What do you think?
Fragmented Souls
When Mother Earth grew tired of giving her people chance after chance to right their wrongs, she resorted to her last hope and released a toxic gas into the atmosphere. She spared only her creations and killed over eight billion people. In a new society made up of just three cities and five towns, a tyrant claimed power. The initial hope swiftly dissolved into starvation and fear in a place built on greed, motivated by violence, and populated by those who wished only for a quick death.
Thirty years later, Harley Hudson and her oldest and most devoted friend Jimmy Carter, who battles demons of his own, are forced to face this world head-on when her younger brother is kidnapped by sinister Hunters linked to the ruling powers. They gather together an ill-equipped group for a poorly-planned rescue a mad scientist with a gift for irritating the wrong people, a pickpocket, two ex-boyfriends, a stoic refugee, and the two leaders of the most dysfunctional gang in town.
As they fight for their lives, they find themselves lost in a maze of their past, and secrets that reveal who they were always meant to be. Though reader, as you may know, sometimes remaining in the dark your whole life shatters fewer hearts and buries fewer bodies than finding out the truth.
Thirty years later, Harley Hudson and her oldest and most devoted friend Jimmy Carter, who battles demons of his own, are forced to face this world head-on when her younger brother is kidnapped by sinister Hunters linked to the ruling powers. They gather together an ill-equipped group for a poorly-planned rescue a mad scientist with a gift for irritating the wrong people, a pickpocket, two ex-boyfriends, a stoic refugee, and the two leaders of the most dysfunctional gang in town.
As they fight for their lives, they find themselves lost in a maze of their past, and secrets that reveal who they were always meant to be. Though reader, as you may know, sometimes remaining in the dark your whole life shatters fewer hearts and buries fewer bodies than finding out the truth.
- GenresDystopia
444 pages, Paperback
Published March 5, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 18, 2022
Fancy another Kick-ass heroine book? YES PLEASE!
Every now and then I come across an indie book that is incredibly special with all its magical elements, engrossing world-building, and the kind of writing that gives you the warm fuzzies inside. This book is a shining example of Independent publishing at its best. I had to ditch everything I was reading beside Fragmented Souls and devour this book in less than 2 days!
Although Fragmented Souls is geared towards the younger side of the YA spectrum, it has a more mature and realistic feeling to it. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a tragic incident happened a decade ago that led Mother Earth to release a toxic gas and eventually wipe-out swathes of the world due to the atrocities of mankind. Decades later, a devil-type figure has gathered the few survivors and claimed power upon them. Hence, a new depressing phase has been reborn accompanied with fear, violence, kidnapping, and death to innocent people.
After Harley's younger brother has been kidnapped by the Hunters (the tyrant's men or aka the law enforcers), she starts to plot a way to rescue him with the help of her friends. A mad scientist, a pickpocket, two ex-boyfriends, a stoic refugee, and two leaders of the most dysfunctional gang in town! But little did she know about the role she is awaited to deliver.
I love books with strong female leads and that's what Harley reminds me of; no matter what was thrown her way she handled it calmly and didn't waste a ton of time whining about how bad things were.
Harley is backed by some very close friends, which are all more like a fierce loyal family and I really enjoyed their close-knit family level. While you dig the bond the group has, you'll get to see that the people around Harley aren't just flawless but self-confident and strong enough to aim to make their world a better place. I also loved the relationship between Harley and her younger brother, and how the absence of their parents brought them even closer together.
The romance in this book is absolutely perfect! It's a slow burn romance between best friends that will make your heart pumping quickly. The way the love interest come together is another thing that has been expertly crafted in this book. It's convincing and swoon-worthy and I NEED MORE!
I love Ross's writing! It was so engaging and descriptive. The fight scenes were so vivid and badass. Not a lot of authors are good at writing fight scenes but Ross pulled it off quite well. And considering every chapter has an action scene, that's saying something. It's also very well edited.
Kasha Ross has created a world full of intrigue, non-stop action, with some fantastical world building, partly dystopian but mainly urban Fantasy, unexpected twists lurking at every turn, from that had me turning the pages at top speed.
