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The Shattered Trilogy #1
Shattered Souls
Shattered Souls is the first book in an epic fantasy trilogy.
Join Blaine and his friends as they explore the world of Krajina and work to save it!
Blaine always dreamed of being a hero and would do anything to see that dream come true. Working to help free the Forgehearts from a life of slavery and servitude, he thinks he's on the right path. But when a monster from his nightmares begins hunting him and his companions, Blaine's life is turned upside down, and he questions if he will ever become the hero he aspires to be.
Pursued by people he thought he could trust and the Shard—a dark creature summoned from another world—Blaine and his friends go searching for answers. Trying to uncover secrets of the Shard, they uncover truths about themselves, the world, and the gods that puts their entire world in danger.
Join Blaine and his friends as they explore the world of Krajina and work to save it!
Blaine always dreamed of being a hero and would do anything to see that dream come true. Working to help free the Forgehearts from a life of slavery and servitude, he thinks he's on the right path. But when a monster from his nightmares begins hunting him and his companions, Blaine's life is turned upside down, and he questions if he will ever become the hero he aspires to be.
Pursued by people he thought he could trust and the Shard—a dark creature summoned from another world—Blaine and his friends go searching for answers. Trying to uncover secrets of the Shard, they uncover truths about themselves, the world, and the gods that puts their entire world in danger.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2022
163 people are currently reading
618 people want to read
About the author
Emily Huffman
6 books76 followersEmily Huffman is the author of The Shattered Trilogy, an epic fantasy series. Before becoming an author, she worked in fraud—but now she leaves stopping the bad guys to her characters. If she’s not writing, you might find her cosplaying at various conventions, playing Dungeons and Dragons, or playing video games/board games!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 4, 2022
I'm a huge Glisenia fan, but Shattered Souls goes SO much deeper into the world Emily Huffman has created. Shattered Sacrifice hooked me like the Kraken himself reached out of the depths of the sea and refused to let go.
Shattered Souls follows a group of adventurers who have got some major stakes on the line. They're all unique, lovable, and fun in different ways and I had a blast watching them evolve over this journey. Shattered Souls reminds me of Six of Crows combined with The Sword of Shannara trilogy plus a dash of Dungeons and Dragons.
This is CLASSIC fantasy adventure, these are the stories that stick with us. I won't forget Blaine and Jaina and Braxxton and certainly not my elf friends, Selenious and Lilliana. But I have to say-- Braxxton is BY FAR my favorite of the cast. He is my new book boyfriend, and I'm dying to read the next books to find out where he ends up.
Read this ASAP so I can rave about it and talk fan theories! Who would you ship together? What do you think will happen with the elf crown? Who would you cast as Braxxton if this became a TV show??
Shattered Souls follows a group of adventurers who have got some major stakes on the line. They're all unique, lovable, and fun in different ways and I had a blast watching them evolve over this journey. Shattered Souls reminds me of Six of Crows combined with The Sword of Shannara trilogy plus a dash of Dungeons and Dragons.
This is CLASSIC fantasy adventure, these are the stories that stick with us. I won't forget Blaine and Jaina and Braxxton and certainly not my elf friends, Selenious and Lilliana. But I have to say-- Braxxton is BY FAR my favorite of the cast. He is my new book boyfriend, and I'm dying to read the next books to find out where he ends up.
Read this ASAP so I can rave about it and talk fan theories! Who would you ship together? What do you think will happen with the elf crown? Who would you cast as Braxxton if this became a TV show??
February 21, 2022
”Being able to maintain your faith when things go badly is one of the most basic codes we were taught. It’s easy to make mistakes if you let your emotions get the best of you, but if we trust in the codes of the Goddess, they will see us through.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5 stars
First off, I just want to say thank you to the author for this eARC! The world Emily has crafted in this fantasy series is truly amazing and wonderfully unique. Some things gave me Shadowhunters vibes, while the rest was a healthy dose of high fantasy. The world building was fabulous. The imagery? It made me feel as if I were actually there with the characters.
