First day of senior year and Tia West just ran over a hot guy in the high school parking lot. In her defense, she’s a little preoccupied as the caretaker of five younger siblings, one dog, one cat, facing a mountain of bills and determined to keep her family together. The eternal optimist, she just needs to try harder, be better, take a deep breath and definitely shouldn’t bring home another … stray dog or an angry, scary and scarred boy who is obviously in desperate need of a hug.
After a stint in juvie, Taz is back for senior year, and every minute is a struggle. His only defense is silence. Keeping quiet avoids the slaps, hits, threats and is as close to safe as he can manage. Until Tia West convinces him of possibilities he never knew existed. She fills every dark, empty space with a lightness he’s never experienced before, and the only way to keep her is by speaking up for himself. But his secrets are the kind that devastate and destroy.
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Taz has been stomped on by everyone in his life. He trusts only his bandmates, the Choosy Beggars. Taz has a troubled past and when he finally returns to his hometown HS in his senior year, he struggles to get through his days in pained silence and constant edginess. His inability to connect with others has him holding others at arms length. Most don’t dare to venture into his orbit, but that doesn’t stop Tia West.
Tia can’t help herself. She loves adopting strays. She can’t to see anything suffer and be in need, so the moment she sees Taz, she knows he’s hers. She is determined to drag out all of his secrets in any way possible. Coming from a family of six siblings, she is surrounded in constant chaos, but what’s adding one more to the mix?
Taz and Tia can’t help the tension that draws them to one another. Despite all his attempts to keep her at bay, the bubbly, beautiful and caring girl of his dreams finds her way into his heart. His greatest fear is that when his world shatters, he will break her too.
I cannot say enough great things about Charisse Moritz or her writing. She has captured my heart and I will literally read anything she writes. Teenage angst, mixed with emotional themes, witty banter, and characters that find one another in their darkest hours are her specialty.
In Charisse Moritz’s first book, Shakespeare Burning, we’re introduced to the West family. In Shatter, eldest daughter, Tia, has taken on the roles of her absent parents, taking care of her five younger siblings, the home, bills and everything else; she’s struggling to keep it all together while her older brother has also disappeared. Gibson, “Taz”, a boy she used to share her lunch with, has returned for his Senior year and rumors and speculation about the “bad boy” are rampant.
Tia, ever a problem-solver and determined optimist, can’t help but want to break through Taz’s tough, unapproachable exterior and hug this physically and emotionally scarred young man, who so badly needs a friend. Taz is drawn to Tia, but also to other members of the family, most adorably to her five-year-old sister, who calls him “Tummy” and he calls “Tulip”. The interactions between these two may be my favorite parts of the book.
Shatter addresses difficult issues of abuse, dysfunctional family dynamics and PTSD. As with her first novel, Moritz creates such wonderfully developed characters, including secondaries, that you’re immediately drawn in by them and invested in the outcome of their story. Her clever, witty, touching writing style keeps you up reading waaay too late, with no regrets.
Shatter is my second book that I have read by Charisse Moritz. Shakespeare Burning was her debut novel and it blew me away, so I eagerly started reading.
Tia is responsible for her six brothers and sisters, and now, seeing she ran him over, Taz. And he could sure use a friend. I feel a healthy respect and sympathy for Tia. Taz pulls at my heartstrings and I feel there is much more to learn about him. Tia loves to rescue those in need, whether human or critter.
Tia remembers good times with Taz, when they were much younger, Juvie had changed him. He was like a porcupine throwing up his quills when anyone tried to get close to him.
Tully, Tia’s little sister is so sweet. Her precious little girl voice and the things she says are priceless. Her interaction with Taz is amazing and Charisse was a master at showing it. She is full of ‘rainbows and happiness.’ What a wonderful yet simple description, as I fought for words to describe her, Charisse Moritz supplied them.
