Shattered

by Stephanie Carty

A sleep researcher’s life unravels as she attempts to uncover a mystery, in this unsettling new thriller . . .

Christie works at London’s Somni Company to help others with sleep disorders. However, after taking part in a company research trial, she herself has been experiencing some behavioural and emotional problems—symptoms she strives to keep hidden in order to continue her important work.

A firefighter with disturbing guilt-induced dreams; a mother whose sleepwalking puts her and her child at risk; a young insomniac indulging in reckless activities—all people in need of Christie’s help. But when she suspects she’s being followed and her life begins to unravel, Christie vows to learn more about the Company’s secretive projects.

With her life becoming a waking nightmare, will Christie be able to decipher fact from fiction and save her own sanity?

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2023

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered starts right out of the gate in a fever dream like state immersing the reader into exactly what the main character, Christie is going through. As the story progresses everything becomes more clear to both the reader and the main character.

Buckle up for this highly enjoyable psychological thriller and enjoy the ride.

I received an ARC of this book and leave this review voluntarily.

[Susan Blissett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the topic of this story very Interesting and I was hooked in quickly. It was well researched and this was woven skilfully into the story. I felt connected to the main character and wanted to know what would happen to her and whether she would recover from her own trauma to enable her to sleep and feel better. It is often the case that we what we know or teach to others, we find more difficult to apply to ourselves, and this message came through in the story with not just the main character but others in the story also. It made me question certain aspects of myself, and the main character’s own insecurities resonated with me, how often we doubt ourselves in work and life. Overall, an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

I received an ARC from BloodHound Books for an honest review, thank you, and all thoughts are my own.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christie is working and has been involved in a sleep disorder clinic for her own problems.
The thing is how deep has she gone?
To me the blurb brought me but goodness it didn’t warn what was going to go on here!
I was disappointed I couldn’t sit & read it through in 2 days as things needed doing.
It’s a brilliant book. So much to get into and so intriguing. Loved it. I’d actually give this more than 5* if I could.

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed the premises of this book it's reminds me of an episode of Charmed.

Christie’s has some issues after taking part in a trail.

When others need her helps she wants to unravel the companies Secerts
This is a slow paced book. I enjoyed getting to know characters.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a slow start for me. I couldn’t get into it. It was to much past and present mixed together for the main character that I got lost. It did get better toward the end, that is why I gave it 3 stars.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's an unusual context for this thriller, where the plot centres around unethical practice at a sleep disorders research company. The characters are flawed yet relatable. Careful foreshadowing builds to a surprising climax and when all is revealed. Well worth reading.

[Misfits farm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christie works for Somni, a sleep research organisation. She had a breakdown a while ago and was living with her boyfriend. She left him because of this and now lives in a flat funded by the company. She has her own experience of sleep deprivation and anyone who has suffered this will empathise with the characters' descriptions and understanding of others in the same situation. How it can affect your demeanour, your character and even your conscious behavioural actions.

This is a well researched, almost scientific read in parts(but easy to understand). Christie is convinced that she is being followed. Somni has an almost Orwellian big brother presence in its employees' lives, even trying to dictate what they should eat and how certain things should be. If you leave it is rumoured that you won’t get a job anywhere else…Can Christie sort out what is going on both in her own head and in the company before it’s too late?

I found this a fascinating read, especially as I empathised with Christie on sleep deprivation. It's written in the first person and goes through a timeline. A clever premise and one that keeps the reader on their toes not knowing what is real and what isn't. Wow! A book that left me reeling and thinking. We are indeed a kaleidoscope, all the parts and colours if we know how to access them. A brilliantly written book.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
_____________________

[Jillian Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I completely agree with one of your other reviewers, Kathy.
I too felt this book had a slow and somewhat poor start however I decided to carry on reading just incase….
I’m so glad I did because by the end I was absolutely hooked.
Christie’s story unfolded and I really enjoyed this book in the end. It had all the twists and turns that I love and a really compelling story of how sometimes the job you do and the people you work with can take over everything else in your life. In the case of Christie her work even ended up in her sleep and her nightmares.
It was nice to she she ended up in a much better place with a new fella and a great work / life balance

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christy works at Somni, an organisation that aims to help others with sleep disorders. After taking part in a research trial, she begins to experience emotional and behavioural issues. As they escalate, it seems she begins to find it hard to separate the fact from fiction.

A psychological thriller that has a premise that's different along with a character that seems unreliable. This always makes a book so much, much more interesting. I couldn't help but feel for Christy as the story developed.

A twisty and intriguing tale that had me thinking about it after I finished the book. Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC.K

[Sam Szanto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie Carty writes extremely well; there are some beautiful lines that stuck with me after reading them, and she is very good at pacing a story. The premise of unethical sleep research is very interesting, although I did find the book a little hard to follow and the ending in particular seemed very unlikely. The character was well-rounded but not particularly believable or likeable, although I did enjoy witnessing her change as the story progressed. In general, an enjoyable and unusual read: I'd be keen to read more from Carty.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while to get into this as I found it rather disjointed but once I did, I was hooked and read it really quickly. It was worth persevering and encountering some surprises along the way. Concepts of medical ethics, private funding for medical research and just how far you would go for answers all combine to produce a stimulating read. Whilst reading it you being to feel unsettled; questioning just like the main character. A really good psychological mystery.