Now for the cons…
For the most part—and the main reason I docked a star—I struggled to connect with the main character Blaine. I feel like I never got a sense of who Blaine was. Perhaps it was his struggle with wanting to be a hero that made him feel super bland to me. Compared to the other characters there wasn’t a whole lot of depth to him.
Other than that, this really is a fun and quick read for anyone who loves fantasy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5 stars
First off, I just want to say thank you to the author for this eARC! The world Emily has crafted in this fantasy series is truly amazing and wonderfully unique. Some things gave me Shadowhunters vibes, while the rest was a healthy dose of high fantasy. The world building was fabulous. The imagery? It made me feel as if I were actually there with the characters.
Now for the cons…
For the most part—and the main reason I docked a star—I struggled to connect with the main character Blaine. I feel like I never got a sense of who Blaine was. Perhaps it was his struggle with wanting to be a hero that made him feel super bland to me. Compared to the other characters there wasn’t a whole lot of depth to him.
Other than that, this really is a fun and quick read for anyone who loves fantasy!
March 5, 2022
Thank you to the author and Nerdy Book Box for sending me a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!
When I first opened this book, I thought I was going to really like it, but it was different than what I had thought it would be.
First for the good! I really thought the world was interesting and unique. I loved the Forgehearts and their fight for freedom and "humanity." I also really liked the gods and the way they were woven into the story, and I wanted to see so much more of them and their stories! I loved Sel and Lilliana, and their stories were what kept me wanting more and wanting answers of what would happen to them and their people.
My issues started with the worldbuilding, which felt like it was half-done to me. Even at the end of the book, there were still a couple of terms/people that I didn't understand. I felt like I needed more explanation and for things to be fleshed out more. And on that note, I wanted more backstory for the characters. There was no explanation as to why or how the 4 main friends had ever met or become a group. There was little to no backstory for each of them, except for Sel toward the end, and that was part of what I liked the most. I also felt like there were two different plots. It started with freeing the Forgehearts but then suddenly became about the Shard, and I was really distracted by that.
Overall, this book was a very interesting world, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who might want to find a new series because I do think that things will be fleshed out more as the series continues! I loved the adventure and new world that was created, I just wanted a bit more from it!
When I first opened this book, I thought I was going to really like it, but it was different than what I had thought it would be.
First for the good! I really thought the world was interesting and unique. I loved the Forgehearts and their fight for freedom and "humanity." I also really liked the gods and the way they were woven into the story, and I wanted to see so much more of them and their stories! I loved Sel and Lilliana, and their stories were what kept me wanting more and wanting answers of what would happen to them and their people.
My issues started with the worldbuilding, which felt like it was half-done to me. Even at the end of the book, there were still a couple of terms/people that I didn't understand. I felt like I needed more explanation and for things to be fleshed out more. And on that note, I wanted more backstory for the characters. There was no explanation as to why or how the 4 main friends had ever met or become a group. There was little to no backstory for each of them, except for Sel toward the end, and that was part of what I liked the most. I also felt like there were two different plots. It started with freeing the Forgehearts but then suddenly became about the Shard, and I was really distracted by that.
Overall, this book was a very interesting world, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who might want to find a new series because I do think that things will be fleshed out more as the series continues! I loved the adventure and new world that was created, I just wanted a bit more from it!
March 1, 2022
I’m so excited that I got to experience this book early! This was such a fun read, and I was so interested in the world building and the plot as a whole. The characters were well written (I particularly enjoyed Jaina) and I am so intrigued to see where this story will go in book 2! If you’re looking for a fun, fast paced fantasy then I definitely recommend this book for you. Solid 4 stars ⭐️
March 8, 2022
When you first read the book, you're jumped straight into the world building, which is a high fantasy setting with so many different kinds of people and creatures. Anyone who follows me knows just how much I love fantasy. One of the aspects I really liked about this book were the forgehearts and how they were referred to with they/them pronouns. To me, it feels so much more natural to have mythical creatures in fantasy settings use pronouns other than she/her or he/him. The storytelling had some pretty intense and exciting moments, but I did get a bit lost here and there. To me, that's not too big of a con persay because it's very evident that this is the first book in a series and that more things will be explained later on throughout the books.
