando sia i genitori di Gabby che tante altre persone, tra le quali compagni di scuola della ragazza, iniziano a scomparire, la situazione non solo diventa allarmante, ma fa presagire che qualcosa di molto più complesso e malevolo sia in atto.
Il presagio viene confermato quando iniziano a comparire molte altre bambole robot simili a Ella ovunque, e nessuno sembra preoccuparsene troppo.
La parte centrale del libro è un po’ lenta e ci vogliono diverse pagine perché le misteriose sparizioni proseguano.
Nell’ultima parte, vediamo tornare Sianne, il cui aiuto è richiesto da Gabby ed Ella per scoprire che cosa stia succedendo e solo grazie al suo contributo le ragazze, dopo una stenua lotta scopriranno la verità.
Il libro è sempre ben scritto come il precedente, scorrevole, ricco di intrighi e svolte, pagine in cui predominano le avventure delle due protagoniste.
Le informazioni vengono rivelate man mano nello scorrere della trama, cosicché il lettore è invogliato a proseguire e scoprire i misteri e cosa stia accadendo.
Per quanto sia un buon libro, è inevitabile per me il confronto con il primo romanzo.
Shattered Girls mi è sembrato molto più uno YA classico, tra distopia e pennellate sf, incentrato sul mondo degli adolescenti e problematiche annesse, benché tutto il resto della storia sia gradevole, con colpi di scena e momenti di suspense.
Broken Dolls, tuttavia, era incentrato sull’idea originale delle bambole robot – cosa fossero, da dove venissero, ecc. –, idea molto più originale e accattivante, diversa dagli standard tradizionali, ma per questo mi era piaciuto decisamente di più, era ricco di spunti di riflessione per me molto più interessanti.
Un romanzo ben scritto e costruito, dunque, ma che potrebbe un po’ deludere le aspettative di chi si aspettava un seguito nettamente sulla scia del predecessore.
Un plauso, invece, alla fantastica cura della grafica interna e alla bellissima cover.
*Ringrazio l’editore e Netgalley per avermi dato una copia dell’opera necessaria alla stesura di questa recensione*
June 3, 2016
I absolutely adored the first book, Broken Dolls, in fact I still recommend this book to anyone interested in a new and freakish idea.
This book doesn't disappoint.
Tyrolin Puxty invites us back to a world in which desperate times calls for desperate measures and old enemies rise to become almost-allies.
The mechanics of this world are clearer than the last book and it is my hope that the next will be even better. This time, it is clear that it is a dystopian era, where the government seeks to control, they stage an epidemic with the help of the media which spurs the invention of a cure - which is what occurs in book 1. In this book, the government seems to be striving toward a Utopia. Where no criminals exist, no prisons and they are aiming to cull the herd so to speak, anyone who isn't intelligent is culled. They want peace, they want world domination.
That's really what sets this novel into motion these world elements, though small and scattered through the book are what make this book.
We meet new characters and some old, but the primary focus is on Gabby and Ella, their relationship grows steadily and we are able to see how it changes Ella, her decision in the last book bothered me and I'm glad to see her character develop, grow and change her view. While I was reading some parts my stomach began to turn because I remembered how she handled everything in the last book and she wasn't pleasant, but I am so glad to see that that changes. She develops in that area and because of it a small speck of romance returns to this book, too.
The end almost leaves things resolved, but not quite in a Goosebumps fashion - "you thought we were done, didn't you?" type of ending. Well, ladies and gents, there is still one more book out there and this one tethers you to the end. Where you want to read the next book and unfortunately it isn't out until next year!
Overall, action packed, fast moving, I wish there was a little more world depth, but it was a great eerie read. Some scenes [really,] had my jaw dropping.
3.8 Crowns
Website - Facebook - Instagram
This book doesn't disappoint.
Tyrolin Puxty invites us back to a world in which desperate times calls for desperate measures and old enemies rise to become almost-allies.
The mechanics of this world are clearer than the last book and it is my hope that the next will be even better. This time, it is clear that it is a dystopian era, where the government seeks to control, they stage an epidemic with the help of the media which spurs the invention of a cure - which is what occurs in book 1. In this book, the government seems to be striving toward a Utopia. Where no criminals exist, no prisons and they are aiming to cull the herd so to speak, anyone who isn't intelligent is culled. They want peace, they want world domination.
That's really what sets this novel into motion these world elements, though small and scattered through the book are what make this book.
We meet new characters and some old, but the primary focus is on Gabby and Ella, their relationship grows steadily and we are able to see how it changes Ella, her decision in the last book bothered me and I'm glad to see her character develop, grow and change her view. While I was reading some parts my stomach began to turn because I remembered how she handled everything in the last book and she wasn't pleasant, but I am so glad to see that that changes. She develops in that area and because of it a small speck of romance returns to this book, too.
The end almost leaves things resolved, but not quite in a Goosebumps fashion - "you thought we were done, didn't you?" type of ending. Well, ladies and gents, there is still one more book out there and this one tethers you to the end. Where you want to read the next book and unfortunately it isn't out until next year!
Overall, action packed, fast moving, I wish there was a little more world depth, but it was a great eerie read. Some scenes [really,] had my jaw dropping.
3.8 Crowns
Website - Facebook - Instagram
August 19, 2016
i received this free copy for exchange of an honest review
3.5 stars!
To be honest I liked "Broken Dolls" more than "Shattered Girls". The author had managed in the first one to create such mystery that you could cut it with a knife. Eerie atmosphere with quite dark premises, Broken Dolls was one of the good books I've read in the genre. Not that Shattered Girls is not, it is just that I didn't like the turn of events.
PROS:
-It's a decent sequel to the first one.
-It is nice to see Ella realizing she loves her family
-Tyrolin Puxty's writing is captivating.
-The original idea is very good.
-I personally loved the way it ended, I can’t wait to read the next one!