The story holds all the ingredients that I love to gobble it up:
- Dystopian/ Urban Fantasy YA
- Post apocalyptic future setting
- Loyal / Protective Gang
- Reverse damsel in distress trope
- Friends to lovers trope
- Slow-burn romance
- Finding One's Heritage
- Hidden agenda, betrayals, sacrifices
A huge thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to read her debut. What a ride!
Every now and then I come across an indie book that is incredibly special with all its magical elements, engrossing world-building, and the kind of writing that gives you the warm fuzzies inside. This book is a shining example of Independent publishing at its best. I had to ditch everything I was reading beside Fragmented Souls and devour this book in less than 2 days!
Although Fragmented Souls is geared towards the younger side of the YA spectrum, it has a more mature and realistic feeling to it. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a tragic incident happened a decade ago that led Mother Earth to release a toxic gas and eventually wipe-out swathes of the world due to the atrocities of mankind. Decades later, a devil-type figure has gathered the few survivors and claimed power upon them. Hence, a new depressing phase has been reborn accompanied with fear, violence, kidnapping, and death to innocent people.
After Harley's younger brother has been kidnapped by the Hunters (the tyrant's men or aka the law enforcers), she starts to plot a way to rescue him with the help of her friends. A mad scientist, a pickpocket, two ex-boyfriends, a stoic refugee, and two leaders of the most dysfunctional gang in town! But little did she know about the role she is awaited to deliver.
I love books with strong female leads and that's what Harley reminds me of; no matter what was thrown her way she handled it calmly and didn't waste a ton of time whining about how bad things were.
Harley is backed by some very close friends, which are all more like a fierce loyal family and I really enjoyed their close-knit family level. While you dig the bond the group has, you'll get to see that the people around Harley aren't just flawless but self-confident and strong enough to aim to make their world a better place. I also loved the relationship between Harley and her younger brother, and how the absence of their parents brought them even closer together.
The romance in this book is absolutely perfect! It's a slow burn romance between best friends that will make your heart pumping quickly. The way the love interest come together is another thing that has been expertly crafted in this book. It's convincing and swoon-worthy and I NEED MORE!
I love Ross's writing! It was so engaging and descriptive. The fight scenes were so vivid and badass. Not a lot of authors are good at writing fight scenes but Ross pulled it off quite well. And considering every chapter has an action scene, that's saying something. It's also very well edited.
Kasha Ross has created a world full of intrigue, non-stop action, with some fantastical world building, partly dystopian but mainly urban Fantasy, unexpected twists lurking at every turn, from that had me turning the pages at top speed.
The story holds all the ingredients that I love to gobble it up:
- Dystopian/ Urban Fantasy YA
- Post apocalyptic future setting
- Loyal / Protective Gang
- Reverse damsel in distress trope
- Friends to lovers trope
- Slow-burn romance
- Finding One's Heritage
- Hidden agenda, betrayals, sacrifices
A huge thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to read her debut. What a ride!
July 13, 2022
This book was a delightful surprise! Fragmented Souls is a YA Dystopian with Fantasy elements interwoven within it, setting it apart from other reads of the genre.
The post-apocalyptic world of Fragmented Souls is a brutal one, with a tyrannical leadership that leaves the people to fend for themselves. Like many others, our protagonist Harley had to grow up fast—especially given that her familial situation isn’t the best either. As a result, Harley is an outstanding young lady. She’s strong, fierce, pragmatic. Yet, she’s not soulless. In many occasions, Harley shows compassion, intelligence and heart. She’s a fighter, but also a healer. She would do anything to defend those she loves, but she also knows compromise and chooses violence has a last resort. She’s a born leader, and I absolutely adored her character.
There are some bright spots in Harley’s life: her younger brother J, her longtime friend Jimmy, and her gang, who act as a second family, and in many ways, it’s her true family. When Harley’s little brother gets taken, it’s Harley’s friends who band together and set out to help rescue him. No questions asked. The found family element in this book was on point. I loved the dynamic within the group and how each character had a distinct voice and personality. My favorite of the gang has to be Jimmy, Harley’s best friend, who is also hopelessly in love with her. I shipped them from the very first page. I’ll never get tired of saying that friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes ever. I appreciated that the author gave us enough time to see their connection before moving into the romance, making this a delightful slow burn friends to lovers.
