Shattered Blue

Written by Lauren Bird Horowitz

Narrated by Dara Rosenberg

For Noa and Callum, being together is dangerous, even deadly. From the start, sixteen-year-old Noa senses that the mysterious transfer student to her Monterey boarding school is different. Callum unnerves and intrigues her, and even as she struggles through family tragedy, she’s irresistibly drawn to him. Soon they are bound by his deepest secret: Callum is Fae, banished from another world after a loss hauntingly similar to her own.

But in Noa’s world, Callum needs a special human energy, Light, to survive; his body steals it through touch—or a kiss. And Callum’s not the only Fae on the hunt. When Callum is taken, Noa must decide: Will she sacrifice everything to save him? Even if it means learning their love may not be what she thought?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Oct 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9781511334334

Lauren Bird Horowitz

Lauren Horowitz—or “Bird” as she is often known—is a screenwriter and novelist lucky enough to call both Los Angeles and Kauai home. Bird also counts herself lucky that writing exists as a profession—how else could she share the crazy, fantastic worlds in her head? Bird studied writing at Harvard University with novelist Jamaica Kincaid, where she won several prizes including the Edward Eager Memorial Prize for fiction. She’s a proud member of the Writers Guild of America. You can follow Bird on Twitter (@birdaileen) and Instagram (@birdaileen) for trilogy updates.

Reviews for Shattered Blue

[liscarey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Noa Sullivan and her family are coping with the sudden death of her sister Isla in an accident some months back. The new school year is starting, and Noa will now be a commuter at Harlow, the prestigious boarding school she and Isla had both attended, and roomed together at. Because her mother is so shattered that she can't be relied on to care for youngest daughter, Sasha, Sasha will also be attending Harlow, even though she's a year too young to enroll normally.

At Harlow, she meets a new student, Callum Forsythe. There's something different about Callum--literal sparks fly when they collide going through a door. It takes a while before she finds out what's really going on with him. Callum is Fae, banished from the Fae realm of Aurora for a crime he says he's innocent of. It was his brother's prank that went horribly wrong, and caused the death of their little sister, Lily. Callum took the blame to protect his brother Judah.

But in this realm, Fae lose their Light, their magic, and are gradually hollowed out--unless they can take Light from humans. Yet doing so causes real harm to the humans, draining them of the hope of future happiness.

The last thing Callum wants to do is drain Noa, after they've become friends.

Unfortunately, Callum is telling a lot of lies, and when his brother Judah comes through the Portal on his own, with mixed motives that include but aren't limited to rescuing Callum, the lies start to unravel. Meanwhile, Judah has stolen something that he thinks is just a keepsake, but in reality is a powerful magical talisman. Otec Darius, the boys' hated father and king of the Fae realm, has sent a Hunter after him to retrieve it--although the Hunter has his own agenda.

The magical system here is interesting. The Fae have different "colors" of magic. Callum is a Blue Fae; he can manipulate matter. Judah is Red; he manipulates thoughts. Green Fae manipulate feelings. Clear Fae have no powers of their own, but can Channel the powers of any of the other Fae.

Doing so is very, very painful for the Fae whose power gets Channeled. Darius doesn't care; neither does the Hunter.

Noa, Callum, and Judah are all struggling to do what they think is the right thing, and figure out what lies the others are telling, and whether they can trust each other at all. Trust gets ever more difficult as Noa discovers how Callum has meddled in her family long before they met, Judah steals Light from Noa's friends, Callum learns what Judah has stolen from their mother, and Judah learns of Callum's web of lies.

But if they don't find a way to work together, the Hunter is going to kill them all, in pursuit not of the mission Darius gave him, but his own goal of being the ruler of this realm.

This is an extremely well-done young adult fantasy adventure that adult fantasy readers won't regret picking up. It is the first of a trilogy, but it stands on its own with a satisfying ending to this part.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

[pennma05-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The audio book was great! A perfect way to reread the book. I really enjoyed the narrator's portrayals of the different characters. It really immersed me into the story that much more. Eagerly awaiting book 2!

[annmwilson09 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this story of Noa, Sasha, Callum, and even Judah. The story held my attention throughout, but the last few pages really got me. There were twists in there even I could not see coming, and I have to know more! My dear, dear Sasha...

[trigstarom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Received via NetGalley and Skyscape in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
Also posted on Silk & Serif

I'm not usually one for novels about Fae because faeries have never really interested me. I took a risk reading Shattered Blue and I was pleasantly surprised! Horowitz is an extremely lyrical writer with a gift for beautiful poetry. Noa's poems are actually my favourite part of this book because they are so well written. Horowitz's poems actually reminded of the poems I was taught to memorize in grade school: simple, colorful and concise with deep meaning through imagery.
Nomad girls are Lost Ones too,

with leaves at foot and crown;

they too seek shelter in the trees,

drink Red and Gold and Brown.

their circlets made of steam and rain,

their lashes powdered ash,

they’re firelight, they’re fox’s kill,

they’re blood and sweat and scratch.
Shattered Blue was a well written, beautiful story about Noa: the girl with the dead sister, the living twin, the survivor. While struggling to come to grips with the death of her twin sister, Noa falls for the mysterious Callum; a fae who needs human Light to survive. Callum's secrets overflow into Noa's life causing her understanding of reality to change forever. Shattered Blue is a masterpiece of well written young adult literature with gorgeous poetry and strong familial bonds.