CONS:
-It does not possess any of those ingredients that made the first novel unique in the first place. There's no eerie atmosphere, no mystery. However, there is suspense and lots of action.
-Does not bring similarly strong emotions as the first one.
-I did expect more from the plot, to get more in depth, like the first one.
I am one of the few people I suppose that they're gonna tell you that they do not like the covers. It’s not my style, I would expect something less colorful and more captivating, either in sketch or photo. The books deserve better.
I will most definitely read the third part because I grew fond of the characters! I would recommend it to teenage girls 13-15 but not to the YA audience. It's like a creepy children's fairy tale and I say that in a positive way!
3.5 stars!
To be honest I liked "Broken Dolls" more than "Shattered Girls". The author had managed in the first one to create such mystery that you could cut it with a knife. Eerie atmosphere with quite dark premises, Broken Dolls was one of the good books I've read in the genre. Not that Shattered Girls is not, it is just that I didn't like the turn of events.
PROS:
-It's a decent sequel to the first one.
-It is nice to see Ella realizing she loves her family
-Tyrolin Puxty's writing is captivating.
-The original idea is very good.
-I personally loved the way it ended, I can’t wait to read the next one!
CONS:
-It does not possess any of those ingredients that made the first novel unique in the first place. There's no eerie atmosphere, no mystery. However, there is suspense and lots of action.
-Does not bring similarly strong emotions as the first one.
-I did expect more from the plot, to get more in depth, like the first one.
I am one of the few people I suppose that they're gonna tell you that they do not like the covers. It’s not my style, I would expect something less colorful and more captivating, either in sketch or photo. The books deserve better.
I will most definitely read the third part because I grew fond of the characters! I would recommend it to teenage girls 13-15 but not to the YA audience. It's like a creepy children's fairy tale and I say that in a positive way!
June 5, 2016
I received a copy of this via the publishers, Curiousity Quills, in return for a fair and honest review - thankyou!
I was so pleased to see the second of the Broken Dolls series was due out and I'm even happier now i've read it!! Loved every single second of it and it progresses nicely from the first book as we catch up with Ella the human doll and Gabby 5 years on and dealing with life at school, and teenage angst!
And then people begin disappearing! School classes have less and less pupils in, but the police don't even seem that bothered. And then Gabbys parents disappear and that is when they know that something isn't quite right. They join forces with mad auntie Siane and try to get to the bottom of the mystery of the disappearing people and the cloned Professors! There's even a mention for the Winchester Brothers - any book that features Supernatural is fine by me!!
Each character has really grown in this book and we get different views of them beyond the attic setting and it has all been set up for the final book in the series which I can't wait for.
I highly recommend the Broken Dolls series to anyone who loves their books a little different from the norm and it does really make you question just what governments and scientists could be getting up to away from prying eyes!
I was so pleased to see the second of the Broken Dolls series was due out and I'm even happier now i've read it!! Loved every single second of it and it progresses nicely from the first book as we catch up with Ella the human doll and Gabby 5 years on and dealing with life at school, and teenage angst!
And then people begin disappearing! School classes have less and less pupils in, but the police don't even seem that bothered. And then Gabbys parents disappear and that is when they know that something isn't quite right. They join forces with mad auntie Siane and try to get to the bottom of the mystery of the disappearing people and the cloned Professors! There's even a mention for the Winchester Brothers - any book that features Supernatural is fine by me!!
Each character has really grown in this book and we get different views of them beyond the attic setting and it has all been set up for the final book in the series which I can't wait for.
I highly recommend the Broken Dolls series to anyone who loves their books a little different from the norm and it does really make you question just what governments and scientists could be getting up to away from prying eyes!
January 23, 2017
Well this book was amazing, I loved it just as much as the first one and Tyrolin Puxtys writing is amazing. There is just something about her writing that pulls you in and just when you think you have got it, nope you are sent down a spiralling path away from what you thought.
I really enjoyed the plot of the story and it kept you wanting to read more to find out just exactly what was going on. The characters were really enjoyable as well throughout the story. In the first book I loved Ella but by the end I didn’t really like her, however events that happened in this book have changed what I thought about her and I actually really like her as a character. Gabby was well written and it was great to see how she matured throughout the books. Lisa was well Lisa, a little crazy and you never know what her full intentions are. I don’t want to give away to many details because I don’t want to spoil it. I was wowed by the events that happened in the story and I can’t wait to read the next one. I highly recommend this series as it is a short, addicting thought provoking set of books and and as I said before I can not wait for the next one.
I really enjoyed the plot of the story and it kept you wanting to read more to find out just exactly what was going on. The characters were really enjoyable as well throughout the story. In the first book I loved Ella but by the end I didn’t really like her, however events that happened in this book have changed what I thought about her and I actually really like her as a character. Gabby was well written and it was great to see how she matured throughout the books. Lisa was well Lisa, a little crazy and you never know what her full intentions are. I don’t want to give away to many details because I don’t want to spoil it. I was wowed by the events that happened in the story and I can’t wait to read the next one. I highly recommend this series as it is a short, addicting thought provoking set of books and and as I said before I can not wait for the next one.
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July 9, 2016This book has an exquisite cover and I was really looking forward to it, but, there were a couple of reasons I ultimately had to bail on it. First, it wasn't listed as YA here on Netgalley (YA isn't really what I read nor what I'm interested in). Secondly, I should've noticed that it was the second in a series (but I didn't), so I was missing a lot of information going into the story and the characters. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2018
I loved Tyrolin Puxty's Broken Dolls. It struck the perfect balance of being accessible to young readers and creepy AF. The story pulled me in and kept me guessing (and nervous) right to the end. It is borderline horror for children, bold and original.