Tia and her brothers and sisters are on their own because of an automobile accident. Her father was seriously injured and her mother moved to be by his side. Her aunt is supposed to be with them, but she left right after she got there. Think about it. A high school senior girl is doing her best to play mother and father for her 5 brothers and sisters. Her heart is BIG and her compassion endless. Tia is the most positive character I have ever read. She never quit fighting for what she believed in. Despair, sure, but somehow she grasps HOPE and figures out a way.
The few who believe in Taz are amazing and I hope you meet them.
These wonderfully written characters go through so many emotions that I laughed, I worried, I fretted, I hoped, and I kept on reading. They were created in vivid, realistic detail that may make you want to wrap your arms around these youngsters and tell them everything will be all right.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shatter by Charisse Moritz.
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Witty, dark, humorous and sexy all in one fast-driving, souped-up, sexy hotrod of a story. Shatter follows two high school seniors on a far from typical path as they collide and combust on their crazy race to Homecoming.
This is not your typical YA high school romance. The bad-boy redemption cliché has met its match as Taz burns it to the ground and rises from its ashes, all while our seemingly too-good-to-be-true Tia brings the laughter and the tears as she shines in her own spotlight.
Finding an author who can marry wit and cynicism all into one fantastic story is hard. To find one who does it twice is amazing. Shatter is Moritz’s second book and is a sensation straight out of the gate. I can’t wait for the next in the series. I give this 6 out of 5 stars. A work of Teen-Angst-Art!
I absolutely loved this book right from page one. I felt kind of like a hamster on a wheel, I just kept reading, reading and reading. I was racing to finish Tia and Taz’s story because I HAD to know what was next. I loved Shakespeare Burning, don’t get me wrong. In my opinion, Shatter is leaps and bounds better.
Tia’s personality is quirky, fun and I adored the movie quotes. The portions with her wild family were probably my favorite parts. So many times in books when there is a big family, there is always one member that is totally pointless. There usually is another member you forget all together. Not only do I know their names, but I can tell you character quirks for each one. Also, I feel like I KNOW them as a real person. I feel like one of the tribe after getting a sneak peak in the house.
Taz, oh Taz. His life was full of hardship, sadness and anger. He is the abused puppy that needs someone to pet him. I was so thankful the whole book that Tia was taking such an active role in helping him. I found his inner dialogue hilarious. He is for a big portion of the book quite quiet. Even with this, he says SO MUCH. I find it really impressive that the author could convey this troubled, complicated boy with only inner thoughts at some points. His band members were a real treat too. I am looking forward to hearing about them. They added a totally different spark to the book that wasn’t needed, but I really appreciated it.
This is a book I will reread over and over. Some people might see that it is set in high school and be turned off. I feel it is more new adult like. There are also deeper themes, witty humor and great characters. Again, Loved It!
SHATTERED My HEART
One heck of an attention grabbing read that will stick with me for a long time. It shattered my heart toyed with my emotions and was impossible to put down. It got in my head and had me forgetting about my world of responsibilities and just wanting to read and read. It’s bold and cruel and truly disturbing yet has so much beauty in it, it helped to relieve the darkness that clings to you like a second skin but impossible to escape the struggles, abuse and betrayal Taz suffers in such a short life span is just painful and torcher to read. Its brilliantly written and told with vivid details it’s impossible to escape the feels that get under your skin and eat you alive while ripping your heart out. The chemistry is powerful and addictive and yes it gets hot and steamy. It’s and outstanding read with an amazing ending that I’m thrill to have read and A first for me by this very gifted writer and will definitely be reading more of her stories in the future.
This one was a good read. I was hooked from the first Chapter. Tia’s father is in the hospital and her mother is there with with while Tia is home holding down the fort. Tia has a bunch of siblings so holding down the fort is not easy. She a tough girl. She likes to save things. She believes in second chances. Taz is a mess. He needs a break but everyone is hard on him. His past isn’t very good. He not a project for Tia, she really likes him and see through his past and the rumors and see the real him. I liked how when Taz was brought into the West family he gave all the sibling nicknames in his head. These two have a lot of pressure from life and things to work through. I really liked this one and it’s one you should check out.
4 1/2 Stars!