This was a fantastic debut, wholly original with its own distinct voice. There were some slower moments in between the action, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to fans of dystopian, found family, and the friends to lovers trope.
Thank you to the author for gifting me an e-copy. Opinions are my own.
The post-apocalyptic world of Fragmented Souls is a brutal one, with a tyrannical leadership that leaves the people to fend for themselves. Like many others, our protagonist Harley had to grow up fast—especially given that her familial situation isn’t the best either. As a result, Harley is an outstanding young lady. She’s strong, fierce, pragmatic. Yet, she’s not soulless. In many occasions, Harley shows compassion, intelligence and heart. She’s a fighter, but also a healer. She would do anything to defend those she loves, but she also knows compromise and chooses violence has a last resort. She’s a born leader, and I absolutely adored her character.
There are some bright spots in Harley’s life: her younger brother J, her longtime friend Jimmy, and her gang, who act as a second family, and in many ways, it’s her true family. When Harley’s little brother gets taken, it’s Harley’s friends who band together and set out to help rescue him. No questions asked. The found family element in this book was on point. I loved the dynamic within the group and how each character had a distinct voice and personality. My favorite of the gang has to be Jimmy, Harley’s best friend, who is also hopelessly in love with her. I shipped them from the very first page. I’ll never get tired of saying that friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes ever. I appreciated that the author gave us enough time to see their connection before moving into the romance, making this a delightful slow burn friends to lovers.
This was a fantastic debut, wholly original with its own distinct voice. There were some slower moments in between the action, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to fans of dystopian, found family, and the friends to lovers trope.
Thank you to the author for gifting me an e-copy. Opinions are my own.
March 18, 2022
Very Unexpected! Adored this book!
Fragmented Souls is a YA Dystopian book with romance, friendship, action, apocalyptic conflict, and so much more! Absolutely adored Harley in this book! Her personality, her relationships, the way she handled everything! And the dynamic between all the characters was just chef's kiss! Especially adored the slow burn friendship romance in this book!!!! LOVED IT!
This books is also very well edited, and reads just as if it were traditionally published. Which is rare when it comes to Indie books! Ross obviously took the time to make the book read seamlessly for us readers and I'm very grateful she did! I read the book very quickly and found myself getting attached to these young characters and this story as if I actually knew them!
Loved the concept of the dystopian world she created! The idea was very different from anything I'd ever read before!
Definitely recommend! 5/5 stars!
Kendra
Fragmented Souls is a YA Dystopian book with romance, friendship, action, apocalyptic conflict, and so much more! Absolutely adored Harley in this book! Her personality, her relationships, the way she handled everything! And the dynamic between all the characters was just chef's kiss! Especially adored the slow burn friendship romance in this book!!!! LOVED IT!
This books is also very well edited, and reads just as if it were traditionally published. Which is rare when it comes to Indie books! Ross obviously took the time to make the book read seamlessly for us readers and I'm very grateful she did! I read the book very quickly and found myself getting attached to these young characters and this story as if I actually knew them!
Loved the concept of the dystopian world she created! The idea was very different from anything I'd ever read before!
Definitely recommend! 5/5 stars!
Kendra
March 1, 2022
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
The book begins with an explanation of how the gangs have formed themselves and how the chaos took place.
This book has been crazy!! Harley the MC is a total brute, she’s fearless, painless even and she’s really, really badass I’ve not seen a more badass MC than Harley, she’s legit gonna laugh in your face while blood drips from her – I loved her character so much!
The book is dystopian, It’s somewhere in the middle of young adult and new adult but not for the smutty scenes which are none but for some scenes that might be a little bit brutal to read if you’re under 15. Even tho the book did contain a couple of brutal scenes (they didn’t affect me but might affect people if you’re squeamish) the whole story has been amazing – I’ve devoured each page and I got lost in the story each page at a time!
I loved the fact there was always danger lurking around the corners and they were all the time on their toes, waiting for something bad, you could feel that tension in the air so thick that you could’ve cut it with a knife.