Shattered Girls picks up some time later, and what was a mystery in the first book, something only a few people were even aware of, has now been unleashed on the world. The dolls are out there. Many, many dolls. And everyone knows about them, but believes them to be something very different from what they are. Where the intrigue of Broken Dolls centered around the secret motives of a single character, perhaps good, perhaps evil, Shattered Girls ups the ante with a full-blown conspiracy. Expect a much grander scale of story-telling this time around.
Puxty's prose is engaging, often hilarious, and just as much of a treat as the first time. But Shattered Girls does not bring quite the same level of wonder to the table. It can't, really, because the big question that drove the first book has now been answered. That said, there is still plenty of story left to be told in this world, and I did greatly enjoy my second trip into it. I expect to enjoy the third book even more, based on the setup laid out in the final act of Shattered Girls and the teaser preview chapter. I hope I don't have to wait too long to read it!
Shattered Girls picks up some time later, and what was a mystery in the first book, something only a few people were even aware of, has now been unleashed on the world. The dolls are out there. Many, many dolls. And everyone knows about them, but believes them to be something very different from what they are. Where the intrigue of Broken Dolls centered around the secret motives of a single character, perhaps good, perhaps evil, Shattered Girls ups the ante with a full-blown conspiracy. Expect a much grander scale of story-telling this time around.
Puxty's prose is engaging, often hilarious, and just as much of a treat as the first time. But Shattered Girls does not bring quite the same level of wonder to the table. It can't, really, because the big question that drove the first book has now been answered. That said, there is still plenty of story left to be told in this world, and I did greatly enjoy my second trip into it. I expect to enjoy the third book even more, based on the setup laid out in the final act of Shattered Girls and the teaser preview chapter. I hope I don't have to wait too long to read it!
May 7, 2016
Full disclosure: I know the author. She's amazing and I am so lucky to be one of the first people to read Shattered Girls!
It's different from the first book. There are more characters, far more pressing problems and we finally see the outside world. Set 5 years later, we see Lisa, Gabby, Sianne and Ella's growth and their personalities are fleshed out. It's not just about their problems in an attic. Their lives are at stake and their family has been kidnapped.
Tyrolin said she intentionally wrote Broken Dolls as a standalone so that way people who were happy for the story to end there could leave it there. But Shattered Girls and the final book Fractured World were designed to answer all questions and show what would happen to the WORLD if an invention like consciousness transferal hit mainstream.
I just loved it. Like...just read it.
Super different but that's a great thing. AND AND OMG she said she has A NEW BOOK coming out, a comedy fantasy!! I'm so excited because it means we'll see it through the perspective of a thirty-something man as opposed to a 12 year old girl. I'm excited to see how different the writing will be! Eeek! Such a fan! Thanks Tyrolin!!
It's different from the first book. There are more characters, far more pressing problems and we finally see the outside world. Set 5 years later, we see Lisa, Gabby, Sianne and Ella's growth and their personalities are fleshed out. It's not just about their problems in an attic. Their lives are at stake and their family has been kidnapped.
Tyrolin said she intentionally wrote Broken Dolls as a standalone so that way people who were happy for the story to end there could leave it there. But Shattered Girls and the final book Fractured World were designed to answer all questions and show what would happen to the WORLD if an invention like consciousness transferal hit mainstream.
I just loved it. Like...just read it.
Super different but that's a great thing. AND AND OMG she said she has A NEW BOOK coming out, a comedy fantasy!! I'm so excited because it means we'll see it through the perspective of a thirty-something man as opposed to a 12 year old girl. I'm excited to see how different the writing will be! Eeek! Such a fan! Thanks Tyrolin!!
September 7, 2016
In Shattered Girls, there's a huge conspiracy taking place. One that is using Ella's town as ground zero. I loved how Puxty kept to the mystery of the whole doll story. After the excitement of the first book, I was wondering how book two would play out and I was not disappointed. The story was exciting and kept me interested. It's nothing like you'd imagine- there's no way you can figure what's going or why, other than a plan that mimics "Pinky & the Brain". (hint hint)
Lastly, I want to talk about the book cover again. Like I said, I purchased both the ebook and physical book. The artwork is so beautiful. The covers of both Broken Dolls and Shattered Girls could easily hang on my office walls; I love them so much. I can't wait to see what the third book will look like and bring.
For the full review: http://tinyurl.com/hu8vve8
**eBook is from my personal library, for an honest review.
Lastly, I want to talk about the book cover again. Like I said, I purchased both the ebook and physical book. The artwork is so beautiful. The covers of both Broken Dolls and Shattered Girls could easily hang on my office walls; I love them so much. I can't wait to see what the third book will look like and bring.
For the full review: http://tinyurl.com/hu8vve8
**eBook is from my personal library, for an honest review.
May 17, 2016
OMFG. OMG. I was SO worried about this book. I didn't think it could top Broken Dolls. But it did. It really effing did. It's more dystopian and action-packed and they are no longer confined to the attic. This is kinda like Broken Dolls gone Hunger Games...without all the violent deaths.
It's actually really hard to explain without spoiling too much but all I can say is....Lisa you rambunctious scamp....it's both a pleasure and an annoyance to see you again.
I still wanted to hear a little more about the epidemic, but I loved how it was explained...I really didn't expect that!
It's actually really hard to explain without spoiling too much but all I can say is....Lisa you rambunctious scamp....it's both a pleasure and an annoyance to see you again.
I still wanted to hear a little more about the epidemic, but I loved how it was explained...I really didn't expect that!
May 17, 2016
Thanks to Miss Puxty for sending me an ARC of Shattered Girls.
What a ride. I loved Broken Dolls, but this was action-packed, awesomely crazy and hardcore. I'm a little sad the third book is out next year....I hate to think this bizarre little adventure will be coming to an end.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
What a ride. I loved Broken Dolls, but this was action-packed, awesomely crazy and hardcore. I'm a little sad the third book is out next year....I hate to think this bizarre little adventure will be coming to an end.
Thoroughly enjoyed.