The main character, Blaine, didn't really have a strong personality to really get a grasp on. I believe he was written like that on purpose as he is extremely fixated on the idea of being a hero. eithe can be seen as either a pro or a con when reading a book, really depending on the reader's personal preference. To me, I think it added to the storytelling, as we learned that his whole group of friends were assigned a role in life they didn't want to partake in or aren't living the lives they desire to live.
┈༺♡༻ ┈
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I can not wait to see what comes next in Emily Huffman's new series. I'd give this a rating of 4.5/5 stars
The main character, Blaine, didn't really have a strong personality to really get a grasp on. I believe he was written like that on purpose as he is extremely fixated on the idea of being a hero. eithe can be seen as either a pro or a con when reading a book, really depending on the reader's personal preference. To me, I think it added to the storytelling, as we learned that his whole group of friends were assigned a role in life they didn't want to partake in or aren't living the lives they desire to live.
┈༺♡༻ ┈
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I can not wait to see what comes next in Emily Huffman's new series. I'd give this a rating of 4.5/5 stars
March 4, 2022
I received an eARC of this book for a book tour. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.
This is the first book by Emily Huffman That I have read and I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. First, let's talk about the gorgeous cover and how it sucks you in. I read the description and I was hooked.
The world building in this story is incredibly complex and descriptive. I felt as though I was in the story and had a pretty clear picture of what was going on. The characters and creatures that Huffman has created are extremely original. The Shard was very creepy and made me glad that it was not an actual creature. There was clear picture of what the book was about. I did find that the middle of the book was a bit slow. I also need to say that there is a lot going on in this book and a ton of information. I did get a bit confused a few times and had to go back and read a chapter or 2 again to grasp where the author was coming from.
This book is an amazing read and I do recommend this to all fantasy lovers. I give this book 4 stars.
This is the first book by Emily Huffman That I have read and I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. First, let's talk about the gorgeous cover and how it sucks you in. I read the description and I was hooked.
The world building in this story is incredibly complex and descriptive. I felt as though I was in the story and had a pretty clear picture of what was going on. The characters and creatures that Huffman has created are extremely original. The Shard was very creepy and made me glad that it was not an actual creature. There was clear picture of what the book was about. I did find that the middle of the book was a bit slow. I also need to say that there is a lot going on in this book and a ton of information. I did get a bit confused a few times and had to go back and read a chapter or 2 again to grasp where the author was coming from.
This book is an amazing read and I do recommend this to all fantasy lovers. I give this book 4 stars.
February 25, 2022
I absolutely loved Shattered Souls. It felt fresh and original and I was hooked from the first chapter. The world building is immersive and I found it to be very well written. Blaine was a great main character but I especially liked Jaina and the cool magic system. I really enjoyed this book. For me it felt like Tolkein meets Six of Crows. Good old fashioned epic fantasy but fresh and modern. There were some really cool unique concepts here and I especially liked the forgehearts. I look forward to more from this author and I thank her for the arc copy.
March 29, 2022
DNFed after 38%
I tried.. I gave this book 3 whole weeks... But I still couldn't finish it..
The story is good but the plot feels like it just starts from the middle...
It completely feels like a 2nd book but it's the first book in the series.
There is no proper explanation of the backstories of the characters. How did they meet? Why are they a team now? Why are they doing what they are doing?
The book somehow has 2 plots... And one was just sidelined after a couple of chapters. The other plot went on without having any relation to the first plot that was introduced. I don't know, maybe it's re-added later in the book but I just didn't have the patience to read it any further.
I'll say the writing is good. The characters are good. The world-building is amazing and imaginative. But the connections between the characters is lacking. Its really confusing.
I tried.. I gave this book 3 whole weeks... But I still couldn't finish it..
The story is good but the plot feels like it just starts from the middle...
It completely feels like a 2nd book but it's the first book in the series.
There is no proper explanation of the backstories of the characters. How did they meet? Why are they a team now? Why are they doing what they are doing?
