When a rash of suicides disturbs Summerton, an oddly perfect tourist town on the west coast of New Zealand, the younger siblings of the dead boys b...
read full description
reviews
Dec 29, 2011
Laura
rated it: 
This is an author to watch out for - her first book, Guardians of the Dead, a retelling of what I think were Maori myths (certainly no myths/stories that I'd grown up with) was a great read, and this one shows she's getting better at her craft.
Again the setting is New Zealand, so while there is some familiarity there's just enough difference from other white/native-or-minority books (I'm thinking of all the Hispanic characters I've met in books set in the American SouthWest/West). She More...
Again the setting is New Zealand, so while there is some familiarity there's just enough difference from other white/native-or-minority books (I'm thinking of all the Hispanic characters I've met in books set in the American SouthWest/West). She More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Nov 18, 2011
Courtney
rated it: 
I did not think that the middle of a black magic ceremony was an appropriate time to be pashing your boyfriend.
Summerton is a small, perfect town on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It's untouched by the usual social problems - drugs, unemployment, crime. It never rains in the week from Christmas to New Year. It's a tourist magnet - even after the major attraction, a set of limestone shelves (shade of the Pinka nd White Terraces) was destroyed, busloads of tourists conti More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 28, 2012
Debbie
rated it:
Keri lives in Summerton, an idyllic beach town in New Zealand where the locals all know each other and it never rains between Christmas and New Years. But Keri wants to get out and see more of the world, especially now that her beloved older brother, Jake, is dead. He committed suicide. At least, that's what she thinks until Janna, a friend whose own brother died years before, tells her that both their brothers were murdered, and she's going after the killer. They join forces with Sione, a touri
More...
Dec 27, 2011
Sandra
rated it: 
When is suicide not suicide? In the Shattering we meet three characters who share one thing in common, the death of an older brother. Keri is someone who has everything all figured out. She seems to always know what to do in any situation. That is until her brother’s death. Enter her friend Janna whose brother died a few years before and Sione who not only lost his brother but believes it was not a suicide. These three begin to stir things up as they are motivated to find out what is reall
More...
Nov 28, 2011
Claire
rated it:
Oh, I liked this a LOT. I raced through the story pretty much in two sittings (damn you, work!) and had to leave it in the car overnight or I'd have tried to finish the whole thing at the expense of sleep. The plot itself felt like it was simpler than it could have been - I was expecting something broader and more far-reaching - but given the scope of the author's previous novel, having a simpler/more obvious plot actually also gave it more of a sense of difference. The New Zealand setting is ju
More...
Nov 15, 2011
Cindy
rated it:
Keri can’t believe her brother would kill himself. She and Jake were very close, and she’s astounded that he could do something like that without her having a clue he was troubled. So when a former friend whose older brother also committed suicide suggests Jake may have been murdered, Keri is sure she’s right. Especially when Janna point outs a pattern of suicides among older brothers over the years.
The two team up with Sione, who has also lost a brother, to find out who may be killing More...
The two team up with Sione, who has also lost a brother, to find out who may be killing More...
Oct 14, 2011
Rachael
rated it:
Keri prides herself on being prepared for every possibility, from broken bones to natural disasters. But nothing could have prepared her for her older brother Jake’s suicide. She doesn’t know what to do without her confidante and protector, especially now that his death is threatening to tear her family apart. So when her childhood friend suggests that Jake was murdered, Keri desperately wants to believe her. She knows Jake wouldn’t just leave without saying goodbye. Besides, now she knows that
More...
Oct 03, 2011
I like all kinds of books with magic. …and books without magic….but that doesn’t matter with this book. Though especially when it’s magical realism (which does apply to this book) and when it’s being used to fight evil (which doesn’t really apply to this one.)
(I feel I should preface this review with the fact that I just watched seven hours of Doctor Who. Series Five and it is now one in the morning. Almost all caught up. Geronimo!)
First off, the book is told in alternati More...
(I feel I should preface this review with the fact that I just watched seven hours of Doctor Who. Series Five and it is now one in the morning. Almost all caught up. Geronimo!)
First off, the book is told in alternati More...
Oct 01, 2011
Angie
rated it:
The Shattering by Karen Healey is a murder mystery with magic. Awesome.