August 29, 2016
Recensione: http://wp.me/p3X6aw-15x
Review: http://wp.me/p3X6aw-15E
Review: http://wp.me/p3X6aw-15E
May 12, 2017
Ella has left her mortal body behind to spend her life as a doll. She wants to be whole and she's perfectly happy being with Gabby. Gabby is struggling with friendships. She once was seriously ill and she survived, but she's still being seen as unsafe by some. Fortunately she has Ella to keep her company. When people find out about Ella's existence they want to have dolls as well. They are being provided, but where do those dolls actually come from and who's behind making so many of them? Gabby and Ella have to find out what's going on and they don't have much time. They might be able to do something about the sinister plans behind the new dolls, but will they succeed when so many people are against them?
Shattered Girls is another fabulous story about living dolls. I love the idea behind the story and enjoyed reading about Ella. As a doll she's incredibly sweet, but the decision to stay in a small plastic body has done quite a bit of damage to the people who love her. Gabby and Ella are close and I liked their connection. Gabby is smart and strong, which is something I loved about her. I couldn't wait to find out if they'd be able to find the people who were behind the large number of dolls and this kept me on the edge of my seat. They're a fantastic team and that was something I enjoyed very much about their story.
Tyrolin Puxty mixes terrific descriptions of technology with an intriguing mystery. I liked the concept of living people being turned into dolls a lot. They might have been created to do good, but now someone else is using them for gain. Unfortunately this is something that often happens in reality, which is a thought-provoking subject. I was fascinated by this straight away. Shattered Girls is an adrenaline rush with original combat scenes, creepy elements and an interesting view of technology. I love Tyrolin Puxty's world building and really enjoyed reading this amazing creative story.
May 22, 2017
First of all, huge send to the author for sending me a copy of her bok in exchange for a honest review! Shattered Girls is the sequel of Broken Dolls by Tyrolin Puxty. It was published in June 2016.
I really enjoyed Broken Dolls, but I think I enjoyed Shattered Girls even more. The first story was well rounded, and I didn’t really know what to expect from this one. It took me by surprise, and I really loved it. This book is so refreshing and original, and it’s full of crazy plot twists: you’ll never get tired while reading it.
Both volumes are told from the perspective of doll-Ella, which I found sometimes extremely frustrating at first, however, in the second volume, I really enjoyed it. Ella goes through a great character development, and it was so enjoyable to read, to see her grow and learn from her past mistakes. I really loved seeing her evolve, and really like who she has become.
I also really liked the fact that however perfect a little girl she was, Gabby still grew up to be a realistic, moody teen who didn’t get on well with her parents. It was also interesting to have a new perspective on this world. While in the first book, we mostly see Ella and Gabby evolving in the house of the professor, in this one, we get to see at first Gabby’s school, and also the world in general, which was a really great addition to the universe. I liked seeing old characters come back to the story, and I liked meeting new ones, adding new things to this crazy amazing universe.
Overall, this was a really great sequel, part of an amazingly original universe – I’ve never read anything else like it and it’s very refreshing. We also have great character developments and plot twists. Shattered Girls is a quick, easy read and I definitely recommend you check it out. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Full review: https://clemisbookishworld.wordpress....
I really enjoyed Broken Dolls, but I think I enjoyed Shattered Girls even more. The first story was well rounded, and I didn’t really know what to expect from this one. It took me by surprise, and I really loved it. This book is so refreshing and original, and it’s full of crazy plot twists: you’ll never get tired while reading it.
Both volumes are told from the perspective of doll-Ella, which I found sometimes extremely frustrating at first, however, in the second volume, I really enjoyed it. Ella goes through a great character development, and it was so enjoyable to read, to see her grow and learn from her past mistakes. I really loved seeing her evolve, and really like who she has become.
I also really liked the fact that however perfect a little girl she was, Gabby still grew up to be a realistic, moody teen who didn’t get on well with her parents. It was also interesting to have a new perspective on this world. While in the first book, we mostly see Ella and Gabby evolving in the house of the professor, in this one, we get to see at first Gabby’s school, and also the world in general, which was a really great addition to the universe. I liked seeing old characters come back to the story, and I liked meeting new ones, adding new things to this crazy amazing universe.
Overall, this was a really great sequel, part of an amazingly original universe – I’ve never read anything else like it and it’s very refreshing. We also have great character developments and plot twists. Shattered Girls is a quick, easy read and I definitely recommend you check it out. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Full review: https://clemisbookishworld.wordpress....
August 26, 2016
You can find this review and more on my blog.
I had really loved Broken Dolls, the first book in the series, which I reviewed here, if you are interested. So I picked up Shattered Girls with a certain amount of trepidation. Would it live up to its predecessor? Would it expand the world and manage to weave a compelling story at the same time? Sadly, it failed on both accounts, at least in my opinion…
Shattered Girls takes place about 10 years after the first book. The Professor made his invention public and went on to work for a big company and make lots of money. Gabby transformed from a vivacious little girl into a sullen teenager. And Ella… well, Ella is still a doll. But at least she is happily hanging out with Gabby and even attending school classes with her, since everybody thinks that she is just an exceptionally well-made robot.
But all isn't well in the little town where Gabby and Ella live. Girls keep disappearing and the police doesn't seem to be able to find any clues as to why or who is behind this. And now Gabby and Ella come back home to an empty house and visible signs of a fight. Something very fishy is going on, but the girls will definitely get to the bottom of it all with the help of their crazy aunt Sianne.
The book follows a similar recipe as the first one - two girls fighting against evil adults and their evil machinations, only this time it doesn't quite work. Let me explain why.
In my opinion, it doesn't work because of the stakes are too high in the second book. In Broken Dolls, Ella was fighting against the evil Professor in order to save Gabby from the same unfortunate fate that befell her - being turned into a doll. Nevermind that the Professor wasn't evil at all and that what he did was to cure Gabby, or that Ella had chosen to remain a doll in the first place as it turned out. What I'm saying is that the stakes were localized and attainable even for a little girl and a plastic doll.