The book somehow has 2 plots... And one was just sidelined after a couple of chapters. The other plot went on without having any relation to the first plot that was introduced. I don't know, maybe it's re-added later in the book but I just didn't have the patience to read it any further.
I'll say the writing is good. The characters are good. The world-building is amazing and imaginative. But the connections between the characters is lacking. Its really confusing.
February 6, 2022
This is a unique and interesting fantasy!
This story follows Blaine who is basically your run of the mill guy with no magic and no ability to wield it(he's tried) who starts having dreams(nightmares really) that seem a bit too real. And one day, one of those dreams come true, and turns into a nightmare that is called a Shard. The Shard begins hunting him, and so he and his friends have to figure out why and how to stop it.
What I enjoyed about this book the most is probably the found family. Blaine and his crew of mercenaries were such a random and lovely bunch together. I loved the camaraderie between the four of them. There is Jaina who can wield magic, and the elven siblings Selenious(such a cool name) and Lilliana. Although, I still don't really understand or know how they became friends based on the history of everyone, you really see how much they care for each other and how well they work together as a team. I'm just a sucker for found families!
The world and the creatures in it are very unique too. There are humans, or they're called humanoids, elves, dwarves, and beings called Forgehearts which are basically metal humanoids with gears and wires that make up their joints who have true feelings and emotions like us. I did not learn enough about them, aside from when they came about, but hopefully the next book explains further. Then there are the Shards, of course, which are scary monsters that are broken fragments of a soul that has been twisted beyond recognition and will manifest into who knows what. I found Shards to be utterly fascinating and utterly terrifying. I will admit I'm unsure about the world. It sounds like it's made up of islands, but I don't really understand how the elves and dwarves fit into it, especially when the elves seem to have their own realm(which was actually one of my favorite parts of the book, I just didn't really understand how it fit into the world).
Some things that confused me a bit was the religion, or the gods they worshipped. A new one tended to pop up all the time, and I couldn't keep track of them by the end. I mentioned earlier how the world was a bit confusing, and there is a map of it, I just mean I was unsure how it was divided on the islands and whether elves and humans got along or were hostile towards each other. Just some of the things stated by the elven siblings made me question relationship between humans and elves, but it was never expounded on. I also was a bit confused by the story behind Selenious and Lilliana. It was sort of explained, but I still just don't really understand why they left their home and why Lilliana did what she did, or why she thought it was a good idea. Maybe the next book will explain further.
Despite some small things like those, the story was very enjoyable and a fast read for me. The villain is pretty fantastic, especially if you read her story in Emily's prequel novella, Shattered Sacrifices, she's like super scary and it's unfortunately understandable when you read why she's so scary. If you're looking for a unique fantasy, with terrifying monsters, vengeful gods, great villains and a found family, I recommend this book for you! Thank you to the author for sending me a free digital copy to read. Thank you Emily!
This story follows Blaine who is basically your run of the mill guy with no magic and no ability to wield it(he's tried) who starts having dreams(nightmares really) that seem a bit too real. And one day, one of those dreams come true, and turns into a nightmare that is called a Shard. The Shard begins hunting him, and so he and his friends have to figure out why and how to stop it.
What I enjoyed about this book the most is probably the found family. Blaine and his crew of mercenaries were such a random and lovely bunch together. I loved the camaraderie between the four of them. There is Jaina who can wield magic, and the elven siblings Selenious(such a cool name) and Lilliana. Although, I still don't really understand or know how they became friends based on the history of everyone, you really see how much they care for each other and how well they work together as a team. I'm just a sucker for found families!
The world and the creatures in it are very unique too. There are humans, or they're called humanoids, elves, dwarves, and beings called Forgehearts which are basically metal humanoids with gears and wires that make up their joints who have true feelings and emotions like us. I did not learn enough about them, aside from when they came about, but hopefully the next book explains further. Then there are the Shards, of course, which are scary monsters that are broken fragments of a soul that has been twisted beyond recognition and will manifest into who knows what. I found Shards to be utterly fascinating and utterly terrifying. I will admit I'm unsure about the world. It sounds like it's made up of islands, but I don't really understand how the elves and dwarves fit into it, especially when the elves seem to have their own realm(which was actually one of my favorite parts of the book, I just didn't really understand how it fit into the world).
