Howdy YAL!

To see full review click here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-fractured-light-jocelyn-davies.htmlWhere do I begin?I guess I should start by saying I don't remember much about Beautiful Dark only that it was yet another wannabe Twilight that featured angels. In other words, it was one of those books that made me hate angels (that's never a good thing). I still though decided to give the second book a chance, via the library, but still a chance. I thought there could be potential to this series despite how big of a cliche it was. I was wrong.The sequel is even worse than the first book, and the first book wasn't that great. You could literally skip this book and be perfectly okay to read the upcoming third book because nothing that significant happens here. Okay, we learn a few things about Aunt Jo and the climax does set things up for the third book, but I'm sure there will be some sort of recap considering that none of these books dealt with the fallout appropriately. Honestly, I was bored when I read this book. I'm glad I read it though because I'm in the middle of finals and I really shouldn't be distracted by reading fiction and I wasn't distracted by this. If it wasn't for finals though, I'd be pissed. I felt like I wasted my time with this book. Nothing really happened in this book as I said before nothing.There wasn't even character development and this book needed some heavy character development. All the characters, including our narrator and main character, are flat. We don't really get what motivates them, what individualizes them. Really, the only way I was able to distinguish the love interest was that Asher was the dark headed one and Devin is the one that stabbed her and has blonde hair. That's not good, people. That's not good.And I have to say, I was really annoyed with how certain situations were handled in this book. Really, having feelings for a guy who stabbed you in the stomach? How is that even.... nyway, just makes me angry thinking about it. I am fucking (excuse my language) sick of the glamorization of abusive relationships in YA fiction. And yes, I know that Davies states he had no choice. But he freaking did have a choice. He put his hands onto that knife, there was no mind control. No nothing. I don't care if he was ordered to do it, he had the choice.Sigh. Really were a lot of things about this book that made me angry when it came to this book, that I think were just done in terms of being a plot device or moving the non existent plot along. And if I have to hear Skye apologize for something she did not do or something she should not be apologizing for again........Yeah, not going to be pleasant.Best Feature: Um, relatively clean prose. For the most part this book was written decently enough. The purpose prose wasn't that bad until the end. And there weren't that many scenes or descriptions that made me want to roll my eyes at least from the writing perspective. Though the dialogue was about as stilted as the character development. Honestly, I was shocked to find out that this wasn't a packaged book. It just seems that forced.Worst Feature: Unnecessary love triangle. Seriously, I do not know why there is a love triangle going on at this point in the novel. I mean, Devin tried to kill Skye in the last installment. Surely, that should put an end to Skye going all googly eyed over Mr. Blonde, Tan, and Bland. But nope. She's still having visions of making out with him. The really sad thing is that both of these love interests are so bland. Asher, her boyfriend, is at best a weak supporting character. Devin's role is pretty minuscule too. Really, most of the characters in this book apart from Skye needed some developing. And Skye herself is just a bore. A bore who I could not figure out for the life of me why everyone wants. Even Bella had more hobbies than Skye does. She's just that sad. Seriously, the only thing I know about her is that she likes to wear layers in the spring because it's very practical for the weather. That, my friends, is sad.Appropriateness: Hmm, not going to give this one my seal of approval for appropriateness. Yes, there isn't any explicit language or sex in this book. But God, do I hate the way this book portrays relationships (it's okay apparently to moon after someone who tries to kill/apologize to people who are insulting and trash talking you) and Skye is such a doormat it's not funny.