The story is being told from two pov’s – Jimmy and Harley and besides them, we also got a couple of other characters that made this book even more intriguing. I really loved Tequila, she’s such a cute and beautiful thief, and is impossible not to love her. Jimmy seems to be the big guy but soft on the inside and there was also a couple of other characters like Johnny and Rey who are the crazy ones – they made me giggle so many times because they were so crazily dumb but also Rey was super smart – he was the geek of the family but in the same time the goofy one too.
The apocalyptic feeling, the need to survive, the feeling of not knowing what tomorrow might bring was very heavy in the book, the more I read the more I got lost in the story and had the feeling I experience what the MC goes through. The romance in the book isn’t the sub-plot, the romance is very brief which I found just perfect, It didn’t affect the story at all, on the contrary, the way the book was built made this story perfect. I loved the mystery involving Harley’s life and how slowly we found information about her and her powers.
The book ended with a cliffhanger and I was legit shocked because I couldn’t believe that’s the ending we get – however, fortunately for us the story continues with another couple of books and I’m really excited about reading them!
Follow me on my social media for more than just reviews:
Instagram
BookBub
Blog
Facebook
The book begins with an explanation of how the gangs have formed themselves and how the chaos took place.
This book has been crazy!! Harley the MC is a total brute, she’s fearless, painless even and she’s really, really badass I’ve not seen a more badass MC than Harley, she’s legit gonna laugh in your face while blood drips from her – I loved her character so much!
The book is dystopian, It’s somewhere in the middle of young adult and new adult but not for the smutty scenes which are none but for some scenes that might be a little bit brutal to read if you’re under 15. Even tho the book did contain a couple of brutal scenes (they didn’t affect me but might affect people if you’re squeamish) the whole story has been amazing – I’ve devoured each page and I got lost in the story each page at a time!
I loved the fact there was always danger lurking around the corners and they were all the time on their toes, waiting for something bad, you could feel that tension in the air so thick that you could’ve cut it with a knife.
The story is being told from two pov’s – Jimmy and Harley and besides them, we also got a couple of other characters that made this book even more intriguing. I really loved Tequila, she’s such a cute and beautiful thief, and is impossible not to love her. Jimmy seems to be the big guy but soft on the inside and there was also a couple of other characters like Johnny and Rey who are the crazy ones – they made me giggle so many times because they were so crazily dumb but also Rey was super smart – he was the geek of the family but in the same time the goofy one too.
The apocalyptic feeling, the need to survive, the feeling of not knowing what tomorrow might bring was very heavy in the book, the more I read the more I got lost in the story and had the feeling I experience what the MC goes through. The romance in the book isn’t the sub-plot, the romance is very brief which I found just perfect, It didn’t affect the story at all, on the contrary, the way the book was built made this story perfect. I loved the mystery involving Harley’s life and how slowly we found information about her and her powers.
The book ended with a cliffhanger and I was legit shocked because I couldn’t believe that’s the ending we get – however, fortunately for us the story continues with another couple of books and I’m really excited about reading them!
Follow me on my social media for more than just reviews:
BookBub
Blog
August 31, 2026
Fragmented Souls is the kind of dystopian fantasy that pulls you into a world that feels completely broken, yet somehow still worth fighting for. From the beginning, I was intrigued by the idea of a world where humanity has been almost completely wiped out and the survivors are left to deal with the consequences of everything that came before.
What stood out to me most was the atmosphere. The story feels dark, dangerous, and unpredictable, and there is always a sense that something could go wrong. The limited number of cities and towns creates an interesting setting, especially with the tyrannical leadership, starvation, fear, and violence shaping everyday life.
I also enjoyed the characters and the unusual group Harley and Jimmy find themselves surrounded by. The rescue mission is already risky, but bringing together people with complicated histories and completely different personalities makes the journey even more unpredictable. Their relationships, personal struggles, secrets, and past experiences give the story more emotional depth than a simple survival adventure.
Harley is especially interesting because her journey isn't just about rescuing her brother. As the story develops, she is forced to confront difficult truths about herself and the people around her. The mystery surrounding their pasts kept me curious because there always seemed to be another piece of the puzzle waiting to be revealed.