Some things that confused me a bit was the religion, or the gods they worshipped. A new one tended to pop up all the time, and I couldn't keep track of them by the end. I mentioned earlier how the world was a bit confusing, and there is a map of it, I just mean I was unsure how it was divided on the islands and whether elves and humans got along or were hostile towards each other. Just some of the things stated by the elven siblings made me question relationship between humans and elves, but it was never expounded on. I also was a bit confused by the story behind Selenious and Lilliana. It was sort of explained, but I still just don't really understand why they left their home and why Lilliana did what she did, or why she thought it was a good idea. Maybe the next book will explain further.
Despite some small things like those, the story was very enjoyable and a fast read for me. The villain is pretty fantastic, especially if you read her story in Emily's prequel novella, Shattered Sacrifices, she's like super scary and it's unfortunately understandable when you read why she's so scary. If you're looking for a unique fantasy, with terrifying monsters, vengeful gods, great villains and a found family, I recommend this book for you! Thank you to the author for sending me a free digital copy to read. Thank you Emily!
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January 21, 2022Thanks to the author for generously sharing an ARC of the book! I hope these thoughts will be helpful in connecting the book with more readers.
Huffman's writing style wasn't my favorite. I think it felt a little stilted or choppy to me, like the sentence structure was too repetitive? Dialogue was definitely a weakness, in my opinion--it didn't feel like the way people talk, but neither was it consistently stylized.
The world was so interesting! The introduction to new concepts was sometimes abrupt (i.e. being told that the Shard is evil the first time it's mentioned, without being sure why or what a Shard even is), but the thought that went into the world was so apparent. I especially enjoyed the bits of folklore that we learned about this world.
I enjoyed Lilliana and Jaina a lot as characters. I thought they were well-defined and interesting. Their friendship with the protagonist is also really charming! It helped this book grow on me as I continued reading, because I got really invested in their relationship. Unfortunately, the protagonist isn't as well-defined, and we don't learn much about him until about halfway through the book.
The climactic scenes were quite good. I really enjoyed the role that religion played in the story, though I think it might have felt higher-stakes had more of the religious worldbuilding been done a bit earlier in the book--I felt as though new gods kept popping up as the plot demanded or as people mentioend them, which was somewhat jarring.
Overall, I think the style and worldbuilding concerns kept this from being a favorite for me, but I hope more readers find the book soon and enjoy it a lot!
Huffman's writing style wasn't my favorite. I think it felt a little stilted or choppy to me, like the sentence structure was too repetitive? Dialogue was definitely a weakness, in my opinion--it didn't feel like the way people talk, but neither was it consistently stylized.
The world was so interesting! The introduction to new concepts was sometimes abrupt (i.e. being told that the Shard is evil the first time it's mentioned, without being sure why or what a Shard even is), but the thought that went into the world was so apparent. I especially enjoyed the bits of folklore that we learned about this world.
I enjoyed Lilliana and Jaina a lot as characters. I thought they were well-defined and interesting. Their friendship with the protagonist is also really charming! It helped this book grow on me as I continued reading, because I got really invested in their relationship. Unfortunately, the protagonist isn't as well-defined, and we don't learn much about him until about halfway through the book.
The climactic scenes were quite good. I really enjoyed the role that religion played in the story, though I think it might have felt higher-stakes had more of the religious worldbuilding been done a bit earlier in the book--I felt as though new gods kept popping up as the plot demanded or as people mentioend them, which was somewhat jarring.
Overall, I think the style and worldbuilding concerns kept this from being a favorite for me, but I hope more readers find the book soon and enjoy it a lot!
March 6, 2022
Loved the Worldbuilding
Blaine wants to be a hero, and is on the track to be one as he fights to free the Forgehearts from slavery. But his nightmares are coming to life when the monster from him comes for him. Now he needs to find answers before it's too late.
The worldbuilding in this book was absolutely incredible. The author gave us thorough descriptions that made it easy to picture the world they built. Everything was easy to understand, the plot was fast paced and intriguing, and I enjoyed every minute of the world I was in.