I would be interested to read more by this author.

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this suspenseful story. This is a newer author for me which I enjoyed reading. i found this book to be well written and engaging. The twists and turns make the story hard to put down. A story that is full of action and fast paced. I enjoyed the characters, they add so much to the story. They are connectable, strong and had me coming back for more. There is great growth of the plot throughout the story which has added to the entertainment and made it easy to read. I really enjyed this book and I highly recommend it.

[Sandra Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story coming out February 3, 2023. The paperback is available January 20,2023. This is a story of a sleep researcher instituting. The place is London Somni Institute to help people sleep disorders. Christie leaves her ex-boyfriend and start to live in housing with the institute she works at Leaves and move into the place, she has a brother Jake Langdale. Jake had a brain injury. Christine and he are close. You have to read this excellent, captivating, and appealing story. I hope you read the healing of patients and Christie herself.

[Scott Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shattered is a complex psychological thriller featuring a young woman named Christie who works at the Somni Sleep Institute. It is a slow read certainly in the first half. Christie has sleep issues of her own but she hides the symptoms because she needs the job. As she becomes more and more uncertain of what is fact and what is fiction, she pals up with a male work colleague because they suspect something nefarious is going on.

This novel is interesting but it is not my usual "cup of tea".

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for providing me with an Advance Review Copy.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the story rather slow to begin with and had to persevere. Once I got more into the tale, I liked the characters with all their flaws and was interested to see where this story would lead. There was a clever twist that I didn’t see coming, but on the whole , reading this book felt more like a chore than enjoyment. Please don’t be put off by my opinion though, we can’t all enjoy the same things

[Emma Ellams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chrissie is a therapist at a sleep research company and this is about the chain of events that follow her own part in a sleep trial.

This book was a really slow burn and I struggled to see where it was going or even when something interesting was going to happen. It then all happened in the space of about 20 pages. The premise of the story was excellent but it never really came to fruition unfortunately.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book and thought the premise was intriguing but the delivery was a little slow for me.

The main character Christie had her share of struggles which were slowly explained throughout, and it was easy to build a connection with her. The overall content felt very well researched, and the story did pick up towards the end. I can confidently say that I liked the book but perhaps didn’t love it.

[Patricia Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever read. The twists are just amazing, the writing is so immersive and you can really feel that the author has a background in psychology -- the therapy scenes are captivating, and the characters jump off the page.
I found the part about sleep science especially fascinating!

[Melanie Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was different to my normal reads and a bit slow at the start but as the book got going I did start to enjoy it.
There was enough questions and twists throughout to keep me interested and reading to find out how it ends. It’s an interesting concept that I haven’t read before centred all around sleep issues and the ethics of research. Overall a good read.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt the slower pace suited the dream-like narrative; one where the the MC, Christie, drifts back and forth between current and past life via flashbacks that blurred the edges of reality.

It's a book I'll revisit, to pick up on all the subtle clues drip-fed throughout, that carried me to an ending that wasn't expected but was earned.

[Rhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christie works for Somni, helping people with sleep disorders. However after taking part in a trial, she is suffering from behavioural problems that she can't solve. When she begins to suspect that she is being followed and spied on, is this real or part of her breakdown?
This is an intriguing and involving story, in which reality and imagination are blurred.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shattered by Stephanie Carty.
Christie works at London’s Somni Company to help others with sleep disorders. However, after taking part in a company research trial, she herself has been experiencing some behavioural and emotional problems—symptoms she strives to keep hidden in order to continue her important work.
Really good read. Gripping. I didn't know how I felt about Christie. 4*.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started out slow for me but picked up its' pace about 1/4 of the way through the book. The main character intrigued me as the story talks about how she never sleeps, she takes steps to figure out why and what a rollercoaster ride as she does. There were some twists that I didn't see coming. I voluntarily reviewed an advance readers copy of this book.

[Caroline Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable thriller about a therapist working with a research company engaged in unethical practices. When she begins to suspect that all is not well, is she really experiencing the surveillance she believes she is under? Or is this just paranoid imagining?

It's always good to discover a new author to read and I will be keeping an eye open for future Stephanie Carty novels.

[Mrs Sarah Bezant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me as it was so different to what I would normally choose. Therapy is a very interesting subject and sleep therapy presents all sorts of issues. Really well written. The characters of Christie, Jake and Ben were well developed and the book became hard to put down.

[Kristie Mabie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and getting to know the main character and the trauma she experienced as a child and how she saw it affect her mental health. It was a little slow to start but I’m glad I stuck with it. Just when you thought you knew where it was going, something would happen that would have you second guess yourself and be eager to know what happens next.

I got this book as an ARC and leave this review voluntarily.

[Faye Ridpath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free from Bloodhound Books.

This book had a very interesting premise.

Christy never seems to sleep properly and the book gets very exciting as we discover why.

I would definitely read more by this author.

[Becca Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it does seem a little disjointed at the start, however this mirrors how Christie is herself so for me this only added to the story. It had me absolutely hooked and I’d definitely recommend it.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow to start but ok once I got into it and kept reading until the end even tho I was tempted to put it down several times

[Michelle Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with others, i found this a little bit slow to get going and sometimes found it difficult to keep track. Saying that, I'm glad i persevered and felt the story came together well and the lead character was relatable.