In Shattered Girls, the stakes are much higher: a big corporation is kidnapping children and turning them into dolls. Moreover, they have policemen, politicians and even the press on their payroll. They are big, they are powerful, and they are motivated by nothing but profit. Unfortunately, the fact that the villain is so powerful makes the idea that a teenager and a doll can defeat it rather ridiculous. In which world can a child and a doll go against an evil corporation and win? Even Harry Potter needed friends and all the help he could get often from unlikely allies to defeat Voldemort.
But Ella and Gabby are the protagonists of this story and they will defeat the super villain and restore order even if the author has to bend rules to achieve that. Hence we have adults behaving like they all got struck with a highly contagious case of the stupids. We have a huge corporation whose headquarters have such lax security that a teenager can walk right through the front door just by jamming the surveillance cameras. And so on and so forth.
By the end of the story, I didn't really care what happened to Ella and Gabby and if they managed to restore all the kidnaped people to their own bodies, because the story turned so ridiculous that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief any longer.
So all in all, I wouldn't recommend this book, even though the beginning is rather fun and fast-paced. But as soon as the action shifts from the confines of a school or even a small town to New York, the story goes off the rails.
PS. I received and advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had really loved Broken Dolls, the first book in the series, which I reviewed here, if you are interested. So I picked up Shattered Girls with a certain amount of trepidation. Would it live up to its predecessor? Would it expand the world and manage to weave a compelling story at the same time? Sadly, it failed on both accounts, at least in my opinion…
Shattered Girls takes place about 10 years after the first book. The Professor made his invention public and went on to work for a big company and make lots of money. Gabby transformed from a vivacious little girl into a sullen teenager. And Ella… well, Ella is still a doll. But at least she is happily hanging out with Gabby and even attending school classes with her, since everybody thinks that she is just an exceptionally well-made robot.
But all isn't well in the little town where Gabby and Ella live. Girls keep disappearing and the police doesn't seem to be able to find any clues as to why or who is behind this. And now Gabby and Ella come back home to an empty house and visible signs of a fight. Something very fishy is going on, but the girls will definitely get to the bottom of it all with the help of their crazy aunt Sianne.
The book follows a similar recipe as the first one - two girls fighting against evil adults and their evil machinations, only this time it doesn't quite work. Let me explain why.
In my opinion, it doesn't work because of the stakes are too high in the second book. In Broken Dolls, Ella was fighting against the evil Professor in order to save Gabby from the same unfortunate fate that befell her - being turned into a doll. Nevermind that the Professor wasn't evil at all and that what he did was to cure Gabby, or that Ella had chosen to remain a doll in the first place as it turned out. What I'm saying is that the stakes were localized and attainable even for a little girl and a plastic doll.
In Shattered Girls, the stakes are much higher: a big corporation is kidnapping children and turning them into dolls. Moreover, they have policemen, politicians and even the press on their payroll. They are big, they are powerful, and they are motivated by nothing but profit. Unfortunately, the fact that the villain is so powerful makes the idea that a teenager and a doll can defeat it rather ridiculous. In which world can a child and a doll go against an evil corporation and win? Even Harry Potter needed friends and all the help he could get often from unlikely allies to defeat Voldemort.
But Ella and Gabby are the protagonists of this story and they will defeat the super villain and restore order even if the author has to bend rules to achieve that. Hence we have adults behaving like they all got struck with a highly contagious case of the stupids. We have a huge corporation whose headquarters have such lax security that a teenager can walk right through the front door just by jamming the surveillance cameras. And so on and so forth.
By the end of the story, I didn't really care what happened to Ella and Gabby and if they managed to restore all the kidnaped people to their own bodies, because the story turned so ridiculous that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief any longer.
So all in all, I wouldn't recommend this book, even though the beginning is rather fun and fast-paced. But as soon as the action shifts from the confines of a school or even a small town to New York, the story goes off the rails.
PS. I received and advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2016
***received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review of it. The opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's. ***
Shattered Girls by Tyrolin Puxty is the sequel to her first book Broken Dolls. Now this is the first book that I have read in the series and I have to admit that there are spots of where I didn't really understand what all was going on since I had not read the first book so I suggest that if you have not read the first book in this series that you go back and read that first before pursuing this book. It will help it be more enjoyable and certain instances to be better understood and followed.
Shattered Girls starts off with Gabby and Ella preparing to go to school. Ella is pretending to be an inanimate doll but that ploy quickly fails when Ella exposes herself to be able to walk and talk on her own when she confronts a girl who is bullying Ella at school. Then the secret is not just out there but everywhere as a video is shot and then uploaded to YouTube. They play it off that Ella is a robot but not everyone believes that. People are disappearing and the police are proving ineffective in finding out what is going on. Then Gabby's parents disappear as well. The man that they call and count on, the Professor, is acting strange but things are worse than they think. A lot is going on and it is up to Gabby and Ella to not only to figure it out but to stop it before it takes over the whole world.
Despite not having read the first book in this series once I got past a few elements of where I didn't really understand or know what had happened in the past I really enjoyed this book. It really is an engaging book that draws you in and makes you want to know what is going on and what happens next. I love how the author even got me to think a certain way about Ella. The overall idea of the story is interesting as well...a world with dolls who were once human. This story definitely has some twists and turns that make you wonder who's on who's side really but that just adds to it's enjoyment in my opinion. When this story ends it leaves you on a cliffhanger but the author includes a nice little teaser for you to prepare you for the next book in the series and I have to say that I can't wait to read it. I fully intend to go back and read the first book and then reread this one so that I can fully appreciate the storyline written here.
Overall I give this book 4.5 out 5 stars. I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good SciFi/Fantasy book and who is also a fan of dolls and the unique. This book will really check off a lot of boxes for you.