Horowitz takes fae lore and makes it her own with war, elected royalty and familial betrayal. She creates types of fae powers that are identified by color codes which was really interesting. Red fae can read minds, Blue can heal and alter elements, Green alter emotions and Clear fae are a unique and exciting plot twist I can't discuss without giving away some of the fun of reading Shattered Blue. I loved how faes all had their own abilities, but also how each type of fae can be born to any family regardless of their parent's color!
The lore of the Fae realm was incredibly exciting and well thought out.
I think the only part of the novel that I really disliked was the love triangle. I hate novels with love triangles and they often ruin what are otherwise amazing novels. I mean, if the main character can't decide they should let go of both love interests instead of hurting those they "love". I have quit series or avoided reading certain novels because of love triangles. Unfortunately, Shattered Blue is sneaky about developing the love triangle so I didn't see it coming until I was well invested. Although Noa fights her feelings, there is the inevitable "I love them both!" scene that makes me want to punch things or throw my e-reader. The love triangle involves brothers which makes it somehow worse than a regular love triangle. To be fair, if you enjoy or don't mind love triangles then you'll be pleased by how well it's executed. I just hate love triangles.


I really enjoyed Shattered Blue because of the flowing writing style, strong characters (other than the deplorable love triangle) and the use of poetry to further develop the plot. The cliffhanger ending has me intrigued for book two. Seriously, this could actually become a new bestselling young adult romance novel.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy young adult romance novels, books featuring the fae, brother love triangles and paranormal. Be ready for some cliche relationships and some insta-love with some really unique fae lore.

This book is part of the BookSpark Fall Reading Challenge of 2015.

[eire2011 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shattered Blue by Lauren Bird Horowitz.

I first heard about this book a few months ago and I was looking forward to reading this book after reading the blurb.

This story takes place in a beautiful coastal town in California called Monterey and centers around a young woman named Noa, two mysterious brothers named Callum and Judah and and how life can get complicated when you least expect it.

Noa is reeling from the death of her elder sister Isla who died trying to save her, trying to be a regular student at Harlow Academy, caring for her three year old sister Sasha and trying to keep her family together who seem to be lost in their own grief.

When she meets Callum, she finds herself drawn to him though he does his best to keep her at a distance until he realizes that it's no use. Callum isn't just any teenage boy, he is in fact a Blue Fae from a world called Aurora and has been banished to this world for taking the blame of something he didn't do. His kind need Light to survive which is only available on this side by taking from mortals.

Against the odds, Noa finds herself falling for Callum, accepting he is Fae shortly after he confesses though will soon have her world shaken up even more.

Enter in Judah, Callum's brother who is a Red Fae, has his own secrets, butts heads with Noa, and has come to this side to retrieve his brother. Filled with guilt for what happened to cause banishment and at odds with his Dad who has his own power hungry agenda, he soon realizes that how complicated life can be.

When Callum is kidnapped, Noa and Judah manage to put their differences aside to work together in trying to save him which is easier said than done. They are way in over their head but despite the odds, will realize the importance of friendship, family ties and having faith in yourself.

This book was a fascinating read and I liked the different take on Fae. There was just a glimpse of Aurora and I'd love to read more about it. It sounds like a beautiful world though something needs to be done about Darius who is the ruler and father of Callum, Judah and Lilly (who was the main reason for the banishment).

This book was a captivating of adventure, magic, the power of love, unexpected twists and ends on a cliff hanger which I didn't expected.

It was a pleasure to read this book and I look forward to finding out what happens in the next book. Hopefully there will be more about Aurora and some questions will be answered which cropped up near the end of this book!

