Review: Broken Dreams (Shattered Lives #1) by Rissa Blakeley

Title: Broken Dreams (Shattered Lives #1)

Author: Rissa Blakeley
Published: April 27, 2014
Pages: 634
Genre: Zombies, Adult, NA
Review: ebook
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk

Elaina Cooper’s world was turned upside down on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. She was about to marry Henry Daniels, the man of her dreams -- or so she thought. Just as she was to walk down the aisle, screams pierced the air.
In the days that followed, questions lingered in Elaina’s mind. Why did Henry seem to know so much about what was happening? And why did she feel like he was keeping secrets from her? Henry knew that his haunted past would eventually catch up to him…in more ways than one. Through all of this, he must face his demons, and Elaina must decide whether she can accept who he is. Henry is determined to fight to the very end to make their sexy, mercurial relationship work no matter what staggers in their path.
Along with their ragtag band of survivors, they must travel south to face Henry’s fears. There will be joys and loss but, in the end, is love enough to hold them together?

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!

It will be a long review.

Wow 634 pages!!! It took me a while to read it, not because it wasn't interesting but because it was long. I was trying to find a way to rate this book because at times it would hold my interest then when a temper tantrum was thrown I would roll my eyes and go oh wow here we go again. 

Before I get into all that let me say the book is pretty decent read and I wasn't sure where the book was going to really go until I got half way in.  I can say the way the author wrote Henry and what was going on with him was pretty neat. Even though what Henry had to go through wasn't good. 

F.Y.I the book does get pretty hot is the word I will go for, so at first I would have thought this book was good for the YA but it is more maybe NA or adult.

So it may be hard for me to give a review without giving away anything but I will try the best I can.

We are told the story at first from Henry's point of view. He has a bad background from being in a program which we get a taste of in the beginning. When he meets Elaina he decides he loves her with every being in his body and it is enough for him to move on with his life away from those who tortured him. Though the question will remain will they even allow him to. Roger the head dude in charge of this program that Henry was a part of seems like he wants things done his way or no way. 

We see how Henry woos Elaina and they move on to their wedding day. Though their wedding day doesn't go as planned something has been unleashed and it is something Henry knows about. Really didn't see this being thrown in the story but hey I went with it. So can he keep the secrets to himself so his relationship won't be ruined? He seems the has more hidden secrets than just what is on the surface, it goes deep like a canyon.

Now the story starts being told from this point on between the present, and the memories of Elaina and Henry and how they became a couple, to how bad of Henry's past he had to cope with.

I did like that we finally got told Henry's horrific past because I could feel for him. Though his outbursts were a bit too much for me.

I would have left the dude along time ago because the way he would flip from all lovey dovey to upset and raging mad is crazy.

Now Elaina at first I was like okay she is going to be kicking butt during this whole thing, umm I felt like I was wrong. She seem to have a lot of tantrums like Henry did and a lot of crying spells. Especially when things didn't go her way and Henry was trying to protect the group by going out and getting supplies. Girl don't you know you gotta risk your life to live in this crazy world.

I also felt there was an over usage of words describing things such as every time Henry wanted to end his life he would grab "one of the many Sigs'," or when she was talking about Sophie and her spiked heels. Sometimes it was too much for me. 

As far as characters go honestly I didn't really like any of them because I couldn't relate and they made me so mad with their attitude, drama and tantrums. 

I was concerned that the group didn't think about stopping by another clinic or a store to get a monitor for Claire. 

When we got to the end of the book I was like okay this is how it is going to end, it wasn't a major cliffhanger but when Elaina mentions that 'she didn't realize how much she should have stayed with her....until she got back.' That makes me think that something is going to happen, so when this is said it makes me want to read book two and see where this is going to go. What will happen to Claire? Will she and the baby be okay? 

To me the book seemed to deal with more drama and tempers than actually trying to survive in this cruel world that has become about so maybe in book two there will be a turn around? I do want to see how Henry will fare because he seems to become worse and worse. 

Rissa Blakeley is the author of a fantasy paranormal series, Corvidae Guard, and a post-apocalyptic saga, Shattered Lives, which features a paranormal twist and has been adapted into graphic novel form.
As a native New Yorker, Rissa is now a Georgia transplant who is completely addicted to black coffee and La Croix, obsessively listening to songs on repeat. Her days are packed with characters screaming for more scenes, cats living up to their Harry Potter namesakes, lazy dogs, a teenage daughter, who’s bringing Emo back, and a Viking husband, who finds her puns less than funny. When Rissa isn’t writing, she can be found procrastinating on social media.
For more information regarding Rissa's books, go to www.rissablakeley.com