The book is also quite long at 473 pages, but there is plenty happening throughout the story. Between the dangerous rescue mission, the secrets, the conflict with the Hunters, and the characters trying to understand who they really are, there is a lot for the reader to unpack.
I liked that Fragmented Souls isn't afraid to explore darker ideas about humanity, survival, guilt, power, and the consequences of our choices. The world is bleak, but the characters' determination to keep moving forward gives the story moments of hope.
Overall, this was an intense and imaginative read with a strong dystopian atmosphere, complicated characters, mystery, danger, and plenty of emotional conflict. If you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories where survival is only part of the battle and the characters have secrets that gradually come to light, Fragmented Souls is definitely worth checking out.
What stood out to me most was the atmosphere. The story feels dark, dangerous, and unpredictable, and there is always a sense that something could go wrong. The limited number of cities and towns creates an interesting setting, especially with the tyrannical leadership, starvation, fear, and violence shaping everyday life.
I also enjoyed the characters and the unusual group Harley and Jimmy find themselves surrounded by. The rescue mission is already risky, but bringing together people with complicated histories and completely different personalities makes the journey even more unpredictable. Their relationships, personal struggles, secrets, and past experiences give the story more emotional depth than a simple survival adventure.
Harley is especially interesting because her journey isn't just about rescuing her brother. As the story develops, she is forced to confront difficult truths about herself and the people around her. The mystery surrounding their pasts kept me curious because there always seemed to be another piece of the puzzle waiting to be revealed.
The book is also quite long at 473 pages, but there is plenty happening throughout the story. Between the dangerous rescue mission, the secrets, the conflict with the Hunters, and the characters trying to understand who they really are, there is a lot for the reader to unpack.
I liked that Fragmented Souls isn't afraid to explore darker ideas about humanity, survival, guilt, power, and the consequences of our choices. The world is bleak, but the characters' determination to keep moving forward gives the story moments of hope.
Overall, this was an intense and imaginative read with a strong dystopian atmosphere, complicated characters, mystery, danger, and plenty of emotional conflict. If you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories where survival is only part of the battle and the characters have secrets that gradually come to light, Fragmented Souls is definitely worth checking out.
August 21, 2026
-Best friends to lovers
-Found family
-Post apocalyptic
-Slow burn
-YA dystopian fantasy
OKAYYYY so this book reminded me to the series tv The 100 and the book series Shatter Me!!! i was so hookeddd! If you love this kind of story, you’re gonna love this book!!
Let me talk a little about it...
Fragmented Souls is a YA dystopian story with fantasy and it takes place in a world devastated by a catastrophic event, years after a toxic gas wiped out large parts of humanity and the remaining survivors are controlled by a powerful and oppressive regime
This story follows Harley who has learned to be independent and resilient in order to survive, and of course, something bad happens cuz bad things always happen, lol... so Harley’s younger brother is taken by the authorities and obviously she refuses to sit back and decides to do whatever it takes to bring him home.
Harley is fearless, intelligent and incredibly determined, but she still has a compassionate side. She has a group of friends and they become an essential part of her life and i lovedd the group dynamic, they are so funny, but they also know what loyalty is. I loved this beautiful found family. And the romanceeeee, of courseeeee, it’s another highlight… especially cause it develops from a friendship. Their feelings don't immediately take over the plot, it takes a little bit between them to develop naturally, making it a slow burn
But alongside the romance, the story focuses heavily on survival, loyalty, friendship and the mystery surrounding Harley's past and the world building is a constant sense of danger, while the frequent action keeps the story moving and makes it difficult to put down
If you love this kind of drama and development, this book is for you! One of my favorite series is The 100 and this book felt a little like this!
-Found family
-Post apocalyptic
-Slow burn
-YA dystopian fantasy
OKAYYYY so this book reminded me to the series tv The 100 and the book series Shatter Me!!! i was so hookeddd! If you love this kind of story, you’re gonna love this book!!
Let me talk a little about it...
Fragmented Souls is a YA dystopian story with fantasy and it takes place in a world devastated by a catastrophic event, years after a toxic gas wiped out large parts of humanity and the remaining survivors are controlled by a powerful and oppressive regime
This story follows Harley who has learned to be independent and resilient in order to survive, and of course, something bad happens cuz bad things always happen, lol... so Harley’s younger brother is taken by the authorities and obviously she refuses to sit back and decides to do whatever it takes to bring him home.