I had the book figured out before reaching the halfway mark and I was tempted to put it down for being predictable, but the characters kept me going. I'm glad I kept on. There came a twist that I wasn't expecting and a revelation that left me, at first, like "oh" and then I realized what it meant and was like "ooooh." And then I felt an emotion of the sad kind. I'm pretty sure my heart broke at t More...
I had the book figured out before reaching the halfway mark and I was tempted to put it down for being predictable, but the characters kept me going. I'm glad I kept on. There came a twist that I wasn't expecting and a revelation that left me, at first, like "oh" and then I realized what it meant and was like "ooooh." And then I felt an emotion of the sad kind. I'm pretty sure my heart broke at t More...
Sep 19, 2011
Cynthia
rated it:
If you like dark stories then this book is for you. I really liked the fact that the POV came from all 3 girls who were trying to solve the crime of their assumed suicidal brothers.
The book is easy to read and fun to see how the girls become great investigators. They weren't afraid to answer any question no matter the consequences. I also loved the fact that it took place in New Zealand. I have always wanted to visit there and I was able to get glimpse through this book.
What d More...
The book is easy to read and fun to see how the girls become great investigators. They weren't afraid to answer any question no matter the consequences. I also loved the fact that it took place in New Zealand. I have always wanted to visit there and I was able to get glimpse through this book.
What d More...
Sep 19, 2011
Kelli
rated it:
A very good book! I loved it.
Karen Healey is definitely growing as an author, as I found The Shattering to be a big improvement on Guardian of the Dead, which I also really enjoyed. Shattering wastes no time in getting to the action and it keeps the momentum going until the very end. I think having the three viewpoints was a great choice for the book, as I think if it had only been Keri's book it would have lost a lot of what made it so special.
In Guardian, I got the sense More...
Karen Healey is definitely growing as an author, as I found The Shattering to be a big improvement on Guardian of the Dead, which I also really enjoyed. Shattering wastes no time in getting to the action and it keeps the momentum going until the very end. I think having the three viewpoints was a great choice for the book, as I think if it had only been Keri's book it would have lost a lot of what made it so special.
In Guardian, I got the sense More...
Sep 18, 2011
Tahlia
rated it:
Like the best of speculative fiction, this refreshingly different young adult book beautifully illuminates reality and highlights truth, in this case, the nature of grieving for those left behind after the suicide of a loved one. ‘The Shattering’ also has an imaginative take on the term ‘magic’ when we apply it to a beautiful landscape.
Have you ever seen the glassy-eyed stare of a tourist as they stand bewitched by the beauty of a glittering bay? You may look at that stuporific star More...
Have you ever seen the glassy-eyed stare of a tourist as they stand bewitched by the beauty of a glittering bay? You may look at that stuporific star More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 11, 2011
Bailey (IB Book Blogging)
rated it:
THE SHATTERING is an exciting and mysterious novel that will have your head spinning! The plot is creepy yet entertaining. It wasn't at all predictable and I had a hard time figuring out what exactly was going on. The characters all had their own stories and worked well together in trying to solve the supposed "suicides" of young men. The ending will leave you feeling perfectly satisfied, yet wanting more from Healey. She is a phenomenal writer and knows how to keep her readers interes
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 26, 2011
Penni
rated it:
This was so awesome. It has a cracking pace, an immensely satisfying structure, great characters and somehow she manages to raise "issues" of difference without it feeing issue-y, perhaps because her characterisation is so strong and complex - nobody is just one thing. I loved the last chapter, that she scrutinised her characters a little longer than was entirely comfortable for the reader.
*slightly spoilery*
Coming from a physically beautiful regional area myself, the More...
*slightly spoilery*
Coming from a physically beautiful regional area myself, the More...
Apr 05, 2011
Karyn
rated it:
I really liked it (let's say 3.75), but wasn't blown away the way I was with Guardian, mostly because I could see very early on what was going on. There were too many tells, and I feel like you would need a reader with zero familiarity with folklore to miss it. Maybe this was deliberate? But it felt more like a flaw, although not one that detracts much from the book. Once the magic is out in the open the pace picks up a bit and then flies to really satisfying end, with a lot of emotional closure
More...
Oct 18, 2011
Brandy
rated it:
Summerton, New Zealand is an idyllic little tourist town. It never rains during the tourist season and is one of those places where people never leave. However, its not such a pretty place for Keri since her brother, Jake, committed suicide. Now, she has to figure out how to live without her big brother's support, and she just doesn't believe he could've chosen to leave them without any signs or a note. When Jenna, an old friend, confronts Keri with information that she and Sione have gather
More...
Nov 16, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
This is one of those things I got randomly and went, "Hey, this looks kind of interesting. I'll pack it and bring it with me to college." And then I started reading it and got sucked into a whirlwind of sheer awesome.
The entire novel is just absolutely fantastic. I've been sitting here for an hour trying to find the words for it, and I'm actually left speechless. Not because it's so fantastic that I expect it to become a classic or that it's the best thing since More...
Jun 12, 2011
Readingjay
rated it:
This is another I would place between three and four stars. 'Guardian' set up such expectations that this was a tad disappointing, although there were some very strong elements. Maybe it is just a tad undercooked and rushed out to capitalise on the success of Guardian. Karen Healey grabs us by the throat and pulls us into this book with Keri's voice in the opening chapter and had she narrated the whole story, I feel that 'The Shattering' would have been a stronger novel. She is an interesting &
More...
Sep 16, 2011
Elena
rated it:
I have the same major criticism for this as I did for Karen Healey's previous book, Guardian of the Dead (which was nevertheless one of my favorites read that year): the build-up is too slow. The characters are introduced. The characters come together. Something is Going On. The protagonists investigate. The protagonists investigate. The protagonists investigate. One protagonist figures out part of the mystery, but the others don't buy it. And that's when the book really gets good, roughly halfw
More...
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 23, 2011
Ashelynn
rated it:
This review is also posted on Gypsy Book Reviews
The Shattering was amazing. At first, from the summary, I thought it’d just be a book about murders (which I love, btw!), but it’s so much more. I’m awed at the amount of complexity this book packs together—suicide, murder, bullying, being gay, and magic.
Yeah, you heard that: there’s magic included in this book. And it’s not like waving wands or anything, but more Wicca magic. White magic and black magic and oh my god, so a More...
The Shattering was amazing. At first, from the summary, I thought it’d just be a book about murders (which I love, btw!), but it’s so much more. I’m awed at the amount of complexity this book packs together—suicide, murder, bullying, being gay, and magic.
Yeah, you heard that: there’s magic included in this book. And it’s not like waving wands or anything, but more Wicca magic. White magic and black magic and oh my god, so a More...
2 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 22, 2011
Renee
rated it:
The Shattering pulls you in right away- with three teens coming together because they all have something in common, an older brother who unexpectedly committed suicide- no warning signs, no nothing. Keri's brother - was the most recent, while future rock star Janna and quiet Sione have been dealing with their losses for awhile. Janna and Sione just couldn't believe their brothers would do that, so they started to look for another answer, and the definitely stumbled on something, almost every ye
More...
Sep 23, 2011
branewurms
rated it:
Omg, this was awesome. I could barely put it down! And to throw in another cliche, for about the last quarter of the book, I was literally on the edge of my seat! Sort of bouncing up and down, like.
A little disappointed (although not surprised, as it made sense) that <spoiler>Janna and Takeshi didn't stay together. More disappointed that he had convinced himself of a mundane interpretation of the events! Like, DUDE, YOU WERE THERE. AND THEY TRIED TO KILL YOU. WTF. Kind of a More...
A little disappointed (although not surprised, as it made sense) that <spoiler>Janna and Takeshi didn't stay together. More disappointed that he had convinced himself of a mundane interpretation of the events! Like, DUDE, YOU WERE THERE. AND THEY TRIED TO KILL YOU. WTF. Kind of a More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 26, 2011
TheBookSmugglers
rated it:
Originally posted on The Book Smugglers HERE
Review:
First Impressions:
Ana: Karen Healey’s first book, Guardian of the Dead, took me entirely by surprise last year and it even made its way to my top 10 of 2010. I had been waiting for her sophomore novel ever since and it is with great relief that I say that The Shattering is yet another great book following up on the steps of GoD and featuring an incredible cast of diverse, three dimensional characters who carry More...