The only reason this isn't five stars is because the main character wasn't relatable. I couldn't connect with their goal and with their personality in general. I wish the author would have added some characteristics that were relatable for more people.
Blaine wants to be a hero, and is on the track to be one as he fights to free the Forgehearts from slavery. But his nightmares are coming to life when the monster from him comes for him. Now he needs to find answers before it's too late.
The worldbuilding in this book was absolutely incredible. The author gave us thorough descriptions that made it easy to picture the world they built. Everything was easy to understand, the plot was fast paced and intriguing, and I enjoyed every minute of the world I was in.
The only reason this isn't five stars is because the main character wasn't relatable. I couldn't connect with their goal and with their personality in general. I wish the author would have added some characteristics that were relatable for more people.
February 20, 2022
Shattered Souls follows Blaine and his three companions as they carry out missions for Zealot, in the magical world of Kajina. After carrying out a mission to free a group of forgehearts from slavery, the group encounters a Shard - the most dangerous enemy they’ve faced. One that threatens not only then, but everyone around them.
I really enjoyed this book! The story is fast paced and the writing is clear - making the pages fly by! The imagery is detailed and unique, and all characters well rounded. My favorite aspect about this work is how many different magical character there are that challenge convention. For example: elves are not all knowing and incapable of making mistakes, fantastical villains aren’t pure evil, etc. In short, this was a really lovely work from a talented writer! I’m excited to see what the future holds for her! Thank you to the author for my eARC copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this book! The story is fast paced and the writing is clear - making the pages fly by! The imagery is detailed and unique, and all characters well rounded. My favorite aspect about this work is how many different magical character there are that challenge convention. For example: elves are not all knowing and incapable of making mistakes, fantastical villains aren’t pure evil, etc. In short, this was a really lovely work from a talented writer! I’m excited to see what the future holds for her! Thank you to the author for my eARC copy of this book.
February 7, 2022
I am officially in love with Shattered Souls by Emily Huffman! The world-building is stunningly beautiful and detailed enough to paint a clear picture in my head. The author created really unique and loveable characters. There was good character development as well as we get to read about each one of the adventurers. The storyline was really fresh and unique and I loved the whole theme of 'found family' within the group. Plus, if you like reading about mythology creatures and stuff, this book has it all with the elven siblings, magic, forgehearts, dwarves, etc. Honestly, this was a really great read, and the cover art is lovely as well!
Thanks to the author for generously sharing an ARC with me!
Thanks to the author for generously sharing an ARC with me!
February 21, 2022
Thank you to the author for sharing an ARC of the book with me!
Shattered souls is a fast-paced and action packed epic fantasy. There’s never a stale moment, the author is continuously providing new information and expanding the world. The world building is great, I do wish certain details had been clearer but it didn’t detract from the overall story. I loved the relationship between the characters, I’m a sucker for found family. I’m glad that I read the novella Shattered Sacrifice first because it gave me better insight about the villain (who I actually liked). I recommend starting with Shattered Sacrifice before reading Shattered Souls!
Shattered souls is a fast-paced and action packed epic fantasy. There’s never a stale moment, the author is continuously providing new information and expanding the world. The world building is great, I do wish certain details had been clearer but it didn’t detract from the overall story. I loved the relationship between the characters, I’m a sucker for found family. I’m glad that I read the novella Shattered Sacrifice first because it gave me better insight about the villain (who I actually liked). I recommend starting with Shattered Sacrifice before reading Shattered Souls!
March 2, 2022
An amazing fantasy world where we follow Blaine and his friends navigate I know territory. This fast paced story throws you straight into the depths of the story and just like the characters, you learn along with them.
I love Lilliana and her brother Selenious and the magic wielding Jaina.
I don’t want to say too much or spoil it but I can’t wait to see where this story will go.
Thank you Emily for the eARC
I love Lilliana and her brother Selenious and the magic wielding Jaina.
I don’t want to say too much or spoil it but I can’t wait to see where this story will go.