[lanawaltosz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this from NetGallery in exchange for an honest reviewSummary: Noa’s world had fallen apart. She had lost her sister, her confident, her twin. And now she was left with parents who barely functioned and a rambunctious 3 year old. Everywhere she turned she kept seeing her sister’s ghost, and it haunted her. She didn’t think anything else could possibly go wrong. Then Callum mysteriously appeared. The handsome, mysterious boy showed up and Noa couldn’t take her eyes off of him. As they fell in love, Noa learns a terrible secret about Callum- he’s actually Fae. Noa, scared, tries to run away, but finds herself right back in his arms again. Then Judah shows up. Almost Callum’s evil twin, he turns up and twists their world around once more. Callum is captured, and Judah has to decide whether he’ll give himself up to save his brother, or ensure that he can live the life he really wants.Main Characters: Noa- Our little beautiful, fiery heroine. She wears the mask of happiness and moves through life taking care of her sister, hardly thinking of herself. She lets down her guard and allows Callum to enter her heart. Noa reveals her inner strength and fire when those she loves are in danger. She’s someone with true compassion and empathy. She does remind me of a lot of main female characters, but she’s got so many facets to her personality that it intrigues me.Callum- Our handsome male protagonist, just like many others. Handsome, mysterious, dangerous. He’s the typical male lead that tries to stay away from his lover, but finds he can’t because his love is too strong. However, towards the end, he surprises me. His character is revealed more and more, and he definitely has more character than meets the eye.Judah- The somewhat unusual rebellious brother of Callum. His appearance was unexpected, but his behavior was typical to me. He ends up being soft-hearted under the tough exterior, and can’t help but adore his brother, even though he feels abandoned by him. Somehow I really like him though.Sasha- Noa’s 3 year old little sister. She’s moody, energetic, and possessive, just like most 3 year olds. She’s the light of her families life, and Noa is her rock. At first I thought she was just a minor character that was meant to emphasize Noa’s character, but bit by bit I realized she had a bigger part to play than I imagined.Review: 5 stars Wow, I’ve just gotten to read so many awesome books lately! I didn’t expect to like this story so much honestly. I read the summary and figured it would just be another fantasy book with some forbidden romance. While I was correct on that part, it surpassed my expectations. There were parts that foreshadowed something that I didn’t realize until I had finished the book. They were cleverly woven in with the dialogue and vivid descriptions. The book was a rollercoaster, taking me by surprising all the time. The ending especially surprised me. So much so that my mouth dropped open and I had to re-read a few parts several times. The cliffhanger it ends on was horrible (in a good way), but it makes a good clear ending, allowing for an excellent start of a new book.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

What first drew me to this book was the stunning book cover. Second it was the premise of the story. It has been a little while since I have read a Fae story. I would like to read more of these types of books. Sadly, this book did not live up to my expectations of it. I will not be checking out the next book in this trilogy. Noa and Callum were alright. Callum did have an upper edge on Noa, only because he is Fae and has some cool abilities as a Fae. Yet, even with these special abilities Callum was just a normal guy. The quick connection that Noa and Callum shared was cool but I did want to see some more build up. Also, why did Noa not question Callum's abilities more in the beginning. I find it a little hard to believe that she would just take Callum for what he is so calmly.The first part of the book with Noa's voice was fine. Once she met Callum it got a little more interesting. Yet I was struggling to stay focused with the story. However I stuck with it thinking it would pick up and with Callum's voice as part two. For me this book stayed steady with lackluster entertainment.

[amandacb_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

“You’re my sun, and I’m your root, and between us orchids grow.”The Fae are among us—manipulating our emotions, playing tricks on us, and…attending private boarding school? The first in a planned trilogy, Shattered Blue opens with the story of Noa, reeling from the recent death of her older sister Isla. Noa spends her days at Harlow Academy and her evenings with her three-year-old spitfire sister, Sasha, floating in a fog of numbness and poetry. That is, until a mysterious boy named Callum Forsythe joins the school—tall, curly-haired, and Fae. Callum has been banished to Noa’s world as punishment for a crime in his Fae world. Only able to subsist on the “Light,” or potential happiness and energy of humans, Callum is doomed to a struggling existence until his troublemaker brother, Judah, chooses to join Callum in his banishment. Naturally, Noa is drawn into their tangled web of familial troubles and a Fae civil war, falling for both brothers in the process. VERDICT: An unexpected twist at the end helps assuage the angst of the overtired love triangle prominent in the latter half of the book. Recommended for fans of the Angelfall series and Twilight.

[brandileigh2003 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read Shattered Blue because it sounds like an emotional story and I also like the sound of the forbidden romance. He sounds like a good guy but being able to steal Light makes a romantic relationship complicated. Noa's sister died, they were very close, and it has completely changed most everything about her life. Instead of living at the boarding school and sharing a room with Isla, the sister, she now commutes and lives at home. Her mom has always been absent emotionally and even though she lives there, Noa is more of a caretaker to her than anything. She also does a lot of taking care of her younger sister Sasha. I knew I would be getting the forbidden romance from the start, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed. It was an instant attraction, and they were in pretty deep from the start. But his touch I think did have something to do with it, making their touches literally electric. The depth of the backstory was well done. We got pieces of the story slowly and they felt natural, not at all like info dumps. The action brought new characters in, each one bringing something new to the story. Noa's family is dysfunctional, but I loved the bond between her and her little sister Sasha. I liked seeing her dad try even though its not perfect, as well as the involvement of Noa's aunt. Her mom did come out of her shell some due in part to Noa's sacrifice to her mom, and I was glad that it brought her some peace, but also that she realized the truth. Callum brought his own Fae and family history into it, and we unexpectedly get to know some of his family. His character was well done for me, him fighting his nature because he really likes Noa, and denying himself even though he made a jerk of himself at a few points, he really was trying to stay away. The ending was pretty surprising, and I can't wait to see how the mistakes will be undone, and what will happen with the raging feelings in this one. Bottom Line: Worth the read.