Friday, August 26, 2022

Reprise Review: Scattered Souls by Erica Lucke Dean

 


Genre: Time Travel/Romance

Description:

“Ava Flynn is cursed. After barely surviving an epic battle between her warring soul mates, Ava is stranded in the past with Laith, while Maddox frantically searches across the decades. Laith will stop at nothing to prove his love to Ava, and a desperate Maddox must race against time to find her before his brother can win her heart.

Torn between the two brothers, and with her eternal soul at stake, Ava comes to the horrifying conclusion that only she can break the curse. But the cost may be more than she is willing to pay.”

Author:

“After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.

When she’s not busy writing or tending to her collection of crazy chickens, diabolical ducks, and a quintet of piglets, hell bent on having her for dinner, she’s either reading bad fan fiction or singing karaoke in the local pub. Much like the characters in her books, Erica is a magnet for disaster, and has been known to trip on air while walking across flat surfaces.

How she’s managed to survive this long is one of life’s great mysteries.”

To learn more about Ms. Dean, visit her website or stalk her on her Facebook page.

Appraisal:

Scattered Souls begins with a short jaunt into the past, and we learn how both Maddox and Laith acquired their time-jumping abilities. Ava is also given a small glimpse into Maddox’s, Laith’s, and Elizabeth’s history while falling through time. Timelines are little problem if you know the rules of the game. At least as long as you have possession of a magic stone. Learning those rules were trial and error for both Maddox and Laith. Both are in possession of their own stone.

After Laith rescues Ava from the cliff at the end of book one, Splintered Souls, he settles her in his Chicago home sometime in 1928. From there Laith begins his campaign to win Ava’s heart through a whirlwind series of jumps through time to fulfill her every heart’s desire. These were a thoroughly enjoyable distraction from the vital weightiness of the plot. This plan is working in Laith’s favor until Maddox catches up with them and all hell breaks loose.

Ava has a sharp learning curve and serious decisions to make concerning the curse that has plagued Maddox and Laith since they were born. Although Jane, apprentice witch of the old witch who placed the original curse, insists it was a blessing because her mentor didn’t dabble in the dark forces. Getting to know Jane was an enthralling bonus in this book. She was able to give Ava a lot to consider, and it seems as if Ava will have to be the one to put an end to the blessing/curse. But how can she manage that when she doesn’t wish pain or heartbreak to either brother?

This story is a true rollercoaster ride through history and emotions. The game changing ending will leave the reader reeling. I was totally beside myself. I need the next book NOW! Ms. Dean had better be writing her heart out…

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Scattered Souls is book two in the Flames of Time series. Adult situations and a few F-bombs.

Original review posted January 10, 2017.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

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