Harley is fearless, intelligent and incredibly determined, but she still has a compassionate side. She has a group of friends and they become an essential part of her life and i lovedd the group dynamic, they are so funny, but they also know what loyalty is. I loved this beautiful found family. And the romanceeeee, of courseeeee, it’s another highlight… especially cause it develops from a friendship. Their feelings don't immediately take over the plot, it takes a little bit between them to develop naturally, making it a slow burn
But alongside the romance, the story focuses heavily on survival, loyalty, friendship and the mystery surrounding Harley's past and the world building is a constant sense of danger, while the frequent action keeps the story moving and makes it difficult to put down
If you love this kind of drama and development, this book is for you! One of my favorite series is The 100 and this book felt a little like this!
April 17, 2022
- The book started slow but after 100+ pages it was hard to put down. The plot was intense and violent and it reminded me a little of Hunger Games.
- It is set in a post apocalyptic world. The world has been destroyed by a toxic gas that killed over 8 billion people, leaving only three cities and 5 towns, ruled by three tyrant brothers, who rule through fear and violence. When Harley's younger brother was kidnapped by Hunters (the lawenforcers of the tyrant rulers), Harley and her dysfunctional gang gather for the rescue mission, their ill-equipped and poorly planned rescue mission cost them lives and their sanity, dark secrets were revealed and hearts get broken.
- The cast of the characters were absolute blast, making it more interesting and dynamic.
- I really enjoyed the friends-to-lovers romance between the two main characters Harley and Jimmy, it was christmatic. Their relationship was slowly and convincingly developed. I loved how they grow together throughout the story. Also, their story was filled with cutest heart fluttering moments that I really enjoyed reading.
- I loved the atmospheric quality of the writing, I could visualise the whole story as if it were a film, it made the story comes alive.
- The story has its sad and heartbreaking moments but also hopeful and quite inspirational.
- The plot was filled with all the action to keep you truly engaged and wanting more.
- My favourite aspect of story was the friendship and bonding among the gang members, their witty banter made me laugh throughout the book.
- I highly recommend it to all dystopian lovers and the fans of Hunger Games. And also to the readers who love found family and friends to lovers tropes.
- It is set in a post apocalyptic world. The world has been destroyed by a toxic gas that killed over 8 billion people, leaving only three cities and 5 towns, ruled by three tyrant brothers, who rule through fear and violence. When Harley's younger brother was kidnapped by Hunters (the lawenforcers of the tyrant rulers), Harley and her dysfunctional gang gather for the rescue mission, their ill-equipped and poorly planned rescue mission cost them lives and their sanity, dark secrets were revealed and hearts get broken.
- The cast of the characters were absolute blast, making it more interesting and dynamic.
- I really enjoyed the friends-to-lovers romance between the two main characters Harley and Jimmy, it was christmatic. Their relationship was slowly and convincingly developed. I loved how they grow together throughout the story. Also, their story was filled with cutest heart fluttering moments that I really enjoyed reading.
- I loved the atmospheric quality of the writing, I could visualise the whole story as if it were a film, it made the story comes alive.
- The story has its sad and heartbreaking moments but also hopeful and quite inspirational.
- The plot was filled with all the action to keep you truly engaged and wanting more.
- My favourite aspect of story was the friendship and bonding among the gang members, their witty banter made me laugh throughout the book.
- I highly recommend it to all dystopian lovers and the fans of Hunger Games. And also to the readers who love found family and friends to lovers tropes.
July 30, 2026
I loved the concept here, a dystopian world shaped by some kind of poisonous gas catastrophe on Earth. That's not a setup I've seen much before, so it felt fresh right away.
Where I struggled was the world-building. There are gangs, seemingly all teens, and I couldn't quite figure out why they exist or how the hierarchy works between the big three cities and everything outside them. I kept expecting it to click as I read, but by 70% through I still felt pretty lost on the mechanics of this world.