Thank you Emily for the eARC
June 10, 2022
I really liked this book. There was a unique magic system with things I didn't really expect, like robots and elves. It started out like I was going to join a group of friends going on heists and stuff like that, and then the priorities shifted, but I liked where the story went. Some of the descriptions were gruesome, making me cringe and I liked how I could visualise things. Most of the plot twists I didn't know and it was great.
Blaine was such an interesting character, I loved how he struggled with his identity, wanting to be a hero but felt he was inferior to such a title. His character growth had a nice consistency to it, he was always evolving, even when it came to the unknown. The other characters were awesome too, like Sel and Jaina. Each of them had various goals and had strong personalities.
Some of my negatives was that the middle slowed the pacing right down and the plot got confusing. But when the plot solidified itself again it was a good read.
Other than that, it was a good read I'd recommend.
Blaine was such an interesting character, I loved how he struggled with his identity, wanting to be a hero but felt he was inferior to such a title. His character growth had a nice consistency to it, he was always evolving, even when it came to the unknown. The other characters were awesome too, like Sel and Jaina. Each of them had various goals and had strong personalities.
Some of my negatives was that the middle slowed the pacing right down and the plot got confusing. But when the plot solidified itself again it was a good read.
Other than that, it was a good read I'd recommend.
May 6, 2023
Shattered Souls is a great twist on the Hero’s Quest, since Blaine’s goal is to become one, not realizing the true meaning of Hero. He and his friends are working to save the Forgehearts and are swept in a different direction, pursued by a foe they cannot hope to defeat. The four support each other when it matters most. Hardship, trials and treachery lay in their path, along with a little unexpected aid. A wonderful start to the series, my only disappointment was the way the story moved away from the Forgehearts, but I feel certain that they’ll be back.
I had trouble putting this one down and came close to reading it in one sitting.
Laura Brewer, Author of The Chronicles of Asgard series
I had trouble putting this one down and came close to reading it in one sitting.
Laura Brewer, Author of The Chronicles of Asgard series
August 2, 2022
Epic fantasy
A very light epic fantasy with amazing world building. We see not only magic but these strange forgehearts people who have mysteriously woken up. Even though there is a lot happening it doesn't feel rushed or cluttered or that there's too much information being dumped on the reader. In fact it's really easy to read and enjoy.
We follow Blaine and his band of non hero- heroes as a dark entity is unleashed on their world.
It's gripping and thrilling and you will love it!
A very light epic fantasy with amazing world building. We see not only magic but these strange forgehearts people who have mysteriously woken up. Even though there is a lot happening it doesn't feel rushed or cluttered or that there's too much information being dumped on the reader. In fact it's really easy to read and enjoy.
We follow Blaine and his band of non hero- heroes as a dark entity is unleashed on their world.
It's gripping and thrilling and you will love it!
November 7, 2022
Emily's world building is amazing!! I love the dynamic that the characters have as a group. Everything about how this story unfolds and each hurdle is so well though 0ut! At first I found it slow and hard to get into but I am so glad I held on. When I say that I mean the beginning and I believe that's because I was just trying to figure out who's who. and how the fit The more action that happened, the more I was search for what happened next. Each one of the character's bring their own unique personality to the group. I have to say that my favorite's were Blaine and Jaina.
November 17, 2022
Great read!
If you like adventure, friendship, and maybe a little edge of your seat suspense and action, then this book is for you.
It has a bitter sweet story that follows a group of friends as they try to save the world they know and love while trying to out run and out smart a dark force that is set on taking them out. Unexpected twists, easy to follow without being boring and great for every level of reader.
I could barely put this book down once I started it and have been recommending it to my friends. It’s unsuspecting and fun and very easy to get lost in.
If you like adventure, friendship, and maybe a little edge of your seat suspense and action, then this book is for you.
It has a bitter sweet story that follows a group of friends as they try to save the world they know and love while trying to out run and out smart a dark force that is set on taking them out. Unexpected twists, easy to follow without being boring and great for every level of reader.
I could barely put this book down once I started it and have been recommending it to my friends. It’s unsuspecting and fun and very easy to get lost in.