Shattered Girls by Tyrolin Puxty is the sequel to her first book Broken Dolls. Now this is the first book that I have read in the series and I have to admit that there are spots of where I didn't really understand what all was going on since I had not read the first book so I suggest that if you have not read the first book in this series that you go back and read that first before pursuing this book. It will help it be more enjoyable and certain instances to be better understood and followed.
Shattered Girls starts off with Gabby and Ella preparing to go to school. Ella is pretending to be an inanimate doll but that ploy quickly fails when Ella exposes herself to be able to walk and talk on her own when she confronts a girl who is bullying Ella at school. Then the secret is not just out there but everywhere as a video is shot and then uploaded to YouTube. They play it off that Ella is a robot but not everyone believes that. People are disappearing and the police are proving ineffective in finding out what is going on. Then Gabby's parents disappear as well. The man that they call and count on, the Professor, is acting strange but things are worse than they think. A lot is going on and it is up to Gabby and Ella to not only to figure it out but to stop it before it takes over the whole world.
Despite not having read the first book in this series once I got past a few elements of where I didn't really understand or know what had happened in the past I really enjoyed this book. It really is an engaging book that draws you in and makes you want to know what is going on and what happens next. I love how the author even got me to think a certain way about Ella. The overall idea of the story is interesting as well...a world with dolls who were once human. This story definitely has some twists and turns that make you wonder who's on who's side really but that just adds to it's enjoyment in my opinion. When this story ends it leaves you on a cliffhanger but the author includes a nice little teaser for you to prepare you for the next book in the series and I have to say that I can't wait to read it. I fully intend to go back and read the first book and then reread this one so that I can fully appreciate the storyline written here.
Overall I give this book 4.5 out 5 stars. I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good SciFi/Fantasy book and who is also a fan of dolls and the unique. This book will really check off a lot of boxes for you.
August 4, 2016
I received a copy for review through the publisher.
Wow...this sequel was amazing. Tyrolin Puxty created such an awesome story that is based off the first novel so well. Broken Dolls was suspenseful thriller for me and it set the tone for what took place in this book.
Ella is back to being a doll and is enjoying her life, but she is starting to realize that staying a doll probably wasn't the best move for her family. Ella is still as bold and talkative as ever, but she is more knowledgeable on things and her emotions. I love how connected she is to Gabby, how strong her connection with her husband becomes and how brave she was when things came down to saving the ones she love and the world in essence.
Gabby has changed in this book. She much more snappy and snotty in this book especially being that she's 16 years old. She seems to have some hurt from the choice Ella made in staying a doll. I loved how Gabby was set on finding her parents and helping her grandfather. She was still the curious child as ever. Love Gabby.
Daniel, the grandfather, is awesome. Parts of me disliked him in the first book, but he was truly an amazing scientist. What he invented and created could have saved lives. I loved even more his love for his wife. No matter how Ella treated him, he stayed by her side and supported her even when it hurt. I'm so happy things worked out in the end for him.
The whole abducted people because of the low IQ's and being criminals to turn them into dolls was freaking insane! Who the heck were these damn people in Daniel's company and how insane were they. They pissed me off. As much as I loved what Lisa did in this story her plans to come make me hate her once again.
Overall, this was awesome! I'm excited to read Fractured World when it comes out because that cliffhanger in the book and preview of chapter one has me prepared for more deranged things. Especially with Lisa.
Wow...this sequel was amazing. Tyrolin Puxty created such an awesome story that is based off the first novel so well. Broken Dolls was suspenseful thriller for me and it set the tone for what took place in this book.
Ella is back to being a doll and is enjoying her life, but she is starting to realize that staying a doll probably wasn't the best move for her family. Ella is still as bold and talkative as ever, but she is more knowledgeable on things and her emotions. I love how connected she is to Gabby, how strong her connection with her husband becomes and how brave she was when things came down to saving the ones she love and the world in essence.
Gabby has changed in this book. She much more snappy and snotty in this book especially being that she's 16 years old. She seems to have some hurt from the choice Ella made in staying a doll. I loved how Gabby was set on finding her parents and helping her grandfather. She was still the curious child as ever. Love Gabby.
Daniel, the grandfather, is awesome. Parts of me disliked him in the first book, but he was truly an amazing scientist. What he invented and created could have saved lives. I loved even more his love for his wife. No matter how Ella treated him, he stayed by her side and supported her even when it hurt. I'm so happy things worked out in the end for him.
The whole abducted people because of the low IQ's and being criminals to turn them into dolls was freaking insane! Who the heck were these damn people in Daniel's company and how insane were they. They pissed me off. As much as I loved what Lisa did in this story her plans to come make me hate her once again.
Overall, this was awesome! I'm excited to read Fractured World when it comes out because that cliffhanger in the book and preview of chapter one has me prepared for more deranged things. Especially with Lisa.
June 26, 2016
After reading book one in this series, Broken Dolls, I was looking forward to diving into this one and seeing what happens to the wonderful Ella and her friend Gabby next.
Ella is back in doll state and sticks to Gabby like glue. Gabby, who now is back to regular teenage life, totes Ella along in her book bag to school, although no one is to know that Ella is there. Of course, things don't run smoothly and Ella is soon found out. From there, things get complicated as kids disappear and more amazing 'robots' like Ella pop up everywhere.
Where book one had a wonderfully creepy, gothic feel to it, this one takes on more of an adventure/thriller atmosphere without those lovely shivers from before. The book starts off with school scenes, allowing the difficult relationship between Gabby and Ella to take center stage. The problems are understandable enough as Gabby tries (as a preteen) to wiggle back into school's social life. Ella, on the other hand, is her opinionated self, and tends to stumble into trouble.