The multiple POVs didn't help. Jimmy's chapters pay off more by the end, but for most of the book I didn't feel like we needed his perspective, Harley's alone would've carried it. The plot centers on rescuing her brother, and at this length that premise started to feel stretched, especially with how little we learn about Harley's backstory or the "rulers in her head" along the way.
Not a knock on the writing, I just felt more confused than immersed. The bones of a great story are here though, and I'm curious enough to pick up book two hoping it fills in the gaps.
Where I struggled was the world-building. There are gangs, seemingly all teens, and I couldn't quite figure out why they exist or how the hierarchy works between the big three cities and everything outside them. I kept expecting it to click as I read, but by 70% through I still felt pretty lost on the mechanics of this world.
The multiple POVs didn't help. Jimmy's chapters pay off more by the end, but for most of the book I didn't feel like we needed his perspective, Harley's alone would've carried it. The plot centers on rescuing her brother, and at this length that premise started to feel stretched, especially with how little we learn about Harley's backstory or the "rulers in her head" along the way.
Not a knock on the writing, I just felt more confused than immersed. The bones of a great story are here though, and I'm curious enough to pick up book two hoping it fills in the gaps.
April 29, 2022
Thank you so much to the author for reaching out and sending me a copy!
This was so good.
It started off a bit slow, but once I was in, it was hard to put this down.
A YA Dystopian novel with a bit of everything from romance, action, apocalyptic vibes, etc.
A kick ass female lead who has no problem putting people in their place.
Other side characters who bring entertainment and a feeling of friendship and family.
A best friend/love interest who you also get a perspective from.
The whole story concept had it’s own unique take on the dystopian genre and it was so worth the read.
This was so good.
It started off a bit slow, but once I was in, it was hard to put this down.
A YA Dystopian novel with a bit of everything from romance, action, apocalyptic vibes, etc.
A kick ass female lead who has no problem putting people in their place.
Other side characters who bring entertainment and a feeling of friendship and family.
A best friend/love interest who you also get a perspective from.
The whole story concept had it’s own unique take on the dystopian genre and it was so worth the read.
April 21, 2026
Mother Nature is about to take things into her hands and try to make a better world. She will destroy billions of lives leaving a few towns and cities alone. Unfortunately a tyrant will decide it is up to him to do what he wants which will lead to a group of people to try to stop him. They will end up in a maze fighting for their lives. See if they can stop the tyrant
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a fascinating fantasy read
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a fascinating fantasy read
May 23, 2022
pooled ink Reviews:
This book intrigued me and wow yeah I quickly became hooked into the story. It has a similar dystopian energy and addictive pace as the Cage of Lies series by Susanne Valenti.
It starts off with a grim prologue before launching forwards thirty years later where we meet Harley and Jimmy. The story is told in both of their POVs which I really liked and we get just enough to time to settle into the world and meet the cast before Harley's little brother J is stolen and the ragtag crew set off in vengeance. There are little hints here and there of the secrets untold in Harley's family and as the story unfolds we see past and present, mystery and answer begin weaving together into a rolling snowball of revelations and plot twists.
Fragmented Souls is an easy read to sink into but not an easy one to put down. If you're on the hunt for a new YA dystopian adventure then definitely give this one a try. There's action, romance, mystery, and everything else you could want from the genre.
Read my review here: https://pooledink.com/2022/06/03/frag...
Thank you to the author for submitting this book for review!
This book intrigued me and wow yeah I quickly became hooked into the story. It has a similar dystopian energy and addictive pace as the Cage of Lies series by Susanne Valenti.
It starts off with a grim prologue before launching forwards thirty years later where we meet Harley and Jimmy. The story is told in both of their POVs which I really liked and we get just enough to time to settle into the world and meet the cast before Harley's little brother J is stolen and the ragtag crew set off in vengeance. There are little hints here and there of the secrets untold in Harley's family and as the story unfolds we see past and present, mystery and answer begin weaving together into a rolling snowball of revelations and plot twists.
Fragmented Souls is an easy read to sink into but not an easy one to put down. If you're on the hunt for a new YA dystopian adventure then definitely give this one a try. There's action, romance, mystery, and everything else you could want from the genre.
Read my review here: https://pooledink.com/2022/06/03/frag...
Thank you to the author for submitting this book for review!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews