A Fractured Light ~ Jocelyn Davies review

A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2)
HarperTeen
September 25, 2012
352 pages
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Skye wakes up in an unfamiliar bed, knowing something has happened - something bad - but without clear memories of what that was. In a secluded, snow covered cabin in the woods, Skye only has Asher - the dark, Rebellion angel she fell in love with in A Beautiful Dark and Ardith, another angel there with her.

Once awake, Skye remembers what happened. She remembers Devin's betrayal, his attempt to kill her.

Asher took her away to save her life, but Skye knows she can't just abandon her family and friends - even with the Guardians after her. She's going to have to learn how to control and master her powers, how to stay safe but without running away.

She's also going to have to figure out what to tell Aunt Jo, Cassie and the others about her mysterious disappearance because she can't tell them the truth.

Now that she knows the truth about the Order and the Rebellion, it's time for Skye to pick a side: fate or choice.


I had relatively high hopes for A Fractured Light - I liked A Beautiful Dark,thought it did well with the setup of things, but hoped that this second book would have more action. It didn't. Skye goes home, knowing that the Guardians are there and want to kill her. I never felt that, though. Yes, she was working to harness her powers, to know how to control the abilities that being born of exiled angel parents gave her, but I didn't feel the danger.

Having enemies who don't want to attack you or make a scene in public is one thing. Enemies who will speak to you cordially because they're trying to break down your defenses? It doesn't work quite as well in a book. Especially if last book, they stabbed you in the gut.

Also, this may have just been me, but Skye's absence-slash-return was odd to me. It wasn't long enough that she was a missing person or anyone seemed overly concerned, yet kids at the school had created rumors already. One side makes it seem like just the, "couple of days," as stated in the book - the other makes it seem much longer.

Going into A Fractured Light what I most remembered from A Beautiful Dark were the characters. I remembered liking their interactions - Cassie and Skye's friendship, their friendship with Dan, wondering what would happen with Cassie and Dan. The time with Ian at the coffee shop and the tension that arose when Asher and Devin came to town.

They helped me to remember the paranormal elements of the story that had been introduced thus far (there weren't as many in the first book). I remembered scenes with Skye and her eyes because of one with Ellie in this book.

All of that is to say that the characters were my favorite part of A Beautiful Dark and I really missed their interactions in A Fractured Light. 

It's a nice book. We learn a lot about the Rebellion and the Order as well as Skye and what she can do. We also find out how the two sides operate when they're 'at war' with each other. It just felt too long, if it had been condensed and was an introduction to something else, I might have liked it more. For me, it didn't work on its own.

(It does add to the series, so if you enjoyed A Beautiful Dark and/or plan to read the conclusion - give A Fractured Light a look.)


Rating: 5/10




thank you to HarperTeen for my copy of this title to review