It takes a bit for the mysterious disappearances to get going, but when they do, the pace of the book picks up and doesn't let go until the last page. There's a delicious amount of intrigue as a whole new level of 'evil' steps in. Gabby and Ella are up against a huge foe, something which makes for super-sized adventure with all sorts of edge-of-the-seat moments. To round it off, there's a couple of important messages woven in, which are well placed for the intended audience.
Summed up, this is an adventurous read with lots of tension, twists and turns. The atmosphere isn't like book one, but this one still hold heaps of action and excitement. Middle grade readers who love strong heroines, world threats, and a fast pace that doesn't let up, will enjoy this one.
Ella is back in doll state and sticks to Gabby like glue. Gabby, who now is back to regular teenage life, totes Ella along in her book bag to school, although no one is to know that Ella is there. Of course, things don't run smoothly and Ella is soon found out. From there, things get complicated as kids disappear and more amazing 'robots' like Ella pop up everywhere.
Where book one had a wonderfully creepy, gothic feel to it, this one takes on more of an adventure/thriller atmosphere without those lovely shivers from before. The book starts off with school scenes, allowing the difficult relationship between Gabby and Ella to take center stage. The problems are understandable enough as Gabby tries (as a preteen) to wiggle back into school's social life. Ella, on the other hand, is her opinionated self, and tends to stumble into trouble.
It takes a bit for the mysterious disappearances to get going, but when they do, the pace of the book picks up and doesn't let go until the last page. There's a delicious amount of intrigue as a whole new level of 'evil' steps in. Gabby and Ella are up against a huge foe, something which makes for super-sized adventure with all sorts of edge-of-the-seat moments. To round it off, there's a couple of important messages woven in, which are well placed for the intended audience.
Summed up, this is an adventurous read with lots of tension, twists and turns. The atmosphere isn't like book one, but this one still hold heaps of action and excitement. Middle grade readers who love strong heroines, world threats, and a fast pace that doesn't let up, will enjoy this one.
June 28, 2016
Compared to the first book, Shattered Girls was ALOT more enjoyable. There was more action, less weird horror. It was still creepy to imagine all of the tiny dolls (especially towards the climax) roaming around, but they weren’t locked up in a small, cramped space like the setting of Book 1.
As you’ll see when you read it, the plot is mostly set years after Broken Dolls takes place which allowed for the plot to expand in a different direction. I feel like you don’t necessarily need to have read the first book in order to completely understand the events and the actions that took place here in Book 2. There are characters and background information that are introduced that allow for a satisfied understanding of what transpired, but at the same time, I felt like this could have been a standalone with all of the recaps that there were.
The ending felt satisfactory, but you can tell there is a third book coming up (which there is). Overall, if you were like me and felt like Broken Dolls was an “eh” book, DON’T STOP THERE! Shattered Girls is WAYYY better in my opinion. It is more jam-packed with action and suspense. Towards the mid/end, I couldn’t put it down. I read this book in half a day, which led to a solid 4 out of 5 star rating.
I really want to see how Book 3 will play out because the ending was freaky. The plan one of the characters has for their future is pretty crazy world domination…
As you’ll see when you read it, the plot is mostly set years after Broken Dolls takes place which allowed for the plot to expand in a different direction. I feel like you don’t necessarily need to have read the first book in order to completely understand the events and the actions that took place here in Book 2. There are characters and background information that are introduced that allow for a satisfied understanding of what transpired, but at the same time, I felt like this could have been a standalone with all of the recaps that there were.
The ending felt satisfactory, but you can tell there is a third book coming up (which there is). Overall, if you were like me and felt like Broken Dolls was an “eh” book, DON’T STOP THERE! Shattered Girls is WAYYY better in my opinion. It is more jam-packed with action and suspense. Towards the mid/end, I couldn’t put it down. I read this book in half a day, which led to a solid 4 out of 5 star rating.
I really want to see how Book 3 will play out because the ending was freaky. The plan one of the characters has for their future is pretty crazy world domination…
July 31, 2016
Ella is a doll. Her friend Gabby is a human who goes to school. She takes Ella with her to school hiding in her bag when one day Ella wants out. Ella convinces Gabby to let her sit on Gabby's shoulder promising not to talk or move, etc. of course, the promise doesn't last long. Gabby has everyone thinking Ella is a robot. Unfortunately, it only adds trouble to Gabby's life. News casters and journalists want to talk to Ella and not Gabby. Upset, Gabby goes home to find her parents missing. Ella and Gabby go to see Sianne for help. Unfortunately, things go worse for Ella and Gabby. They discover that a company is making dolls and humans are disappearing. Are the humans being turned into dolls? If so, why?
Even though I had not read the first book, I was able to enjoy and understand the characters in the book. It is full of fast paced action with several twists and turns that surprised me. I enjoyed this novel so much that I am going to get the first book of this trilogy and read it. The author gives the reader a taste of the third book which makes me want it now! I can't wait to read it due to the ending of this novel. I want to know what happens next!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Even though I had not read the first book, I was able to enjoy and understand the characters in the book. It is full of fast paced action with several twists and turns that surprised me. I enjoyed this novel so much that I am going to get the first book of this trilogy and read it. The author gives the reader a taste of the third book which makes me want it now! I can't wait to read it due to the ending of this novel. I want to know what happens next!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
May 7, 2017
After reading the first book I wondered where Puxty was going to lead with her ideas of human consciousness being put into dolls, and I can honestly say I was impressed. Having the company take over the concept to help ‘better’ the world helped push the same ethics questions from the first book, as well as questioning the morality of whether controlling people – even if it’s for a good cause – is good or bad.
Seeing Ella switching from human to doll to human to doll really showed me what it was like from her point of view, and whether the benefits of being a doll outweigh the negatives. Also as Ella got to go out in the world in this book, I found that her problems were a lot less repetitive and so I enjoyed reading Shattered Girls much more than its prequel.
The ending, although finishing on a ‘I’m not finished with you yet’ shock, didn’t captivate me into wanting to read the next book, as the idea seems too odd to pull off without feeling a disappointment. I would definitely recommend this book to any YA lover of dystopian fiction, and would give it a 3.5 star rating out of 5.
*I received this e-book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Uptown Oracle Reviews
Seeing Ella switching from human to doll to human to doll really showed me what it was like from her point of view, and whether the benefits of being a doll outweigh the negatives. Also as Ella got to go out in the world in this book, I found that her problems were a lot less repetitive and so I enjoyed reading Shattered Girls much more than its prequel.
The ending, although finishing on a ‘I’m not finished with you yet’ shock, didn’t captivate me into wanting to read the next book, as the idea seems too odd to pull off without feeling a disappointment. I would definitely recommend this book to any YA lover of dystopian fiction, and would give it a 3.5 star rating out of 5.
*I received this e-book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Uptown Oracle Reviews
November 9, 2016
How is this a book for middle schoolers?! 2.75 stars
As mentioned previously the morals, first the good:
1) Some semblance of body positivity where Ella allows us to learn that she likes her human body no matter what it looks like or is unable to do.
2) Encouraging children to know when to call for help.
And now the bad (I find these rather twisted):
1) There are parts that suggest a child trying their hardest is not good enough and even when they try as hard as they can, they will be punished for their lack of good grades.
2) There are parts, especially in the beginning, that would suggest that police and other people of authority are bad and cannot be trusted...
3) And then to contraindicate the first good moral, Ella once in human form, finds several things to dislike about her body and wishes she could be different or back in her doll form. I'm not naïve in thinking that we all love our bodies all of the time, and that's okay too, but the "that's okay too" part is not really added on.
The story was an interesting way to continue the story. Am I interested to continue, yeah, sure. I still don't really agree with the "middle grade" thing, this should be for older readers...
As mentioned previously the morals, first the good:
1) Some semblance of body positivity where Ella allows us to learn that she likes her human body no matter what it looks like or is unable to do.
2) Encouraging children to know when to call for help.
And now the bad (I find these rather twisted):
1) There are parts that suggest a child trying their hardest is not good enough and even when they try as hard as they can, they will be punished for their lack of good grades.
2) There are parts, especially in the beginning, that would suggest that police and other people of authority are bad and cannot be trusted...
3) And then to contraindicate the first good moral, Ella once in human form, finds several things to dislike about her body and wishes she could be different or back in her doll form. I'm not naïve in thinking that we all love our bodies all of the time, and that's okay too, but the "that's okay too" part is not really added on.
The story was an interesting way to continue the story. Am I interested to continue, yeah, sure. I still don't really agree with the "middle grade" thing, this should be for older readers...
July 31, 2016
What an eerie book. In the previous one there was an epidemic, and an inventor named Daniel found the way to transfer consciousness into doll form. His wife, Ella, decides to stay in a doll body rather to return to her human one.
In this book, we find Ella, still a doll, going to school with Gabby, her grandaughter, but sth happens and a video of her on doll form gets released and people think she is some kind of advanced robot. The problem comes when more of this "robots" begin to appear, as the only one that exists is Ella, as you need a human conscience to power them. And, casually, lots of people are disappearing...
As I've said, this is an eerie read. Sometimes it seems like it is for a younger public, but then it shows a dark twist (for instance, where the new dolls are coming) and you find yourself surprised by it. All in all, an interesting and surprising read, as I have never encountered sth similar (that I can remember, at least)
In this book, we find Ella, still a doll, going to school with Gabby, her grandaughter, but sth happens and a video of her on doll form gets released and people think she is some kind of advanced robot. The problem comes when more of this "robots" begin to appear, as the only one that exists is Ella, as you need a human conscience to power them. And, casually, lots of people are disappearing...
As I've said, this is an eerie read. Sometimes it seems like it is for a younger public, but then it shows a dark twist (for instance, where the new dolls are coming) and you find yourself surprised by it. All in all, an interesting and surprising read, as I have never encountered sth similar (that I can remember, at least)
January 23, 2017
I was captivated and intrigued by the original story line for the first book and eagerly anticipated the sequel which was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
The second book has a very different feel than the first one and some of the magic from the first one is gone in the second because it aligns more with a dystopian feel and seems more tame than the first. It's truly about character development in this one which is why I loved it a little less. The originality of the first one spoke to me. And fairly quickly into the book I got a mean girls vibe that I couldn't quite recover from.
I also have a hard time with the second book in trilogies or series anyway, so I will read the next book and would be interested to see where Puxty's creativity brings readers.
The second book has a very different feel than the first one and some of the magic from the first one is gone in the second because it aligns more with a dystopian feel and seems more tame than the first. It's truly about character development in this one which is why I loved it a little less. The originality of the first one spoke to me. And fairly quickly into the book I got a mean girls vibe that I couldn't quite recover from.
I also have a hard time with the second book in trilogies or series anyway, so I will read the next book and would be interested to see where Puxty's creativity brings readers.
June 13, 2016
I received a copy of Shattered Girls from the author for an honest review.
Phew. Didn't expect to finish that in one sitting, but I couldn't bring myself to put Shattered Girls down. If possible, this is better than the first book.
We start off with mixed feelings of the characters from the first book, and we fall in love with Ella all over again once she develops and grows as a character.
Set in a more dystopian world with missing people and illuminati type governmental spies, this book takes a surprising direction. Tyrolin Puxty sure does know how to mess with your emotions (in a good way).
Treat yourself and read this book.
Phew. Didn't expect to finish that in one sitting, but I couldn't bring myself to put Shattered Girls down. If possible, this is better than the first book.
We start off with mixed feelings of the characters from the first book, and we fall in love with Ella all over again once she develops and grows as a character.
Set in a more dystopian world with missing people and illuminati type governmental spies, this book takes a surprising direction. Tyrolin Puxty sure does know how to mess with your emotions (in a good way).
Treat yourself and read this book.
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