Review: Shattered by Elizabeth Lee

This is not a rock star kind of book in the least, but this song was made for this book... Brantley Gilbert, You Don't Know Her Like I Do

  
"The relationship I'd once had with Garret and Jesse was now
comparable to a broken window."

Best friends torn apart by an unfortunate and untimely death. For Jesse, Garret and Alyssa, they were inseparable. Rode four-wheelers, ate lunch together at school, and were each others prom dates. They were each others backbone when times got tough with family. A friendship that started out because of a friends watchful eye ends up being the most amazing bond three young teens could ask for- until one life is cut too short. Now two friends are left to cope without him.

Shattered is now, without a doubt, one of my favorite books.

Jesse!! He's definitely on my Jerk of My Dreams shelf! He might be the total package. Jerk (obviously!), sweetheart, asshole, small town hottie, and so very loveable. But he's more like the sweetest jerk- and that is okay! Jesse was a total jerk at time but then would show such sweetness towards Alyssa that it nearly killed me. *sigh* I <3 him.

Alyssa was so devastated by the loss that she shut Jesse out completely... well as much as she was able to. He tried every which way he could to penetrate that hard head of hers until she finally saw the light. Alyssa was suffering on the inside after loosing Garrett, who was still so ever present and probably will always be. But what she failed to notice was that Jesse was suffering as well.

Alyssa was drowning her sorrows in alcohol and prescription pills, pills which her witch mother made her take since Alyssa wasn't recovering fast enough after loosing Garret. Jesse tried to be there for her, but she wanted to hurt him the way he hurt her when he left, so she ran into the arms of the towns playboy who was nothing but bad news.

I've had this book on my kindle for some time now and refused to read it. I just knew the affect it was going to have on me and wasn't ready for it. But after reading Give Me Something by Elizabeth as well, I felt like I was ready. Shattered tore me up for sure, but I truly loved this story and the emotion it brought forth from me. I want to feel every word when I read... and sure did with this book! The characters left a lasting impression on me, ones that I don't think I could ever forget.

The only minor issue I had with this book is the reconciliation between Jess and Alyssa. I felt like when it finally came, it was dealt with too quickly. I would've preferred to see them talk it out more than what they did. They'd been through a lot together, and to see it wrapped up so quickly didn't work for me.

I feel Elizabeth Lee is an under rated New Adult author whose name needs to get out more. She has the right balance of emotion, plot and realism with this story that anyone can connect to. I see a lot of potential in Elizabeth Lee and look froward to her future work.