Review:
First Impressions:
Ana: Karen Healey’s first book, Guardian of the Dead, took me entirely by surprise last year and it even made its way to my top 10 of 2010. I had been waiting for her sophomore novel ever since and it is with great relief that I say that The Shattering is yet another great book following up on the steps of GoD and featuring an incredible cast of diverse, three dimensional characters who carry More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 26, 2011
Kris
rated it:
Review copied from original post at Imaginary Reads.
I really love Healey’s first novel Guardian of the Dead. Since reading The Shattering, I can officially call myself a fan of hers. Like Guardian of the Dead, The Shattering is a murder mystery with folklore and magic mixed in, and they both take place in New Zealand. This time, however, Healey presents us the mystery of supposed suicides rather than an immediately recognizable serial killing.
The Shattering starts off as More...
I really love Healey’s first novel Guardian of the Dead. Since reading The Shattering, I can officially call myself a fan of hers. Like Guardian of the Dead, The Shattering is a murder mystery with folklore and magic mixed in, and they both take place in New Zealand. This time, however, Healey presents us the mystery of supposed suicides rather than an immediately recognizable serial killing.
The Shattering starts off as More...
Oct 05, 2011
Review originally posted to www.books4hearts.com
This book was weird. I don't mean that in a bad way-- I consider myself weird (hopefully in a good way), I think my friends are weird (definitely in a good way), and basically the rest of the world weird (in its own special way). It was really suspenseful, too. I think the multiple perspectives were smart, they made each of the characters shine just a little bit more and kept up the suspense. Why did multiple characters/perspectives More...
This book was weird. I don't mean that in a bad way-- I consider myself weird (hopefully in a good way), I think my friends are weird (definitely in a good way), and basically the rest of the world weird (in its own special way). It was really suspenseful, too. I think the multiple perspectives were smart, they made each of the characters shine just a little bit more and kept up the suspense. Why did multiple characters/perspectives More...
Nov 17, 2011
Melissa (i swim for oceans)
rated it:
Keri is used to being in control. She knows how to prepare, and she's ready for every twist and turn, but when her brother suddenly dies, she's thrown for a loop. Jake wasn't the type to commit suicide. He would never have simply left her, and she's so convinced of the fact that when a childhood friend suggests the possibility of murder, Keri is on board. So, she's got a goal again. Keri will find out who killed her brother, and while she's at it, she, Janna and Sione might uncover more than the
More...
Oct 15, 2011
Jennifer
rated it:
“If you want to find out who murdered your brother, follow me.” (from jacket)
The summary of Karen Healey’s The Shattering offers a mysterious tale of murder/suicide, with a possible serial killer. I love a good mystery and I was immediately sold on the idea of The Shattering.
Keri, Janna and Sione have one thing in common; they have all lost someone close to them in an apparent suicide. They come together to prove that their loved ones didn’t end their lives, but that their li More...
The summary of Karen Healey’s The Shattering offers a mysterious tale of murder/suicide, with a possible serial killer. I love a good mystery and I was immediately sold on the idea of The Shattering.
Keri, Janna and Sione have one thing in common; they have all lost someone close to them in an apparent suicide. They come together to prove that their loved ones didn’t end their lives, but that their li More...
Sep 30, 2011
The_antichris
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 10, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
The Shattering was…different, to say the least. In the beginning, it seemed to be a contemporary mystery about a string of coincidental suicides in a small town that, by the end, morphed into a thrilling action story with plenty of magic and revenge. While all these elements made the story a bit busy, I think they added to the thrill and excitement of the novel. I liked the pace of the story, as well as the characters. Keri, Sione and Janna are quirky and have a unique way of dealing with their
More...
Oct 20, 2011
Justin
rated it:
Is this a story about teen suicide? A murder mystery? A dystopian parable? A paranormal tale about plucky young people holding off the forces of evil? A realistic take on coming out of the closet? Well… yes. The Shattering is undoubtedly an engaging read, but there’s a lot of competing themes to contend with.
The story opens with Keri, a Maori girl who has lived her entire life in the idyllic New Zealand seaside hamlet of Summerton. Her older brother Jake has recently committed suicid More...
The story opens with Keri, a Maori girl who has lived her entire life in the idyllic New Zealand seaside hamlet of Summerton. Her older brother Jake has recently committed suicid More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