July 12, 2024
I felt like I was starting in the middle of a series. There is limited information on who the main characters are, and how they ended up together. The Forgehearts and humanoids are mentioned but not clearly explained how they matter in either the story or the world that is being built. For our main characters to get the information they need to defeat the enemy, it seems like a lot of attempted world building that doesn't seem to have a clear point to the plot line. Over all it reads like a first novel that isn't as refined as most popular high fantasy novels out today.
July 16, 2025
This book is a good fantasy quest book. I liked the world building. There are gods, goddesses, and magic. There are different types of magic, so I want to learn more about them. Blaine is a regular human who wants to be a hero. He is a relatable character, so it was a good choice to make him the protagonist. I love how this book has a found family trope; Sel, Lilliana, Jaina, and Blaine all have their strengths and weaknesses that fit together. I'm looking forward to the next book to see how they deal with the bigger antagonist.
February 26, 2022
Shattered Souls failed to keep my attention as the novelette did. I was expecting to see more of Glisenia's story, but she was mentioned weakly. I was also unable to connect with the characters as much as I would have loved to, and most specifically Blaine, as I couldn't understand how he related to the others and who he actually was.
March 9, 2022
This is a wonderful original fantasy debut with characters that are easy to love-- looking at you, Jaina! The universe Emily Huffman created here is grand, immersive, and unique. There is enough world here to sustain multiple series and spin offs, and as a lover of epic and high fantasy, that makes me very excited! I can't wait to see where the Shattered Trilogy goes from here!
June 20, 2022
Epic fantasy done right! This was a fantastic read with a relatable main character who comes into his own as the story progresses. The world building was compelling and encompasses a pantheon of gods, villages and cities, and an elven tree-castle. Will definitely pick up the rest of the books as they come out.
October 23, 2022
I absolutely loved this book!! I loved the characters and the world building and the suspense!! The story keep me constantly intrigued and wanting more, I just had to find out what happens next!! Such a good book and I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves fantasy. It was very exciting and such good writing! Loved it!
October 28, 2022
LOVE the Forgeherts! I absolutely loved the blend of fantasy elements such as the elves with the Forgehearts that give off a steampunk vibe. I want more of Crank! And can't wait to read the rest of the series. If you like epic fantasy adventures with a lot of worldbuilding, found families, and the chosen-one trope, this book is for you.
July 23, 2022
Attention grabbing, awesome story!
From the first page to the last page, Emily Huffman keeps your attention, as you keep turning the pages to see what happens next.
The characters are well written and totally engaging.
From the first page to the last page, Emily Huffman keeps your attention, as you keep turning the pages to see what happens next.
The characters are well written and totally engaging.
October 19, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! For me it was a bit slow in the beginning but it was super easy to follow and yet the twists were fun to play with.
I won’t lie, I’m not sure how I feel about Jaina yet but I love Blaine! I think Braxxton is going to be tons of fun too.
I won’t lie, I’m not sure how I feel about Jaina yet but I love Blaine! I think Braxxton is going to be tons of fun too.
January 31, 2023
I think there is a small part of every fantasy reader that wants to dissolve into their book and be the hero, and this book satisfies that want. Shattered Souls is the story of an epic quest, undertaken by a group of adventurers. It felt like falling into a really awesome D&D campaign! Blaine is driven by his desire to become a hero, and this story is his journey to that end. There is never a dull moment.
The world building in this novel is INTENSE. Its political, religious, and cultural themes are incredibly well done and I think this first book serves as an introduction to this complex world.
I’m very excited to keep reading through this series, there are really high stakes and I get the feeling that we have barely scratched the surface of the battles in store.
Also: Braxxton and Selenious are my favorites 🤩
⚔️🛡️🌿🗝️🩸
The world building in this novel is INTENSE. Its political, religious, and cultural themes are incredibly well done and I think this first book serves as an introduction to this complex world.
I’m very excited to keep reading through this series, there are really high stakes and I get the feeling that we have barely scratched the surface of the battles in store.
Also: Braxxton and Selenious are my favorites 🤩
⚔️🛡️🌿🗝️🩸
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